2013 Kansas City Royals Repository Thread

[duncan_idaho]

Proposed 2013 Slogan: Tigers: They're what's for dinner
Actual 2013 Slogan: Come to Play
A better, more accurate, or alternative slogan: All in, no panic, we promise.

Dayton Moore has pushed all his chips in and is riding on King/Jack suited, hoping it comes together, he gets some good luck, and he hits the nuts by the river card. There's potential, oh yes, there's potential. There's also risk.

At the midway point, Dayton is left counting on the river card. The flop and turn didn't help him, and he's looking at the Tigers holding a pair of Queens and the Indians holding a pair of 9s. His 2013 plan hasn't failed - yet - but the odds are not in his favor.

Burning questions updates below.

Burning Questions for 2013:

1) Will the improve rotation be improved enough? Does James Shields pitch like a fringe No. 1 away from Tampa Bay? Does Ervin Santana pitch to his highest upside in his walk year? Can Jeremy Guthrie build on his strong performance as a Royal in 2012? Can Wade Davis bring his new mentality- and velocity - back to the rotation?

Midseason check-in: Yes, the rotation is certainly improved enough. Shields has pitched like a fringe No. 1 and Santana is having his best season. Guthrie has horrible peripherals but has continued to perform well at his home park and eat innings on the road. Davis brought neither his kick-ass mentality or improved velocity back to the rotation and is in Luke Hochevar/Hiram Davies territory.

2) When will Luke Hochevar be shown the door?
Midseason check-in: It appears, never, at this point. Hochevar has been solid in non-leverage situations, though pretty much every time he has been used with men on base in an inning, it has been a disaster.

3) Does Hosmer bounce back?
Midseason check-in: It took some time, but Hosmer's performance from June 1 on is probably the most encouraging thing about the 2013 season so far.
4) Can Moustakas hit for a whole season like he did in the first half of 2012?
Midseason check-in: Nope. Moustakas was god-awful, then great for about 3 weeks, then god-awful again. He has been better since he started working with Brett and Grafol but still has a long way to go.
5) Who regresses?
Midseason check-in: Welp, Alicides Escobar is not a surprising name here (though Yost's stubborn insistence on hitting him second is ridiculous). Billy Butler is a surprise. He isn't having a terrible year - still contributing a lot to the offense - but he's not hitting for the average or power he has displayed over the past several years.
6) Who plays 2B?
Midseason check-in: A whole bunch of people, and not that great. Gio is at least getting a shot, though he once again is not doing much with it.
7) Can Jeff Francoeur be at least replacement level, rather than epic horrible level?
Midseason check-in: Hahahahahahahahahahaha
8) Will Dayton Moore survive to see 2014?
Midseason check-in: Outlook uncertain. Probably still around, unless the team completely tanks in the second half and he does something foolish. My guess - he sacrifices Ned Yost this offseason and gets one more shot with a new manager in 2014.
9) Will Danny Duffy come back healthy? And if he does, is he the same, better or worse?
Midseason check-in: Yes. Velocity looks the same, and it looks likely he is the same guy as before.
10) And the big one: Has KC added enough to run down the big-money Detroit Tigers?
Midseason check-in: Doesn't look like it, does it?

[Shogun]

Tie game, meh.

[Cephalic Trauma]

However, DM/Yost have been thinking logically lately, with Hoch and Chen going to the BP and Mendoza getting #5.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Cephalic Trauma

However, DM/Yost have been thinking logically lately, with Hoch and Chen going to the BP and Mendoza getting #5.

yep, baby steps. As I've said the other day, we have a dumb dog who just now stopped crapping on the floor. It'll take a while to teach him fetch or stay.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Also, Francoeur's bat wrap looks just as bad when I've seen him this year as it did last year.

I was thinking the same thing. Dude's approach looks completely helpless, but my sample size is incredibly small.

[Three7s]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

I was thinking the same thing. Dude's approach looks completely helpless, but my sample size is incredibly small.

And that incredible presence!

[stonedstooge]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

I was thinking the same thing. Dude's approach looks completely helpless, but my sample size is incredibly small.

His swing never changed last year and it was Seitzer's fault. New hitting coaches fault this year, I suppose

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Three7s

And that incredible presence!

I particularly loved when he threw not only his hitting coach but also the team's best hitter (Billy Butler) when trying to explain why he sucked so much last year.

What a leader!

[cookster50]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

my sample size is incredibly small.

My regards to the Mrs.

[cookster50]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

I particularly loved when he threw not only his hitting coach but also the team's best hitter (Billy Butler) when trying to explain why he sucked so much last year.

What a leader!

He must be pretty strong to lift and throw Billy Butler! Badabing!

[RockChalk]

Originally Posted by Cephalic Trauma

Did Hochevar effectively pitch himself off this team tonight. If so, **** yes.

If no, **** you (Dayton)!

Doubt it. While he was aborting his 2/3 of an inning, Hudler was going on and on about how great he looks in relief and how he's been able to just cut it loose...while throwing 92mph.

That being said, I'd love to know what Rex is on because I want some of it.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

Doubt it. While he was aborting his 2/3 of an inning, Hudler was going on and on about how great he looks in relief and how he's been able to just cut it loose...while throwing 92mph.

That being said, I'd love to know what Rex is on because I want some of it.

He's on "team homer lollipops."

It's pretty clear to everyone that Hochevar is never going to get over his inability to pitch with men on base, and that's a pretty key aspect of the game.

Reminds me of a guy I played ball with in high school. Lefthanded pitcher who could hit 86-87 out of the windup, good control, decent curve and change. He was very tough to hit ... until you got a man on base. Then, all of a sudden, his velocity dropped, his location disappeared, and teams were able to hit him.

I think Hochevar starts worrying about so much other crap when there are men on - slide step, varying delivery time, trying to induce double plays, etc. - that he doesn't focus enough on throwing good pitches.

They've done everything they possibly can to try to get this guy to keep it simple and trust his talent, and he just can't.

I know the Royals are freaked out that if they cut him, some other team will pick him up and fix him, but he isn't fixable. Just like Kyle Davies, I predict that once KC moves Luke Hochevar, he never is really heard from again.

If they can convince some team desperate for a starting pitcher to trade them anything of value for Hochevar, they should do it and not look back.

[Infidel Goat]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

Doubt it. While he was aborting his 2/3 of an inning, Hudler was going on and on about how great he looks in relief and how he's been able to just cut it loose...while throwing 92mph.

That being said, I'd love to know what Rex is on because I want some of it.

How much do we save if we cut him now?

His 7.24 spring ERA would almost guarantee we would be off the hook for most of his contract. Save the money so we can cut Francouer when we trade for his replacement in a few months...

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

Doubt it. While he was aborting his 2/3 of an inning, Hudler was going on and on about how great he looks in relief and how he's been able to just cut it loose...while throwing 92mph.

That being said, I'd love to know what Rex is on because I want some of it.

I was willing to give Hoch-the-reliever a chance since it was too late to cut him, but he was so God-awful last night, I'm completely done with him. Now I just hope he doesn't lose us a lot of games before he's out.

[kappa72202]

That looked like the same ole crap last night. Hope it was a blip on the radar!

[Ceej]

Royals currently in 16th in the preseason power rankings:

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/story/2...or-the-orioles