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?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Hootie

I was appalled by that ejection. It was literally an ego induced ejection, and it made no sense. You're not paid to be the show...just call him out and turn the **** around. Stupid.

#UmpShow

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Hootie

I was appalled by that ejection. It was literally an ego induced ejection, and it made no sense. You're not paid to be the show...just call him out and turn the **** around. Stupid.

The umpire gave a statement and literally said that Harper showed him up. I ****ing hate umpires.

What the **** does that even mean? How do you show up someone who is only there to facilitate the game? It's a ****ing joke.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Hootie

I was appalled by that ejection. It was literally an ego induced ejection, and it made no sense. You're not paid to be the show...just call him out and turn the **** around. Stupid.

I don't have a problem with the home plate umpire tossing someone. We don't know what was said, maybe something that looks innocent from 50 yards away was full of F-bombs. Also, there are ways to argue without showing up the umpire. (turn around, look away from the umpire, and say your piece while walking back. He'll hear it, but it looks to us that you aren't arguing)

Once you start staring at the ump and yelling at him, your fate is in his hands, but I don't understand the 3rd base ump ever ejecting someone in that situation. If the home plate ump is fine with it, then he should be fine with it.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

The umpire gave a statement and literally said that Harper showed him up. I ****ing hate umpires.

What the **** does that even mean? How do you show up someone who is only there to facilitate the game? It's a ****ing joke.

I'm fine with tossing someone for showing up the ump, but that is the home plate umpire's call. It is not the 3rd base umpire's call, unless the play was at 3rd.

[TomBarndtsTwin]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

The Royals have played 27 games. The Tigers have played 30, or 26 before the Astros series.

They were +23 in 26 games before that series.

The Royals were +17 in their first 26 games this season.

Good stuff. Thanks!



(Honorable mention to Alnorth)

[Hootie]

people pay $ to see Bryce Harper.

I would have been seriously pissed if I were at that game and that was the reason he was tossed. It looked like a horseshit call as well.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

#UmpShow

I miss Steve Palermo.

[Archie F. Swin]

Originally Posted by alnorth

I'm fine with tossing someone for showing up the ump, but that is the home plate umpire's call. It is not the 3rd base umpire's call, unless the play was at 3rd.

I'd like to see a split screen of the proceedings to see what Harper did. That ump got offended pretty quickly. I know shit about the temperament of Harper. I'm pretty sure he's not a Matt Kemp type of hot head.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Archie F. Swin

I'd like to see a split screen of the proceedings to see what Harper did. That ump got offended pretty quickly. I know shit about the temperament of Harper. I'm pretty sure he's not a Matt Kemp type of hot head.

I'm reading up on it now. Apparently it was a check-swing call that got appealed to third and the third base umpire rung him up. Harper was expressing his annoyance with the third base ump.

OK, fine I guess it is his call then. In an interview after the game, the third base ump said Harper threw his hands up while holding the bat over his head in a big show, and the ump told him to knock it off. The umpire then said Harper slammed his bat on the ground, the umpire warned him, then Harper spiked his helmet, and only then did he eject him.

If it actually happened that way, then screw that guy, he can't do that. I would have tossed Harper too.

However, its not really clear that it went down that way. I can't see video from the computer I'm at, maybe someone else can describe it. I'm reading that he may have just lightly tossed his bat and helmet towards the dugout, since he was the third out, as if asking the batboy or a coach or someone to take it.

[gblowfish]

I saw it live on MLB channel when it happened. Harper checked his swing, he shouldn't have been called out. But he over-reacted like a big diva. That's what got him punted.

[Old Dog]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

I saw it live on MLB channel when it happened. Harper checked his swing, he shouldn't have been called out. But he over-reacted like a big diva. That's what got him punted.

Have another peek at the video, he didn't check his swing.

[Prison Bitch]

A month into the season and time to look at what Myers-Odorizzi-Montgomery are doing in Tampa's AAA farm club (Durham NC). Myers is in a 5-34 slump with 15 strikeouts. He's struck out a whopping 37 times in 105 at-bats with 3 home runs and 5 doubles. This is 2x the rate Hosmer & Moustakas struck out at Omaha. Read one analysis (not sure if fan or scout) who said he's looking less and less like Dale Murphy and more and more like....wait for it.....JEFF FRANCOEUR:
http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx...14&position=OF


-On the other hand, Jake Odorizzi is off to a fantastic start 3-0 2.65ERA. He leads that league in K with 39 already to only 13 walks. He started yesterday and helped throw a combined no-hitter.
http://www.mlbprospectportal.com/201...-odorizzi.html


-Mike Montgomery threw 3 innings, allowed 8 baserunners, got hurt and has been out since. Probably no reason to discuss this guy any longer.


-Patrick Leonard is in A-ball. He is hitting .135 in 96 at-bats so far with 0 home runs.
http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx...39&position=3B

[CaliforniaChief]

Quick question.

I'm planning on taking my son down to Crapaheim for the Royals/Angels game on Monday the 13th. It looks like it will be Mendoza pitching. Am I right? Of course there could be rain between now and then.

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

Quick question.

I'm planning on taking my son down to Crapaheim for the Royals/Angels game on Monday the 13th. It looks like it will be Mendoza pitching. Am I right? Of course there could be rain between now and then.

Probably too early to guess what the rotation will be. I heard it was supposed to rain in Baltimore this week so people may end up getting skipped, especially Mendoza at the end of the rotation.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

Quick question.

I'm planning on taking my son down to Crapaheim for the Royals/Angels game on Monday the 13th. It looks like it will be Mendoza pitching. Am I right? Of course there could be rain between now and then.

Mendoza is very, very likely on Monday. Looking at the forecast in Baltimore, they will probably get all 3 games in one way or another. If Friday gets rained out in KC, they'll be able to make that up this weekend.