Countdown to Opening Day: #8 Kansas City Royals

By Andrew Marcus
Sportswriter for Lansdale Reporter

Follow me on Twitter @amarcus515

#8 Kansas City Royals: Starters need to Pitch in for KC

PROJECTED LINEUP
LF Alex Gordon
RF Nori Aoki
1B Eric Hosmer
DH Billy Butler
C Salvador Perez
3B Mike Moustakas
SS Alicedes Escobar
2B Omar Infante
CF Lorenzo Cain

PROJECTED ROTATION
James Shields
Jeremy Guthrie
Jason Vargas
Danny Duffy
Yordano Ventura

PROJECTED BULLPEN

Closer: Greg Holland

Set-up: Aaron Crow

Top Prospect: Yordano Ventura

Did anyone realize the Royals won 86 games last year? I certainly knew they had a solid year, but not to
an extent of four games off a 90-win season. Is the loss of Ervin Santana to free agency going to make them worse off?

James Shields

Granted, the rotation behind workhorse James Shields is very questionable, but prospects such as Yordano Ventura and Kyle Zimmer could be very good very soon. If the starters could supply some work load, the back end of the bullpen, led by Greg Holland, should be brilliant.
Everybody fully expects the offense to produce and young, peaking players to perform like all-stars. So what should everyone fully expect? It all rest on the starting five shoulders in my opinion. Their output will be the difference between 86 and out of the playoffs and real contender for the first time since 1980.

CALL ME MR. SUNSHINE - Not only does Ventura emerge as a Rookie of the Year candidate Jason Vargas and Jeremy Guthrie have their best major league seasons to date. Surrounded by some of the best hitters at their position in the American League (Alex Gordon, Salvador Perez) Eric Hosmer runs away with the Most Valuable Player Award.

REAL TALK - The rotation really does scare me and make me second guess from playoff prediction, but

Eric Hosmer

the Royals have a ton of talent and more in minors chomping at the bit to make an impact. They are probably one starter away from being a World Series contender, but that is something they could shop for in July. But with all that being said, I would not be shocked if it fell through and Shields was the one on his way out at the trade deadline.

Breakout: Eric Hosmer (1B)

Bust: Jason Vargas (LHP)

Fantasy Baseball Sleeper: Billy Butler (DH)

LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 86-76 (3rd in AL Central)

PROJECTED 2013 FINISH: 90-72 (2nd in AL Central) 

**Check back tomorrow for the Cincinnati Reds*