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.

[jbwm89]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Because it wouldn't net three years of Lester or Shields.
Each is controlled for just two seasons. Myers' value is higher than that. If the Royals move him, they'd be looking for something like what the Yankees got back for Jesus Montero last offseason (though it can be argued Myers is likely to be more valuable because of his defensive versatility).

Lester can be removed from the equation. That's already been pretty well shot down on the Red Sox side of things (someone who works in the GM's office was quoted off the record that it would take Myers AND a pitching prospect).

The problem with Tampa is that while it has tons of surplus pitching, what the Rays need right now is MLB-ready hitting. And the Royals really begin and end with Myers (or Hosmer, Moustakas, Butler, Gordon). So it's tough to match up with Tampa.

I'd be all for flipping some lesser prospects to, say, Houston for a Bud Norris type. Who isn't a superstar, but would have a much more reasonable price tag (and is someone you can probably pick up with some B-grade prospects).

I thnk I said it earlier on here, but Myers for Shields only works (for KC) if Tampa is sending some significant stuff back with him (Chris Archer + one more good prospect).

Spot on as always. Another angle would be signing a guy like Marcum and holding the prospects for a possible trade mid season or next offseason. Either way there has to be 1 more guy added somehow.

[Dartgod]

They do need some room on the forty man. They had to protect like six guys from the rule 5 draft. This trade is pretty indicative that they are not going to move hos though.

[Nightfyre]

Marcum was born and raised in the area. I would think that may contribute to a contract of good value.

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

Bob Dutton ‏@Royals_Report

#Royals owner David Glass says he's willing to consider exceeding $70 million payroll. http://bit.ly/Tm71Wc

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by ChiefsandO'sfan

Bob Dutton ‏@Royals_Report

#Royals owner David Glass says he's willing to consider exceeding $70 million payroll. http://bit.ly/Tm71Wc

Regarding his explanations, even if you take them all at face value and accept all of it, obviously we aren't going to be spending $20MM/year on signing bonuses anymore, the new CBA put an end to that. Combine that with the new Fox contract in 2014, and I do not believe that break-even will be at $70MM starting then.

[Nightfyre]

Just go buy an ace. C'mon Dayton. would it kill you to go out and buy the one piece that would make you a contender? Think about the young ones. They need to know that the Royals can win and that will require pitching.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by jbwm89

Spot on as always. Another angle would be signing a guy like Marcum and holding the prospects for a possible trade mid season or next offseason. Either way there has to be 1 more guy added somehow.

Signing Marcum to a one-year deal would be a nice finish to this offsesaon. Not mind-blowing, but OK. Nice. I have long been an Anibal Sanchez fan, but if he really is demanding 8 years, he's probably going to get 6 or 7. And the Royals can't afford to have huge payroll tied up in a guy like him for 6-8 years.

Next offseason will interesting, too. The Royals' system is currently probably in the 5-8 range, with a ton of talent/depth at the lower levels.

By this time next year, they could be better positioned to go get an ace. Yes, Myers and Odorizzi are going to graduate to the majors, but there are a lot of guys who are big prospects at lower levels that should be more attractive trading chips by then.

I'm talking about guys like Orlando Calixte, Jorge Bonifacio in terms of bats (both of whom I think will spend decent time at NWA this year, and put up big numbers). Pitching prospect depth (TINSTAAPP, I know Deez) should be built back up (Zimmer, Ventura, Lamb are all potential high-end guys who should be very close to the majors, and Adam, Almonte, Baez, Selman, Smith, Brickhouse will be closer, too). And then there are guys like Bubba Starling, Cheslor Cuthbert whose stock could either skyrocket or plummet.

And let's not forget Aldaberto Mondesi, who is my favorite prospect in the system (And might be my favorite true SS prospect other than Jurickson Profar).

I think they'll be very well positioned to make a move for the Gio Gonzalez/Mat Latos/etc. person of 2013. It wouldn't shock me if in November 2013, we're talking about the Royals putting together a package for a familiar name: David Price.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

Just go buy an ace. C'mon Dayton. would it kill you to go out and buy the one piece that would make you a contender? Think about the young ones. They need to know that the Royals can win and that will require pitching.

Buying an ace at this point would be buying Zack Greinke, as he's the only guy who qualifies.

You're talking 6-7 years, 160 million. The Royals aren't going to do that (and honestly, only a handful of teams can afford to take that big of a contract risk on him. So I don't blame the Royals in shying away there).

