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2012 Kansas City Royals MLB Season Prediction with Futures Odds

2012 MLB Handicapping: K.C. Royals

It seems like the Kansas City Royals always have tons of young talent, but they haven’t been able to mature into that contender just yet.

Here are some MLB Futures Odds for the 2012 Kansas City Royals from BetOnline

Odds to Win World Series: +7,000
Odds to Win AL Pennant: +4,000
Odds to Win AL Central: +1,200

The Royals have made some progress, but this is a team that was coming from a very low place. Kansas City won 71 games last year compared to their 65 wins in 2010. The team is stacked with young hitters, but pitching could be a major problem. The discouraging news about Joakim Soria likely needing Tommy John surgery was a major hit to this team. Still, expectations are going up in Kansas City.

Kansas City is a great baseball town, but the fans are starving for a winner. Can this team start to deliver for their fans?

Let’s take a closer look at the 2012 Kansas City Royals

Eric Hosmer’s arrival last year was the single biggest story for this team in 2011. Hosmer lived up to the extremely lofty expectations. I don’t think last year’s success was a fluke at all for Hosmer. This is a kid who has all the tools, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he is an All-Star this season. Alex Gordon once had those same lofty expectations put on him before being labeled by many as a bust. Gordon showed that he is still an ultra-talented hitter last year. He batted .305 with a .383 on-base-percentage. He isn’t your typical leadoff hitter, but he gets the job done well.

Billy Butler is Mr. Consistent in the middle of the order, and you can count on him working the count and hitting over .300. Can Jeff Francoeur have another career year or will he trend downward after a breakout season in 2011? Mike Moustakas is another young hitter the Royals are really high on, but he has to become more patient at the plate.

What about the bad news for the lineup? Salvador Perez was counted on as being a big part of this batting order, but he will start the season on the 60-day DL with a knee injury. The bottom of the Royals order is extremely weak. Lorenzo Cain, Humberto Quintero, and Alcides Escobar are penciled in as the likely 7 through 9 hitters. [dfads params=’groups=10&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]

On the pitching side, Luke Hochevar is the ace of this staff, even though he has never pitched up to the lofty expectations that surround him. Hochevar was the first player taken in 2006 MLB Draft. He has a career ERA of 5.29, but he did finish the 2011 season pitching better than he has at any point in his career.

Johnathan Sanchez was the team’s major pitching acquisition during the offseason. Sanchez has shown tons of promise in his career, but his lack of control is a major worry. In addition, his velocity is reportedly down so far in camp, which isn’t a good sign at all. Bruce Chen is the steady veteran of this staff. Felipe Paulino has some pretty good stuff, and he can keep the ball on the ground. Don’t be surprised if Paulino is better than most expect.

In the bullpen it’s hard to say who will replace Soria if he does indeed miss the season, but Greg Holland probably has the inside track. Aaron Crow will likely stay in the bullpen for a while now, and he made the All-Star team last season.

The Royals will likely have to outscore opponents quite often this year. The starting rotation isn’t up to par, and the bullpen will take a huge hit if Soria does miss the season. Expect the Royals to put up some runs and improve a little more again this year, but don’t expect them to make a huge jump in the standings just yet.

2012 Kansas City Royals Projected Record: 79-83

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By Kyle Hunter

Kyle Hunter sports picks – A degree in finance and a great ability to follow important trends and statistics set him apart from the rest. Totals are Kyle's specialty, so look for a lot of totals picks from NBA, NCAAF, & the NFL. Check out his plays today.