Kansas City Royals 2010 Preview, Predictions & Odds

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Kansas City Royals 2009 MLB Record: 65-97
Kansas City Royals 2009 MLB Home Record: 33-48
Kansas City Royals 2009 MLB Away Record: 32-49

Kansas City Royals 2010 Betting

Kansas City Royals Odds to Win the American League: 45/1
Kansas City Royals Odds to Win the World Series: 85/1

Kansas City Royals 2010 Preview & Prediction

Assessing the 2010 Royals is something of a good news/bad news conundrum. This club has the American League’s best pitcher in reigning Cy Young winner Zack Greinke. It has an All-Star quality closer in Joakim Soria, who saved 30 games last season despite missing roughly a month because of a balky shoulder. And it has a potent young run producer in first baseman Billy Butler, who became the fifth player in history to put together a 50-double/20-homer campaign before his 24th birthday. Any club would love to possess three such young cornerstones – and all three are under the Royals’ control for at least three more years. The sobering counterpoint is that all three played to top form last year, and the Royals still careened to 97 losses. An organization that seemed to be making steady-if-slow progress under general manager Dayton Moore, who arrived in May 2006, suddenly tumbled back into vaudeville – complete with countless comical misplays and an astounding inability to execute the game’s fundamental skills. Moore sought to revamp his roster in the off season with an emphasis toward speed and defense. Will it help? Who knows? But how can it hurt?

It’s hard to see how the Royals make significant strides unless Gordon or Hochevar (probably both) takes major steps toward fulfilling once-lofty expectations. The longer view is more encouraging. The Royals will shed nearly $20 million in payroll after the season when Guillen, Farnsworth and Cruz come off the books.

Kansas City Royals Manager: Trey Hillman (2 Seasons) Record: 140 – 184

Kansas City Royals 2010 Projected Batting Order: LF David DeJesus (L), 2B Chris Getz (L), 1B Billy Buller (R), RF Jose Guillen (R), DH Alberto Callaspo (S), 3B Alex Gordon (L), C Jason Kendall (R), SS Yuniesky Betancourt (R), CF Brian Anderson (R)

Kansas City Royals 2010 Projected Rotation: RH lack Greinke, RH Gil Meche, RH Brian Bannister, RH Luke Hochevar, RH Kyle Davies

Kansas City Royals 2010 Projected Closer: Joakim Soria

2010 Kansas City Royals Rotation:

Any unit that starts with Greinke holds promise. He validated a new four-year extension for $38 million with a dominating season that, despite only 16 victories, culminated in an overwhelming Cy Young coronation. Can he be that good again? Probably not, but Greinke should still be plenty good. Everything else is cloaked in doubt. Gil Meche, Brian Bannister and Kyle Davies all nursed injuries as the season ended. Meche is a legitimate No.2 guy if he returns to form. Bannister and Davies, if healthy, are capable back-of-the rotation arms. (Don’t minimize the if’s in those assessments.) And don’t be surprised if the Royals try to force a lefty into the unit. They tried to do so last season with Horacio Ramirez, Bruce Chen and Lenny DiNardo, with predictable results. Then there’s Luke Hochevar, who remains a genuine enigma. He was dominant last season on multiple occasions and still finished 7-13 with a 6.55 ERA. Pitching coach Bob McClure insists Hochevar is going to get it. If so, this could be a heck of a rotation. That’s another big if.

2009-2010 Kansas City Royals Bullpen:

Despite Soria’s calming and near-automatic presence, the relief corps was the most disappointing aspect in a disappointing season. The veteran unit that Moore constructed after dealing away Ramon Ramirez and Leo Nunez compiled a 5.02 ERA. (That number jumps to 5.37 minus Soria’s contributions.) Kyle Farnsworth and Juan Cruz, each acquired for two years at the cumulative cost of $14.25 million, combined for a 5.24 ERA. Yet, the Royals are again depending on that duo to bridge lea~s to Soria. Robinson Tejeda excelled last season as a long reliever and in a series of September starts when injuries decimated the rotation. He’ll be somewhere. Roman Colon adds another power arm but needs greater consistency to move past mop-up roles. Ex-Cardinal Brad Thompson will get a look after signing a minor league deal. But all of those guys are right handers Lefty candidates are thin.

