Royals *** Official 2016 Royals Offseason Repository *** - Page 129

duncan_idaho · 09:49 AM

Well, folks, it has happened. The Royals stand triumphant, atop the heap of MLB.

In this thread, we'll track the action as Dayton Moore continues The Process and attempts to defend the long-awaited title.

Before we get to the meet of it, let's take a minute to reflect ... and say "I'm Sorry" to Dayton Moore.

We gave you hell. Many of us called for your head. But you were right. You got it done. Congratulations. Mea culpa.

Now, let's talk about the offseason:

LINK TO 2016-18 PAYROLL INFO COURTESY OF ROYALS REVIEW

The Royals will have a few priorities: Corner OF (x2) and 1 SP, IMO. The rest of the core is solid and will need little tweaking. Looking at the increase in ticket sales, merchandising, concessions, parking, etc., I think it's fair to assume the Royals GROSSED $100 million more this season, or close to it. That gives Glass and Dayton Moore much more flexibility on payroll for 2016 (hopefully).

First order of business will be gauging the Alex Gordon market. If he can be resigned for 4-5 years at around $75-80 million total, it would be hard for KC to pass on that. He's still an above-average corner OF bat, and the Royals will need to bring in at least one proven guy to play in a corner if Gordon walks... and the whole market looks a lot like Alex - guys in their early 30s looking for huge, final contracts.

Second order of business: Make a decision on Zobrist. It sounds like KC will pursue him aggressively. At 34, he's at risk of declining in a big way after a few years. If they could find someone to take on Omar Infante for eating 1/2 of his deal, that would be a great start to things.

If they decide not to spend on Zobrist, KC will need to cobble together some sort of plan for 2B/RF that involves some cheaper options like Orlando, Colon, Dyson, etc.

I could see them deciding his ability to provide great insurance at either 2B or in RF is worth the risk.

Third order of business: Add depth to the rotation with a FA SP. Duffy, Ventura, Volquez and Medlen are locks for 4 spots, it seems. Kyle Zimmer may finally be ready to make a MLB impact, but his innings will be limited. That means KC needs insurance. Will it kill two birds with one stone (and insure against Duffy/Ventura regression) by signing a more top-tier guy? Or does Moore look to Chris Young/someone like him for this depth?

Personally, I think Mike Leake would be a great fit with KC's defense and park, and I know Moore has long coveted him. He's still young - just 28 - and has succeeded in bandbox Cincinnati for years.

Ian Kennedy, Mat Latos, Marco Estrada, and Justin Masterson are some other names that may pique interest (a little further down the list).

Other than that, I don't think KC makes any major moves. Greg Holland will be interesting to observe, as they have one more year of control of him, and he will obviously miss all of that season. I wouldn't be surprised to see a pre-arbitration deal that pays him something like $15 million over the next two seasons, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him turned loose, period.

The bullpen will rest upon Wade Davis/Herrera/Hochevar, filling in pieces around them. Bringing Madson back wouldn't be a surprise, but he could get a big deal from another team that is willing to pay him as their top setup guy or even their closer.

I think the biggest prospects to watch in Spring Training will be:

1) Kyle Zimmer. The hype has built, died down, built again, etc. If he's healthy, he's filthy and a potential ToR arm. But what does he look like in ST, and how many innings can you reasonably expect from him if he does earn a rotation spot? It seems like 120-130 innings would be his limit unless they really stretch (or unless he has a lot of hidden innings from simulated games/extended spring training, which might push him to 150-160).

Having another cheap, home-grown pitcher would be a significant boon for this team as it tries to extend the competitive window (and potentially give KC a strong 1-2 to build its rotation around in Zimmer and Ventura)

2) Bubba Starling. I'm trying to remain skeptical, but I like what I hear about Bubba from this season, and the performance has picked up. If KC does not sign someone to fill the RF slot, I think that's a strong indication KC's front office believes Starling will be ready to contribute in 2016.

Dayton Moore has long said that when Starling's light flips on, it will happen quickly and burn brightly. Time will tell.

After his STRONG Arizona Fall League Performance, he shot up my prospect chart.

