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.

[JohnnyV13]

Btw, I researched comeback probabilities from 2nd TJ surgeries. I was wrong. Chances are substantially less.

I wrote an update on my blog, but the upshot is its around 33% to 60% depending on who you listen to. Soria's chances are better because he's a reliever, but still not that good.

[lewdog]

Typing on my new smart phone. Now I have access to my depressing sports teams at all times of the day.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

So Moore isn't going to bring up Myers because he's bound and determined to keep and protect guys like a 31 yr old Hottovy that isn't even being used at the ML level, Mazzaro, a 30 yr old Brayan Pena (nice guy, that's about it), Adam Moore, Tony Abreu (a minor league journeyman that they won't even give a shot), 29 yr old Falu who they won't give a shot, Chris ****face Getz (who by the way is 29 years old and not even close to being a prospect), Jason Bourgeouis (? Really?), 28 yr old Jarrod Dyson (not a prospect and we have multiple guys that can play 4th OF in our system already on the 40-man that is more than capable of being up here in his stead -> David Lough), Jeff Francouer (nuff said), and Derrick Robinson (Jarrod Dyson's switching hitting, career .640 OPS Clone in the minors).

That's what... 11 spots that can easily be cleared without losing anything of value. It's not that hard to be a ****ing GM, Dayton...

[TLO]

Originally Posted by lewdog

Typing on my new smart phone. Now I have access to my depressing sports teams at all times of the day.

Welcome to depression!

[tk13]

Apparently the Royals had a scout on hand for Roger Clemens' start tonight. Sounds like it was just KC and the Astros watching him. Let the hype begin.

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Originally Posted by tk13

Apparently the Royals had a scout on hand for Roger Clemens' start tonight. Sounds like it was just KC and the Astros watching him. Let the hype begin.

Is this the right spot for "bring him in for a look?"

[BWillie]

Hosmer probably going to end the year with a better batting avg, certainly better obp than Moose. Moose has been overhyped this yr just because his hot start. He needs to perform better at the plate and get on base more. His defense however has been a pleasant surprise

[TLO]

Originally Posted by tk13

Apparently the Royals had a scout on hand for Roger Clemens' start tonight. Sounds like it was just KC and the Astros watching him. Let the hype begin.

For him to be our bullpen coach? Maybe he can teach our guys how to use PEDs and not get caught? Oh wait...

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by BWillie007

Hosmer probably going to end the year with a better batting avg, certainly better obp than Moose. Moose has been overhyped this yr just because his hot start. He needs to perform better at the plate and get on base more. His defense however has been a pleasant surprise

He's really broken through defensively. More than just a pleasant surprise. He has struggled the second half, but I'd rather the pitchers in the league find those holes and make those adjustments now (early) so he is forced to learn the adjustment side of the Big Leagues... I think we're starting to see those adjustments at the plate by Hosmer. We've seen and know Mike's power and physical ability... let's hope the mental game (at the plate) is being formed.

[Nightfyre]

Some Fun Notes from this article:

Meet Kelvin Herrera. Not only is he the hardest thrower this year, but also he's threatening to be the hardest ever. His average fastball of 98.6 mph is tied with Joel Zumaya's 2006 fastball for hottest ever. At 97.8 mph, Chapman is closer to Nate Jones (97.4) than he is Herrera.
Herrera also threw the single hardest pitch in baseball this season at 102.8 mph. Chapman just missed that title at 102.7.
As for starters, Stephen Strasburg is the king this season at 95.7 mph, not far behind Ubaldo Jimenez's record 96.1 mph that he set in 2009 and matched in 2010. After adding an extra mph to his fastball this year, David Price is close behind Strasburg at 95.6.

We always save the worst for last because sabermetrics isn't always about celebrating achievements and accomplishments. Numbers give us something tangible with which we can judge a player against his peers, against his predecessors, against Babe Ruth if we truly want. The preferred tool today is Wins Above Replacement. FanGraphs and Baseball-Reference both have proprietary versions; each is marred by its inclusion of defensive metrics but good enough to give a decent idea of what's what.
And they agree: The worst player in baseball this year is Kansas City outfielder Jeff Francoeur.
FanGraphs says he has been worth -1.7 WAR, which means by using a replacement-level player – some bum from Triple-A – the Royals actually would have won two more games. B-R is even harsher: The site has Francoeur at -3.0 WAR, which ranks as the 11th-worst season for an offensive player since 1901.
With a dreadful August and September, Francoeur could threaten the season both sites agree is the worst ever: Jerry Royster's 1977 with Atlanta, a -3.7 FanGraphs and -4.1 B-R debacle. The utilityman hit .216/.278/.288 and, the metrics say, played brutal defense. Francoeur isn't that bad, at .240/.287/.372, with a major league-leading 14 outfield assists, but as Wil Myers sits at Triple-A with a .311/.389/.603 line, 35 home runs and the title of best hitting prospect in the minors, it cannot be anything short of maddening for Royals fans to swallow where part of the cost of their ticket will go.
Kansas City owes Francoeur $6.75 million in 2013.

[stonedstooge]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

Some Fun Notes from this article:

If Frenchy is starting in right field next year, I'll turn in my fan card after following this team for 43 years

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by stonedstooge

If Frenchy is starting in right field next year, I'll turn in my fan card after following this team for 43 years

Your beloved GMDM would respond with "There is no measurable graph that can explain the importance Francouer vrings to these young guys in the clubhouse. In that regard, Jeff is absolutely critical to the chemistry of this team."

They're doing this for longer control of Myers, period. My guess Myers will make the big league roster out of spring training next year, but ride the bench Mitch Meier style as the 4th/5th outfielder. Frenchy WILL be starting.

Don't shoot me, I'm just the messenger.

[JohnnyV13]

Originally Posted by BWillie007

Hosmer probably going to end the year with a better batting avg, certainly better obp than Moose. Moose has been overhyped this yr just because his hot start. He needs to perform better at the plate and get on base more. His defense however has been a pleasant surprise

I wrote a story about Moustakas' slump.

http://thevirilview.com/royals/2012/...ired-in-slump/

He's really played poorly since the All-Star break. I think he's trying too hard to pull everything and put it in the right field seats. His splits really show it.

[stonedstooge]

I sure hope Hosmer and Moose get some hitting help during the offseason. Both of them need to find a cure to what ails them.

[Nightfyre]

They need to learn to make adjustments to their approach both over time and pitch to pitch. They basically need some serious mentoring from Billy, who is ridiculous at it.