Legitimate Power Lineup?

by loyal2s dad on Feb 28, 2007 5:17 PM EST

There is a decent chance the Royals could field a team with 5 guys hitting 20+ homeruns this year. Without looking it up, I can guarantee that has never happened for this franchise before! I can remember the 78 team, I believe, had 4 guys do this (Brett, Mayberry, Cowens, and McRae?), but I do not recall a team with 5.

Seriously, is it a stretch to say Teahen, Sweeney, Gordon, Shealy, and Brown could all hit 20 plus? And for those REAL OPTIMISTS, maybe if DDJ, in his age 27 year, blessed with a healthy season of 150 games, could just barely nudge his way to 20? That would be six!

I'm going to predict that we have just five. Man, that sounds good, doesn't it.

(And no, I don't want to discuss the pitching staff!)

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The Question Marks

Given that everyone is veyr optimistic about Gordon getting the 3B job from the outset, I would say the people of the five who the biggest threats to fall short are Sweeney and Brown, in no small part because both of them could be playing for someone else at the deadline.

Also, there's Sweeney's health issues. I have no doubt that he could pop 20 out if he could stay healthy. And Brown just isn't that good.

Sorry to be negative. I still think, despite what I just said above, that the Royals line-up could end up surprising a few people.

Oh, and keep drinking the DeJesus break-out Kool-Aid. :)

"Your best? Losers always whine about 'giving it their best.' Winners go home and fuck the prom queen."

"Carla was the prom queen."

by NHZ on Feb 28, 2007 5:23 PM EST reply actions

Wow, you're right

Would that put us close to league average after figuring average years from the others? Brown is so streaky I'm not counting on him, but I'd put the other 4 at a better than 50% probability assuming they're healthy and Shealy gets 450 ABs.

by chukar on Feb 28, 2007 5:52 PM EST reply actions

being a pessmisitic royals fan

i'll say we'll get only three over 20

by FlintHillsRoyal on Feb 28, 2007 6:28 PM EST reply actions

That would be amazing

Would remind me of the Indians line up last year or a year ago... This team is going to hit the ball, pitching is going to make or break 07...hopefully

winning records follow good bullpens

by slayor on Feb 28, 2007 9:44 PM EST reply actions

Powerhouse

I like the heart of our lineup, it will be solid. Teahen/Sweeney/Gordon/Shealy/Butler or Brown, there are some legitamate power bats in that bunch that I think at least 3 could hit 20+ HR's. It'll be a fun season.

lordbyronk

by lordbyronk on Mar 1, 2007 9:25 AM EST reply actions

Naturally, I was assuming

good health. Sweeney is certainly due to get lucky in that area, isn't he? 130 or 140 games would be awesome (assuming we don't trade him in July).

I agree that Brown is the other question mark in the group. We all believe he is already capable of hitting 15; my hope is that maybe he can convert some of his many doubles into HRs this season. Not too much of a stretch, is it? He did hit 40 doubles last year - is it too hard to believe he could convert 5-8 of those into HRs with a bit more luck/skill this year?

by loyal2s dad on Mar 1, 2007 10:58 AM EST reply actions

Not only a lot of possible power hitters...

But I'm holding onto a possibly delusional hope that Shealy has more power than expected, Teahen will homer about the same pace as he did during the salad days of last summer, or Sweeney will be inspired by the hopes of being paid a considerable sum to play somewhere next year, and SOMEONE will chase the magical, nay mystical, number 37. Maybe they can even invite Balboni and his family for the celebration.

In typing this, I just realized that Bonds' record is one more than DOUBLE the Royals single season mark. Steroid-induced or not for him, and depressing or not for us, that's just a little bit cool.

by CentralChamps2009 on Mar 1, 2007 10:38 PM EST reply actions

Good News

Buddy Bell is wising up. Check this out:
Shortstop contingency: Esteban German, who has played only one game at shortstop in the Majors, will start at shortstop in a "B" game on Friday.

"We'll see more of him at short in Spring Training than we did last year," Bell said. "We'll see if we can have some sort of comforting feeling if we need him to play short. We'll just have to wait and see. That is the reason he is going to see more time at short."

I'm pretty jacked up about this one, folks. German went 1-1 with two walks in the game on Thursday.

royaldaddy-Bob Hamelin's #1 fan

by royaldaddy on Mar 1, 2007 11:25 PM EST reply actions