2013 Kansas City Royals Repository Thread

[duncan_idaho]

Proposed 2013 Slogan: Tigers: They're what's for dinner
Actual 2013 Slogan: Come to Play
A better, more accurate, or alternative slogan: All in, no panic, we promise.

Dayton Moore has pushed all his chips in and is riding on King/Jack suited, hoping it comes together, he gets some good luck, and he hits the nuts by the river card. There's potential, oh yes, there's potential. There's also risk.

At the midway point, Dayton is left counting on the river card. The flop and turn didn't help him, and he's looking at the Tigers holding a pair of Queens and the Indians holding a pair of 9s. His 2013 plan hasn't failed - yet - but the odds are not in his favor.

Burning questions updates below.

Burning Questions for 2013:

1) Will the improve rotation be improved enough? Does James Shields pitch like a fringe No. 1 away from Tampa Bay? Does Ervin Santana pitch to his highest upside in his walk year? Can Jeremy Guthrie build on his strong performance as a Royal in 2012? Can Wade Davis bring his new mentality- and velocity - back to the rotation?

Midseason check-in: Yes, the rotation is certainly improved enough. Shields has pitched like a fringe No. 1 and Santana is having his best season. Guthrie has horrible peripherals but has continued to perform well at his home park and eat innings on the road. Davis brought neither his kick-ass mentality or improved velocity back to the rotation and is in Luke Hochevar/Hiram Davies territory.

2) When will Luke Hochevar be shown the door?
Midseason check-in: It appears, never, at this point. Hochevar has been solid in non-leverage situations, though pretty much every time he has been used with men on base in an inning, it has been a disaster.

3) Does Hosmer bounce back?
Midseason check-in: It took some time, but Hosmer's performance from June 1 on is probably the most encouraging thing about the 2013 season so far.
4) Can Moustakas hit for a whole season like he did in the first half of 2012?
Midseason check-in: Nope. Moustakas was god-awful, then great for about 3 weeks, then god-awful again. He has been better since he started working with Brett and Grafol but still has a long way to go.
5) Who regresses?
Midseason check-in: Welp, Alicides Escobar is not a surprising name here (though Yost's stubborn insistence on hitting him second is ridiculous). Billy Butler is a surprise. He isn't having a terrible year - still contributing a lot to the offense - but he's not hitting for the average or power he has displayed over the past several years.
6) Who plays 2B?
Midseason check-in: A whole bunch of people, and not that great. Gio is at least getting a shot, though he once again is not doing much with it.
7) Can Jeff Francoeur be at least replacement level, rather than epic horrible level?
Midseason check-in: Hahahahahahahahahahaha
8) Will Dayton Moore survive to see 2014?
Midseason check-in: Outlook uncertain. Probably still around, unless the team completely tanks in the second half and he does something foolish. My guess - he sacrifices Ned Yost this offseason and gets one more shot with a new manager in 2014.
9) Will Danny Duffy come back healthy? And if he does, is he the same, better or worse?
Midseason check-in: Yes. Velocity looks the same, and it looks likely he is the same guy as before.
10) And the big one: Has KC added enough to run down the big-money Detroit Tigers?
Midseason check-in: Doesn't look like it, does it?

[duncan_idaho]

As for the rotation...

Mendoza has been victim to a lot of skipping and jerking around, which makes it hard to find a rhythm. I'm sure he'll get a few more starts to try and straighten himself out. But not much more leash than that.

Davis is going to get a Hochevar-esque leash, I think. They need him to succeed as a starter and gave up significant pieces in order to obtain him. His performance has been uneven, but the one positive is that his K rate is up from his previous days as a starter (it's sitting at 7.1 K/9, which is respectable).

I think Ventura needs a little more seasoning before he can be an MLB starter (pitch efficiency seems to be a big issue with him), but all other aspects of his game look great.

[Hootie]

I knew it was high.

10 of our 15 wins have come from the 'come from behind' variety.

[eazyb81]

Royals all-time record through the first 25 games.

This has been our fifth-best start in franchise history.

2013 15-10
2012 8-17
2011 12-13
2010 10-15
2009 14-11
2008 11-14
2007 8-17
2006 5-20
2005 7-18
2004 8-17
2003 17-8
2002 8-17
2001 10-15
2000 12-13
1999 11-14
1998 10-15
1997 12-13
1996 9-16
1995 11-14
1994 13-12
1993 10-15
1992 5-20
1991 9-16
1990 9-16
1989 17-8
1988 14-11
1987 14-11
1986 11-14
1985 12-13
1984 9-16
1983 13-12
1982 14-11
1981 7-18
1980 13-12
1979 14-11
1978 15-10
1977 14-11
1976 16-9
1975 13-12
1974 11-14
1973 16-9
1972 10-15
1971 13-12
1970 8-17
1969 14-11

[siberian khatru]

I heard this morning that before last night the Rays had won 70 straight games in which they led by 5 runs or more, which was the longest current streak in the majors.

