Already got hit LMAO

I just don't know how we're going to compete with this starting lineup, and I don't know where the run production is going to come from. Hopefully I'm wrong by a magnitude of 30+ games, but I just don't see it.

well...then cut bait. If you can't play, you can't play.

There's a glut of 'maybes' on this team. I don't see how we move forward until we sort through it.

Can Phillips hit? Can Goodwin? Can Dozier? Is O'Hearn for real? Can Schwindel hit for high enough average?

THIS. Otherwise, I would agree to keep him in RF. His bat is more important than having him in RF everyday at risk of injury. Unfortunately, guy has to be kiddy-gloved because he can't seem to stay healthy.

Well, and I'm not disagreeing- then we need to move on.

his bat is NOT more important, not in a rebuilding year. It doesn't matter at all if he's not to be counted on as a building block.

We're going to need a few of these guys to bloom if we're going to make a run in '20 or '21. We need to see who.

I expect Merrifield and his club friendly controlled deal get moved in July and we'll see what Lopez is.

That's short-sighted. There's no extra value to Soler playing RF everyday. It's not like he's an amazing outfielder. There IS value in seeing if they can find a way to keep him healthy and have him contribute to the offensive production of a future Royals team. They're determining the pieces they can count on to contribute when the likes of Pratto, Melendez, Lee, Kower, Lynch etc. arrive.

Yes...his bat IS more important. He's a hit-first player. His greatest asset is definitely not his defense. On a championship team, a guy like Soler will end up being mostly a DH - our best defensive outfield pieces are in the minors.

It’s worth pointing out that we have Soler until 2023, so we have plenty of time to work with him while we’re rebuilding here.

I don't think it's short-sighted; I'm unconcerned with the 'now' entirely.

I'm just saying I think treating any 'everyday' player with kid gloves on a last place team is pointless. If you have to do that NOW, how is he going to be a dependable cog on a play-off team in a couple of years? I'd rather play him everyday, see if the injury bug was just random bad luck or if he's made of glass. If he is, move on. We have other 'maybe' players we need to look at as well.

He IS going to play everyday. Just not in RF.

I get what you're saying. And of course he's a hit first player.

If you project him as a DH, then put him there and quit ****ing around. If you project him as a RF, then put him there, every day, and see if his defense improves.

Brett Phillips is a plus defender. If you project Soler as the future DH, then put him there, bring up Phillips, and play HIM every day in right and see if his bat improves.

I guess I'm just saying- I don't understand the method sometimes. Moose had to sink or swim; so did Escobar, and Gordon, and most of that team early on. It paid dividends down the road. I don't like all the moving guys around and platooning. Sink or swim, prove you belong or don't.

Find out what pieces you have, put them in place, get them seasoned for the next wave.

We play in the league with the DH. There is zero reason to cut a guy that's under control and has monster power. Plus he's actually shown with both the Cubs and Royals he can hit, he just has to stay healthy. No guarantee he will though.

If you think he's going to be the DH, then just put him there. Why even put him in right?

we have other 'maybe' guys that play the position, and do so at a higher level defensively than Soler ever will.

We're focusing on one player from a post that was about an overall tendency that I find frustrating.

Put the guys in the place you think they'll play and let them sink or swim.

Put O'Hearn at first every day, and see if he can learn to hit lefties. Put Dozier at 3rd every day and see if his bat gets more consistent. If you think Soler's going to be your DH, then why are you putting him in RF at all when you have Phillips and Goodwin and need to see if either can become legit major league hitters and BOTH are much, much better defenders playing in a big park. Especially if you're afraid he's made of glass. Why risk it?

Moose ended up getting sent down to AAA the first year we went to the World Series. People forget that now but he was basically the 9 hitter for that team. Every player is different. Some guys you can throw in there, and some you may have to manage differently to move them along at the right pace. They basically threw Mondesi out there too early and everyone thought he was sunk. He had to go up and down multiple times and now he looks like a star. It isn't always about throwing a guy out there and finding out if he's any good. Sometimes you have to put guys in a place to succeed.

