Royals *** Official 2016 Royals Repository, Version 1 *** - Page 183

duncan_idaho · 04-03-2016, 09:48 AM

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.

WhawhaWhat · 07-07-2016, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

I noticed Alex gets a free pass around here for being total garbage. Weird. 18M for a AAAA level guy. Could've had Eibner get 1-2 war for free

No one responding to your usual drivel doesn't mean he gets a free pass.

KChiefs1 · 07-07-2016, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

I noticed Alex gets a free pass around here for being total garbage. Weird. 18M for a AAAA level guy. Could've had Eibner get 1-2 war for free

Agreed he has been shit. No free pass from me.

I'm hoping that he has a fantastic 2nd half or that's wasted money.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

KChiefs1 · 07-07-2016, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Great Expectations

In hindsight we definitely should've spent the money on Kennedy, Gordon, and Soria for a top of the line rotation guy.

Moore's streak of luck has run out.

Sure-Oz · 07-07-2016, 10:07 AM

Gordon has given nothing offensively hope he gets going ..Dyson sucks too. I'd rather see Eibner in the OF than Dyson since he can produce some offense

**ChiTown** · 07-07-2016, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

Moore's streak of luck has run out.

I don't think it was luck. Dayton is a good GM. I do believe, however, that he absolutely out-smarted himself into thinking he could manage the season with Medlen and Young both being in the starting rotation. I also think that he way over-valued Gordon's presence on this team. That 4-year deal was friendly to KC, but he's a luxury we can't afford. His great Defensive play can't make up for a shitty starting rotation combined with his awful offensive production.

tk13 · 07-07-2016, 10:39 AM

Signing Gordon sold tickets, so it helped from a business sense. There was already a lot of hand wringing about Glass being cheap after two World Series appearances because it looked like the team's fan favorite would walk. It seemed like the Royals people were telling guys like McCullough, Mellinger that they weren't going to sign him. Once they did, it felt like we had a good offseason.

I think he's going to have a tough year... just because of the wrist injury. Seems like guys never recover from those quickly, especially when he wasn't hitting already. But there does come a time where you have to make tough decisions. I think they're going to let Cain walk for that reason, even though it'll be really unpopular. I don't think Gordon is sunk cost though. The reason it made some sense to re-sign him was because he keeps himself in amazing shape, and he works harder than anyone on the team. He doesn't have to be washed up at only 32.

suzzer99 · 07-07-2016, 10:47 AM

God bless baseball pic.twitter.com/V3GDjI4rVj
— Shaun Newkirk (@Shauncore) July 7, 2016

**Anyong Bluth** · 07-07-2016, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiTown

I don't think it was luck. Dayton is a good GM. I do believe, however, that he absolutely out-smarted himself into thinking he could manage the season with Medlen and Young both being in the starting rotation. I also think that he way over-valued Gordon's presence on this team. That 4-year deal was friendly to KC, but he's a luxury we can't afford. His great Defensive play can't make up for a shitty starting rotation combined with his awful offensive production.

I think he was relying on Medlan. No one could believe that Young was the solution. That is more a circumstance of he was what we have given payroll limitations. At best he was / is a bandaid they hoped to use as a stopgap and eyeing an arm at the trade deadline.

He was brought back to be a stopgap bullpen asset. They didn't all of a sudden have some renewed faith in him being able to shoulder a spot in the rotation and hold up. Circumstances forced their hand to make do, and he has gotten worked over in a role he would never be an asset to the team as.

**ChiTown** · 07-07-2016, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tk13

Signing Gordon sold tickets, so it helped from a business sense. There was already a lot of hand wringing about Glass being cheap after two World Series appearances because it looked like the team's fan favorite would walk. It seemed like the Royals people were telling guys like McCullough, Mellinger that they weren't going to sign him. Once they did, it felt like we had a good offseason.

I think he's going to have a tough year... just because of the wrist injury. Seems like guys never recover from those quickly, especially when he wasn't hitting already. But there does come a time where you have to make tough decisions. I think they're going to let Cain walk for that reason, even though it'll be really unpopular. I don't think Gordon is sunk cost though. The reason it made some sense to re-sign him was because he keeps himself in amazing shape, and he works harder than anyone on the team. He doesn't have to be washed up at only 32.

I don't believe he's washed up at 32. I believe exactly what I wrote - he's a luxury we can't afford. You can't spend $18MM/yr on an offensively unproductive corner outfielder and piece meal a starting rotation together. His D doesn't make up for an awful rotation. It would help if he were on top of his game offensively, but he hasn't been that for a while. Last night, he had some of the worst AB's I have ever seen from him. The one with Esky on 3B and 1 out was inexcusable for a guy with his experience. So bad, that Hud appeared that he wanted to run down from the booth and scold AG in person. I like AG, but I'd like him better if he were a front line starting pitcher.

I do agree that they will most likely let Cain walk in '17, and that's probably the right thing to do. Maybe, by the grace of God, Bubba gets it figured out in Omaha, and he's ready to man that spot in '18. Highly doubtful, but stranger things have happened. He'll be 25 at the start of the '18 season, so maybe his maturity will catch up with his athleticism.

