Posted on 02/17/2016 6:25:23 AM PST by NRx
Look at their team. The Royals can't win it? Right? Right?
This is, of course, exactly how Kansas City fans would prefer all of baseball to analyze their team, because the whole us-against-the-world thing has produced two pennants and a World Series title in the past two years.
What we have here, though, will play right into their hands, because the American League Central joins the American League East as perhaps the only divisions in baseball in which all five teams have legitimate designs on the postseason (and we can debate the level of legitimacy of those designs all summer).
One thing we know: The Royals may be excellent at the game of baseball, but those who pore over numbers and spit out formulas are hardly enchanted. Check out the forecasts from the two analytics Web sites we're checking with in our preview capsules - and digest the rest of the division from there.
Me too and I'm very happy to see the expectations more contained this season.
What do you think about the rotation going into ST? Do you think we're going to stay put with Roark and Ross at the end of the rotation?
Billy Beane lost the edge because now everybody uses ‘Sabercrap’.
Mattingly got fired by the Dodgers for not being stat-friendly enough. Old school Sciosia is still dragging down the Angels.
No matter how I look at it it’s gonna be another disappointing, year for my braves.
Exactly. Case in point, game 5 of the World Series. Top of the ninth, Royals trailing by one, Hosmer on third, one out. Perez grounds out to the short stop who looks at Hosmer and then throws to first. As soon as he turns to throw, Hosmer breaks for home and is safe on Duda's wild throw. Every analytic, every statistic, says that Hosmer holds at third but a smart team knows that Duda doesn't have an accurate arm and you take the chance. That's why the Royals win, then manufacture runs when the statistics say they shouldn't. That's why they'll be competitive this year.
Roark deserves his chance. I suppose we now have Arroyo and possibly Giolito later on if someone goes down or can’t cut it.
The biggest thing in my opinion is health of the starting line up, if they can actually consistently score runs it takes so much pressure off the pitching, both starters and bullpen. The last few years, too much screwing themselves into the ground and flailing wildly with two strikes. With Desmond gone and Rendon healthy, and the addition of Revere and Murphy that might be possible.
Freegards
Yep...watching the Royals in the playoffs and the World Series was so refreshing and exciting. Those guys took whatever opportunity the pitchers gave them and if that was the first pitch they swung! And then once they got someone on base it was really exciting, they kept the guy on the mound and the defense backing him up off balance.
Watching our guys the last couple of seasons, with the exception of Harper last year, refuse to swing at the first pitch...no matter what it was...and then swinging for the fences with two strikes, nearly drove me crazy.
I'm praying that Rendon and RZimm can stay healthy and that Revere and Rendon can be the new Span-Rendon duo at the the top of the lineup.
Can't wait for Opening Day!
Rendon staying healthy and proving that maybe he can win a batting title is going to be key. By my count, the Nats actually have more guys this year willing/able to make contact than in ‘14. Have to count Harp of fame in that for getting on base so much and patience improvement.
Freegards
I hear you, my friend. At least Freddie Freeman is (theoretically) healthy again.
*This is why we chop*
Al Avila hasn’t exactly been sitting around on his hands . . . he’s brought some muscle over to Detroit and they claim they are going to take the Central.
It’s going to be a dogfight, but Tigers gots claws this year.
The Royals have proved that wrong two years in a row. You don't need strike-out kings. Great defense, inning-eating pitchers, a line-up full of contact hitters, and a shutdown bull pen is their style.
Madison is the only reason why the Royals don't have 2 consecutive World Championships. He's not human.
Yeah, I really believe that when a team brings it in there's something magical with the fans that's usually part of it.
(*sigh*) That and holding Butler at third in game seven, bottom of the ninth. Should have sent him home.
My late, great father-in-law is looking down, smiling on that prediction. He was a lifelong Indians fan. Every season he would say “this is our year.”
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