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?

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by SnakeXJones

I'm sure everyone thought Brandon Wood was gonna be awesome also

Man, I might really miss that $6!

[penbrook]

So Ned Yost shuffled the lineup again. He took Gordon out and put Frenchy in. Hosmer is hitting fifth with Escobar hitting second. At least Tejada is playing tonight instead of moose.

[-King-]

Originally Posted by penbook

So Ned Yost shuffled the lineup again. He took Gordon out and put Frenchy in. Hosmer is hitting fifth with Escobar hitting second. At least Tejada is playing tonight instead of moose.

So Frenchy is leading off?

[penbrook]

Originally Posted by -King-

So Frenchy is leading off?

#Royals *vs. Hou LHP Bedard: Lough 7, Escobar 6, Perez 2, Butler DH, Hosmer 3, Cain 8, Tejada 5, Francoeur 9, Johnson 4 and Santana 1.:

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by penbook

#Royals *vs. Hou LHP Bedard: Lough 7, Escobar 6, Perez 2, Butler DH, Hosmer 3, Cain 8, Tejada 5, Francoeur 9, Johnson 4 and Santana 1.:

Astros 3
Royals 1

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by stonedstooge

Hunter Dozier is the Royals first pick. Shortstop

Back to this - what's this kids story? At 6'4 220, is he in line for first base or second? Maybe right field? Don't think he's going to be a SS moving forward...

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Astros 3
Royals 1

Doing good work, Miss Cleo.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Bowser

Back to this - what's this kids story? At 6'4 220, is he in line for first base or second? Maybe right field? Don't think he's going to be a SS moving forward...

Probably 3rd base, but I wouldn't mind putting him on 2nd, because we don't, as far as I know, have any 2nd basemen that's worth a shit at this point.

[AussieChiefsFan]

Expecting a win tomorrow. We'll need it as a buffer for the tigers series. If we can get a win tomorrow and Atleast one win vs the tigers, I won't be complaining.

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by Coach

Probably 3rd base, but I wouldn't mind putting him on 2nd, because we don't, as far as I know, have any 2nd basemen that's worth a shit at this point.

I'd like them to go with 2b as well. The Nationals are desperate for 2b help and so far having 3b prospect Anthony Rendon play 2b since his callup

[Infidel Goat]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

I'd like them to go with 2b as well. The Nationals are desperate for 2b help and so far having 3b prospect Anthony Rendon play 2b since his callup

That's precisely why I wanted the Royals to draft Rendon over Starling (local ties be damned).

[gblowfish]

I bought some Billy BBQ sauce yesterday. I'm mailing it to one of my Cardinal buddies in St. Louis. He's actually a closeted Royals fan, and suffers at a distance with us.

[BlackHelicopters]

Can we make it 5?

[Coach]

Royals Pen in June (small sample size though for June, although encouraging) is 3-1 record, with 19 2/3rds of innings, with a 0.92 ERA and the opponent average is .162.

[Thig Lyfe]

wheres bubba starling