Because people get injured. If Goodwin bombs there's a good chance Soler is playing in RF more. If he can play the position you need to give him reps there from time to time. It's also a 162 game season. You aren't playing every one of these guys 162 games at their position.

If Goodwin bombs, you try Phillips. If Phillips bombs, you have Bonifacio. If Bonifacio bombs, well...your scouting has proved terrible.

Any of those options defensively are better than Soler is anyway. So why bother?

obviously not 162 games. I just don't like all the platooning. Guys need reps, they need at-bats, they need to grind out a full season to see what they are.

I'm not being nearly as extreme as y'all are casting me as.

you move guys up and down because they're failing in the MLB and you send them down to play every day.

Bench them means they sit. Sending them down means they play everyday and hopefully improve. All I'm really saying is: You get better by PLAYING not sitting on the bench, or sitting against lefties or whatever. You're not going to get better hitting lefties by NOT facing lefties.

That's all I'm saying. Literally my whole point. You guys are nitpicking little details to argue and missing the headline.

There isn’t enough talent to save this team from 100 losses, IMO. Not enough pitching, and certainly not enough offense. It’s not being negative. It’s just reality

They finally did it tonight. The Royals got revenge. They tagged Madison Bumgarner for 7 runs and 10 hits in just 2 innings in a Spring Training game.

Also I totally missed we signed Lucas Duda today. I'd say there's a pretty good chance he takes that final position player spot that was up in the air.

They really REALLY want to thank him for 2015, don't they?

Minor league deal. i hope he doesn't take the final spot. I hope he's just insurance at the minor league level.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Zimmer&#39;s spring is in the books<br><br>12.2 IPs<br>8 Hits<br>1 ER<br>4 BBs<br>8 Ks</p>&mdash; Cody Tapp (@codybtapp) <a href="https://twitter.com/codybtapp/status/1109922492242497536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Zimmer has the best pure stuff of anyone still on the roster. It will be a complete surprise to me if he is not on the Opening Day roster. Looks to me like he is sticking with a Fastball + Curveball arsenal for now. Tapp also said he hit 97 today on his last pitch, not sure if that's accurate (FSKC said 95 for the same pitch), but he's getting ~20 mph differential from his fastball and curveball. It is happening, folks. Kyle ****ing Zimmer.

I put $5 on the Royals to win the AL Central at 75/1. Couldn't pass that up. LOL

Harrah's in Las Vegas is giving 100 to 1 odds on that bet. I was out there last week, and I put $20 on it.

30 win improvement....it's going to happen.

Not with this pitching staff it won't.

Man, with his injury history, I'd put him in the closer spot. Limit the innings, see if he can make it through a season without his arm falling off and use the talent in high leverage situations. Especially if he's sticking to FB, CB, and change.

I mean, I know starting pitching is more valuable, but he hasn't shown an ability to last a season in that role.

On the roster????? Of course he will be on the roster. What are you talking about?

Why?

@goldbergkc: #Royals have selected the contract of INF Lucas Duda and requested release waivers OF Brian Goodwin

Why is Goodwin released. I know he’s struggled during spring but Duda really...

Not a move I expected. The only reasoning I can come up with is, Goodwin was a left handed bat and Duda will replace that from the bench.

Since Duda was originally signed to a minor league contract, can he be optioned to omaha during the season?

I attended the Friday and Saturday games against the Giants and Brewers. I hadn't known until I saw him at the Friday night game that we had signed Duda. He belted a homer on Saturday and ended the game with a 0.803 OPS for the Spring. In person, Goodwin looks good in motion. He hit a double on Friday and looked smooth and powerful on the basepaths. I can see why the Royals wanted him. He has the kind of easy athleticism that looks good in Royals Stadium. But his Spring OPS ended up at 0.443 and his career OPS+ is just a 99, while Duda's is 118.

I don’t really get the Duda addition but can live with it as long as it doesn’t eat into playing time for O’Hearn.

Really don’t care about Goodwin.

I'm hoping they keep Schwindel on the 25 man roster. The only way I see that happening is if they put Soler in RF and Schwindel and Duda platoon at DH.

Cool. Two 1B and neither can hit LH Pitching. Great addition..........

