That book sounds silly. Everybody knows the Athletics are in Oakland.

Same. I thought it was a damn good read. The number figures were interested in as well.

Here is a cool old video of the Kansas City A's
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Thoughts on these mock type of trades from Jon Heyman.

https://frsbaseball.com/mlb/heyman-a...ed-but-should/

3. Kelvin Herrera and Jon Jay to the Astros for pitching prospect David Paulino and J.D. Davis.

Herrera has been touted here for weeks as the right one for the Astros. Paulino has been dangled by the Astros forever. The Royals will need corner guys with Mike Moustakas and Lucas Duda free agents.

6. Mike Moustakas to the Braves for A.J. Minter and Kyle Muller.

The Braves are likely to seek a third base upgrade, but probably not of a mind to deal top guys or add huge money, so Machado and Donaldson may be less likely. Moustakas is having a nice year at a reasonable rate, and he’d fit fine.

Duncan should be the expert on this.

*** Official 2018 Royals Repository ***
 

These would be fair returns.

Paulinho is a huge power arm with durability concerns. Worst-case, he would be a good back-end bullpen piece.

If he can stay healthy, he throws enough strikes to have a 3 floor with a ToR ceiling. MLb ready now.

Davis is a 3B with good power. He’s already 25 and is also MlB-ready. You’d get his prime years under control.

I like Muller and I LOOOOOVE AJ Minter, who I think is going to be an elite closer.

Minter is already a major leaguer and would slide right into the closer spot for KC. Muller is a projectable High-A arm that would slot nicely with the Lee/Matias/Pratto wave.

Personally, I think both deals are good for KC, but wonder if KC would prefer a little more youth and upside in return.

Rogelio Armentaros is also a guy I could see KC valuing over Paulinho despite him being a little lower ranked.

TFW duncan ignores your PMs

Shit, did you send me something? Sorry, man, I missed it.

I’ve been buried in work and being a twin toddler parent. Barely have come up for air on Chiefs Planet of late.

All Star voting officially open.

https://www.mlb.com/all-star/ballot


#VoteSalvy. #VoteMoose. Vote often.

Looks like the Dodgers may be jumping on the bandwagon behind the Rays. Scott Alexander is going to "start" tonight as the "opener."

Cam Gallagher having a nice year at AAA. 102 ABs, 2 HR, .333 avg, .839 OPS.

Maybe we can finally get rid of Butera as a back up. I know he's had some good spurts with the Royals, but bottom line is he's a .550 career OPS hitter.

Duncan is a genius. But he needs to recant in Ian.

I've watched 30+ years and I've never hated anyone like this SOB

Omar says hi

Maybe could've used more trade bait gmd
@BooneOWH: Clay Buchholz has made three starts since signing with Arizona after leaving Omaha after getting his release from the Royals. He's 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 18 innings. WHIP is 0.67.

Man, just kinda sucks that our rotation is so good that we couldn't find a spot for him.

Omar hit a home run in a WS game for the Royals. That's 100x more significant than anything Batting Practice Kennedy has ever done for us. Just saying.

You mean Moore made the wrong personnel decision AGAIN?

It’s brutal at this point. He’s lost a couple mph on his fastball.

He was exactly what they thought they were getting in Year 1. Headed to the pain zone unless he finds a way to reinvent himself.

He's got his cash, do you honestly think he is going to put in any effort at this point in his career?

I think most professionals still take pride in their performance and hate lletting eveyone down regardless of their bank acct.

I was stoked with the idea of having a healthy Clay Bucholz. No idea what the Org was thinking by not picking up the contract. He was even dealing in the minors for us.

Still don’t get it. They could have easily bailed on other, worse veteran pitchers who have less value as trade bait, should they figure it out. Namely, Boyer.

Would be great if we could rush Trevor Cahill from this one. Of course he's been great this year so far, figures.

allard Moore uses his own numbers, thank you.

@Royals: We have claimed OF Rosell Herrera off outright waivers from the Cincinnati Reds. He has been optioned to Omaha. To make room on the 40-man roster, we have transferred RHP Nate Karns to the 60-day disabled list (right elbow inflammation).

@h8rproof82: Herrera played LF & CF last season. Playing solely 2B this year. I’m wondering if they could be preparing for a Whit Merrifield Trade with this move?

@h8rproof82: The way Whit Merrifield is hitting I would think there’s lots of convos about him especially considering his versatility and contract. Herrera seems to be a super utility type in that Whit Mold. Not saying same player just Versatile speedy piece. This move a precursor to a deal?

