Royals in 2007.....Surprise????

[tommydale1]

They are in the toughest division in all of baseball, and they have been in the cellar for many years. Should the Royals throw caution to the wind and bring up their young studs to take their lumps in 2007 in an attempt to get them ready to compete before 2010. Why nurse these young hitters along if they are better in their "green" state than the team they throw out there? I understand that there may be a problem with finding a position for everyone in the field, but the potential of the bats in this order is azs good as anyone except the D-Backs.
1. Gordon
2. Butler
3. Shealy
4. Teahen
5. Maier (catching prospect with Butler's numbers in Wichita)
6. Sweeney (healthy)

Put Grienke (healthy), Buckner, and Hochevar on the mound.

Why not let them take their lumps in the mid-20's? Why wait until they are 30 and just expect them to be ready. Sometimes losing teaches you to become better.

[W_Marone]

Werent they decent for a season like a few season's ago?

[KCGHOST]

We just went through three years of a GM rushing every prospect we had to the bigs as soon as he had done anything in AA. Every last one of these guys went belly up. Let's bring guys up when they are ready and not before. Why start the free agency clock moving before the player is able to contribute.

Gordon may well be ready for the bigs, but Butler and Maier should show us they are can handle AAA first. Hochevar has only pitched a nominal amount of AA innings. He should start the season there with the eye to moving him to AAA quickly if he does well.

[Brannu]

I agree that they might as well bring up some of their talented pitchers ... but ... they aren't going to surprise anyone next year. They've got four really good teams ahead of them. Well, four if The Indians relive 2005.

[plask_stirlac]

What's the surprise, bringing Gordon and others up? They aren't going to make a competitive run, they only had one winning record against an AL team in 2006, Boston at 5-4. They were 2-10 against Baltimore and Tampa Bay, like a young, bad team.

It's not that I think they didn't get better as the year went on, but the second half "rebound" was a .413 WP, good for 67-95 over 162.

[Old Sweater]

Hochevar has only pitched a nominal amount of AA innings

Like to see this kid do good. Another product from the Arkansas Valley in Colorado. Hochevar, Tippy Martinez, Scott Elarton, Doug Brocail, Mike Oquist and Mike Thompson, all from the Valley. Not bad for a State where the ball is not suppose to break.

[RoyallyWise]

I see them making a competitve run this year, you'll be surprised. 85 wins.

[Old Sweater]

I see them making a competitve run this year, you'll be surprised. 85 wins.

I've been hoping for 81 wins since 2000 here in Colorado. See your really shooting for the sky in 2007 with 85.

[DodgerBlue8188]

Just seems like any players that turn into stars will be lost in free agency.

[BeerBatter]

Kansas City has a pro baseball team?

Anyway, I wouldn't mind seeing KC stir up the AL Central. Might make things interesting.

[jeterMVP]

I see them making a competitve run this year, you'll be surprised. 85 wins.

not in the central. the tigers, twins, indians, and white sox are all by far much better teams. i'd be surprised if they reached 75

[RoyallyWise]

This is the year, they filled some gaps and now they are ready to compete.

[cubsfan1073]

Well, it may seem like all of those guys could be ready, but they are just too young. Some of them could be called up this season, but others need a little more in the minors. Being thrown into the bigs when you're not ready is not a very good option because often the players fail terribly. But this team could be good soon. Give them five years and they will be a playoff contender every year. But, like the Indians in the 90's and the Marlins in 2005, once all of their homegrown talent is asking for the big bucks, they will have to trade everyone away.

[Old Sweater]

Kansas City has a pro baseball team?

OUCH!!! That has to hurt coming from a Brewer fan.

[EvanAparra]

This is the year, they filled some gaps and now they are ready to compete.

Not in the pitching staff -- their staff is nowhere near what it needs to be to compete in this or any division in baseball.

[RoyallyWise]

OUCH!!! That has to hurt coming from a Brewer fan.

seriously. When was the last time Miluakee was decent?

[EvanAparra]

seriously. When was the last time Miluakee was decent?

2005

too short

[cubsfan1073]

Not in the pitching staff -- their staff is nowhere near what it needs to be to compete in this or any division in baseball.

They have some good young prospects and Gil Meche is solid. They won't have a good rotation, but it won't be terrible

[Captain Cold Nose]

2005

too short

True, but then their history is not as good as the Royals.

[BeerBatter]

True, but then their history is not as good as the Royals.

Are you kidding me?! Late 70's to mid 80's Milwaukee had quite a decent team...and again in the early 90's. I also recall a few milwaukee braves teams that were not that shabby. But I do feel the pain of a royals fan, as the brewers are not all that hot as of late...12 or so years.

[Captain Cold Nose]

Are you kidding me?! Late 70's to mid 80's Milwaukee had quite a decent team...and again in the early 90's. I also recall a few milwaukee braves teams that were not that shabby. But I do feel the pain of a royals fan, as the brewers are not all that hot as of late...12 or so years.

True, I remember the 70's and 80's teams well. They and my Tigers had a nice rivalry once Ted Simmons went to the Brewers.

It takes good leadership with the courage to build the team for success to follow. The Royals have a shot at that. The Brewers? The right moves and they contend in a division where the teams are better on paper than how they perform in the regular season.

[EvanAparra]

True, but then their history is not as good as the Royals.

That wasn't the question.

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

I think that they could surprise... We will have to see, but it has happened before.

They are in the toughest division in all of baseball...

Debatable...

[Captain Cold Nose]

That wasn't the question.

That wasn't what I was responding to. Grr to you, too.

[Rose4theHall]

I think they will win 70-80 games this year, that division isnt as good as it used to be. I predict the Twins and White Sox will fall off very hard in 07, which will lead to a come up in KC, meaning they wont lose 90+ games, and Cleveland and Detroit will be battling battling for the division.

The Tribe looks TOUGH this year, they went and got a potentially great bullpen, their INF is primed to be one of the best in MLB and they have a really good rotation. Their OF is young and promising too.