3) Miguel Almonte. His late-season stint out of the KC bullpen went poorly, but Almonte has a plus-plus changeup, a good fastball, and a decent curve ball. He may be the dark horse in the rotation competition, and unlike Zimmer, he's set up to pitch a full 180 inning season.

4) RA Mondesi. The only player to debut in the MLB World Series has incredible tools. He still needs to refine his game, but again... he may be KC's best cheap, plus alternative at a key position (2B). His defense would be a boon from Day 1, but he needs seasoning with the bat before he's asked to hold down 2B full time.

And, as always, here are the Prospects:

Duncan’s Top 20 for 2016:

Spoiler!

1. Raul Adalberto Mondesi, SS, BOTH: Tools, tools, tools. RA has tools galore. At his best, he’s an All-Star SS who plays elite D, hits 15-20 HR, swipes 40 bags, and is an ideal 1, 2 or 3 hitter. At his worst, I think he looks a lot like Alcides Escobar. Plate discipline is his biggest challenge at this point, but evaluators are confident that will come with time. Clear No. 1
2. Kyle Zimmer, RHP: He’s pitching again and staying healthy, which is nice. He’s pitcing out of the bullpen to build back his arm strength, which is less nice. But still has that high upside, just a lower floor now. Ideally, the team will use him as a bullpen weapon in September (because he has earned it) and then give him a chance to transition back to starting for 2016.
3. Bubba Starling, CF, RH: Starling has been up and down this year but put himself back on the map by greatly improving his K rate while also improving across the slash line as a hitter. His defense and baserunning are MLB ready; if Starling can work himself into a league average hitter, he can be a solid MLB regular who plays great D in CF while hitting 15 HR and swiping 20 bags.
4. Miguel Almonte, RHP: Still love the body, FB/CH combo. Results aren’t eye popping, but he’s still low enough and early enough in the development to prize those things over performance. Still a solid No. 3 starter upside, and just a year and some change away from potentially being ready to contribute at the MLB level.
5. Jorge Bonifacio, RF, RH: Emilio’s little brother got off to a horrible start in 2015 but has heated up as the season went on. He also is translating BP power to game power for the first time, with 15 HR just past the mid-way point of his season. Despite his disappointing 2014, he has a chance to build his way back into legit prospect status – and still is only 22. Next challenge for him should be Omaha, but that may wait for the start of the 2014 season.
6. Scott Blewett, RHP: Blewett has a nice two –pitch mix already and is off to a strong start. With his size (6-6) and a good fastball/curveball combo, Blewett could eventually turn into a good No. 3 starter, with a MLB-average changeup.
7. Nolan Watson, RHP: The Royals’ 2015 sandwich pick is a polished prep arm who is adding velocity and explosiveness to a good, polished base. Likely to move quickly.
8. Ashe Russell, RHP: The 2015 top pick probably needs more work than Watson, but the upside is really nice. Again, advanced two-pitch mix that will depend on him adding a changeup. Could be a very good NO. 2 if it all adds up.
9. Balbino Fuenmayor, 1B/DH, RH: The Balbino came out of basically nowhere in 2015 to earn a Futures Game spot. Big power and an improved two-strike approach have turned the late bloomer into a legit prospect. He’s blocked at the MLB level currently by Eric Hosmer and Kendrys Morales, but Fuenmayor’s combination of power hitting and good average/strike zone control makes him intriguing.
10. Cheslor Cuthbert, 3B, RH: Cheslor probably is not going to be the star KC was hoping for when signing him out of Nicaragua, but he does look like he can be a solid reserve for an MLB club. Good defense at 3B paired with a solid plate approach and some gap power plays fine off the bench. He becomes a lot more interesting if they think he can stick as a 2B, which they have experimented with.

Spoiler!

