Dayton Moore: "We're ahead of schedule"

The month of August saw our Royals exit the playoff picture stage left, and all that's seemingly left to play for now is to see whether the Royals will have their first winning season in a decade. It is disappointing that the "all in" off-season that saw us trade the best hitting prospect in baseball for two years of James Shields has resulted in one of those years being a mediocre .500 or so season. But you see, that was part of Dayton's plan THE WHOLE TIME! Dayton Moore revealed his fiendish plot to Fox Sports Kansas City's Jeffrey Flanagan.

"I really feel that based on how we decided to build this team, we're ahead of schedule,"

We are ahead of schedule! It makes me wonder what the schedule was. Was it a 75 win season? That makes sense. If you have a chance to trade your best prospect for a pitcher that can help lead you to 75 wins, you HAVE to take it. And we're ahead of schedule! We may win 77, 79, dare we dream? EIGHTY-ONE victories. Dayton Moore, you sly fox!

"You know, every baseball team that is constructed gets exposed. We know we have probably seen that, and certainly realize that we have things we need to improve upon."

I can't possibly think of one.

"But I am very encouraged with the group of players we have. There's not one player on this current roster that is on the downside of his career. They all have upside."

That's why we had to get rid of you Frenchy.

Moore's roster may not be on the downside, but almost to a player, the Royals offensively are all having down years -- Eric Hosmer excluded. That is something Moore has no explanation for. "I don't know. I really don't," he said. "All of our players know they are accountable. And going forward, they know they have to produce."

See, its not Dayton's fault. Sure, he picked a roster full of free-swingers and has drafted very little depth behind the two first round hitters he has in his lineup. But at some point, isn't it up to those players to produce?

But Moore adamantly defends the Shields trade. "I felt we had the chance to get a top rotation starter in James Shields and another starter in Wade Davis with some upside," Moore said, "and I didn't feel that opportunity would be there again in this off-season, based on the climate of the industry and the information we had at the time.

Yep, I can bet you that no pitcher gets traded this year at all.

"Regardless of how the season ends, this is a talented group that is in the early stages of an opportunity to play winning baseball, championship baseball.

Early stages. Like year one of another seven year plan.

"They shouldn't fail, as long as their attitude is right. That's what we hold on to."

So if this team loses, its not Dayton, its their ATTITUDE. Someone order this team some motivational posters!

"Criticism goes with the territory," he said. "You can't be concerned with what people say about you or write about you, whether it's flattering or whether it's critical. You just can't lead that way."

Why learn from people that disagree with you? What has that ever taught us?

"Look, I'm a competitor. I will fight for what needs to be defended and who needs to be defended. But I try to treat everyone with kindness and respect."

I cannot wait to raise that flag out at the K. "KINDNESS AND RESPECT CHAMPIONS - 2013."

"We're going to have to expect our players to improve, each one of them. And we're going to have to probably make a trade or sign another free agent in order to improve."

Gentleman, I give you Skip Schumaker, Royals starting second baseman.

Will Moore have the financial resources to keep improving the roster? "I don't think it's going to be about the money," he said. "It's going to be about the players. We're just going to build a championship team with the resources we have

So....no.

"We've always felt we have built this organization the right way. You have to trust in the talent of your players."

No Dayton. You need to trust.... The Process.