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.

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Originally Posted by alnorth

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_yl..._a_to_z_010112



We're probably going to see this a lot. No one will stick their neck out and pick the Royals over the Tigers, but you'll see a lot of "not that I'm picking them to win the AL Central, don't get me wrong, its probably not going to happen but... a few injuries in Detroit... a couple pitchers emerge... eh, crazier things have happened". Just so they can be on the record as seeing it coming if the stars all align.

I don't mind that. We're being noticed which is a good sign. I don't even really think it's our time to win the division yet... but I do think it's time to make a nice step forward. It's nice to have actual hope again.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by alnorth

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_yl..._a_to_z_010112



We're probably going to see this a lot. No one will stick their neck out and pick the Royals over the Tigers, but you'll see a lot of "not that I'm picking them to win the AL Central, don't get me wrong, its probably not going to happen but... a few injuries in Detroit... a couple pitchers emerge... eh, crazier things have happened". Just so they can be on the record as seeing it coming if the stars all align.

Great article. Really enjoy Passan.

I think Verlander takes at least a small step back this season, and the Tigers likely step back a little bit with him. With the White Sox down and the Twins a big question mark and the Indians in the same type of boat as the Royals, things could get really interesting.

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Originally Posted by lewdog_5

Hawk....."You can put it on the board!.....Yes!"

My brother who lived in Chicago sent me something from the newspaper called "Hawk Bingo." I like to play it during Royals-White Sox games. It has two Bingo boards with a bunch of Hawk quotes, and you play an opponent to see who can get a Bingo of them before the game is over. Tremendous fun.

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

MLBInsideNewsScott Swaim

Source: #Orioles and #Braves are making progress on an Adam Jones deal. Hearing Jurrjens is involved. This could mean Crisp to Baltimore.

Would you all do this deal?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by ChiefsandO'sfan

MLBInsideNewsScott Swaim

Source: #Orioles and #Braves are making progress on an Adam Jones deal. Hearing Jurrjens is involved. This could mean Crisp to Baltimore.

Would you all do this deal?

I wouldn't give up Adam Jones if Jair Jurrjens is the main piece I get in return. Would need one of the Braves top young pitching prospects (Vizcaino, Delgado, Minor, back in return as well.

Jurrjens would get beaten like a drum in the AL East.

[alnorth]

I think we now know why Edwin Jackson hasn't signed yet. His agent (Scott Boras) wants at least 5 years and $60MM, and even the Yankees are balking at that. I wouldn't object to $12MM necessarily in a short-term deal, but 5 years at that rate with what he's capable of is a very significant risk.

I think all the teams are staring at each other right now, seeing if anyone will pay him, and if not, how far down will he lower his price before someone blinks?

edit:

Apparently at the beginning of the offseason his asking price was $82.5MM. He's just now come down to 60/5

[alnorth]

Oh, and to those who might say "well its high, but he could help us win, just do it!" I do agree that the Royals ought to be willing to overpay for a couple years, maybe even 3 if a free agent pitcher gives us a shot.

However, ideally you'd like to see our books stay clear 4 or 5 years from now, to give us the maximum flexibility possible to sign/extend our own prospects to long-term deals. We give Edwin Jackson 60/5 and his career starts taking a dive 3 years from now but he's still collecting checks, he might cost us a chance to keep one of our guys.

[eazyb81]

I would pay Edwin Jackson $60MM over 5 years in a second. He's young, productive, and durable.

If Gil Meche was worth $55MM over 5 years in 2006, why isn't Jackson worth 5/60?

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Originally Posted by alnorth

However, ideally you'd like to see our books stay clear 4 or 5 years from now, to give us the maximum flexibility possible to sign/extend our own prospects to long-term deals. We give Edwin Jackson 60/5 and his career starts taking a dive 3 years from now but he's still collecting checks, he might cost us a chance to keep one of our guys.

I agree with this. I've actually never been real high on Jackson anyway. He's solid I know but I see quite a few Cardinals games and I saw a lot of less than impressive from him.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Oh, and to those who might say "well its high, but he could help us win, just do it!" I do agree that the Royals ought to be willing to overpay for a couple years, maybe even 3 if a free agent pitcher gives us a shot.

However, ideally you'd like to see our books stay clear 4 or 5 years from now, to give us the maximum flexibility possible to sign/extend our own prospects to long-term deals. We give Edwin Jackson 60/5 and his career starts taking a dive 3 years from now but he's still collecting checks, he might cost us a chance to keep one of our guys.

+1

Yup...nailed it. I don't see signing a guy like him (who I am unimpressed with) for more than 3 years. He is too much risk to tie up money with for that long when our younger guys might perform quite well and will need extending.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

I would pay Edwin Jackson $60MM over 5 years in a second. He's young, productive, and durable.

If Gil Meche was worth $55MM over 5 years in 2006, why isn't Jackson worth 5/60?

Too much risk...just like the Meche signing. That worked out well, didn't it?

[eazyb81]

Originally Posted by lewdog_5

Too much risk...just like the Meche signing. That worked out well, didn't it?

The only reason Meche fell off was because Trey Hillman thought it would be a brilliant idea to give Meche 130 pitch counts. His shoulder was shredded shortly thereafter.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

I would pay Edwin Jackson $60MM over 5 years in a second. He's young, productive, and durable.

If Gil Meche was worth $55MM over 5 years in 2006, why isn't Jackson worth 5/60?

To quote the Yankees, I like him, "but not at that price".

I agree that he pretty much compares to Gil Meche before we greatly overpaid to sign him (though Meche had maybe a few more strikeouts). At that time, we basically had nothing and were destined to suck. We got him just to try to put a credible product out there and sell a few more tickets. We weren't going to do much with that money in years 3 through 5.

Now, though we should have some money to spend this year and next, that $12MM might be better-spent on our own guys in a few years.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

The only reason Meche fell off was because Trey Hillman thought it would be a brilliant idea to give Meche 130 pitch counts. His shoulder was shredded shortly thereafter.

Give Trey some credit. He was able to look Meche in the eye and see deep into his soul that he was able to throw pitches 110-130.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

The only reason Meche fell off was because Trey Hillman thought it would be a brilliant idea to give Meche 130 pitch counts. His shoulder was shredded shortly thereafter.

We still had to get lucky and discover that we bought a diamond for pennies on the dollar first, its not like his emergence was forseen by all, or he would have gotten a much better contract.