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The Kansas City Royals' season of 2013 was the 45th for the Royals franchise which began on April 1, 2013 against the Chicago White Sox. After a winning record in spring training (setting a team and MLB record), the Royals remained over .500 nearly most of April during regular season play. The team also didn't commit an error in their first seven games (for 64 2/3 innings) for the first time in team history. On September 22, the Royals won their 82nd game of the season, to clinch their 2nd winning season since 1994 and first since 2003. ==Offseason and spring training== During the offseason, the Kansas City Royals donated over $4 million in funds raised during the 2012 All-Star game for various projects in the Kansas City area communities, including building two baseball facilities for disabled children.()() Alex Gordon signed a $37.5 million four-year deal last season with the Royals. The team lost Eric Hosmer to the United States team for the World Baseball Classic. Right-handed pitcher Zack Greinke, who won the 2009 AL Cy Young Award while with Kansas City, signed a $147 million six-year contract to join the Los Angeles Dodgers in the offseason but was slow during spring training with a sore elbow and the flu.() Jeremy Guthrie signed a $25 million three-year deal in November 2012 to stay with the Royals after being their best starter during the year.() Guthrie will be the Royals' No. 3 starter. Former AL MVP, Miguel Tejada, made the team as a utility player with a $1.1 million one-year contract.() During spring training in Surprise, Arizona, the Royals had the best record of any team and maintained first place throughout every game. They not only tied and then exceeded a franchise record (previously set 22 wins and 9 loses in 1999),() but also had more spring training wins than any other team in MLB history.() The Royals were the only team losing less than 10 games other than the Baltimore Orioles (9 losses),() ending spring training with a 25–7–2 record.() Kansas City lost their first spring training game after 11 wins in a row,() the only unbeaten team in spring training at that point.() Kansas City manager Ned Yost said "The key to our success this year is going to be our pitching staff, because we can catch the ball. If they're throwing strikes, we're going to be able to make plays and I think we're going to be able to score runs." Yost added, "It just gives you confidence going into the season knowing that everybody's ready, everybody's playing well." The Royals left Arizona (Surprise Stadium) without any players having any serious injuries. This was in contrast to March 2012 when closer Joakim Soria needed season-ending Tommy John surgery and starting catcher Salvador Perez required knee surgery which sidelined him until late June 2012. Kansas City led the majors in team batting average, hits, doubles, runs scored and on-base percentage, clinching first place in the Cactus League standings. The Royals finished with a Cactus League-leading .335 batting average and 230 runs. After improving their starting rotation, the Royals were considered a "sleeper team" entering the 2013 season. The Royals appeared poised to challenge the AL champion Detroit Tigers in the AL Central. Overall, the Royals increased their chances that they would contend in 2013.() According to Foxs Sports, for the first time in more than two decades the Kansas City Royals may become relevant again.() Other projections predicted the Royals to finish in second, third or even fourth place in the American League Central.()() "There's a lot to like about this team," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "I think we've got a great defense. I think our starting pitching is going to be a focal point and a strong asset to our club. Our relief pitching has always been dynamite in my mind." 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「2013 Kansas City Royals season」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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