2010 Kansas City Royals Middle Infield:

The effort to bolster a dreadful defense is most evident in the decision to move Alberto Callaspo off second base despite solid offensive credentials. Callaspo has limited range and still made a league-leading 17 errors. The new starter is Chris Getz, who arrived with third baseman/outfielder Josh Fields from the White Sox for third baseman Mark Teahen. Getz should also add some much-needed speed to the lineup. The shortstop is ex-Mariner Yuniesky Betancourt, whose defensive skills engender considerable debate. This much is hard to argue: Betancourt has slipped significantly, offensively and defensively, over the last two years. The question now is whether he can reverse the trend. The Royals will get a major boost if shortstop Mike Aviles recovers from elbow surgery and regains his 2008 form. Aviles is sufficiently versatile that he could handle duties at second, short or third. Veteran Willie Bloomquist projects as the primary utility man.

2010 Kansas City Royals Corners:

Manager Trey Hillman minces no words in designating Butler, the club’s top hitter, as the regular first baseman. Butler succeeded last season in knocking some rough edges off his still-substandard defensive skills, and Hillman sees no reason why that improvement won’t continue. Third baseman Alex Gordon endured a lost season in 2009 that included three months on the disabled list following hip surgery. Expectations for Gordon were immense (and probably wholly unfair/unrealistic) when he was selected by the Royals as the second overall pick in the 2005 draft. (Remember George Brett saying he was honored to be compared to Gordon?) To date, Gordon has shown flashes but only flashes – and probably needs to show more this season merely to hold onto his job. Fields is available if Gordon slips, and a healthy Aviles could be the best option of all.

2010 Kansas City Royals Outfield:

The search for a speedy center fielder with proven defensive skills yielded only one-time prospect Brian Anderson as the new year dawned. Still, he rates a slight nod over in-house candidates Mitch Maier and Bloomquist, who are each better suited to backup duties. There is no plan, for now, to shift David Dejesus back to center. Dejesus is a solid offensive contributor who found a comfort zone last season in left field and, really, never had the speed and range desired of a center fielder at Kauffman Stadium. Veteran Jose Guillen enters spring training as the starting right fielder, although that could change if his aging legs prove incapable of handling the defensive responsibilities. Say this: The Royals should get a highly motivated Guillen because he will be a free agent after the season. But even a healthy Guillen increases the need for a true fly catcher in center field.

2010 Kansas City Royals Catching:

Why did the Royals jettison veteran Miguel Olivo and John Buck after they combined for 31 homers and 101 RBI’s? Simple – defense. The Royals led the majors in the combination of wild pitches and passed balls and all sorts of defensively damaging stats. Few criticized the decision until the Royals signed veteran Jason Kendall for $6 million over two years. Virtually every statistical measurement suggests Kendall’s skills, at age 35, are in decline. He certainly won’t come close to matching the Olivo/Buck combo for offensive production. Kendall has only eight homers over the last five years – but he should, at least, catch the ball.

2010 Kansas City Royals Bench:

Callaspo’s bat needs to be in the lineup if he remains with the club after being dangled about in trade talks. He batted .300 last season with unexpected pop: 11 homers among 60 extra-base hits and an OPS that trailed only Buder’s. So figure him as the DH unless Guillen fails to show the necessary range to handle regular duty in right field. If so, Dejesus likely shifts to right with Callaspo playing left. Either scenario puts Fields on the bench along with Bloomquist, Maier and backup catcher Brayan Pena. If healthy, Aviles could force his way onto the squad.

Kansas City Royals 2010 Season Predictions

We predict that the Kansas City Royals will finish 5th in the AL Central Division .

Kansas City Royals 5-Year Win Trend

2009: T-4th AL Central 65
2008: 4th AL Central 75
2007: 5th AL Central 69
2006: 5th AL Central 62
2005: 5th AL Central 56

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