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.

[Anyong Bluth]

http://www.nydugout.com/product/7800...-Majestic.html

[Archie F. Swin]

Originally Posted by Brianfo

Moose needs to be sent down. Send a message. It's time to compete. If I perform at my job the way he has, I'm looking for a new job. I don't get it. Mental midget. Shit or get off the pot.

Uhhhh....the Royals have played 8 games. They're 5% through the season. Who do you propose can come up from the farm and do better than Moose?

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by Brianfo

Mental midget.

This sums up your post.

[Tytanium]

Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth

http://www.nydugout.com/product/7800...-Majestic.html

lol $100 for a shirt. A replica of a shirt that baseball players only wear to hit in a batting cage.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by Archie F. Swin

Uhhhh....the Royals have played 8 games. They're 5% through the season. Who do you propose can come up from the farm and do better than Moose?

Agreed.

That's just the problem. People calling for Moose to be "sent to Omaha" have forgotten that there is NO ONE to take his place every day. Danny Valencia is a nice sub, but he isn't a good enough 3rd baseman to play every day.

We have what we have until we trade for someone at that position. Again, there is NO ONE available in the Minor Leagues ready for that spot. Chelsor Cuthbert is AT LEAST a season away, if not more. Jimmy Paredes in Omaha? There's a reason he's not on the 40-Man Roster. Same age as Moose, and has done less with his opportunities in the ML's with HOU than Moose has done in KC. We're ****ed for a while.

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by 58kcfan89

Not sure if anyone can help, but I'm trying to buy a Sal Perez jersey for a friend's birthday present and he really wants one of the alternate Royal blue jerseys with the "Royals" script on the front.
Like so:


Problem is, they changed those jerseys this year (now they look like a BP or ST jersey. Yuck.) and I can't find the old ones on the site anywhere. Anyone got any bright ideas? Would they have any at the team store in the stadium?

Thanks in advance.

Try Kansas Sampler. Their web site has pretty much everything.

[DeepSouth]

Originally Posted by Archie F. Swin

Uhhhh....the Royals have played 8 games. They're 5% through the season. Who do you propose can come up from the farm and do better than Moose?

Once Omar Infante comes back, if Moose continues to struggle, I'd consider playing Giavotella at 3rd. So far, I'm not impressed with Valencia.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Brianfo

Moose needs to be sent down. Send a message. It's time to compete. If I perform at my job the way he has, I'm looking for a new job. I don't get it. Mental midget. Shit or get off the pot.

Baseball teams typically don't "Send a message" when it comes to performance issues.

Demote a guy who's hurting the team? Sure.

Demote a guy who's scuffling and can't fix it at the major league level? Yes.

The only type of player who typically gets demoted to the minors to "Send a message" is the player who isn't working hard enough.

This is why Butler was demoted early in his career. He wasn't working and was acting pretty spoiled.

From all accounts, Moustakas is a hard worker (Even if he doesn't like watching tape) who tries really hard (too hard, in fact, which is probably his problem) and has the right attitude.

The leash with Moustakas is not endless. They have a decent option in Valencia if Moustakas continues to struggle (would have a better one had they found a way to keep Bonifacio). But they're not going to jump on something after 8 games (And should not). Especially when he's putting in the work AND is showing the good approach.

The results are ugly, but the fact that he's seeing a lot of pitches and maintaining the approach they want to see is going to give him a little more leeway than the results alone would.

Now, if we get to the end of April and he's still a disaster at the plate, things might start to change. I would hope they would, but it's hard to say with this team.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

The results are ugly, but the fact that he's seeing a lot of pitches and maintaining the approach they want to see is going to give him a little more leeway than the results alone would.

In his defense, I do like that's he's being more selective and taking some walks. Sometimes too selective maybe. I've seen him take a few down the middle it looked like he could have mashed.

[Prison Bitch]

He does get a lot of high pitch-count AB, but it really doesn't matter since he can't make contact when he does swing.

[DeepSouth]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

They have a decent option in Valencia if Moustakas continues to struggle

I hope you are correct about Valencia but watching him take that third strike the other night was painful.

[Prison Bitch]

You mean taking all 3 straight down the shitter, with the bases loaded in a 0-0 game in the 8th? You mean you didn't enjoy watching that?

[Strongside]

Originally Posted by DeepSouth

I hope you are correct about Valencia but watching him take that third strike the other night was painful.

I wanted to hop the fence and kick his ass when that happened. That was inexcusable. You have to swing at anything even remotely close with 2 strikes in that situation. Not only were all three of those taken pitches close, they were all directly over the plate.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

He does get a lot of high pitch-count AB, but it really doesn't matter since he can't make contact when he does swing.

Results have to follow, no doubt.

Just saying he will get more leash when he's at least taking at bats like a big leaguer rather than flailing away at a bunch of early pitches.

[DeepSouth]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

You mean taking all 3 straight down the shitter, with the bases loaded in a 0-0 game in the 8th? You mean you didn't enjoy watching that?

I was already pissed because Billy popped out to the catcher with two on. And then, Valencia's bat never leaves his shoulder for three straight strikes.

Here's the play by play for the bottom of the 8th.

Defensive Substitution: Ryan Hanigan replaces Logan Forsythe, batting 8th, playing catcher.

Pitching Change: Jake McGee replaces Chris Archer.

1.Nori Aoki singles on a line drive to left fielder David DeJesus.

2.Eric Hosmer strikes out swinging.

3.Salvador Perez singles on a soft fly ball to center fielder Desmond Jennings. Nori Aoki to 2nd.

Coaching visit to mound.

4.Billy Butler pops out to catcher Ryan Hanigan in foul territory.

Coaching visit to mound.

Pitching Change: Joel Peralta replaces Jake McGee.

5.Alex Gordon walks. Nori Aoki to 3rd. Salvador Perez to 2nd.

6.Danny Valencia called out on strikes.

Pitcher
J. Peralta
Batter
D. Valencia

Speed Pitch Result
1 76 Curveball Called Strike
2 90 Fastball (Four-seam) Called Strike
3 80 Splitter Called Strike