Royals *** Official Royals Repository, Part 3 *** - Page 57

duncan_idaho · 07-14-2015, 11:05 PM

In this thread: All things related to the AL Champions.

Duncan's Official Team Record prediction: 90 wins
One month in: Looking strong
All Star Break: Looking strong, probably should adjust up to 93-94 wins.
Duncan's Official Team MVP prediction: Eric Hosmer
One month in: Upstaged by his best friend MIKE MOOTACOS, MAN. Tell us bout your hittin, bro!
All Star Break: Lorenzo Cain starting to run away with this one.

Division Preview
Clearly, overlooking the Twins was a mistake at this point. I still don't believe in that team long-term, but they're starting to get that Magic Season twinkle about them.

Detroit is toast. Garbage rotation beyond Price and Sanchez, Miggy out.

And Cleveland... Cleveland still is dangerous if it ever clicks offensively, because the starting pitching is good enough for them to real off a 15-5 stretch and get right back into the playoff picture.

The Royals will be a division winner IF ...
1) Ventura and Duffy combine for 375+ innings of high-quality work
2) Eric Hosmer delivers on his potential with a FULL season of success rather than bursts
3) The deeper bullpen lessens the critical load on Herrera, Davis and Holland
4) Lorenzo Cain stays healthy
5) Either Alex Rios or Kendrys Morales bounces back to 2013 form

The first of these is clearly not going to happen. The second looked good through the end of May but is now eating Cain's dust (Hosmer has still been improved this year, though, lessening his valley. If he has a really hot second half, he can get right back in it). Item three is definitely the case. Item four should probably be first at this point. And Morales has more than bounced back.

Duncan’s Top 20 for mid-season 2015:

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. Sean Manaea, LHP: I still believe in the upside here, even with the abbreviated start. 6-5 lefties with his combination of stuff and deception have the ability to pitch at the front of a rotation for a long time.
3. 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.
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. Cody Reed, LHP: Reed has popped up this year, forcing an early promotion to Northwest Arkansas. His stuff is legit, with mid-90s heat and a wipeout slider. Control still needs work, but a promising young arm (that makes Almonte much more tradeable)
6. John Lamb, LHP: Lamb has had a career resurgence in 2015, putting him back on the prospect map. He’s dominating at AAA and will be in the rotation mix in 2016, unless he suffers another setback. Fastball is back, changeup is improving, still working on the ability to throw the slider and curve for strikes when down in the count.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.

Spoiler!

11. 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.
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. 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.
15. 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.
16. 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.
17. 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.
18. 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.
19. 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.
20. 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.

**Anyong Bluth** · 07-22-2015, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Dole

But it's not downtown and there is nothing to do next door! /CPhipstermorons

I'd love if they could helilift the K to a cool spot around downtown, but that's not even remotely possible.

If you're more concerned about what products are available outside the stadium than the product inside on the field, then your opinion doesn't matter.

Too many people don't even know how spoiled they are in having the K.

If it's such a big deal, then why hasn't anyone put down their money to open a business or build a place to live?
Because it's not really a big deal, and the people who bring it up are the same people who love to use the phrase, "Yeah, but you know what would make it even cooler? If... yada yada yada."

As if their comment or suggestion is a revelation or some sort of an epiphany.
I call them más verde people.

**RollChiefsRoll** · 07-22-2015, 12:51 PM

Haha didn't someone see Ventura in his car on the way to Omaha yesterday?

Turn 'er around, ol' buddy.

Hootie · 07-22-2015, 12:51 PM

I would definitely trade Herrera for Latos, Price (lol), Leake, etc.

We have Holland / Davis / Herrera / Madson / Hoch / Morales. I love it, but we can trade 1. And then we have guys like Zimmer and Finnegan that, you know, you'd like to count on as starters but if we end up needing bullpen help in 2 years when we lose Davis / Holland / Hoch you can count on one of our starters failing and filling in (whether it's Zimmer, Manaea or Ventura).

I love Herrera. I really do. But if he can net us back a starter (which we desperately need) and a guy like Prado ... do it.

Hootie · 07-22-2015, 12:52 PM

I'm in for Leake, as well. I think he'd be very good with our defense and park behind him. Like Volquez good.

Leake, Latos and Prado would be quite the hall for our team.

**Anyong Bluth** · 07-22-2015, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/po...est-team-in-al

Great article. Thanks for sharing.

Nightfyre · 07-22-2015, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hootie 2.0

I'm in for Leake, as well. I think he'd be very good with our defense and park behind him. Like Volquez good.

Leake, Latos and Prado would be quite the hall for our team.

We have pitchers that are effective in Kauffman. We need pitchers that can dominate games in band boxes like new York and Baltimore.

KCUnited · 07-22-2015, 12:58 PM

Can Ventura be recalled immediately?

**Anyong Bluth** · 07-22-2015, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Great Expectations

They might want to limit scouting on him and call him up late. Some teams like the Rays have used that approach in the past.

That can work both ways. An unknown without time to find his groove pitching at the major league level. but I'm not going to argue about how they handle it. Look at our record in spite of all the pitching patchwork. They're not fools.

**Dartgod** · 07-22-2015, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCUnited

Can Ventura be recalled immediately?

Yes, since Vargy went on the DL.

**alnorth** · 07-22-2015, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCUnited

Can Ventura be recalled immediately?

yes, and he has. Normally you have to wait 10 days after optioning someone, unless they are replacing an injured player.

**Dartgod** · 07-22-2015, 01:20 PM

Haha, beat ya, Al.

