2013 Kansas City Royals Repository Thread

[duncan_idaho]

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?

[KCUnited]

BroCain

[kc rush]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Cool story about the new Royals Billboards on I-35 in KC:

http://www.kansascity.com/2013/02/14...ake-pitch.html

As lame as I think "Come to Play" is, the board is awesome.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by Archie F. Swin

I'm gonna be in Surprise in mid March. I've never been before. By then they'll have a full compliment of games. Will there be photo/autograph opportunities before/after games?

This is my first year here so I am not quite sure. I was told that going to the morning workouts the day of games is the best option but again you have to guess when/what days they will be there. Someone said some of the players will sign a bit after the game but many head right to the locker room.

[alnorth]

Here are the over/under's in Vegas

AL East
Toronto 86 1/2
New York 86 1/2
Tampa Bay 86
Boston 79 1/2
Baltimore 76 1/2

AL Central
Detroit 90
Chi 80 1/2
KC 79
Cle 77 1/2
Minn 64 1/2

AL West
LAA 89 1/2
Tex 87
Oak 83
Sea 76 1/2
Hou 59 1/2

[Prison Bitch]

That looks about right. If Jack Harry is right (and that would be a first), his call of 87 wins would edge out the two teams in the AL East who didn't win the division.

[tk13]

Our resident Orioles fan is going to flip his lid at that projection.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by tk13

Our resident Orioles fan is going to flip his lid at that projection.

Have you seen their rotation???!!!

No/ ChiefsandO'sfan

[Demonpenz]

How many ribs is Adam Jones going to smash>

[Bowser]

It looks like Billy has slimmed down a bit in that picture with Lew.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by tk13

Our resident Orioles fan is going to flip his lid at that projection.

At least he'll learn what pythag theory is.

[Demonpenz]

Billy Butler is always going to carry lots of fat, he is also never hurt.

[Ceej]

Originally Posted by lewdog

Have you seen their rotation???!!!

No/ ChiefsandO'sfan

He will dispute the Vegas odds with some tweet from someone nobody has ever ****ing heard of.

[Three7s]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

That looks about right. If Jack Harry is right (and that would be a first), his call of 87 wins would edge out the two teams in the AL East who didn't win the division.

87 wins for the Royals? He's finally gone senile.

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

Originally Posted by CJizzles

He will dispute the Vegas odds with some tweet from someone nobody has ever ****ing heard of.

Vegas had them at 69 last year how did that work out?

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

Originally Posted by tk13

Our resident Orioles fan is going to flip his lid at that projection.

I put 500 on the over easy money.