Apr 7, 2013; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Johnny Cueto (47) pitches during the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports
The Royals were likely to win the division anyway…
Even without signing Reds’ ace pitcher Johnny Cueto. Hey. with a plus 21 games over .500 KC is by far the American League’s best ball club.
However this team wants it all.
And the only weakness all season long has been the starting pitching. Yet this team wins anyway. And really the Royals haven’t lost many games due to being blown out because of poor starters.
At the beginning of the season the team was counting on Danny Duffy and Ace Ventura to be their one/two punch. Both pitchers had problems, but now are trying to get back on track. The Royals hitting is solid and their defense is baseball’s best – as is their bullpen.
So starting pitching aside, on paper the Royals can make the argument that they’re the ‘best team in the majors, no question. And now by adding a pitcher with a 2.29 ERA – second only to Clayton Kershaw the past five years – wow.
Winning 100 games is now a definite likelihood for KC.
The division race is already over because nobody’s chasing the Royals in their division.
In fact the rest of the league is all about being around .500, save for the Yankees, Astros, Angels and Twins. And KC will have a much better ending record than any of those teams.
However, we all know the best record doesn’t always win the prize and anything can happen in a short series at the end of the season.
Still, you have to give Royals GM, Dayton Moore a big thank you for bringing KC its first division title in 30 years. Remember last year we were just a wild card and this year we’ll win the division.
And with this top notch team the Royals now can attract even more talent.
Perhaps it will help keep an Eric Hosmer or Moose.
I think we need to keep at least one of those core guys. Because the window for this team will still be wide open next season as well.
We’ll have to see after that.
Hey, its a game of now. today and the Royals are the best in baseball.
So enjoy!
And yes, the Cueto signing was huge. He is a rock star pitcher.
Nobody seems to remember Dusty Baker used to be his manager for a big chunk of his career. Hopefully, Cueto’s arm lasts the rest of the season, but he has already missed starts this season.
fortuneately they brought cueto. They will need him and possibly another starter.
Gordon gone…..getting 120 million contract….that’s why he’s pushing to come
back quicker…the more time he misses…the less he gets in new contract…
st. Louis/cali/and Yankees will be in the hunt…and glass will be out of his
salary range for Gordon.
Hosmer: gone…think hes ggod thru 2016…but opens up 2017 (i’ll check)
but is agent boras hates the royals andhe’llbe gone too….another 100 plus
million dollar player…plus tv revenues continue to go up….
Moose: avg… but still worth 60-70 mil contract…maybe more if he keeps
his avergage near 300….another one the royals lose.
luckily perez signed for less and longer….
royals will trade one of the three relievers HDH next year to protect themselves
against Gordon loss and really having too many players that can move on to
bigger money.
enjoy the royals success…the chemistry is there…the talent is there….
but they will have trouble in playoffs against Houston and possible the cards
in the world series….if the pieces fall as they should.
no glaze…sorry wrong again…cards are best team in baseball…check your
nymbers…
no glaze…bringing in one pitcher won’t save the top 3 players on the team…
they wan more money.
glass is still cheap…he needs to move the royals to a local network or
independent station in market to bigger revenues ………
they hit 2.3 million…maybe more…..but Harley has been right so man
times and he’s going to be right this time.
only way to keep Gordon is let go relivr with 8 million salary (davis) hope
one of other relivers comes thru close to davis but that’s a tough task.
Maybe let Holland go….pleanty of one inning pitchers will be available
in off season and take that money and try to keep Gordon.
3years ago the royals had the best prospects in all of baseball….they’ve all
come up and did well…now the well is dry and the prospect pipeline really
is not so good….that’s what built the royals…..giing away players for future
prospects.
enjoy it while you can.
and remember glaze…you hated this team a year ago…you were down onthem
like a dog on a bone….until Harley changed the whole situation……
this year they’re not depending on the “small ball” concept that got them to
the world series…
Harley will be reporting back continuously about the royals with facts
and stats…not some info that relies on pure faith.
PLEASE DON’T JINX US….
REMEMBER….ITS NOT OVER…ITS NOT OVER
We did not sign Cueto. We acquired him in a trade.
No Glaze, the Cards are and have been the best in baseball all season, BUT the playoffs are where the rubber hits the road. Should be great drama in the fall. Go Royals and Go Cardinals.
if its cards versus royals in world series…It will be absolutely nuts on I 70
east and west!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
UNDERSTOOD BOB……but cueto is a free agent after the end of this year…
if he does well expect him to get from 180-210 million dollar contract (according
to various agents thoughout mlb). Getting to the royals gives him the opportunity
to get into a world series and add more cash to his contract…so he’s a smart
guy as are the red’s owners who knew they could never pay him that kind of money
when the other 4 days can be rough with their lineup.
So lets enjoy cueto while we can…..American league has never seen this
guy and he could get us into world series…but that’s probably when the
trainstops…
seriously doubt glass will pay this guy what he’s worth at end of season….
but his agent says no negotiations til after season.
we get him for hopefully 3 months….and that’s exciting…but if anyone thinks
glass and moore pay this guy that kind of money…well they need their
head examined.
Plus…Harley will be reporting on the influx of Cuban players coming into the
mlb….this is going to be a really wild off season……….
glaze…do your research….I’m tired of having to do your wrk for you~!
Agreed. No reason to sign a pitcher that Baker has abused for years. Enjoy while we can.
Harley you are the best man. Without you this site has 25% less comments. You are the Rodney Dangerfield of this blog…God Bless you Harley.
“Royals are the best in baseball.”
– uh, no… 97 games in is as claiming victory in the 6th inning of a game; KC hasn”t the best record in baseball nor have they been unbeatable vs winning teams… or losers.
Mark Twain said “there are lies, damned lies and statistics.” Kerouac (and the record book) says, “the Royals have a losing record vs Yankees, Astros, Rangers & Red Sox; they stand 8-14 vs those AL competitors. Vs the NL the Royals are 8-5 but have lost 4 of 6 games to the NL’s current best record (if not team), STL. Conclusion – Royals are imminently beatable; in post season, tomato cans regular replaced by fugu.
The Royals went 3-0 the 2014 regular season vs the SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS who then beat Kansas City in ‘World Series’ as a wild card entrant (much like the Chiefs in 1969 snuck into post season as a wild card, and beat the better Raiders in a one game playoff as it were. 1906 the Cubs won 116 games – and lost in the ‘World Series’; 1970 CIN Reds won 102 games – and were nearly swept four straight ‘World Series’ by the Orioles, who won 108 games that same year.
Moral: regular season record equates no guarantee grand scheme… post is everything.