His swing never changed last year and it was Seitzer's fault. New hitting coaches fault this year, I suppose

I particularly loved when he threw not only his hitting coach but also the team's best hitter (Billy Butler) when trying to explain why he sucked so much last year.

What a leader!

My regards to the Mrs.

He must be pretty strong to lift and throw Billy Butler! Badabing!

Doubt it. While he was aborting his 2/3 of an inning, Hudler was going on and on about how great he looks in relief and how he's been able to just cut it loose...while throwing 92mph.

That being said, I'd love to know what Rex is on because I want some of it.

He's on "team homer lollipops."

It's pretty clear to everyone that Hochevar is never going to get over his inability to pitch with men on base, and that's a pretty key aspect of the game.

Reminds me of a guy I played ball with in high school. Lefthanded pitcher who could hit 86-87 out of the windup, good control, decent curve and change. He was very tough to hit ... until you got a man on base. Then, all of a sudden, his velocity dropped, his location disappeared, and teams were able to hit him.

I think Hochevar starts worrying about so much other crap when there are men on - slide step, varying delivery time, trying to induce double plays, etc. - that he doesn't focus enough on throwing good pitches.

They've done everything they possibly can to try to get this guy to keep it simple and trust his talent, and he just can't.

I know the Royals are freaked out that if they cut him, some other team will pick him up and fix him, but he isn't fixable. Just like Kyle Davies, I predict that once KC moves Luke Hochevar, he never is really heard from again.

If they can convince some team desperate for a starting pitcher to trade them anything of value for Hochevar, they should do it and not look back.

How much do we save if we cut him now?

His 7.24 spring ERA would almost guarantee we would be off the hook for most of his contract. Save the money so we can cut Francouer when we trade for his replacement in a few months...

I was willing to give Hoch-the-reliever a chance since it was too late to cut him, but he was so God-awful last night, I'm completely done with him. Now I just hope he doesn't lose us a lot of games before he's out.

That looked like the same ole crap last night. Hope it was a blip on the radar!

Royals currently in 16th in the preseason power rankings:

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/story/2...or-the-orioles

I was willing to give it a chance as well, but I had no hopes that it would help him.

His inability to pitch effectively out of the stretch and his inability to keep things simple and trust his stuff being the main culprits.

I supported the dude longer than many... but I'm done with it.

Wow. Glad I fell asleep before the Hochevar meltdown. It's not surprising, though, since he's long been a mental midget.

A few pages back there was a report that said when the Royals were asked what it would take to trade Hoch, the Royals responded with “a lot”.

I remember that.

It's because Dayton Moore foolishly thinks other teams see the same thing he and his scouts do when they watch Hoch pitch.

Same deal as Kyle Davies. He's convinced other people in baseball will pounce on them... when really the most they'll offer is a short-leash minor league deal.

Luke Hochevar is to other baseball teams what Chris Volstad was to KC. Moore and co. just refuse to see it.

Dont worry we can just run Chen out there and watch him lob 85mph meat pitches across the plate HS style.

I don't think I've ever seen you post something of this nature before. Great contribution!

Our lineup picked up from where they left off yesterday, knocking the Reds around.

Royals up 5-2 in the 4th. Butler and Perez doubled, Cain tripled, homers by Gordon and Perez.

Salvador Perez could be the AL's catching superstar if he keeps this up.

I love Salvy behind the plate- but if his bat gets too valuable, we will have to see about moving him, imo.

To where? :shrug: Butler isn't going to play first everyday. I know they've been toying with the idea of Hosmer in right for the interleague games. But you can't do that full time.

Unless he can play right, I don't know where we'd move him. He's also not just good on defense, he's great. He's big, so we may have to hold our breath and hope his knees hold up.

DH'ing him may be the best option.

Cain just doubled, halfway to the cycle.

Its not likely, but if Cain could somehow, someway be a great bat in the lineup, that unexpected bonus could shield the Royals from the impact of something going wrong somewhere else.

Yes. And the Packers should move Aaron Rodgers to wide receiver.

what is Gordon's absolute ceiling this year?

how many homeruns?

I know we thought in the past he had 30 HR potential...any chance he turns some doubles into homers this year?

what do you guys think?

Alex Gordons forearms and work ethic are huge, but I doubt I want to ever see him go after homeruns. He sucks when he pulls off the ball. Cain looked like a world beater with the brewers.

I think Sal Perez has the tools and the attitude to be the best catcher ever.

In the history of man? like ever ever?

I think he still has 30-35 potential. The dude can swing it.

