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.

[gblowfish]

With the Royals starting Spring Training this week, and with all the spring training optimism and warm fuzzies, I thought it would be a good time to exorcise the demons and review the past 43 years of Royals Baseball.

I have compiled what I believe to be the absolute worst of the worst, the pits, the absolute stink of Royals Baseball in the last 43 years. This is my choice for worst starting 25 roster.

Criteria for choice: Includes bloated paychecks for pitiful production, first round draft choices with no return on investment, awful trades, attitude problems, clubhouse cancers, felony convictions, and consistent, long term failure.

Let us fumigate the place, and cast off these evil goblins from our collective conscience. Behold, and hold your nose:

All Time Worst Royals Team, 25 man roster:

IF Starters:
1B: Mike Jacobs, 1B, 2009. Traded from Marlins for Leo Nunez. Hit .228 with 19 HR and 132 Ks.

2B: Terry Shumpert, 1990-1994, .220 ave, 50 walks, 150 Ks. Teamed with David Howard to make arguably the worst keystone combination ever.

SS: Neifi Pérez, SS, 2001-02 : Traded for Jermaine Dye. 2002 hit 236, refused to enter a late-season game at the request of manager Tony Pena.

3B: Craig Paquette, 1996-97: .248 BA, 33 BB, 158 Ks. Awful defensively.

C: Ed Hearn, 1987-88. Traded for David Cone. Played in 13 games.

OF Starters:
Jerry Martin, 1982-83 1983 busted for coke, went to prison for 90 days.

Juan González, 2004 (Juan Gone), Free Agent, Played in 33 games, $4 million contract.

José Guillén, 2008-2010 .256 hitter, $36 million. Clubhouse cancer.

DH:
Calvin Pickering, 2004-05 .228, 8 HR, 56Ks.

Starting Rotation:
Jim Pittsley, 1995, 1997-99: First round pick 1992, career 7-12 with a 6.02 ERA
Scott Elarton, 2006 Opening day pitcher 2006. 56-60, with a 5.31 ERA
Kyle Davies, 2007-2011 Career 43-65 5.59 ERA Highest career ERA vs total starts in MLB history.
Sidney Ponson, 2009 Royals record 1-7 with a 7.36 ERA
Eduardo Villacis, 2004 Career 0-1, 13.50 ERA (one start vs Yankees)

Middle Relief:
Dan Reichert, 1999-2002 First round pick 1997, career 21-25 with a 5.55 ERA
Mac Suzuki, 1999-2001 Career 5-15, with a 7.82 ERA.
Jeff Austin, 2001–02: First round pick 1998, Career 2-3 with a 6.75 ERA
Vin Mazzaro, 2011 Gave up 14 runs in 2 1/3rd innings vs Cleveland.
Albie Lopez, 2003 "The Pez Dispenser." KC Record 4-2 12.71 ERA. Gave up 32 runs in 22 innings pitched.
Yasuhiko Yabuta, 2008-09 Royals signed for $6 million, pitched 2 years, 3-4 record, 7.14 ERA.

Closer:
Mark Davis, P, 1990–92 Former Cy Young winner, signed for $13 million, in 1990 was 0-2 with a 7.24 ERA and four blown saves in nine opportunities.

Bench:
Hal Morris, 1B, OF, DH, 1998: 516 plate appearances, Hit .309 with 40 RBI.
Tony Peña, Jr., SS, 2007-2009. 3 years in KC hit .228 with 18 walks and 140 Ks. Such a weak hitter (3 HRs in 3 years) tried his hand at relief pitching.
Cliff Pastornicky, 3B, 1983 10 games, hit .125.
Mike Difelice, C, 2003 Hit .254 with 25 RBIs

Footnote: Hal Morris is chosen for the most pop with the least tangible results. How do you hit over .300 in 500 plate appearances and generate 40 RBI???

Your thoughts?

[RockChalk]

Some of those names bring back awful memories. Thanks

[stonedstooge]

You forgot managers

[Pitt Gorilla]

I was going to ask about Morris, then I saw your note.

It might also be interesting to include the guys called up from AA for a single start and then never seen again (during Baird's tenure).

