Kansas City Royals general manager optimistic about season

[franksolich]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/2009-02-18-1770040245_x.htm

Well, that makes two of us.

SURPRISE, Ariz. — The Kansas City Royals, who have not been in the playoffs since winning the 1985 World Series, held their first full-squad workout Wednesday, with general manager Dayton Moore saying his team could compete in the AL Central this season.

Kansas City won 75 games last season and escaped last place in its division for the first time in five years. With the offseason offensive additions of Mike Jacobs, Coco Crisp and Willie Bloomquist, the Royals believe they could be legitimate contenders in 2009.

"We've had a 13-game improvement over the last two years," Moore said. "We expect not only to improve, but to compete within our division. You say the same thing every year, but this year I think it has much more of a meaning when we say that."

Moore said Kansas City needs two things to contend: cohesive starting pitching and the entire team staying healthy.

"I'm very optimistic," said Trey Hillman, who is beginning his second season as the Royals manager. "I think we were able to do some very, very productive things going into this year. I look at where we were at on the same date last year and its a different roster with different guys that can be difference makers for us both offensively and defensively."

[BlueStateSaint]

Coach, the Royals are in a pretty tough division, in the AL Central.  Though, I'm not too sure if SP Cliff Lee will have the same season he had last year for the Indians, but then again, SP Fausto Carmona could step up and have a monster season, too.  Detroit has too good of a starting staff, IMO, to have another down year.  Dontrelle Willis, for example, will rebound, and I don't think that Nate Robertson or Jeremy Bonderman will be as bad as they were last year.  Minnesota . . . Ron Gardenhire, their manager, always seems to wrangle the absolute best out of his players.  And the White Sox--well, Ozzie Guillen's club won the AL Central last year, and he'll make sure that he does whatever he can to repeat.

Will the Royals compete?  Yes.  Are they the favorites in that division?  No way.  Could they do it?  Sure.  Anything's possible.  Just not probable.

[Odin's Hand]

Chicago or Minnesota will win the AL Central.

[franksolich]

Anything's possible.

That, sir, is exactly precisely what I'm counting on.

[BlueStateSaint]

Chicago or Minnesota will win the AL Central.

Can't count out Detroit, just based on their pitching staff.

KC actually could contend for a wild card.  Then again, there should be quite a few teams in the AL in the running for the WC--three from the East, four from the Central.  One never knows.  Optimism is a good thing in baseball.  Remember, on April 6th (or whenever Opening Day is), they all start at 0-0.

[Odin's Hand]

Can't count out Detroit, just based on their pitching staff.

KC actually could contend for a wild card.  Then again, there should be quite a few teams in the AL in the running for the WC--three from the East, four from the Central.  One never knows.  Optimism is a good thing in baseball.  Remember, on April 6th (or whenever Opening Day is), they all start at 0-0.

I think they'll have difficulty scoring runs this year. They have too much $ invested in Sheffield as he has had a sharp drop in production in the past two years. I think Willis gets lit up prodigiously again this season. Bonderman and Verlander won't be able to stop the bleeding.