*** Official 2016 Royals Repository, Version 1 ***

[duncan_idaho]

And so it begins: The Royals' second straight attempt to repeat as AL Champions, and first attempt to repeat as World Series champions.

In this thread, we'll track all non-gameday action. Roster moves, prospect news, etc.

I'll start the thread as usual, with division rivals thoughts. I still like KC to repeat as AL Central champs. Here's how I see the rest of it shaking out:

2) Indians - they have the pitching (and seem to have at least semi-Kluber-ed Cody Anderson, who added 3 mph to his fastball in the offseason). Will the offense hold up? I think this is a team that ends up looking a lot like the 2014 Royals. Francisco Lindor will solidify their IF defense over the full season, and is a help with the bat. I think this club is still a year away from really breaking through - the offense still has a lot of question marks - but I like them to nab a wildcard spot.

Key Player(s): Michael Brantley. When Brantley returns - and how he hits when he does - will be critical to the Indians' ability to be good enough on offense.

Jason Kipnis. Kipnis has been an enigmatic offensive performer for the past several years. If he finally has a good offensive campaign from start to finish, Cleveland could make real noise.

Something of interest to me: For all the acclaim the Twins' farm system gets, I look at the Indians young players, and would much rather have them. Brad Zimmer is going to be a very good all-around CF. Clint Frazier has huge power potential and should arrive soon (2017). Lindor is a young stud.

3) Tigers - Old and dependent on a few stars. If Verlander and Sanchez are healthy and effective, they will be playoff contenders. I'm sure JD Martinez will continue to hit roid-aided bombs. I'm also pretty sure Victor Martinez's days as a huge power threat are gone.

Key player: Justin Verlander. Detroit people would have you believe he figured out how to succeed without his big fastball in September of last year. If that's true, and he returns to dominant form, Detroit will likely contend again.

Something of interest to me: Will Jose Iglesias stay healthy and not try to kill teammates in the dugout? His defense makes the whole group much better.

4) Twins - They won't lead the division or be in playoff contention for as long this year, but Minnesota will avoid the cellar.

Key Player: Miguel Sano. Huge power, huge K rate. Can he continue to drive the ball and be a plus offensive player? Probably needs to cut that 35 percent K percentage to do so.

Something of interest to me: Will teams challenge Sano inside with hard stuff? Working away, away, just lets his power play up. Also - will Mike Berardino continue to be the biggest beat writer homer in MLB?

5) White Sox - still managed by a shitty manager who can't control his clubhouse (The blame for the LaRoche thing really should fall on him, not the GM). Still have a shitty overall defense and a lot of douchebags on the team. They will once again look better on paper than they actually perform.

Key player: Carlos Rodon. The White Sox need Rodon to take a big step forward to make an actual move this season. He's got the talent...

And, as always, here are the prospects.

Duncan’s Top 20 for 2016:

Spoiler!

1. Raul Adalberto Mondesi, SS, BOTH: Tools, tools, tools. RA has tools galore. At his best, he’s an All-Star SS who plays elite D, hits 15-20 HR, swipes 40 bags, and is an ideal 1, 2 or 3 hitter. At his worst, I think he looks a lot like Alcides Escobar. Plate discipline is his biggest challenge at this point, but evaluators are confident that will come with time. Clear No. 1
2. Kyle Zimmer, RHP: He’s pitching again and staying healthy, which is nice. He’s pitcing out of the bullpen to build back his arm strength, which is less nice. But still has that high upside, just a lower floor now. Ideally, the team will use him as a bullpen weapon in September (because he has earned it) and then give him a chance to transition back to starting for 2016.
3. Bubba Starling, CF, RH: Starling has been up and down this year but put himself back on the map by greatly improving his K rate while also improving across the slash line as a hitter. His defense and baserunning are MLB ready; if Starling can work himself into a league average hitter, he can be a solid MLB regular who plays great D in CF while hitting 15 HR and swiping 20 bags.
4. Miguel Almonte, RHP: Still love the body, FB/CH combo. Results aren’t eye popping, but he’s still low enough and early enough in the development to prize those things over performance. Still a solid No. 3 starter upside, and just a year and some change away from potentially being ready to contribute at the MLB level.
5. Jorge Bonifacio, RF, RH: Emilio’s little brother got off to a horrible start in 2015 but has heated up as the season went on. He also is translating BP power to game power for the first time, with 15 HR just past the mid-way point of his season. Despite his disappointing 2014, he has a chance to build his way back into legit prospect status – and still is only 22. Next challenge for him should be Omaha, but that may wait for the start of the 2014 season.
6. Scott Blewett, RHP: Blewett has a nice two –pitch mix already and is off to a strong start. With his size (6-6) and a good fastball/curveball combo, Blewett could eventually turn into a good No. 3 starter, with a MLB-average changeup.
7. Nolan Watson, RHP: The Royals’ 2015 sandwich pick is a polished prep arm who is adding velocity and explosiveness to a good, polished base. Likely to move quickly.
8. Ashe Russell, RHP: The 2015 top pick probably needs more work than Watson, but the upside is really nice. Again, advanced two-pitch mix that will depend on him adding a changeup. Could be a very good NO. 2 if it all adds up.
9. Balbino Fuenmayor, 1B/DH, RH: The Balbino came out of basically nowhere in 2015 to earn a Futures Game spot. Big power and an improved two-strike approach have turned the late bloomer into a legit prospect. He’s blocked at the MLB level currently by Eric Hosmer and Kendrys Morales, but Fuenmayor’s combination of power hitting and good average/strike zone control makes him intriguing.
10. Cheslor Cuthbert, 3B, RH: Cheslor probably is not going to be the star KC was hoping for when signing him out of Nicaragua, but he does look like he can be a solid reserve for an MLB club. Good defense at 3B paired with a solid plate approach and some gap power plays fine off the bench. He becomes a lot more interesting if they think he can stick as a 2B, which they have experimented with.

