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.

[kstater]

Originally Posted by blake5676

I'm not so sure they would've taken the QO if a do-over was possible, but I'd imagine some of the teams with interest had thrown out numbers similar to the Garza and Nolasco deals earlier in winter and they were told no. Which they would most definitely play ball with now if a second chance presented itself.

I just don't see that type of deal out there for him if he sits till June. There's no way a team could verify his conditioning and preparedness to throw that money at a guy sitting at home for so long.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by kstater

I just don't see that type of deal out there for him if he sits till June. There's no way a team could verify his conditioning and preparedness to throw that money at a guy sitting at home for so long.

I think the June plan would be only if he had to take a one-year deal, and no one was offering more than about 8 million like Nelson Cruz. In that case, it might make sense to sit out till June because someone will probably be willing to, at the absolute very worst, offer 8 million for 2/3 of the season when compensation drops off.

Also, I don't see why they can't verify conditioning. Obviously they wont be sitting on the couch, they'll keep in shape and stay with a throwing program, pitch simulated games, and if several teams are interested around May, they can start kicking the tires and have private workouts while waiting for the draft.

[alnorth]

Here is the official wording of the new home plate collision rule. MLB and MLBPA will meet again before the 2015 season to see if any adjustments are needed.

A runner attempting to score may not deviate from his direct pathway to the plate in order to initiate contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate). If, in the judgment of the Umpire, a runner attempting to score initiates contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate) in such a manner, the Umpire shall declare the runner out (even if the player covering home plate loses possession of the ball).

Unless the catcher is in possession of the ball, the catcher cannot block the pathway of the runner as he is attempting to score. If, in the judgment of the Umpire, the catcher, without possession of the ball, blocks the pathway of the runner, the Umpire shall call or signal the runner safe.

[alnorth]

So, if the catcher has the ball, then he can block the plate. If you are the runner, too bad, there's no way for you to score, turn around and run to 3rd.

Also, this play will be reviewable if for example the umpire says the catcher blocked the plate without the ball, and you think he did have the ball when he got hit.

[keg in kc]

I'm reading that as saying you can still "deviate" if you're trying to avoid contact, meaning you could still try to slide around them and avoid the tag. At least that's what I'm getting from "may not deviate...in order to initiate contact with the catcher".

[keg in kc]

Here's the full rule, plus a link to a bit more on it from mlb.com:

OFFICIAL BASEBALL RULE 7.13

Collisions at home plate

A runner attempting to score may not deviate from his direct pathway to the plate in order to initiate contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate). If, in the judgment of the umpire, a runner attempting to score initiates contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate) in such a manner, the umpire shall declare the runner out (even if the player covering home plate loses possession of the ball). In such circumstances, the umpire shall call the ball dead, and all other baserunners shall return to the last base touched at the time of the collision.

Rule 7.13 comment: The failure by the runner to make an effort to touch the plate, the runner's lowering of the shoulder, or the runner's pushing through with his hands, elbows or arms, would support a determination that the runner deviated from the pathway in order to initiate contact with the catcher in violation of Rule 7.13. If the runner slides into the plate in an appropriate manner, he shall not be adjudged to have violated Rule 7.13. A slide shall be deemed appropriate, in the case of a feet first slide, if the runner's buttocks and legs should hit the ground before contact with the catcher. In the case of a head first slide, a runner shall be deemed to have slid appropriately if his body should hit the ground before contact with the catcher.

Unless the catcher is in possession of the ball, the catcher cannot block the pathway of the runner as he is attempting to score. If, in the judgment of the umpire, the catcher without possession of the ball blocks the pathway of the runner, the umpire shall call or signal the runner safe. Notwithstanding the above, it shall not be considered a violation of this Rule 7.13 if the catcher blocks the pathway of the runner in order to field a throw, and the umpire determines that the catcher could not have fielded the ball without blocking the pathway of the runner and that contact with the runner was unavoidable.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/...&vkey=news_mlb

[duncan_idaho]

I don't like that rule, then... the runner has to give up and allow himself to either be tagged out or run-down if the catcher gets the ball before he gets there and is blocking the plate? If the catcher is going to try to block the plate, the runner should have the ability to run him over.

I mean, in most cases an athletic player will be able to try a hook slide. But... takes some of the human element out, in my opinion.

THe rest of the rule is fine, though.

[stonedstooge]

Next up, if a catcher catches the ball with both feet on home plate before the runner reaches home plate, the runner is automatically out

[Prison Bitch]

There should be no blocking of any base. It would absurd if someone tried to steal 2B and some goon was there full-on blocking the base creating a collision. Catchers should be allowed to use their glove only to block the plate but no other part of their body should impede the runner's progress.

[BlackHelicopters]

If it means keeping Salvy healthy than I am all for it.

[C3HIEF3S]

Originally Posted by theelusiveeightrop

If it means keeping Salvy healthy than I am all for it.

This is my exact same stance on the rule.

[alnorth]

Yeah, I'm not a traditionalist on this, I'm willing to give the new rule a go, I have no desire to see an intentional collision at home. A rule is very hard to write since you have to acknowledge that the catcher might get drawn into the running lane by an errant throw, but if the catcher has the ball standing in front of the plate staring you down, I don't feel you have the God-given right to blow him up. You either need to pull off a miraculous Houdini move where you somehow avoid all contact, or you need to turn around.

[keg in kc]

As some talking head on espn said earlier, it's basically a legal issue as much as anything. We're in the concussion era of sports, in a general sense, and there isn't much choice when it comes to limiting collisions at this point. Hell, they're even trying to develop helmets for pitchers.

[Coach]

http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2014/2/2...ons-al-central

[stonedstooge]

Originally Posted by theelusiveeightrop

If it means keeping Salvy healthy than I am all for it.

I'm more worried that Salvy find a damn mask that will keep him from getting concussed from foul balls. That seems to be his Achilles heel