The Royals

[Cartierfor3]

Myers was not just another prospect.

[8manpick]

Just before we get too excited about these pitchers, Shields is a solid #2, we are hoping that Davis can be a good starter, but it's not like he tore it up as a starter two years ago. Santana has been up and down, and is coming off a bad year. Then we are looking at Guthrie and Chen to fill out the rotation until Duffy comes back. That is decent but not a murderer's row or anything.  You guys do realize we had the third worst offense in the league last year, right?

[Cartierfor3]

did people look at our starting 5 last year?? i mean good god.

Yeah, really.

Does this make Hoch the #5?

Probably.

Shields
Guthrie
Santana

Final 2 spots will be some combo of:
Hoch
Davis
Mendozza
Chen
Duffy/Paulino if healthy.

I would guess we'll start with Hoch and Chen. 

[SuperG]

Just before we get too excited about these pitchers, Shields is a solid #2, we are hoping that Davis can be a good starter, but it's not like he tore it up as a starter two years ago. Santana has been up and down, and is coming off a bad year. Then we are looking at Guthrie and Chen to fill out the rotation until Duffy comes back. That is decent but not a murderer's row or anything.  You guys do realize we had the third worst offense in the league last year, right?

But 2013 Royals = Rangers... do not forget that. Ned said so.

[8manpick]

Myers was not just another prospect.

USA Today Minor League Player of the Year Winners

2000    Josh Hamilton    OF    Tampa Bay Devil Rays
2001    Josh Beckett    RHP    Florida Marlins
2002    José Reyes    SS    New York Mets
2003    Prince Fielder    1B    Milwaukee Brewers
2004    Jeff Francis    LHP    Colorado Rockies
2005    Francisco Liriano    LHP    Minnesota Twins
2006    Matt Garza    RHP    Minnesota Twins
2007    Justin Upton    OF    Arizona Diamondbacks
2008    David Price    LHP    Tampa Bay Rays
2009    Jason Heyward    OF    Atlanta Braves
2010    Jeremy Hellickson    RHP    Tampa Bay Rays
2011    Paul Goldschmidt   1B    Arizona Diamondbacks
2012    Wil Myers   OF    Kansas City Royals

Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year Winners

2000    Jon Rauch    Pitcher                  AA    Chicago White Sox
2001    Josh Beckett    Pitcher                  AA    Florida Marlins
2002    Rocco Baldelli    Outfielder    AAA    Tampa Bay Devil Rays
2003    Joe Mauer    Catcher                  AA    Minnesota Twins
2004    Jeff Francis    Pitcher                  AAA    Colorado Rockies
2005    Delmon Young    Outfielder    AAA    Tampa Bay Devil Rays
2006    Alex Gordon    Third baseman    AA    Kansas City Royals
2007    Jay oscar    Outfielder    AAA    Cincinnati Reds
2008    Matt Wieters    Catcher                  AA    Baltimore Orioles
2009    Jason Heyward    Outfielder    AAA    Atlanta Braves
2010    Jeremy Hellickson    Pitcher                  AAA    Tampa Bay Rays
2011    Mike Trout    Outfielder    AA    Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2012    Wil Myers    Outfielder    AAA    Kansas City Royals

 

[Cartierfor3]

Myers was not just another prospect.

USA Today Minor League Player of the Year Winners

2000    Josh Hamilton    OF    Tampa Bay Devil Rays
2001    Josh Beckett    RHP    Florida Marlins
2002    José Reyes    SS    New York Mets
2003    Prince Fielder    1B    Milwaukee Brewers
2004    Jeff Francis    LHP    Colorado Rockies
2005    Francisco Liriano    LHP    Minnesota Twins
2006    Matt Garza    RHP    Minnesota Twins
2007    Justin Upton    OF    Arizona Diamondbacks
2008    David Price    LHP    Tampa Bay Rays
2009    Jason Heyward    OF    Atlanta Braves
2010    Jeremy Hellickson    RHP    Tampa Bay Rays
2011    Paul Goldschmidt   1B    Arizona Diamondbacks
2012    Wil Myers   OF    Kansas City Royals

Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year Winners

2000    Jon Rauch    Pitcher                  AA    Chicago White Sox
2001    Josh Beckett    Pitcher                  AA    Florida Marlins
2002    Rocco Baldelli    Outfielder    AAA    Tampa Bay Devil Rays
2003    Joe Mauer    Catcher                  AA    Minnesota Twins
2004    Jeff Francis    Pitcher                  AAA    Colorado Rockies
2005    Delmon Young    Outfielder    AAA    Tampa Bay Devil Rays
2006    Alex Gordon    Third baseman    AA    Kansas City Royals
2007    Jay oscar    Outfielder    AAA    Cincinnati Reds
2008    Matt Wieters    Catcher                  AA    Baltimore Orioles
2009    Jason Heyward    Outfielder    AAA    Atlanta Braves
2010    Jeremy Hellickson    Pitcher                  AAA    Tampa Bay Rays
2011    Mike Trout    Outfielder    AA    Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2012    Wil Myers    Outfielder    AAA    Kansas City Royals

 

What's your point?  We're set at right field for the foreseeable future with Frenchy.  No place for Myers to play anyway. 

[kso_FAN]

What's your point?  We're set at right field for the foreseeable future with Frenchy.  No place for Myers to play anyway. 

[8manpick]

Myers was not just another prospect.

USA Today Minor League Player of the Year Winners

Hall of Famers and All-stars

Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year Winners

Cy Youngs and MVPs

 

What's your point?  We're set at right field for the foreseeable future with Frenchy.  No place for Myers to play anyway.

No real point I guess.

[SabiNation]

Your position is clear... But there are a handful of pitchers that would give us "a better chance to win in the next few years" that wouldn't have cost us our two best prospects and then some.

What is it that you love about James Shields? Please count the ways here.

Shields leads the Major Leagues in Complete Games (he had 11 in 2011) and Shutouts the last 2 years.  He is top 5 in innings pitched and strikeouts and top 20 in ERA (which doesn't sound all that phenomenal until you compare it to the pitchers the Royals have run out there it's night and day) over the same time frame.

People talk about his home/away splits...well when you are playing the Red Sox, Yankees, Orioles and Blue Jays consistently every year that is going to happen (Camden Yards, Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park are widely considered some of the best hitting parks in baseball, if not all time...and no team has hit more home runs over the last 2 years than the Blue Jays.)  I'm sure that he will enjoy playing in the AL Central against the likes of the Indians and Twins, not to mention having his home ballpark be one of the best pitchers parks in the league.

Also, and I hate to be a Royals shirttuck here, but he is considered to be one of the best "locker room guys" in the majors.

Just before we get too excited about these pitchers, Shields is a solid #2, we are hoping that Davis can be a good starter, but it's not like he tore it up as a starter two years ago.  You guys do realize we had the third worst offense in the league last year, right?

Shields would have been the "#1" on 70-80% of the teams in baseball, and if you believe that Myers is the future all star that you say he is, then you should also believe that the other "future all stars" that are currently on the roster will continue to improve.  You can't believe that Myers is a legitimate prospect but not recognize the fact that the Royals have another Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year that has already put in his time, taken his lumps but ultimately proven himself to be a good player in Alex Gordon.  Not to mention Billy Butler, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas that are still in their primes but unlike Myers have MLB service time.

[WillieWatanabe]

You guys do realize we had the third worst offense in the league last year, right?

yes. but it's quite obvious to everyone by 2015 and up...they would be unstoppable with Myers.

[kso_FAN]

Okay, (besides Greinke) Shields is the best Royals pitcher since ______________?

[pissclams]

i like that drop they have on the Border Patrol/810 in the morning "COME ON CHEN!"

anyone else recognize what i'm talking about? 

[SabiNation]

Okay, (besides Greinke) Shields is the best Royals pitcher since ______________?

