Post by Hou-GM on Jan 24, 2009 16:43:54 GMT -5
Astros=Red
KC=Green
Do you think your team is a Playoff contender this year?
Yes I believe we can compete for the division title or hang with the wild card teams this year, but, we haven't reached our prime year. When I took over this team, I aquired all the talent to kind of mature with 2003 as being the target season. Our success of 2001 was very premature. We were too young to be able to compete in a playoff setting, and we were surprised when we took the Blue Jays to game 5 of the divisional series. We laid an egg in that game and our lack of playoff experience showed. We got there with a good offense and some unfortunate injury situations on rival clubs. This year we are more balanced, but still have some growth left. I think there is a move or two in this team in the next month before the deadline, to solidy our club without weakening our future.
With the Royals Low Payroll Budget what are you going to do to try and keep that young talent in KC?
Well, we really sought out young talent that was a few years from free agency when we built this club. That gives us cheap evaluation time. The moment the Royals were handed over to me, I did a complete roster make over. Only Sweeney, Febles, and MacDougal are the only remaining contributors from the team I inherited. We know we will not keep all the talent, and that is ok. We will ride players until they outprice themselves for our organization and trade them while they are in their primes, still attractive to other owners with needs, and aquire more young depth. It is a cycle that you hope peaks together and gives you a shot at the playoffs every few years. We have been able to bankroll some money, so we may extend this current group of players a year or two longer than originally planned, if we think they have the goods to win a World Series. We have some good young talent in our minors offensively and defensively that match the organizations view. Mauer, Pedroia, Escobar, Zimmerman, Maxwell, Buscher and Matt Diaz who has been promoted to the Big Club and replaced Mark Quinn in our left field platoon versus lefties. This allows us to use Quinn as a bopper off the bench and Diaz can really rake. Our minors are not stocked with any pitchers that I view as future studs, so we will be extending contracts to Webb, Penny and Wang in the near future. Jason Schmidt will probably need to be traded to accommodate these moves. Sweeney or Shawn Green may need to get dealt next season. Not all is gloomy though Eric, with revenue sharing, an expanding fanbase, and a little luck, I believe we can become a lower level mid market team that does not benefit from revenue sharing.
Which Player is most Valuable to your team?
Our most valuable player JD Drew. Mike Sweeney really rakes and puts up great numbers versus righties and lefties and is a fan favorite, but Drew is the complete package. He plays great defense in centerfield. If I am not mistaken, he was second in the majors last season in outfield assists. It is Drew's bat that really makes him our MVP though. We do not have a true lead off hitter on our club, and that may be my fault, but Drew has stepped in wonderfully. He has enough speed to get around the bases and his contact and eye lead to .300 seasons with an OB% of near .400. He is currently on pace to score around 140 runs this season while hitting 30+ bombs and drive in over 100 runs. He and Sweeney have really carried our offense this season. Teixeira and Green have struggled a bit this season. If those two can get hot and get our offense back up into the 6+ runs a game that we envision from this group, then we can win this division.
How well do think your Draft Went?
[color=Red]Well, we picked 24 in the draft this season and were resigned to taking highest peak SP left. We were stunned that Ryan Zimmerman fell into our laps. He is already and average major league hitter and defender. He will get two or three seasons in the minors and should be our opening day third baseman in 2004 or 2005. In the second round, we got CF prospect Alejandro De Aza. A speed burner CF that hits left handed and plays great defense. I don't know what his future holds for him. I see him as a reserve OF at the major league level, coming in for defense or pinch running duties, but something tells me this kid is hungry. The third round landed us Scott Olsen. Definately a project type that we wont rush. He could possibly develop into an end of the rotation type talent, but it is going to take 4 or 5 years in the minors.
Superbowl Predicition for next week?
Well, being the Royals, we are rooting for the underdog story. Cards shock the world with a 31-17 victory.
KC=Green
Do you think your team is a Playoff contender this year?
Yes I believe we can compete for the division title or hang with the wild card teams this year, but, we haven't reached our prime year. When I took over this team, I aquired all the talent to kind of mature with 2003 as being the target season. Our success of 2001 was very premature. We were too young to be able to compete in a playoff setting, and we were surprised when we took the Blue Jays to game 5 of the divisional series. We laid an egg in that game and our lack of playoff experience showed. We got there with a good offense and some unfortunate injury situations on rival clubs. This year we are more balanced, but still have some growth left. I think there is a move or two in this team in the next month before the deadline, to solidy our club without weakening our future.
With the Royals Low Payroll Budget what are you going to do to try and keep that young talent in KC?
Well, we really sought out young talent that was a few years from free agency when we built this club. That gives us cheap evaluation time. The moment the Royals were handed over to me, I did a complete roster make over. Only Sweeney, Febles, and MacDougal are the only remaining contributors from the team I inherited. We know we will not keep all the talent, and that is ok. We will ride players until they outprice themselves for our organization and trade them while they are in their primes, still attractive to other owners with needs, and aquire more young depth. It is a cycle that you hope peaks together and gives you a shot at the playoffs every few years. We have been able to bankroll some money, so we may extend this current group of players a year or two longer than originally planned, if we think they have the goods to win a World Series. We have some good young talent in our minors offensively and defensively that match the organizations view. Mauer, Pedroia, Escobar, Zimmerman, Maxwell, Buscher and Matt Diaz who has been promoted to the Big Club and replaced Mark Quinn in our left field platoon versus lefties. This allows us to use Quinn as a bopper off the bench and Diaz can really rake. Our minors are not stocked with any pitchers that I view as future studs, so we will be extending contracts to Webb, Penny and Wang in the near future. Jason Schmidt will probably need to be traded to accommodate these moves. Sweeney or Shawn Green may need to get dealt next season. Not all is gloomy though Eric, with revenue sharing, an expanding fanbase, and a little luck, I believe we can become a lower level mid market team that does not benefit from revenue sharing.
Which Player is most Valuable to your team?
Our most valuable player JD Drew. Mike Sweeney really rakes and puts up great numbers versus righties and lefties and is a fan favorite, but Drew is the complete package. He plays great defense in centerfield. If I am not mistaken, he was second in the majors last season in outfield assists. It is Drew's bat that really makes him our MVP though. We do not have a true lead off hitter on our club, and that may be my fault, but Drew has stepped in wonderfully. He has enough speed to get around the bases and his contact and eye lead to .300 seasons with an OB% of near .400. He is currently on pace to score around 140 runs this season while hitting 30+ bombs and drive in over 100 runs. He and Sweeney have really carried our offense this season. Teixeira and Green have struggled a bit this season. If those two can get hot and get our offense back up into the 6+ runs a game that we envision from this group, then we can win this division.
How well do think your Draft Went?
[color=Red]Well, we picked 24 in the draft this season and were resigned to taking highest peak SP left. We were stunned that Ryan Zimmerman fell into our laps. He is already and average major league hitter and defender. He will get two or three seasons in the minors and should be our opening day third baseman in 2004 or 2005. In the second round, we got CF prospect Alejandro De Aza. A speed burner CF that hits left handed and plays great defense. I don't know what his future holds for him. I see him as a reserve OF at the major league level, coming in for defense or pinch running duties, but something tells me this kid is hungry. The third round landed us Scott Olsen. Definately a project type that we wont rush. He could possibly develop into an end of the rotation type talent, but it is going to take 4 or 5 years in the minors.
Superbowl Predicition for next week?
Well, being the Royals, we are rooting for the underdog story. Cards shock the world with a 31-17 victory.