Spoiler!

11. Chase Vallot, C/DH/1B: I really like Vallot’s power and plate discipline combo. His bat will probably force him from behind the plate, but he’s held his own despite being extremely young for every level he has faced.
12. Alfredo Escalera-Maldonado, OF, RH: Escalera-Maldonado earned a promotion to Wilmington at age 20, which is pretty advanced movement for that age. He’s an athletic outfielder who has shown some plate discipline at an early age, which is encouraging. Doesn’t sound like he can stick in CF long term for KC, but his bat has become one to watch.
13. Pedro Fernandez, RHP: I haven’t seen much of him, but like the reports I’ve heard on his fastball and general makeup. Could become the next Almonte/Mondesi, though he’s more likely to land in the pen than either of them.
14. Elier Hernandez, OF, RH: Elier Hernanez teamed with Escalera-Maldonado in breaking out at Low-A and earning a promotion to Wilmington. It’s still early for this guy – he is just 20 years old – but he doesn’t take walks and hasn’t developed the prodigious power many thought he had the potential for. Still worth watching.
15. Hunter Dozier, 3B, RH: Dozier is reworking his swing mid-season, which generally will cause production to do what his has done: Nose dive. The changes he made entering the season (seemingly geared towards increasing his power production) were a disaster, and now he’s trying to get back to what he used to be. Still looks great and checks most of the scouting boxes, but the performance hasn’t matched, and it almost knocked him out of the list.
16. Christian Binford, RHP: After a breakthrough 2014, Binford struggled mightily at AAA and suffered a demotion. His upside remains similar – a back-end starter who can eat innings – but Binford’s lack of velocity and reliance on command have caught up to him so far.
17. Marten Gasparini, OF, SH: Gasparini is intriguing because of his speed and athleticism. He’s a LOOOOONG ways from the majors and young for his level, but reports on his bat speed, swing, and speed remain positive enough to keep him on the bubble.
18. Eric Skoglund, LHP: Skoglund had a nice year at Wilmington. I'm skeptical because his K rate is lower than I like to see for a guy at A+ - just 7/9, and usually guys lose a strikeout or two/9 as they move up the chain from there - but he has excellent control, walking 1.17 batters/9. 6-7 lefties with great control who get lots of ground balls - like Skoglund - have a chance to overcome bad K rates.
19. Ryan O'Hearn, 1B/LF: A lefty stick with power, O'Hearn was a savings signing as an 8th round pick, but a change in his approach increased his power - while increasing his K rate. After Vallot, probably the best pure power prospect in the Royals system.
20. Josh Staumont, RHP: I was terrified of this guy's control problems, and he walked nearly a batter an inning in his pro debut (32 BB in 40 1/3 IP). Staumont's nasty, nasty stuff (plus-plus fastball, plus slider) could make him a very good late-inning reliever who strikes out more than a batter an inning, if he can develop average or slightly below-average control. If he really masters the control, you're talking about a potential Greg Holland type, but that's a TALL task.

[C3HIEF3S]

As far as KC sports radio goes, I have definitely tuned in less since the Royals won the WS. Being a college student still, I have enough time and interest to be able to read up on sports and form my own opinions about things. I don't need some fat slob telling me what I can know by looking at Twitter for 30 seconds.

When I do listen to it anymore, I'll listen to Danny Parkins and Carrington Harrison on 610. Carrington can be funny at times and Danny is average, but that guy has to be the biggest pussy alive.

Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth

Said it before, and I'll say it again. If I had to pick between Moose or Hos, I'm going Moose.

Quintessential blue-collar guy, whose remained humble coming up and dug in when he was struggling and receptive to instruction and trying anything to help his play and the team.

