True. Blue. Tradition. (Fake KC Royals Baseball)

[plotty]

**Before you all wonder and ask, I engaged in PM's with Royals Nation as to where the location of this thread to be. **
This is the idea: Plotty, yours truly, has assumed the role of complete control of the Kansas City Royals. I will play out (hopefully) multiple seasons of our beloved ball club and organization.

The media used: MLB 2007: The Show on Playstation 2.

How will I play games: I will bat every at-bat, then I will simulate the pitching part of the game.

Sliders (things that tweak the game play, such as hitting difficulty/power, pitching endurance, etc): The difficulty is on a "scaled" Veteran level. I want to be able to have some success, but yet lose.

Reports will come every two series; unless the popularity of this idea explodes…then I will report on every game. My goal is to play on average a game a day—which means I might play two games one day, but no games another. (My free time is when my wife is at work. Heh heh heh.)

I will also try to come up with some form of a statistical spreadsheet/dynasty page where you can follow along with the season. Note: This is fake baseball. This is not the real thing. Do I want it to be as close to real as possible: yes.

But we all know that there is certain ball players on the team currently we would like traded. So here I leave it to you, the reader. What do I ask? You, the reader get to play the role of “the front office”. If you see someone not batting his weight, or a pitcher that is serving up nothing but beach balls, you can ask me for a trade…and even for whom or what position. Can I guarantee the trade will go through…no, but I can find some player of equivalent talent or work for a player at a position.

So, sit back, grab a bag of peanuts, and enjoy the fun.

[KC Royals Nation]

I'm all in. A brilliant idea. This will be even better than the real Royals baseball.

So payroll/lineups/roster? What does the team look like? And where is Angel Berroa?

[ror1fan]

1st of find some way to dump LaRue please and thank you

[plotty]

Wow fellas! I knew it would have some initial spark, but this is too good to be true. If this kind of reaction can continue, I am going to have a lot of fun with this. Keep 'em coming!

And a "report" coming soon!

[plotty]

“Addition by Subtraction” [/u]
GM Platcheck Takes Reins of Kansas City Royals.

“We will win. I guarantee you that,” said a belated Mathias Platcheck in a press conference held at Kaufmann Stadium. And with that comment Platcheck left the podium. But before he left, he answered several questions from the local media.

Royals Nation: What are your goals for the Kansas City Royals?

MP: Plain and simple. I want to put a winner on this field. There is a great sense of nostalgia and history within this franchise. It stems back into the Negro Leagues with names such as Satchel Paige and Buck O’Neil. In the modern days you have George Brett, Bret Saberhagen, Frank White, Dennis Leonard…just to name a few. Now you have some of the best young prospects in Alex Gordon, Billy Butler,and Luke Hochevar. I want to bring a winner to KC. I guarantee that within my six seasons here, we will be to a playoff. We will become a better offensive team, and we will pitch better. More specifics will be presented in a report at a later date.

RN: Will you have any affect on the daily lineup?

MP: I want the best for the ball club. Therefore, I will do what it takes to put the best product on the field. Some guys you have been used to seeing in Royal uniforms…well, to put this lightly, you won’t be seeing them much longer.

RN: Is this in light of the comments about Angel Berroa and Jason LaRue? (A report came out in the KC Star about Berroa and LaRue’s involvement in trade rumors.)

MP: No comment. There are some guys on the ball club that I feel should be producing much more than they do. And let’s leave it at that.

RN: You said you want to improve the ball club? Will raising payroll be a part of that equation?

MP: Again, I will do what I can to make this team a winner. If that means I have to go and get a guy that I feel fits the system, but yet he might be a bit pricey, then that is what will be done. But I go back to what I said earlier…there are guys that should not be here. It’s a simple management concept known as addition by subtraction.

RoR: Mathias, any plans for the youth movement to continue?

MP: If they are the best we as an organization can put on the field, then that will be what will work.

Platcheck then left the press conference.

[plotty]

Platcheck Makes First Move

GM Mathias Platcheck, shortly after his arousing press conference, went fishing. He might had found a big one.

