*** Official 2016 Royals Repository, Version 1 ***

[duncan_idaho]

And so it begins: The Royals' second straight attempt to repeat as AL Champions, and first attempt to repeat as World Series champions.

In this thread, we'll track all non-gameday action. Roster moves, prospect news, etc.

I'll start the thread as usual, with division rivals thoughts. I still like KC to repeat as AL Central champs. Here's how I see the rest of it shaking out:

2) Indians - they have the pitching (and seem to have at least semi-Kluber-ed Cody Anderson, who added 3 mph to his fastball in the offseason). Will the offense hold up? I think this is a team that ends up looking a lot like the 2014 Royals. Francisco Lindor will solidify their IF defense over the full season, and is a help with the bat. I think this club is still a year away from really breaking through - the offense still has a lot of question marks - but I like them to nab a wildcard spot.

Key Player(s): Michael Brantley. When Brantley returns - and how he hits when he does - will be critical to the Indians' ability to be good enough on offense.

Jason Kipnis. Kipnis has been an enigmatic offensive performer for the past several years. If he finally has a good offensive campaign from start to finish, Cleveland could make real noise.

Something of interest to me: For all the acclaim the Twins' farm system gets, I look at the Indians young players, and would much rather have them. Brad Zimmer is going to be a very good all-around CF. Clint Frazier has huge power potential and should arrive soon (2017). Lindor is a young stud.

3) Tigers - Old and dependent on a few stars. If Verlander and Sanchez are healthy and effective, they will be playoff contenders. I'm sure JD Martinez will continue to hit roid-aided bombs. I'm also pretty sure Victor Martinez's days as a huge power threat are gone.

Key player: Justin Verlander. Detroit people would have you believe he figured out how to succeed without his big fastball in September of last year. If that's true, and he returns to dominant form, Detroit will likely contend again.

Something of interest to me: Will Jose Iglesias stay healthy and not try to kill teammates in the dugout? His defense makes the whole group much better.

4) Twins - They won't lead the division or be in playoff contention for as long this year, but Minnesota will avoid the cellar.

Key Player: Miguel Sano. Huge power, huge K rate. Can he continue to drive the ball and be a plus offensive player? Probably needs to cut that 35 percent K percentage to do so.

Something of interest to me: Will teams challenge Sano inside with hard stuff? Working away, away, just lets his power play up. Also - will Mike Berardino continue to be the biggest beat writer homer in MLB?

5) White Sox - still managed by a shitty manager who can't control his clubhouse (The blame for the LaRoche thing really should fall on him, not the GM). Still have a shitty overall defense and a lot of douchebags on the team. They will once again look better on paper than they actually perform.

Key player: Carlos Rodon. The White Sox need Rodon to take a big step forward to make an actual move this season. He's got the talent...

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.

[ChiefsCountry]

We are in the middle of a 13 straight days of games. It's alright to sit some guys.

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

While we are at it... what is Bruce Chen doing these days?

Fixing my computer. He offers free on-site service and repair. I found his company on geopages.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

I'm not making the game thread, so I'll just post this here and let y'all savor the idea of Omar Infante hitting 5th:

#Royals vs RHP Carrasco:
Escobar SS
Cain CF
Hosmer 1B
Morales DH
Infante 2B
Fuentes RF
Cuthbert 3B
Dyson LF
Butera C
Ventura P

— Joel Goldberg (@goldbergkc) June 2, 2016

What the bloody ****?

I mean, I get giving guys days off, I understand that. But under no circumstances Omar Infante should be batting 5th. None.

[cosmo20002]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Sitting Orlando may have more to do with him taking one on the wrist the other night than anything. He didn't look right at the plate last night. That being said I don't know why Dyson isn't in RF and White in LF? Only thing I can think is he doesn't want Dyson moving back and forth or Whit for that matter...

Not sure what you think you saw with Orlando, but Ned's the type that always sits someone with the slightest ding, and when they're better, sits him one more day. I don't know...no one knows why Ned does what he does.

[Great Expectations]

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

Not sure what you think you saw with Orlando, but Ned's the type that always sits someone with the slightest ding, and when they're better, sits him one more day. I don't know...no one knows why Ned does what he does.

He is a genius.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by Coach

What the bloody ****?



I mean, I get giving guys days off, I understand that. But under no circumstances Omar Infante should be batting 5th. None.

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[Dartgod]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

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FYP

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

Not sure what you think you saw with Orlando, but Ned's the type that always sits someone with the slightest ding, and when they're better, sits him one more day. I don't know...no one knows why Ned does what he does.

