2012 is a good year to make the jump. Not sure I can see them winning 90 games but I also wouldn't be all that surprised if it happened. They have a lot of good young players and they play in a pretty weak division. Outside of Detroit there isn't anyone I would be too worried about facing and really Detroit doesn't really scare me either. The biggest surprise with TB was not only the jump in wins but that big of a jump in the division with Boston and NY. Luckily KC doesn't have to worry about that.
So far I am very happy with the off-season moves and depending on what else happens, KC could be a strong contender for the playoffs. Maybe they move Soria for Rasmus (a rumor I heard over the weekend) or they surprise everyone and sign one of the few decent SP in free agency. So far they have been one of the more active teams and so a lot still could happen.
"In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move."- Douglas Adams
Element wrote:The Royals need an ace. Plain and simple. There are some decent arms there, but no one that I personally would feel real comfortable calling my stopper. The offense has come along nicely, but it seems as though the pitching always his a snag.
I think KC would settle for 5 avg pitchers at this point. Every team needs an ace but KC has gotten absolute garbage out of their rotation. But things are starting to come together for the rotation. Paulino, Sanchez and some nice young arms coming up.
Right, but until I start to see some production from these pitching prospects at the MLB level I have a hard time believing that they can run down Detroit. They've loaded up on middle to back-end type arms to buy some time. I love all of the activity. It will do nothing to expedite the development of the young guys already in the show. Things are definitely headed in the right direction, but I think that they are at least 1 more year away from becoming a legit contender. I could see them in it until early/mid September though.
Element wrote:The Royals need an ace. Plain and simple. There are some decent arms there, but no one that I personally would feel real comfortable calling my stopper. The offense has come along nicely, but it seems as though the pitching always his a snag.
I think KC would settle for 5 avg pitchers at this point. Every team needs an ace but KC has gotten absolute garbage out of their rotation. But things are starting to come together for the rotation. Paulino, Sanchez and some nice young arms coming up.
Right, but until I start to see some production from these pitching prospects at the MLB level I have a hard time believing that they can run down Detroit. They've loaded up on middle to back-end type arms to buy some time. I love all of the activity. It will do nothing to expedite the development of the young guys already in the show. Things are definitely headed in the right direction, but I think that they are at least 1 more year away from becoming a legit contender. I could see them in it until early/mid September though.
I am not saying this will happen and I agree that the Royals SP are anything but sure things. Saying that, it wouldn't take much for Detroit to have problems of their own. They have a lot of holes in their lineup and outside of Verlander their pitching has issues as well. Scherzer is light years ahead of anything the Royals have but is not the #2 you would want to have. Turner and Porcello while talented still have a lot of growing to do and Fister is nice but I don't see that continuing. I also don't see Valverde keeping that up either, there are going to be a least a handful of blown saves next year.
Again Detroit is the easy favorite right now, but an injury or two could make this a lot closer than we think.
"In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move."- Douglas Adams
Sunnava. Not many things could make me so depressed. I'm seriously about done.
The Royals announced that they signed Yuniesky Betancourt to a one-year, Major League contract. The Royals' 40-man roster includes 39 players with the addition of Betancourt, who was traded to Milwaukee from Kansas City in last offseason's Zack Greinke trade.
Tavish wrote:Sunnava. Not many things could make me so depressed. I'm seriously about done.
The Royals announced that they signed Yuniesky Betancourt to a one-year, Major League contract. The Royals' 40-man roster includes 39 players with the addition of Betancourt, who was traded to Milwaukee from Kansas City in last offseason's Zack Greinke trade.
I take back everything I said about the Royals and there chance to win this year.
"In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move."- Douglas Adams
Tavish wrote:Sunnava. Not many things could make me so depressed. I'm seriously about done.
The Royals announced that they signed Yuniesky Betancourt to a one-year, Major League contract. The Royals' 40-man roster includes 39 players with the addition of Betancourt, who was traded to Milwaukee from Kansas City in last offseason's Zack Greinke trade.
I take back everything I said about the Royals and there chance to win this year.
At least he's not going to be a starter....right....
[quote="MaudDib]I am not saying this will happen and I agree that the Royals SP are anything but sure things. Saying that, it wouldn't take much for Detroit to have problems of their own. They have a lot of holes in their lineup and outside of Verlander their pitching has issues as well. Scherzer is light years ahead of anything the Royals have but is not the #2 you would want to have. Turner and Porcello while talented still have a lot of growing to do and Fister is nice but I don't see that continuing. I also don't see Valverde keeping that up either, there are going to be a least a handful of blown saves next year.
Again Detroit is the easy favorite right now, but an injury or two could make this a lot closer than we think.[/quote]
The Royals could project as the 2nd best team in the AL Central right now, not really buying Cleveland just yet. Chicago is trying to get younger(tend to overachieve when no one expects though) and Minnesota is just patching holes. Detroit is the class of that division but a few injuries, regressions could open up the division.
Second best team in that division doesn't mean much. With Texas and the Angels in an arms race out west, the two wild cards will almost certainly be on either coast. But yes, they have a very real shot at second place, and if Verlander and Miggy get injured they would slide up to first.
Like every other team in baseball, it all depends on the rotation.
"I do not think baseball of today is any better than it was 30 years ago... I still think Radbourne is the greatest of the pitchers." John Sullivan 1914-Old athletes never change.
thedude wrote:Like every other team in baseball, it all depends on the rotation.
I still think Detroit is going to win the central next year.. but yeah, if some of the Royals starters improve they could win it.
I think Paulino is decent. Was unlucky in 2011. Maybe that improves and he becomes a factor. Bruce Chen is meh. Doesn't impress me much or have a very high ceiling IMO. Jonathan Sanchez probably won't benefit from moving to the AL, but who knows? Maybe he finally puts it all together in 2012 and dominates.
I think Luke Hochevar takes a step forward next season and lives up to some of that potential. He had a very good second half last year. Fangraphs had a very interesting article on him (http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/index.php/luke-hochevar-and-reason-for-optimism/). His slider is apparently filthy. Can anyone who watches him consistently confirm this?
I have no idea who their #5 guy is. Though I suppose it doesn't matter much. Unless I'm blanking on some good prospect or something.
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by MaudDib » Wed Nov 30, 2011 2:33 pm 
