Royals *** Official Royals Repository, Part 3 *** - Page 136

duncan_idaho · 07-14-2015, 11:05 PM

In this thread: All things related to the AL Champions.

Duncan's Official Team Record prediction: 90 wins
One month in: Looking strong
All Star Break: Looking strong, probably should adjust up to 93-94 wins.
Duncan's Official Team MVP prediction: Eric Hosmer
One month in: Upstaged by his best friend MIKE MOOTACOS, MAN. Tell us bout your hittin, bro!
All Star Break: Lorenzo Cain starting to run away with this one.

Division Preview
Clearly, overlooking the Twins was a mistake at this point. I still don't believe in that team long-term, but they're starting to get that Magic Season twinkle about them.

Detroit is toast. Garbage rotation beyond Price and Sanchez, Miggy out.

And Cleveland... Cleveland still is dangerous if it ever clicks offensively, because the starting pitching is good enough for them to real off a 15-5 stretch and get right back into the playoff picture.

The Royals will be a division winner IF ...
1) Ventura and Duffy combine for 375+ innings of high-quality work
2) Eric Hosmer delivers on his potential with a FULL season of success rather than bursts
3) The deeper bullpen lessens the critical load on Herrera, Davis and Holland
4) Lorenzo Cain stays healthy
5) Either Alex Rios or Kendrys Morales bounces back to 2013 form

The first of these is clearly not going to happen. The second looked good through the end of May but is now eating Cain's dust (Hosmer has still been improved this year, though, lessening his valley. If he has a really hot second half, he can get right back in it). Item three is definitely the case. Item four should probably be first at this point. And Morales has more than bounced back.

Duncan’s Top 20 for mid-season 2015:

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. Sean Manaea, LHP: I still believe in the upside here, even with the abbreviated start. 6-5 lefties with his combination of stuff and deception have the ability to pitch at the front of a rotation for a long time.
3. 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.
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. Cody Reed, LHP: Reed has popped up this year, forcing an early promotion to Northwest Arkansas. His stuff is legit, with mid-90s heat and a wipeout slider. Control still needs work, but a promising young arm (that makes Almonte much more tradeable)
6. John Lamb, LHP: Lamb has had a career resurgence in 2015, putting him back on the prospect map. He’s dominating at AAA and will be in the rotation mix in 2016, unless he suffers another setback. Fastball is back, changeup is improving, still working on the ability to throw the slider and curve for strikes when down in the count.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.

Spoiler!

11. 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.
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. 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.
15. 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.
16. 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.
17. 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.
18. 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.
19. 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.
20. 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.

C3HIEF3S · 07-26-2015, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tk13

They may not be thinking this far ahead, but I'm pretty sure if Cueto starts Thursday, it sets him up to pitch both Detroit series the following two weeks.

If he pitches Thursday and they maintain that order, Cueto's first home start will be Monday August 10th.

Yours truly will be in attendance.

**Bufkin** · 07-26-2015, 04:55 PM

Cardinal fans so salty on social media.

**BigRedChief** · 07-26-2015, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bufkin

Cardinal fans so salty on social media.

Stems from when Cueto was a little pussy and started kicking people with his spikes because he was "scared" in a baseball fracas. Ended the career of our backup catcher who got kicked in the head by Cueto. Carpenter had to have stitches in some cuts on his back where Cueto kicked him with his spikes. In the head and back?

That was a while ago. I'm sure he has matured. No sarcasm.

'Hamas' Jenkins · 07-26-2015, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bufkin

Cardinal fans so salty on social media.

It doesn't have anything to do with the Royals. Cueto and Philips are the two of the three (Braun) most hated active players in St. Louis, and for good reason. Cueto ended Jason LaRue's career by flailing his feet like a bitch during that brawl someone posted earlier.

If you get yourself into a situation with your mouth where you have to start kicking like a bitch, you're generally not going to be very well liked by the opposing fanbase, especially when you injure another player in the process.

Think about how pissed you all were at Samardzija earlier this year.

**Anyong Bluth** · 07-26-2015, 05:05 PM

For anyone who is ho hum about this deal- not that there are many here, but I've seen some discussion by some saying that they aren't that impressed with Here Comes Johnny!