**Anyong Bluth** · 07-22-2015, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Great Expectations

They might want to limit scouting on him and call him up late. Some teams like the Rays have used that approach in the past.

That can work both ways. An unknown without time to find his groove pitching at the major league level. but I'm not going to argue about how they handle it. Look at our record in spite of all the pitching patchwork. They're not fools.

**Anyong Bluth** · 07-22-2015, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

Mike Boddicker said on 810 this morning that we should trade Ventura for Cueto. Some people are really going off the deep end.

That's why he talks about baseball, and doesn't work in baseball.

Hootie · 07-22-2015, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

We have pitchers that are effective in Kauffman. We need pitchers that can dominate games in band boxes like new York and Baltimore.

Leake has had a respectable career, and some, pitching in a band box like New York or Baltimore.

Hootie · 07-22-2015, 01:32 PM

and for that matter, so has Latos

If we could bring back a haul of Latos / Leake and Prado, I'd be pretty happy. I'm kind of sour on Cueto with these elbow issues.

07-14-2015, 11:05 PM
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $-1969692	* Official Royals Repository, Part 3 * In this thread: All things related to the AL Champions. Duncan's Official Team Record prediction: 90 wins One month in: Looking strong All Star Break: Looking strong, probably should adjust up to 93-94 wins. Duncan's Official Team MVP prediction: Eric Hosmer One month in: Upstaged by his best friend MIKE MOOTACOS, MAN. Tell us bout your hittin, bro! All Star Break: Lorenzo Cain starting to run away with this one. Division Preview Clearly, overlooking the Twins was a mistake at this point. I still don't believe in that team long-term, but they're starting to get that Magic Season twinkle about them. Detroit is toast. Garbage rotation beyond Price and Sanchez, Miggy out. And Cleveland... Cleveland still is dangerous if it ever clicks offensively, because the starting pitching is good enough for them to real off a 15-5 stretch and get right back into the playoff picture. The Royals will be a division winner IF ... 1) Ventura and Duffy combine for 375+ innings of high-quality work 2) Eric Hosmer delivers on his potential with a FULL season of success rather than bursts 3) The deeper bullpen lessens the critical load on Herrera, Davis and Holland 4) Lorenzo Cain stays healthy 5) Either Alex Rios or Kendrys Morales bounces back to 2013 form The first of these is clearly not going to happen. The second looked good through the end of May but is now eating Cain's dust (Hosmer has still been improved this year, though, lessening his valley. If he has a really hot second half, he can get right back in it). Item three is definitely the case. Item four should probably be first at this point. And Morales has more than bounced back. Duncan’s Top 20 for mid-season 2015: 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. Sean Manaea, LHP: I still believe in the upside here, even with the abbreviated start. 6-5 lefties with his combination of stuff and deception have the ability to pitch at the front of a rotation for a long time. 3. 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. 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. Cody Reed, LHP: Reed has popped up this year, forcing an early promotion to Northwest Arkansas. His stuff is legit, with mid-90s heat and a wipeout slider. Control still needs work, but a promising young arm (that makes Almonte much more tradeable) 6. John Lamb, LHP: Lamb has had a career resurgence in 2015, putting him back on the prospect map. He’s dominating at AAA and will be in the rotation mix in 2016, unless he suffers another setback. Fastball is back, changeup is improving, still working on the ability to throw the slider and curve for strikes when down in the count. 7. 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. 8. 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. 9. 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. 10. 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. Spoiler! 11. 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. 12. 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. 13. 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. 14. 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. 15. 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. 16. 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. 17. 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. 18. 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. 19. 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. 20. 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.
Posts: 22,383

07-22-2015, 12:51 PM	#842
RollChiefsRoll I don’t care for Auburn Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Sweet Home Alabama Casino cash: $1750190	Haha didn't someone see Ventura in his car on the way to Omaha yesterday? Turn 'er around, ol' buddy.
Posts: 7,829

07-22-2015, 12:51 PM	#843
Hootie Banned Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Dallas, Texas Casino cash: $10004900	I would definitely trade Herrera for Latos, Price (lol), Leake, etc. We have Holland / Davis / Herrera / Madson / Hoch / Morales. I love it, but we can trade 1. And then we have guys like Zimmer and Finnegan that, you know, you'd like to count on as starters but if we end up needing bullpen help in 2 years when we lose Davis / Holland / Hoch you can count on one of our starters failing and filling in (whether it's Zimmer, Manaea or Ventura). I love Herrera. I really do. But if he can net us back a starter (which we desperately need) and a guy like Prado ... do it.
Posts: 56,356

07-22-2015, 12:52 PM	#844
Hootie Banned Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Dallas, Texas Casino cash: $10004900	I'm in for Leake, as well. I think he'd be very good with our defense and park behind him. Like Volquez good. Leake, Latos and Prado would be quite the hall for our team.
Posts: 56,356

07-22-2015, 12:58 PM	#847
KCUnited Cheat Death Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Land of Drincoln Casino cash: $-1461756	Can Ventura be recalled immediately?
Posts: 36,883

07-22-2015, 01:20 PM	#851
Dartgod Wasted away again... Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: in Margaritaville Casino cash: $3750000	Haha, beat ya, Al. __________________ If you shed a tear for me, please make it a tear of joy. -Joe Tracy (Nzoner) . .
Posts: 52,187

07-22-2015, 01:32 PM	#855
Hootie Banned Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Dallas, Texas Casino cash: $10004900	and for that matter, so has Latos If we could bring back a haul of Latos / Leake and Prado, I'd be pretty happy. I'm kind of sour on Cueto with these elbow issues.
Posts: 56,356