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]

I made a small update to the simulator to account for some uncommon wild card scenarios (eg a crappy division winner stealing a wild card spot away from the 5th-best team in the league)

[C3HIEF3S]

Looks like Guthrie's contract has been restructured

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/0...-contract.html

$8M 2014
$9M 2015
$10M mutual option for 2016 with a $3.2M buyout

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

Looks like Guthrie's contract has been restructured

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/0...-contract.html

$8M 2014
$9M 2015
$10M mutual option for 2016 with a $3.2M buyout

Hmmmm ... frees up some money for this year.

[BlackHelicopters]

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

Looks like Guthrie's contract has been restructured

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/0...-contract.html

$8M 2014
$9M 2015
$10M mutual option for 2016 with a $3.2M buyout

Very interesting.

[Jerm]

$$$ to try and bring back Santana on a 1 yr deal?

[duncan_idaho]

Question is:

Is that money to keep things at the current payroll projection and pay for arbitration awards?

Or is it to add a few pieces here and there?

$3 million might be enough to nab a back-end starter/reclamation type on a one-year deal.

[alnorth]

I'm ignoring the mutual option since it is very unlikely to be exercised.

We're basically paying $200k for the right to delay $3MM of salary for 2 years. That is an annual interest rate of roughly 3.3%, which is probably fair.

[alnorth]

Oh, and of course this also means that the Royals are probably trying to add one more player. I thought they were probably done, but maybe not.

There is literally no reason for Guthrie to do this unless the Royals told him they need this payroll flexibility to win this year.

edit: apparently this happened in November and was not reported until now. So, it means nothing as far as whether or not the Royals are done.

[Mr. Laz]

ROYALS
Guthrie, Royals restructure contract
January 13
BY BLAIR KERKHOFF
The Kansas City Star

The Royals have restructured the contract of pitcher Jeremy Guthrie, freeing up some payroll space for 2014.

Guthrie was originally scheduled to earn $11 million this season and $9 million in 2015 under the terms of his original three-year deal.

Instead, he’ll earn $8 million this season and $9 million in 2015, with a $10 million mutual option added for 2016.

The option has a $3.2 million buyout, which means the value of the contract is about the same, with Guthrie getting an additional $200,000.

But the Royals have cleared $3 million from their 2014 payroll.

The news was first reported by Joel Sherman of the New York Post, but the deal was restructured in November.

“We were able to restructure the contract and gain more flexibility heading into the offseason,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said.

The Royals have been busy in the offseason, signing second baseman Omar Infante for four years with a club option for a fifth for $30 million, and pitcher Jason Vargas for four years at $32 million.

The restructuring brings the Royals’ payroll to about $87 million, which is about the same as last season when they delivered their best record in a quarter century at 86-76, and what Moore has said he expects it to be this season.

The Royals have seven arbitration-eligible players: first baseman Eric Hosmer, infielder/outfielder Emilio Bonifacio, outfielder Justin Maxwell and pitchers Greg Holland, Luke Hochevar, Aaron Crow and Tim Collins.

Those seven can file for arbitration on Tuesday, and the Royals and any player would exchange salary proposals by Friday. Hearings are scheduled in February, but the player can sign before — or even during — the hearings.

Guthrie, who will turn 35 in April, was acquired from the Rockies in 2012. He was 15-12 with a 4.04 ERA and led the Royals in victorieslast season. He’s 20-15 with a 3.78 ERA in 47 starts in Kansas City.

[stonedstooge]

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

ROYALS
Guthrie, Royals restructure contract
January 13
BY BLAIR KERKHOFF
The Kansas City Star

The Royals have restructured the contract of pitcher Jeremy Guthrie, freeing up some payroll space for 2014.

Guthrie was originally scheduled to earn $11 million this season and $9 million in 2015 under the terms of his original three-year deal.

Instead, he’ll earn $8 million this season and $9 million in 2015, with a $10 million mutual option added for 2016.

The option has a $3.2 million buyout, which means the value of the contract is about the same, with Guthrie getting an additional $200,000.

But the Royals have cleared $3 million from their 2014 payroll.

The news was first reported by Joel Sherman of the New York Post, but the deal was restructured in November.

“We were able to restructure the contract and gain more flexibility heading into the offseason,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said.

The Royals have been busy in the offseason, signing second baseman Omar Infante for four years with a club option for a fifth for $30 million, and pitcher Jason Vargas for four years at $32 million.

The restructuring brings the Royals’ payroll to about $87 million, which is about the same as last season when they delivered their best record in a quarter century at 86-76, and what Moore has said he expects it to be this season.

The Royals have seven arbitration-eligible players: first baseman Eric Hosmer, infielder/outfielder Emilio Bonifacio, outfielder Justin Maxwell and pitchers Greg Holland, Luke Hochevar, Aaron Crow and Tim Collins.

Those seven can file for arbitration on Tuesday, and the Royals and any player would exchange salary proposals by Friday. Hearings are scheduled in February, but the player can sign before — or even during — the hearings.

Guthrie, who will turn 35 in April, was acquired from the Rockies in 2012. He was 15-12 with a 4.04 ERA and led the Royals in victorieslast season. He’s 20-15 with a 3.78 ERA in 47 starts in Kansas City.

So where's all the new tv money?

[kcchiefsus]

Originally Posted by stonedstooge

So where's all the new tv money?

Glass shoved it up his ass for safe keeping.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by stonedstooge

So where's all the new tv money?

It's hanging out with the money Meche gave back.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by stonedstooge

So where's all the new tv money?

Well, first you have to start with the very safe assumption that its not going to be a flat 20MM per year. These big sports mega contracts are always designed to start below average and finish above average. So, probably call it 15MM. Then, from another story (I think it was about the Pirates? Don't remember) we did find out that in 2014 MLB plans to withhold a big chunk of money from each team, about 4MM, for the central fund.

As of right now, payroll went up by about 9MM. I'm not sure where the other roughly 2MM is, but most of the new TV money is on the field.

We're not getting much more new money until our terrible local TV deal expires in 2019.

[Prison Bitch]

Our attendance last year was dreadful so the owner probably doesn't feel like spending more this year. He's made a ton off this franchise but I doubt he made much last year. Our fans need to show up this year

[C3HIEF3S]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Our attendance last year was dreadful so the owner probably doesn't feel like spending more this year. He's made a ton off this franchise but I doubt he made much last year. Our fans need to show up this year

Don't blame it on the fans, the ones who've had to endure shit baseball for almost 3 decades. David Glass has plenty of money to spend on the team, with or without sell-out crowds at the games. The last thing I am pointing a finger at is the fans. Stop using that as an excuse for our cheap-ass owner, it's obvious he doesn't care about anything other than the money in his pockets.

There's no doubt that we would all love to see The K packed every night, but can you really blame the fans? When the Royals win consistently year-in and year-out and the fans aren't showing up then blame them all you want, hell i'll join you, but 2 winning seasons in 20 years isn't going to make the casual fan and family rush out to the ballpark very often and I am not going to blame them for that.