David Cone/Kevin Appier

[8manpick]

Okay, (besides Greinke) Shields is the best Royals pitcher since ______________?

David Cone/Kevin Appier

Paul Byrd

[AppleJack]

Is everyone preparred for Sal Perez to become our best player? I love him.

FWIW I would have Gordon, Dyson and Cain in the OF, that defense omg. Frenchy on the bench or at the very least platoon him with a lefty.

We will probably regret this trade in 4 years but whatevs. I'm tired of looking at box scores for Omaha and not KC.

Shields is Greinke. The #'s are almost identical. Davis would have been our best pitcher the last 3 years. He will now be our #4.

[kso_FAN]

http://ht.ly/fYtOZ

[ben ji]

Okay, (besides Greinke) Shields is the best Royals pitcher since ______________?

LIMA TIME(for like 3/4 a season)

[kso_FAN]

Jason Stark on Petro: "You could argue besides Denis Leonard and Zach Greinke that this is the best Royals pitcher ever."

 

[Rage Against the McKee]

Jason Stark on Petro: "You could argue besides Denis Leonard and Zach Greinke that this is the best Royals pitcher ever."

 

I think that would probably be a losing argument.

[8manpick]

Your position is clear... But there are a handful of pitchers that would give us "a better chance to win in the next few years" that wouldn't have cost us our two best prospects and then some.

What is it that you love about James Shields? Please count the ways here.

Shields leads the Major Leagues in Complete Games (he had 11 in 2011) and Shutouts the last 2 years.  He is top 5 in innings pitched and strikeouts and top 20 in ERA (which doesn't sound all that phenomenal until you compare it to the pitchers the Royals have run out there it's night and day) over the same time frame.

People talk about his home/away splits...well when you are playing the Red Sox, Yankees, Orioles and Blue Jays consistently every year that is going to happen (Camden Yards, Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park are widely considered some of the best hitting parks in baseball, if not all time...and no team has hit more home runs over the last 2 years than the Blue Jays.)  I'm sure that he will enjoy playing in the AL Central against the likes of the Indians and Twins, not to mention having his home ballpark be one of the best pitchers parks in the league.

Also, and I hate to be a Royals shirttuck here, but he is considered to be one of the best "locker room guys" in the majors.

Just before we get too excited about these pitchers, Shields is a solid #2, we are hoping that Davis can be a good starter, but it's not like he tore it up as a starter two years ago.  You guys do realize we had the third worst offense in the league last year, right?

Shields would have been the "#1" on 70-80% of the teams in baseball, and if you believe that Myers is the future all star that you say he is, then you should also believe that the other "future all stars" that are currently on the roster will continue to improve.  You can't believe that Myers is a legitimate prospect but not recognize the fact that the Royals have another Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year that has already put in his time, taken his lumps but ultimately proven himself to be a good player in Alex Gordon.  Not to mention Billy Butler, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas that are still in their primes but unlike Myers have MLB service time.

I'll give you Shields being a #1.  I won't give you Hosmer and Moustakas being in their primes.  Hosmer was awful last year, and if Moustakas doesn't get better.  My problem is that we have every key offensive piece locked up through at least 2015 except Butler, who we have a $12.5M team option for in '15.  This was short sighted.  If Moustakas and Hosmer don't play near an All-Star level or if one of these new pitchers underachieves, I don't see us as more than slightly over .500 and on the borderline of the playoffs.  Then James Shields is gone after 2014.  I like that we have increased our payroll, but I wish we would have thrown that money at Anibal Sanchez and kept our farm system intact.  We gave up 3 of our top 4 prospects for this.

[8manpick]

Jason Stark on Petro: "You could argue besides Denis Leonard and Zach Greinke that this is the best Royals pitcher ever."

 

I think that would probably be a losing argument.

Saberhagen won 2 Cy Youngs.  He is our best pitcher ever, and it really isn't close.