11. Chase Vallot, C/DH/1B: I really like Vallot’s power and plate discipline combo. His bat will probably force him from behind the plate, but he’s held his own despite being extremely young for every level he has faced.
12. Alfredo Escalera-Maldonado, OF, RH: Escalera-Maldonado earned a promotion to Wilmington at age 20, which is pretty advanced movement for that age. He’s an athletic outfielder who has shown some plate discipline at an early age, which is encouraging. Doesn’t sound like he can stick in CF long term for KC, but his bat has become one to watch.
13. Pedro Fernandez, RHP: I haven’t seen much of him, but like the reports I’ve heard on his fastball and general makeup. Could become the next Almonte/Mondesi, though he’s more likely to land in the pen than either of them.
14. Elier Hernandez, OF, RH: Elier Hernanez teamed with Escalera-Maldonado in breaking out at Low-A and earning a promotion to Wilmington. It’s still early for this guy – he is just 20 years old – but he doesn’t take walks and hasn’t developed the prodigious power many thought he had the potential for. Still worth watching.
15. Hunter Dozier, 3B, RH: Dozier is reworking his swing mid-season, which generally will cause production to do what his has done: Nose dive. The changes he made entering the season (seemingly geared towards increasing his power production) were a disaster, and now he’s trying to get back to what he used to be. Still looks great and checks most of the scouting boxes, but the performance hasn’t matched, and it almost knocked him out of the list.
16. Christian Binford, RHP: After a breakthrough 2014, Binford struggled mightily at AAA and suffered a demotion. His upside remains similar – a back-end starter who can eat innings – but Binford’s lack of velocity and reliance on command have caught up to him so far.
17. Marten Gasparini, OF, SH: Gasparini is intriguing because of his speed and athleticism. He’s a LOOOOONG ways from the majors and young for his level, but reports on his bat speed, swing, and speed remain positive enough to keep him on the bubble.
18. Eric Skoglund, LHP: Skoglund had a nice year at Wilmington. I'm skeptical because his K rate is lower than I like to see for a guy at A+ - just 7/9, and usually guys lose a strikeout or two/9 as they move up the chain from there - but he has excellent control, walking 1.17 batters/9. 6-7 lefties with great control who get lots of ground balls - like Skoglund - have a chance to overcome bad K rates.
19. Ryan O'Hearn, 1B/LF: A lefty stick with power, O'Hearn was a savings signing as an 8th round pick, but a change in his approach increased his power - while increasing his K rate. After Vallot, probably the best pure power prospect in the Royals system.
20. Josh Staumont, RHP: I was terrified of this guy's control problems, and he walked nearly a batter an inning in his pro debut (32 BB in 40 1/3 IP). Staumont's nasty, nasty stuff (plus-plus fastball, plus slider) could make him a very good late-inning reliever who strikes out more than a batter an inning, if he can develop average or slightly below-average control. If he really masters the control, you're talking about a potential Greg Holland type, but that's a TALL task.

WilliamTheIrish · 12-27-2015, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tk13

Dave Henderson also finished his career in Kansas City. He was a backup OF on the 1994 team that was making a run for the playoffs when the strike happened.

Yes he did. He played on those great A's teams of the 90's also.

ROYC75 · 12-27-2015, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Welp...it's official. The Twins are now tied atop the standing with the Royals.

http://www.si.com/mlb/standings

I had a hunch them suckers would catch us.

Lex Luthor · 12-27-2015, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

Former Red Sox hero Dave Henderson died today. He hit one of the biggest playoff home runs in my lifetime, off the Angels Donnie Moore (who never recovered from that and ended up committing suicide later).

He also would have been the hero the Red Sox were waiting for in 1986 as he hit the 2 run HR in game 6 of the 1986 WS to put the Red Sox ahead and needing 3 puts to close. (But Buckner happened-and a few singles prior)

Of a heart attack. Damn. I'll never forget that game. Never.

I will never forget that game either. I didn't have a rooting interest in either team, but when that game was over I decided I had just watched the greatest game of all time, because of all of the excitement and the drama. If I recall correctly, Dave Henderson made a game saving catch in left field before he hit the game winning home run. I'm sorry to hear he passed away today, just as I was sorry to hear Donnie Moore committed suicide a couple of years later.

Lex Luthor · 12-27-2015, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sedated

^^^Gordon is 32, not 35.

Zobrist was the 35 year old.

Oops, you are correct. But the point still applies.

