All spring long we heard that the Royals needed a fast start to the season…
Why?
For starters, just to be in the race and secondly so they wouldn’t be tempted to unload a couple of core players before the draft deadline in order to get something for them instead of losing them when their contract expires at season’s end.
Most notably that would include Eric Hosmer, who although he’s never been a superstar, he is a star. Plus he was clutch in playoffs in 2014 and 2015 and is the face of this team’s core group.
The Royals wanted to be more of a power team with home runs.
For example, they added Brandon Moss. Thus far though we’ve seen the problem with power hitting as a means of scoring. That being lots of strike outs, and not getting the ball into play with men on base as much. And if you don’t get enough home runs often, you lose.
Example: the Royals are second in the majors in homers, yet in last place at 2 and 5.
The big issue’s been simply no offense.
The Royals are hitting right at .200 as a team, but core stars like Hosmer are under .200. Lorenzo Cain and Alex Gordon have done next to nothing at the plate. Oh, Cain walks a lot.
Sal Perez and Moose have provided power and decent hitting but far from enough to balance the rest of the line ups dead bats.
Royals starting pitching has been very good – good enough to win every game thus far – but our bullpen’s been up and down. And that’s not good enough to be a playoff team.
The answer to the Royals’ problems?
START HITTING and move the base runners. This team had speed and in spots still does, so use it.
What made the 2014 and 2015 Royals so deadly on offense was putting pressure on the other team’s defense by putting the ball in play so often and running the bases.
The Royals never had that .320, 35 homers, 120 RBI guy – not since the George Brett era, anyway.
But hey, it’s early. There’s lots of season to go and things can change in a blink.
This team has always been streaky. However if we get into June and are five games or more under .500 the farm might start the sale. The words we don’t want to hear are REBUILD, that usually means struggles for seasons to come.
Glazer: Are the 2014/2015 World Series Royals Gone For Good?
Kerouac: But of course they are… fini
🙂
Q: “Are the 2014/2015 World Series Royals gone for good?”
A: “Yes.“
YES THE Royals look pretty bad…so far they have shown nothing..starting pitching has been good, thats important, but a team batting .200, not good. Defense poor, speed, not there, on and on…no bullpen…looks like 3rd or 4th place finish.
The Royals had a great run, basically from July 2014 – June 2016 they were on fire. Losing Zobrist b4 2016 season and then Moose to an injury kind of did us in. Now we’re without Dyson, Holland, Davis..and even though I think they could do better they just aren’t..so far.
Still, we took 2 out of 3 at a very good Houston..the A’s have had our number for awhile so it’s very possible KC wins this rubber match and then start playing some decent ball.
I think many in the locker room know this is it. Unless they were playing lights out like in 2015, many are going to be on different teams. Maybe as soon as the All Star Game. But there going to be on different teams. It’s the elephant in the room. A point, KK emphaized today from a Yost satellite radio show today.
The Royals seem to be in, “I don’t give a damn.” mode. Why should Hosmer care, when he’s going to be a Met or Red Sox next year? Why should Moose care when he’s going to be a Diamond Back or Mariner next year?
I hope people liked those two years. Because it’s going to be a long rebuilding mode next season. Lets hope it will take five years between playoff appearances and not twenty something.
The Royals have won 4 in a row. The “Will the Royals Win the World Series This Year?” article should be posted any day now! 😀
Calm down
Wow now Royals have best starting pitching in the league, maybe enough to contend…we’ll see.
Calm down.
KC’s pitching is really doing well this early on. I did read an article in the Star a month ago where Yost was super excited about many of his young pitchers..I don’t think they’re starters yet but isn’t this a huge change from a decade ago? KC has pitching? WOW.
I remember in Aug 2014 I was telling my friend this was the best KC team I’d ever seen–I’ve been a fan since 1976. In 2015 we were even better. Last year we were good, just the injuries caught up to us along with the typical post World Series win hangover.
So what do we have here? If KC’s pitching holds up I certainly think our offense could heat up as well. Salvy, Hosmer, Gordon, Moose, Cain, Escobar are a great foundation. Mondesi has great defense and speed but not a lot of offense yet. If I was David Glass I’d keep these guys together but I guess he won’t because they’ll cost too much. If we lose 2 or 3 of these guys we’re going right back down to last place.
It appears Gordon is past his peak, he may be one of those slightly above average players that is only valuable from age 27-31. Remember 2008-2010 Gordon? Hes baaack…