[slobber]

Jason Stark on Petro: "You could argue besides Denis Leonard and Zach Greinke that this is the best Royals pitcher ever."

 

You could also argue that Jason Stark is an idiot. I'd prefer to take that argument.

[WillieWatanabe]

We gave up 3 of our top 4 prospects for this.

Montgomery had fallen off quite a bit. he was no longer a top 5 prospect by the end of this year. 

[SabiNation]

-I'll give you Shields being a #1.  I won't give you Hosmer and Moustakas being in their primes.  Hosmer was awful last year, and if Moustakas doesn't get better.
So are you honestly dismissing Hosmer and Moustakas improving and becoming better players than they showed last year? 

-My problem is that we have every key offensive piece locked up through at least 2015 except Butler, who we have a $12.5M team option for in '15.  This was short sighted.  If Moustakas and Hosmer don't play near an All-Star level or if one of these new pitchers underachieves, I don't see us as more than slightly over .500 and on the borderline of the playoffs. 
You mean the key offensive pieces that "aren't any longer in their primes" and were "awful last year?"  And it seems like you forget how productive Hosmer and Moustakas were in the minor leagues, just like Myers was.  They will continue to improve.

-Then James Shields is gone after 2014.  I like that we have increased our payroll, but I wish we would have thrown that money at Anibal Sanchez and kept our farm system intact.  We gave up 3 of our top 4 prospects for this. 
I can't disagree with this, but I don't think we realistically could have signed Sanchez, even with the increased payroll dollars.

[_33]

Your position is clear... But there are a handful of pitchers that would give us "a better chance to win in the next few years" that wouldn't have cost us our two best prospects and then some.

What is it that you love about James Shields? Please count the ways here.

Shields leads the Major Leagues in Complete Games (he had 11 in 2011) and Shutouts the last 2 years.  He is top 5 in innings pitched and strikeouts and top 20 in ERA (which doesn't sound all that phenomenal until you compare it to the pitchers the Royals have run out there it's night and day) over the same time frame.

People talk about his home/away splits...well when you are playing the Red Sox, Yankees, Orioles and Blue Jays consistently every year that is going to happen (Camden Yards, Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park are widely considered some of the best hitting parks in baseball, if not all time...and no team has hit more home runs over the last 2 years than the Blue Jays.)  I'm sure that he will enjoy playing in the AL Central against the likes of the Indians and Twins, not to mention having his home ballpark be one of the best pitchers parks in the league.

Also, and I hate to be a Royals shirttuck here, but he is considered to be one of the best "locker room guys" in the majors.

Just before we get too excited about these pitchers, Shields is a solid #2, we are hoping that Davis can be a good starter, but it's not like he tore it up as a starter two years ago.  You guys do realize we had the third worst offense in the league last year, right?

Shields would have been the "#1" on 70-80% of the teams in baseball, and if you believe that Myers is the future all star that you say he is, then you should also believe that the other "future all stars" that are currently on the roster will continue to improve.  You can't believe that Myers is a legitimate prospect but not recognize the fact that the Royals have another Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year that has already put in his time, taken his lumps but ultimately proven himself to be a good player in Alex Gordon.  Not to mention Billy Butler, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas that are still in their primes but unlike Myers have MLB service time.

I'll give you Shields being a #1.  I won't give you Hosmer and Moustakas being in their primes.  Hosmer was awful last year, and if Moustakas doesn't get better.  My problem is that we have every key offensive piece locked up through at least 2015 except Butler, who we have a $12.5M team option for in '15.  This was short sighted.  If Moustakas and Hosmer don't play near an All-Star level or if one of these new pitchers underachieves, I don't see us as more than slightly over .500 and on the borderline of the playoffs.  Then James Shields is gone after 2014.  I like that we have increased our payroll, but I wish we would have thrown that money at Anibal Sanchez and kept our farm system intact.  We gave up 3 of our top 4 prospects for this.

It's ok. You're going to be fine without your security blanket. I checked the closet for monsters and I'll turn on your night light before I leave.