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.

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

From Dutton's Star chat:

"And think what you want, there is interest out there in Hochevar. Maybe not at his $4.4 million salary, unless a deal brings a corresponding salary back. Maybe that's how they get another outfielder."

How do the people who least understand baseball get all of the baseball jobs?

[Reaper16]

lol Ned Yost is still the manager.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

So duncan you have said numerous times that DM has to improve the starting pitching this offseason and that you were basically giving him one last chance. How have the moves satisfied or not satified you?

I am satisfied that he has improved the starting pitching. My initial projection request was:

Sign a good No. 2 pitcher in FA (Anibal Sanchez)
Sign an OK No. 3 pitcher in FA (Jeremy Guthrie)
Add a flier guy on a one-year deal who can at least eat innings and keep you in most games (Kevin Millwood, etc)

In terms of adding pitching talent to KC for 2013, Moore has exceeded expectations. That it came at the cost of Wil Myers AND Odorizzi is tough to swallow, but it's done.

If anything, Moore's actions have placed him on an even finer edge for 2013. If the Royals don't win this year (Without something completely crazy happening, like a season-ending injury to several key guys), I don't know how much good will he will have left.

So, for 2013: Satisfied. But more nervous that we've mortgaged future returns for limited short-term success.

The FAN in me wants to believe that a full year of healthy Sal Perez makes a big difference, that Hosmer and Moustakas really start to get it in year 3, that Butler and Gordon continue to do what they do, and that the improved rotation will vault KC into competition in the AL Central and playoff hunt.

My head doesn't 100 percent buy that, though.

[Lex Luthor]

Here's something to think about:

Will Myers split the season between AA and AA. He hit .314 with 37 home runs and 109 RBI. He doesn't run, throw, or play defense particularly well. He is not Mike Trout, no matter how much we wanted him to be.

In 2008 the Royals had another minor-league player who split his season between AA and AAA. He hit .314 with 37 home runs and 100 RBI. Those numbers are pretty much identical to the numbers Will Myers put up in 2012.

Any Royals fan worth his salt knows I'm talking about Kila Ka'aihue. I'm not saying Will Myers is going to wash out like Kila Ka'aihue did, but the fact is that Myers is an UNPROVEN PROSPECT. Hitting .314 with 37 homers and over 100 RBI in the minor leagues is nice, but it doesn't make you a major league All-Star. Myers might turn out to be a guy who hits 35 home runs a year in the majors. He might turn out to be a guy who hits 20 home runs. And it's not impossible that he could turn out to be no better than Kila Ka'aihue.

Kila Ka'aihue was 24 years old when he had his breakout season in the minors. Myers was 22. In three previous seasons in the minors, Will Meyers hit a TOTAL of 27 home runs, so this is not exactly Babe Ruth we're talking about.

Royals fans (including me) have been overvaluing our minor league players for years, because that's about the only thing we've had to cheer for. I hated the trade at first, but I understand why Dayton Moore did it. You've got to give value to get value, and James Shields is a very valuable starting pitcher. Will Myers' value may never be as high as it is right now.

The Royals gave up minor league players for TWO guys who will be in the starting rotation. Maybe I'm just being optimistic, but I don't think it's time to lynch Dayton Moore just yet.

Rany Jazayerli says this trade sucks. Rany also used to tell us over and over and over what a great player Kila Ka'aihue would be if the Royals would just give him a chance in the major leagues.

Rany isn't always right.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

lol Ned Yost is still the manager.

This might be damning with faint praise, but isn't Ned Yost the least-stupid manager we've had in well over a decade?

Muser, Peña, Bell, Hillman

Maybe there's someone out there better, but that is one big impressive parade of dumbasses right there. Yost tries not to shred our pitcher's arms, and he isn't obsessed with playing small-ball.

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

I am satisfied that he has improved the starting pitching. My initial projection request was:

Sign a good No. 2 pitcher in FA (Anibal Sanchez)
Sign an OK No. 2 pitcher in FA (Jeremy Guthrie)
Add a flier guy on a one-year deal who can at least eat innings and keep you in most games (Kevin Millwood, etc)

In terms of adding pitching talent to KC for 2013, Moore has exceeded expectations. That it came at the cost of Wil Myers AND Odorizzi is tough to swallow, but it's done.

If anything, Moore's actions have placed him on an even finer edge for 2013. If the Royals don't win this year (Without something completely crazy happening, like a season-ending injury to several key guys), I don't know how much good will he will have left.

So, for 2013: Satisfied. But more nervous that we've mortgaged future returns for limited short-term success.

The FAN in me wants to believe that a full year of healthy Sal Perez makes a big difference, that Hosmer and Moustakas really start to get it in year 3, that Butler and Gordon continue to do what they do, and that the improved rotation will vault KC into competition in the AL Central and playoff hunt.

My head doesn't 100 percent buy that, though.

Did you really just call Guthrie a number 2?

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by alnorth

This might be damning with faint praise, but isn't Ned Yost the least-stupid manager we've had in well over a decade?

Muser, Peña, Bell, Hillman

Maybe there's someone out there better, but that is one big impressive parade of dumbasses right there. Yost tries not to shred our pitcher's arms, and he isn't obsessed with playing small-ball.

He sure is in early innings.

But you're right. He's easily the least-bad manager lately.

It might be worth noting that the Brewers didn't make the playoffs until after firing Yost.

[Great Expectations]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

From Dutton's Star chat:

"And think what you want, there is interest out there in Hochevar. Maybe not at his $4.4 million salary, unless a deal brings a corresponding salary back. Maybe that's how they get another outfielder."

Do it now!

[siberian khatru]

Kila was NEVER considered anywhere NEAR the prospect Myers is.

That's why Kila struggled to get an opportunity: Nobody in the Royals org (or probably inside baseball) really believed those numbers were for real. They thought they were a mirage. They didn't see the skill set that would translate to the majors.

And they were right.

(Full disclosure: Given the Royals' dearth of 1B options, I thought Kila deserved a full shot, and was intrigued by his MiL plate patience and power. And I was wrong.)

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

JIM BOWDEN ‏@JimBowdenESPNxm

James Shields just told us he would be open right now to talk about an extension with the Royals if they are interested "no doubt about it"

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by Brainiac

He is not Mike Trout, no matter how much we wanted him to be.

No one expects Myers to be as good as Mike Trout. That's a pretty tall strawman.

[Strongside]

Originally Posted by ChiefsandO'sfan

JIM BOWDEN ‏@JimBowdenESPNxm

James Shields just told us he would be open right now to talk about an extension with the Royals if they are interested "no doubt about it"



If that happens it's not such a bad deal.

That would put this deal over the top for me.

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by Strongside

That would put this deal over the top for me.

Are you sure about extending a pitcher who would be 33 going into the first extended year (2015 season) and whose eaten a whole lot of innings over his career?

[Strongside]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

Are you sure about extending a pitcher who would be 33 going into the first extended year (2015 season) and whose eaten a whole lot of innings over his career?

It doesn't scare me as bad with this guy as it would with some. Some guys just have better durability than others...Shields, I think, is one of those guys. He's a workhorse.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by ChiefsandO'sfan

Did you really just call Guthrie a number 2?

Was supposed to read No. 3. Typo.