2014 Royals Repository

[duncan_idaho]

With my 6,000th post on ChiefsPlanet (it only took me 12 years to get here), I bring you: The 2014 Kansas City Royals Repository.

To be discussed here: All things Royals, as they attempt to post another winning season and make it back to the playoffs for the first time since 1985.

25-man RosterAvailable HERE

AL Central Standings:

Link

Duncan's Top 20 Royals Prospects

Spoiler!

1) 3B Hunter Dozier ETA: 2015
Dozier started slowly at A+ Wilmington but caught fire in May and June, earning a mid-season promotion to AA Northwest Arkansas. Big, strong kid with good plate discipline skills and solid power who projects to be an above-average glove at 3B with solid power.

2) SS Raul (Adalberto) Mondesi ETA: 2017
Mondesis is the opposite of Dozier…. Started red-hot at Wilmington before back spasms derailed him for a few weeks and hasn’t gotten it going since coming back. Scouting reports have been great – defense and speed both improved over the offseason. Still a chance to be an elite SS, with 40 SB speed, plus glove, .300 average and some pop.

3) LHP Sean Manaea | ETA: 2015
Scouting reports outperform the stat line so far. Missing a ton of bats at A+ but not preventing runs like you’d expect to see. Needs to work deeper into games (gradually working about an inning deeper/month so far this year) and improve control. Walks are biggest concern right now, but could be elevated due to work on extra off-speed offerings. Still has No. 2 starter potential, could be higher if the great control he exhibited before his hip surgery eventually comes back.

4) RHP Kyle Zimmer| ETA: 2015
Should be NO. 1 on the list and is probably the Royals most VALUABLE current prospect, but he hasn’t thrown a ball in 4-5 weeks and had only been throwing for 2-3 weeks when he was shut down then.

5) LHP Brandon Finnegan| ETA: 2015
Top 2014 draft choice is an undersized lefty who will start at A+ Wilmington after anchoring CWS run for TCU. Good fastball, better slider, change that needs work to stick as a starter, but if he sticks, No. 2/No. 3 starter upside. Likely a top 10 or even top 5 pick if he doesn’t miss 1 start in the middle of the college season as a precautionary move.

6) RHP Miguel Almonte| ETA: 2016
Have heard some say Almonte is more advanced as a pitcher at A+ than Yordano Ventura was (comparison because both were cheap signs out of Latin America). Really advanced changeup and a curve that is working out well (where the ‘more advanced’ comment comes from). Fastball velo is good but not great – 92-94. Like Manaea, working on his second-best offspeed pitch and leaning less on his bread-and butter (changeup), which has hurt his numbers a bit.

7) RHP Christian Binford 2017
Reverse case of “don’t just scout stat lines.” Based on his stats at A+, you’d think he was an elite prospect, but there are questions about Binford’s stuff playing up at higher levels. Tall righty with great command of fastball, slider and a good and still developing changeup. None of those pitches profiles as better than average, though, limiting his likely upside to back-end rotation guy.

8) SS Orlando Calixte| ETA: 2016
I still like him more than many. Good combination of SS/MI skills and power. Started hot at NWA but in a slump at moment.

9)LHP Foster Griffin | ETA: 2019
Tall, projectable lefty taken in 2014 draft. Viewed as a great value in the sandwich round and probably would have been KC’s pick at No. 17 if Finnegan hadn’t fallen. High school arm who is going to take a while to develop.

10) RF Jorge Bonifacio| ETA: 2016
Hasn’t hit as well as expected in his second go-round at AA NWA. Power still sapped, and average skills have dipped. Once looked like he might be an option in RF at some point in 2015, now looks like 2016 is optimistic. Still young for his level.

11) 3B/2B Cheslor Cuthbert| ETA: 2016
Cuthbert has had better luck at NWA than Boni and is also extremely young for level. HE’s been moved to 2B since Dozier was promoted, which could put a new spin on Cuthbert’s prospects. If he sticks at 2B, bat plays up much better. Good OBP/plate discipline and solid power, but needs to continue improving contact skills

12) C Chase Vallot| ETA: 2020
Young (just 17) C with tremendous power. One of the top prep bats and a great value for KC where it got him. If he sticks at C, expect him to move slowly, but the bat may force the issue (or force him to another position).

13) C Zane Evans| ETA: 2017
GA Tech product has handled Wilmington better than most RH bats and probably is in line for a promotion to NWA sometime soon. Decent pop, decent skills behind the plate. Could be a nice reserve catcher.

14) RHP Scott Blewett| ETA: 2020
Tall, projectable righty with a fresh arm but some injury concerns on his shoulder that slipped him out of Round 1 of MLB draft. Big time potential.

15) CF Bubba Starling | ETA:
Bubba Starling has great tools. Bubba Starling (still) can’t hit. That’s all I have to say about that.

16) 1B Samir Duenez| ETA:
I still like him, even though the attempt to run him through full season ball at 17 did not go well.

17)LF/RF Elier Hernandez| ETA:
Hernandez still pops up in scouting reports but still is very raw and toolsy.

18) RHP Pedro Fernandez| ETA:
Pop-up player on the same track as Ventura and Almonte. Similar signing, similar profile. One to watch over next few years.

19) SS Marten Gasparini| ETA:
Royals’ most expensive international signing likely moves to CF eventually, but his speed and athleticism are intriguing abilities. Early reports from complex ball are very positive on him.

