If you have read/heard/interpreted-through-a-form-of-telepathy-that-is-beyond-my-comprehension anything about the Kansas City Royals this year, odds are strong that such details involved "the future." You see, the Royals currently have a collection of talent in the minor leagues that - according to some experts - rivals any farm system* in history. The potential for future success is great, but it's just that: potential. I've heard many folks comment that they've heard all this before; that the Royals have had good young players in the past and KC has either ruined them or traded them away for beans that weren't even advertised as magic. "How will things be different this time?" people ask. The answer: It looks like ownership is finally willing to part with some money to support a winning team.
*Note for those unfamiliar with Major League Baseball: "Farm system" refers to a Major League club's minor league affiliates. It has nothing to do with irrigation or eliminating pesky boll weevils.
The youth is on the way, with top prospects Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer expected to debut at some point this season, and several young pitchers already on the big league club. While many look to the future, we at The Writings are enjoying the present. Since it's been far too long since we've written anything about the KC club, let's take a quick look at the 2011 Royals.*
*Note: "Quick" is a relative term.
We'll start in the outfield, where one of the season's biggest question marks tracks fly balls. Alex Gordon - once one of the top prospects in baseball; once subject of a Sports Illustrated article oozing more fluff than fan letters to Justin Bieber; once touted as the next George Brett; once prophecized as the person that will one day lead humanity to galactic dominance* - enters 2011 searching, yet again, for a breakout season. Gordon has dominated the minor leagues in the same manner that a video gamer handles a video game after entering a cheat code, but injuries and holes in his swing have never allowed that success to translate to the Major League level. Gordon arrived at Kansas City as a third baseman, but moved off the position last season, perhaps in anticipation of Moustakas' anticipated arrival. Through a handful of games this season, Gordon seems to finally be in his happy place (whether he sees grannies winning the lotto and little people on tricycles, we may never know). His defense in left field has been above average and he has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball. Can he keep it going? That's a question that puzzles more folks than those mind-benders involving trains leaving stations at different times only to eventually wreck into each other because neither is one of Doc Brown's time machines. (Sorry if that's not quite accurate... I haven't taken a standardized test in awhile.)
*I only made one of those up.
Joining Gordon in the outfield are centerfielder Melky Cabrera, the former-Yankee who played for Atlanta last season while attempting to prove that chubby kids can be outfielders (the results were not good, hence his signing with KC on just a one-year deal), and rightfielder Jeff Francoeur, another one-time top prospect, who was once featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated despite the fact that he was barely old enough to legally consume any of the alcoholic beverages featured in the issues ads. Backup Jarrod Dyson is not a hitter, but his speed alone makes him a rather valuable member of the roster.
In the infield, KC should see significant improvement defensively thanks to the addition of shortstop Alcides Escobar. Escobar, who came to the Royals as part of the Zack Greinke trade, has shown the sort of range at shortstop that makes one think the Royals would be safe with a hippopotamus playing next to him at third. (No, I am not calling Wilson Betemit and Mike Aviles hippos... Placeholders for Moustakas, perhaps... Hippos, no.) Escobar's double-play partner is second baseman Chris Getz, another player who brings plenty to the table defensively, but isn't exactly setting fine china on offense. Billy Butler and Kila Ka'aihue share duties at first base and designated hitter. Butler is just 24, but has been the team's best hitter for the past two seasons. Ka'aihue is a Hawaiian slugger who is finally getting the opportunity to prove himself as an everyday player... My guess is that he also enjoys hearing people attempt to pronounce his last name and butcher it slaughterhouse fashion. Matt Treanor and Brayan Pena share catching duties until 83-year old Jason Kendall (What do you mean he's only 36?) returns from injury.
The Royals have a bevy of young, left-handed starting pitchers, but all are young enough that they will begin the season in the minor leagues. The names of KC's big league starters (Luke Hochevar, Bruce Chen, Jeff Francis, Kyle Davies, Vin Mazarro) may not strike fear in the hearts of opposing hitters, but they possess the ability to keep the team in games long enough to pass along to a strong bullpen - a bullpen led by closer Joakim Soria. Soria, who declared he no longer wanted to be referred to as "The Mexicutioner" in the offseason, is one of the best relief pitchers in all of baseball. He is joined in the bullpen by a lot of young talent, from the 21-year-old, hobbit-sized Tim Collins (or Timbo Collgins, in Tolkienese) to Aaron Crow, a Topeka-native who pitched collegiately for the University of Missouri. In previous seasons, the thought of handing a game off to a KC relief pitcher brought feelings of dread and/or despair (plus far too many frustrated mutterings from my couch). This season, a call to the 'pen is accompanied by an unfamiliar feeling... I think some call it optimism. Weird.
