Royals *** Official 2016 Royals Offseason Repository *** - Page 189

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.

KChiefs1 · 01-29-2016, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

Alex Gordon on Noah Syndergaard: "That's bull shi... Bush League."
— Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) January 29, 2016

Will be an interesting opening day that's for sure.

duncan_idaho · 01-29-2016, 05:23 PM

Side note:
Baseball Prospectus released its top 100 today.

Raul Adalberto Mondesi checks in at No. 16 despite his lack of Minor League production.

Just saying... (I've been on this guy since he was in Idaho Falls and had a friend send me video of him from there).

Mama Hip Rockets · 01-29-2016, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

Alex Gordon on Noah Syndergaard: "That's bull shi... Bush League."
— Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) January 29, 2016

Is this a super delayed reaction?

Mama Hip Rockets · 01-29-2016, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

It's 2nd base that is going to bend us over.

I want my Zobrist back!!

For real. Are they seriously letting Infante compete for the job?

**Dunit35** · 01-29-2016, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

Will be an interesting opening day that's for sure.

Looked at tickets for opening day. They were off the charts. Probably going to end up taking a vacation day to watch it at home.

duncan_idaho · 01-30-2016, 06:40 AM

Since I was in prospect mode, I did a littler research on the young Cuban player I mentioned last week, Lazarito (Lazaro Armentaros).

I'll try to keep it short.

Signing considerations:

KC will be restricted in its Latin America signings beginning July 2, and not able to sign a player to a bonus of more than $300,000. However, Armentaros can sign with a team after Feb. 10, which means KC would not yet be in the penalty box.

My proposal, if Armentaros impressed KC scouts: Sign him. It's going to take $5-6 million, at least... But KC can't sign a LA player for big dollars until the 2017-18 period, so you could pair those savings, plus what you would spend in July this year on LA free agents, plus the money you save with not having a first round pick, and make it happen within their 3-5 prospect spending structure.

It all comes down to how impressed they were, and not all scouts love him. But it would inject some superstar-level upside into the system.

duncan_idaho · 01-30-2016, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thurman merman

For real. Are they seriously letting Infante compete for the job?

Yeah. He finally had the surgery he has delayed since May 2014. Maybe a healthy Infante steps up.

Colon will also be a factor, as will Mondesi if he hits and both Colon and Infante struggle.

Fairplay · 01-30-2016, 12:11 PM

Five bobbleheads are part of Royals’ 2016 promotions

One of them is Ned Yost, I'd like to get it myself.

The others are Kendrys Morales, Alcides Escobar, Wade Davis and Salvador Perez.

tk13 · 01-30-2016, 12:13 PM

Infante is a good defender. He at least gives us something at 2B, especially considering the Royals value defense as much as offense. And... I don't think he could possibly hit any worse. I'm an Orlando fan but I hope the platoon of him and Dyson holds up when exposed over a whole season.

Wilson8 · 01-30-2016, 01:11 PM

Lazaro Armenteros Highlight Video

http://www.baseballamerica.com/inter...ghlight-video/

Wilson8 · 01-30-2016, 01:27 PM

I’m very hopeful that we will see a much improved Omar Infante in spring training. The surgery to remove the bone chips in his right elbow should help. The problem with the elbow supposedly caused him to alter his normal movement which then caused shoulder soreness and a continued lack of production. Also Christian Colon will be given the opportunity to win the job. As others have mentioned, Raul Mondesi is also waiting in the wings.

**DaneMcCloud** · 01-30-2016, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tk13

Infante is a good defender. He at least gives us something at 2B, especially considering the Royals value defense as much as offense. And... I don't think he could possibly hit any worse. I'm an Orlando fan but I hope the platoon of him and Dyson holds up when exposed over a whole season.

I'm not a metrics guy and rarely dig into stats beyond batting average, RBI's, K's and ERA. But I did watch nearly all 162 games last year and of course, every game in the post season and I never got the sense that Orlando or Dyson would be a weaker option than Alex Rios.

As a matter of fact, I've got a good friend that I either text or speak with after each Royals game here in SoCal and I couldn't figure out why Dyson, and especially Orlando, weren't getting more playing time instead of Rios.

I suppose it could end up being a wash but my gut feeling is that the Royals won't lose anything defensively and will most likely see an offensive improvement with Dyson & Orlando over Rios.

But that said, predicting what players might do is a season always carries risk until they actually do it.

Fairplay · 01-30-2016, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wilson8

I’m very hopeful that we will see a much improved Omar Infante in spring training. The surgery to remove the bone chips in his right elbow should help. The problem with the elbow supposedly caused him to alter his normal movement which then caused shoulder soreness and a continued lack of production. Also Christian Colon will be given the opportunity to win the job. As others have mentioned, Raul Mondesi is also waiting in the wings.

Unless Infante shows improvement in his offense why not try Colon that's what it boils down to. Might as well give the youngster experience.

duncan_idaho · 01-30-2016, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I'm not a metrics guy and rarely dig into stats beyond batting average, RBI's, K's and ERA. But I did watch nearly all 162 games last year and of course, every game in the post season and I never got the sense that Orlando or Dyson would be a weaker option than Alex Rios.

As a matter of fact, I've got a good friend that I either text or speak with after each Royals game here in SoCal and I couldn't figure out why Dyson, and especially Orlando, weren't getting more playing time instead of Rios.

I suppose it could end up being a wash but my gut feeling is that the Royals won't lose anything defensively and will most likely see an offensive improvement with Dyson & Orlando over Rios.

But that said, predicting what players might do is a season always carries risk until they actually do it.

Dyson/Orlando are undoubtedly a huge defensive upgrade from Rios. I'm not sure the power Orlando displayed last year is real, but the offensive upside is similar to what KC actually got from Rios.

