*****Official 2024 Royals Season Repository Thread*****

[ChiefsCountry]

Year Two of the Matt Quatraro tenure. Time to take a step up this year. Active in free agency and trades this offseason. A new look pitching rotation and bullpen. Will the young players take the leap up offensively? Bobby Witt extension? New stadium? Will Vinny recover from injury? Salvy taking aim at the Royals record book? Will Cole Ragans turn into the best Royals starting pitcher since Greinke 1.0?

Free Agents/Trades Acquisitions
Seth Lugo, SP
Michael Wacha, SP
Kyle Wright, SP
Hunter Renfroe, OF/DH
Will Smith, RP
Chris Stratton, RP
Nick Anderson, RP
Adam Frazier, 2B
Garrett Hampson, INF/OF
Matt Sauer, RP

[kstater]

Originally Posted by dlphg9

Bobby Witt Jr. is on pace to have an 11.4 fWAR. If he does that, then he will have the 18th highest fWAR in a season. What makes it even more impressive is that he would have the highest fWAR in 20 years. Barry Bonds is the only player in the 2000s to have a higher fWAR than 11.4.

Now let's just include highest single season fWAR since the expansion era began around 1959-1960. We will take out all of the really old time players that didn't have near the competition of today. Where does an 11.4 fWAR rank Bobby Witt Jr in the last 65 years of baseball?

2002 - Barry Bonds 12.7 WAR
2001 - Barry Bonds 12.5 WAR
2004 - Barry Bonds 11.9 WAR
1999 - Pedro Martinez 11.6 WAR
1967 - Carl Yastrzemski 11.1 WAR
2022 - Aaron Judge 11.1 WAR

An 11.4 fWAR puts Bobby at 4th highest since the expansion era. Bobby is gonna have a top 20 season in baseball history and will probably not win the league MVP.

And yet Judge is gonna win MVP because he plays in Yankee stadium

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[lewdog]

Originally Posted by Pablo

tredadda said it well.

I was so down on this team before the year began. They started off giving me hope and never stopped from there.

Been a special season so far, and about to get even better.

The boys are playin some ball.

I've never taken you as a quitter but the start of this year was damn close for you.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by kstater

And yet Judge is gonna win MVP because he plays in Yankee stadium

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Hard to say Judge doesn't deserve it if the Yankees win their division. BWJ needs to keep it up and the Royals to win their division to have a chance. The amazing thing about Judge is hes like 285 lbs roaming around the CF and he's not even bad at it.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by lewdog

I've never taken you as a quitter but the start of this year was damn close for you.

This is a turn around the MLB has almost never seen. To go from 106 losses to potentially winning the division and having a chance to even have the best record in the AL. I mean just an unreal turn around.

Alot of credit has to be given to them for how they bullt their SP (obviously).Everyone they signed or traded for turned to gold. It was easy to see Ragans would be good but the stars aligning for Lugo, Wacha and Singer bouncing back. Even Marsh was good for a while and Lorenzen has been very good and hes a 5th starter. Im so giddy.

[smithandrew051]

I went from:

“Can you keep me interested until the Chiefs start camp?”

To

“Can you keep me interested until the first preseason game?”

To

“Can you keep me interested to the first regular season game?”

To

“Can…you win the Central?”

I hope this keeps going. The next few questions are a lot more fun.

[TambaBerry]

Have a really tough schedule to finish out the year. If we make the playoffs we definitely earned it

[myselff77]

Completely random question: Do the Royals have a statue of Denny Matthews at The K? Quick google search leads me to believe not, but this seems like a travesty. This board needs more options on where to meet to settle grievances and Denny Matthews is more than worthy.

[gblowfish]

Originally Posted by myselff77

Completely random question: Do the Royals have a statue of Denny Matthews at The K? Quick google search leads me to believe not, but this seems like a travesty. This board needs more options on where to meet to settle grievances and Denny Matthews is more than worthy.

I love Denny and I'll share a couple quick stories. In the late 1980s I went into my local grocery store that was open 24 hours. It was around midnight. When I went to the checkout lane, there was a guy waiting in front of me wearing a Chicago Blackhawks Hockey Jacket. I said "Hey man, that's a really cool jacket. Are you from Chicago?" Guy turned around and it was Denny. My eyes lit up because I recognized him. Before I could say "Holy Shit YOU'RE DENNY MATTHEWS" he put his index finder in front of his lip to shush me. He said in a real hushed tone "Thanks. I'm a big hockey fan. I like baseball better, but really like the Blackhawks." I just smiled and nodded. He didn't want anybody to make a fuss over him in the grocery store.

