The K.C. Royals
Two Thousand and Four Preview
‘Building on Last Year’
2003 Results:
2003 Overview
Overachieving
Stayed in contention until
Stretch run fade
Rotation:
Bullpen gets upgrade
But walks are still a problem
Yet home runs are low
MacDougal’s first year
Racking up saves all year long
But causing heartburn
Curtis Leskanic
Successful despite the walks
Repeat unlikely
Free agent signing
Sullivan upgrades bullpen
A nice addition
D.J. Carrasco
What does DJ represent?
Daniel Carrasco
Journeyman Grimsely
Racked up the innings last year
Average pitcher
Lineup:
Rookie of the year
Way back in eighty seven
Still contributing
Sweeney rakes and takes
Staying in the lineup key
Injuries common
Desi Relaford
Five syllables is that name
I have nothing here
Angel Berroa
Baird asks ‘Who’s the genius now?’
Slick fielding short stop
Resigning Randa
Filled potential hole at third
Solid role player
Former MVP
Juan Gone adds punch to lineup
Only if healthy
Superstar Beltran
In final year of contract
Hello, Steinbrenner!
Late bloomer Guiel
Cracked the lineup at thirty
Likely journeyman
Big righty masher
Stairs provides punch from left side
There’s the bench Harvey
Bench:
Can’t hit right handers
Harvey needs a platoon mate
Say hello to Stairs
Emerging rookie
DeJesus will be needed
Teammates are fragile
Short name is Tony
Anthony Graffinino
Utility sub
Journeyman catcher
Stinnett backing up Benny
Dime a dozen catcher
Top Prospects:
The best of the best
Zach Greinke is coming soon
Summer arrival?
Left handed Gobble
B plus rated by Sickels
Bullpen in 04?
2004 Outlook:
Regression to mean
Offsets good off-season moves
Third place once again
Overall record
Eighty-one and eighty one
Five Hundred Baseball
Two Thousand and Four Preview
‘Building on Last Year’
2003 Results:
| 83 wins, 79 losses | Runs scored – 836 (4th in AL) |
| 3rd in AL Central, 7 games back | Runs allowed – 867 (12th in AL) |
| Pythagorean record – 78-84 |
| Players Acquired | Players Lost |
| Benito Santiago | Paul Abbott |
| Kelly Stinnett | Al Levine |
| Tony Graffanino | Jose Lima |
| Scott Sullivan | Graeme Lloyd |
| Matt Stairs | Jamey Wright |
| Juan Gonzalez | Tom Prince |
| Rich Thompson | Raul Ibanez |
| Jamie Cerda | Michael Tucker |
| Rondell White | |
| Brent Mayne | |
| Mike DiFelice |
2003 Overview
Overachieving
Stayed in contention until
Stretch run fade
Rotation:
| Pitcher | Age | Throws | Innings | ERA | ERA+ | K/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 |
| Anderson | 32 | L | 197.7 | 3.78 | 118 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 1.2 |
| May | 32 | L | 210.0 | 3.77 | 135 | 4.9 | 2.3 | 1.3 |
| Appier | 36 | R | 111.7 | 5.40 | 81 | 4.4 | 3.5 | 1.7 |
| Affeldt | 25 | L | 126.0 | 3.93 | 129 | 7.0 | 2.7 | 0.9 |
| Ascencio | 23 | R | 48.3 | 5.21 | 97 | 5.0 | 3.9 | 0.7 |
| Pitcher | Age | Throws | Innings | ERA | ERA+ | K/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 |
| MacDougal | 27 | R | 64.0 | 4.08 | 124 | 8.0 | 4.5 | 0.6 |
| Leskanic | 36 | R | 52.7 | 2.22 | 212 | 8.5 | 5.0 | 0.3 |
| Sullivan | 33 | R | 64.0 | 3.66 | 118 | 7.9 | 4.5 | 0.8 |
| Carrasco | 27 | R | 80.3 | 4.82 | 105 | 6.4 | 4.5 | 0.9 |
| Grimsley | 36 | R | 75.0 | 5.16 | 98 | 7.0 | 4.3 | 0.7 |
Bullpen gets upgrade
But walks are still a problem
Yet home runs are low
MacDougal’s first year
Racking up saves all year long
But causing heartburn
Curtis Leskanic
Successful despite the walks
Repeat unlikely
Free agent signing
Sullivan upgrades bullpen
A nice addition
D.J. Carrasco
What does DJ represent?