[stonedstooge]

Originally Posted by Kyle DeLexus

I'd like to request two signatures. I'm going to put them next to each other. I want this Escobar pic



And this Hosmer pic



I'd like just the Our Time slogan in simple font (none of that squiggly stuff, I'm not a fan) and maybe some cool effects like you've done, just make them look cool.

If I can't have them both as a sig due to how the pic layouts one being horizontal and the other vertical, I'll take the Escobar one as a Avatar and get rid of Jessica for the season.

Dammit. That Escobar is what I have been looking for. Put Escobar on a curvature in the space between his legs and you got it

[gblowfish]

Originally Posted by stonedstooge

You forgot managers

Oooh...take your pick:
Bob Boone for being an arrogant, hard headed prick.
Tony Pena for quitting on his team in mid season, then joining the Yankees coaching staff.
Tony Muser for his last place finishes.
Trey Hillman for destroying Gil Meche.

Any of these guys would qualify.

Although old school manager Charlie Metro from the early days may have been the absolute worst.

[stonedstooge]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Oooh...take your pick:
Bob Boone for being an arrogant, hard headed prick.
Tony Pena for quitting on his team in mid season, then joining the Yankees coaching staff.
Tony Muser for his last place finishes.
Trey Hillman for destroying Gil Meche.

Any of these guys would quality.

Although old school manager Charlie Metro from the early days may have been the absolute worst.

Good ones.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

With the Royals starting Spring Training this week, and with all the spring training optimism and warm fuzzies, I thought it would be a good time to exorcise the demons and review the past 43 years of Royals Baseball.

I agree with most of this except Jose Guillen. Although overall he was terrible for the Royals he's 10x the skill of pretty much every one of the rest of these players.

[gblowfish]

There were a lot of bad outfielders. Guys who were washed up when they got here, bad on defense, mediocre, etc. Names like Chuck Knoblach, Gregg Jeffries, Reggie Sanders, Bip Roberts, Emil Brown, Rondell White, on and on and on and on.

Guillen was a terrible right fielder. Think about how deadly Francouer is now throwing guys out all over the place. Guillen couldn't even get to half the balls Francouer gets to. Major major outfield upgrade. And Guillen was a pain in the ass in the clubhouse. His team mates hated him. Plus he was roided up.

[Jenson71]

Let's think of some of the recent Royals greats: Jeff King, Ken Harvey, Mike Sweeney, Jermaine Dye, Ken Harvey, Rulnextyxasdz Hernadez (RIP), Joe Randa, Ken Harvey, and Coco Crisp.

Man, Ken Harvey was great.

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Suckin on my big ol Chili Davis

[gblowfish]

I did not choose Ken Harvey as DH, but he was my second choice. He actually made the All Star team one year as the lone Royal on the team. He struck out looking in his one plate appearance. Mike Sweeney was the greatest thief in the history of the team. Once he got big bucks, his residency on the DL was all-world. Run-Elvis ate his way out of baseball. Coco Crisp stays crunchy in milk. Other bad players (but not the worst) were Chico "where's my pants?" Lind, Dave McCarty -Royals have a long laundry list of crappy first basemen after Wally Joyner- other players like Pat Borders, Kevin McReynolds, Jose Awfulman, etc etc etc etc.

[jbwm89]

http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/...with_criticism

Don't forget about "It's not a snack, its EMIL Playmaker Brown".

Never hated a Royals player with all my soul like Emil.

[58kcfan89]

Originally Posted by Literature

Let's think of some of the recent Royals greats: Jeff King, Ken Harvey, Mike Sweeney, Jermaine Dye, Ken Harvey, Rulnextyxasdz Hernadez (RIP), Joe Randa, Ken Harvey, and Coco Crisp.

Man, Ken Harvey was great.

What's wrong with Dye & Randa? Other than being a part of some terrible teams....

[Chiefless]

Kevin McReynolds belongs on any list of worst Royals.

A. He averaged about 109 games, 12 hrs, 40 rbis and about .246 ba and B. he came back in the Saberhagen trade, which is the second worst trade in Royals history imo.