@h8rproof82: Rosell Herrera was a Top 100 Prospect in 2014. 6’3” 200 Pound 2B from the Dominican Republic. 25 years old. He’s playing 2B this year. Has played all 3 OF spots and SS as well in his career. Has a .813 OPS in AAA and saw Time for the Reds.

This organization has screwed up quite a few times.

Sooo can we immediately get rid of Almonte, now?

Look at the year this Herrera kid had in A ball 2013 as a 20-21 year old (.343 avg, 16 hr, .933 OPS) Not sure why he hasn't improved, but looks to be as solid as piece you can get off the garbage heap.

Play him. Play him over Almonte, Goins. Stop putting Whit anywhere else other than 2B and get this guy out there see what he can do.

Hip hip Jorge!

Thinking this Jorge Soler guy might be pretty good.

Yeah, Karns is done.

Looks like it... hopefully he continues to adjust. Ridiculous power and has a pretty good eye.

Matias kid has 2 hr tonight with 17 now

Is Dayton Moore still the gm if we don't sneak into the playoffs in 14?

So, I haven't followed this thread but who do we want the Royal's to get in the draft? Pitching at the top of the list?

Yeah, I'd stay a million miles away from pitching. Zero of their high picks at pitcher have amounted to anything in a while. Load up on bats and use trades to add pitchers from systems that actually know how to develop them.

The Royals need star talent/potential, regardless of position.

There are a few pitchers that may get to that spot that I really like - Ethan Hankins from HS in Georgia, Kumar Rocker, also a GA HS kid, and Logan Gilbert from Stetson (strong deGrom vibe).

OF Jordyn Adams will likely be there and is a classic Royals crush ... multi sport HS athlete with enormous physical ability (Byron Buxton-type tools) but I would stay away from him (biggest bust/upside pick at that spot).


His ISO (SLG-AVG) is ridiculous. Average is not impressive and still needs work on recognizing and spitting on spin, but his raw power is sick.

And he’s probably the second-best prospect on that team, since 2017 second-round pick MC Melendez is showing nearly the same power but with plus C defense.


“Sneak in?” They were one of the hottest teams in baseball in the second half and secured the top WC spot. Do you consider all WC teams as sneaking in?

I think he would have survived had they missed but still had a winning season.

Nice trade by Dayton Moore.

*** Official 2018 Royals Repository ***
 

https://twitter.com/shauncore/status...049186816?s=21


https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...a6235f50d1.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...1787c692dc.jpg

Is Soler a trade candidate this year?

https://www.royalsreview.com/platfor...for-the-royals

Schnell, Groshans, Rodriguez and Rocker would be an insane haul. Not sure those guys all fall that way, though.

Rodriguez and Rocker are probably 2 of the top 5 upside pitchers in this draft, and my #2 and 3 HS arms.

It would need to be a large haul built around a top 25 prospect, IMO, if he keeps this up.

He’s young, cheap, good and controlled enough that they should ask for a ton or hold on to him.

I'm to the point where the Royals have shown they suck at evaluating pitching, so just go all bats. Either fill in with FA pitchers when you have to or acquire good AAA or AA pitchers with your assets you drafted on bats. It seems like bats are easier to project than pitchers. We failed with Zimmer. We failed with Ashe Russell. We are currently failing with Nolan Watson, who looks like a dumpster fire. We didn't get our moneys worth on Montgomery, Crow or JP Howell either.

I'd rather they draft a bunch of hitters

Whit's such a good player. If they trade him they better get something legit back. Especially since we don't have to trade him.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I think <a href="https://twitter.com/DHoltzy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DHoltzy</a> will have the updated stat in a moment. But I think Whit Merrifield is now something like 17 for 18 stealing third in his career.</p>&mdash; Rustin Dodd (@rustindodd) <a href="https://twitter.com/rustindodd/status/1003362448466989062?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Agreed.

Whit may be good, but man this team sucks. Poor Jake Junis.

I think we've seen about enough of Matt Olson. He's hit about three absolute bombs this series.

Burch Smith ****ing sucks

Agreed

He has no future with this team. Time to GTFO

The Braves are having a magical season. Seems like every single day they're getting a walk off hit. Today it's Charlie Culbertson with his 2nd walk off homer in a week.

That's pretty nasty. Treinen throwing 99 mph with a ton of movement.

The a’s are set up nicely to have a good 4-5 year run. ChApman, Olson, Barrett, Fowler, Krhis Davis, Semien are a pretty good offensive core. Manaea, Montana, plenty of good arms.

Re: drafting pitchers, I think they generally have done better at maxing out stuff vs developing pitchers. Good for developing bullpen pieces, not as good for developing starters.

