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.

[TLO]

Good news.

[siberian khatru]

I'll believe it when I see it.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

610 said Ventura looks to be out one start.

Color me skeptical. I think we've earned that right as Royals Fans.

[gblowfish]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

When did Glass buy the Cardinals?

This.

He's a Cardinals Fan.

He's just happens to own a team in the American League. Business, you know.

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by BeMyValentine

Anything on Ventura yet?

Expected to only miss 1 start

[BlackHelicopters]

Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth

Expected to only miss 1 start

I am skeptical

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

This.

He's a Cardinals Fan.

He's just happens to own a team in the American League. Business, you know.

To be fair to him, he did grow up when the Cardinals were essentially the only team in the area unless you want to count the St. Louis Browns.

[OmahaChief]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

610 said Ventura looks to be out one start.

To be closely followed by TJ surgery becuase we will run him out when he should be rested or on the DL.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by petegz28

19. Kansas City Royals $92,034,345
20. Chicago White Sox $91,159,254
21. San Diego Padres $90,094,196
22. NY Mets $89,051,758
23. Chicago Cubs $89,007,857
24. Minnesota Twins $85,776,500
25. Oakland A's $83,401,400
26. Cleveland Indians $82,534,800
27. Pittsburgh Pirates $78,111,667
28. Tampa Bay Rays $77,062,891
29. Miami Marlins $47,565,400
30. Houston Astros $44,544,174

Every single one of those teams with a lower payroll than the Royals have been to the post-season since David Glass became owner of the Royals.

Two have only been to the postseason Once in that time span -Pittsburgh (last year) and Miami (Winning the World Series in 2003).

All the others have been in the post-season on multiple occasions during The Glass family reign.

[Nightfyre]

Originally Posted by KevB

I don't think people give him a hard time much anymore? The last 3/4 years or so, he's probably done as much as you could expect of a small market owner. It's the previous decade+ that he gets killed for, and rightfully so.

Two critical facts:
He has owned the team for over 20 years and the team has not made the playoff in his tenure. He has operated the club for profit over the course of his entire tenure.

Now, he is pushing 80. I don't think it is too far fetched to say that the intent this year was to win just enough to revitalize the interest in the club enough that he could ride the windfall into his grave or an inflated sale of the team.

Meanwhile, an entire generation (28 going on 29 years of fail) of the market has been disenfranchised leaving an aged and dwindling fan-base. The team will inevitably have to move upon the sale of the team simply because it has no fan-base to lose and it would be more profitable in a larger market. So the sun will set on the KC Royals, until the next round of MLB expansion. Good night, sweet Royal's fans. Our loyalty shall not be returned in the form of a championship, but will be sequestered unto the pockets of the Glass family. One final gasp to fill the Glass Family Coffers - and at the expense of thousands of tormented fans.

[Deberg_1990]

Keep doing what you're doing Royals.....and we will continue stealing your fanbase

/Sporting
Posted via Mobile Device

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Keep doing what you're doing Royals.....and we will continue stealing your fanbase

/Sporting
Posted via Mobile Device

Sporting the team whose stadium is the same size as Sprint Center.

[sedated]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Sporting the team whose stadium is the same size as Sprint Center.

And would barely sell out if the Royals played there.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Keep doing what you're doing Royals.....and we will continue stealing your fanbase

/Sporting
Posted via Mobile Device

Would be perfect time for a gif of Kenny Power shooting a soccer ball.

[C3HIEF3S]

Royals Road Back To .500: Part X

My Road to seeing a Royals win live: Part VIII




Last year, my first game I saw in KC, Guthrie gave up like 7 runs and was out by the 4th inning. Hoping for a drastic improvement tonight.











And some runs, that'd be pretty cool.