A little excerpt about our new pitcher :

Since 2011, only three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw has posted a lower ERA than Cueto's 2.51 among pitchers who have made at least 100 starts in that span. Over his entire career, 46 percent of Cueto's starts have come at Great American Ball Park, home of the Reds and reputed to be one of the tougher parks on pitchers -- particularly for home runs -- in the majors. For his career, Cueto has thrown 16 percent more fly balls than grounders. Regardless, Great American has never been a handicap to Cueto, whose ERA at home has been better, by 0.56 of an earned run.

**Anyong Bluth** · 07-26-2015, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Sorry guys - had an initial job interview today that started at 1.

This trade is absolutely a huge upgrade for KC and a price very similar to what I've been trumpeting for a while now: Based on the Zack Greinke, 2012 trade to the Angels.

Reed, Lamb and Finnegan for Cueto is not a price that hurts KC at all. All premium prospects kept, nothing hurtful sent out. All potential "star" pieces kept.

Finnegan is one of the best picks in recent Royals history in the draft. He might still stick as a starter, but he has not taken great steps forward this season.

Lamb is what he is... a quality depth piece who might be a good back-end starter. If his stuff continues to improve as he works back from TJ, Lamb could improve that impact/upside a little bit.

And Reed is the one in the group with the highest upside. A quick-riser with great size and potential. Still far away and still needs to improve control. I could see him eventually being similar to Danny Duffy, maybe with a little better breaking ball and less fastball.

So, to equate this to Greinke in 2012: Reed and Finnegan is the equivalent to Segura plus John Hedwig. Neither have quite the same value as Segura, but they both have more than any of the other pieces in that deal. Lamb is the third piece/Ariel Pena.

Great, great, great deal for KC. Any time you can acquire an ace for your 4th and 5th best SP prospects and a quality late-inning relief type, you're winning.

Where are your priorities! ? I find your lack of commitment disturbing.

I kid...

I hope the interview was as successful as Dayton was in getting this trade done!

Mama Hip Rockets · 07-26-2015, 05:15 PM

Mondesi is playing second base tonight. Grooming him to replace Omar?

cosmo20002 · 07-26-2015, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hootie 2.0

ok you've all talked me into Zobrist

OMG this lineup

Gordon
Moose
Cain
Hosmer
Morales
Zobrist
Rios
Perez
Esky

did we break it?

Nice try putting Gordon at #1 and Esky at #9.
I know it makes sense, but Ned ain't doing that.

KChiefs1 · 07-26-2015, 05:17 PM

FYI: Jay Bruce has a chance at the cycle today.

Archie F. Swin · 07-26-2015, 05:20 PM

I started watching today's game just before Ace Ventura was relieved. I noticed he had dirt on his butt like he slid into second. What happened?

penbrook · 07-26-2015, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thurman merman

Mondesi is playing second base tonight. Grooming him to replace Omar?

Cuthbert was taking reps at 2B 2 days ago

KChiefs1 · 07-26-2015, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

If he pitches Thursday and they maintain that order, Cueto's first home start will be Monday August 10th.

Yours truly will be in attendance.

Planning ahead for Cueto's starts:

July 30
August 4
August 9
August 14
August 19
August 24
August 29
September 3
September 8
September 13
September 18
September 23
September 28
October 3

KChiefs1 · 07-26-2015, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thurman merman

Mondesi is playing second base tonight. Grooming him to replace Omar?

I believe that is the plan.

Mr. Laz · 07-26-2015, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archie F. Swin

I started watching today's game just before Ace Ventura was relieved. I noticed he had dirt on his butt like he slid into second. What happened?

just habit of wiping his hands on pants after playing in dirt

keg in kc · 07-26-2015, 05:39 PM

Interesting if true stat mentioned late in the game: less than 25% of the Royals remaining games come against teams currently above .500.

