A couple of years ago, I wrote that for a team to compete for a World Series title they need five or six impact bats and a similar number of impact arms. I defined an impact bat as a player who consistently hits upwards of .275 with some power. A player who challenges the pitcher every time he steps in the box. An impact arm would be a starter who is capable of winning 15 games with the ability to pitch 200+ innings in the 3.50 ERA range or better. A team could challenge with three impact starters and three to four impact bullpen arms in the likeness of the Royals past quartet of Hochever-Herrera-Holland and Davis.
When will the Royals be competitive again?
