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.

[eazyb81]

Absolutely love these two hires. Both have great familiarity with our core players and saw what techniques they used to have huge production in the minors. If they're both on the same page, this hire is MUCH better than going out and getting someone brand new to implement yet another new strategy.

Also I love this quote from Yost. We may finally be getting it:

“I think we’ve got a group of young power hitters who are capable of hitting homers,” Yost said. “Our offense was built more around singles and doubles. We’ve got a big field, and we drive to the big part in the gaps.

“But it’s difficult to get three or four singles in a row to score a run. We have to have the ability to open it up a little more, use the power that we have in our offense to take advantage of a quick strike. A walk, a base-hit and boom – there’s three runs.”

[BlackHelicopters]

Always knew Seitzer was doing the work of two men.

[Priest31kc]

Sam Mellinger ‏@mellinger
Interesting news on Jack Maloof being the new #Royals hitting coach. He and Jeff Francoeur have a very strong relationship.

[Priest31kc]

Sam Mellinger ‏@mellinger
Interesting news on Jack Maloof being the new #Royals hitting coach. He and Jeff Francoeur have a very strong relationship.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Priest31kc

Sam Mellinger ‏@mellinger
Interesting news on Jack Maloof being the new #Royals hitting coach. He and Jeff Francoeur have a very strong relationship.

**** you

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Priest31kc

Sam Mellinger ‏@mellinger
Interesting news on Jack Maloof being the new #Royals hitting coach. He and Jeff Francoeur have a very strong relationship.

**** you

[WoodDraw]

Royals fans, here's your rare chance to laugh at another club:

http://triblive.com/sports/dejankova...#axzz29xfwc3PE

H/T Rany Jazayerli

[WoodDraw]

Royals fans, here's your rare chance to laugh at another club:

http://triblive.com/sports/dejankova...#axzz29xfwc3PE

H/T Rany Jazayerli

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

Royals Claim Chris Volstad
By Ben Nicholson-Smith [October 26, 2012 at 3:20pm CST]

The Royals claimed Chris Volstad off of waivers from the Cubs, MLB.com's Carrie Muskat reports (on Twitter).

The right-hander had been a non-tender candidate in Chicago following a season in which he posted a 6.31 ERA in 111 1/3 innings. He earned $2.7MM in 2012 as a first time eligible player and his salary can't be reduced by more than 20% if he's tendered a contract again through the arbitration process.
Read more at http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/1...E6oDvmSij6X.99

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

Royals Claim Chris Volstad
By Ben Nicholson-Smith [October 26, 2012 at 3:20pm CST]

The Royals claimed Chris Volstad off of waivers from the Cubs, MLB.com's Carrie Muskat reports (on Twitter).

The right-hander had been a non-tender candidate in Chicago following a season in which he posted a 6.31 ERA in 111 1/3 innings. He earned $2.7MM in 2012 as a first time eligible player and his salary can't be reduced by more than 20% if he's tendered a contract again through the arbitration process.
Read more at http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/1...E6oDvmSij6X.99

[penguinz]

Originally Posted by ChiefsandO'sfan

Royals Claim Chris Volstad
By Ben Nicholson-Smith [October 26, 2012 at 3:20pm CST]

The Royals claimed Chris Volstad off of waivers from the Cubs, MLB.com's Carrie Muskat reports (on Twitter).

The right-hander had been a non-tender candidate in Chicago following a season in which he posted a 6.31 ERA in 111 1/3 innings. He earned $2.7MM in 2012 as a first time eligible player and his salary can't be reduced by more than 20% if he's tendered a contract again through the arbitration process.
Read more at http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/1...E6oDvmSij6X.99

Originally Posted by ChiefsandO'sfan

Royals Claim Chris Volstad
By Ben Nicholson-Smith [October 26, 2012 at 3:20pm CST]

The Royals claimed Chris Volstad off of waivers from the Cubs, MLB.com's Carrie Muskat reports (on Twitter).

The right-hander had been a non-tender candidate in Chicago following a season in which he posted a 6.31 ERA in 111 1/3 innings. He earned $2.7MM in 2012 as a first time eligible player and his salary can't be reduced by more than 20% if he's tendered a contract again through the arbitration process.
Read more at http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/1...E6oDvmSij6X.99

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by ChiefsandO'sfan

Royals Claim Chris Volstad
By Ben Nicholson-Smith [October 26, 2012 at 3:20pm CST]

The Royals claimed Chris Volstad off of waivers from the Cubs, MLB.com's Carrie Muskat reports (on Twitter).

