Royals *** Official 2016 Royals Offseason Repository *** - Page 174

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.

Prison Bitch · 01-16-2016, 07:47 PM

Who says there will be more inflation? The TV contracts are all set and in force for these deals. I'm predicting this is the ceiling outside of standard 3-5% raises

**Saul Good** · 01-16-2016, 08:09 PM

The CBA expires at the end of the year, and the obvious spot of contention will be the steep decline in player portion of revenues. Salaries are going to keep rising.

Mosbonian · 01-17-2016, 03:01 PM

Duncan:

What are your thoughts on the Royals with the signing of Cain (along with the arbitrations signings of Dyson, et al) and the inking of Ian Kennedy?

**Anyong Bluth** · 01-17-2016, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lex Luthor

Who gives a shit what Rany has to say about Dayton Moore's moves?

I do. Rany's been good, and understandably not as good now that he's significantly dialed down on the amount of time he devotes to following and writing on baseball. The guy's a dermatologist with a full-time practice and 2 offices, and little kids now. Other shit in life has dictated his lesser relevance, obviously, and he's been man enough to eat major humble pie for his original stance on the Shields / Davis trade for Myers. But, EVERYONE was coming out in criticism of the move and claiming Dayton made a desperate move out of fear of being fired.
Dayton laughed last and laughed hardest with a back to back World Series and a Championship ring along with Yost, who, again, EVERYBODY said was a doofus manager with no business being a major league skipper.

Ultimately, you know who cares about Rany's opinion? The Cubs new front office. The same one that came over from Boston and managed to fill their farm system with tons of young talent and are looking at being a legitimate contender for the WS next year. They interviewed him and offered him a job. If not for a new family with little kids and the a drastic paycut in giving up his medical practice, he would be part of one of the most respected front offices currently in baseball.

Prison Bitch · 01-17-2016, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saul Good

The CBA expires at the end of the year, and the obvious spot of contention will be the steep decline in player portion of revenues. Salaries are going to keep rising.

This is true - but only to the extent the depressed player portion of revenues is something that isn't caused by debt service on stadiums and team purchases. If it is, the union will have trouble grabbing that chunk.

**Saul Good** · 01-17-2016, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

This is true - but only to the extent the depressed player portion of revenues is something that isn't caused by debt service on stadiums and team purchases. If it is, the union will have trouble grabbing that chunk.

Why? Under that rationale, owners would just shield as much revenue as possible by purchasing hard assets. That only benefits the owners.

duncan_idaho · 01-17-2016, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

Duncan:

What are your thoughts on the Royals with the signing of Cain (along with the arbitrations signings of Dyson, et al) and the inking of Ian Kennedy?

My thoughts are that the Cain deal is good for both sides. Year 2 is probably less than he gets in arb if he has another top 3 MVP finish, but more than he gets if he blows a hammy early in the year or regresses with the bat.

I'm pleased with the Kennedy signing. Think it makes this team better on day 1 of the season than a year ago.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth

I do. Rany's been good, and understandably not as good now that he's significantly dialed down on the amount of time he devotes to following and writing on baseball. The guy's a dermatologist with a full-time practice and 2 offices, and little kids now. Other shit in life has dictated his lesser relevance, obviously, and he's been man enough to eat major humble pie for his original stance on the Shields / Davis trade for Myers. But, EVERYONE was coming out in criticism of the move and claiming Dayton made a desperate move out of fear of being fired.
Dayton laughed last and laughed hardest with a back to back World Series and a Championship ring along with Yost, who, again, EVERYBODY said was a doofus manager with no business being a major league skipper.

Ultimately, you know who cares about Rany's opinion? The Cubs new front office. The same one that came over from Boston and managed to fill their farm system with tons of young talent and are looking at being a legitimate contender for the WS next year. They interviewed him and offered him a job. If not for a new family with little kids and the a drastic paycut in giving up his medical practice, he would be part of one of the most respected front offices currently in baseball.

Yeah. Rany is a bright baseball guy who was wrong and admitted it.

It's hard to get invited into the baseball community when you've established yourself as a legitimate professional in a real field. Hard to avoid a pay cut...

DJ's left nut · 01-18-2016, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saul Good

What's so bad about that contract? $23m a year for 7 years seems reasonable. If the going rate is $8m per WAR, he was worth $42m last year and $52m the years ago.

Is he not going to be worth 29 WAR over the next 7 seasons? That's all he needs to provide even if you don't account for inflation. Realistically, if he provides an average of 3 per season, it's a fair deal.

Yet more evidence that the $8 million/WAR calculus is a bad one.