If they go pitcher, I’d prefer a college arm. I’m really high on Gilbert - probably my favorite college arm other than Mize - but doubt they go there.

Looking forward to you breaking down picks since I'll have no clue

Why are they so bad at developing pitchers? I realize that it's hard for any team, but we seem exceptionally bad. Hell, the best pitcher we've developed in a long time is probably Junis, and even he is probably no better than a 3 on a good team.

FWIW — I live in DeLand and attend Stetson games, and have seen Gilbert pitch. Last year, his sophomore year, I saw him pitch one of the best games I’ve ever seen, at any level, in one of the best games I’ve ever seen in my life.

:rolleyes:
https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/sit...?itok=n6GXYaF0

I do think they have improved over the past few years. First half of Moore’s tenure, IMO, they were too rigid in what they were trying to develop (not letting guys throw sliders even if it was their primary pitch, being very old school).

But the old-school approach they took has led to them drafting a lot of projectable arms that they can then develop and max-out as throwers, but with less emphasis on pitchability.

I don’t think they’ve been exceptionally bad - guys like Junis and Duffy and Ventura are nice products.

All indications I’ve received is that they’ve become more flexible over the past 3-4 years (Junis took off when they ditched the previous philosophy and stopped trying to turn him into a FB-curve-changeup guy). That’s a positive trend on the development side.

On the drafting side, I think they need to bet a little less on projectable Hs arms. Those are the biggest boom-bust product in the draft.

Note: I don’t consider Greyson Rodriguez or Kumar Rocker projectability guys. They’re both very advanced physically for HS guys,
Just need the polish.

They absolutely need to draft some arms. They dont have any.

It would take an impressive haul to trade Soler.


I'm sorry but if they get a decent offer for Salvy it needs to be made.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/...s-rangers.html

Boston’s among the teams keeping an eye on*Royals*closer*Kelvin Herrera, according to*Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. If acquired, the 28-year-old would return to a setup role with the*Red Sox, thanks to the presence of closer*Craig Kimbrel, and would further bolster a late-game mix that also includes*Joe Kelly*and*Matt Barnes. Herrera, who’s in his last year of team control and making $7.94MM, has allowed just two earned runs and hasn’t issued a walk in 22 2/3 innings this season.

His stuff backed up a little bit early in the college season, which is why he's likely to be available. He was good in the Cape league last summer and likely still working through the start of his throwing program.

I think he's the best selection for them at 18 but don't expect it.

That's a good team to work with. Dombrowski isn't afraid to move quality prospects for difference makers, even difference makers on 1-year deals.

The headliners of the Boston system entering 2018 - LHP Jay Groome and 3B Michael Chavis - have both seen their stock take major hits. Groome had TJ and is out until mid-2019. Chavis got busted for steroids and is just now getting ready to return from suspension.

I like Chavis a ton, but I'm not sure the Royals would still be interested at this point (They're weird like that).

Know nothing about the players available, but Bubba Starling has ruined athletic multi-sport players for me. I'd be fine with staying away from Jordyn Adams.

I have this sinking feeling that's what they're going to do, if he's available.

They have the bonus pool to get Adams out of his football commitment, and he's the type of dynamic, huge upside athlete they drool over in the middle of the diamond.

Can he be trout? Worth the pick?

That’s an unrealistic tag to put on anyone.

He can be a superstar, but trout is on a different level.

I can't remember the last time the Royals had a true superstar. Maybe Beltran?

Trout is on pace to be in the top 5 all time, if not higher. The Royals should draft all of those Mike Trout types.

Brice Turang and Joe Gray are other names to watch. As a sophomore and junior, turang was viewed as a potential 1-1 pick. He had a so-so Sr season and now is a back half of the first round projection. He’s a switch hitter with a polished hit tool who will stick at SS. I get a strong Lindor vibe from him... ina. Smaller, great player who is seen as a contact and defense SS but has the capacity for much more due to instincts and intelligence.

Gray is very similar to Jordyn Adams in physical skills but has a better track record against better competition.

True, nobody thought he’d be what he is now

What time does the draft start? Hope GMDM is on his game tonight.

6 I think?

Prediction on who they pick?

Who I think they take:
Adams

Who I want them to take:
Logan Gilbert or Turang

Keith Law's mock draft for the Royals.

Essentially he's saying he has no clue.

I like Groshans but was hoping he’d slip to their pick at 33.

I figured the draft would go faster considering there are no trades.

They've been trying to make the MLB draft more like the NFL and NBA draft for years. It will never work because no one has ever heard of these guys and many of them will never be heard from again.

But they'll roll out this dog and pony show year after year because nothing else is happening.

Because when I think of the MLB, I think of Ellie Goulding.