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?

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

Hos still has tremendous upside. He is simplifying his swing again and making great contact. Moose is coming around a bit as well. Maybe GB can push the right buttons for him and he will turn out. The upside is still there. For both.

Lets pray.

You can't without hitting homeruns. Or at least doubles. Preferably both.

Both of these guys have to be perennial 25-30 HR guys.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by Mizzou_8541

I got to hear Dayton Moore speak today at the Tiger Club of KC over lunch. I wouldn't necessarily say I'm a DM fan, but I was pleasantly surprised at his candor. I thought he was a very good speaker. Anyway, I thought some might like a recap, so I will do my best. Sorry if this is all Q.

1. Rays wanted Yordano Ventura instead of of Odorizzi and Montgomery. Says Ventura is considered by most to be a better prospect than both.

2. In order to get Shields, had to part with One of: Moose, Hosmer, Perez, Escobar or Myers. Said he didn't want to part with two great players in the middle of the defense, and didn't want to give up known commodities in Hosmer and Moose, so Myers was the only choice.

3. Explained how high he was on Cain and how important and talented he is. Said hes seeing doctors, nutritionists, etc., to hopefully minimize his injury issues.

4. Not earth shattering, but i found it interesting. He talked a little bit Gordon's swing and how, due to him being right-handed naturally, but hitting left-handed (and because he's right eye dominant -I might have that backwards), results in a swing that loops down into the zone and cause him to strikeout more. Said he also releases his right hand early, which also contributes to strikeouts (that's probably common knowledge, but I don't much about the details of baseball).

5. More on Gordon: he said that Gordon attributes his recent success to Seitzer, but that Gordon has it figured out and should be fine with new hitting coach.

6. Some guy asked about Hochevar and his contract. DM said he wasn't sure he'd make the club out of spring training. He also said that if we didn't sign him, there would be 29 other clubs who would, and that he would be considered the "dumbest GM in baseball." Contract is not guaranteed.

7. He talked a little but about their process in scouting and signing Latin American players. Said they are getting a good reputation for taking care of and developing kids from those areas. He also said he is one of only two GMs who actually travel to the country and sit down and with the prospect and his family and discuss the Royals' plan for them.

8. When he first arrived, they had three players in farm system who they thought was worth anything. Butler, Gordon and Greinke, and Greinke quit before spring training. said we have come a long way since then. And the farm system isn't as good as 2010, but still very good (what else is he going to say?).

9. He mentioned that KC and other small markets have to learn how to compete in an unfair system. They aren't making excuses, they just have to learn how to do it.

10.He was asked about finding a new right fielder and second baseman, and he said we are going with what we got. Said Getz and Francoeur come to work with great attitudes, they work hard, and the players love them (and Hochevar FWIW). Said that Getz keeps Escobar and Hosmer focused, whatever that means.

11. He said that Starling and Mondesi have the potential to be game changers.

12. He talked quite a bit about winning now, and not waiting until next year. Said we have to learn how to win with our young players....

13. Crow staying in bullpen. He is dominant there, but maybe only a #5 starter in the rotation.

14. Some guy who was about 97 years old I think asked DM if ever considered getting Alex Gordon's eyes checked. I think it must have been the years of ineptitude building up inside him, because he was talking to Dayton like he was an idiot. It was pretty funny. Dayton answered it well, said yes they have had his eyes checked, and everybody gets their vision checked constantly throughout the season. He said many players have 20/15 vision. He also said Billy Butler had maybe worst vision on the team, but he got it corrected.

I know that's not really much new information, but I thought a few might be interested.

Found it. There's some pretty amazing material in here, ladies and gents.

At the very least, if Myers blows up and our season is over by July, take comfort in the fact that the grit-loving man with the "scout's eye" (one for team chemistry builders) will likely be gone by 2014.

[Sure-Oz]

I would LOVE a reporter to go at Ned Yost with this....

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-bi...195313826.html

[KevB]

Puig now has more home runs in 20 games than any Royal in 73 games.

[Al Bundy]

Tom Krasniqi ‏@TKras 16m

Joe Maddon says Wil Myers is "not overwhelmed whatsoever" and that the "ball comes off the bat hot". No kidding #Rays

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

Tom Krasniqi ‏@TKras 16m

Joe Maddon says Wil Myers is "not overwhelmed whatsoever" and that the "ball comes off the bat hot". No kidding #Rays

Dayton Moore says Myers would be overwhelmed by Kauffman Stadium's large parking lot.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Dayton Moore says Myers would be overwhelmed by Kauffman Stadium's large parking lot.

I know you're trying to be funny, but I hope you realize the thickness of the BBQ smoke makes it harder to hit home runs.

[Deberg_1990]

No spot for Myers on this team. Francour provides too much leadership.
Posted via Mobile Device

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Dayton Moore says Myers would be overwhelmed by Kauffman Stadium's large parking lot.

They have a parking lot? Hmmmmmmf, who knew!!!!????

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Dayton Moore says Myers would be overwhelmed by Kauffman Stadium's large parking lot.

I hate the truthiness in this post.

DM is, without question, a more personable version of Scott Pioli. Both are so ****ing stupid that it defies expectation.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

The key point here is that we only have two years of control of Shields. We gave up six years of every prospect we sent in that deal. I would have turned the deal down - and that's not unreasonable, if not simply because Frenchy is SOOOO terrible that Myers replacing Frenchy is undoubtedly worth more wins than Shields over whomever we could have acquired with 12 or 18 million in free agency dollars.

So you wouldn't have done the trade, fair enough. But the question is what it takes to get Shields. Myers was the cost for the acquisition. It wasn't an unfair trade on the face of it.

Hard to know who would sign here for 18M. Annibal Sanchez is a $90m investment and likely wouldn't come here. Edwin Jackson & Shaun Marcum were tossed around as options but they are a combined 3-18 (though they've pitched a bit better than that). Who did you have in mind? Brandon McCarthy was another name but he's got a 5 era for Arizona.

[Bambi]

No one on the Royals roster can hit a ball like Myers did tonight. Not one.

[Prison Bitch]

The $8million fat-ass at DH is a huge problem this year and he seems to skate from these discussions. Out of 160 qualifiers, he's a dreadful 114th in slugging at .390 (behind Chris Donofria of SD).

[Hootie]

Butler has been bad this year...but he's a great hitter. He'll bust out of it.

[TambaBerry]

If the players who are supposed to be playing well, hosmer, Gordon, moose, butler we would be right in the thick of things.