Just another contract that actually fits when you run it through the $6 million/WAR analysis.

**Saul Good** · 01-18-2016, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Yet more evidence that the $8 million/WAR calculus is a bad one.

Just another contract that actually fits when you run it through the $6 million/WAR analysis.

I'm not sure I follow...

**Anyong Bluth** · 01-18-2016, 05:09 PM

Royals sign Cain to a 2 year contract to avoid arbitration.

DJ's left nut · 01-18-2016, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saul Good

I'm not sure I follow...

If Chris Davis at $23 million is a 'bargain' according to the $8.4 Million/WAR rule, it's more proof that the $8.4 million/WAR rule is silly.

A 1 WAR player isn't worth $8 million. A 9 WAR player isn't worth $75 million (Trout will not get that much in AAV).

Neither end of this scale ever works so why do we actually put any stock in the scale? Using it to justify an egregious overpay for a ridiculously flawed player is just absurd.

**Saul Good** · 01-18-2016, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

If Chris Davis at $23 million is a 'bargain' according to the $8.4 Million/WAR rule, it's more proof that the $8.4 million/WAR rule is silly.

A 1 WAR player isn't worth $8 million. A 9 WAR player isn't worth $75 million (Trout will not get that much in AAV).

Neither end of this scale ever works so why do we actually put any stock in the scale? Using it to justify an egregious overpay for a ridiculously flawed player is just absurd.

I was thinking that using the $6m number made the contract look dumb whereas the $8m number makes it look reasonable. I haven't spent any time analyzing whether or not those numbers are accurate, nor do I care to. I figure it's a good place to start in terms of a back of the napkin contract value analysis, though.

DJ's left nut · 01-18-2016, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saul Good

I was thinking that using the $6m number made the contract look dumb whereas the $8m number makes it look reasonable. I haven't spent any time analyzing whether or not those numbers are accurate, nor do I care to. I figure it's a good place to start in terms of a back of the napkin contract value analysis, though.

The 6 per figure requires that he managed 3.8 WAR/season for the life of the deal.

You've just made Chris Davis one of the top 10 highest paid position players in terms of AAV in all of baseball. I'd say expecting just a shade under 4 WAR/season is pretty fair.

You're not even asking him to hit 3/season to consider it a below market deal via the 8.4 analysis. To put that in perspective, Adam Lind managed 3.1 WAR last season and is a lefty hitter who plays 1b. Lucas Duda managed 2.99; another defensively limited lefty swinging 1b who's primary attribute is power.

If Chris Davis spends the next 7 years being a worse player than Lucas Duda and Adam Lind, that is NOT a good use of $23 million/season.

Mama Hip Rockets · 01-18-2016, 07:53 PM

Dumb ass question from Big League Stew on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/bigleaguestew/st...33031756906496

siberian khatru · 01-18-2016, 08:37 PM

Rosenthal:

Sources: #Tigers close to six-year deal with free-agent outfielder Justin Upton.

11-02-2015, 05:00 PM
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $-2089692	* 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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01-16-2016, 07:47 PM	#2596
Prison Bitch Rabbi Goldmann Join Date: Nov 2012 Casino cash: $5450159	Who says there will be more inflation? The TV contracts are all set and in force for these deals. I'm predicting this is the ceiling outside of standard 3-5% raises
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01-16-2016, 08:09 PM	#2597
Saul Good Quit your bullshit Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bored of winning Casino cash: $10052799	The CBA expires at the end of the year, and the obvious spot of contention will be the steep decline in player portion of revenues. Salaries are going to keep rising.
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01-17-2016, 03:01 PM	#2598
Mosbonian On Hiatus Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $-1290300	Duncan: What are your thoughts on the Royals with the signing of Cain (along with the arbitrations signings of Dyson, et al) and the inking of Ian Kennedy?
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01-18-2016, 05:09 PM	#2605
Anyong Bluth Deus ambulans inter homines Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago Casino cash: $9439340	Royals sign Cain to a 2 year contract to avoid arbitration. __________________ Suck it, *beautiful*
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01-18-2016, 07:53 PM	#2609
Mama Hip Rockets You don't faze me, Gobble. Join Date: Dec 2005 Casino cash: $9915644	Dumb ass question from Big League Stew on Twitter. https://twitter.com/bigleaguestew/st...33031756906496 Attached Thumbnails
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01-18-2016, 08:37 PM	#2610
siberian khatru 21st Century Schizoid Fan Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: The Gates of Delirium Casino cash: $-1325050	Rosenthal: Sources: #Tigers close to six-year deal with free-agent outfielder Justin Upton.
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