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04-05-2017, 10:55 AM | |
World's Best Boss
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Bronco Country
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*** Official 2017 Royals Repository ***
Chiefsplanet’s (Proposed) 2017 Season Title: One Last Ride
Midish-Season Update (Royals 51-47, 2nd Wild Card, 1.5 GB of ALC): We're halfway through 2017, and fittingly to the Chiefsplanet's 2017 Season Title, the Royals are all-in on what will likely be one final run with the current core. While many are worried the Royals will take a 2004 style tumble after this year, the farm system is hardly the barren wasteland it was during the Baird years. To see what's in the pipeline and what we have to look forward to, check out this exceptional list and analysis that Duncan put together of our system. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...htmlview#gid=0 While I had the honor of starting this thread this year, Duncan will always have a VIP pass to this OP, and can add more content at any time. 2017's Burning Questions Revisited: 1. What is the threshold between being “buyers” and “sellers” at the deadline? We're buyers, baby. In April, I argued that it would be a wise strategy for us to sell if we were 5 GB or worse, but that Dayton would likely add supplemental pieces for us to load up for another run if we were 1-2 GB. On July 24th, the Royals found themselves in sole possession of the 2nd wild card spot and 1.5 games back of the division. In April I said the Royals might pull the trigger on someone like Alex Cobb and resign Luke Hochevar, but since the Rays are also buyers and Luke's shoulder hasn't rebounded, this prediction hasn't come to fruition. Luckily, Dayton Moore again proved much more adept and creative than me by adding Trevor Cahill (good call, Duncan), Brandon Maurer and Ryan Buchter in a single trade. Giving us a solid starter to compete in 2017, and two relievers whom we will control through 2019 and 2021, respectively, keeping Moore's new vision through 2019-2020 intact. Moore has hinted that the Royals will continue to pursue the right deals if they're there, so the fun may not be over just yet. While we may not have the bullets to pull in a "star" like Cueto or Zo, Moore's adeptness may yet again net us what we need for another run in October. 2. Can Gordo and Moose bounce back to 2015 levels? In April I asked if Gordo could at least set the table at a 265/325/425 clip and if Moose could deliver damage around a 265/335/500 clip for an entire year. This season Mr. Moustakas has been the prospect that was promised, delivering at a 277/307/568 clip as of this update. Gordo, on the other hand, has put up an unbelievably abysmal line thus far. But, if there is a silver lining, it's that Gordo has performed at a 246/311/432 line since June 1st, and if he can continue to perform near that mark, he will be more than a valuable asset at the bottom of the lineup while he continues to provide the best LF defense in the league. 3. Can Ned Yost manage a bullpen? In April, I felt that despite the poor start, Royals bullpen would ultimately be "solid" this year, but the question was whether "solid" was good enough for Ned. I argued that the Royals needed Soria to bounce back and that Ned would need to start being strategic in his L/L and R/R matchups. While Ned has still made at times baffling and frustrating decisions with his starters (such as allowing Travis Wood to try to "get the win" and still insisting on sending Hammel out for the 6th, he's mostly done a good job). MASH: Minor/Moylan - Alexander - Soria - Herrera (Credit to C3HIEF3S for the origins of the phrase) have cemented into reliable pieces, and now that Herrera is showing signs of stabilizing, our dumping of Wood, our call up Flynn, and the acquisition of Buchter and Maurer, the Royals have the potential to enter October with one of the best and deepest bullpens in the postseason. 4. Will the Royals find a boost from an unexpected X-Factor to lift them to contention? Cool-Whit, Boni, Mike ****ing Minor, and Alexander have come up huge thus far. Cool Whit is, incredibly, is second on the team in WAR and has more than replaced Zo's presence on the team. They, like the X-Factors on the 2014-2015 teams, have been critical cogs as we've raced back to contention, while Cool-Whit and Boni also have provided a rosier outlook for this team's future. It's worth noting that Salvador Perez and Jason Vargas has been beasts on offense and the mound (along with Sal providing his customary defensive excellence), but I am still a bit wary of Salvy's annual Yost assisted offensive drought as the team moves into August, along with Vargy regressing to his averages. 