2012 Kansas City Royals Repository Thread

[alnorth]

2012 Slogan: Our Time

A better, more accurate 2012 Slogan: It is Finally Next Year
(from Great Expectations)

An alternative slogan if you don't like that one: Someone has to win this crappy division
(from alnorth)

With the beginning of a new year, it is time for the 2012 version of the Royals Repository Thread. We've got Hosmer, we've got a 2011-dominating Gordon, we've got Moose, we've got hopefully a killer bullpen, we've got a stereotypical slow slugging DH, we've got easily one of the best defensive shortstops in the AL, we've got a promising catcher in Salvador Perez. Hell, we've got offense and promising prospects galore.

We do not have starting pitching.

Oh yeah, we've also got this:



Get ready for, (as of January 2012 anyway), one of the most confusing puzzles of a baseball season in recent Royals history. Will they suck? Maybe, I don't know. Will we be given a year of 0.500 baseball? Possibly, I don't know. Will they win the division and go to the playoffs for the first time in 27 years? For the first time in a long time, it could happen, I don't know. 92 losses, 92 wins, or anything in between would not surprise a lot of us.

Everything goes here except Gameday threads and really big news. If a giant story breaks, the Royals achieve some awesome milestone, or we sign/lose a highly significant player/coach/mascot/whatever, then it might also deserve its own thread. This being Chiefs Planet, please do not clutter the board with new threads about trivial Royals news or you will only annoy those who come here for just Chiefs football. If you aren't sure and its not a Gameday thread, it goes here.

What sort of stuff often goes here? SPchief explained it well, so I'll just copy that:

If you locate something of interest.. ANYTHING.. deals on apparel, best ways in/out of the stadium, giveaways, great stories from this season or from seasons gone by, rumors, trades, anything.... feel free to post it here.

[Ceej]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Absolutely. Gordon gets on base and possesses pop. Great lead-off hitter in my book.

I would like to see him try to swipe a couple more bags though.

[Sure-Oz]

Issues are the SP staff, this team wont win period this year. I don't think they crack .500 at all. Hosmer needs to improve in the 2nd half and hope Myers gets to see some ML ab's

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by CJizzles

I would like to see him try to swipe a couple more bags though.

If he can do successfully, great. But stolen bases are often way overvalued by fans.

Gordon needs to do one thing: get on base. I don't give a flying **** if he does nothing else. Get. On. Base.

Period.

[Ceej]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

If he can do successfully, great. But stolen bases are often way overvalued by fans.

Gordon needs to do one thing: get on base. I don't give a flying **** if he does nothing else. Get. On. Base.

Period.

I would agree if someone other than Betancourt was batting two hole. I know Escobar has been hitting two hole recently. But, as it stands I like him more as the 9 hole hitter.

[Al Bundy]

You know it's bad when the Pirates are dramatically better than you.

[Sure-Oz]

Escobar is better off at 9 imo...

A guy like Melky (maybe cain) at #2 may help

[Sure-Oz]

MY ideal lineup for the rest of the year would be...

gordon
cain
butler
moustakas
myers
perez
hosmer
betancourt
escobar

just with the #'s so far this year

Don't have a real #2 hitter just guessing at this point

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by CJizzles

I would agree if someone other than Betancourt was batting two hole. I know Escobar has been hitting two hole recently. But, as it stands I like him more as the 9 hole hitter.

Myers. Would love to see him up after the break in the 2 spot.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Here's a quick halftime rundown, not taking into account injuries, which is a totally different subject altogether.

Snapshot of first half, now complete:

Good:
Perez hitting .386
Butler w/16 HRs
Escobar hitting .311
Broxton 21 out of 24 save opportunities
Tim Collins 55 Ks in relief


Bad:
12 Game Losing Streak
Gordon 5 HRs
Gordon, Moose, Frenchy all over 60 Ks
Dyson has six errors in the outfield.
Royals have used 22 pitchers this year.
Sanchez 1-5 6.75 ERA in 11 starts.
None of our current available starters have a winning record.

2011: Royals play .438 ball, finish in next to last ahead of Twins.
2012 first half: Royals play .446 ball, in next to last ahead of Twins.

So, has this team been better than last year? Barely, just barely.

Breaks it down pretty well. A few things I'd add.

Good:
Mike Moustakas as a complete player. He's playing great defense at 3B and in his first full season, it poised to be the second-best all-around 3B in the American League (behind Beltre). I'd be thrilled if he ends this season at .270 with 30 HR, 40 2B and 94 RBI, his current pace.

Alex Gordon's recovery. As pointed out, even though he isn't hitting a ton of home runs, he's still slugging the ball well. He's on pace for 10 HR and 54 2B. I'd bet he ends up with something like 18 HR and 45 2B by the end of the year.

Kelvin Herrera has been everything we expected. Very good reliever.

Bad:

Hochevar's continued Jekyll-and-Hyde act.

Luck. The Royals are playing better than they did a season ago despite getting almost no offensive production from CF, RF and C (for 2/3 the season), a disappointing first half from Eric Hosmer, and elbow injuries to Paulino and Duffy. If you'd told me before the season that all those things would happen, I would have told you the Royals would have the worst record in baseball.

[Ceej]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

MY ideal lineup for the rest of the year would be...

gordon
cain
butler
moustakas
myers
perez
hosmer
betancourt
escobar

just with the #'s so far this year

Don't have a real #2 hitter just guessing at this point

I actually like Getzy at the two spot if and when he ever returns.

It is a shame (thus far) that Giovatella may not pan out.

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Breaks it down pretty well. A few things I'd add.

Good:
Mike Moustakas as a complete player. He's playing great defense at 3B and in his first full season, it poised to be the second-best all-around 3B in the American League (behind Beltre). I'd be thrilled if he ends this season at .270 with 30 HR, 40 2B and 94 RBI, his current pace.

Alex Gordon's recovery. As pointed out, even though he isn't hitting a ton of home runs, he's still slugging the ball well. He's on pace for 10 HR and 54 2B. I'd bet he ends up with something like 18 HR and 45 2B by the end of the year.

Kelvin Herrera has been everything we expected. Very good reliever.

Bad:

Hochevar's continued Jekyll-and-Hyde act.

Luck. The Royals are playing better than they did a season ago despite getting almost no offensive production from CF, RF and C (for 2/3 the season), a disappointing first half from Eric Hosmer, and elbow injuries to Paulino and Duffy. If you'd told me before the season that all those things would happen, I would have told you the Royals would have the worst record in baseball.

Bad is Frenchy being Frenchy and fooling us all and Sanchez a non factor, actually worse than having a scrub from AAA.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

You know it's bad when the Pirates are dramatically better than you.

You're a moron.

They sit at 10 games under.

They're usually around 20 under at this point.

[DeezNutz]

Winning teams have legit slug at the 2 spot. It's one of the most important roles in the entire lineup, and the notion that it's for someone to "handle the bat" and "move runners" is simply wrong.

[Nightfyre]

Ideal, post-break line-up:

LF Gordon
RF Myers
1B Hosmer
DH Butler
3B Moustakas
2B Betancourt/Getz
CF Dyson/Bourgeois
SS Escobar

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by Dave

You're a moron.

They sit at 10 games under.

They're usually around 20 under at this point.

Pirates are like 10 games over .500...they also have pitching