Countdown to Opening Day: #26 Kansas City Royals

By Andrew Marcus

Sportswriter for Montgomery Media

Follow me on Twitter @amarcus515

To help pass the time between now and the start of the 2011 Major League Baseball season I am going to be examining a different team every day. Starting with the Pirates, working toward the Phillies. I will give you my projected starters, breakout and bust players, biggest spring training question and top prospect.

PROJECTED LINEUP

CF Lorenzo Cain

3B Mike Aviles

1B Billy Butler

DH Kila Ka'aihue

LF Alex Gordon

RF Jeff Francouer

C Brayan Pena

2B Chris Getz

SS Alicedes Escobar

PROJECTED ROTATION
Luke Hochevar

Jeff Francis

Kyle Davies

Vin Mazzaro

Sean O'Sullivan

PROJECTED BULLPEN
Closer - Joakim Soria
Set-up - Robinson Tejeda

Top Prospect - Mike Moustakas (3B)

Breakout

Billy Butler - I'd like to think the Royals have the right-handed version of Joey Votto, who is just poised for a breakout season. Everyone is waiting for the power to surface, yet they forget he will only be 25 in his fifth season in the league. He has 96 doubles and 36 home runs over the past two seasons. I say this is the season where we see him hit 30 doubles and 30 homers instead of 45 and 15 like in 2010. 

Bust

Jeff Francis - Life in the big leagues to a sharp and painful turn for the former Rockies hurler after winning 17 games in 2007. While I like the signing because it is a cheap with a chance of him returning to his possible ace abilities I am not sold it is going to work out. He's won 8 games in the last three years and the injuries seems to be piling up too fast to stay on the field. It is  a shame by this is Francis' last shot to prove himself.

Biggest Spring Training Question

Is the AAA team better than the Royals - The Omaha Storm Chasers (AAA) and the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (AA), great minor league team names by-the-way, are stacked. The high draft picks over the decades have built up into the richest minor league system in the majors and 5-to-7 of them are now on the cusp to the big league. While the Royals may start the season with a team full of place holder, the big question is when will they see Lamb, Duffy, Dwyer, Myers, Montgomery, Moustakas or Odorizzi.

LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 67-95

Is this Butler's breakout season?

PROJECTED FINISH: 4th in the American League Central

***THANKS FOR READING MY TEAM BY TEAM OUTLOOKS TO HELP PASS THE TIME

Check back tomorrow for the Washington Nationals