The Goodwin move is what's unexpected, but as we've talked about they have a ton of outfielders if you include Whit and Owings. They can certainly move guys around, we have a ton of lineup flexibility. This still leaves a spot open for another position player though, so you'd have to think it's Frank the Tank or Artaega.

Duda will eat into O'Hearn's playing time.

Also means that Soler is going to be playing the outfield a lot. Also means Chris Owings piece of shit ass is going to be playing every day.

Maybe. They have quite a few options. I'm sure Owings will play a lot but if it's Frank I'd bet him or Duda will get a lot of DH action.

Not sure who on the 40 they'd keep on the roster for the last spot. With the long term in mind, I think they're banking on Phillips joining the 25 at some point. No way they add Artaega to the 25 because he's not on the 40 - plus he'd get very little playing time. With Lucas on the team, I'm super doubtful they add Schwindel either...besides, he would also need to be added to the 40. I can't see how the last spot is a position player - has to be another bullpen arm, even though we don't need it for a few weeks.

And I hate the Duda move.

Edit: Also, the above is even more true in light of the fact Bailey will eventually need to be added to the 40. I'd actually like another 40 spot given to Ynoa. He would be a nice addition to the bullpen.

According to George Brett, Schwindel made the team

Owings would play on days Merrifield plays OF or if Mondesi/Dozier is getting a day off. Soler playing OF shrinks opportunities for Owings.

If Soler is playing RF, that means Merrifield and Mondesi are covering SS and 2B. 3B would be the only other spot to utilize Owings.

More on Duda:

If their plan is for Duda/Schwindel to split time at DH, whatever.

O’Hearn was good enough last year to get everyday playing time and a chance to hit vs lefties. Duda should not be playing 1B at all.

I'm genuinely surprised. I guess he's a bench player for the first 3 weeks. Who gets booted from the 40?

Goodwin.

Already happened. Duda replaced him.

@SamMcDowell11: After announcing it on the JumbTron earlier, George Brett said on the telecast that Frank Schwindel made the big-league team. "They told him he'll make the team, and he'll never forget that." Brett said Schwindel admitted he cried after he left.

That's right. I guess it'd have to be a pitcher then.

What does this do to OH’s confidence? Sometimes you don’t want depth becasue it makes the incumbent know he’s the guy. Last thing we need is OH looking over his shoulder at that fat chode in the dugout

Bryan Flynn.

Any chance Nicky Lopez is able to earn a promotion with a strong start to the season or is he blocked for the foreseeable future?

Is Zimmer expected to make the rotation or be a bullpen guy?

He’s strictly a bullpen guy at this point.

Until we shed 40 man spots as the season goes on, he doesn't have to be on the roster until next year. It makes no sense. He needs daily at-bats. Until that becomes a given with the Royals, he'll likely stay in Omaha. If the Royals do better than expected by summer, I could see them shifting Whit to RF on a more regular basis and giving Lopez the promotion. But that scenario is just unlikely. Next year, outfield spots open up (Gordon, Hamilton). I've suspected they have Whit ticketed for LF - especially w/ his contract extension. It ensures lock-down defense out there when Gordon is gone. Unless Dozier, Gutierrez, Cuthbert, et-al flame out for the 3B job, Lopez' path to the bigs involves Whit to the OF.

Without ever seeing him play, I can already tell Boxberger will suck ass. And make me mad all summer blowing leads

Could that be because he has an 11.57 era in 4.2 innings pitched.

Maybe the Royals will eat his $2.2M and give his roster spot to Ynoa ( 0.77 era in 11.2 innings )

Or maybe we wait until he gets out of Spring Training and Arizona and see if the regular season produces different results. If he struggles from day one and his pitches look flat, I'll join the calls for his release. Next man up. I'm hoping Ynoa makes the team, regardless of Boxberger. I think it really depends on whether they're intent on keeping Ellis.

As with any vet added to a rebuilding team, Boxberger is a worthwhile play if you let
Him build up trade value and move him for some sort of future asset.

He’s a negative play if he’s terrible and you keep running him out (see Blaine Boyer).

