Royals *** Official 2016 Royals Offseason Repository *** - Page 217

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.

sedated · 02-29-2016, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewdog

What will you be wearing.............

nothing

ROYC75 · 02-29-2016, 05:11 PM

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-...her-was-robbed

Appears to be OK.

suzzer99 · 02-29-2016, 05:30 PM

Wonder if they didn't know she was Perez's mom, and if they did they might have kidnapped her. Scary.

Chiefs Pantalones · 02-29-2016, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewdog

What will you be wearing.............

Royals thong. That's it.

eDave · 02-29-2016, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiefs Pantalones

Royals thong. That's it.

Enjoy the ladies. They won't be wearing much.

Spring Training in AZ is a wonderful season.

**lewdog** · 02-29-2016, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiefs Pantalones

Royals thong. That's it.

I'll be there.............

wearing the same thing!!!

eDave · 02-29-2016, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewdog

I'll be there.............

wearing the same thing!!!

How will I know who is who?

**lewdog** · 02-29-2016, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eDave

How will I know who is who?

I'm hung like a peanut.

Hope that helps.

KChiefs1 · 02-29-2016, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Hopefully we can renegotiate Infante's awful deal downward. Fingers crossed.

Players don't do that.

KChiefs1 · 02-29-2016, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Oh. Hopefully there's value that comes with keeping Sal happy and gaining favor with agents for future negotiations. Pie in the sky, I know...

Yeah that always happens.

Wilson8 · 02-29-2016, 06:28 PM

Hosmer open to long-term deal with Royals

First baseman remains committed to winning championships in KC

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Certainly the popular narrative about the Royals this offseason has been that the team has a two-year window for future success, closing after the 2017 season.

That's when several players -- Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain, Wade Davis, Alcides Escobar, etc. -- could become free agents.

And the general consensus is that the hardest free agent to keep will be Hosmer, an immense talent whose career continues to ascend. But Hosmer disputes any notion that he would be the first one out the door after '17.

"It's not like if [general manager] Dayton [Moore] came knocking on my door to talk about [a long-term contract] I would say no. Of course, not," Hosmer told MLB.com. "But also, having just won a championship, it's not like you go making any demands to Dayton, either."

Hosmer also is quick to dismiss the notion that he yearns to take his good looks and talent to a big market such as New York, Chicago or Los Angeles.

"That's just outside perspective," he said. "I don't play this game to be in commercials for hair products. I'm playing to try to win championships. Sure you want to give yourself the best opportunity in terms of financially, but at the same time, you want to give yourself the best chance to get to the playoffs.

"If this group stays together, the best opportunity is right here."

And Moore isn't conceding he won't be able to retain free agents such as Hosmer as well.

"We fully expect to sign as many of our players that we currently have on our team to long-term contracts," Moore said. "We anticipate that happening as we go forward. Will we get them all? Time will tell.

"We've had success keeping our homegrown players. Alex Gordon is a guy we've signed twice now to multiyear deals. We'll do our best to keep as many of our players here."

Hosmer said Kansas City's market size doesn't enter into the equation about where he would like to stay long term.

"You create those opportunities by what you do on the field," Hosmer said. "You look at what Golden State is [in the NBA]. I don't know if that's necessarily a top market, but you got Steph Curry and his team, and they will make everyone remember them for a long time.

"I think we can create that through the way we play. If we make it to another World Series that's three times in a row. We've caught the attention of America and the whole world.

"If you're a true player in this game, your dream is to win and create some history."

While some observers are skeptical that the Royals can keep their core intact, Hosmer isn't among those skeptics.

"Honestly, what is so cool about this organization is that everyone trusts everyone in their role," Hosmer said. "We trust Dayton that he will do the best job he can to keep everyone together. It's out of our control, but we trust Dayton."

Hosmer has seen what it means for someone such as George Brett to play an entire career for one organization, and then still be a part of it when the playing career ends.

"It's everyone's dream to be drafted by one team, play your whole career for that team and have your jersey retired by that team," Hosmer said. "But I'm not going to go out in the media and get myself a [long-term] contract just by talking about it.

"You look at what we've started in Kansas City, it's special. I got drafted by an organization I knew nothing about. It looks like a quick process [the last two years] but the truth is that guys like Salvy [Salvador Perez] and Moose [Moustakas], we've all been together since the low Minors. We feel like we've flipped this organization and that's a credit to Dayton and the front office.

"If it was up to us, we'd like to keep it together as long as we could."

So, if Moore and his staff came calling about a new deal?

"Yeah, you're going to listen," Hosmer said, smiling.

http://m.royals.mlb.com/news/article...al-with-royals

KChiefs1 · 02-29-2016, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Wonder if they didn't know she was Perez's mom, and if they did they might have kidnapped her. Scary.

Can you imagine what Salvy's salary is like in Venezuela? Bill Gates compared to me.

