It's been a long time since Royals' fans have had something to cheer about. With only one winning season in the last 10 years, fans are constantly asking themselves ‘is this the year?'; in the back of their minds already knowing the answer. The Royals signed GM Dayton Moore (former Atlanta Braves scout) in 2006 and the return had been slow and mediocre at best until 2009. KC may have finished tied for last place in the AL central, but there was finally some things to get excited about. The unveiling of an extravagant (albeit not quite finished) stadium, equipped with the seats right next to the world's largest privately owned fountain system and MLB's largest HD scoreboard brought fans to the stadium. Follow that with the emergence of some youthful players, an optimistic Royals fan may start getting flashbacks of George Brett, Bo Jackson, and those great 80's teams. Yeah, even I think that's a tad farfetched. While I digress, let's take a look at some boys in blue who may be of service to your fantasy team, shall we?
HittersBilly Butler - 1B
I mentioned him in my "AL Sleepers" article, and for good reason. The 23-year-old began living up to the lofty expectations bestowed upon him when he broke out in 20007. He was second in the MLB with 51 doubles, batted .301, and drove in 93. With just his sheer mass, it's easy to see Butler as a 30 HR threat. That may not happen this year, but this potential power threat who also hits for average at first base could reap rewards with a middle-round pick.
Alex Gordon - 3B
The number two overall pick in the '05 draft, Gordon needed right hip surgery last year that cost him most of the year. When he did return, he didn't perform well at all, and was demoted to the minors. Some positives for Gordon? He did post a 1.009 OPS in 104 Minor League Abs last year, has better than average speed for a 3B, turns 26 this year, and has the type of pedigree that makes him a late-round flier with great upside.
Scott Podsednik - OF
Podsednik reemerged as an everyday player with the White Sox last year. He hit .304 and nabbed 30 bases, and is just what KC has needed at the top of their order: a speedy guy who can get on base. Locked in as the Royals starting LF, Pods could provide you some ample run production with good speed and average to boot.
Pitchers
Zack Greinke - SP
Zack's Cy Young in '09 gave everyone in KC something to cheer about. He finished best in the bigs with a 2.16 ERA, second with 3 shutouts, and 3rd with 242 K's. Some may look at the much improved AL Central, the extra year for hitters to acquaint themselves to his pitching, and the lack of run support provided by KC's offense. The fact remains that Greinke's stuff is just electrifying and in my humble, unbiased opinion the 26 year-old is here to stay among the fantasy elite.
Joakim Soria - RP
When it comes to the game's top closers, Soria misses the list for one reason: lack of opportunities. If the Royals could muster up some offense, Soria would have the opportunity to be a 40-save closer every year. Over his brief three year stint in the bigs, the 25 year-old has racked up a 2.09 ERA, a 0.97 WHIP, along with a 9.98 K/9. When all the Papelbons and Broxtons have come off the board, feel confident in picking Soria at a discount.
Robinson Tejeda - SP/RP
Tejeda is a little bit tricky fantasy-wise. The 27 year-old worked exclusively out of the bullpen until September, when injuries and underachieving from the KC rotation gave Robinson the chance to start. He made the most of the opportunity by going 3-1 with a 1.99 ERA and 9.09 K/9 in 6 outings. Keep him on your radar in spring training, because if he opens the year in the rotation, Tejada makes and excellent sleeper candidate. However, if he's pushed back to the pen, he's virtually useless.
Forget playoffs and pennants. Is this the year Kansas City breaks .500? A lot will be learned this year when it comes to Dayton Moore's managerial capability. While the Royals' rotation seems to be heading in the right direction, the offense just doesn't seem to be there. They brought in some speed with the signing of Podsednik and the acquisition of infielder Chris Getz. The overwhelming problem seems to be there's just nobody in the lineup for opposing pitchers to be wary of. Kansas City's answer to the lack of power was... outfielder Rick Ankiel...ugh. Until the Royals decide to open up the pocketbook, look for them to finish near or in the cellar yet again.
Update (3/10/10): The piece on Alex Gordon was written before the Royals announced that Gordon could miss 3-4 weeks with a small fracture in his right thumb.