Royals (New) 2013 Kansas City Royals Repository - Page 10

duncan_idaho · 08-15-2013, 08:13 AM

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?

WhawhaWhat · 08-16-2013, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Neifi Perez holds the MLB record for worst fWAR since 2000 with -3.1 in 2002. Now listen closely here: he had an OPS+ of 54.

Right now, AlShitty Escobar is at 61. Yeah. Not kidding. I wish I was.

Was he in the Greinke trade?

Prison Bitch · 08-16-2013, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

Was he in the Greinke trade?

Can you believe how awful he is? I mean, 4th full season age 26. To be this bad in his "prime" is just, wow.

Archie F. Swin · 08-16-2013, 09:20 AM

#Royals OF Justin Maxwell departing after first game on bereavement leave following death of grandmother. LHP Will Smith to be recalled.
— Bob Dutton (@Royals_Report) August 16, 2013

Archie F. Swin · 08-16-2013, 09:21 AM

Moose available to pinch hit

teedubya · 08-16-2013, 10:14 AM

It was a fun ride. :-) The injuries at the wrong time did us in... as did Ned's boneheaded lineups.

SPATCH · 08-16-2013, 10:17 AM

Our lineups today are SOOOOOO uninspiring.

It's funny how quickly everything crumbled, lol.

CaliforniaChief · 08-16-2013, 10:20 AM

I think injuries did play a role in the demise, if indeed that is what this is. I'll admit I'm still hoping.

But to me, and Petro said this first, the biggest issue is that we don't have a star player in this lineup. That's why, this offseason, I go all-in for Giancarlo Stanton (Ventura, J. Bonifacio, Adam, whatever) and try to extend Shields with 2 more years.

Bambi · 08-16-2013, 10:21 AM

Good fight right now on the radio between Petro and that dentist that writes about the Royals.

Bambi · 08-16-2013, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archie F. Swin

#Royals OF Justin Maxwell departing after first game on bereavement leave following death of grandmother. LHP Will Smith to be recalled.
— Bob Dutton (@Royals_Report) August 16, 2013

I've never seen another professional team give players off so much time for bereavement.

siberian khatru · 08-16-2013, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

Petro and Rany having a great debate right now on 810.

I'll catch the podcast later. What are they arguing about?

duncan_idaho · 08-16-2013, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bambi

Good fight right now on the radio between Petro and that dentist that writes about the Royals.

You mean the guy who co-founded Baseball Prospectus in his spare time, while in Dental school?

duncan_idaho · 08-16-2013, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bambi

I've never seen another professional team give players off so much time for bereavement.

Being a "nice" good guy matters more to this organization than winning. Doing the Christian thing is more important than winning.

siberian khatru · 08-16-2013, 10:24 AM

FTR, Rany's a dermatologist

Ebolapox · 08-16-2013, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

You mean the guy who co-founded Baseball Prospectus in his spare time, while in Dental school?

thought he was a dermatologist.

CaliforniaChief · 08-16-2013, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

I'll catch the podcast later. What are they arguing about?

The Shields/Myers trade. What else?

08-15-2013, 08:13 AM
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $1720308	(New) 2013 Kansas City Royals Repository 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?
Posts: 21,104

08-16-2013, 09:20 AM	#138
Archie F. Swin This is the way Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Wichita Falls, Texas Casino cash: $9975673	#Royals OF Justin Maxwell departing after first game on bereavement leave following death of grandmother. LHP Will Smith to be recalled. — Bob Dutton (@Royals_Report) August 16, 2013 __________________ "No Two People Will Do It The Same, You got It Down...When You Appear to Be In Pain!"
Posts: 11,800

08-16-2013, 09:21 AM	#139
Archie F. Swin This is the way Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Wichita Falls, Texas Casino cash: $9975673	Moose available to pinch hit __________________ "No Two People Will Do It The Same, You got It Down...When You Appear to Be In Pain!"
Posts: 11,800

08-16-2013, 10:14 AM	#140
teedubya Most Valuable Poster Join Date: Oct 2003 Casino cash: $9480002	It was a fun ride. :-) The injuries at the wrong time did us in... as did Ned's boneheaded lineups.
Posts: 36,652

08-16-2013, 10:17 AM	#141
SPATCH birth of spatch Join Date: May 2008 Casino cash: $10006207	Our lineups today are SOOOOOO uninspiring. It's funny how quickly everything crumbled, lol.
Posts: 4,569

08-16-2013, 10:20 AM	#142
CaliforniaChief #RIPAce Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: So Cal Casino cash: $12412899	I think injuries did play a role in the demise, if indeed that is what this is. I'll admit I'm still hoping. But to me, and Petro said this first, the biggest issue is that we don't have a star player in this lineup. That's why, this offseason, I go all-in for Giancarlo Stanton (Ventura, J. Bonifacio, Adam, whatever) and try to extend Shields with 2 more years.
Posts: 17,319

08-16-2013, 10:21 AM	#143
Bambi Banned Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: New York City Casino cash: $10036993	Good fight right now on the radio between Petro and that dentist that writes about the Royals.
Posts: 17,810

08-16-2013, 10:24 AM	#148
siberian khatru 21st Century Schizoid Fan Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: The Gates of Delirium Casino cash: $2514950	FTR, Rany's a dermatologist
Posts: 69,194