It’s a worthwhile risk because there are so many spots in the pen.

Duda is less worthwhile because he potentially takes away key at bats from guys you need to find out about and the value is unlikely to be anything of value.

Help me out with Duda? Is he going to sub at 1B with O'Hearn, or sub with Schwindel as a DH? I REALLY don't get that signing at all.

If the idea is use him at DH and have him split some ABs with Schwindel and possibly move him for something via trade, it makes a tad bit of sense.

That’s the only way to make sense of it, though.

If they play him instead of O’Hearn, it’s flat-our dumb.

Lucas Duda is never going to have a ton of trade value.

What are leads?

No. He isn’t. Maybe you get some international dollars for him or a lotto ticket.

I just don't really like that move honestly, but oh well.

Alright guys what is the opening day line up and rotation going to be

https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/whit...ng-day-preview

Official lineup for 03/28/2019

1) Whit Merrifield 2B

2) Adalberto Mondesi SS

3) Alex Gordon LF

4) Jorge Soler RF

5) Hunter Dozier 3B

6) Ryan O’Hearn 1B

7) Frank Schwindel * DH

8) Martin Maldonado C

9) Billy Hamilton CF

Starting Pitcher: Right-hander Brad Keller

That lineup has potential, it is also very Nedlike to have Gordonin the 3 hole.

Duda is on the team? Why?

To take away ABs from guys who will be on the team after this year.

Why is Gordon hitting 3rd....also is Soler really going to be in the field a lot? He seems like a DH candidate to me.

Soler in the field creates the opportunity to have O'Hearn and Schwindel in the lineup instead of some scrub with no power playing a corner outfield position.

When is the regular season thread starting, and who is starting it?

Have at it Thurman

Prospectus


Red Men 97
Twinks 82
Royals 73
White Sux 70
Tiggers 66

That might be semi-optimistic on the Royals, depending on who you talk to. But I actually think it's closer to correct and maybe a tad under what they'll perform. I think their Indians prediction is all wrong. No way they sniff that close to 100 wins. The whole Central Div is going to get beat up badly by the other divisions. Indians will win the division with 92 wins.

I literally have no idea, so I thought I should ask; how are the White Sox young players doing? I know they had a huge influx of young talent from trades.

Suck ass. Moncada is what they feared his floor would be: 260-20-75 with 150k. Dude struck out like mad in AA and that’s why he got dumped. (His #1 fangraphs minor league peer was.....Carlos febles)


The other guy they got for Sale, Michael Kopech rocketed thru the minors and onto top-15 prospect lists. Made his debut last July to a large crowd (of drunks) at Comiskey and blew his elbow out. Lol


Eloy Jimenez is the top-5 they got in the Quintana deal. Monster AAA numbers, got a 6/70m deal before he played a game.



Side note: they signed Machados cousin Yonder Alonso thinking it would help sway Machado. Decided to sign in SD. Now Sux left with another slow one dimensional DH slug

The White Sox rebuild could be going a lot better.

Moncada has not curbed the K rate problems and it makes him a much less impactful player than he could be or was thought to be.

Kopech and Reynaldo Lopez still have time to put it together. Dylan Cease hasn’t debuted yet and could be better than either of them.

Jimenez looks legitimate to me, but it sure they’re going to get enough from the rest of the roster to successfully complete the rebuild.

Re: Indians... woof, that lineup is bad.

Lindor and Ramirez are legitimate stars (though Ramirez’s struggles down the stretch last year may have revealed a way to attack him), but the lineup gets thin in a hurry after them.

They added Jake Bauers and Carlos Santana, who are good OBP/25 Hr bats, but it’s just a bunch of guys otherwise. Their pen is also pretty weak compared to previous years.

They’ll win the Central, probably, with around 90 wins. But their window looks to be closing.

The division is screaming to be snatched from the Indians. But we don't have the guns to do it. What I'm dreading is the Twins having an over-achieve season and sneaking in. I still have PTSD from their fans coming into Kaufman for all those years - they're the most off-putting bunch of idiot-fans in the central. Our high A guys can't get here soon enough. Ugh.