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.

[alnorth]

in just 3 more games, Giavotella's line has massively shot up (he went 5/6 yesterday). He's now up to .305/.368/.453, with a couple more doubles.

[jet62]

Originally Posted by alnorth

in just 3 more games, Giavotella's line has massively shot up (he went 5/6 yesterday). He's now up to .305/.368/.453, with a couple more doubles.

As long as Getz is hitting well we probably won't see Giavotella until after the All Star break, or more likely September. Besides, wasn't he sent to Omaha because of his poor fielding?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by BWillie007

I heard Arguelles velocity was up this year by 2-3 mph around 93-94.

That's encouraging. I hadn't seen that.

Arguelles sat at 94-95 and touched 96-97 when they first signed him. He got by last year with guile and experience and control.

If he can regain the velocity and add it to what he showed last year at A ball, he becomes an intriguing prospect again.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by jet62

As long as Getz is hitting well we probably won't see Giavotella until after the All Star break, or more likely September. Besides, wasn't he sent to Omaha because of his poor fielding?

Meanwhile, Getz's defense is vastly overrated, and Betancourt is ****ing abysmal in the field.

If Gio is hitting, he must be called up. Sending him down because of a glove was a joke the second this excuse was uttered.

[Al Bundy]

Sanchez is "battling the flu." He will miss tomorrow's start.

[jet62]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Meanwhile, Getz's defense is vastly overrated, and Betancourt is ****ing abysmal in the field.

If Gio is hitting, he must be called up. Sending him down because of a glove was a joke the second this excuse was uttered.

I agree. But we are stuck with Ned Yost basically platooning Getz and Betancourt at seconded, based on who is the hot hitter. Not room on the roster for three second basemen.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Meanwhile, Getz's defense is vastly overrated, and Betancourt is ****ing abysmal in the field.

If Gio is hitting, he must be called up. Sending him down because of a glove was a joke the second this excuse was uttered.

Agreed.

I wish JOhnny had hit like this in the Spring. I don't think he would have lost the starting spot if he had been.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Agreed.

I wish JOhnny had hit like this in the Spring. I don't think he would have lost the starting spot if he had been.

yep, setting aside that its not many at bats, they basically told Gio the job was his to lose, that he'd go to KC even if he merely did OK. Gio's bat will always have to carry him, but he didn't hit worth a damn.

[gblowfish]

Chen's line one month into the season: 5 starts, 0-3 record 4.23 ERA.
Only starting guy in the rotation without a win.

[kc rush]

Originally Posted by kc rush

Hudler sucks. To me, this is what it would be like to have keanu reeves doing color commentary. I ****ing hate keanu reeves.

"Give him time, he'll grow on you."

Nope, still sucks, still can't stand his call.

Someone isn't a great player because they are "happy" or they "smile", they are great because they have a talent and they work hard to maintain or improve that talent.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Chen's line one month into the season: 5 starts, 0-3 record 4.23 ERA.
Only starting guy in the rotation without a win.

Jordan Zimmerman only has one win. He sucks.

Cliff Lee has zero wins. He sucks.

Johan Santana has zero wins. he sucks.

Kyle Lohse has 4 wins. He's awesome.

Chris Capuano has 3 wins. He's awesome.

Felix Hernandez has never won 20 games. He's not an ace.

Zack Greinke didn't deserve the Cy Young the year he won it because he only won 16 games.

[gblowfish]

Duncan, you don't count wins and losses. You've convinced me that that's no way to measure success.

You're right and I've seen the light.

I now fervently believe that every player should get a hug from Bud Selig, and an MLB "self esteem" medal for team participation. Then on off days, they all go to Chuckie Cheese! Yeah buddy!

And The Yanks, Texas, Anaheim and Detroit all go to the AL Playoffs every year just because they bought the right to do so. It's just business, you know?

BTW: Royals are no longer in the cellar, they're tied for the cellar!

I feel better already! And, with a .286 "winning pct" (although we're not concerned with wins and losses) we're only 5.5 games out!

Looks like Butler is going to be our All Star.

[alnorth]

WHIP 1.12, FIP 3.70, xFIP 4.25

I don't know how he does it with less than 6 K/9, but Chen is once again pitching pretty well, for 2 going on 3 years. His BABIP has also been very low the last two seasons and so far this year. His fly balls just don't go over the fence like they should.

At some point you've got to transition from "he's just lucky, the wheels will come off", to "well gee, maybe he's transformed into one of those weird Jamie Moyer types now"

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Duncan, you don't count wins and losses. You've convinced me that that's no way to measure success.

You're right and I've seen the light.

I now fervently believe that every player should get a hug from Bud Selig, and an MLB "self esteem" medal for team participation. Then on off days, they all go to Chuckie Cheese! Yeah buddy!

And The Yanks, Texas, Anaheim and Detroit all go to the AL Playoffs every year just because they bought the right to do so. It's just business, you know?

BTW: Royals are no longer in the cellar, they're tied for the cellar!

I feel better already! And, with a .286 "winning pct" (although we're not concerned with wins and losses) we're only 5.5 games out!

Looks like Butler is going to be our All Star.

pitching wins is a dumbass stat, right up there with RBI. No one should pay any attention to pitching wins, whatsoever.

[gblowfish]

Originally Posted by alnorth

pitching wins is a dumbass stat, right up there with RBI. No one should pay any attention to pitching wins, whatsoever.

Then why even award pitchers individual wins and losses? Why track them at all if you feel they are unimportant?

God, you guys are so indoctrinated to losing that it makes me shake my head.

Tell all those pitchers who won 300 games -one of the hallmarks of making it to Coopsertown- that the accomplishment is a dumbass stat.