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?

[RealSNR]

DM was so impressed by Carroll's one inning of pitching that he just had to have him for the bullpen.

Second base? Psssh. We're fine there.

[stonedstooge]

Originally Posted by Silock

What did we give up for Carroll?

Holland

[CaliforniaChief]

Glen Perkins ‏@glen_perkins 15m
For the first time in his career, Jamey Carroll will NOT be the smallest player on his team.

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Elliot Johnson has not had a hit since July 6. He is 0 for 24 with 11 strikeouts in that time span.

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Since the last Tampa Bay series, Elliot Johnson is 1 for 44. ONE for FORTY-FOUR!

[Canofbier]

Carroll is a solid pickup, IMO. He probably won't produce like Tejada did, but he's a solid veteran who should hopefully provide us with decent defense and OBP. Doesn't sound like we gave up much for him, either.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by thurman merman

Since the last Tampa Bay series, Elliot Johnson is 1 for 44. ONE for FORTY-FOUR!

He's hitting .141 against non Tampa Bay opponents this year, with only 1 extra base hit.

He only has 5 extra base hits this season, and 4 of them were against Tampa. That's incredible.

[C3HIEF3S]

Originally Posted by thurman merman

Since the last Tampa Bay series, Elliot Johnson is 1 for 44. ONE for FORTY-FOUR!

Ouch. Just ****ing ouch.

[gblowfish]

Idea for a new Royals Commercial:
[Dressed in tuxedos, every team member, except Dyson, stands behind Home Plate and looks at us]
Everybody: Hello. Do you know us?
[Everybody, except Santana, puts on their caps]
Everybody: We're a Major League Baseball team.
Gordon: But since we haven't won a pennant in over 30 years, nobody recognizes us - not even in our own home town.
Shields: That's why we carry the American Express card.
Holland: No matter how far out of first we are, it's cool. You know, it keeps us from getting shut out at our favorite hotels and restaurant-type places.
Salvy: [pointing to us] So if you're looking for some Big-League clout, apply for that little green home-run hitter.
Hosmer: Look what it's done for US. People still DON'T recognize us but...
[Hos snaps his fingers]
Ned: We're contenders now.
[Also dressed in a tuxedo, Dyson slides into home plate and holds up a green credit card]
Dyson: The American Express card: Don't steal home without it.

[lewdog]

Solid, smart pickup in Carroll. Nothing flashy but average all around and a classy, smart player.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Everbody's talking at me...

I can't hear a word they're saying...

Just driving around in Jon Voit's caaarrrrrrr

Such a great day.

[ArrowheadHawk]

Can somebody please explain how trades work in the MLB? I thought there was a deadline that had already passed.

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by ArrowheadHawk

Can somebody please explain how trades work in the MLB? I thought there was a deadline that had already passed.

If you want to trade someone after the deadline has passed, the player has to pass through waivers. If another team claims him the team that wanted to trade the player can simply pull him back OR make a trade with a team that claimed him. Players get passed through waivers quite a bit.

[ArrowheadHawk]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

If you want to trade someone after the deadline has passed, the player has to pass through waivers. If another team claims him the team that wanted to trade the player can simply pull him back OR make a trade with a team that claimed him. Players get passed through waivers quite a bit.

Thanks.

[Great Expectations]

Duncan, do you like the pick up or do you think we should have tried colon or someone else?