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.

[C3HIEF3S]

Originally Posted by tk13

Former pitcher and #Mets scout Roy Smith, who was sitting behind home plate when #Reds’ Chapman got hit: “As bad as I’ve seen.”

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 20, 2014

Continued...

More Smith on Chapman: “Usually guys turn their head a little bit. This was like getting punched right in the face. It was straight on.”

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 20, 2014

[Demonpenz]

Salvy is thinking about retirement cause if it.

[Wilson8]

Aroldis Chapman has facial fractures

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Cincinnati Reds closer Aroldis Chapman suffered fractures to bones in his nose and left eye while taking a line drive to the face Wednesday night.

Chapman was carted off the field and transported by ambulance to a hospital and would be kept overnight for observation, the Reds said on their Twitter account.

The Reds said Chapman was originally taken to Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center in Sun City, Ariz., where tests indicated the facial fractures. He was then transferred to Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, where he was to undergo further testing.

Reds manager Bryan Price said Chapman was conscious and talking as he was taken off the field during the game against the Kansas City Royals.
"Not good," Price said. "He left the field on a stretcher, took a line drive just above his left eye is what it looks like -- a contusion, a laceration, and certainly needs to be taken to the hospital and checked. We've got Tomas Vera, an assistant trainer, is going to be with him. And then we'll get our updates from there."

The hard-throwing left-hander was struck by Salvador Perez's hit with two outs in the sixth inning. The pitcher crumbled to the ground, face down and flailing his legs. The ball caromed into the third base dugout. Medical personnel, including Royals Dr. Vincent Key, rushed the field. Chapman's father was among the people to run onto the field immediately after he was struck.

Players from both teams huddled around the mound as the 26-year-old Cuban was being attended to and the stadium became silent. An ambulance's siren could be heard in background while Chapman was loaded onto the stretcher.
"I know this isn't uncommon as we would like it to be, but it was frightening, certainly frightening," Price said.

The game was then called with Kansas City leading 6-3.
Chapman, who throws a 100 mph fastball, had walked four Royals in the inning before being hit.

The two-time All-Star had 38 saves for the Reds last season.
In January, Major League Baseball approved protective cap for pitchers after the occurrence of several terrifying incidents similar to this one in the last few years.

The heavier and bigger new hats were available for testing during spring training on a voluntary basis but the cap apparently would not have helped Chapman in this case.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10...ive-carted-off

[KCUnited]

I was at the game in Surprise last night sitting next to Lewdog. Chapman went down like he'd been shot. The sound of the ball hitting his face was disgusting. Pretty somber ending to a game.

[Great Expectations]

Originally Posted by AndChiefs

I know it's bad...I do hope that Chapman is okay.

But I also really hope this doesn't get in Salvy's head.

This

[C3HIEF3S]

Moose playing second today

Today vs. the Angels. pic.twitter.com/aaJiHyy4Vu

— Mike Swanson (@Swanee54) March 20, 2014

[C3HIEF3S]

Here's the video of the incident last night. If you don't want to watch it then move along.

[Simplicity]

That's.... ahhhhh....

[TLO]

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

Here's the video of the incident last night. If you don't want to watch it then move along.

Holy shit.

[Demonpenz]

Nick Schwartz said that Chapman is going to need Tommy John surgery.

[shakesthecat]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

Nick Schwartz said that Chapman is going to need Tommy John surgery.

More likely he'll need Rudy Tomjanovich surgey

[chefsos]

Chapman's gonna set off metal detectors everywhere now. Plates in the head are weirdly cool.


I joke because it looks as if, incredibly, he's going to be OK. At least physically.

[alnorth]

Chapman apparently got off as lightly as could possibly be expected. Broken bone above left eye and a slight concussion, but thats it. No eye damage, and no brain damage, doctors say he was lucky.

He's going into surgery to have a metal plate permanently put into his head.

[Pablo]

Damn. I'm glad he's going to be fine. That looked like a brain scrambling kill shot.

[Cephalic Trauma]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Chapman apparently got off as lightly as could possibly be expected. Broken bone above left eye and a slight concussion, but thats it. No eye damage, and no brain damage, doctors say he was lucky.

He's going into surgery to have a metal plate permanently put into his head.

The frontal sinus is part of what is called the "Crumple Zone," in that the anterior (front) part can be crushed on direct impact without affecting the posterior portion.