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?

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Whats your current take on Moose? Do you think he will ever play up to potential and become a 30+ 100 RBI guy? Or should the Royals be looking at alternatives?
Posted via Mobile Device

Don't bother asking him for Moose analysis - he was ripping me in May for wanting him sent down. Then a couple weeks later he completely changed his tune and agreed with me.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Whats your current take on Moose? Do you think he will ever play up to potential and become a 30+ 100 RBI guy? Or should the Royals be looking at alternatives?
Posted via Mobile Device

His floor (bust chance) is lower, but the ceiling remains the same.

I don't think the window is closed on Moustakas being that guy/playing up to that potential, but I do think it's a lower percentage chance than it was at one time (especially a year ago today, when it looked like he had started maturing INTO that player).

It's more likely he is a .260/25/.300 OBP/.475 SLG guy than a .280/.330/.550 SLG guy at this point. That still plays at 3B if he's above-average defensively. And probably still is "plus."

As for alternatives... in-system, you're looking at Orlando Calixte and Cheslor Cuthbert. Both are at Northwest Arkansas. Calixte got off to an awful start (sub-.600 OPS in April) but has posted a .771 and .819 OPS in May and June, respectfully. He's a SS right now but likely a 2B or 3B in the show. Calixte likely finishes the year at NWA and starts next season at Omaha. Mid-season 2014 is probably his earliest arrival date.

Cuthbert was terrible a year ago but has really bounced back. He put up very nice numbers in Wilmington for a RH power bat (.771 OPS) and has flashed nice extra-base pop since being promoted to NWA (he's 4/26 at the plate but all 4 hits have been extra base knocks).

He's probably a half-season behind Calixte in development.

There's also Dozier, who started at Idaho Falls and probably moves to Burlington fairly soon.

None are able to contribute this year, though, and unless Calixte just goes off, probably not at the start of next season, either.

If Moose doesn't turn it around, you can either count on him to figure it out NEXT year or try to bring in someone through FA. I'd hope for the latter but am not counting on it...

[Chris Meck]

I don't think it's possible to underestimate just how bad the coaching was post Seitzer and pre Brett. You could literally see, just as a fan, how off balance Moose, Hosmer, and Frenchy were. They were just hacking away, lunging at balls in the dirt and looked clueless. Their approach was shit, their mechanics were shit, and the results were shit.

I don't see that now out of Hosmer and Moose, and even Frenchy is squaring up better. We're not really seeing the results from Moose yet, but I think the mechanics are better and that results will come. I know it's been a about a full season of sub Mendoza line at this point, but I really do think he's coming around. Hosmer is starting to get around on the inside fastball, so I'm looking for his power numbers to start creeping up.

Anyway, my point is that the whole 'we're going to hit more home runs' thing was a horrible idea that set in a terrible approach that really ****ed these guys up. I think that's going to happen when you take guys who are probably 20 HR guys and try to turn them into 35 HR guys.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Chris Meck

I don't think it's possible to underestimate just how bad the coaching was post Seitzer and pre Brett. You could literally see, just as a fan, how off balance Moose, Hosmer, and Frenchy were. They were just hacking away, lunging at balls in the dirt and looked clueless. Their approach was shit, their mechanics were shit, and the results were shit.

I don't see that now out of Hosmer and Moose, and even Frenchy is squaring up better. We're not really seeing the results from Moose yet, but I think the mechanics are better and that results will come. I know it's been a about a full season of sub Mendoza line at this point, but I really do think he's coming around. Hosmer is starting to get around on the inside fastball, so I'm looking for his power numbers to start creeping up.

Anyway, my point is that the whole 'we're going to hit more home runs' thing was a horrible idea that set in a terrible approach that really ****ed these guys up. I think that's going to happen when you take guys who are probably 20 HR guys and try to turn them into 35 HR guys.

And who's to blame for that? Who's the guy who orchestrated all of that, and whined for that approach?

Ned Yost. Just another nail in his coffin.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

And who's to blame for that? Who's the guy who orchestrated all of that, and whined for that approach?

Ned Yost. Just another nail in his coffin.

I'd argue that these failings are more on DM than Yost, though I understand what you're saying.

Yes, the manager is responsible for his staff, but only to an extent. The GM must provide oversight and ensure that the manager isn't completely stepping in it.

[alnorth]

The Royals have just announced that the Rays will be forced to fly back to KC for one day only on August 26th to make up that snow game. I was a bit nervous that we might lose a home game on this since the Rays dont come back to KC this year.

[Nightfyre]

So how long do we have to put up with Jeremy "Let's see how many balls get hit out of the park today" Guthrie? Three years?

[siberian khatru]

Rany's take on Dayton's "Blame the park, not me" excuse:

http://www.ranyontheroyals.com/2013/...t-blame-k.html

[Coach]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Rany's take on Dayton's "Blame the park, not me" excuse:

http://www.ranyontheroyals.com/2013/...t-blame-k.html

Blaming the park is just a lame excuse.

When you pile your roster with shit players like Francouer, Getz, and some miscasts of players who has no business of playing in the MLB level, it's easy to see why the Royals don't take any walks or produce high quality OBP players.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Coach

Blaming the park is just a lame excuse.

When you pile your roster with shit players like Francouer, Getz, and some miscasts of players who has no business of playing in the MLB level, it's easy to see why the Royals don't take any walks or produce high quality OBP players.

Exactly. The Royals' offense doesn't suck because of the park. It sucks because Dayton Moore continues to roster pieces of shit like Chris Getz, Jeff Francoeur, etc.

[Rudy tossed tigger's salad]

Bubba Starling update: 1 for 3 with a sac fly. No strikeouts

Starling:

Age: 20.9
.215/.296
.658 OPS
29.6 K%. (Strikeouts- 74- same number as H+BB+HBP)

South Atlantic League (Low-A ball):

Age: 21.7
.252/.329
.704 OPS
21.3 K%

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

Rob White ‏@rwhiteOWH 17m

#Royals end injury rehab assignment of OF Jarrod Dyson and bring him back to KC. 2B Chris Getz optioned to Omaha.

[tk13]

Chris Getz still has options? I had no idea that was an option.

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by ChiefsandO'sfan

Rob White ‏@rwhiteOWH 17m

#Royals end injury rehab assignment of OF Jarrod Dyson and bring him back to KC. 2B Chris Getz optioned to Omaha.

Dutton still hasn't chimed in on this, so it seems to be a rumor imo till then

[SPchief]

That is, um, peculiur?