Tmw4h5 can bluster all he wants about big market advantages over small market teams being "bullshit", but when one team gets $250 million per year from their local TV contract and another team gets $20 million, it's not bullshit. It's reality.

That being said, it's also not an excuse for failure. Big market teams have shown a propensity for recklessly spending money and seriously underperforming their payrolls. I'd much rather have a small market team with a smart GM like Dayton Moore than a big market team with a lunkhead for a GM. The Yankees, Dodgers and Angels haven't accomplished anything with their massive payrolls. That's because they are the teams who sign the aging superstars to hundred million dollar contracts. If Alex Gordon winds up going that route, I say more power to him, and kudos to the Royals for making a smart business decision to let him go.

mr. tegu · 12-27-2015, 07:02 PM

Set your DVRs. Fox Sports 1 has the top 100 plays of the MLB season from 7-8 pm tonight and some 2015 World Series special from 8-10 pm.

tmw4h5 · 12-27-2015, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lex Luthor

Oops, you are correct. But the point still applies.

Tmw4h5 can bluster all he wants about big market advantages over small market teams being "bullshit", but when one team gets $250 million per year from their local TV contract and another team gets $20 million, it's not bullshit. It's reality.

That being said, it's also not an excuse for failure. Big market teams have shown a propensity for recklessly spending money and seriously underperforming their payrolls. I'd much rather have a small market team with a smart GM like Dayton Moore than a big market team with a lunkhead for a GM. The Yankees, Dodgers and Angels haven't accomplished anything with their massive payrolls. That's because they are the teams who sign the aging superstars to hundred million dollar contracts. If Alex Gordon winds up going that route, I say more power to him, and kudos to the Royals for making a smart business decision to let him go.

Again, this team was able to sustain a payroll of $125m this year after last year's performance.
This year, we averaged 9,000 more people PER game. At $29.76 for the average ticket price x 9,000 x 81 home games. That's $21,695,040 extra.
We also had 8 playoff games which brought in something along the lines of $4.9m per game . Basically $40m extra from the playoffs in addition to the nearly $22m from the regular season. Where the **** is this money supposed to go? Hosmer WILL NOT sign in KC. Do you want to give a 31 year old Cain money? What about Moustakas? Do you want to pay $20m/year for a closer like Wade Davis?

This team could easily operate at a payroll of $160m for the foreseeable future, with or without a new TV contract.

The more that you people convince yourself that this team needs to operate at $120m/year, the more David Glass gets to jerk off onto piles of your money.

tk13 · 12-27-2015, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmw4h5

Again, this team was able to sustain a payroll of $125m this year after last year's performance.
This year, we averaged 9,000 more people PER game. At $29.76 for the average ticket price x 9,000 x 81 home games. That's $21,695,040 extra.
We also had 8 playoff games which brought in something along the lines of $4.9m per game . Basically $40m extra from the playoffs in addition to the nearly $22m from the regular season. Where the **** is this money supposed to go? Hosmer WILL NOT sign in KC. Do you want to give a 31 year old Cain money? What about Moustakas? Do you want to pay $20m/year for a closer like Wade Davis?

This team could easily operate at a payroll of $160m for the foreseeable future, with or without a new TV contract.

The more that you people convince yourself that this team needs to operate at $120m/year, the more David Glass gets to jerk off onto piles of your money.

I don't get why people immediately give up on signing Hos. You can't make the argument that we're making more money then say we can't have a chance to re-sign Hosmer. Which is it? I agree it may not happen... but why couldn't it. You want to give Gordon $20 million a year, but you don't want to give Hosmer $20-25?

**ChiTown** · 12-27-2015, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

Former Red Sox hero Dave Henderson died today. He hit one of the biggest playoff home runs in my lifetime, off the Angels Donnie Moore (who never recovered from that and ended up committing suicide later).

He also would have been the hero the Red Sox were waiting for in 1986 as he hit the 2 run HR in game 6 of the 1986 WS to put the Red Sox ahead and needing 3 puts to close. (But Buckner happened-and a few singles prior)

Of a heart attack. Damn. I'll never forget that game. Never.