5. Can Jorge Soler and Brandon Moss be productive contributors in Kauffman’s dimensions? Ouch, no, but the Royals shift to power-hitting in the juiced ball era looks like one that will pay off. Thankfully, Moss is showing signs of entering his seasonal hot streak where he becomes corn-fed Jesus for a month, and we'll need him hot to keep up with Cleveland down the stretch. While Jorge has been painful to watch in the majors, his scorching performance in AAA should give one a bright hope for the future. While some may disagree, I offer Moose, Hos, Gordo, and Duffy's struggles as exhibit A for why it is far too early to give up on Soler's potential. Bonus Question - Is Raul Mondesi truly ready to be an everyday player? Ha! Not even close. However, like Soler, his progress in AAA is incredibly encouraging. With ceilings like Lindor and floors being Esky being thrown out there, it's hard not to be excited about his future. The Picture Forward There are many reasons to be excited, and not only for 2017. The Royals emergence of Cool Whit, Bonifacio, and Scott Alexander, and the fact that we have pieces like Salvador Perez, Danny Duffy, Kelvin Herrera, Jorge Soler, Ryan Buchter, Brandon Maurer Cheslor Cuthbert, and Raul Mondesi until at least 2019 should leave one feeling pretty optimistic. Re-up Moose or Hos (and heck, re-sign Dyson while we're at it), and suddenly this team looks very much like one that could compete for the indefinite future. The Royals are all in again, buckle in and enjoy the ride. April OP:
Spoiler!
Last edited by Chiefspants; 08-02-2017 at 01:53 PM.. |
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04-27-2017, 03:07 PM | #526 |
MVP
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Texas
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Bad news, guys. We aren't winning the World Series this year.
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04-27-2017, 03:16 PM | #527 | |
M-I-Z-Z-O-U
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Kansas City
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Quote:
There's a lot wrong with this. Not sure where to start with it... First: Kelvin Herrera was excellent in 2014. He wasn't as excellent as Davis, but he had a sub-2 era. Save a stretch at the start of the 2013 season in which he was tipping pitches and getting lit up, he has been an excellent reliever. One of the top 30 in baseball. Second: The changes to baseball last year - primarily juicing the ball and probably also the change in hitting philosophy that is spreading - forced KC to react and change. Teams started copying the Royals formula in the bullpen, which made it more expensive and eliminated that advantage. Small market baseball teams have to move on to the next market bargain to stay ahead. Third: Dayton Moore didn't **** up the formula. Part of it was ****ed up by injury (Davis, Hochevar, Holland). Part of it by baseball suddenly valuing nonclosers much more highly. The Soria signing was bad, but it was made in an attempt to preserve the formula. Working out fairly well this year... Fourth: Formulas don't work forever in baseball. At least not unusual ones like the Royals from 13-15. The Royals rolled out the same approach/team in 2016 and it didn't work. You have to adapt unless your resources are unlimited. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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04-27-2017, 03:21 PM | #528 | |
Supporter
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Olathe, Ks
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04-27-2017, 03:28 PM | #529 |
I'm with the Banned
Join Date: Feb 2009
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04-27-2017, 03:42 PM | #530 |
R8R H8R
Join Date: Aug 2005
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So now we are going to do it the conventional way. Fall back in line and become a farm system for the rest of baseball again?
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Posts: 574
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04-27-2017, 03:45 PM | #531 |
R8R H8R
Join Date: Aug 2005
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Once we traded wade davis, we raised the white flag. The players know it deep inside, the fans should but obviously dont. We arent winning any late ior extended nning games.
