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.

[BlackHelicopters]

Sweeney's body betrayed him for whatever reason. Bringing him in now makes little sense.

[gblowfish]

Originally Posted by theelusiveeightrop

Sweeney's body betrayed him for whatever reason. Bringing him in now makes little sense.

Craig Nettles is his father in law. Royals fans just love Craig Nettles.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Maybe you need to read it right to left, like Hebrew.

I will say, I have no idea why he wants to do this job. He already has $70 million of the Royals money. Maybe there IS something to that old saying about a criminal returning to the scene of the crime....

What will he do in his new job?

Hey, maybe we'll have more Promise Keeper Nights and Family Faith Sunday Games! Maybe a "fishes and loaves" night where everybody gets a free fish sandwich if the Royals win a game in May? Or maybe we can have wrestling matches on the mound between Sweeney and Jeff Weaver? Weaver can dress like the devil. Get thee behind me, Satan!

How about Milk and Cookie Night? First 10,000 in the gate get a Mike Sweeney Cookie Jar!

Maybe build a Mike Sweeney Chiropractic Clinic for fans next to the Royals Hall of Fame? You can find Mike in there usually about a third to half of the season.

How bout they put Sweeney in the booth to banter with Hud for all the road games? Let them have a contest to see who can be more blindly optimistic? Remember how riveting that was last year in the Anaheim Series? Must See TV!

Sweeney wants to win, gosh darn it. Dag Nabbit, he wants to bring October Baseball to Kauffman Stadium, although he hasn't the slightest idea how that happens exactly.

OK, I'm done now. No more Sweeney flaming.

[stonedstooge]

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Craig Nettles is his father in law. Royals fans just love Craig Nettles.

Great find.

Unfortunately, that game wound up being the most crushing sports loss of my entire life.

[Lex Luthor]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

I obviously can't prove it but I think Frenchy used his first year in KC then quit when got paid.

I think so too. But that doesn't cause me to have such an obsessive hatred for the guy that I still can't get over it 10 years later.

[Lex Luthor]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Great find.

Unfortunately, that game wound up being the most crushing sports loss of my entire life.

I was sitting in the right field stands that game. I've never seen 40,000 people be absolutely silent at the end of a game. A few minutes later over half of the people were literally crying their eyes out.

I was sad and upset and disappointed, but I didn't cry like a teenage girl.

[BlackHelicopters]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Great find.

Unfortunately, that game wound up being the most crushing sports loss of my entire life.

Was twelve years old and remember the shock of this loss like it happened today. Still haunts me.

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by Brainiac

I was sitting in the right field stands that game. I've never seen 40,000 people be absolutely silent at the end of a game. A few minutes later over half of the people were literally crying their eyes out.

I was sad and upset and disappointed, but I didn't cry like a teenage girl.

I was 11 and cried like an 11-year-old boy.

Originally Posted by theelusiveeightrop

Was twelve years old and remember the shock of this loss like it happened today. Still haunts me.

Ditto.

[siberian khatru]

[siberian khatru]

I will say this, though: Those losses in 76-78 (especially 77) made the victory in 1980 that much sweeter. That was still the best sports moment in my life -- yes, even better than the 1985 World Series victory.

[BlackHelicopters]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Patek?

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by theelusiveeightrop

Patek?

Yes. The indelible image from Game 5.

[BlackHelicopters]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Yes. The indelible image from Game 5.

Memory burn.

[Al Bundy]

**** the Yankees