[Great Expectations]

We need some momentum heading into may. If we can be 5 games over. 500 on June 1 we will have a good shot at the playoffs.

[AussieChiefsFan]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

Royals all-time record through the first 25 games.

This has been our fifth-best start in franchise history.

2013 15-10
2012 8-17
2011 12-13
2010 10-15
2009 14-11
2008 11-14
2007 8-17
2006 5-20
2005 7-18
2004 8-17
2003 17-8
2002 8-17
2001 10-15
2000 12-13
1999 11-14
1998 10-15
1997 12-13
1996 9-16
1995 11-14
1994 13-12
1993 10-15
1992 5-20
1991 9-16
1990 9-16
1989 17-8
1988 14-11
1987 14-11
1986 11-14
1985 12-13
1984 9-16
1983 13-12
1982 14-11
1981 7-18
1980 13-12
1979 14-11
1978 15-10
1977 14-11
1976 16-9
1975 13-12
1974 11-14
1973 16-9
1972 10-15
1971 13-12
1970 8-17
1969 14-11

Hopefully this year doesn't go the way of '03

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

Royals all-time record through the first 25 games.

This has been our fifth-best start in franchise history.

2013 15-10
2012 8-17
2011 12-13
2010 10-15
2009 14-11
2008 11-14
2007 8-17
2006 5-20
2005 7-18
2004 8-17
2003 17-8
2002 8-17
2001 10-15
2000 12-13
1999 11-14
1998 10-15
1997 12-13
1996 9-16
1995 11-14
1994 13-12
1993 10-15
1992 5-20
1991 9-16
1990 9-16
1989 17-8
1988 14-11
1987 14-11
1986 11-14
1985 12-13
1984 9-16
1983 13-12
1982 14-11
1981 7-18
1980 13-12
1979 14-11
1978 15-10
1977 14-11
1976 16-9
1975 13-12
1974 11-14
1973 16-9
1972 10-15
1971 13-12
1970 8-17
1969 14-11

1989 we had the 3rd best record in baseball but we didn't make the playoffs because of the system back then. A's won the division.

[Saul Good]

Crazy that we've fallen behind 2-0 in the top of the first only to really with 8 straight runs in each of the last two games.

[Demonpenz]

Jose Lima was our best starting pitcher in 03 and that bullpen sucked. This team is an 80 win team and they are playing par for the course so far.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Crazy that we've fallen behind 2-0 in the top of the first only to really with 8 straight runs in each of the last two games.

haha ya, after the first last night I wasn't worried.. In fact I kind of said to myself "well at least we got it out of the way again"

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Zeke

haha ya, after the first last night I wasn't worried.. In fact I kind of said to myself "well at least we got it out of the way again"

Our pitching in the first inning of has been ridiculously bad, especially compared to how good it has been the rest of the time.

[KevB]

Originally Posted by AussieChiefsFan

Hopefully this year doesn't go the way of '03

That 2003 team had an offense that was probably better than our team this season. Beltran was a beast, and we also had Sweeney, Ibanez, Berroa (good year), Randa, etc. However, that pitching staff was terrible. Our best starter that season was Darrell May. Enough said.

If I recall correctly, we had a lot of things go perfectly to achieve that start. Runelvys, Affeldt and McDougal all started hot. Brent Mayne was raking (complete anomoly). That team was lucky, while this year's team has some legit staying power based on historical performance of the pitchers and assumptions around improvement of the offense.

[Three7s]

Originally Posted by KevB

That 2003 team had an offense that was probably better than our team this season. Beltran was a beast, and we also had Sweeney, Ibanez, Berroa (good year), Randa, etc. However, that pitching staff was terrible. Our best starter that season was Darrell May. Enough said.

If I recall correctly, we had a lot of things go perfectly to achieve that start. Runelvys, Affeldt and McDougal all started hot. Brent Mayne was raking (complete anomoly). That team was lucky, while this year's team has some legit staying power based on historical performance of the pitchers and assumptions around improvement of the offense.

Don't forget Ken Harvey. That dude was pretty good for a few years.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by Three7s

Don't forget Ken Harvey. That dude was pretty good for half a year.

edited for accuracy.

[KevB]

Originally Posted by Three7s

Don't forget Ken Harvey. That dude was pretty good for a few years.

He was left as part of "etc." for a reason. More bad memories than good with that guy.