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.

[Nightfyre]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Escobar is signed through 2015. IIRC, he'll be 28 years old, and in his prime. He sticks around then, and he'll have a point.

Same with Butler, though I think he'll be a year older.

Gordon's done nothing worth being in this discussion other than being the 1st overall pick.

Perez will be 26 - right in his prime, should he become the player most of you (including myself) think he'll be.

Soria will be 30 when his contract expires.


Again, if you guys resign these players when they become stars, in their prime, asking for big money - then I'll change my opinion.

EDIT: Excellent points above, Deez.

Escobar has club options in 2016/2017 for 5.25/6 which lasts until he's 30.
Butler has a club option in 2015 for 12.5 which lasts until he's 29.
Perez has club options from 2017 to 2019 of 3.75/5/6 which last until he's 29.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

Escobar has club options in 2016/2017 for 5.25/6 which lasts until he's 30.
Butler has a club option in 2015 for 12.5 which lasts until he's 29.
Perez has club options from 2017 to 2019 of 3.75/5/6 which last until he's 29.

I read those options as player options. If I'm wrong, I apologize.

Point still stands. Those players will be in their prime when they become FA's.

We'll see how it's handled then.

[Ebolapox]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Count me as an idiot because we've spent in the draft and Latin America. The Royals, however, have largely shied away from spending in FA, and this off-season will present a major test for where the organization is and what Glass and company are willing to do.

The fact that the payroll is lower now than it was several years ago, though the Royals should be closer to competing now than ever before, makes little sense.

The Royals have spent on infrastructure, the very basic thing that all ML organizations should do and have done for years. But not in KC. And now we're supposed to give Glass credit?

**** him. He's a piece of shit owner until he proves otherwise, which he hasn't done.

you're not wrong at all, and I largely agree with you. I'm just pointing out that it's a complete misnomer to say that they've been 'cheap' in all ways. when was the last time we lost a guy due to money? now, the counterpoint is (and it's a fair one)--when was the last time that we went out and got a big money guy, aside from gil meche?

[Ceej]

We need a veteran with a good W/L Game thread record to start tonight's game thread!

Deez!?!

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

We'll see how it's handled then.

It will depend on the talent coming behind these guys.

[Infidel Goat]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

I read those options as player options. If I'm wrong, I apologize.

Point still stands. Those players will be in their prime when they become FA's.

We'll see how it's handled then.

They are all team options according to Baseball-Reference.

Also, 29 or 30 years old is on the high end for one's peak--and SS and C likely are positions where wear and tear/age/loss of speed could cause a faster drop in ability from that point on.

[Nightfyre]

Originally Posted by Infidel Goat

They are all team options according to Baseball-Reference.

Also, 29 or 30 years old is on the high end for one's peak--and SS and C likely are positions where wear and tear/age/loss of speed could cause a faster drop in ability from that point on.

Originally Posted by Dave

It will depend on the talent coming behind these guys.

Good points.

[AustinChief]

Just a heads up.. but I think MLB Extra Innings is free for the next week.

Nice for those of us not in the area.

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Royals targeting arms before Trade Deadline


Starting pitching is No. 1 need as club looks to rebound in second half


KANSAS CITY -- Now that the All-Star Game is in the Royals' immediate past, the immediate future holds another event of intense interest: the Trade Deadline of July 31.

Even though the Royals sat 10 games under .500 at the break, they're not in a sell-off mood. No, the unbridled optimism remains that this is a team on the rise and there are missing parts to be added.

"It's no secret what we've got to do, we've got to get some starting pitching," general manager Dayton Moore said. "Is it all going to come from within the system? That's just not the case. We've got to have it come from within, yes, but we've got to be aggressive through free agency and we're going to have to do some things to solidify our rotation."

The Royals lost left-hander Danny Duffy and right-hander Felipe Paulino to Tommy John surgery this year and the rest of the rotation has been spotty. None of the Minor League prospects, such as Jake Odorizzi or Ryan Verdugo, seems quite ready to make the leap right now.

The Royals' starters, at the break, ranked 13th out of 14 American League teams with a 5.16 ERA. Only the Twins were worse at 5.68; the Athletics were first at 3.67.

The Kansas City relievers, on the other hand, ranked eighth with a 3.22 ERA.

Just how much could be done via trades at this time of year is questionable. Contenders, of course, aren't trading good starters and, in fact, probably are looking for more rotation arms themselves for the stretch run.

So, realistically, the Royals' quest for starting pitchers outside the organization might have to wait until the free agent market opens in the offseason.

"I'm confident we'll receive support from [owners] Dan and David Glass to do what we have to do," Moore said.

For right now, the popular assumption is the Royals might be ready to trade right fielder Jeff Francoeur to make way for Wil Myers, the hot hitting prospect at Triple-A Omaha. Francoeur has fallen off from his bounce-back success of last year and batted .251 with seven homers and 25 RBIs before the break, production numbers that recently got him dropped to seventh in the batting order.

The Royals also have Lorenzo Cain returning from injury for the second half and he also could shift from center field to right if Francoeur were to go. But dealing Frenchy would also involve the acquiring team to take on the remainder of his two-year, $13.5 million contract that runs through 2013.

Another popular name on the rumor charts is sure to be closer Jonathan Broxton, who stepped in to snag 21 saves as successor to sidelined Joakim Soria and to rejuvenate his career. He's coming up on free agency so that puts him in the possibilities bin.

The base of the Royals' lineup seems secure.

"We have to look at this thing realistically: We've got a great, young catcher [Salvador Perez], we've got our corners [first baseman Eric Hosmer, third baseman Mike Moustakas] that are very young and talented, we have our shortstop [Alcides Escobar], our left fielder [Alex Gordon] and our DH [Billy Butler] signed long-term. So we're very encouraged by the position we're in," Moore said.

Moore has made it clear he won't be dealing any of his core players.

The focus is on adding enough ammunition, particularly starting pitchers, to put the club in the race by next year or certainly 2014. So they'll be sorting through their options carefully but thoroughly as the Trade Deadline approaches.

"It's case-by-case. It's very important that you're open-minded and listen to other people's thoughts within the organization, and certainly outside your organization as well, and explore every opportunity to improve your team," Moore said.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Dave

It will depend on the talent coming behind these guys.

This.

They know they won't (by choice probably) resign all of these guys past the club control point

They have pretty much said as much, bubba starling, but they are supposedly trying to have high profile prospects coming in waves to keep the talent level strong.
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[SAUTO]

And thanks for the article ^ hopefully dm comes through and is right about glass,
Posted via Mobile Device

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by Dr. Johnny Fever

Moore has made it clear he won't be dealing any of his core players.

I hope that doesn't include Frenchy

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

I hope that doesn't include Frenchy

Since the article says the assumption is that he's on the block we probably don't need to worry about it.

[Demonpenz]

Sat by scouts tonight at the K. They said "You need a straight jacket for Bentencourt to keep him from swinging on the first pitch" Then first pitch he pops out at a critical moment. "I would have bet my house on it" Also Bob Hamelin is a scout for the Red Sox, he sat next to me as well.

[Al Bundy]

I'd say this team is in the hunt for 100 losses now.