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.

[Archie F. Swin]

I'm not going to come and piss on the campfire, BUT I would think if the Angels had confidence in Santana, they would fight harder to keep him. I mean, the Angels have bats...they need arms! You would think good pitching would be very valuable to them.

Just thinking out loud.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by Archie F. Swin

I'm not going to come and piss on the campfire, BUT I would think if the Angels had confidence in Santana, they would fight harder to keep him. I mean, the Angels have bats...they need arms! You would think good pitching would be very valuable to them.

Just thinking out loud.

Grienke and Weaver is a pretty good place to start with a staff assuming they get Zack resigned.

[duncan_idaho]

All right... let's talk about moves that are still out there, potentially. Trading for Santana, combined with Moore's very public statements, makes me think there MIGHT be hope something else of note is coming down the pipe.

In order of preference:

1) Sign Anibal Sanchez. He's the second-best guy on this market, so it won't come cheap in years or total dollars. But this is the type of guy you can afford to give 4-5 years to if you're the Royals. He's young, still in his prime, and he's got top-tier No. 2 stuff. The type of No. 2 who can do a nice impersonation of an ace in key spots. Plus, signing him would weaken the Tigers, who are pretty hot on re-signing him now.

2) Kick the tires on James Shields, David Price, and Josh Johnson. If you can get one of these guys without giving up a core hitter (Myers, Hosmer, Moustakas, Gordon, Butler), I would take a long, hard look.

Shields and Price would be the primary targets because they're controlled for multiple years (Shields for two at a total of $21 million, Price at three for arbitration dollars), but would also be the most costly. Price's cost probably starts with Eric Hosmer. Shields' price would likely be lower.

Johnson honestly would probably be the easiest to acquire. Something like Yordano Ventura/Jorge Bonifacio/Jason Adam might be enough. That's two top 100 guys and a borderline top 100 guy, but Johnson is a stud when healthy AND is from the midwest/wants to play in the midwest long-term. Who knows. If you bring him in and he's successful, you might have a shot at re-signing him (and he's only 28).

3) Explore Danny Haren. Yes, he has a bad back. Yes, his velocity was down this year as a result. But he's likely to be available for $12 million bucks and some minor prospects. It won't be someone as inconsequential in the Royals' grand scheme of things as Brandon Sisk, but it also won't require a core guy.

4) Re-sign Jeremy Guthrie to a two-year deal. It's not flashy, but it would be a nice piece in combination with acquiring one more guy who's better than he is.

5) Be open to other trades. There's probably a pitcher out there who's available for the right price who's name hasn't emerged yet. See Gio Gonzalez and Mat Latos a year ago.

6) Look for a guy who's looking to build value for a big deal on a one-year contract, or a solid veteran who can provide league average pitching. This could be someone coming off of an injury like Brandon McCarthy or Shaun Marcum, or someone like Kevin Millwood who isn't going to set the world on fire but will give you 30 starts, a bunch of innings, and a league-average ERA.
...

And stay the hell away from Kyle Lohse. He's going to get big money and a lot of years, and he isn't going to be worth the risk he carries (Cardinals' post-hype success story leaving the Cardinals, moving to the tougher league, etc). Lohse is going to get the type of contract that can cripple a small-market team.

[KevB]

Originally Posted by Archie F. Swin

I'm not going to come and piss on the campfire, BUT I would think if the Angels had confidence in Santana, they would fight harder to keep him. I mean, the Angels have bats...they need arms! You would think good pitching would be very valuable to them.

Just thinking out loud.

Angels play in a different league in terms of salaries. They're dumping Santana and Harden so they can then go pay the best FA pitcher in the market in Greinke.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Archie F. Swin

I'm not going to come and piss on the campfire, BUT I would think if the Angels had confidence in Santana, they would fight harder to keep him. I mean, the Angels have bats...they need arms! You would think good pitching would be very valuable to them.

Just thinking out loud.

They want the payroll flex to go big on Zack Greinke.

Weaver and C.J. Wilson are signed long-term. Garrett Richards is seen as a bright young arm, and he's cheap.

Greinke, Weaver and Wilson would be a very formidable top 3.

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by Archie F. Swin

I'm not going to come and piss on the campfire, BUT I would think if the Angels had confidence in Santana, they would fight harder to keep him. I mean, the Angels have bats...they need arms! You would think good pitching would be very valuable to them.

Just thinking out loud.

Not necessarily. The Angels want to re-sign Greinke. They would have owed Santana $13 million so by letting him go they are giving themselves a much better chance to get Greinki. The likely can't have both guys (also why Haren is likely gone) so I sure they would rather gamble for Greinki than be guaranteed Santana.

[mr. tegu]

Dayton was just on 610 with Bob Fescoe. He mentioned a team offered two pitching prospects both about a year away for Salvy and he told them no. He also said no one is untouchable including Hosmer, but he went on to say he wanted to basically keep this young group of guys that are signed long term all together.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

I really, really hope Salvy is a Royal for a long time.

He's quickly become the anchor of this team. And my favorite player.

[RockChalk]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

Dayton was just on 610 with Bob Fescoe. He mentioned a team offered two pitching prospects both about a year away for Salvy and he told them no. He also said no one is untouchable including Hosmer, but he went on to say he wanted to basically keep this young group of guys that are signed long term all together.

A friend that was listening told me DM didn't deny that we were going to at least kick the tires on Greinke

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

I wasn't excited about the Santana signing for the same reasons as a few others... but reading some of the more positive opinions and logic it doesn't seem so bad now.

STOP GETTING ME SOMEWHAT EXCITED FOR NEXT SEASON! I'M TRYING TO HAVE LOW EXPECTATIONS!

[RockChalk]

Originally Posted by Dr. Johnny Fever

I wasn't excited about the Santana signing for the same reasons as a few others... but reading some of the more positive opinions and logic it doesn't seem so bad now.

STOP GETTING ME SOMEWHAT EXCITED FOR NEXT SEASON! I'M TRYING TO HAVE LOW EXPECTATIONS!

I would still keep those low expectations.

It's fine to be happy/excited about the trade. On paper, it looks like a great one for us. But even if Santana has a career year in 2013, that alone won't carry us anywhere.

Feel free to raise expectations when we sign one or two more starters that are Santana-esque or better.

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

I would still keep those low expectations.
It's fine to be happy/excited about the trade. On paper, it looks like a great one for us. But even if Santana has a career year in 2013, that alone won't carry us anywhere.

Feel free to raise expectations when we sign one or two more starters that are Santana-esque or better.

Don't worry it shouldn't be hard heh.

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

A friend that was listening told me DM didn't deny that we were going to at least kick the tires on Greinke

Yeah he did say we were going to look at all the free agents basically and that none were not off their radar.

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

Yeah he did say we were going to look at all the free agents basically and that none were not off their radar.

But "we'll never be an $85 million a year team." So which is it DM?

[mr. tegu]

Dayton on 810 now. Says Hochevar is part of the rotation until we can find an alternative. At least he acknowledges we need an alternative.