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.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Yes, and that's fine. $12M is not and should not prohibit the Royals from making any other moves, no matter what the dumbshits at the K say.

Roster crunch might.

They're going to want to leave at least 1 spot in the rotation 'flexible' for Duffy and/or Paulino to come back to.

And accept it - Hochevar is back in the rotation next season. This is just reality.

So you have Santana, Hochevar, Chen, and the 'kid' spot taking up 4 slots. Additionally, the Royals claimed Volstead, who is Arb eligible on a $2.65 million deal in 2012. Guys just do not take pay cuts in arbitration and I doubt the Royals are going to pay $2.5+ for a swing man. They're going to want to have him in the rotation as well, or at least give him a shot at it.

And that's not even getting into Guthrie, who I really do think the Royals should bring back (3/$24 mil should do it; he's a nice pitcher).

They are going to claim that they don't have the rotation spots, IMO.

And I disagree with the folks that say Sanchez wouldn't have come here. He would have. Money talks and Sanchez is entering FA for the first time in his career. Give him a couple mil more and he'd have been a Royal. That would've been an overpay worth making.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Exactly. The Royals don't have much wrapped up in terms of rotation dollars at this point.

$4.5 million on Chen.
$2 million on Volstad (if he makes it past the next few weeks, even - who knows?)
League min on most of the rest of the options (Mendoza, Smith, Odorizzi)

If they SMARTLY non-tender Luke Hochevar (probably due about $5 million), that just adds to the payroll flexibility that's present.

Ideal situation would close this with signing Sanchez (not holding my breath, but maybe they surprise me and go big, something like 5 years/$70 million) and Guthrie to 2 years/$18 million.

What will probably happen is closing with SOMEONE like Guthrie on a one-year deal (or one-year with team option) and someone of the third-tier/cheap veteran sort (i.e. Kevin Millwood).

Wishful thinking, IMO. They're not going to non-tender Hochevar, though you're absolutely right that they should.

And do you really think Sanchez will get 5 years, let alone $70 million? I was thinking $4/56 would probably get him. Hard to say with the Dodgers prowling around, though. They could blow out a payroll scale or two.

[sedated]

Originally Posted by Bowser

Am I in the minority by saying I'm just not impressed?

This feels like a "name" acquisition to placate the masses that are screaming for starting pitching.

Agreed.

Maybe its just years of abuse, but I can picture Glass telling Moore he can spend on 1 player, but it has to be a name, no more than 1 year, just to have something to put on billborads when spring training rolls around.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Roster crunch might.

They're going to want to leave at least 1 spot in the rotation 'flexible' for Duffy and/or Paulino to come back to.

And accept it - Hochevar is back in the rotation next season. This is just reality.

So you have Santana, Hochevar, Chen, and the 'kid' spot taking up 4 slots. Additionally, the Royals claimed Volstead, who is Arb eligible on a $2.65 million deal in 2012. Guys just do not take pay cuts in arbitration and I doubt the Royals are going to pay $2.5+ for a swing man. They're going to want to have him in the rotation as well, or at least give him a shot at it.

And that's not even getting into Guthrie, who I really do think the Royals should bring back (3/$24 mil should do it; he's a nice pitcher).

They are going to claim that they don't have the rotation spots, IMO.

And I disagree with the folks that say Sanchez wouldn't have come here. He would have. Money talks and Sanchez is entering FA for the first time in his career. Give him a couple mil more and he'd have been a Royal. That would've been an overpay worth making.

It will be interesting to see how they work the roster spots. Sisk was a Rule 5 consideration, so there's one fewer guy to worry about there (Moore has hilariously freaked out about this).

Nothing says Volstad makes it to the offer or is tendered. They claimed his rights. They don't HAVE to take him to arbitration if they find other options (they did this with Aaron Laffey a season ago).

I don't know that Sanchez WOULDN'T come to KC. I'm sure he would, for the right offer.

It's that the latest smoke signals from the team - after initial ones suggested they'd go HARD after Sanchez - made it seem like they're not looking to sign a FA to a big, long-term deal.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

It will be interesting to see how they work the roster spots. Sisk was a Rule 5 consideration, so there's one fewer guy to worry about there (Moore has hilariously freaked out about this).

Nothing says Volstad makes it to the offer or is tendered. They claimed his rights. They don't HAVE to take him to arbitration if they find other options (they did this with Aaron Laffey a season ago).

I don't know that Sanchez WOULDN'T come to KC. I'm sure he would, for the right offer.

It's that the latest smoke signals from the team - after initial ones suggested they'd go HARD after Sanchez - made it seem like they're not looking to sign a FA to a big, long-term deal.

You're assuming smart decisions from a front office that is generally short on those.

Though the Laffey precedent is a good one. You're right, Moore could do that. If Volsted is seen as flexibility, it's actually a savvy pickup by ol' DM.