Will the Royals be contenders in 2011? The odds are certainly not overwhelming, but, for the first time in many, many years the club has mixed a fine cocktail of potential and direction... I like it.
*Note for those unfamiliar with Major League Baseball: "Farm system" refers to a Major League club's minor league affiliates. It has nothing to do with irrigation or eliminating pesky boll weevils.
The youth is on the way, with top prospects Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer expected to debut at some point this season, and several young pitchers already on the big league club. While many look to the future, we at The Writings are enjoying the present. Since it's been far too long since we've written anything about the KC club, let's take a quick look at the 2011 Royals.*
*Note: "Quick" is a relative term.
We'll start in the outfield, where one of the season's biggest question marks tracks fly balls. Alex Gordon - once one of the top prospects in baseball; once subject of a Sports Illustrated article oozing more fluff than fan letters to Justin Bieber; once touted as the next George Brett; once prophecized as the person that will one day lead humanity to galactic dominance* - enters 2011 searching, yet again, for a breakout season. Gordon has dominated the minor leagues in the same manner that a video gamer handles a video game after entering a cheat code, but injuries and holes in his swing have never allowed that success to translate to the Major League level. Gordon arrived at Kansas City as a third baseman, but moved off the position last season, perhaps in anticipation of Moustakas' anticipated arrival. Through a handful of games this season, Gordon seems to finally be in his happy place (whether he sees grannies winning the lotto and little people on tricycles, we may never know). His defense in left field has been above average and he has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball. Can he keep it going? That's a question that puzzles more folks than those mind-benders involving trains leaving stations at different times only to eventually wreck into each other because neither is one of Doc Brown's time machines. (Sorry if that's not quite accurate... I haven't taken a standardized test in awhile.)
*I only made one of those up.
Joining Gordon in the outfield are centerfielder Melky Cabrera, the former-Yankee who played for Atlanta last season while attempting to prove that chubby kids can be outfielders (the results were not good, hence his signing with KC on just a one-year deal), and rightfielder Jeff Francoeur, another one-time top prospect, who was once featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated despite the fact that he was barely old enough to legally consume any of the alcoholic beverages featured in the issues ads. Backup Jarrod Dyson is not a hitter, but his speed alone makes him a rather valuable member of the roster.
In the infield, KC should see significant improvement defensively thanks to the addition of shortstop Alcides Escobar. Escobar, who came to the Royals as part of the Zack Greinke trade, has shown the sort of range at shortstop that makes one think the Royals would be safe with a hippopotamus playing next to him at third. (No, I am not calling Wilson Betemit and Mike Aviles hippos... Placeholders for Moustakas, perhaps... Hippos, no.) Escobar's double-play partner is second baseman Chris Getz, another player who brings plenty to the table defensively, but isn't exactly setting fine china on offense. Billy Butler and Kila Ka'aihue share duties at first base and designated hitter. Butler is just 24, but has been the team's best hitter for the past two seasons. Ka'aihue is a Hawaiian slugger who is finally getting the opportunity to prove himself as an everyday player... My guess is that he also enjoys hearing people attempt to pronounce his last name and butcher it slaughterhouse fashion. Matt Treanor and Brayan Pena share catching duties until 83-year old Jason Kendall (What do you mean he's only 36?) returns from injury.
The Royals have a bevy of young, left-handed starting pitchers, but all are young enough that they will begin the season in the minor leagues. The names of KC's big league starters (Luke Hochevar, Bruce Chen, Jeff Francis, Kyle Davies, Vin Mazarro) may not strike fear in the hearts of opposing hitters, but they possess the ability to keep the team in games long enough to pass along to a strong bullpen - a bullpen led by closer Joakim Soria. Soria, who declared he no longer wanted to be referred to as "The Mexicutioner" in the offseason, is one of the best relief pitchers in all of baseball. He is joined in the bullpen by a lot of young talent, from the 21-year-old, hobbit-sized Tim Collins (or Timbo Collgins, in Tolkienese) to Aaron Crow, a Topeka-native who pitched collegiately for the University of Missouri. In previous seasons, the thought of handing a game off to a KC relief pitcher brought feelings of dread and/or despair (plus far too many frustrated mutterings from my couch). This season, a call to the 'pen is accompanied by an unfamiliar feeling... I think some call it optimism. Weird.
Will the Royals be contenders in 2011? The odds are certainly not overwhelming, but, for the first time in many, many years the club has mixed a fine cocktail of potential and direction... I like it.
1 comment:
Thanks for the farm system explanation. I heart David DeJesus!
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