12/14/12

Long time Royals fan. I just about hung it up when I heard that Luke Hochevar was being tendered a contract. I still might invest in a Padres hat! This date will be remembered for something unfathomable that happened in Connecticut. Awful, devastating, words don't do justice to the events that took place. This blog, I hope, will chronicle the Royals rise to 500 and, possibly, contention in the AL Central. I'm an eternal optimist when it comes to this team. Every year I'm certain they will turn it around and get headed in the right direction. Every year I'm troubled when the same pattern repeats. This team has been bad for close to 30 years. They last made the playoffs when they won the World Series in 1985. I had been a fan for about 11 years at that time and it felt like great. They had finally won a title. They were the best team in baseball for quite a few years in the mid to late 70's but the Yankees beat them. I'm sure the Royals would have dispatched the NL winner during those years. They finally got over the hump in 80 and they lost to the Phillies. It almost didn't matter. They had won on the majestic homer by Brett off Goose. Yeah, but they lost. Then it was another 5 years before they finally took home the title. The title team didn't really resemble the great team of the 70's. They were led by Brett and Bret. That pitching staff was awesome. Saberhagen is the one everyone remembers, and they should, but I still like Charlie Leibrandt. I can track the my fandom forever. I just want those that read this that I'm a fan. At times I get angry at this team. I can't believe I'm still a fan, but here I am. Not this Luke deal has to rectify itself. I'm optimistic he won't start the season with KC. Like I said ever the optimist. Dayton Moore and I don't see eye to eye. I'm 6'4" and he isn't even close. He may have forgotten more about baseball than I will know, but man he makes some really dumb decisions. I won't list them but I will refer to Joey, Jose, Frenchy over and over. The last one was hard for me to even type. Moore has a process. He stated at his first conference that pitching was the currency of baseball. He then built what some referred to as the best farm system ever. I never agreed because said farm had NO PITCHING. You know, currency. Now the process is heading into year 7. The great farm system has produced a 242 hitting third baseman and a first baseman that hit 232. Spectacular? Nope. The farm has produced some excellent bull pen guys. Holland, Crow, etc. I'm sure that's not what Moore meant by currency. Bull pen guys are change, starters are big bills. The best farm system ever and they produced Danny Duffy. That's all. No other starters to speak of. OK I'm a fan. I'm critical of dumb moves. I can't stand the fact that Frenchy is still on the team. I almost relinquished my fandom because of the dumb move with Luke, yet here I am. I think what Moore did earlier this week was a GREAT move for the team. Moore traded the consensus Minor League player of the year, a right handed starter, a left handed starter and a 19 year old that hit 240 in low A ball for James Shields and Wade Davis. The last two guys are products of the Tampa system. You know one of the greatest farm systems of all time. The one that has produced 8 starters SO FAR. Starters in the big leagues. Moore has been ripped for trading Myers. He gave up too much. How much is too much for 200 innings and 15 wins from a starter? Those are big league innings and wins, not minor. Wil Myers had an awesome year, no question. He may be the next great player. He may not be. He is a prospect, nothing more. He couldn't really start for the Royals because of Frenchy! I give Moore credit for this move. He needed starters. He got two. He got Shields to be his ace. He got Davis who is better than anyone the Royals have produced lately TOO. Odorizzi may get to the level of Davis. He won't ever be as good as Shields is right now. Montgomery was wasting a roster spot in KC. Mr. Big shot prospect was demoted and kicked around at AA. Moore gave up nothing with Monty. "You gave up all those years of club control for only two years of Shields". STOP! Who cares? If Shields is good in KC they will resign him. If he helps them improve enough to contend in those two years it is a win. Myers won't be up until later next year. Odorizzi isn't cracking that rotation, and Monty may never pitch above AA. I'll take the move. If you think it was too much to spend, fine. Could be Myers will hit 232 or maybe 242 like Hosmer and Moose. Remember how they crushed the ball in the minor leagues? Yeah, me too. The trade was good enough for me to hold my tongue on Luke. If I kill Moore for stupid things I must give him credit for this move. It is ballsy. It improved a terrible rotation. The KANSAS CITY ROYALS are better right now because of this trade. Omaha may struggle, but I don't really care. I'm getting impatient. I want the team to improve. I think they have. I think I like the rotation better than the offense right now. Gaping holes at first, second, third, center and right have me concerned. Best case: Hosmer gets his swing, or his eyes, or both fixed and gets back to hitting 300 with 20-25 homers and 80 plus RBI's. Moose makes more consistent contact. Raises that average to the 270-280 range. Keep the 20 plus homer power and there you have two holes filled. Young guys improve. That could happen. Second base, oh man, second base. Getz or Giavotella? Gio has not hit at the major league level. Small sample, maybe, but he just hasn't been good enough. Getz is a better choice. If Getz can hit and steal bases he is the better choice. Gio MAY provide more sock. Yeah, or he could continue to falter and waste a spot. Go with Getz. Cain in center. For how long? He gets hurt easily. He looks like he could be good. He MUST be good for this team to improve. He must be Austin Jackson good. Cameron Maybin good. I'm just praying for center not to be the void it has been since Melky left. Yeah, him. PED boy put together a year for KC. Now right field is manned by Frenchy. He is so bad. He has a great arm. Yeah, he throws the ball to the wrong base so often it makes me want to puke. Just about everything Frenchy does as a baseball player causes me acid reflux. He is, by all accounts, a very nice guy. Wonderful, now get a player in right field or lose 90 games again. Hope isn't a plan for success. I know Alex, Billy, Alcides, and Sal will provide solid offense. I"m hoping for the rest. That's scary. You can say Shields will be solid. Guthrie was great last year in KC. Ervin has a contract year, and a history of success. Davis has a better track record than any other starter the Royals have. See, I think the rotation is in better shape than the lineup. I'm awful at predicting trades and things but I'd like to see KC pursue Bourjous from the Angels. That is a center fielder that can play D. He would be a fine fit. I don't think I can stand watching Dyson playing center field. Fast, yes. Not a baseball player. Takes terrible routes to the ball and he, simply, cannot hit. No more Dyson/Gathright types PLEASE. Overall, I think the Royals need to do a little more than signing Nady. They need to fill 5 holes in the lineup. The five holes may seal themselves, but that's hoping. Hope is not a plan. Do more work, Dayton. I liked the trade. '