Last season we climbed out of last, lolDetroit, and this year another step or 3 needs to be taken.

Projected opening day lineup

1. CF Coco Crisp - hit .290 with 25 sb
2. LF David DeJesus - do your thing
3. 2B Mark Teahen - realize potential plz
4. RF Jose Guillen - don't be a ******
5. 1B Mike Jacobs - hit lots of HR, catch the ball
6. DH Billy Butler - emerge as the man
7. 3B Alex Gordon - emerge as the man
8. C Miguel Olivo - hit some plz
9. SS Mike Aviles - don't regress too much

Rotation
1 Gil Meche - pitch like an ace
2 this guy who needs to pwn everyone


3 Kyle Davies - realize potential
4 Sidney Ponson - i dunno
5 Horacio Ramirez - get it together or kill time until Hochevar/Bannister come back

Bench
Alberto Callaspo - play d and hit sometimes
Tony Pena - play d and hit over 200 plz
Willie Bloomquist - utility
Braylon Pena
John Buck - 3 catchers huh

Bullpen
some long relievers
Kyle Farnsworth - throw hard strikes
Ron Mahay - get lots of outs
Juan Cruz - strike out people in the 8th
Joakim Soria - end games ldo


There's a lot of uncertainty with this team. However, things are looking up as long as our infield defense doesn't ruin too many games. Obv Butler, Gordon, and Teahan hitting like men have a huge impact on how much we improve. Lets win 81+ and maybe steal the AL Central. Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer might show up in 2010?

I'm gonna try to make it out to the new K a few times this summer, maybe opening day

The key to the season is Davies stepping up and being a solid 3rd starter. Also our bench is so horrible offensively it makes me want to cry. Willie Bloomquist makes David Howard look like Ryne Sandberg. Other than that though it could be a fun year. Should be really interesting to see what they do with KK if he starts off where he left off last year. Soira to me is a big question mark. Will he continue like he did last year, or was that some kind of flash in the pan career year? If Teahen can play serviceable 2nd and continue to hit 270 or whatever that's more than enough. He's just not enough offensively for outfield or corner infield.

Royals could absolutely win the AL Central this year. I haven't been able to say that for a long time.

I know someone posted this in 07 or 08 thread but it ought to be linked again as its pretty solid

http://www.ranyontheroyals.com/

Also, how dare I not mention Kevin "outta" Seitzer coming home to coach hitters into becoming him and George Brett reincarnate.

Yeah I have Rany on my Google reader feed. Rany basically gave up on the Royals because we keep signing players who are allergic to walks. But then he came back into the fold when we signed Greinke to a long term deal.

Royals fans always come back for more abuse. The Royals only hurt us because they love us so much. You don't know them in the quiet, tender moments. They were so good to us in the 70s and 80s. We had so much fun together. Things are going to be different this time...

I really feel for Rany because he didn't even become a Royals fan til after '85.

These two sites are also really good:

http://www.royalsreview.com/ (good for gameday discussion threads)

http://royalsblog.kansascity.com/

I guess Splitorff had a stroke and they still have him announcing this game. It's weird because he sounds ******ed which is annoying

All I know is it's a good time to have the HD baseball package on DTV, and no job.

you don't find split annoying?

split sounds so weird thats sad

He doesn't sound that bad, just different. I think I'm already getting used to it.

just tuned in to the hom telecast, this guy doesnt sound "bad", though i've never heard him before.

i really like the royals this year fwiw. at least you can say "the royals have a shot this year at the division", and people won't laugh. that says more about the overall mediocrity of the division, but they're right in it imo.

outside of maybe harry carry, show me another example of someone on TV that cannot pronounce anything correctly. stop being so damn pc, I said he sounds ******ed not that he is ******ed

Yeah just like they had a chance last year until they went on one of their patented soul-crushing double-digit losing streaks. Here's hoping no more of those.

They may be trying to set a record for men left on base today

He's not that bad, just slurs a little on certain words. Plus I would think he'll get a little better over time. He's a good announcer so I think we should show some compassion and give the guy a chance.

Although I wouldn't mind if Frank White fills in a few more times this year. He's a joy to listen to, with lots of deep insight on baserunning and infield play that I really haven't heard anywhere else. Obviously Frank was/is very intellectual about the game.

Its just very odd sounding at first. The more I have been listening the easier it is to understand him. If he wants to be there, I guess they should let him, but I like Frank too. Split should get more games off this year obv.

Our infield scares me every ground ball. At least Jacobs is handling it ok so far.

Gotta love DeJesus in left, gives us good speed to the outfield. He's thrown out 2 runners already.

Why the **** is Farnsworth ever pitching the 8th inning up 1??????????
Meche was on fire and Juan Cruz is set up man. **** you Trey.

Hey did the same thing for us the whole 2nd half last year after we got him for Pudge

farnsworthless

I know we brought in Farnsworth for situations like this, but why didn't they use Mahay when he was so good last year?

The good:

Had lots of good at bats and got Buehrle's pitch count up.
Meche pitched well, leaving with a 2-1 lead.
Solid defense. DeJesus throwing out two runners and catching an in between pop-up that they had so much trouble with last year.
Two RBI's and a homer for Gordon.

The not-so-good:

Too many men LOB. Needed some clutch hitting.
Farnsworth didn't seem to be hitting his spots.
Butler didn't have a good day.

I (and many other Yankee fans) would ask myself the same question not so long ago...

Welcome to the head case that is Farnsworth.

whens the last time k.c. had 2 allstars? lol

As a Yanks fan, I feel sorry for the Royals fans for Farnsworth signing. He's only capable of throwing up zeros and K's only in blowout situations. If his fastball is flat (more often than not), be ready for Pearl Harbor. I'm rooting for Royals in the Central this year as they've actually made a striving effort this past off-season to compete. I can't stand Ozzie Guillen so the Sox can go die.