Newly acquired C Jason LaRue's stay in Kansas City will last less than a year. Platcheck pulled a trade that will send the former Cincinnati Red back to the National League. LaRue's stop: Houston. In return, Platcheck acquired former Colorado Rockie starting pitcher Jason Jennings. Jennings will also bring with him a multi-year deal worth a little over 11-million dollars.

"What a find in Jason Jennings," Platcheck said, "we shored up some stability in our starting pitching. Add in Jenning with Gil Meche, and you have a solid 1-2 combination."

When asked if other deals were in the works, Platcheck refused comment.

[KC Royals Nation]

LaRue for Jennings! Nominate plotty for GM of the year.

I'm just curious, is there anything in the works for the draft this year? When is the draft? Are there any positions of focus or will you draft simply the best talent available?

[plotty]

More Q and A With the GM

Royals Nation: What a spark out of the box with acquiring Jason Jennings.

MP: You know, I was one of many that was skeptical with the signing of LaRue. He does call a good game, but in order for us to bolster our offense, we need John Buck as our everyday guy. Again, then in order to win we need solid pitching, and we felt that Jennings was the best available arm.

RN: Any more deals in the works?

MP: We're always trying to working something for the better of our ball club. This time we might have to package some guys in order to add. The whole addition by subtraction method.

RN: The draft is coming in a couple months. Any plan of attack?

MP: We just want to get high-quality guys in our system and watch them develop. We don't have much in a necessity, or looking at a particular position, we just want to find the best guys available. Can you hold on a second. I have to take this. It's from the Nationals.

RN: Sure, go ahead.

MP: (mumbles in background....)

RN: Did I just pay witness to a trade?

MP: Yes you did. We just traded Reggie Sanders and Jorge De La Roas for a reliever, Chris Michalak and and up and coming RF in Ryan Langerhans.

RN: Hmmm, not a great trade there, I think.

MP: Michalak is a cool customer. He will give us flexibility and will boost Bannister into a starting role. As for Langerhans, he's a fountain of youth, he carries a lot of the similar qualities of Alex Gordon. He has an eye for making good contact and is a great guy in the clubhouse. Hold on...its the Pirates.

RN: No way! Not two trades in the interview?

MP: Yes sir. We just shipped Ryan Shealy and Emil Brown to Pittsburgh for rookie 1B Brad Eldred and OF Luis Matos.

RN: Wow! You are not messing around, aren't you?

MP: Cutting the fat. Addition by subtraction. That's the name of the game.

[ror1fan]

This is great great move adding Jennings I'm not to sure about the Brown, Shealy for Eldred Matos only time will tell.The addition by subtraction lets just hope he sticks with the plan. Also I would look forward to some more moves in the future as new GM Mathias Platcheck looks to build the team his way.
Beat Reporter Nick (Cowboy) RoR

[mtroyals]

You guys are crazy yet highly entertaining.

[dejesus9]

This is cool. Can you get someone to take Sweeney?

[KC Royals Nation]

plotty, you're going young. It's nice to see that you have a plan intact.

How is the free agent market looking? Are there any potentially juicy acquisitions or names of interest?

Moving Brown for anything at this point was a great move. Ryan Shealy, unfortunately, never reached his potential as a league-average first baseman. Brad Eldred was a great acquisition, but Luis Matos is probably a AAA-filler type at this point, or possible MLB backup.

You should probably volunteer to eat Sweeney's entire contract, and take the best talent available from there.

Any word on the draft?

[plotty]

What's funny guys is I haven't even started Spring Training. Thanks for all the awesome comments and suggestions! So you guys know, ST for every season will be simulated. There's too much fun to be had in the regular season to have to endure a one month grind of baseball that really doesn't count. I will supply a brief report about how we did in ST, though, and any highlights. (The ST report will probably come shortly after the GM blog....then I will post all the budget/contract stuff.)

Now, a blog from the GM.

What a first day on the new job. I did what I said I would coming here: addition by subtraction. I rid the organization of high priced talent and went back to the fountain of youth and added some quality guys, I am really high on Brad Eldred. He might be the best acquisition of them all. He has a powerful bat and can spray it to all fields. And to trade Emil Brown to get him, at this point moving Emil was priority number two. One was moving Berroa, but his salary is a bit of a sticking point. More importantly, his bat simply sucks. He will stay in Omaha for the short-term, and quite possibly longer.

