2012 Kansas City Royals Repository Thread

[alnorth]

2012 Slogan: Our Time

A better, more accurate 2012 Slogan: It is Finally Next Year
(from Great Expectations)

An alternative slogan if you don't like that one: Someone has to win this crappy division
(from alnorth)

With the beginning of a new year, it is time for the 2012 version of the Royals Repository Thread. We've got Hosmer, we've got a 2011-dominating Gordon, we've got Moose, we've got hopefully a killer bullpen, we've got a stereotypical slow slugging DH, we've got easily one of the best defensive shortstops in the AL, we've got a promising catcher in Salvador Perez. Hell, we've got offense and promising prospects galore.

We do not have starting pitching.

Oh yeah, we've also got this:



Get ready for, (as of January 2012 anyway), one of the most confusing puzzles of a baseball season in recent Royals history. Will they suck? Maybe, I don't know. Will we be given a year of 0.500 baseball? Possibly, I don't know. Will they win the division and go to the playoffs for the first time in 27 years? For the first time in a long time, it could happen, I don't know. 92 losses, 92 wins, or anything in between would not surprise a lot of us.

Everything goes here except Gameday threads and really big news. If a giant story breaks, the Royals achieve some awesome milestone, or we sign/lose a highly significant player/coach/mascot/whatever, then it might also deserve its own thread. This being Chiefs Planet, please do not clutter the board with new threads about trivial Royals news or you will only annoy those who come here for just Chiefs football. If you aren't sure and its not a Gameday thread, it goes here.

What sort of stuff often goes here? SPchief explained it well, so I'll just copy that:

If you locate something of interest.. ANYTHING.. deals on apparel, best ways in/out of the stadium, giveaways, great stories from this season or from seasons gone by, rumors, trades, anything.... feel free to post it here.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

funny that we also have montgomery sitting in AAA. he projects to be a #2 or 3 at least, he should also be pushing for the bigs this year, and no one has mentioned him yet

cause of the year he had...

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Zeke

cause of the year he had...

Remember when our system was first gaining national attention? It was said that we had all these stud pitchers, be we were a bit lacking in position players. What the hell happened?

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Remember when our system was first gaining national attention? It was said that we had all these stud pitchers, be we were a bit lacking in position players. What the hell happened?

Our position players (I'm looking at you, Perez, please don't regress too much) were a little better than advertised and advanced more quickly than our pitchers. Our pitching hasn't collapsed, they were always going to realistically be helping us in 2013 or so. Our position players made the jump and adjusted to MLB pitching a full year or two ahead of schedule, giving us some reason to hope.

If I remember correctly, I think Montgomery seemed to be starting to figure out AAA near the end of the season, so if he does well in April and May he'll be up. Hopefully Duffy makes his adjustment this season. Lamb got hurt, hopefully he comes back from Tommy John surgery, and we've got another boatload of pitchers who haven't failed yet in advanced-A and AA.

[slapnutz_4]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Remember when our system was first gaining national attention? It was said that we had all these stud pitchers, be we were a bit lacking in position players. What the hell happened?

Im really hoping our new pitching coordinator Rick Knapp helps our pitchers catch up quickly.... was listening to a ba podcast the other day and they had lots of good things to say about him

[eazyb81]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Remember when our system was first gaining national attention? It was said that we had all these stud pitchers, be we were a bit lacking in position players. What the hell happened?

TINSTAAPP happened.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

TINSTAAPP happened.

TINSTAAPP is a bitch.

Also, minor league extremes play a big part in the rise and fall of the hitting and pitching prospects view of the Royals organization. Royals A+ affiliate is an extreme a pitcher's park, and the environments in NWA and Omaha are hitter's parks (with Omaha being part of the hitter haven PCL).

I will say, though... that I'll take Michael Montgomery over every guy listed in front of him in that MLB article.

Banuelos is Yankee hype machine all over again. He's a TINY lefty (5'11/155) and he wasn't as good as Montgomery in A+ ball as a 19-year old or as good in AA as a 20-year old.

Hultzen has yet to pitch in the minor leagues.

Skaggs is pretty similar to Montgomery but doesn't have the same "Stuff" upside. Montgomery already has a plus fastball and changeup.

Pomeranz at 22 was basically the same pitcher at A+ as Montgomery at 19. He's older and more polished but has less upside.

And Perez was much worse at AAA, in the same league, than Monty. He's never really had a "Great" minor-league season and you have to go back several years to find an "OK" season.

I do wish they'd drafted Drew Pomeranz rather than Colon in 2010, but oh well...

[Simplicity]

Zack Grienke

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by slapnutz_4

Im really hoping our new pitching coordinator Rick Knapp helps our pitchers catch up quickly.... was listening to a ba podcast the other day and they had lots of good things to say about him

Welcome, n00b. Post more.

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Welcome, n00b. Post more.

LOL, 12 posts and joined in 2007... *Facepalm.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Simplicity

Zack Grienke

I wouldn't undo that trade. I'll take Cain and Escobar over him.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by alnorth

I wouldn't undo that trade. I'll take Cain and Escobar over him.

Agreed.

Even if they never get anything out of Jeremy Jeffress, Cain and Escobar make the trade worthwhile by themselves (of course, this assumes that Escobar continues to play at least Gold Glove level defense while hitting at least .250 and that Cain is as good as advertised on D with a .750 OPS as his baseline).

If Escobar turns into a .275 hitter who steals 30 bags a year (or, Elvis Andrus), he's worth the swap solo.


And then, of course, there's Jake Odorizzi. Who will pitch at the majors sometime in 2012 or 2013 and gives the Royals a prime trading chip.

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Agreed.

Even if they never get anything out of Jeremy Jeffress, Cain and Escobar make the trade worthwhile by themselves (of course, this assumes that Escobar continues to play at least Gold Glove level defense while hitting at least .250 and that Cain is as good as advertised on D with a .750 OPS as his baseline).

If Escobar turns into a .275 hitter who steals 30 bags a year (or, Elvis Andrus), he's worth the swap solo.


And then, of course, there's Jake Odorizzi. Who will pitch at the majors sometime in 2012 or 2013 and gives the Royals a prime trading chip.

Agreed, just so sad because Grienkie gave Royals publicity.

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Originally Posted by slapnutz_4

Im really hoping our new pitching coordinator Rick Knapp helps our pitchers catch up quickly.... was listening to a ba podcast the other day and they had lots of good things to say about him

Are you Flopnuts twin brother?

[DeezNutz]

Too many nutz around these parts. Often imitated, never duplicated.

And can we get a mod to remove the French flag from beer me's avatar? I understand the desire to link Jayhawk Nation with one of the most spineless countries in history, but COME ON, MAN.

[doomy3]

Sounds like Carlos Pena is going to sign with the Rays, which is good news IMO.

I figured he could become a target of the Tigers since they lost Martinez for the season.