In 2015 at the world series parade, I was in the front row with my friend Gary and Derrek. Derrek passed away in 2016, and we three guys were the three muskateers of going to Royals games. We went to games as friends since 1974; went to the parade together in 1985 and again in 2015. Derrek detested Denny for some reason. Said he was just a stat regurgitator; had no real personality like Harry Caray or Bob Ueker, and was in the Baseball HOF for "perfect attendance." We argued about Denny for years and years. So I tell you this because, during the parade, a truck comes rolling down with a bunch of the Royals employees, and walking along side is Ryan Levebre and Denny. I'm yelling at Denny and waving at him. He comes right over to us, and makes a beeline to the first person in our group -Derrek- Denny sticks out his hand and says to Derrek -thanks for coming out, you fans are the greatest- something like that. Denny shook his hand and Derrek was speechless. Gary and I just laughed and laughed. One of my favorite memories of the parade.

[DJJasonp]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

I love Denny and I'll share a couple quick stories. In the late 1980s I went into my local grocery store that was open 24 hours. It was around midnight. When I went to the checkout lane, there was a guy waiting in front of me wearing a Chicago Blackhawks Hockey Jacket. I said "Hey man, that's a really cool jacket. Are you from Chicago?" Guy turned around and it was Denny. My eyes lit up because I recognized him. Before I could say "Holy Shit YOU'RE DENNY MATTHEWS" he put his index finder in front of his lip to shush me. He said in a real hushed tone "Thanks. I'm a big hockey fan. I like baseball better, but really like the Blackhawks." I just smiled and nodded. He didn't want anybody to make a fuss over him in the grocery store.

In 2015 at the world series parade, I was in the front row with my friend Gary and Derrek. Derrek passed away in 2016, and we three guys were the three muskateers of going to Royals games. We went to games as friends since 1974; went to the parade together in 1985 and again in 2015. Derrek detested Denny for some reason. Said he was just a stat regurgitator; had no real personality like Harry Caray or Bob Ueker, and was in the Baseball HOF for "perfect attendance." We argued about Denny for years and years. So I tell you this because, during the parade, a truck comes rolling down with a bunch of the Royals employees, and walking along side is Ryan Levebre and Denny. I'm yelling at Denny and waving at him. He comes right over to us, and makes a beeline to the first person in our group -Derrek- Denny sticks out his hand and says to Derrek -thanks for coming out, you fans are the greatest- something like that. Denny shook his hand and Derrek was speechless. Gary and I just laughed and laughed. One of my favorite memories of the parade.

that's awesome!

Denny is like a family member. been with us since kids.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by DJJasonp

that's awesome!

Denny is like a family member. been with us since kids.

Yep, grew up listening to him every day during the summers on the radio. He may be terrible at it now but it takes me back to a better, more simple time when I hear his voice.

[tk13]

The thing about Denny that people underrate even now is he's very smart and has a good feel for the game. He'll never get credit for that because he's not someone who gets super excited. There have been times even this year where he'll pick up that the momentum has shifted, or you shouldn't have walked that guy, this batter is going to be trouble, etc. and you're kind of like "okay whatever" but sure enough he'll be right and either the Royals will come back or they'll blow the game. That kind of thing.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by BWillie

This is a turn around the MLB has almost never seen. To go from 106 losses to potentially winning the division and having a chance to even have the best record in the AL. I mean just an unreal turn around.

Alot of credit has to be given to them for how they bullt their SP (obviously).Everyone they signed or traded for turned to gold. It was easy to see Ragans would be good but the stars aligning for Lugo, Wacha and Singer bouncing back. Even Marsh was good for a while and Lorenzen has been very good and hes a 5th starter. Im so giddy.

Add in Whit being a Super Star already and Vinnie/Salvy hitting more respectfully than everyone thought they could....it's quite remarkable how above the roster talent they are playing.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by tk13

The thing about Denny that people underrate even now is he's very smart and has a good feel for the game. He'll never get credit for that because he's not someone who gets super excited. There have been times even this year where he'll pick up that the momentum has shifted, or you shouldn't have walked that guy, this batter is going to be trouble, etc. and you're kind of like "okay whatever" but sure enough he'll be right and either the Royals will come back or they'll blow the game. That kind of thing.

His call of Holland striking out Trout to end the ALDS is both underrated and deserves to be up there with one of the greatest calls in Royals history. The dude predicted the pitch and elevated an already iconic moment in the franchise.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

His call of Holland striking out Trout to end the ALDS is both underrated and deserves to be up there with one of the greatest calls in Royals history. The dude predicted the pitch and elevated an already iconic moment in the franchise.

Link me this? I need a dementia refresher.

Thanks.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by tk13

The thing about Denny that people underrate even now is he's very smart and has a good feel for the game. He'll never get credit for that because he's not someone who gets super excited. There have been times even this year where he'll pick up that the momentum has shifted, or you shouldn't have walked that guy, this batter is going to be trouble, etc. and you're kind of like "okay whatever" but sure enough he'll be right and either the Royals will come back or they'll blow the game. That kind of thing.

It's always funny when CP and Twitter are going nuts about something and Denny says the opposite on the radio - and it always turns out what Denny says.