Donnie Moore, coincidentally, signed a minor league contract with the Royals in 1989. They released him in June and a month later, he shot his wife ( who survived 3 bullets) and then turned the gun on himself. Sad story.

**lewdog** · 12-27-2015, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tk13

I don't get why people immediately give up on signing Hos. You can't make the argument that we're making more money then say we can't have a chance to re-sign Hosmer. Which is it? I agree it may not happen... but why couldn't it. You want to give Gordon $20 million a year, but you don't want to give Hosmer $20-25?

We don't know what the Royals plan to do with re-signing these young guys. Which is why you can't pay an aging left fielder for 5/6 years at Gordon's asking price or you just end up answering that question before it even happens.

**SAUTO** · 12-27-2015, 07:52 PM

I think hos and moose stay together.

tk13 · 12-27-2015, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

Set your DVRs. Fox Sports 1 has the top 100 plays of the MLB season from 7-8 pm tonight and some 2015 World Series special from 8-10 pm.

On FS1 now. This is the World Series DVD, in case you were interested.

Lex Luthor · 12-27-2015, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmw4h5

Again, this team was able to sustain a payroll of $125m this year after last year's performance.
This year, we averaged 9,000 more people PER game. At $29.76 for the average ticket price x 9,000 x 81 home games. That's $21,695,040 extra.
We also had 8 playoff games which brought in something along the lines of $4.9m per game . Basically $40m extra from the playoffs in addition to the nearly $22m from the regular season. Where the **** is this money supposed to go? Hosmer WILL NOT sign in KC. Do you want to give a 31 year old Cain money? What about Moustakas? Do you want to pay $20m/year for a closer like Wade Davis?

This team could easily operate at a payroll of $160m for the foreseeable future, with or without a new TV contract.

The more that you people convince yourself that this team needs to operate at $120m/year, the more David Glass gets to jerk off onto piles of your money.

Again, the Dodgers will get $230,000,000 MORE in local TV revenue than the Royals will next year. Do you know how much money $230,000,000 is? How can you not understand that this gives the Dodgers and other big market teams an advantage over small market teams? How can you just deny that small market teams can't spend money like drunken sailors?

I'm not arguing that the Royals should keep their payroll at any set amount. I'm pointing out that the Royals have to spend their money judiciously.

If you give $100,000,000 to an aging Alex Gordon, you GUARANTEE that Hosmer will leave because (1) you won't have the money to give him, and (2) why the **** would Hosmer consider anything less than full market value if an aging Alex Gordon got full market value?

Lex Luthor · 12-27-2015, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tk13

I don't get why people immediately give up on signing Hos. You can't make the argument that we're making more money then say we can't have a chance to re-sign Hosmer. Which is it? I agree it may not happen... but why couldn't it. You want to give Gordon $20 million a year, but you don't want to give Hosmer $20-25?

EXACTLY.

Small market teams shouldn't spend their money on aging superstars who get overpaid by big market teams. The Cardinals faced a similar decision a few years ago with Albert Pujols. Pujols wound up signing a contract with the Angels for $240 million for 10 years at age of 32. That was a ****ing ridiculous contract, since Pujols was at the age when nearly every player starts to decline. He was 32. (How old is Alex Gordon again?)

Letting Pujols walk seems to have worked out pretty well for the Cardinals, considering that they have made the playoffs each of the 4 years since Pujols left, including the World Series in 2013. And what have the Angels done since they gave Pujols his $240 million contract? Well, they did make the playoffs ONCE in 4 years (got swept by the small market team). If tmw4h5 had been a Cardinals fan back then, he would have probably wanted to lynch the Cardinals GM.

The Royals need to follow the model of the Cardinals, not the Angels.

ChiefsCountry · 12-27-2015, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lex Luthor

EXACTLY.

Small market teams shouldn't spend their money on aging superstars who get overpaid by big market teams. The Cardinals faced a similar decision a few years ago with Albert Pujols. Pujols wound up signing a contract with the Angels for $240 million for 10 years at age of 32. That was a ****ing ridiculous contract, since Pujols was at the age when nearly every player starts to decline. He was 32. (How old is Alex Gordon again?)

