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.

[alnorth]

Ervin Santana has fired his agent.

He does not plan to hire a new agent right now, apparently he plans to negotiate his own contract.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Ervin Santana has fired his agent.

He does not plan to hire a new agent right now, apparently he plans to negotiate his own contract.

First smart move he made in a while. Should had done that a month ago.

[alnorth]

I'm gonna add that this might not be confirmed. This is being reported by a guy who writes for a newspaper in the Dominican, so it seems to be real media but no one else has confirmed it yet.

edit: he also works for AP.

[alnorth]

Also reading that Santana has been keeping busy with his own spring training workouts near the cactus league teams in Scottsdale, AZ.

[alnorth]

OK, CBS has now confirmed that he fired his agent, but he won't be representing himself. He switched to a new agent.

[Mr. Laz]

The Baltimore Orioles and Ervin Santana: As Pointless as a Dull Pencil

Ervin SantanaOutside Pitch’s own Max Wildstein has been on top of recent news regarding free agent Ervin Santana, and most recently reports that the Baltimore Orioles would be considered the front-runners for Santana if his asking price comes down.

While I’m certainly not denying the validity of Wildstein’s report, I have to ask: Why are the Orioles wasting their time?

Yes, the Orioles would only have to surrender a third-round pick in this June’s draft in order to sign Santana, as they’ve already forfeited their first- and second-round choices by signing free agents Ubaldo Jimenez and Nelson Cruz. But, even if Santana’s asking price does drop, does Baltimore really need him? Sure, Santana posted a career best 3.24 ERA last year in Kansas City, and, perhaps more appealing to the Orioles, he logged 211.0 innings; it’s the fourth time in the last six seasons that Santana has pitched at least 200 innings.

But Santana is still just a season removed from giving up 39 home runs, and has given up an average of 27.29 home runs per season since 2007. Pitching in the AL East, let alone in Camden Yards, certainly wouldn’t help him cut down on those numbers, and could actually result in those worsening further. Additionally, the argument can be made that Santana really won’t present a significant (if any sort) of upgrade over any of the Orioles current five projected starters. Johan Santana signing aside, Baltimore figures to have an Opening Day rotation of Jimenez, Miguel Gonzalez, Chris Tillman, Bud Norris and Wei-Yin Chen. One potential scenario would have Santana moving into the rotation with Norris becoming the team’s closer, though, despite Norris’ 4.80 ERA after being traded to Baltimore last year, his ability to keep hitters in the ballpark profiles much better than Santana’s fly ball-style.

And if the Orioles have any aspirations of signing Chris Davis, Matt Wieters, Nick Markakis, J.J. Hardy and/or Bud Norris to extensions, it’ll certainly take away some funds. Even if Santana is signed to a one-year, $10-million deal in hopes of getting paid in a thin free-agent pitching market next offseason, it would be $10-million in funds that could ultimately be saved and/or put towards extensions for the current contracts the Orioles are hoping to extend. With several players due arbitration raises next off-season, that money may not even help the Orioles maintain their current talent.

So, while it’s certainly exciting for Baltimore fans to finally see their front office wheeling and dealing after what had been a boring offseason until February, now Dan Duquette and company need to understand that it’s time to pump the brakes.

Follow Michael Natelli on Twitter @MichaelNatelli.

[alnorth]

Santana update: no one knows what the hell is going on right now with his representation. Whatever the situation is with his agent, its gotten complicated and weird enough that the player's union has now gotten involved for some reason.

edit: apparently it is not unusual for the MLBPA to get involved with situations involving an agent. MLB agents are certified and regulated by MLBPA, not by MLB.

[duncan_idaho]

So Bean Stringfellow now represents 3 MLB players, rather than 4.

Wouldn't surprise me at all if the MLBPA yanked his license. He really messed up his negotiations for Santana.

[blake5676]

Penny released. Better now than to take any more innings from somebody with a legit shot or one of the kids that needs the experience.

[Strongside]

Sounds like it's Tommy John for Hoch. ****.

[Strongside]

http://www.kansascity.com/2014/03/06...r-support.html

[BlackHelicopters]

We had littleto no injury concerns last year, aside from Cain, and know we getting the injury bug.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Strongside

Sounds like it's Tommy John for Hoch. ****.

Can confirm.

[BlackHelicopters]

Next man up

[TLO]

Originally Posted by Strongside

Sounds like it's Tommy John for Hoch. ****.

Figured this would be the case when I first heard of the nature of his injury. I feel a little bad for Hoch, but feel worse for us fans.