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.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Hos was lights out after his first two months.. I mean his overall numbers were great for a 23 year old. .801 OPS.

However, those first two months were so bad... I mean.. we'll just call that "Prison Bitch time" because the PB hate was justified... after that, he was so polar opposite it's scary.

.858 OPS over the last 2/3rds of the season.

Again, just 23 years old at the time.. That's a phenomenal turnaround. Damned exciting to think about.

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Yost says this will probably be his lineup, and he doubts he'll be tinkering with it.

1. Aoki
2. Infante
3. Hosmer
4. Butler
5. Gordon
6. Perez
7. Moustakas
8. Cain
9. Escobar

So, L, R, L, R, L, R, L, R, R

That doesn't look half bad. Especially if Moustakas and Escobar get their heads out of their asses this year.

[BlackHelicopters]

Originally Posted by thurman merman

That doesn't look half bad. Especially if Moustakas and Escobar get their heads out of their asses this year.

Two big ifs.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by thurman merman

That doesn't look half bad. Especially if Moustakas and Escobar get their heads out of their asses this year.

I'm more worried about Butler\Gordon. The team can still put up some runs withotu Mous\Esky... they showed it last year. They are basically a non-factor because they've never really been relied upon... Gordon\Butler on the other hand... those guys we have a lot of money invested in because they are both proven commodities. We need those investments to pay better dividends than they did last season.

With Hosmer's emergence last year, Perez showing his flashes, the additions of Aoki and Infante... the stage is set... Butler and Gordon have GOT to put it together this year for KC to win... it starts with those two...

Now, if mous\esky do anything this season... Bonus.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Lineup is great as long as Infante puts together a solid .330ish OBP. If he starts falling below that, you're not using an optimal lineup for run production.

I'd still go:

Aoki
Gordon
Butler
Hosmer
Perez
Infante
Moustakas
Cain
Escobar

But that's not a BIG deal.

I like that much better. I hate ****ing with Gordon in the 5-hole. Just doesn't make sense to me.

[KevB]

Freddie Freeman is about to sign a $100M+ extension, so we have a ballpark for Hosmer. Oof.

Freeman has been the better player, but Hosmer is a similar player who is trending up.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by KevB

Freddie Freeman is about to sign a $100M+ extension, so we have a ballpark for Hosmer. Oof.

Freeman has been the better player, but Hosmer is a similar player who is trending up.

The rumor is now 8/125

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Originally Posted by Zeke

I'm more worried about Butler\Gordon. The team can still put up some runs withotu Mous\Esky... they showed it last year. They are basically a non-factor because they've never really been relied upon... Gordon\Butler on the other hand... those guys we have a lot of money invested in because they are both proven commodities. We need those investments to pay better dividends than they did last season.

With Hosmer's emergence last year, Perez showing his flashes, the additions of Aoki and Infante... the stage is set... Butler and Gordon have GOT to put it together this year for KC to win... it starts with those two...

Now, if mous\esky do anything this season... Bonus.

True. They both need to produce more than they did last year.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

I like that much better. I hate ****ing with Gordon in the 5-hole. Just doesn't make sense to me.

Ned Yost is obsessed with traditional lineup roles.

He wants a RH hitter who can run, who has good bat control, who preferably plays 2B, in the 2 spot in the lineup. Regardless of whether that person can get on base at a respectable clip or not.

Modern baseball logic tells you that type of player is NOT as valuable in that spot if he is not adept at getting on-base. At least at a decent .330-.340 level.

One of the reasons the Royals played so well with Bonifacio in the lineup is that he hit second in the lineup and produced a .350 OBP in his 40 games with KC in 2013.

If Infante is posting a .325 from the 2 spot while Gordon is doing his usual .350-.360 out of the 5, the Royals are PROBABLY leaving runs on the board. Not a TON, but some.

[alnorth]

Have I mentioned yet in 2014 that I don't give much of a damn about the lineup? Maybe one-fifth of a damn, but no more.

You should generally have your better hitters earlier to give them more AB in a season, and its probably a good idea to alternate left right, but neither of those things make that much of a difference, and fans freak out about lineup changes way more than justified.

As long as you write 1. Aoki and 9. Escobar in indelible ink, and as long as Butler, Gordon, Hosmer, and Perez are somewhere in the top 6, I don't care beyond that. Yost could literally change the lineup every single day for all I care, with names in a LH box and in a RH box, drawing them out one at a time from each box.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Have I mentioned yet in 2014 that I don't give much of a damn about the lineup? Maybe one-fifth of a damn, but no more.

You should generally have your better hitters earlier to give them more AB in a season, and its probably a good idea to alternate left right, but neither of those things make that much of a difference, and fans freak out about lineup changes way more than justified.

As long as you write 1. Aoki and 9. Escobar in indelible ink, and as long as Butler, Gordon, Hosmer, and Perez are somewhere in the top 6, I don't care beyond that. Yost could literally change the lineup every single day for all I care, with names in a LH box and in a RH box, drawing them out one at a time from each box.

Sure. I just look at it like this... OBP is less important out of your 5 and 6 hitters (being followed by Moustakas, Cain and Escobar) than it is out of your 1-2 hitters (being followed by Hosmer, Butler and Perez).

Stacking

.355
.365
.350
.375

1-4 for Perez and Infante

should create more runs than stacking

.355
.325
.350
.375

For Gordon and Perez.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Sure. I just look at it like this... OBP is less important out of your 5 and 6 hitters (being followed by Moustakas, Cain and Escobar) than it is out of your 1-2 hitters (being followed by Hosmer, Butler and Perez).

Stacking

.355
.365
.350
.375

1-4 for Perez and Infante

should create more runs than stacking

.355
.325
.350
.375

For Gordon and Perez.

I'm not saying it makes no difference at all. I'm saying it makes almost no difference at all, and I can usually find 10 other things to complain about after a loss before I finally work my way down to the lineup.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by alnorth

I'm not saying it makes no difference at all. I'm saying it makes almost no difference at all, and I can usually find 10 other things to complain about after a loss before I finally work my way down to the lineup.

I agree almost completely.

It honestly probably bothers me more that hitting Infante second instead of Gordon symbolizes Ned Yost's stubborn old school attitude and approach to managing, which sometimes is to the detriment of the team's success.

[alnorth]

Quick example in case anyone reading this is scratching their head at this whole "lineup doesn't make much of a difference" thing I have.

Lets say you are a manager and you have two players, one of them will lead off, and one of them will bat 9th. Lets make this example extreme: one player has a .400 OBP, and the other has a horrible .250 OBP. Lets also say that you have gone insane and decided to lead off with the crappy hitter.

A leadoff runner at first scores roughly 1/3 of the time. The batting order only makes a difference once per game (since after the first inning your sluggers might lead off for your bottom guys, and your bottom guys might lead off for the top guys, etc). That whopping .150 OBP difference means you are probably not scoring a run that you would have scored with the better leadoff hitter about once every 20 games. (.150 / 3 = .05 = 1/20) 10 combined runs scored and defensively saved generally equal a win.

Over a full 162-game season the horrible, insane lineup will win about 0.8 fewer games than the best lineup.

[Shogun]

Freeman got 8/$135