Thread: Royals 08 Thread

Yes, for me and cswil...I believe the only Royals fans on the board.

MLB.com's preview...

Royals Opening Day outlook
Team faces uphill battle in ultra-competitive AL Central
By Dick Kaegel / MLB.com

Manager Trey Hillman is trying to bring a new dawn to the Royals from his successful experience in the Land of the Rising Sun. One thing he brings with him is the reputation of springing the unexpected on unsuspecting opponents.

Fans will want to watch for that. And they'll want to watch the thrust of power that slugger Jose Guillen promises to bring to the lineup. He's expected to bat in the cleanup spot behind Alex Gordon, the third baseman who elevated his game marvelously last season and is seen as a guiding light for a rather young team.

The pitching rotation, headed by Gil Meche with Brian Bannister and Zack Greinke alongside, looks much sturdier and the bullpen has considerable depth. The defense should be a strong point.

For the Royals, it all comes down to pumping life into an offense that last season scored the second-fewest runs in the American League. If Guillen brings along his usual production, Gordon, David DeJesus, Mark Teahen and Billy Butler should provide enough extra oomph to cure the run anemia.

Calling card

Guillen

Knowing Guillen can't do everything, Hillman wants to exploit some small-ball tactics. The bunt, hit-and-run and stolen base are weapons that he'd like to develop as a signature of his first Major League club. There'll be no sitting back and waiting for a three-run homer.

Achilles' Heel
The bullpen shapes up as formidable but is it really? Did Joakim Soria just get lucky as a rookie closer? Can Yasuhiko Yabuta make the transition from Japan at 34? Will Ron Mahay continue his two-year rise or slip to 2005 form? If the back end of the 'pen breaks down, it could be a long season.

You'll know they're rollin' if ...
Meche, unlike last year, gets some runs scored for him and a lot of them come from Guillen's bat.

You'll know they're in trouble if ...
They get off to another terrible start. In the past four Aprils, the Royals' cumulative record is 26-67, and they've finished last in each of those seasons.

Testing, testing
Starting on Day 1, the Royals have a three-game series with powerful division rival Detroit. They'll see what they're made of very early.

Interleague Play
Two playoff clubs, Colorado and Arizona, are on the docket this year. On the other hand, so are two last-place clubs, Florida and San Francisco. So that seems to be a competitive wash. As for St. Louis, that's always a heated, unpredictable Missouri war.

The Bottom Line
There's no doubt the Royals have improved just as there's no doubt they play in what might be the game's toughest division. They'll have to be much more than just a bit better to keep up.

Projected starting lineup
1. CF David DeJesus
2. 2B Mark Grudzielanek
3. 3B Alex Gordon
4. RF Jose Guillen
5. DH Billy Butler
6. LF Mark Teahen
7. 1B Ross Gload
8. C John Buck
9. SS Tony Pena Jr.
Projected rotation
1. RHP Gil Meche
2. RHP Brian Bannister
3. RHP Zack Greinke
4. LHP John Bale
5. RHP Brett Tomko
Projected bullpen
Closer: RHP Joakim Soria
Setup: RHP Yasuhiko Yabuta
Setup: LHP Ron Mahay
Middle: LHP Jimmy Gobble
Middle: RHP Ramon Ramirez
Long: RHP Leo Nunez

I am trying hard to believe in this rotation.

Optimistic about the lineup.

ESPN Fantasy Projections:

Code:

PLAYER    	B 	POS 	AB 	HR 	RBI 	SB 	AVG 	OBP 	SLG
David DeJesus 	L 	CF 	555 	8 	58 	8 	.274 	.356 	.404
M. Grud 	R 	2B 	489 	7 	53 	2 	.301 	.342 	.421
Mark Teahen 	L 	LF 	483 	9 	56 	11 	.263 	.331 	.406
Jose Guillen 	R 	RF 	545 	29 	100 	3 	.279 	.339 	.492
Ross Gload 	L 	1B 	314 	6 	45 	4 	.280 	.313 	.417
Billy Butler 	R 	DH 	554 	14 	90 	0 	.300 	.356 	.458
Alex Gordon 	L 	3B 	575 	22 	70 	16 	.280 	.350 	.485
John Buck 	R 	C 	361 	16 	48 	0 	.230 	.304 	.416
Tony Pena 	R 	SS 	300 	3 	25 	2 	.253 	.276 	.350
OFF THE BENCH
Esteban German 	R 	INF 	324 	4 	36 	10 	.287 	.375 	.410
Joey Gathright 	L 	OF 	264 	0 	23 	14 	.284 	.349 	.326

Code:

ROTATION 	T 	POS 	G 	IP 	W 	SV 	K 	ERA 	WHIP
Gil Meche 	R 	SP1 	33 	197 	10 	0 	144 	4.07 	1.37
B. Bannister 	R 	SP2 	26 	143 	9 	0 	69 	4.66 	1.40
Zack Greinke 	R 	SP3 	55 	186 	10 	0 	147 	3.92 	1.32
Brett Tomko 	R 	SP4 	42 	80 	3 	0 	59 	5.18 	1.44
Jorge DLR 	L 	SP5 	21 	83 	5 	0 	61 	5.75 	1.72
BULLPEN
Joakim Soria 	R 	Closer 	60 	73 	2 	30 	77 	2.71 	1.04

Obviously, they make their projections before teams make final decision on roster and pitching lineup, as JDLR is still in the rotation here...

Originally Posted by cswil

I am trying hard to believe in this rotation.

Optimistic about the lineup.

About the same here. What are the chances Bannister and Meche repeat decent years? AND Zack Greinke comes around, AND Tomko eats innings without losing games, AND John Bale can start in the big leagues...I would probably have to say that Bannister and Meche are decent, Greinke emerges and Bale and Tomko are out of the lineup by June, if not May.

Originally Posted by MissouriBronc

About the same here. What are the chances Bannister and Meche repeat decent years? AND Zack Greinke comes around, AND Tomko eats innings without losing games, AND John Bale can start in the big leagues...I would probably have to say that Bannister and Meche are decent, Greinke emerges and Bale and Tomko are out of the lineup by June, if not May.

Bale and Tomko are keeping the seat warm. May, maybe.

Originally Posted by cswil

Bale and Tomko are keeping the seat warm. May, maybe.

If Hochevar can deliver at all, he's in that rotation by June, I would think.

I'm not buying that kind of production by Guillen

Originally Posted by CoachChaz

I'm not buying that kind of production by Guillen

Whoa...yeah, 29 HRs, I didn't notice that at first. Not at Kauffman.

Originally Posted by MissouriBronc

Whoa...yeah, 29 HRs, I didn't notice that at first. Not at Kauffman.

29 and 100 seems excessive for him at this stage in his career...especially in KC

Originally Posted by CoachChaz

29 and 100 seems excessive for him at this stage in his career...especially in KC

Depends on Gordon and Butler hitting around him.

Originally Posted by cswil

Depends on Gordon and Butler hitting around him.

Put Ryan Howard and A-Rod around him and I'm betting he doesn't hit 29 HR's...IMO

LOL...Cabrera with an error to start off...

DeJesus hurt...Gathright replaced him in the third.

1-0

There is no possible way the Royals win 70+ games this year... they stink!