I like both guys, but I don’t see any way you'll get full value on Eric's next contract. Hell, you might not get it back on either guy, but Moose's contract numbers gives you a lot more flexibility for a small market club.

Now, the second question isn't so much about picking one or the other. With guys in the farm system that could be reasonably an equal level replacement, is it wise to commit that much salary, and what could you get in prospects for moving them and really start stockpiling your farm system?

If they walk in FA, any rebuild is going to take you at least twice as long.

I think it would be enviable in 3 or 4 seasons to be sitting where the Cubs are at with a roster littered with young cheap talent with years of control and the ability to add a few difference makers in FA thanks to cap space.

Yesterday I was watching the Sox broadcast (it was Steve Stone and some other old guy who fills in for Harrelson every once in a while), and the topic of the 2018 Royals came up. They said that Eric Hosmer was the #1 priority for the Royals to sign out of Moose/Hoz/Cain and I couldn't help but laugh.

Every single White Sox broadcaster has a major hard-on for Hosmer. I can't figure it out. There is just something about old guys who played pro ball decades ago and their love for his defense I guess? Hosmer is as unspectacular player over the course of an entire season as I have ever seen but whatever. I have beat this horse past death, but I am with you in retaining Moose over Hos. Now if Hosmer can figure out how to simplify his approach at the plate and be consistent over 162 then it's probably a different story.

[sedated]

Originally Posted by Meatloaf

The latest two things he seems "stuck" on are:

-How the Chiefs apparently mishandled Houston's injury

Well, can you really blame him?

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

Um...have you heard him call a Sporting game? My goodness

I have and I have no idea why they hired him.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth

Said it before, and I'll say it again. If I had to pick between Moose or Hos, I'm going Moose.

Quintessential blue-collar guy, whose remained humble coming up and dug in when he was struggling and receptive to instruction and trying anything to help his play and the team.

I like both guys, but I don’t see any way you'll get full value on Eric's next contract. Hell, you might not get it back on either guy, but Moose's contract numbers gives you a lot more flexibility for a small market club.

Now, the second question isn't so much about picking one or the other. With guys in the farm system that could be reasonably an equal level replacement, is it wise to commit that much salary, and what could you get in prospects for moving them and really start stockpiling your farm system?

If they walk in FA, any rebuild is going to take you at least twice as long.

I think it would be enviable in 3 or 4 seasons to be sitting where the Cubs are at with a roster littered with young cheap talent with years of control and the ability to add a few difference makers in FA thanks to cap space.

What sort of picks can we get for a 1B who can't hit?

[kcfanXIII]

I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but I find Fescoe and Kling entertaining. I love the dry sense of humor on my way to work in the morning. They aren't for everybody, I'm aware of that. But they beat anything over on 810...

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

It's Petro. I can't think of a bigger self-aggrandizing blowhard on radio.

Keitzman.

[ChiefsCountry]

810 > 610 Hosts
610 > 810 Sport properties

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by sedated

I, personally, like Petro. And Parkins. 810 morning guys are okay but can get annoying when St. John is trying to be funny or Bukaty brings out his crush for everything Sporting KC.

Other than that, its pretty rough. Especially Fescoe, I can't believe that guy still has a job.

I've wiped KK from my memory - that guy is the most pompous know-nothing imaginable. And the way he asks questions by making a statement and then asking the guest to agree drives me insane.

Petro, personally, is a lot better than most of the local guys. He lives 2 houses over from my parents and is totally laid back and will chat it up like any regular guy without being pretentious. On-air, he's not some young guy, and I think years of rehashing some of the same stuff becomes mundane, and you see it come out in him getting chippy at times. He pretty much can't stand KK, and that was a lot of the reason why he used to do the show from remote all over town or at the 810 zone a few years ago. Like I said, I don’t really listen any more than sporadically, so it might have changed, but I doubt he's chummy with KK still. Either way, it's a cush job and pays well, so I don't think anyone’s sympathies are needed.

[Anyong Bluth]

Anyone remember DA? I think I heard he's got a national gig for CBS Sports Radio.

One that may be an odd choice, and I admit it took me a while to warm up to, was Nick Wright. A few of the guys that were part of his afternoon show now are on in Chicago.

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth

Anyone remember DA? I think I heard he's got a national gig for CBS Sports Radio.

One that may be an odd choice, and I admit it took me a while to warm up to, was Nick Wright. A few of the guys that were part of his afternoon show now are on in Chicago.

DA was really good.

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

DA was really good.

He was, and apparently is, KC to Miami to Boston to National is a steady rise.


I just looked it up, and Wright was in Houston and in March got hired for a national gig for FS1 in LA.

[mr. tegu]

Who is DA?

[BigCatDaddy]

Royals anyone?

[cabletech94]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Royals anyone?

Let's Go!!!

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Royals anyone?

Oh yeah.

Let's go Royals!




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