That said, I won't give him that kind of credit until I see it. The guy is generally miserable at handling the 25-man. I wouldn't be eager to give him the benefit of the doubt were I you.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Wishful thinking, IMO. They're not going to non-tender Hochevar, though you're absolutely right that they should.

And do you really think Sanchez will get 5 years, let alone $70 million? I was thinking $4/56 would probably get him. Hard to say with the Dodgers prowling around, though. They could blow out a payroll scale or two.

Yeah, I expect Ten-Cent Luke to be on the roster on Opening Day. Moore's stubborn sticking to his "Scout's eye" on certain guys (Davies, Hochevar, etc) is his biggest weakness, by far. The SMART move is kicking him to the curb, though.

I have no idea what Sanchez is going to get. I doubt it's more than 5/70. But I wouldn't be surprised to see it pushed to 5 years. And the ROyals likely have to overpay to sign him.

[Mr. Laz]

Posted on Wed, Oct. 31, 2012 04:39 PM

Royals acquire pitcher Ervin Santana from Angels

THE KANSAS CITY STAR

Ervin Santana

The Royals have gotten some help for their rotation.

On Wednesday, Kansas City acquired right-hander Ervin Santana and cash from the Los Angeles Angels for minor-league left-hander Brandon Sisk.

Santana is in the final year of a four-year, $30 million contract and is set to make $13 million for the 2013 season.

“We’ve stated all along that starting pitching was a priority this offseason, and acquiring someone with the resume of Ervin Santana immediately upgrades our rotation,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said in a statement. “At just 29 years old, he has 96 major-league wins, is a proven innings-eater and most importantly, he competes. Ervin has been an All-Star, has pitched in the postseason and has at least 16 wins in three different years, all of which adds a winning mindset to our clubhouse.”

Santana is 96-80 with a 4.33 ERA in 236 career appearances, all with the Angels since 2005. In 2012, he was 9-13 with a 5.16 ERA in 30 starts. He was an All-Star in 2008 and threw a no-hitter on July 27, 2011, at Cleveland.

Sisk, 27, was 3-2 with a 2.54 ERA and eight saves in 50 outings with Class AAA Omaha this season.

The Royals also declined an $8 million option on closer Joakim Soria’s 2013 contract, triggering a $750,000 buyout and making him a free agent. Soria, 28, missed all of the 2012 season after having Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career. Both sides appear willing to negotiate a new deal.


Posted on Wed, Oct. 31, 2012 04:39 PM

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/10/31...#storylink=cpy

[duncan_idaho]

Oh, I don't assume they're going to make the right move. Nothing would surprise me at this point.

Volstad could either be a really smart move (an attempt to build some depth/arms to throw at things, and hope a few stick, that can be walked away from if FA/Trade markets shake out well) or a really dumb one (they just take him to arb and stick him in the rotation).

[Strongside]

I like the move. But in the middle of this Chiefs bullshit, I'll like anything that resembles a team trying to get better.

[Ebolapox]

eh, I'm tarded.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Roster crunch might.

They're going to want to leave at least 1 spot in the rotation 'flexible' for Duffy and/or Paulino to come back to.

And accept it - Hochevar is back in the rotation next season. This is just reality.

So you have Santana, Hochevar, Chen, and the 'kid' spot taking up 4 slots. Additionally, the Royals claimed Volstead, who is Arb eligible on a $2.65 million deal in 2012. Guys just do not take pay cuts in arbitration and I doubt the Royals are going to pay $2.5+ for a swing man. They're going to want to have him in the rotation as well, or at least give him a shot at it.

And that's not even getting into Guthrie, who I really do think the Royals should bring back (3/$24 mil should do it; he's a nice pitcher).

They are going to claim that they don't have the rotation spots, IMO.

And I disagree with the folks that say Sanchez wouldn't have come here. He would have. Money talks and Sanchez is entering FA for the first time in his career. Give him a couple mil more and he'd have been a Royal. That would've been an overpay worth making.

You're right in expecting idiocy from DM. First, there is no way that any spot should be flexed for any pitcher coming off of a serious injury. Both Duffy and Paulino figure into '14, not '13.

Bringing back Hoch is stupidity at its finest, so realize that this is a lock.

In short, the Santana move should be absolutely fine in terms of dollars and options, but it likely won't be because DM is dumb as ****. Dude is obviously kin of Pioli.

[siberian khatru]

Wow. Got busy this afternoon and missed all the fun.

I'd rather have Haren, if his back is healthy. But I'm OK with Santana ... so long as there's more to come.

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

What a awful deal for the Royals... Santana is not worth 12m a year.


http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/6280/ervin-santana

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by ChiefsandO'sfan

What a awful deal for the Royals... Santana is not worth 12m a year.


http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/6280/ervin-santana

Neither is Nick Markakis...

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Neither is Nick Markakis...

You Guys just spent 12m on a awful pitcher. I guess when no one wants to play for KC you gotta make moves like this.