07-14-2015, 11:05 PM
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $-1979692	* Official Royals Repository, Part 3 * In this thread: All things related to the AL Champions. Duncan's Official Team Record prediction: 90 wins One month in: Looking strong All Star Break: Looking strong, probably should adjust up to 93-94 wins. Duncan's Official Team MVP prediction: Eric Hosmer One month in: Upstaged by his best friend MIKE MOOTACOS, MAN. Tell us bout your hittin, bro! All Star Break: Lorenzo Cain starting to run away with this one. Division Preview Clearly, overlooking the Twins was a mistake at this point. I still don't believe in that team long-term, but they're starting to get that Magic Season twinkle about them. Detroit is toast. Garbage rotation beyond Price and Sanchez, Miggy out. And Cleveland... Cleveland still is dangerous if it ever clicks offensively, because the starting pitching is good enough for them to real off a 15-5 stretch and get right back into the playoff picture. The Royals will be a division winner IF ... 1) Ventura and Duffy combine for 375+ innings of high-quality work 2) Eric Hosmer delivers on his potential with a FULL season of success rather than bursts 3) The deeper bullpen lessens the critical load on Herrera, Davis and Holland 4) Lorenzo Cain stays healthy 5) Either Alex Rios or Kendrys Morales bounces back to 2013 form The first of these is clearly not going to happen. The second looked good through the end of May but is now eating Cain's dust (Hosmer has still been improved this year, though, lessening his valley. If he has a really hot second half, he can get right back in it). Item three is definitely the case. Item four should probably be first at this point. And Morales has more than bounced back. Duncan’s Top 20 for mid-season 2015: 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. Sean Manaea, LHP: I still believe in the upside here, even with the abbreviated start. 6-5 lefties with his combination of stuff and deception have the ability to pitch at the front of a rotation for a long time. 3. 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. 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. Cody Reed, LHP: Reed has popped up this year, forcing an early promotion to Northwest Arkansas. His stuff is legit, with mid-90s heat and a wipeout slider. Control still needs work, but a promising young arm (that makes Almonte much more tradeable) 6. John Lamb, LHP: Lamb has had a career resurgence in 2015, putting him back on the prospect map. He’s dominating at AAA and will be in the rotation mix in 2016, unless he suffers another setback. Fastball is back, changeup is improving, still working on the ability to throw the slider and curve for strikes when down in the count. 7. 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. 8. 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. 9. 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. 10. 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. Spoiler! 11. 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. 12. 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. 13. 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. 14. 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. 15. 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. 16. 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. 17. 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. 18. 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. 19. 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. 20. 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.
Posts: 22,392

07-26-2015, 05:05 PM	#2030
Anyong Bluth Deus ambulans inter homines Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago Casino cash: $9439340	For anyone who is ho hum about this deal- not that there are many here, but I've seen some discussion by some saying that they aren't that impressed with Here Comes Johnny! A little excerpt about our new pitcher : Since 2011, only three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw has posted a lower ERA than Cueto's 2.51 among pitchers who have made at least 100 starts in that span. Over his entire career, 46 percent of Cueto's starts have come at Great American Ball Park, home of the Reds and reputed to be one of the tougher parks on pitchers -- particularly for home runs -- in the majors. For his career, Cueto has thrown 16 percent more fly balls than grounders. Regardless, Great American has never been a handicap to Cueto, whose ERA at home has been better, by 0.56 of an earned run. __________________ Suck it, *beautiful*
Posts: 14,938

07-26-2015, 05:15 PM	#2032
Mama Hip Rockets You don't faze me, Gobble. Join Date: Dec 2005 Casino cash: $9915644	Mondesi is playing second base tonight. Grooming him to replace Omar?
Posts: 13,675

07-26-2015, 05:17 PM	#2034
KChiefs1 I’m a Mahomo! Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Mid-Missouri Casino cash: $6771021	FYI: Jay Bruce has a chance at the cycle today. __________________
Posts: 54,038

07-26-2015, 05:20 PM	#2035
Archie F. Swin This is the way Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Wichita Falls, Texas Casino cash: $9975673	I started watching today's game just before Ace Ventura was relieved. I noticed he had dirt on his butt like he slid into second. What happened? __________________ "No Two People Will Do It The Same, You got It Down...When You Appear to Be In Pain!"
Posts: 11,800

07-26-2015, 05:39 PM	#2040
keg in kc oxymoron Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: OP/KC/Whatever Casino cash: $9556299	Interesting if true stat mentioned late in the game: less than 25% of the Royals remaining games come against teams currently above .500.
Posts: 58,682