What evidence do you have? Ned plays bench guys less often than any manager in MLB, drawing criticism esp re: overplaying Sal. And of course Infante when both are hurting.

[siberian khatru]

Couple of interesting tidbits from Jon Heyman's notes column:

It appears former closer Greg Holland may wait until he’s throwing before signing with a new team for next year. He could take the mound as early as August. The Royals and Braves are among many teams with interest, some of whom made creative offers … The Royals have been looking at Cuban second baseman Jose Miguel Fernandez, an on-base machine.

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Couple of interesting tidbits from Jon Heyman's notes column:

Interesting.

[BleedingRed]

Been really impressed by this group BA, I wish our starting pitching rotation had another Kennedy

[siberian khatru]

Some background on Jose Miguel Fernandez (from April):

Scouts have been eager to see Cuban second baseman Jose Miguel Fernandez since he fled the country a little more than four months ago. Fernandez, a free agent who turns 28 next week, ranked as the No. 3 player in Cuba, where he showed excellent plate discipline and bat control from the left side, projecting as an offensive-minded, high OBP second baseman who could help a major league team quickly.

Fernandez will have an opportunity to display his skills in front of what will likely be hundreds of scouts at his first open showcase on May 3 and 4 at the Reds’ facility in the Dominican Republic. Judging from the 12-minute video above, Fernandez appears to have lost a considerable amount of weight during his time in the Dominican Republic. In the 12-minute video, Fernandez looks to have lost a considerable amount of weight. When he was still in Cuba, Fernandez’s thickening lower half and declining range had been concerning, with scouts unsure of what to expect from Fernandez’s conditioning after he had been suspended from playing in Cuba since October 2014 for attempting to defect.

Fernandez had been the second baseman on the Cuban national team, including at the 2013 World Baseball Classic, and he had excelled as a hitter for Matanzas in Serie Nacional. During his final full season (2013-14) in Serie Nacional, Fernandez ranked second in the league in OBP, batting .326/.482/.456 in 314 plate appearances with 65 walks and 10 strikeouts. Fernandez wasn’t a threat in terms of speed or power, but he rarely swung and missed or expanded the strike zone, showing a short swing and enticing on-base skills that made him one of Cuba’s top players.

On talent alone, Fernandez should be able to step immediately into a major league lineup. His absence from competitive baseball for the last 18 months has to be a concern for any team that would like to play him right away, so there might have to me some time to get him acclimated to competitive game speed, but he should be able to help a major league club this season soon after signing. He’s exempt from the international bonus pools, so he can sign a major league contract with any club with no restrictions.


Read more at http://www.baseballamerica.com/inter...5xQRJ8lqjgB.99

[MahiMike]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

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What me worry?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Archie F. Swin

Did Merrifield come outta nowhere? I don't pay much attention to the Royals farm, but I don't remember you guys mentioning him as a highly anticipated call up. Was Whitt on top prospect lists? Was he called up primarily because he can play many positions with proficiency?

signed,
clueless

He did. Merrifield was a good college player who wasn't perceived as having more than UTIL upside coming out of South Carolina, but the strength gains he made in the offseason have allowed his skills - contact ability, bat control, and speed - to become much bigger assets.

He struggled last year at Omaha but really dedicated himself to getting stronger. It's added a lot of punch to his line drive stroke... So much it's almost suspicious (PED factor wouldn't surprise me)

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Couple of interesting tidbits from Jon Heyman's notes column:

Good stuff, thanks for sharing.

He's an intriguing player and might be a really nice fit hitting 2nd for KC if the OBP skills are still present.

If he has gotten into better shape and regained some speed/range, it's a good fit for KC, and probably won't break the bank.

Also interesting on Holland. If he is recovered completely and they want him, Id think KC has a leg up in contention for his services.




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[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

He did. Merrifield was a good college player who wasn't perceived as having more than UTIL upside coming out of South Carolina, but the strength gains he made in the offseason have allowed his skills - contact ability, bat control, and speed - to become much bigger assets.

He struggled last year at Omaha but really dedicated himself to getting stronger. It's added a lot of punch to his line drive stroke... So much it's almost suspicious (PED factor wouldn't surprise me)




Good stuff, thanks for sharing.

He's an intriguing player and might be a really nice fit hitting 2nd for KC if the OBP skills are still present.

If he has gotten into better shape and regained some speed/range, it's a good fit for KC, and probably won't break the bank.

Also interesting on Holland. If he is recovered completely and they want him, Id think KC has a leg up in contention for his services.




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Doesn't August sound a little early?