20) RHP Niklas Stephenson| ETA:
Interesting pop-up candidate who found 10 more MPH on his fastball by using a weighted ball during workouts over the winter. Now sits mid-90s with fastball and is dominating at rookie ball (after having an ERA over 8 there a year ago). Likely promoted to a higher challenge soon.

[Chiefspants]

I'm all for going all in behind Marty. Let's do what we can to put a fire under Glass.

[DeezNutz]

We cannot trade Soria! Imagine how shitty this team would be without him! /past

Never forget. Shitty teams don't need great closers. Trade Holland, especially since we have a great insurance policy.

Only way we win "The Trade" is to maximize the return on Holland right now, with Shields packaged as the kicker.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

I'm all for going all in behind Marty. Let's do what we can to put a fire under Glass.

Glass won't give a shit.

[C3HIEF3S]

Originally Posted by Big Smoke

Glass won't give a shit.

This

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

We cannot trade Soria! Imagine how shitty this team would be without him! /past

Never forget. Shitty teams don't need great closers. Trade Holland, especially since we have a great insurance policy.

Only way we win "The Trade" is to maximize the return on Holland right now, with Shields packaged as the kicker.

I'd have no problem with packaging either one of the great bullpen pieces for the right return. Key is getting back a piece that is more valuable to even a bad team than what you surrender.

It's also much easier to do when those two great bullpen pieces are both about to be so expensive, you can't really justify keeping both of them (especially if you're only going to use your primary setup man in the 8th inning of games that you lead, which is an incredibly stupid and short-sighted way to use a great floating bullpen piece, but short-sighted and stupid are great ways to describe Ned's managerial style).

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

I'd have no problem with packaging either one of the great bullpen pieces for the right return. Key is getting back a piece that is more valuable to even a bad team than what you surrender.

It's also much easier to do when those two great bullpen pieces are both about to be so expensive, you can't really justify keeping both of them (especially if you're only going to use your primary setup man in the 8th inning of games that you lead, which is an incredibly stupid and short-sighted way to use a great floating bullpen piece, but short-sighted and stupid are great ways to describe Ned's managerial style).

I think the thing that frustrates me the most about Ned, and I'm not a picky guy when it comes to the manager...is the way he uses Wade Davis...a strikeout pitcher who hasn't given up one god damn extra base hit this year.

[KChiefs1]

Royals should have a fire sale this week.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

Royals should have a fire sale this week.

They won't.

Moore can't honestly justify selling off any pieces from the team that he built without indicting himself for what he's done (or not done).

This roster is made up exactly of what Dayton Moore has been selling for 8 years as the type of roster he needs to win and win big. A young, homegrown core. A few key (and expensive) veterans acquired to fill gaps and put the team over the top.

If he goes into fire sale mode, he admits that The Process has failed. And it has failed on the back of the most critical aspect of The Process: Home-grown talent.

Yordano Ventura and Danny Duffy are the first pitchers to live up to their hype and be productive MLB starters. So that's good.

But on the position side of the diamond? The two guys that were CRITICAL to this thing working are not getting it done. The Royals NEEDED one of Hosmer/Moustakas/Myers to be a superstar level bat you build the lineup around. They needed one of those guys to be a solid MLB player. And they should have expected one to bust.

Instead, they've got a mediocre hitter in Hosmer (who is incredibly streaky and untrustworthy as a lineup linchpin, not to mention terrible in tight spots) and a bust in Moustakas.

If Moore starts selling pieces from this team - after weaseling out a team-record payroll from Glass - I don't know how Glass could honestly allow Moore to keep his job. And I suspect Dayton knows that.

[Sure-Oz]

Here's hoping the Royals continue to lose

[Deberg_1990]

Goodbye Dayton

Thanks for nothing

[tk13]

No doubt DM is completely stuck. Which is why I wouldn't be surprised if he is burning up the phone lines trying to find some kind of offense. I think this team would have to continue spiraling downward over the next 5-7 days to consider selling. If he sells he's done... and if he sells at 2 games under .500, it looks even worse.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by Big Smoke

Glass won't give a shit.

Sure he will.

The Royals were scared shitless after the SOC movement ousted Pioli. The fans were feeling empowered and were going to set their sites on the Royals next. So to prevent that from happening the team jacked up the payroll and traded 2 of their best prospects for Shields/Davis, traded for Santana and also re-signed Gutherie.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Sure he will.

The Royals were scared shitless after the SOC movement ousted Pioli. The fans were feeling empowered and were going to set their sites on the Royals next. So to prevent that from happening the team jacked up the payroll and traded 2 of their best prospects for Shields/Davis, traded for Santana and also re-signed Gutherie.

I don't know about that. I feel like the general consensus was anti-Shields trade. Fans love Shields, I think he's been a good influence on the other pitchers... but a lot of people didn't want to give up Wil Myers.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by tk13

I don't know about that. I feel like the general consensus was anti-Shields trade. Fans love Shields, I think he's been a good influence on the other pitchers... but a lot of people didn't want to give up Wil Myers.

Right, but it was all about pacifying the fan base at that moment. Payroll went up 21 millions between 2012 and 13. Banner weren't going to be flown in the off season but they had a solid April which is what they needed to cool things down a bit.

I think I remember an article on this topic where someone inside the Royals organization acknowledged they were aware and worried about what might happen if they flopped right off the bat during the 13 season.

Not sure if it was Glass that was worried, but I know that DM and the others were.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Moore's predicament is a shining example of why GMs cannot be trusted to perform in the best interests of the organization, but in the best interests of themselves.

The best thing for the Royals is to strip your tradeable assets like Holland and Shields and get a solid return, but he won't do that because it exposes him.