Royals

I've never seen the Royals play a meaningful game after July yet they are still "my team."  I constantly wonder how much more I would obsess if they were good.  I just imagine going to the K with 30,000 people there, and having an actual atmosphere at the ballpark.  Just imagine watching them play on ESPN.  Just imagine what it was like in 1985, wishing I could experience at least one playoff series in my life.

At least this team has hope.  They had the number one rated farm system last offseason.  They now appear to have a good outfield  as well, with Alex Gordon, Melky Cabrera, and Jeff Francouer.  Eric Hosmer is locked up for 4 more years.  Alcides Escobar is a great defender with the ability to hit at least 250.  Mike Moustakas is starting to hit, though not the number of home runs we have expected, and Salvador Perez has been a great call-up at catcher hitting 318 with a great arm. They have a good offense but they still can't pitch.

They are 12th out of 14 in the American League in ERA, and that is with a good bullpen.  Our top two pitching prospects coming into the year do not look good.  Mike Montgomery has been awful at Triple-A this year, he was expected to be one of the June call-ups.  Danny Duffy has been bad too, he has an ERA over five with the Royals and a WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) of 1.61, 1.20 is considered good.  Aaron Crow was stellar pre all star break but has slipped since.  His ERA is over five with opponents his batting over 300 against him, who knows if he can be counted on to be a starter in the future.  The Royals don't have anything close to an ace now that Kyle Davies has been released.  Luke Hochevar shows signs but is not consistent enough.  They really need to find somebody in free agency but there is very little this year.

Dayton Moore is one of the best general managers in the league.  He has built the best farm system in baseball.  Signed good players cheap, like Bruce Chen, Melky Cabrera, and Jeff Francouer.  He gets criticism for signing too many players from his former team, the Braves, but if it's working I can't fault him.  With the budget David Glass gives him he has done a phenomenal job.  He has spent more money than any team in the draft.  He targets good high school players in later rounds who are planning to go to college and gives them big signing bonuses they can't refuse.

The Royals are on the right track and if David Glass gives Dayton Moore the budget he needs, Moore will make the most of it.