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.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

That estimate might be a little bit high... was thinking Illig and Patterson had both been estimated at around $3.5 billion. Know they've been in the billionaires club since the middle of the past decade, and all Cerner has done since then is explode.

Figure the other three guys are bringing SOMETHING to the table, too...

Its also no secret that they are Royals fans. The SKC guys reportedly go to several games a year.

[Nightfyre]

I wish Glass would sell to someone who gave a shit about being competitive.

[BlackHelicopters]

Final naive question . Do MLB rules prohibit cross ownership with an MLS franchise?

[Archie F. Swin]

Originally Posted by alnorth

easily. They would be one of the wealthiest ownership groups in baseball.

here's to hoping they can afford to make the Glass boys die of "natural causes"

[BlackHelicopters]

Why don't they make glASS an offer he can't refuse.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by theelusiveeightrop

Final naive question . Do MLB rules prohibit cross ownership with an MLS franchise?

nope. Some MLB, NBA, and NFL owners also have at least partial ownership of a MLS team.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

I wish Glass would sell to someone who gave a shit about being competitive.

The Cerner guys became a viable possibility only recently. Before they came along, there was really nobody for Glass to sell to and be assured of keeping the team in KC. Every other wealthy KC family doesn't give a damn about sports.

[Nightfyre]

I don't buy the whole "I can't sell the team and be assured it would stay in KC," spin. Glass has been terrible for the team.

For 20 years he has been a vampire, sucking every last penny out. Now that he has demolished the fanbase, he is putting in just enough to break even and stir up enough interest to get a few more cashflow heartbeats out of the dead rotting corpse that is Royal's baseball. Then he'll die and leave it to his son to sell to whomever.

[CaliforniaChief]

Asked who his backup SS is, Ned Yost said "You," meaning me. Holy crap, you guys. The Royals are screwed.

— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) April 8, 2014

Why not bring up Colon and send down one of our worthless relievers?

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

I don't buy the whole "I can't sell the team and be assured it would stay in KC," spin. Glass has been terrible for the team.

Fine, but you are wrong.

No one else was willing to buy the team unless they could relocate, and everyone in KC (until recently) who could afford the team didn't care about sports and didn't want it.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by theelusiveeightrop

Why don't they make glASS an offer he can't refuse.

Because it would cost them $400M. At 10% interest that's 40m they'd have to find in savings on revenue of 130m. That can come from two sources: Slashing payroll 40m or raising revenue 40m. If people want lower payrolls or higher prices they should want Cerner

[Nightfyre]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Fine, but you are wrong.

No one else was willing to buy the team unless they could relocate, and everyone in KC (until recently) who could afford the team didn't care about sports and didn't want it.

So you would presume to know all of the potential suitors to purchase the Royals in the last 20 years? Seems to be a lofty assumption.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by theelusiveeightrop

Why don't they make glASS an offer he can't refuse.

Indications are that the Glass family is not willing to sell at this time.

"Would love for them to pick up the phone" is something I've heard the SportingClub guys say in the past, when interviewed.

[stonedstooge]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Because it would cost them $400M. At 10% interest that's 40m they'd have to find in savings on revenue of 130m. That can come from two sources: Slashing payroll 40m or raising revenue 40m. If people want lower payrolls or higher prices they should want Cerner

So where is the 25% increase in ticket prices being spent?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Because it would cost them $400M. At 10% interest that's 40m they'd have to find in savings on revenue of 130m. That can come from two sources: Slashing payroll 40m or raising revenue 40m. If people want lower payrolls or higher prices they should want Cerner

I imagine they'd look at the team as another long-term investment and focus more on doing well over 10 years and 20 years than on balancing the purchase price immediately. That's what they've done with SKC.

Assuming they'd have to slash $40 million from payroll is going a bit far, I think.

For one thing, it assumes it's true the Royals are losing money last year/this year on payroll.

For another, it assumes they wouldn't improve the fan experience and drive attendance up. From what I've seen, I have no doubt that group would make sure it made the K a more fun, attractive environment and increase attendance and revenue.

Finally, those guys seem savvy enough to realize that the No. 1 factor for being profitable is winning and having good perception in your community. Buying the team and immediately slashing $30 million from the payroll would hurt your bottom line because it depresses excitement.

Even if they're trying to break even on the overall balance sheet, I don't think you'd see those guys chopping payroll into the $50-60 million area.