I think as long as he stays in the leadoff spot, he'll be a 20 HR type guy. If you push him down the order, he could push up into the high 20s.

Something going wrong elsewhere = Frenchy in right for 160 games

the universe and time and space

Is there a reason why we keep Alex at leadoff or is it simply a mental thing...as in, it works when hitting him 3rd didn't in the past, so why fix what isn't broke?

the reason I ask is because Gordon has 7 bombs this spring...

is it out of the realm of possibility that he's finally relaxed, arrived, and is now ready to rape?

could we see a mega outbreak season of a .320 110 30 100 line?

If so, we'd have to hit him 3rd, right?

Like if he starts out the season with 5 HR's in the first 20 games or so...and is hitting the cover off the ball...doesn't he serve better as our 3 hitter with Billy protecting him in the lineup?

But, who leads off? Escobar?

Maybe, but I really like having Gordon and Butler up in the first inning to maximize their ABs. Plus, Gordon gets on base a ton.

Order doesn't really matter, aside from getting the most ABs for your best hitters.

Ideally it might make sense to hit him lower... but Gordon seems to be pretty comfortable when they slide him into the 1 spot.

Who's getting on base if you put Gordon at 3? I long argued that I'd be fine with Billlaaayyy at 2. The notion of "clogging bases" is complete and total horse shit.

I think the batting order goes 1) Gordon 2) Escobar 3) Moustakas 4) Butler 5) Hosmer 6) Perez 7) Cain 8) Francouer 9) Getz

Perez and Hosmer could potentially switch #s in the batting order.

Butler at 4 makes zero sense to me.

Tony LaRussa in the house. Seriously though, that's why he always liked to bat guys like the Dave Henderson/Jim Edmonds/Larry Walker types in the 2 spot when he had enough power hitters. I find it surprising that few teams try it just to be different.

from a fantasy perspective...

if Gordon breaks out like he's showing and Cain stays healthy...and if Perez is as good as everyone thinks...

This might be one of the top 5 lineups in baseball. And that's not even homer talk. We are literally loaded with offensive talent.

Scary loaded.

Too bad that's not what wins championships.

basically I've reached for Alex Gordon in every fantasy league I'm in so far so I'm praying I don't look like such a dipshit...and I just couldn't justify drafting starters this year so I will need to find two Chris Sale's on the waiver wire of course.

Agree, stolen base threat in front, guy hitting the cover off the ball behind= steady diet of fastballs. Butler needs to bat 3rd

Yea except were stuck with Frenchy!!

every lineup is going to have at least one guy who can't hit...

I like the idea of Cain at leadoff and Gordon at #2

and then play April out and put the hottest bat at 4 between Hosmer, Perez and Moustakas

Bat Francoeur second. Problem solved. Dude is an on base machine, rarely strikes out, and takes a huge amount of walks. Yost would be labeled a genius.

That's really the only reason I've tolerated the Myers trade. It sucks, but if this team does not find pitching the next 6 years are a complete waste of time. And I really would probably rather have Shields than anyone available on the FA market. I'm a big fan of Shields. But we gave up a ton to get him.

But it's weird how it works. Smart football fans realize that QB's win titles and go crazy over it. However, smart baseball fans still seem to be enamored with offense and act as if pitching and defense are replaceable assets... even though teams with killer starting pitching and a couple great relievers usually fare better than teams with great offenses and average starters.

hence the Giants, with a less than average offense, continue to win every time they reach the postseason

I like Shields and all but his road ERA made me wonder what the **** is up with the guy...I think he is a good #2.

What we really needed to do was stumble into a Clayton Kershaw rather than a Luke Hochevar and then I could really envision this team winning a World Series.

An offense can carry a team to the playoffs but realistically, once we got there, we probably couldn't win a series with a staff that consists of a solid #2, a borderline #3 and two #4's...

no one hits in the postseason

I'd rather have traded Hosmer than Myers for the record...I think Dayton said the Rays would have taken Hosmer which I would have parted with before I parted with Myers...but what's the point of even talking about that anymore really.

Yeah, that was going to be my example. The Giants won the World Series last year in a game where they started Gregor Blanco in LF and Ryan Theriot at DH. Ryan Theriot. At DH. Their 1B Brandon Belt hit 7 HRs last year.

Granted you need an offense better than that to survive the American League. No doubt... but still. That'd be like the Royals winning a World Series starting Chris Getz at DH.

Lineup I like...

Alex Gordon
Alcides Escobar
Billy Butler
Mike Moustakas
Salvador Perez
Eric Hosmer
Lorenzo Cain
Jeff Francouer
Chris Getz

I couldn't possibly agree with you more strongly on this topic. Batting order is a horse**** topic, I am always mystified when people yell at the manager about batting order.