Demonpenz · 07-07-2016, 12:04 PM

Alex Sweeney

siberian khatru · 07-07-2016, 12:05 PM

I think the biggest fear about re-signing Gordon was that his DEFENSE would decline rapidly, and with it a lot of his value. There was talk about moving him to 1B after Hosmer left.

I don't know if anyone expected his bat to go in the crapper so soon. I think most figured he could still OPS around .750 for 2-3 years. And he still might. But he's been utterly atrocious at the plate this year, particularly the extreme spike in strikeouts, which is both alarming and mystifying. He was never that bad when he was ... bad.

The wrist may hamper his ability to climb out of this, but he was this bad before the injury too. Hopefully he'll pull a Morales and do a 180 -- soon.

ChiefsCountry · 07-07-2016, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tk13

Signing Gordon sold tickets, so it helped from a business sense. There was already a lot of hand wringing about Glass being cheap after two World Series appearances because it looked like the team's fan favorite would walk. It seemed like the Royals people were telling guys like McCullough, Mellinger that they weren't going to sign him. Once they did, it felt like we had a good offseason.

I think he's going to have a tough year... just because of the wrist injury. Seems like guys never recover from those quickly, especially when he wasn't hitting already. But there does come a time where you have to make tough decisions. I think they're going to let Cain walk for that reason, even though it'll be really unpopular. I don't think Gordon is sunk cost though. The reason it made some sense to re-sign him was because he keeps himself in amazing shape, and he works harder than anyone on the team. He doesn't have to be washed up at only 32.

Voice of reason.

TomBarndtsTwin · 07-07-2016, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Great Expectations

In hindsight we definitely should've spent the money on Kennedy, Gordon, and Soria for a top of the line rotation guy.

We could have re-signed Cueto and Zobrist for the same money we spent on those three. Granted, there would be a couple more expensive years towards the end of those deals.

I think it's fair to say substituting Kennedy with Cueto in the rotation would be an upgrade and Zobrist at the top of the lineup instead of Gordon would have made the offense more consistent. In spite of injuries, I think the Royals would have been okay w/o Soria and his 8 mil. a year.

Whit is coming back down to earth. Dyson in left, although not a long term replacement, would have made a capable defensive replacement for Gordon.

Hindsight being 20/20 and all . . . . .

Pitt Gorilla · 07-07-2016, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth

I think he was relying on Medlan. No one could believe that Young was the solution. That is more a circumstance of he was what we have given payroll limitations. At best he was / is a bandaid they hoped to use as a stopgap and eyeing an arm at the trade deadline.

He was brought back to be a stopgap bullpen asset. They didn't all of a sudden have some renewed faith in him being able to shoulder a spot in the rotation and hold up. Circumstances forced their hand to make do, and he has gotten worked over in a role he would never be an asset to the team as.

Young's contract NEVER made sense. He was a minimal salary guy last season, which was fine. Anything more than that didn't make sense.

The Gordon signing was going to be problematic to a team like the Royals, even if he maintained his production.

Prison Bitch · 07-07-2016, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tk13

Signing Gordon sold tickets,

I seriously doubt that.

04-03-2016, 09:48 AM
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $-1969692	* Official 2016 Royals Repository, Version 1 * 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.
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07-07-2016, 10:39 AM	#2736
tk13 ... Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $-1737500	Signing Gordon sold tickets, so it helped from a business sense. There was already a lot of hand wringing about Glass being cheap after two World Series appearances because it looked like the team's fan favorite would walk. It seemed like the Royals people were telling guys like McCullough, Mellinger that they weren't going to sign him. Once they did, it felt like we had a good offseason. I think he's going to have a tough year... just because of the wrist injury. Seems like guys never recover from those quickly, especially when he wasn't hitting already. But there does come a time where you have to make tough decisions. I think they're going to let Cain walk for that reason, even though it'll be really unpopular. I don't think Gordon is sunk cost though. The reason it made some sense to re-sign him was because he keeps himself in amazing shape, and he works harder than anyone on the team. He doesn't have to be washed up at only 32.
Posts: 56,639

07-07-2016, 10:47 AM	#2737
suzzer99 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: L.A. Casino cash: $-645716	God bless baseball pic.twitter.com/V3GDjI4rVj — Shaun Newkirk (@Shauncore) July 7, 2016
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07-07-2016, 12:04 PM	#2740
Demonpenz Woman should only make babies Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Apartment "G UNIT!" Casino cash: $-263864	Alex Sweeney __________________
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07-07-2016, 12:05 PM	#2741
siberian khatru 21st Century Schizoid Fan Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: The Gates of Delirium Casino cash: $-1205050	I think the biggest fear about re-signing Gordon was that his DEFENSE would decline rapidly, and with it a lot of his value. There was talk about moving him to 1B after Hosmer left. I don't know if anyone expected his bat to go in the crapper so soon. I think most figured he could still OPS around .750 for 2-3 years. And he still might. But he's been utterly atrocious at the plate this year, particularly the extreme spike in strikeouts, which is both alarming and mystifying. He was never that bad when he was ... bad. The wrist may hamper his ability to climb out of this, but he was this bad before the injury too. Hopefully he'll pull a Morales and do a 180 -- soon.
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