Look forward to following the Royals on this board, and I agree with the sentiment in the 2011 thread that CP is the best board for Royals talk (though the Scout board is OK, too).

Here's to a 2012 that features:

1) Beast mode Eric Hosmer
2) Continued dominance from Alex Gordon
3) Great up-the-middle defense from the combo of Perez-Escobar-Cain
4) A full season of second-half 2011 Luke Hochevar
5) Danny Duffy harnessing his stuff
6) Jonathan Sanchez being more 2010 than 2011
7) Joakim Soria returning to form
8) Yuni Betancourt getting no more than 250 at-bats
9) Mike Moustakas keeping up what he started in September 2011
10) A great All-Star game
11) A Royals pennant chase
12) Mike Montgomery making an appearance on the scene

"He is a scrap iron, he's a little, freakin' gamer, dirt bag-type player," Yost was inspired to say after he first saw Giavotella. "He doesn't fear anything. He's one of them guys, man, if you ever get in a fight, you bring your lunch, because it's going to be there for a while. He ain't givin' up."

I love that.

Excellent goals. Take #8 and make that 150-175, and you're gold.

"Royals Baseball: We Got Yuni Back, So Grienke Can't Be Far Behind!"

Royals Baseball: It was all Frank White's fault. Now we ROLL.

Royals Baseball: Game Threads on Chiefs Planet might last into July this year

Its beginning to look like, the Danks extension aside, that the White Sox are probably going to sit 2012 out and start rebuilding.

Padres get: OF Carlos Quentin
White Sox get: RHSP Simon Castro, LHSP Pedro Hernandez

"Back in the High Life Again"

Even though the White Sox didn't give up much (1 year of a decent outfielder), I'm calling this trade for the Padres. Castro was a legit prospect a couple years ago, but today those two pitchers are on no one's radar at all. The White Sox just sold off their right fielder for scrap.

Hey they lasted all season in '11

:)

Nice. They're scared to try to compete with us.

:D

Royals Baseball: Finally, the Father/Son game won't be competitive.

Royals Baseball:http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h_Nd5RIXAa...ucycharlie.jpg

"Won't Get Fooled Again"

That is one thing I've never understood even as a kid, why would Charlie Brown's feet go flying forward causing him to land flat on his back? I realize if the football is pulled and your foot doesn't get the expected resistance you may stumble a bit, you may even pitch around and fall, but every single time? I don't buy it, I think I'd stay on my feet more often than not.

I'm not a kicker though, and haven't put this to the test, so maybe I'm just wrong. (Its also hard to experiment because if you expect the football to be pulled, you'll keep your balance, it has to be unexpected)