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04-05-2017, 10:55 AM | |
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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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05-30-2017, 11:52 AM | #1606 | ||
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It's not butt hurt. It's annoyance. You caught fire for the "sell now" take because it was erroneous logic. You were basing it on one 3-game series result and saying it had to happen then. The logical problem there is that it was 3 of 103 games the Royals will play before the trade deadline. That's less than 3 percent. So yes, it's a lot different saying something like that in mid-May than after 2 additional weeks of games were played (13 more, 12.6 percent of the "they must decide" sample) and the team's best player was lost to injury for two months. Quote:
He's not in Omaha. He's at High-A Wilmington but off to a very exciting start there. Slashing .320/.399/.447. Profiles as an above-average defender and good OBP guy. I could see him playing 2B and leading off for the Royals a few years down the road. Could be a Joe Panik-type contributor, with a touch more speed. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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05-30-2017, 11:54 AM | #1607 | |
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I think Alex's biggest problem resides inside Alex's head when he steps up to the plate. At least it sure seems that way to me so far this year. |
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05-30-2017, 11:54 AM | #1608 |
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Alcides Escobar is slugging .232, which is bad even for an all-glove/no-hit shortstop. (Tony Pena Jr.'s career slugging percentage is .300; Mark Belanger's was .280; Ray Oyler's was .251.)
Alex Gordon is slugging .209. SLUGGING. TWO-OH-NINE. Which is a lot worse than Escobar (and TPJ, and Belanger, and Oyler, and ...). Which is completely unfathomable. |
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05-30-2017, 11:58 AM | #1609 | |
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05-30-2017, 12:05 PM | #1610 | |
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Last year he hit an embarrassing .220, and now he's struggling to hit .175 with ZERO power. What in the world does it take to make Ned sit this guy?!?!?!? |
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05-30-2017, 12:09 PM | #1611 | |
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1. Highest Paid Player on the Team 2. Still one of the best defensive LF's in the game. If he would actually take instruction, he should go play a week's worth of games in Omaha or NWA and work on correcting his swing, but that ain't going to happen either.
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05-30-2017, 12:14 PM | #1612 |
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Shit, how long did it take Ned to realize that Lorenzo Cain really shouldn't be in 7 hole in the lineup?
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05-30-2017, 12:16 PM | #1613 |
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I wish they would move Whit to lead off spot. And Cain is struggling because he's trying to hit a home run everytime. They are pressing a lot
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05-30-2017, 12:22 PM | #1614 |
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Whit Merrifield - .341 OBP................makes too much sense, especially when you've got a guy with a .206 OBP, you just HAVE TO bat him leadoff.
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05-30-2017, 12:28 PM | #1615 |
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To me Gordon seems to have been victimized by the shift more than most. He has always pulled a lot of balls to the right side. In 2014 his BABIP for ground balls was .245. This season it is .172. In 2014 he hit .266, right along with his career average. If he was closer to that 2014 ground ball average, he would probably be batting a good 50 points better right now at least.
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05-30-2017, 12:31 PM | #1616 |
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05-30-2017, 12:48 PM | #1617 |
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I'd be good with that, as long as Soler doesn't get subbed into that lineup for Boni. You can't have Moss and Soler in the same lineup. If Soler is playing RF, then Boni should be DH.
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05-30-2017, 12:51 PM | #1618 | |
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Gordon's biggest problem is that he is stubbornly sticking to the same approach despite team's pitching specifically to defeat it. He refuses to make adjustments. He needs to go back to a more opposite field-driven swing path, like he did in 2011. Over the past few years, he has become so pull happy. Much more similar to his bad approach when he came up. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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05-30-2017, 12:57 PM | #1619 |
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I was going to say at least Hosmer goes oppo from time to time (a 2b and a HR just yesterday), I have no idea why Alex doesn't try to just push the ball up the third base line when they have that overshift on for him. Hell, they've been doing that when he's batting with guys on base. No excuse for him to not change his approach, especially in those situations.
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05-30-2017, 02:22 PM | #1620 |
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I reported Billay for spamming.
I am sorry I ever offered help to him in any way. I hope he gains 50lbs and remains fat the rest of his sad life. /The End.
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