Last edited by 13and3; 04-27-2017 at 04:33 PM.. |
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04-27-2017, 03:56 PM | #532 |
¡RIOS MIO!
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Minneapolis
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Not that I'm one to talk (I hardly post anymore), but who are you and where have all of these hot takes been in the 12 years since you joined?
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04-27-2017, 04:07 PM | #533 |
The Beast Inside Your Head
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Parts Unknown
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04-27-2017, 04:10 PM | #534 | ||
M-I-Z-Z-O-U
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Kansas City
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Nothing/no one said that. You continue to try to find the next inefficiency you can exploit for surplus value. Defense + fly ball pitchers + lights-out pen is now a more expensive formula/less effective formula. KC did a bad job adjusting to new draft rules post-2010 (they've wasted a lot of high picks on high school pitchers with practically nothing to show for it), so they will have to rebuild a little more than just re-loading. But nothing indicates they're returning to laughing stock approach. Quote:
Poor take and not taking into account Dayton Moore's generally golden touch with bullpens. Also not taking into account the Davis injury risk. If they were trading Davis and raising the flag, they would have targeted a different return, entirely prospect-based. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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04-27-2017, 04:13 PM | #535 | |
MVP
Join Date: Oct 2010
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04-27-2017, 04:30 PM | #536 |
R8R H8R
Join Date: Aug 2005
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[QUOTE=dlphg9;12842451]Man you're making this guy look like an idiot with no knowledge. I love it![/QUOTE
Im not a baseball nerd, dont claim to be. But this team is slowly turning back to a pumpkin. Its not hard to see. I called and bet the world series apperances both years before it happened got over 8 grand in my account because of it. Most people have no forsight, most people in the world are sheepeople who buy into all the bullshit the media tells them are and incapable of seeing the writing on the wall. Quote all the bullshit reasons why this team isnt winning and watch the game. Its obvious. They arent good at anything besides running down flyballs. Before the same players had confidence that if they were still in the game they could dink and dunk while the bullpen shut the other team out. Now everyone has to be a hitter and it aint happening. |
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04-27-2017, 04:40 PM | #537 | |
R8R H8R
Join Date: Aug 2005
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04-27-2017, 04:40 PM | #538 | |
World's Best Boss
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Bronco Country
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Quote:
I still believe if we're going to suck, we need to continue sucking in this epic fashion. We need to be so far out of that Dayton is forced to sell our pieces rather than hope for another magical run. On a side note, it would be very helpful if Eric Hosmer stopped doing his best Ross Gload impression. We need him to be hot whether or not we're a buyer or a seller. No one is going to want a first baseman who can't elevate it over the fence in my back yard. |
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04-27-2017, 04:51 PM | #539 | |
M-I-Z-Z-O-U
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Kansas City
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Quote:
Davis does look good. That bit of hindsight doesn't change two key facts: 1) he WAS an injury risk after last season 2) if they were trading him to give up on the season, they would have targeted prospects and maximized his return that way. That they traded him for ready-now player with big upside blows the "white flag" out of the water. They tried to sign Holland to a deal last season that would have paid him to rehab and given him incentive-based salaries last year and this year. He wasn't interested. He also was topping out at 87 six months ago. In hindsight, absolutely they should have re-signed him if they could. The fly ball pitching aspect of the 13-15 teams is definitely less effective now. Juiced ball, ever-increasing Hr rates. The defense and bullpen components are still effective but more valued in baseball now. Both things chipped away at the ability to rely on the old formula. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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04-27-2017, 04:57 PM | #540 | ||||
World's Best Boss
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Bronco Country
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Quote:
In terms of original thoughts, it was pretty unoriginal of you to become a bandwagon fan in 2014. I'm also quite doubtful you were some kind of Nostradamus on 2014 when your only appearances in the Royals threads in 2013 was to talk about how overrated our players were. Quote:
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Last edited by Chiefspants; 04-27-2017 at 05:06 PM.. |
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