The only thing that matters is getting your best hitters the most at bats. OK, I'll admit that maybe its best to have a high-OBP guy at #1, but aside from that, I want to see Gordon and Butler in the 1st inning every day.

Cain, Butler, Gordon, Moustakes, Perez, Hosmer, Francouer, Getz, Escobar

I'd bat Giancarlo Stanton 4th...

I would concede though if I was putting the order together... and say you put two power guys at 2/3. I'd probably put the faster guy at 2. Not to avoid clogging the bases but the faster guy is more likely to score from first on a double. Plus Gordon had 50+ doubles last year. He does that, he either drives the leadoff guy in/is in position to score if Butler singles.

I hate to get too optimistic, I've been a beaten-down Royals fan for.... God, at least 8 or 9 years now?

As long as I've been paying attention, they have never looked better than this spring. NEVER. This team looks really, really good. They have beaten up everyone in the Cactus league this year. The Royals have crushed almost every pitcher this spring, and their revamped brand-new rotation looks decent. If they lose this season, it'll be bitterly disappointing.

well lets put it this way

for the Royals to win with their pitching rotation, a decent rotation but not anything super special...

they'll need an offense comparable to those Yankee teams earlier this decade...or the Rangers the past few years...

can Butler and Gordon give us that production?

Can Moose hit .270 with 30 bombs? Can Hosmer get back to .300? Can Cain stay healthy? Can Perez put up a Napoli season of 2011?

Can Escobar replicate his 2012?

If all, and I mean all, of these guys play like they can we can have a Rangers-esque lineup of the past two years...and I'd compare our starting rotation to the 2011 Rangers.

Shields = C.J. Wilson
Santana = Colby Lewis
Guthrie = Derek Holland

we need Wade Davis to be our surprise guy like Ogando was for the Rangers in 2011...

and if we are TRULY contending come trade deadline time...

will we have the balls to go for it and get a Cliff Lee for a year?

Agree.

If they don't make the playoffs, I will never watch another spring game. Ever. This team looks really good. I think everyone can agree that they won't keep this up, but damn, they look ****ing good.

because that is our best shot at winning...

selling out and trading away a stud prospect like a Bubba Starling around trade deadline for a 1 year Cliff Lee type staff ace with playoff experience

I'd be comfortable with a playoff rotation of:

1) Trade Deadline Ace
2) Shields
3) Santana/Guthrie

and I don't see a reason why we'd need a 4 man playoff rotation...

Starting to look like Starling might not be enough of a prospect to easily land a big name.

so what you're saying is...in 5 years the Chiefs #1 pick at QB will be Bubba Starling? Nice.

Yep. Hosmer's swing has enough concerning flaws that I would have made the trade and not thought twice. Furthermore, his defense (at a highly replaceable position) is incredibly overrated.

We need Ventura to come up quickly and be lights ****ing out. Blow that little SOB out Timmy style.

I'm with you guys too. I think hosmer its going to be petty good.


Myers is going to be great
Posted via Mobile Device

looks good to me.

I just don't get why alcides is considered a better #2 than LoCain.

Anyone?

Now that we've dominated the Cactus League, winning the AL Central would be anti-climatic!

I can't wait for next February when we dominate our league again.
Cactus League Champs!
Cactus League Champs!
I wanna DVD and a T-Shirt!!!

Said nobody ever, even in this thread.

Most people have realistic expectations for this team.

He's a poor Mizzou fan.

Let him bask in the Royals preseason glory!

It's all he has got.

(I was not aware.)

Carry On, GBlowMe.

George you are truly a bitter Royals fan. I just can't give up on them...I spent too many years of my youth rooting for Amos, Big John, Cookie, Freddie, Paul Schaal, Drago, Busby, Scheinblum, etc....to just give up on them.

I'm tired of it. After pages and pages of good discussion, you get a post like that.

I like the idea of having runners on base so there is a possibility of them being clogged.

I think they're pretty interchangeable. Escobar maybe a bit better OBP, handles the bat better (will take ball to right side to move runner), etc. He's a better bunter, which I'm sure Ned appreciates but I could care less about. I'm ok with it, as I like the idea of having a little more pop at the back end of the lineup.

I expected better from you.:harumph:

He's a miserable and old Mizzou fan?

:shrug:

Picked Lorenzo Cain up as a potential 4th OF for my FBB team. Do you guys think he has a legit chance at a 20/30 season this year?