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?

[KevB]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Imagine if Moore had decided to trade Moose instead of Myers for Shields...

Or if we wouldn't have made the trade and signed Anibal Sanchez instead. Sanchez roughly equivalent to Shields, you don't have Davis setting fire to the mound every fifth day, and you have the best rookie in baseball playing right field. I know, no reason to dwell on what if's........

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by KevB

Or if we wouldn't have made the trade and signed Anibal Sanchez instead. Sanchez roughly equivalent to Shields, you don't have Davis setting fire to the mound every fifth day, and you have the best rookie in baseball playing right field. I know, no reason to dwell on what if's........

If only some had thought of this before the trade happened... drinks heavily

[Coach]

Dayton really need to address the 2nd base and 3rd base.... Moose is just terrible, and he's just overmatched.

[Saul Good]

That pitch looked really high.

[gblowfish]

Alex turning back into Alice in front of our eyes. He swung at ball two and ball three. No place discipline.

[DeezNutz]

Rany just posted a long update, listing basically all of the potential targets for 2B, while first arguing that we shouldn't be buyers in the traditional sense.

[SAUTO]

The team has the money to re sign Santana. Let's not use that as an excuse
Posted via Mobile Device

[TambaBerry]

What's the list?

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Rany just posted a long update, listing basically all of the potential targets for 2B, while first arguing that we shouldn't be buyers in the traditional sense.

It's been a fun season for sure especially considering the shit we are used to watching but IMO we still aren't at the level to be buying at this point in the season, as fun as that may be. However, I simply think we might be buyers because DM needs to make some moves to try and save his ass. I think it would be poor franchise management to allow him to do that, however.

[SAUTO]

We are paying Santana 13 million this year.
Posted via Mobile Device

[58kcfan89]

Originally Posted by lewdog

It's been a fun season for sure especially considering the shit we are used to watching but IMO we still aren't at the level to be buying at this point in the season, as fun as that may be. However, I simply think we might be buyers because DM needs to make some moves to try and save his ass. I think it would be poor franchise management to allow him to do that, however.

This was precisely why I (and all the rest of you, I'm sure) wasn't a fan of the Shields trade. We're just not ready yet, and probably never will be as long as Dayton's in charge.

As for Dayton saving his ass, I just have doubts that Glass actually would fire him if this team finishes anywhere near .500. I'm thinking it's going to take an epic collapse for him to not be employed in 2014, unfortunately. Now, if we're not in legitimate contention at this point next season.....

[mr. tegu]

Both the Tigers and Indians win again. This is just ridiculous that we win five in a row and don't even make up a game.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by KevB

Or if we wouldn't have made the trade and signed Anibal Sanchez instead. Sanchez roughly equivalent to Shields, you don't have Davis setting fire to the mound every fifth day, and you have the best rookie in baseball playing right field. I know, no reason to dwell on what if's........

The only issue with this is it assumes we would've signed Sanchez and Detroit wouldn't have tried to outbid us to ensure this doesn't happen. I don't think this was guaranteed, in which case Chen and Hoch are in our rotation again all year, plus someone like Will Smith or Mendoza.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by KevB

Myers with 2 more home runs today and 4 RBIs. It's a struggle trying not to pay attention, but when the guy is blowing up like this I can't help it.

True, but Shields threw 7 shutout innings the other night and Lough saved the game last night. Have to look at everything in it's entirety.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by 58kcfan89

This was precisely why I (and all the rest of you, I'm sure) wasn't a fan of the Shields trade. We're just not ready yet,..

How would anyone know? The preseason Vegas odds had Tampa at 86, Oakland at 83, Arizona 81,Boston 79, Cleveland 78, PIttsburgh 79, Baltimore 77. All are having good seasons. You can't possibly know for certain which teams are "ready" and which are not.

http://www.baseballnation.com/2013/2...s-2013-GAMBLOR