Daniel Carrasco
Journeyman Grimsely
Racked up the innings last year
Average pitcher
Lineup:
| Batter | Age | Pos | Bats | ABs | Ave | OBP | SLG | EQA |
| Santiago | 39 | C | R | 401 | .279 | .329 | .424 | .265 |
| Sweeney | 30 | 1B | R | 392 | .293 | .391 | .467 | .291 |
| Relaford | 30 | 2B | S | 500 | .254 | .315 | .376 | .240 |
| Berroa | 25 | SS | R | 567 | .287 | .338 | .451 | .268 |
| Randa | 34 | 3B | R | 502 | .291 | .348 | .452 | .269 |
| Gonzalez | 34 | LF | R | 327 | .294 | .329 | .572 | .291 |
| Beltran | 27 | CF | S | 521 | .307 | .389 | .522 | .310 |
| Guiel | 31 | RF | L | 354 | .277 | .346 | .489 | .273 |
| Stairs | 36 | DH | L | 305 | .292 | .389 | .561 | .313 |
Rookie of the year
Way back in eighty seven
Still contributing
Sweeney rakes and takes
Staying in the lineup key
Injuries common
Desi Relaford
Five syllables is that name
I have nothing here
Angel Berroa
Baird asks ‘Who’s the genius now?’
Slick fielding short stop
Resigning Randa
Filled potential hole at third
Solid role player
Former MVP
Juan Gone adds punch to lineup
Only if healthy
Superstar Beltran
In final year of contract
Hello, Steinbrenner!
Late bloomer Guiel
Cracked the lineup at thirty
Likely journeyman
Big righty masher
Stairs provides punch from left side
There’s the bench Harvey
Bench:
| Bench | Age | Pos | Bats | ABs | Ave | OBP | SLG | EQA |
| Harvey | 26 | 1B/DH | R | 485 | .266 | .313 | .408 | .240 |
| DeJesus | 24 | OF | L | 215 | .298 | .412 | .470 | (AAA) |
| Graffanino | 32 | IF | R | 250 | .260 | .331 | .428 | .268 |
| Stinnett | 34 | C | R | 186 | .237 | .302 | .355 | .230 |
Can’t hit right handers
Harvey needs a platoon mate
Say hello to Stairs
Emerging rookie
DeJesus will be needed
Teammates are fragile
Short name is Tony
Anthony Graffinino
Utility sub
Journeyman catcher
Stinnett backing up Benny
Dime a dozen catcher
Top Prospects:
The best of the best
Zach Greinke is coming soon
Summer arrival?
Left handed Gobble
B plus rated by Sickels
Bullpen in 04?
2004 Outlook:
Regression to mean
Offsets good off-season moves
Third place once again
Overall record
Eighty-one and eighty one
Five Hundred Baseball
I like the haiku theme. But one minor correction: The Royals were 83-79 in 2003, not 88-74.
http://mothershipconnection.blogspot.com/
Senryu review.
Royals poetic worthy?
Basho rolls in grave
This has to be one of the most entertaining and unique reviews I have read in a good while. Great job.
Senryu review.
Royals poetic worthy?
Basho rolls in grave
This has to be one of the most entertaining and unique reviews I have read in a good while. Great job.
Am I obsolete?
After this, it's very much
An open question
After this, it's very much
An open question
http://www.lyleblog.com
I could never figure out how KC won 83. I guess it was because they were in the AL central.
I guess there is one factor, Tony Pena. IS he that good?
I could never figure out how KC won 83. I guess it was because they were in the AL central.
I guess there is one factor, Tony Pena. IS he that good?
One area where the Royals excelled last year, which helped their record, was BA with RISP. I believe they were first in baseball with something like a .300 average.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/teams/batting?team=kan&season=2003&split=39&seasonType=2
The Royals went .304/.373/.458 with runners in scoring position. Curiously, their opponents hit almost as well. COMN.
The Royals went .304/.373/.458 with runners in scoring position. Curiously, their opponents hit almost as well. COMN.
Thanks, Pistol. That was a lot of fun -- Ascencio, Beltran and MacDougal are my favourites.
I can see these Royals finishing anywhere from first to third. At the risk of encouraging another poem, who do you like in the division?
I can see these Royals finishing anywhere from first to third. At the risk of encouraging another poem, who do you like in the division?
Thanks Coach. My favorites were May, Berroa, Beltran and Stairs.
who do you like in the division?
Indians are green
The Tigers are a big mess
That leaves just three teams
You've read about K.C.
Coach Guillen is no Gaston
The Twins win, Twins win!
who do you like in the division?
Indians are green
The Tigers are a big mess
That leaves just three teams
You've read about K.C.
Coach Guillen is no Gaston
The Twins win, Twins win!
I'm not too enthralled with the Twins' rotation and their lineup isn't that much better than average. But then, they're the only real 500-plus team in the Central.