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 teedubya

If the Royals win again, are the Rep threads back!?! LOL

I'll be at the game tomorrow night so it's almost a guaranteed loss.

[SPATCH]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Our team has an 83 OPS+, and it's my post which is "sensational"? Thanks for the laugh.

You called Omar Infante a Chris Getz doppelganger.

Also, why didn't you compare the team's offensive output through June 10 in 2013 to the offensive output through June 10 in 2014? Wouldn't that comparison be more fair?

We all know that the Royals offense improved quite a bit after June 1 last season. Looks like it might be improving again.

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Can we stop talking about fantasy baseball/other teams/general baseball information in this thread? It's getting a little out of hand. Start a new "general baseball thread" or go to the Fantasy/Casino Planet forum if you want to talk about that stuff.

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by thurman merman

Can we stop talking about fantasy baseball/other teams/general baseball information in this thread? It's getting a little out of hand. Start a new "general baseball thread" or go to the Fantasy/Casino Planet forum if you want to talk about that stuff.

[Three7s]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Whatever Infantes issue is, he better fix it quickly because we dumped Getz for a reason. For us to pick up his doppelgänger AND pay 8M for the privilege is just infuriating. He frankly sucks balls.



Didn't we think getting rid of Getz and Frenchy would automatically boost the offense? Nope!


2013: 4.00 runs/game (11th) .694 OPS (11th) 89 OPS+
2014: 3.95 runs/game (12th) .667 ops (14th) 83 OPS+



Obv Country Fat-ass & Erica are the two biggest falls. But anyone thinkin we'd make up with Infante & Aoki was dead wrong.

Here's what I look at. Can Infante drive the ball? Yes, he can, seeing as he has twice as many homers as Getz had during his whole stay here in a mere two months. Is Infante a slap-hitter? Depends on the definition. Getz got most of his hits by softly hitting the ball through holes in the infield, rather than hitting line-drives into the outfield.

I believe Infante has done all of the things Gets has done and far more and, honestly, this is one of the dumbest comparisons I've ever seen anyone make. Getz was the worst player in baseball, and Infante is average. Is Infante a great hitter? No, but he's miles ahead of Getz will ever be.

[ChiefsCountry]

Since trades are being brought up, one I have been thinking about for a while for the Royals that could make some sense for them is with the Padres.

Chase Headley
Carlos Quentin

3rd base and right fielder. Both have been hurt this year, thus numbers are down but for the right price they could be enough to push the Royals over the hump into the playoffs.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by Cunning Linguist

Dale Sveum effect, anyone? His main objective was for our guys to lay off pitches lower in the zone, while jumping on higher pitches.

We've scored 60 runs in 13 games with him as hitting coach, while only scoring 197 in 52 games.

4.6 vs 3.8 runs per game, respectively.

Seems like a simple tweak, but this incredibly small sample size might foreshadow a better offensive team moving forward.

Coincidence. Im sure Alex Gordon really cares what Dale Sveum has to say...

[CaliforniaChief]

Headley's been almost as bad if not worse than Moustakas, and is coming into a contract year.

I grant that injuries have been a factor, but there hasn't been much from Headley for quite some time now.

I'd rather deal Greg Holland to the Dodgers for Joc Pederson, but I doubt they'll do that now.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by thurman merman

Can we stop talking about fantasy baseball/other teams/general baseball information in this thread? It's getting a little out of hand. Start a new "general baseball thread" or go to the Fantasy/Casino Planet forum if you want to talk about that stuff.

No.

[AndChiefs]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

Headley's been almost as bad if not worse than Moustakas, and is coming into a contract year.

I grant that injuries have been a factor, but there hasn't been much from Headley for quite some time now.

I'd rather deal Greg Holland to the Dodgers for Joc Pederson, but I doubt they'll do that now.

Why's that? He's pretty blocked.

[duncan_idaho]

I wouldn't mind picking up Headley and Quentin, but I don't think it would be a surefire success.

A change of scenery might ignite either guy. Getting out of Petco might ignire either guy. Or it might not.

Long term 3B picture could be interesting...

Cuthbert and Dozier are the oft-mentioned internal candidates (and for reason... each has a nice skill set. Dozier has been hot at High A since the start of May and Cuthbert is showing good OBP skills though marginal power at AA), but I think Orlando Calixte is still a name to watch there.

He's OPSing .850 as a SS at Northwest Arkansas. Pretty solid, and has apparently improved his plate discipline quite a bit (small sample size, though). He's a good defensive shortstop, but if he keeps hitting at this level, KC could promote him to Omaha ... and if he finishes this season strongly, Calixte COULD be an option at 3B if Moustakas continues to suck.

I think Calixte's long-term future is as a 2B (with Mondesi playing SS), but he's a RH bat with pop and good defensive skills... wouldn't be a bad UTIL guy next year, if he earns it.

[Prison Bitch]

I loooooove reading about fantasy teams. Especially trade talk, wow the intrigue!!!! In fact I log into this site just to read about who's being offered what for Michael Wacha.

[Don Corlemahomes]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Coincidence. Im sure Alex Gordon really cares what Dale Sveum has to say...

I've noticed guys like Billy and Alex laying off pithes low in the strike zone, though. Billy has been elevating the ball more. Gordon too. It's not like Sveum is totally re-vamping their approach. He's simply sharing an observation.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

Headley's been almost as bad if not worse than Moustakas, and is coming into a contract year.

I grant that injuries have been a factor, but there hasn't been much from Headley for quite some time now.

I'd rather deal Greg Holland to the Dodgers for Joc Pederson, but I doubt they'll do that now.

Andre Ehtier has three years left on a big deal (that would require them to either eat big money or give him away)

Carl Crawford has three year left on a deal that probably makes him untradeable unless someone big gets desperate (that basically leaves the Yankees, who have a younger and better version of him in Ellsbury)

Yasiel Puig is a legitimate superstar talent and young and cheap. He's a franchise cornerstone.

Matt Kemp has 5 years left on a huge deal that puts him in the same boat as Ethier.

They also have a long-term option at 1B in Adrian Gonzalez.

There's really nowhere for Pederson to go anytime soon, and they'd get a much, much bigger return for him than for any of those other guys.

If I'm the Royals, I'd be willing to talk Greg Holland or Wade Davis for him. Would give the Dodgers a lights-out guy at the end of the pen, something they really don't have right now (Jansen has been very hittable this year and really only has one pitch right now).

[duncan_idaho]

Re: Sveum...

Based on what I was hearing from someone who works for the team, it wouldn't surprise me if flushing Grifol DID make a difference. He was in over his head, from what I was told. "Pedro doesn't talk about approach, just about taking good swings and having a swing that feels good" is a pretty direct quote.