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.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by Kyle DeLexus

This is absolutely true.

fyp

[duncan_idaho]

General consensus on Perez seems to be:

Floor: average offensive catcher (.260/.300 OBP/.400 SLG) with great defense

Ceiling: above-average offensive catcher (.300/.340/.500 SLG) with great defense

I'd guess he falls somewhere in between: .280/.320/.450, with great defense. That's all-star level, no doubt.

He's a hard guy to scout, considering his track record. He has been EXTREMELY young at each level his entire career. He didn't hit much at all until last season. It's either a matter of natural talent finally clicking into place as he matured, or him playing/hitting a bit above his head last year.

Going to be fun to see what he really is, that's for damn sure.

[DeezNutz]

I wasn't expecting his level of impact defensively last year. No question that he reminded me of Pudge in his glory (read: steroid) years.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Watching the circus that is our current catching corp, makes me long for his abilities behind the plate... whether he hits .300 or .050.

[CaliforniaChief]

The other aspect to Salvy is his ability to handle pitchers. I have no doubt that Hoch's resurgence last year was due in no small part to Salvy's ability to handle him.

I can't freaking wait to have him back. CAN'T WAIT.

[sedated]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

I can't freaking wait to have him back. CAN'T WAIT.

...

[KCUnited]

Courtesy of 610Sports, Francouer's 2012 splits:

Autographs Signed: 902
Babies Held: 12
Old Ladies Winked At: 47

[Shogun]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

Courtesy of 610Sports, Francouer's 2012 splits:

Autographs Signed: 902
Babies Held: 12
Old Ladies Winked At: 47

the only important intangibles, i look at. that Segment was great.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

The other aspect to Salvy is his ability to handle pitchers. I have no doubt that Hoch's resurgence last year was due in no small part to Salvy's ability to handle him.

I can't freaking wait to have him back. CAN'T WAIT.

The guy changes the game from behind the plate.

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Don't need a switch hitter off the bench when you can go with a career joke in OBP.

The palpable sarcasm in your posts always makes me chuckle. I of course agree Quintero should be saying so long..... I can't say I trust Yost/DM to choose him over what they may see as a "vet catcher for the young staff" behind Sal.

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

The other aspect to Salvy is his ability to handle pitchers. I have no doubt that Hoch's resurgence last year was due in no small part to Salvy's ability to handle him.

I can't freaking wait to have him back. CAN'T WAIT.

That's a good point and a surprising ability from such a young catcher.

[DeezNutz]

First, I would love to pile on with the Perez love. However...the ideas that he "handles a staff well" or "calls a good game" are hyperbole. There's simply no evidence that any catcher affects a game in this capacity.

What Perez does do, though, is block and throw like a mother****er.

[CaliforniaChief]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

First, I would love to pile on with the Perez love. However...the ideas that he "handles a staff well" or "calls a good game" are hyperbole. There's simply no evidence that any catcher affects a game in this capacity.

What Perez does do, though, is block and throw like a mother****er.

Royals pitchers did have a lower ERA under him than they did under any other catcher. Now how objective that is? I don't know. But I wouldn't say there is NO evidence.

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

First, I would love to pile on with the Perez love. However...the ideas that he "handles a staff well" or "calls a good game" are hyperbole. There's simply no evidence that any catcher affects a game in this capacity.

What Perez does do, though, is block and throw like a mother****er.

Hard evidence that a catcher "handles a staff well" or "calls a good game" may be tough to quantify but I do believe in it. I guess the best evidence is what comes from the pitchers and coaches. A lot of pitchers have and continue to use personal catchers, even if that guys isn't the normal starter, because they work well together and have a level of comfort/trust. It's pretty much the same thing I guess imo.

[CaliforniaChief]

From I-70baseball.com...

"Salvador Perez was called up by the Royals last August and started his first game at Catcher on August 10. He caught each of Hochevar’s last 7 starts of the season. During this stretch he threw 45 2/3 innings and gave up 22 runs for a 4.34 ERA. In the first start he gave up 5 runs, so if you take out that one, assuming he was getting acclimated to having a new catcher behind the plate, the ERA is lowered to 4.17. Now, while an ERA over 4.00 will not win Hochevar any Cy Young awards, Royals fans would undoubtedly be pleased if he could provide numbers like this on a consistent basis.

While it may be a stretch to try and make this correlation, it cannot be discounted that if Hochevar can experience some success once Salvador Perez returns, that he will be the one common denominator. It cannot be understated how important consistency at the Catcher position is to the success of a pitching staff. And while Royals fans have seen pitching coaches come and go, and starting pitchers displaying maddening levels of inconsistency, perhaps it is the game of musical chairs that the Royals have played at the Catcher position over the last several years that is most responsible for this. Time will tell. Perez is due back in a couple weeks. Hopefully he can help Hochevar “turn the corner” one more time.