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.

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by cabletech94

post #9190

(<3 you bro,)

feel the love

[SCTrojan]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Here's mine
On Hochevar being tendered:

It hurts, doesn't it? Your hopes dashed, your dreams down the toilet, and your fate it's standing on the mound every fifth day.

"We're not working together, but then again, we're not playing against each other either. Like the Nature Channel - you don't see pirahna eating each other, do you?"

[DJ's left nut]

Wow...3 years for Ryan Dempster.

Look, I know that Dayton Moore isn't exactly a SABRE guy, so we'll see if this is simple enough for him:

2010: 91.0
2011: 90.3
2012: 89.7

It doesn't get more basic than "fastball declining at better than 1/2 mph/season for the last 3 seasons", does it?

I mean sure, we could start looking at declining GB rates and unsustainable strand rates, but that's probably not worth the effort. The bottom line is that Dempster will be 36 years old next season and if he continues to bleed velocity, will have an average fastball velocity of barely 89 mph.

Granted, velocity isn't everything, but watching it slowly bleed away does suggest diminishing stuff, especially for an aging starter.

2 years is a questionable decision, 3 years is just an awful one.

[Priest31kc]

Originally Posted by Cephalic Trauma

Is this recent? Link?

Jon Morosi ‏@jonmorosi
#Royals interested in a variety of free agent starting pitchers, sources say. Anibal Sanchez appears to be their top choice.

[Cephalic Trauma]

Originally Posted by Priest31kc

Jon Morosi ‏@jonmorosi
#Royals interested in a variety of free agent starting pitchers, sources say. Anibal Sanchez appears to be their top choice.

Thanks. Please be true!

[stonedstooge]

Why did they announce before the meetings they were tapped out of money, then come to the winter meetings acting like a kid in a candy store with a 5 dollar bill?

[MIAdragon]

Originally Posted by Priest31kc

Jon Morosi ‏@jonmorosi
#Royals interested in a variety of free agent starting pitchers, sources say. Anibal Sanchez appears to be their top choice.

Lolz I think you can put Anibal and Zach on top of most teams "wish" list. Are the Royals going to pony up the 160 M to make it happen?

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Priest31kc

Jon Morosi ‏@jonmorosi
#Royals interested in a variety of free agent starting pitchers, sources say. Anibal Sanchez appears to be their top choice.

Everyone out there hoping to watch winning baseball who might be discouraged and looking for some hope to cling to: cling to this one.

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Originally Posted by stonedstooge

Why did they announce before the meetings they were tapped out of money, then come to the winter meetings acting like a kid in a candy store with a 5 dollar bill?

To keep "expectations from being too high?" /Pioli

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Everyone out there hoping to watch winning baseball who might be discouraged and looking for some hope to cling to: cling to this one.

I for one chose not to cling to hopes over any player. That just leads to another round of disappointment. I just watch and think "that would be great" until it happens or doesn't.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by Dr. Johnny Fever

To keep "expectations from being too high?" /Pioli

I did expect that we wouldn't have our starting MLB murder his GF then shoot himself infront of the coaching staff, so yeah guess mine were too high.

[Mr. Laz]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The agent for free agent pitcher Ryan Dempster has had conversations with the Cubs about a possible return to Chicago, according to major league sources.

A source said that an offer has not been made by Cubs executives as of Wednesday, but money and length of contract has been discussed.

ESPNChicago.com Cubs blog
The latest news and notes on the Cubs. Blog

Dempster, 35, was traded by the Cubs to the Texas Rangers on July 31 for two minor league players. After going a combined 12-8 with the two teams last season, Dempster is testing the free agent market.

Dempster has offers on the table for two- and three-year deals, according to a source. The Kansas City Royals and Milwaukee Brewers are said to be two teams showing the most interest in Dempster, according to another source with knowledge of the negotiations.

Although the two sides had their moments with each other before Dempster was traded at the July 31 deadline, the relationship appears unaffected by the pre-trade drama. Dempster was caught off-guard by an attempt to trade him to the Atlanta Braves for pitcher Randall Delgado a week before he was moved to Texas. He hesitated to waive his no-trade rights and the trade fell apart.

A sticking point for a return to the Cubs may be no-trade language in a contract for Dempster. The Cubs would certainly hesitate to give a no-trade clause to a veteran pitcher. Dempster and his agent will probably want some assurances he will stay in a market that he commits to in a multi-year deal.

Dempster has also pitched for the Marlins and Reds and has a 124-124 career record with a 4.33 ERA. He earned $14 million in 2012, the last season of a four-year deal.

The Cubs, who signed starters Scott Baker and Scott Feldman this offseason, are still hoping to add more pitching.

[Archie F. Swin]

for the last 5 days i've been checking twitter every 15 minutes. I'm on the edge of my ****ing seat

[Nightfyre]

Would it be out of this world to take a one-year chance on McCarthy AND sign Sanchez?

Sanchez
McCarthy
Santana
Guthrie
Mendoza

We could win a lot of games. Chen could be a fall back option, not to mention the return of Duffy/Paulino. Then the minor league talent starts to kick in.

[Nightfyre]

Would it be out of this world to take a one-year chance on McCarthy AND sign Sanchez?

Sanchez
McCarthy
Santana
Guthrie
Mendoza

We could win a lot of games. Chen could be a fall back option, not to mention the return of Duffy/Paulino. Then the minor league talent starts to kick in.