Letting Pujols walk seems to have worked out pretty well for the Cardinals, considering that they have made the playoffs each of the 4 years since Pujols left, including the World Series in 2013. And what have the Angels done since they gave Pujols his $240 million contract? Well, they did make the playoffs ONCE in 4 years (got swept by the small market team).

The Royals need to follow the model of the Cardinals, not the Angels.

You mean the Cardinals with big contracts with Holliday, Wainwright, and Molina?

Lex Luthor · 12-27-2015, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

You mean the Cardinals with big contracts with Holliday, Wainwright, and Molina?

Thanks for making my point for me. If the Cardinals had thrown $240 million at Albert Pujols, they wouldn't have Holliday, Wainwright and Molina on their team.

Pujols = Gordon

Holliday, Wainwright, Molina = Hosmer, Moustakas, Davis

That's how you sustain a winning organization. You don't put all of your eggs in the aging superstar's basket.

11-02-2015, 05:00 PM
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $-2109692	* Official 2016 Royals Offseason Repository * Well, folks, it has happened. The Royals stand triumphant, atop the heap of MLB. In this thread, we'll track the action as Dayton Moore continues The Process and attempts to defend the long-awaited title. Before we get to the meet of it, let's take a minute to reflect ... and say "I'm Sorry" to Dayton Moore. We gave you hell. Many of us called for your head. But you were right. You got it done. Congratulations. Mea culpa. Now, let's talk about the offseason: LINK TO 2016-18 PAYROLL INFO COURTESY OF ROYALS REVIEW The Royals will have a few priorities: Corner OF (x2) and 1 SP, IMO. The rest of the core is solid and will need little tweaking. Looking at the increase in ticket sales, merchandising, concessions, parking, etc., I think it's fair to assume the Royals GROSSED $100 million more this season, or close to it. That gives Glass and Dayton Moore much more flexibility on payroll for 2016 (hopefully). First order of business will be gauging the Alex Gordon market. If he can be resigned for 4-5 years at around $75-80 million total, it would be hard for KC to pass on that. He's still an above-average corner OF bat, and the Royals will need to bring in at least one proven guy to play in a corner if Gordon walks... and the whole market looks a lot like Alex - guys in their early 30s looking for huge, final contracts. Second order of business: Make a decision on Zobrist. It sounds like KC will pursue him aggressively. At 34, he's at risk of declining in a big way after a few years. If they could find someone to take on Omar Infante for eating 1/2 of his deal, that would be a great start to things. If they decide not to spend on Zobrist, KC will need to cobble together some sort of plan for 2B/RF that involves some cheaper options like Orlando, Colon, Dyson, etc. I could see them deciding his ability to provide great insurance at either 2B or in RF is worth the risk. Third order of business: Add depth to the rotation with a FA SP. Duffy, Ventura, Volquez and Medlen are locks for 4 spots, it seems. Kyle Zimmer may finally be ready to make a MLB impact, but his innings will be limited. That means KC needs insurance. Will it kill two birds with one stone (and insure against Duffy/Ventura regression) by signing a more top-tier guy? Or does Moore look to Chris Young/someone like him for this depth? Personally, I think Mike Leake would be a great fit with KC's defense and park, and I know Moore has long coveted him. He's still young - just 28 - and has succeeded in bandbox Cincinnati for years. Ian Kennedy, Mat Latos, Marco Estrada, and Justin Masterson are some other names that may pique interest (a little further down the list). Other than that, I don't think KC makes any major moves. Greg Holland will be interesting to observe, as they have one more year of control of him, and he will obviously miss all of that season. I wouldn't be surprised to see a pre-arbitration deal that pays him something like $15 million over the next two seasons, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him turned loose, period. The bullpen will rest upon Wade Davis/Herrera/Hochevar, filling in pieces around them. Bringing Madson back wouldn't be a surprise, but he could get a big deal from another team that is willing to pay him as their top setup guy or even their closer. I think the biggest prospects to watch