The right-hander had been a non-tender candidate in Chicago following a season in which he posted a 6.31 ERA in 111 1/3 innings. He earned $2.7MM in 2012 as a first time eligible player and his salary can't be reduced by more than 20% if he's tendered a contract again through the arbitration process.
Read more at http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/1...E6oDvmSij6X.99

#1 Starter Kyle Davies will lead us to the promise land!

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by ChiefsandO'sfan

Royals Claim Chris Volstad
By Ben Nicholson-Smith [October 26, 2012 at 3:20pm CST]

The Royals claimed Chris Volstad off of waivers from the Cubs, MLB.com's Carrie Muskat reports (on Twitter).

The right-hander had been a non-tender candidate in Chicago following a season in which he posted a 6.31 ERA in 111 1/3 innings. He earned $2.7MM in 2012 as a first time eligible player and his salary can't be reduced by more than 20% if he's tendered a contract again through the arbitration process.
Read more at http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/1...E6oDvmSij6X.99

This is the type of move they should always explore as a small-market team. Volstad is a big, talented guy. There's always the chance you unlock that potential. If you do, it's a big plus. If you don't, oh well, and you move on.

Ryan Vogelsong is a similar guy. That's worked out pretty well for the Giants.

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

Did Royals signal offseason plan by claiming Volstad on waivers from Cubs?
By BOB DUTTON
The Kansas City Star
Chris Volstad
Charles Rex Arbogast
Chris Volstad



The Royals’ decision to claim struggling right-hander Chris Volstad on waivers Friday from the Chicago Cubs could be more than a simple move to assemble greater short-term inventory for a troubled rotation.

It might also signal the club plans to pursue affordable low-risk starting pitchers this offseason rather than enter into expensive free-agent auctions for Anibal Sánchez and Kyle Lohse, or even stretch their budget to retain Jeremy Guthrie.

“We know who we are and how we have to build this team,” general manager Dayton Moore said, “and how we have to build our rotation. We’re going to be as aggressive as we can, but we know who we are and how we need to do it.”

Volstad, 26, is coming off the worst season of his five-year career at 3-12 with a 6.31 ERA in 21 starts. He spent part of the season at Class AAA Iowa, where he wasn’t much better: 3-5 and 5.17 in 12 starts.

“His career, obviously, hasn’t gone to script,” Moore said. “He’s had a lot of ups and downs, but he’s still very young. Our scouts have seen him, and his stuff is still good. He just hasn’t had a lot of success but, hopefully, we can get him back on track.”

While Moore didn’t rule out an offseason push to sign an impact free-agent pitcher, he said it “won’t be a long-term answer for us” in part because the club anticipates plentiful in-house options by the start of the 2014 season.

“We’ve got to look internally,” he said. “We’ve got to look through trades. We’ve got to look, certainly, through free agency…we might be able to pick off a player or two, but we’re not going to build our team through free agency. It won’t work.”

The club’s hesitancy stems, at least in part, from the continuing escalation on the anticipated cost of signing free-agent pitchers – particularly Sánchez and Lohse, whom the Royals had atop their offseason wish list.

Industry estimates now suggest Lohse, at 34, might command a deal similar to what C.J. Wilson received last year from the Angels: $75 million over five years. The bidding on Sánchez, 28, is expected to start at $60 million over four years.

Those dollars have club officials pondering more affordable alternatives as a bridge to what they see as a coming wave of homegrown rotation help by the start of the 2014 season – plus the return of Danny Duffy and Felipe Paulino from elbow surgery.

Those in-house possibilities include Jake Odorizzi, Yordano Ventura, Kyle Zimmer, John Lamb and Mike Montgomery. Odorizzi should have a chance to win a job in spring training; others could crack the big-league rotation by the end of next season.

“We’re not going to jump out there and be crazy on things,” Moore said. “We’re going to be aggressive and try to create as much depth and competition as we can. We know it’s going to continue to be a work in progress with everything we do in building a rotation.”

Volstad fits into that plan. At 6 feet 8 and 230 pounds, he offers what the Royals see as untapped potential at a low risk. He made $2.655 million this season and will be eligible again this winter for arbitration, but he also has one option remaining.

The Marlins selected Volstad with the 16th overall pick of the 2005 draft and brought him to the majors as a 21-year-old in July 2008. He was 32-39 with a 4.59 ERA in four years before a Jan. 5, 2012 trade sent him to the Cubs for pitcher Carlos Zambrano.

Volstad never found a comfort zone in Chicago.

“He’s healthy and still young,” Moore said. “He broke into the major leagues when he was very young. He’s had some success, but it’s mostly been down lately.

“That being said, you get guys when they’re on the downturn. You don’t get them when they’re on the upturn.”

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/10/26...#storylink=cpy

[DeezNutz]

. Dutton just doesn't throw shit against the wall either. Wow. Potentially disastrous.