Royals are first place in the AL Central standings

[Halu Sination]

As we are approaching the half-way point, the Royals have crept up to just half a game behind the Tigers. Alex Gordon has the third highest WAR in the MLB among all players, only below Tulo and Trout, and Salvador Perez is third among catchers. Their starting pitching doesn't look all that amazing but reliever Wade Davis has a 1.34 FIP (1.19 ERA) and on a little more predictable note, Greg Holland is second in the league in saves.

What the fuck. I'm actually cool with Royals knocking Tigers out of the play-offs race though. I like the Tigers for the most part but they always eliminate the teams that I'd like to see do well and then they get eliminated by the teams that everybody hates. They don't deserve to be in the play-offs anymore.

EDIT: Fixed the topic title with an updated one. I fully expect to see pigs fly.

[TraceOneInfinite]

Thanks for the thread, but you said the Royals starting pitching doesn't look all that amazing?  Statistically they have to be one of the top starting rotations in the league.  Vargas is having a career year, and Duffy and Ventura were high prospects who are reaching their potential, and Shields is Shields.

Tigers are really falling apart.  Verlander isn't Verlander anymore.  Their GM doesn't know how to put together a bullpen and tries to make up for it by overpaying closers which is never a good idea.   

[Halu Sination]

Thanks for the thread, but you said the Royals starting pitching doesn't look all that amazing?  Statistically they have to be one of the top starting rotations in the league.  Vargas is having a career year, and Duffy and Ventura were high prospects who are reaching their potential, and Shields is Shields.

Tigers are really falling apart.  Verlander isn't Verlander anymore.  Their GM doesn't know how to put together a bullpen and tries to make up for it by overpaying closers which is never a good idea.  

I suppose I should clarify. Their starting rotation doesn't look all that amazing for title contenders (assuming they knock Tigers out of the AL Central lead). They have a very solid 1-2-3 punch with Shields, Vargas, and Yordano, but I gotta give the nod to Scherzer, Anibal Sanchez, and Rick Porcello. Verlander might suck dick right now but that is still a ridiculous rotation. And besides, Verlander was inconsistent as hell last season too and he still ended up wreaking havoc in the play-offs.

Like I said though, I'm rooting for you guys. I did NOT think Royals would be as good as they look right now and I'm hoping it ain't a fluke, I hope this lasts all season and you eventually whoop Detroit's asses out of play-off contention. Royals have one of the best defensive outfields, and it's always a feel good story when teams excel without any real power hitters too.

[Remedy360]

Vargas is having a career year,

One thing about Vargas is that he always seems to put great first halfs together then isn't the same guy in the second half, leading to the increased ERA you see in his previous seasons compared to what he's done so far. I saw that for years here and I feel like that's what happened in LA last year too. Don't get me wrong, I always liked the guy but watch him in the second half before you declare he's having a career year.

[TraceOneInfinite]

One thing about Vargas is that he always seems to put great first halfs together then isn't the same guy in the second half, leading to the increased ERA you see in his previous seasons compared to what he's done so far. I saw that for years here and I feel like that's what happened in LA last year too. Don't get me wrong, I always liked the guy but watch him in the second half before you declare he's having a career year.

That's a good point.. and it's likely there will be some regression in the second half.  The thing I think he has going for him though is that he is a crafty lefty.  And they say that those kind of lefty's usually age much better than fastball pitchers like Verlander.  The problem with Verlander is that he used to be able to rely on his fastball to get out of jams.  Butler said after the game he was just sitting on Verlander's fastball when the bases were loaded and now his fastball is only coming in at 91-92 miles an hour and it was in the location Butler was looking for and he knocked a 3-run double.

Even better news is the future for the Royals is paying Vargas 5 million the next several years while the Tigers are tied into 100 million plus with Verlander during that time.  I would rather have Vargas, a crafty lefty in his 30's than an aging Verlander.

[TraceOneInfinite]

I suppose I should clarify. Their starting rotation doesn't look all that amazing for title contenders (assuming they knock Tigers out of the AL Central lead). They have a very solid 1-2-3 punch with Shields, Vargas, and Yordano, but I gotta give the nod to Scherzer, Anibal Sanchez, and Rick Porcello. Verlander might suck dick right now but that is still a ridiculous rotation. And besides, Verlander was inconsistent as hell last season too and he still ended up wreaking havoc in the play-offs.

Like I said though, I'm rooting for you guys. I did NOT think Royals would be as good as they look right now and I'm hoping it ain't a fluke, I hope this lasts all season and you eventually whoop Detroit's asses out of play-off contention. Royals have one of the best defensive outfields, and it's always a feel good story when teams excel without any real power hitters too.