The next-best option is Anibal Sanchez, who is asking for 8 years, $120 million. I really didn't see that market opening up for him (half the years, half the money, sure). Sanchez is at best a nice No. 2, but he's not worth the risk of that length or amount of investment to any but a handful of teams.

After that, there's a severe enough drop-off that I honestly would not mind signing someone in the Marcum tier as your third addition, and hoping at least 2/3 guys you've brought in are solid-good No. 3 level guys for you, and that's good enough to get you above .500.

That team COULD conceivably win 85 games or so, IF Hosmer rebounds, none of the other offensive guys suffers a massive drop-off, and team health is a little better in 13 than it was in 12. Then you go into the next offseason in better position. I doubt Santana is brought back, but hopefully he pitches well enough you can make him a qualifying offer (and get a draft pick!). You'd probably let guy No. 3 walk. And you'd have a lot of slots and payroll flexibility going in 14:

--
--
Guthrie
Odorizzi
Lamb/Ventura/Zimmer

And maybe the farm system depth to go out and get a true No. 1 guy via trade while still signing another OK guy to slot into the other open rotation spot.

[Nightfyre]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Buying an ace at this point would be buying Zack Greinke, as he's the only guy who qualifies.

You're talking 6-7 years, 160 million. The Royals aren't going to do that (and honestly, only a handful of teams can afford to take that big of a contract risk on him. So I don't blame the Royals in shying away there).

The next-best option is Anibal Sanchez, who is asking for 8 years, $120 million. I really didn't see that market opening up for him (half the years, half the money, sure). Sanchez is at best a nice No. 2, but he's not worth the risk of that length or amount of investment to any but a handful of teams.

After that, there's a severe enough drop-off that I honestly would not mind signing someone in the Marcum tier as your third addition, and hoping at least 2/3 guys you've brought in are solid-good No. 3 level guys for you, and that's good enough to get you above .500.

That team COULD conceivably win 85 games or so, IF Hosmer rebounds, none of the other offensive guys suffers a massive drop-off, and team health is a little better in 13 than it was in 12. Then you go into the next offseason in better position. I doubt Santana is brought back, but hopefully he pitches well enough you can make him a qualifying offer (and get a draft pick!). You'd probably let guy No. 3 walk. And you'd have a lot of slots and payroll flexibility going in 14:

--
--
Guthrie
Odorizzi
Lamb/Ventura/Zimmer

And maybe the farm system depth to go out and get a true No. 1 guy via trade while still signing another OK guy to slot into the other open rotation spot.

Don't forget that Duffy and Paulino come off of TJ's in the latter part of this year. We should be able to find a suitable pitcher in that mess, right?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

Don't forget that Duffy and Paulino come off of TJ's in the latter part of this year. We should be able to find a suitable pitcher in that mess, right?

Yeah, messed that up. It was supposed to read:

--
--
Guthrie
Duffy/Paulino (just being conservative and say only one comes back as an OK contributor)
Odorizzi/Lamba/Ventura/Zimmer

All dependent on how well Duffy/Paulino come back (I think if you had to choose one to make a full recovery, you'd choose Duffy) and how Odo/Lamb/Ventura/Zimmer progress.

[siberian khatru]

Even so, Glass said he is open to boosting the next season’s payroll to, say, $76 million

I'm sorry, I think he can go much higher than that.

I just don't believe all his "break even" stuff.

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

Buster Olney ‏@Buster_ESPN

As others have reported, B.J. Upton gets a five-year deal for about $75 million. Braves


Anyone here think that's to much for him?

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

I'm sorry, I think he can go much higher than that.

I just don't believe all his "break even" stuff.

Yep. Glass is a lying sack of shit. Petro, for years, has claimed that his sources suggest a breakeven point of closer to $100M. This might be too high, but I have to believe that the truth is far closer to this than it is to Glass's number.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by ChiefsandO'sfan

Buster Olney ‏@Buster_ESPN

As others have reported, B.J. Upton gets a five-year deal for about $75 million. Braves


Anyone here think that's to much for him?

I do.

$15 million a year for a guy who is an OK CF but not a tremendously plus one, who is going to OPS around .750?

That's a serious overpay, IMO.

[KevB]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

I'm sorry, I think he can go much higher than that.

I just don't believe all his "break even" stuff.

Right....if that is really the case, you have to wonder how efficiently the organization has been run over that time.