Re: The Royals

[Mephistopheles]

1. David DeJesus, LF

2. Coco Crisp, CF

3. Billy Butler, DH

4. Alex Gordon, 3B

5. Mike Jacobs, 1B

6. Jose Guillen, RF

7. Mark Teahen, 2B

8. John Buck, C

9. Mike Aviles, SS

 

1. Zack Greinke, RHP

2. Gil Meche, RHP

3. Luke Hochevar, RHP

4. Brian Bannister, RHP

5. Kyle Davies, RHP

 

Decent bullpen w/ Soria and company.

 

With continued development of Billy Butler and Alex Gordon as well as Luke Hochevar, it's not completely out of the realm of possibility for the Royals to win in the high 80s this season. Obviously, the continued development and breakouts of two or three of the guys mentioned is a prerequisite, but would you be surprised if Gordon and Butler OPS'd 900+ this year and Hochevar developed into a #2/#3 pitcher? I wouldn't. Also, the way Kyle Davies closed out the season is reason for optimism that he might be getting it, though the stuff isn't all the way back yet.

 

Either way, 80 wins is certainly attainable this season for them I think. It'll be good for baseball for the Royals to be relevant, I think. They're like the Cardinals, but not the Cardinals so we can root for them.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Someone needs to follow the trend and be this years one time league whipping boys who embarass us by beating us to the World Series.

[UMFan83]

I was just looking over their team the other day and thinking the same thing. Like you said, a lot of things have to go right, but they could contend for the division. I don't really think any team in the Central is all that great besides Cleveland.

[E.J.]

Looks like they just locked up Grienke for the next four years. Good signing for them. He has steadily improved after seeing a psychologist a couple year's ago.

[Derwood]

either ESPN or MLBN were talking them up as the possible "2009 Rays"

[sneakypower]

maybe in '10, not a good chance of any of that happening this year

[Derwood]

maybe in '10, not a good chance of any of that happening this year

 

which is what everyone would have said about the Rays during ST of '08. "Not yet, wait for David Price, etc., etc."

[Little Slide Rooter]

I just dont see the calibur of talent in KC that the Rays have. Greinke has been inconsistant throughout his short career, as has Gornon. The rays are a murderers rowe of up and comers, many of which arent even near their ceiling yet.

[ConstableRabbit]

I'd put them at .500 or slightly over.

[ISUCubsFan]

either ESPN or MLBN were talking them up as the possible "2009 Rays"

 

I mostly agree with Meph that they could be in the 80's next year, but finding the "2009 Rays" is like trying to find the next George Mason. It's not going to happen every year. The Rays also had a lot more talent coming up than the Royals do now.

[Clem Fandango]

I was just looking over their team the other day and thinking the same thing. Like you said, a lot of things have to go right, but they could contend for the division. I don't really think any team in the Central is all that great besides Cleveland.

 

I think the same can be said for the Twins, except if things go right for the Twins they'll be pretty tough to beat. Those things include 1) whether or not Liriano will stay as good as he was at the end of the year 2) if Delmon Young will develop into even a fraction of the potential he had in Tampa 3) if Denard Span's season wasn't a fluke and he actually turns out to be a solid leadoff guy who can draw 70+ walks out of the lineup spot and hit for solid average 4) Their other young pitchers like Slowey, Blackburn, and Perkins continue to develop to only get better and 5) combined that with healthy seasons from Morneau, Mauer, and Cuddyer, and the Twins could be really really tough

[TruffleShuffle]

they should definitely be better but i don't like the back of that rotation. i could see hochevar becoming a #2/#3 down the road but that would really be a quantum leap at this stage of his career. brian bannister is a babip miracle who crashed to earth last year, and davies still has a ways to go before he can be considered a solid starter. as long as greinke's head is right, i like him a lot.

 

still, it's not exactly a huge leap to say that they could win 80 games next year, considering that their division still sucks and they won 75 games a year ago, and most of their roster consists of guys who should still be improving. not pissing away 600 PAs on gathright (59 OPS+) and tony pena (7!!!! OPS+) should be worth a couple of wins right off the bat.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

The Royals would be a team that could get huge benefit from say, Ben Sheets. Give him 1 year to re-establish his value at more per year than those offering him 2 year deals would. You're going to get at least one pick for him, probably two, to get value from that investment. A healthy Sheets gives them a rotation of Sheets, Greinke, Meche, Hochevar, Bannister/Davies/etc, which is strong enough to carry them even if only one or two of Hochevar/Butler/Gordon have good to breakout years.

[jersey cubs fan]

The Royals would be a team that could get huge benefit from say, Ben Sheets. Give him 1 year to re-establish his value at more per year than those offering him 2 year deals would. You're going to get at least one pick for him, probably two, to get value from that investment. A healthy Sheets gives them a rotation of Sheets, Greinke, Meche, Hochevar, Bannister/Davies/etc, which is strong enough to carry them even if only one or two of Hochevar/Butler/Gordon have good to breakout years.

 

Is their top 15 pick protected this year?

[Ball And Glove]

The Royals would be a team that could get huge benefit from say, Ben Sheets. Give him 1 year to re-establish his value at more per year than those offering him 2 year deals would. You're going to get at least one pick for him, probably two, to get value from that investment. A healthy Sheets gives them a rotation of Sheets, Greinke, Meche, Hochevar, Bannister/Davies/etc, which is strong enough to carry them even if only one or two of Hochevar/Butler/Gordon have good to breakout years.

 

Is their top 15 pick protected this year?

 

Yeah, it's protected. IIRC, they're picking 5th in June.

 

I really like the Grienke signing, considering they'll be paying him about as much as they're paying Gil Meche...that's a hell of a good deal.

[Mephistopheles]

Two of the four years were arbitration years. Gil Meche was a free agent. Greinke had very little leverage.

[Cubswin11]

The key will be if Hochevar and Bannister fulfill their potential, if those two can pitch like #2/3 pitchers they have a well above average rotation, but if they continue to pitch like they have that is just an average to below average rotation. I think they will be somewhere between 76-83 wins this year, I like the idea of them signing sheets. 1-2-3 of Sheets, Grienke, and Meche could go up against just about anyones 1-2-3 when they are all healthy/pitching effective.

[bhogg]

I loved watching the Royals back in the 80s. . . . would love for them to regain some of their earlier success.

[shnsajax]

I really want to be on the Billy Butler bandwagon. I just hope, he breaksout this season.

[illiniguy]

I really want to be on the Billy Butler bandwagon. I just hope, he breaksout this season.

He will. Billy's a stud.

 

Also their farm is loaded, but it is at the lower levels.

[imb]

i have some friends up in KC, I might have to hit a few games this summer