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.

[stevenidol]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Here's the list whittled down to just position players over the last 20 years.

You have 1 extremely underwhelming player in Young, who had serious attitude problems; really 2 guys fall in this category when you include Derek Bell as well. Then you have Baldelli, who was on his way to being a great player until a genetic disease robbed him of his power.

Every other player on that list is a more valuable player than James Shields.

So if you're the Baseball America's player of the year and you're a position player that isn't an asshole and doesn't have a degenerative genetic condition, you're almost certainly going to be a very very good baseball player. Oh, and if you'll notice, BA is also getting better at making these picks as their projection tools and methodologies are improving.

As long as you're willing to wait around for 3-4 years for guys like Wieters, Gordon and Bruce to come around. Manny, Jones and Salmon had a little chemical boost that helped them as well.

[stevenidol]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Then it's time for MLB to contract the Royals.

or make a trade that makes your team better.

[MIAdragon]

Originally Posted by FringeNC

I found out about the trade via a text from a buddy who is a Red Sox fanatic. I guess the Sox fans are irate, too, about the Royals giving away talent to one of their division rivals.

Yep, not happy about it. This smells like DM is swinging for a contract extension "Hey guys LOOK a winning season" extend me for eleventy billion years.

[Codered]

Bad trade or not ... It sure would be nice to have a season or two of winning baseball around here.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by stevenidol

or make a trade that makes your team better.

Or promote your minor league player of the year to take over for a HORRIBLE RF'er. That move likely improves the team as much as getting Shields does.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Or promote your minor league player of the year to take over for a HORRIBLE RF'er. That move likely improves the team as much as signing Shields.

THIS!

[KevB]

Originally Posted by stevenidol

As long as you're willing to wait around for 3-4 years for guys like Wieters, Gordon and Bruce to come around. Manny, Jones and Salmon had a little chemical boost that helped them as well.

I was willing to wait. In the meantime, he still could have been a productive player, if not an immediate star, improving our RF situation. Meanwhile, you let Hoch go, and sign Sanchez (years/dollars shouldn't have precluded us from signing him --- either we're committed to winning or we aren't).

steven, what you don't understand apparently is that those of us criticizing the trade weren't on board with waiting another two years to win. There was a clear path to winning this year and keeping our best offensive power prospect in the fold for another six years.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

I'm going to go ahead and post this for you guys to myself, instead of making the emo statement I want to make right now.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

THIS!

If our top prospect was a SS or Catcher then fine I can see making the trade since we are set at those positions, but he's playing behind the worst damn player on the team!

[Unsmooth-Moment]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Maybe DM thinks he's squeak through this year with Frenchy, then bring up Bubba Starling. That's all I can figure. We've got to get a right fielder that can hit some.

This is a contract year for Frenchy, so maybe that will motivate him. Otherwise, if he plays like he did last year, he'll be a huge hole in our lineup.

Not as big of a hole if Dyson can platoon? I really don't wanna see Frenchy 120+ times this year

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by KevB

steven, what you don't understand apparently is that those of us criticizing the trade weren't on board with waiting another two years to win. There was a clear path to winning this year and keeping our best offensive power prospect in the fold for another six years.

I haven't followed this thread at all but what was the clear path if you don't mind me asking?

[CoMoChief]

Originally Posted by Strongside

This fanbase kills me. We beg for these things, and then they happen and we're pissed. Pioli has jaded this town with the Cassel trade. If the Royals make the playoffs, Wil Myers will be the furthest thing from everyone's mind. Guys, our payroll is now 80+ million.

What makes you think this was a good trade?

Yes...the Royals needed starting pitching

Was getting rid of your top 2 prospects worth renting a guy for 2 years that probably won't make any difference at all ? Meanwhile this team will trott out Hoachevar and Franceour and expect to beat the Detroit Tigers?

This was a desperation attempt...the kind of move you make when you go all in, in a poker game and it's your last hand and you have a pair of 5's.

Moore got fisted hard on this trade.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

I haven't followed this thread at all but what was the clear path if you don't mind me asking?

non tender hoch, bring up myers, sign anibal sanchez.

[stevenidol]

Originally Posted by KevB

I was willing to wait. In the meantime, he still could have been a productive player, if not an immediate star, improving our RF situation. Meanwhile, you let Hoch go, and sign Sanchez (years/dollars shouldn't have precluded us from signing him --- either we're committed to winning or we aren't).

steven, what you don't understand apparently is that those of us criticizing the trade weren't on board with waiting another two years to win. There was a clear path to winning this year and keeping our best offensive power prospect in the fold for another six years.

You apparently don't remember the Royals in 99-00 that had a great offense and no pitching. How well did those teams do? How well does any team do without pitching? Signing Sanchez is not realistic within the framework of what DM has to work with.

Myers is awful defensively and a windmill at the plate. Let's not act like he doesn't have flaws.

[Unsmooth-Moment]

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

What makes you think this was a good trade?

Yes...the Royals needed starting pitching

Was getting rid of your top 2 prospects worth renting a guy for 2 years that probably won't make any difference at all ? Meanwhile this team will trott out Hoachevar and Franceour and expect to beat the Detroit Tigers?

This was a desperation attempt...the kind of move you make when you go all in, in a poker game and it's your last hand and you have a pair of 5's.

Moore got fisted hard on this trade.

First of all Shields is ****ing good, real good; he also plays in the bigs, not the minors. 2 years is hardly a rental. 1/2 a year is a rental. If we can get Shields into an extra year or 2 we will be sitting fine. We can have all the hitters in the world, as long as Hochevar and Chen are getting 40% the starts we are ****ed.