I'm not sure they're sold on Orlando, either, as they keep looking at cheap OF options.

Wilson8 · 01-30-2016, 01:51 PM

I'd prefer KC spend their money on a young player like Lazaro rather than a Drew Stubbs or Marlon Byrd. Lazaro Armenteros is only 16 so we would have to wait on him.

I'm thinking it would take $6,000,000 to $8,000,000 to sign Byrd. He has made the $8,000,000 over each of the last 2 seasons. He had a .271 batting average, 6 HR VS LHP last season.

Would Drew Stubbs sign a minor league deal with KC that allow him to compete for a roster spot? If he makes the 25 man roster, then $2,000,000 for the year. He was a good player in 2014 but last year was terrible. Drew has a career batting average of .276 VS LHP.

Also want to see what these guys can do -

Reymond Fuentes last year at Omaha he had a .308 batting average with 9 home runs. He batted .326 in 33 games in Puerto Rico this winter.

Paulo Orlando .249 (.265 VS LHP), 7 HR in 241 AB, and then this winter in Venezuela, he has batted .295 in 27 games with 4 HR.

Jose Martinez In Omaha .384 batting average, 10 HR in 341 at bats. Also .317 in 60 games, 3 HR in Venezuela this winter

Brett Eibner, .303 and 19 HR in Omaha. Had a .301 average VS RHP and .308 VS LHP.

I like the fact that Fuentes, Orlando, and Martinez all worked on their game this winter.

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..
Posts: 22,440

01-29-2016, 05:23 PM	#2822
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $-2109692	Side note: Baseball Prospectus released its top 100 today. Raul Adalberto Mondesi checks in at No. 16 despite his lack of Minor League production. Just saying... (I've been on this guy since he was in Idaho Falls and had a friend send me video of him from there). __________________ "You gotta love livin', cause dying is a pain in the ass." ---- Sinatra
Posts: 22,440

01-30-2016, 06:40 AM	#2826
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $-2109692	Since I was in prospect mode, I did a littler research on the young Cuban player I mentioned last week, Lazarito (Lazaro Armentaros). I'll try to keep it short. Signing considerations: KC will be restricted in its Latin America signings beginning July 2, and not able to sign a player to a bonus of more than $300,000. However, Armentaros can sign with a team after Feb. 10, which means KC would not yet be in the penalty box. My proposal, if Armentaros impressed KC scouts: Sign him. It's going to take $5-6 million, at least... But KC can't sign a LA player for big dollars until the 2017-18 period, so you could pair those savings, plus what you would spend in July this year on LA free agents, plus the money you save with not having a first round pick, and make it happen within their 3-5 prospect spending structure. It all comes down to how impressed they were, and not all scouts love him. But it would inject some superstar-level upside into the system. __________________ "You gotta love livin', cause dying is a pain in the ass." ---- Sinatra
Posts: 22,440

01-30-2016, 12:11 PM	#2828
Fairplay A certain set of skills Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: texas Casino cash: $10026683 VARSITY	Five bobbleheads are part of Royals’ 2016 promotions One of them is Ned Yost, I'd like to get it myself. The others are Kendrys Morales, Alcides Escobar, Wade Davis and Salvador Perez.
Posts: 25,265

01-30-2016, 12:13 PM	#2829
tk13 ... Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $-1877500	Infante is a good defender. He at least gives us something at 2B, especially considering the Royals value defense as much as offense. And... I don't think he could possibly hit any worse. I'm an Orlando fan but I hope the platoon of him and Dyson holds up when exposed over a whole season.
Posts: 56,709

01-30-2016, 01:11 PM	#2830
Wilson8 Veteran Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $2837557	Lazaro Armenteros Highlight Video http://www.baseballamerica.com/inter...ghlight-video/
Posts: 3,932

01-30-2016, 01:27 PM	#2831
Wilson8 Veteran Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $2837557	I’m very hopeful that we will see a much improved Omar Infante in spring training. The surgery to remove the bone chips in his right elbow should help. The problem with the elbow supposedly caused him to alter his normal movement which then caused shoulder soreness and a continued lack of production. Also Christian Colon will be given the opportunity to win the job. As others have mentioned, Raul Mondesi is also waiting in the wings.
Posts: 3,932

01-30-2016, 01:51 PM	#2835
Wilson8 Veteran Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $2837557	I'd prefer KC spend their money on a young player like Lazaro rather than a Drew Stubbs or Marlon Byrd. Lazaro Armenteros is only 16 so we would have to wait on him. I'm thinking it would take $6,000,000 to $8,000,000 to sign Byrd. He has made the $8,000,000 over each of the last 2 seasons. He had a .271 batting average, 6 HR VS LHP last season. Would Drew Stubbs sign a minor league deal with KC that allow him to compete for a roster spot? If he makes the 25 man roster, then $2,000,000 for the year. He was a good player in 2014 but last year was terrible. Drew has a career batting average of .276 VS LHP. Also want to see what these guys can do - Reymond Fuentes last year at Omaha he had a .308 batting average with 9 home runs. He batted .326 in 33 games in Puerto Rico this winter. Paulo Orlando .249 (.265 VS LHP), 7 HR in 241 AB, and then this winter in Venezuela, he has batted .295 in 27 games with 4 HR. Jose Martinez In Omaha .384 batting average, 10 HR in 341 at bats. Also .317 in 60 games, 3 HR in Venezuela this winter Brett Eibner, .303 and 19 HR in Omaha. Had a .301 average VS RHP and .308 VS LHP. I like the fact that Fuentes, Orlando, and Martinez all worked on their game this winter. Last edited by Wilson8; 01-30-2016 at 02:01 PM..
Posts: 3,932