(New) 2013 Kansas City Royals Repository

[duncan_idaho]

New thread, this time with more burst.

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?

[Infidel Goat]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

Moose absolutely should get another year. You guys are nuts.

Moose at 22: 86 OPS+
Moose at 23: 91 OPS+
Moose at 24: 74 OPS+

[Sure-Oz]

Moose should start at AAA next year. Sign Youkalis as insurance

[Nightfyre]

Chris Davis at 22: 128 OPS+
Chris Davis at 23: 85 OPS+
Chris Davis at 24: 51 OPS+
Chris Davis at 25: 90 OPS+
Chris Davis at 26: 121 OPS+
Chris Davis at 27: 165 OPS+


It just takes some guys longer to catch on.

[KevB]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

Moose absolutely should get another year. You guys are nuts.

I wouldn't outright dump him, but you have to bring in another reasonable option in case things don't click with him.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by alnorth

uhhh... no way in hell that happens. The home run derby wasn't even 2 years old, you already forgot?

That big cheesy smile didn't signal to you sarcasm in that post???

[CaliforniaChief]

I know Duncan has referred to this before, but I was just looking at Josh Johnson's stats and see him as someone we should bring in to replace Santana. He had an awful year this year. Health has always been the concern, but a lifetime 3.40 ERA with #1 stuff makes it worth extending a 1 year offer to him.

If Shields would agree to an extension of 2 years, that would be great, IMO. 3 years of Shields, plus Johnson, Duffy, Ventura, and Guthrie could be a nice rotation.

[SPATCH]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

Chris Davis at 22: 128 OPS+
Chris Davis at 23: 85 OPS+
Chris Davis at 24: 51 OPS+
Chris Davis at 25: 90 OPS+
Chris Davis at 26: 121 OPS+
Chris Davis at 27: 165 OPS+


It just takes some guys longer to catch on.

juice.

[cookster50]

Originally Posted by alnorth

We wont be mathematically eliminated tomorrow, but we probably will be realistically done. I might even be able to start a game thread again!

False. Royals are now mathematically eliminated. Well, maybe your statement is true, as you posted this on 9/25, and on 9/25 the Royals were mathematically eliminated, not 9/26. So technically you are right.

[BlackHelicopters]

Fun while it lasted.

[Archie F. Swin]

ICYMI: #Royals GM Dayton Moore says he wants to retain manager Ned Yost. Other notes. http://t.co/TxrhpOD9Jo

— Bob Dutton (@Royals_Report) September 26, 2013

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

I know Duncan has referred to this before, but I was just looking at Josh Johnson's stats and see him as someone we should bring in to replace Santana. He had an awful year this year. Health has always been the concern, but a lifetime 3.40 ERA with #1 stuff makes it worth extending a 1 year offer to him.

If Shields would agree to an extension of 2 years, that would be great, IMO. 3 years of Shields, plus Johnson, Duffy, Ventura, and Guthrie could be a nice rotation.

If you look at Johnson's secondary numbers, you see a good case for bad luck/bounceback.

His HR/FB rates have skyrocketed, but his groundball, flyball rates have remained the same. His LD percentage has increased slightly, and is really the only negative indicator (24 percent over the past two seasons, not a great trend).

His velo/pitchFx data is also pretty stable. He doesn't throw QUITE as hard as he did before his injury in 2011, but he has held steady right at 93 MPH on his fastball over 2012 and 2013.

Put him in a more spacious ballpark like the K, and you're going to see that HR/FB number come down. Pair it with a much improved defense behind him, and you likely see more numbers come down.

Comparing defenses, spot-by-spot, between Toronto and KC:

C - Sal Perez vs. JP Arrencibia (LARGE advantage KC)
1B - Eric Hosmer vs. Encarnacion (LARGE advantage KC)
2B - Getz/Tejada/Bonifacio vs. Bonifacio/Izturis/DeRosa (wash)
SS - Escobar vs. Reyes (LARGE advantage KC)
3B - Moose vs. Lawrie (LARGE advantage Toronto)
LF - Gordon vs. Melky Cabrera (LARGE advantage KC)
CF - Cain vs. Rasmus (LARGE advantage KC)
RF - Francoeur/Lough/Maxwell vs. Bautista (SLIGHT advantage KC that would be bigger without 1/3 of the playing time going to Francoeur)

If Josh Johnson wants to land the huge contract for 2015 and beyond, he wants to be a Royal next year. He just doesn't know it yet.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Archie F. Swin

ICYMI: #Royals GM Dayton Moore says he wants to retain manager Ned Yost. Other notes. http://t.co/TxrhpOD9Jo

— Bob Dutton (@Royals_Report) September 26, 2013

Hopefully just Moore saying "the right thing" in public until he can talk to Ned privately.

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

Moose absolutely should get another year. You guys are nuts.

They should open the season with him at 3B (unless his weight blows up in the offseason or unless he is just a disaster at ST), but a better insurance policy would make many feel better.

Jhonny Peralta can't spell and likes roids, but he wouldn't be a bad gamble for KC for this reason. His ability to spell at SS and 3B would be valuable, and he should be able to make the switch to 2B, too.

Sign him with the intention of giving him lots of ABs at 2B, but with the idea that he can slide to 3B or SS if Moose or Escobar continue to be disasters at the plate.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Infidel Goat

Moose at 22: 86 OPS+
Moose at 23: 91 OPS+
Moose at 24: 74 OPS+

He has like a 550 ops vs. LH this year. He's a disgrace. This season he had = One of the worst players I've ever seen in a Royals uniform. The problem is he's so cocky and thinks he's really good.

[Tytanium]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

Moose should start at AAA next year. Sign Youkalis as insurance

If nothing else, Youk can play solid defense at third and would probably be the first Royal in a million years to have 100+ walks in a season.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by Tytanium

If nothing else, Youk can play solid defense at third and would probably be the first Royal in a million years to have 100+ walks in a season.

outside of Butler, he might have more than the rest of the roster combined.