Royals Predictions

• The Royals will get of to an 18-16 start.


• They will 59-69 the rest of the way. Finishing 77-85


• Melky Cabrerra and Jeff Francis will be dealt at the tradedeadline, however Jeff Francouer will play 154 games in right field. His on base percentage will be .308.


• Alcides Escobar will save the Royals 13 runs with his glove. He will also hit for a line of .272/.310/.379.


• Kila Ka'aihue will hit 24 home runs. Alex Gordon will hit 19. Bill Butler will hit 22.


• Mike Aviles will start out red hot, but then go through a bad slump in May and be traded. Royals fans will howl about the return.


• The Royals will draft Bubba Starling with the 5th overall pick and give him a signing bonus over $5 million.


• Jarrod Dyson will hit .280 as a part time player, prompting the Royals to give him full time at bats when Cabrerra is dealt. His average then drops to .250 and Lorenzo Cain is called up in mid August. Dyson's fate as a fourth outfielder is sealed.


• Jeff Francis posts an era under 4. Bruce Chen's era swells to 4.88.


• Luke Hochevar has the best season of his young career and posts and era of 4.23.


• Mike Montgomery, Mike Moustakas, Tim Collins, Aaron Crow, Louis Coleman, Johnny Giavotella, Eric Hosmer, Manny Pina, Danny Duffy, David Lough, and Everett Teaford all make big league debuts this season.


• Moustakas is okay in Omaha and then is promoted to the Bigs on June 11. He has a couple of two home run games. But his average will be significantly lower than his BABIP and his on base will hover around .300. He'll breakout in 2012 (I'll give you a freebie a year in advance).


• Omaha, Northwest Arkansas, and Wilmington both win first half titles.


• Northwest Arkansas repeats as Texas League champs.


• Wil Myers wins Minor League Player of the year.


• Brett Eibner struggles in his first professional season with plate discipline. Leading his league in strikeouts. He also hits 20 home runs.


• The Royals finish third in Amateur draft bonuses behind the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blues. They finished 1 overall in money spent on amatuer talent for 2011.


• Royals make run at Yu Darvish in offseason. However, Toronto wins rights to bid on him by placing a $62 mill post fee.


• Royals stand pat in offseason and are trendy pick to win Central in 2012.