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?

[Ceej]

Originally Posted by alnorth

The only thing I'm confused about Prison Bitch is his obsession with Moose.

I'm not defending Hosmer, his performance this year has been thoroughly discouraging. I wouldn't bat an eye if he were sent down, but for some bizarre reason, he focuses most of his ire on the guy who started hitting the ball harder, instead of the guy whose OBP is higher than his SLG.

Dude did the same thing with Perry Ellis.

Your best bet is to ignore him.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by alnorth

The only thing I'm confused about Prison Bitch is his obsession with Moose.

I'm not defending Hosmer, his performance this year has been thoroughly discouraging. I wouldn't bat an eye if he were sent down, but for some bizarre reason, he focuses most of his ire on the guy who started hitting the ball harder, instead of the guy whose OBP is higher than his SLG.

I've written plenty about Hosmer, I hate what he's become. He's Ross Gload part 2. I think our hitting coach might bear some blame with these two, not sure. Because they were can't-miss guys in the Minors. Something isn't adding up.

[Three7s]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

I've written plenty about Hosmer, I hate what he's become. He's Ross Gload part 2. I think our hitting coach might bear some blame with these two, not sure. Because they were can't-miss guys in the Minors. Something isn't adding up.

They don't have much talent, like most other Royals prospects other than Gordon.

Hosmer is a slap hitter and Moose is all or nothing.

[Hootie]

I just can't believe how good Hosmer was his 1st year and how he's turned into...this.

I thought we had a freaking star on our hands.

of course everyone gave up on Gordon, too

[Hootie]

I was actually looking back at the "old" Gordon and he really only had one terrible offensive year.

Moose and Hosmer need to be at .800 OPS at the very least for this team to have a playoff run.

[penbrook]

Dyson better be fine.

[Deberg_1990]

Moose looks like a complete bust and Hosmer looks like "just another guy" Mark Teahan. It pains me to say this...but it is what it is....

[BlackHelicopters]

Both, at this point, appear to be busts. Topped out in AAA?

[-King-]

Originally Posted by Hootie

Alex Gordon is really ****ing good.

Here is what our lineup should be:

1. Cain
2. Hosmer
3. Gordon
4. Butler
5. Perez
6. Moose
7. Escobar
8. Johnson
9. Dyson

You go on and on about RBI guys not hitting leadoff and then you put Cain at lead off? He's our 3rd best RBI man and so far this season, the 2nd most consistent player on the team.

This lineup overall is stupid to me. Why is Escobar hitting 7th and Hosmer 2nd?

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Three7s

They don't have much talent, like most other Royals prospects other than Gordon.

Hosmer is a slap hitter and Moose is all or nothing.

If that's true, then they fooled nearly all the scouts and the objective observers who write this stuff for a living. Also they both have already had success at this level. Hos was great - not good but great - as a 21 year old and Moose hit 20HR last year. It's just so perplexing to me. Something isn't right.

[sedated]

Originally Posted by CJizzles

Dude did the same thing with Perry Ellis.

Your best bet is to ignore him.

Some Royals posters are still in stage 2 of what KU fans had to go through when Prison Bitch started stinking up those threads:

1. annoyance
2. arguing
3. ignoring

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by -King-

You go on and on about RBI guys not hitting leadoff and then you put Cain at lead off? He's our 3rd best RBI man and so far this season, the 2nd most consistent player on the team.

This lineup overall is stupid to me. Why is Escobar hitting 7th and Hosmer 2nd?

you could flip flop Escobar and Hosmer...but I thought trying Hosmer at 2nd might do him good.

and Cain would be a great leadoff man

[Ceej]

Originally Posted by sedated

Some Royals posters are still in stage 2 of what KU fans had to go through when Prison Bitch started stinking up those threads:

1. annoyance
2. arguing
3. ignoring

A lot of us KU fans won't give him the time of day any more.

Not sure he ever admitted he was completely wrong about Ellis. Shocker.

[Three7s]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

If that's true, then they fooled nearly all the scouts and the objective observers who write this stuff for a living. Also they both have already had success at this level. Hos was great - not good but great - as a 21 year old and Moose hit 20HR last year. It's just so perplexing to me. Something isn't right.

Bob Hamelin was pretty damn good for a year too. I wonder what kind of career he had.

Scouts are wrong all the time. I remember Angel Berroa drawing comparisons to Miguel Tejada in his prime from several scouts. I wouldn't bank on their opinions at all.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Three7s

Scouts are wrong all the time. I remember Angel Berroa drawing comparisons to Miguel Tejada in his prime from several scouts. I wouldn't bank on their opinions at all.

One of the fundamental rules of sabermetrics, is we don't know anything from about AA and below, other than a few tidbits like high school pitchers are risky as hell, and position players who are young tend to be better than position players at the same level and performance who are a year older.

Other than that, the scouts rule all and must be listened to. They are wrong a lot, but they are all anyone has. The scouts start taking a back seat in the high minors, and should be mostly done being listened to after a guy has a few years in the majors.