in Spring Training will be: 1) Kyle Zimmer. The hype has built, died down, built again, etc. If he's healthy, he's filthy and a potential ToR arm. But what does he look like in ST, and how many innings can you reasonably expect from him if he does earn a rotation spot? It seems like 120-130 innings would be his limit unless they really stretch (or unless he has a lot of hidden innings from simulated games/extended spring training, which might push him to 150-160). Having another cheap, home-grown pitcher would be a significant boon for this team as it tries to extend the competitive window (and potentially give KC a strong 1-2 to build its rotation around in Zimmer and Ventura) 2) Bubba Starling. I'm trying to remain skeptical, but I like what I hear about Bubba from this season, and the performance has picked up. If KC does not sign someone to fill the RF slot, I think that's a strong indication KC's front office believes Starling will be ready to contribute in 2016. Dayton Moore has long said that when Starling's light flips on, it will happen quickly and burn brightly. Time will tell. After his STRONG Arizona Fall League Performance, he shot up my prospect chart. 3) Miguel Almonte. His late-season stint out of the KC bullpen went poorly, but Almonte has a plus-plus changeup, a good fastball, and a decent curve ball. He may be the dark horse in the rotation competition, and unlike Zimmer, he's set up to pitch a full 180 inning season. 4) RA Mondesi. The only player to debut in the MLB World Series has incredible tools. He still needs to refine his game, but again... he may be KC's best cheap, plus alternative at a key position (2B). His defense would be a boon from Day 1, but he needs seasoning with the bat before he's asked to hold down 2B full time. And, as always, here are the Prospects: Duncan’s Top 20 for 2016: Spoiler! 1. Raul Adalberto Mondesi, SS, BOTH: Tools, tools, tools. RA has tools galore. At his best, he’s an All-Star SS who plays elite D, hits 15-20 HR, swipes 40 bags, and is an ideal 1, 2 or 3 hitter. At his worst, I think he looks a lot like Alcides Escobar. Plate discipline is his biggest challenge at this point, but evaluators are confident that will come with time. Clear No. 1 2. Kyle Zimmer, RHP: He’s pitching again and staying healthy, which is nice. He’s pitcing out of the bullpen to build back his arm strength, which is less nice. But still has that high upside, just a lower floor now. Ideally, the team will use him as a bullpen weapon in September (because he has earned it) and then give him a chance to transition back to starting for 2016. 3. Bubba Starling, CF, RH: Starling has been up and down this year but put himself back on the map by greatly improving his K rate while also improving across the slash line as a hitter. His defense and baserunning are MLB ready; if Starling can work himself into a league average hitter, he can be a solid MLB regular who plays great D in CF while hitting 15 HR and swiping 20 bags. 4. Miguel Almonte, RHP: Still love the body, FB/CH combo. Results aren’t eye popping, but he’s still low enough and early enough in the development to prize those things over performance. Still a solid No. 3 starter upside, and just a year and some change away from potentially being ready to contribute at the MLB level. 5. Jorge Bonifacio, RF, RH: Emilio’s little brother got off to a horrible start in 2015 but has heated up as the season went on. He also is translating BP power to game power for the first time, with 15 HR just past the mid-way point of his season. Despite his disappointing 2014, he has a chance to build his way back into legit prospect status – and still is only 22. Next challenge for him should be Omaha, but that may wait for the start of the 2014 season. 6. Scott Blewett, RHP: Blewett has a nice two –pitch mix already and is off to a strong start. With his size (6-6) and a good fastball/curveball combo, Blewett could eventually turn into a good No. 3 starter, with a MLB-average changeup. 7. Nolan Watson, RHP: The Royals’ 2015 sandwich pick is a polished prep arm who is adding velocity and explosiveness to a good, polished base. Likely to move quickly. 8. Ashe Russell, RHP: The 2015 top pick probably needs more work than Watson, but the upside is really nice. Again, advanced two-pitch mix that will depend on him adding a changeup. Could be a very good NO. 2 if it all adds up. 9. Balbino Fuenmayor, 1B/DH, RH: The Balbino came out of basically nowhere in 2015 to earn a Futures Game spot. Big power and an improved two-strike approach have turned the late bloomer into a legit prospect. He’s blocked at the MLB level currently by Eric Hosmer and Kendrys Morales, but Fuenmayor’s combination of power hitting and good average/strike zone control makes him intriguing. 