Don't forget Duffy.  If you look up Duffy's numbers, not just this season but over his career, he has the makings of a legit #2 starter in a lot of rotations.

...but anyway, not to split hairs with you, I'm happy your supporting the Royals.  I would be talkin more shit right now but this just doesn't even seem real.  Only two weeks ago the Royals got embarrassed and swept at home, blown out by the ASTROS.... and now we are going for 1rst place tonight.

They fired a hitting coach after that ASTROS series and he started telling the players to swing at more balls up in the zone and Gordon started hitting those balls out of the park and it caught on with the rest of the team.  Probably a coincidence though, it's hard to believe simply changing the hitting coach and swinging at balls up in the zone could make this much difference but it has.

[TraceOneInfinite]

I proudly introduce to you... your first place 2014 Royals!!  



1. Kansas C    38   32   .543   -   9-1   W9   18-16   20-16   6/17 @ DET, W 11-4   6/18 @ DET, 1:08 PM
2. Detroit           36     31   .537   0.5   4-6   L2   18-18   18-13   6/17 vs KC, L 4-11   6/18 vs KC, 1:08 PM
3. Cleveland   36   36   .500   3.0   5-5   L1   22-12   14-24   6/17 vs LAA, L 3-9   6/18 vs LAA, 7:05 PM
4. Chi White Sox   33   37   .471   5.0   3-7   L4   19-18   14-19   6/15 vs KC, L 3-6   Live vs SF
5. Minnesota   32   37   .464   5.5   4-6   L4   15-17   17-20   6/17 @ BOS, L 1-2   6/18 @ BOS, 1:35 PM


...Verlander and Sherzer just got ROCKED!!  Royals get 10 EARNED RUNS OFF SHERZER!!

[TraceOneInfinite]

Well.. that was fun while it lasted.  The first time since the strike season the Royals were in first place this late in the year.  I got to talk shit for a couple days.. it was great.. I will be remembering the glory days of Mid-June for the next decade or so...

...us Royal fans will reminisce and say... "Hey, remember that one week in June 2014, when the Royals went on a 10 game win streak and took the lead in the central".   We will all sit back and remember the glory days of Kansas City... Just as we remember the glory days of the strike shortened season and what could of been that year... or the glory days of 1993 when the Chiefs had Joe Montana and upset the Oilers and Buddy Ryans defense to go all the way to the AFC championship game.... man those were the days.

I want to thank everybody who took part, Zalute to all of you.  Thank you for letting us Royals fans have our moment in the sun.  We will never forget.

[Remedy360]

Well.. that was fun while it lasted.  The first time since the strike season the Royals were in first place this late in the year.  I got to talk shit for a couple days.. it was great.. I will be remembering the glory days of Mid-June for the next decade or so...

...us Royal fans will reminisce and say... "Hey, remember that one week in June 2014, when the Royals went on a 10 game win streak and took the lead in the central".   We will all sit back and remember the glory days of Kansas City... Just as we remember the glory days of the strike shortened season and what could of been that year... or the glory days of 1993 when the Chiefs had Joe Montana and upset the Oilers and Buddy Ryans defense to go all the way to the AFC championship game.... man those were the days.

I want to thank everybody who took part, Zalute to all of you.  Thank you for letting us Royals fans have our moment in the sun.  We will never forget.

lol SMH

[Halu Sination]

Yo Infinite no offense but you might actually be the worst fan of any team I've ever seen.

[Remedy360]

Yo Infinite no offense but you might actually be the worst fan of any team I've ever seen.

He said the Royals were gonna kick the Mariners asses for no reason other than to talk shit  in the best Seattle athlete of all time thread. Yesterday, they lose one (very back and forth) game to us and apparently the seasons over. The Mariners won 2-1 today, I can only imagine what the guy is going through. I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he's fucking around, but based on the track record, I can't.

[Halu Sination]

Yo Infinite no offense but you might actually be the worst fan of any team I've ever seen.

He said the Royals were gonna kick the Mariners asses for no reason other than to talk shit  in the best Seattle athlete of all time thread. Yesterday, they lose one (very back and forth) game to us and apparently the seasons over. The Mariners won 2-1 today, I can only imagine what the guy is going through. I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he's fucking around, but based on the track record, I can't.

lmfao. God I hope Dodgers don't lose to Royals, which considering Dan Haren is pitching for us in one of those games, is a very realistic possibility.

[TraceOneInfinite]

 The Mariners won 2-1 today, I can only imagine what the guy is going through.

throwing darts at Ned Yost picture on wall (for not taking out his starters sooner last couple games) near suicidal, now making major life decisions on a whim... feeling a little better.