**lewdog** · 02-29-2016, 08:03 PM

Hosmer is not dumb enough to say anything bad at this point or anything other then talking about how much he loves KC.

Doesn't mean it's true.

**DaneMcCloud** · 02-29-2016, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eDave

Enjoy the ladies. They won't be wearing much.

Spring Training in AZ is a wonderful season.

I need to escape for a few days and watch a Spring game.

I have meetings this week but maybe the second week of March?

I can bring an air mattress and pay for Uber.

duncan_idaho · 02-29-2016, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

Someone smarter than me, explain this:

Assuming Salvy can't physically be a catcher for the majority of a regular season, what kind of the expectations are there for how much he can improve as a hitter by DH'ing or playing 1st?

I could see someone making a case for his offense looking like it does over the first half, except over a full season.

He's a much more effective offensive player when he is better rested and not beaten down by sitting in the crouch 5 days a week.

11-02-2015, 05:00 PM
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $-2169692	* 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: 22,448

02-29-2016, 05:11 PM	#3242
ROYC75 Time For Your Wake Up Call !!! Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Barn Yard Casino cash: $2110400	Sal's mother was robbed in Venezuela http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-...her-was-robbed Appears to be OK. __________________ Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it. John Lennon
Posts: 37,980

02-29-2016, 05:30 PM	#3243
suzzer99 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: L.A. Casino cash: $-835716	Wonder if they didn't know she was Perez's mom, and if they did they might have kidnapped her. Scary.
Posts: 28,367

02-29-2016, 06:28 PM	#3251
Wilson8 Veteran Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $2817557	Hosmer open to long-term deal with Royals First baseman remains committed to winning championships in KC SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Certainly the popular narrative about the Royals this offseason has been that the team has a two-year window for future success, closing after the 2017 season. That's when several players -- Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain, Wade Davis, Alcides Escobar, etc. -- could become free agents. And the general consensus is that the hardest free agent to keep will be Hosmer, an immense talent whose career continues to ascend. But Hosmer disputes any notion that he would be the first one out the door after '17. "It's not like if [general manager] Dayton [Moore] came knocking on my door to talk about [a long-term contract] I would say no. Of course, not," Hosmer told MLB.com. "But also, having just won a championship, it's not like you go making any demands to Dayton, either." Hosmer also is quick to dismiss the notion that he yearns to take his good looks and talent to a big market such as New York, Chicago or Los Angeles. "That's just outside perspective," he said. "I don't play this game to be in commercials for hair products. I'm playing to try to win championships. Sure you want to give yourself the best opportunity in terms of financially, but at the same time, you want to give yourself the best chance to get to the playoffs. "If this group stays together, the best opportunity is right here." And Moore isn't conceding he won't be able to retain free agents such as Hosmer as well. "We fully expect to sign as many of our players that we currently have on our team to long-term contracts," Moore said. "We anticipate that happening as we go forward. Will we get them all? Time will tell. "We've had success keeping our homegrown players. Alex Gordon is a guy we've signed twice now to multiyear deals. We'll do our best to keep as many of our players here." Hosmer said Kansas City's market size doesn't enter into the equation about where he would like to stay long term. "You create those opportunities by what you do on the field," Hosmer said. "You look at what Golden State is [in the NBA]. I don't know if that's necessarily a top market, but you got Steph Curry and his team, and they will make everyone remember them for a long time. "I think we can create that through the way we play. If we make it to another World Series that's three times in a row. We've caught the attention of America and the whole world. "If you're a true player in this game, your dream is to win and create some history." While some observers are skeptical that the Royals can keep their core intact, Hosmer isn't among those skeptics. "Honestly, what is so cool about this organization is that everyone trusts everyone in their role," Hosmer said. "We trust Dayton that he will do the best job he can to keep everyone together. It's out of our control, but we trust Dayton." Hosmer has seen what it means for someone such as George Brett to play an entire career for one organization, and then still be a part of it when the playing career ends. "It's everyone's dream to be drafted by one team, play your whole career for that team and have your jersey retired by that team," Hosmer said. "But I'm not going to go out in the media and get myself a [long-term] contract just by talking about it. "You look at what we've started in Kansas City, it's special. I got drafted by an organization I knew nothing about. It looks like a quick process [the last two years] but the truth is that guys like Salvy [Salvador Perez] and Moose [Moustakas], we've all been together since the low Minors. We feel like we've flipped this organization and that's a credit to Dayton and the front office. "If it was up to us, we'd like to keep it together as long as we could." So, if Moore and his staff came calling about a new deal? "Yeah, you're going to listen," Hosmer said, smiling. http://m.royals.mlb.com/news/article...al-with-royals
Posts: 3,932

02-29-2016, 08:03 PM	#3253
lewdog Mod Team Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Valley of the hot as **** Casino cash: $-1618100	Hosmer is not dumb enough to say anything bad at this point or anything other then talking about how much he loves KC. Doesn't mean it's true.
Posts: 46,387