10. Cheslor Cuthbert, 3B, RH: Cheslor probably is not going to be the star KC was hoping for when signing him out of Nicaragua, but he does look like he can be a solid reserve for an MLB club. Good defense at 3B paired with a solid plate approach and some gap power plays fine off the bench. He becomes a lot more interesting if they think he can stick as a 2B, which they have experimented with. Spoiler! 11. Chase Vallot, C/DH/1B: I really like Vallot’s power and plate discipline combo. His bat will probably force him from behind the plate, but he’s held his own despite being extremely young for every level he has faced. 12. Alfredo Escalera-Maldonado, OF, RH: Escalera-Maldonado earned a promotion to Wilmington at age 20, which is pretty advanced movement for that age. He’s an athletic outfielder who has shown some plate discipline at an early age, which is encouraging. Doesn’t sound like he can stick in CF long term for KC, but his bat has become one to watch. 13. Pedro Fernandez, RHP: I haven’t seen much of him, but like the reports I’ve heard on his fastball and general makeup. Could become the next Almonte/Mondesi, though he’s more likely to land in the pen than either of them. 14. Elier Hernandez, OF, RH: Elier Hernanez teamed with Escalera-Maldonado in breaking out at Low-A and earning a promotion to Wilmington. It’s still early for this guy – he is just 20 years old – but he doesn’t take walks and hasn’t developed the prodigious power many thought he had the potential for. Still worth watching. 15. Hunter Dozier, 3B, RH: Dozier is reworking his swing mid-season, which generally will cause production to do what his has done: Nose dive. The changes he made entering the season (seemingly geared towards increasing his power production) were a disaster, and now he’s trying to get back to what he used to be. Still looks great and checks most of the scouting boxes, but the performance hasn’t matched, and it almost knocked him out of the list. 16. Christian Binford, RHP: After a breakthrough 2014, Binford struggled mightily at AAA and suffered a demotion. His upside remains similar – a back-end starter who can eat innings – but Binford’s lack of velocity and reliance on command have caught up to him so far. 17. Marten Gasparini, OF, SH: Gasparini is intriguing because of his speed and athleticism. He’s a LOOOOONG ways from the majors and young for his level, but reports on his bat speed, swing, and speed remain positive enough to keep him on the bubble. 18. Eric Skoglund, LHP: Skoglund had a nice year at Wilmington. I'm skeptical because his K rate is lower than I like to see for a guy at A+ - just 7/9, and usually guys lose a strikeout or two/9 as they move up the chain from there - but he has excellent control, walking 1.17 batters/9. 6-7 lefties with great control who get lots of ground balls - like Skoglund - have a chance to overcome bad K rates. 19. Ryan O'Hearn, 1B/LF: A lefty stick with power, O'Hearn was a savings signing as an 8th round pick, but a change in his approach increased his power - while increasing his K rate. After Vallot, probably the best pure power prospect in the Royals system. 20. Josh Staumont, RHP: I was terrified of this guy's control problems, and he walked nearly a batter an inning in his pro debut (32 BB in 40 1/3 IP). Staumont's nasty, nasty stuff (plus-plus fastball, plus slider) could make him a very good late-inning reliever who strikes out more than a batter an inning, if he can develop average or slightly below-average control. If he really masters the control, you're talking about a potential Greg Holland type, but that's a TALL task. Last edited by duncan_idaho; 11-17-2015 at 09:49 AM..
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12-27-2015, 07:02 PM	#1925
mr. tegu Forever Royal Join Date: Mar 2012 Casino cash: $-1878700	Set your DVRs. Fox Sports 1 has the top 100 plays of the MLB season from 7-8 pm tonight and some 2015 World Series special from 8-10 pm.
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12-27-2015, 07:52 PM	#1930
SAUTO Shit Join Date: Jun 2008 Casino cash: $10039067	I think hos and moose stay together.
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