Free agency has been a question of interest. However there is not much on the free agent market. The best names on the FA list are Javy Lopez and Rick Helling. I think we'll stick with what we have. That includes keeping Mike Sweeney. Rumors floated abound that I would move him, but I have a heart for Mike. He has been the capstone for this ball club. he has stated to me that he wants to stay in KC and finish his career here. I will do my best to acknowledge his wishes.

Another question has come about the role Billy Butler will play. Billy is also in Omaha. I felt all along that the man can hit the baseball. He has proven that in Wichita. But I also need a guy that can play a position when asked. Billy came through the organization as a left fielder; I project him more a first baseman. Therefore, he will get many chances in Omaha to work on his infield work.

Draft wise I've done some crunching around. Second base looks like a position we may go for. Grudz has had a great career, and time will soon come for him to hang up the cleats. I will definitely want to keep him around as a coach. He is a great asset to the young guys. And of course, you can never have too much pitching, whether to use it as weight in trades or to keep to develop. Time will tell with that.

Just a FYI, here's what our lineup projects to be heading into Spring Training:

CF DeJesus
2B Grudzielanek
RF Teahen
DH Sweeney
3B Gordon
1B Eldred
C Buck
LF Gathright
SS Pena Jr.

Bench
CF Matos
C Phillips
1B Gload
3B/INF German

And my pitchers
SP Meche
SP Jennings
SP Perez
SP Thomson
SP Bannister

RP Greinke
RP Michalak
RP Gobble
RP Peralta
RP Riske
SU Soria
C Dotel

Down on the farm and due for a call-up
RP Nelson, SP Hudson, CF Maier

Trade Bait
Berroa, Elarton

And one final note: I checked Rotoworld.com to see their updated "Trading Block", and I happened to see Emil Brown is already disgruntled in Pittsburgh, and wants out. Nice.

Go Royals!

[plotty]

Spring Training 2007

The KC Royals closed out the Spring Training part of their season with a respectable record of 16-14. The 16-14 mark was good enough to finish 5th in the Cactus League. The Cactus League was won by the Houston Astros with a 21-10 mark.

Offensively the Royals had several players that had great springs. They were led by LF Joey Gathright, who batted a robust .323 (17th in AL) and stole six bases in nine chances. DH Mike Sweeney proved he can still mash the ball, as he and CF David DeJesus led the Royals in home runs with eight (Tied for 3rd in AL). Surprising 2B Mark Grudzielanek led the Royals in RBI with 22 (8th in AL). Uber-rookie 3B Alex Gordon had some struggles, but managed to have a .240 batting average with four home runs.

The bull pen sparkled for the Royals on the pitching end. Led by David Riske (1.71 ERA, 26 GP), Octavio Dotel (1.42, 2 wins, 10 saves in 10 chances--the 10 saves rank 6th in AL) and Rule 5 pick Joakim Soria (2.51 ERA, 2 wins), the Royals seem to have built a strength with their bull pen. However, questions loom still with their starting pitching. 55-million dollar man Gil Meche did not dissapoint, as he posted a record of 3-2 with a 3.81 ERA and a solid 29-9 SO-BB ratio. Jason Jennings at times flashed greatness, but his 5.89 ERA with 16 BB in 26 IP did not help.

Opening Day: The Boston Red Sox come to Kaufmann Stadium to start off the season with a three-game series. The Royals will send ace Gil Meche to the mound. The Red Sox will counter with their old hand Curt Schilling. Opening Day is also George Brett Bobblehead Day! The first 25,000 fans will receive a George Brett Bobblehead.

Ortiz Grumbles: Red Sox 1B/DH David Ortiz wants out. "I am sick of this all," said the man they call "Big Papi". Ortiz, one of the more clutch hitters in recent baseball history, has been rumored to be in a trade to send him to the Nationals. No further word has been spoken about this. "No comment," said Red Sox GM Theo Epstein.

[KC Royals Nation]

Great updates, plotty. Keep 'em coming!