Royals *** Official 2016 Royals Offseason Repository *** - Page 272

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 · 03-31-2016, 02:37 PM

How about Davis getting Donaldson to groundout to Moose to win the 2015 ALCS?

suzzer99 · 03-31-2016, 02:42 PM

suzzer99 · 03-31-2016, 02:44 PM

Maybe it's Colon's SB in the WC game. But I thought he already did that. Ok yeah he did - #74.

AJKCFAN · 03-31-2016, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Rany is up to the Royals top 5 plays the last two years. Here are the top 30 so far and my guesses for the top 5. I know 4 of the plays but am totally stumped on the 5th. The top 5 are my guesses.

Sal's hit to win the WC game
Hos' mad dash to tie the WS
Gordon's HR in 2015 WS game 1
Kendrys' single/Correa's misplay to tie up 2015 ALDS game 4
??? What am I forgetting?
Hosmer's triple in the WC game 12th inning, down by 1
Cain scores from first on Hos' single in 2015 ACLS game 6
Hos 2 run homer in the 2014 ALDS game 2 (I was there!)
Dyson steals 3rd in the WC game 9th inning
Davis/Moose get Donaldson out to seal the 2015 ALCS
Moose homers in the 11th of 2014 ALDS game 1
Gordon homers in the 10th in 2014 ALCS game 1
Colon gets Hos home in the WC game with a Baltimore Chop
Colon drives in the go-ahead run in 2015 WS game 5
Murphy booting Hos' ground ball in 2015 WS game 4
Esky doubling to give the Royals the lead in 2014 ALCS game 2
Gordon holding at 3rd in game 7 of the 2014 WS
Kendrys' 3-run bomb in ALDS game 5
Aoki's sac fly to tie the WC game in the 9th
Moose's dugout catch
Aoki's crazy catch under Cain's glove in 2104 ALDS game 1
Rios double in 2015 ALDS game 5
Esky's inside-the-parker to lead off the WS
Davis picking off Carlos Gomez in 2015 ALDS game 2
Dyson throwing out Cowgill in 2014 ALDS game 2 (I was there and right above 3rd!)
Davis strikes out Revere in 2015 ALCS game 6
Moose's fan-aided homer in 2015 ACLS game 6
Cain's bases clearing double to clinch the WS
Gordon's bases clearing double in 2014 ALCS game 1
Gordon's bases clearing double in 2014 ALDS game 3

Davis striking Flores out to win World Series

suzzer99 · 03-31-2016, 02:51 PM

Yeah maybe that's it. I feel like I saw that one already though.

AJKCFAN · 03-31-2016, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Yeah maybe that's it. I feel like I saw that one already though.

Not yet. I've been following this entire thread. I'm BMJ on the comment section. He has not put that moment up yet so you'll see that tomorrow with the other 4 you're correctly predicting.

Salvy Wild Card will be number 1. There's no other moment which beats that

jbwm89 · 03-31-2016, 03:03 PM

He said on 810 today # 1 is Davis striking out Flores.

suzzer99 · 03-31-2016, 03:13 PM

Yeah I mean it all depends on what criteria you use. And since it's Rany's list and he's doing all the work, he can use whatever criteria he wants.

But in terms of sheer emotional impact it has to be Salvy's hit.

My top 10 Royals plays of all time in terms of emotional impact:

Dane Iorg
Salvy's hit
Hos's Dash
Gordon's HR
Brett's 3 run homer in 1980
Kendrys off Correa
Cain's dash
Motley's 2 run homer, after hitting one just foul, in game 7
Donaldson's ground out to end the ALCS
Sundberg's triple off the top of the wall in the 1985 ALCS

Jerok · 03-31-2016, 03:27 PM

I predict: "Dyson scores from second on a wild pitch in the 2016 World Series game 7 walkoff victory"

ChiefsCountry · 03-31-2016, 03:33 PM

My drunkest moment was when Davis struck out Flores. Chugged a whole bottle of wine right after and called all of my lifetime Royals fans. Glorious night.

Jerok · 03-31-2016, 03:36 PM

The biggest moments in terms of me screaming loudly are:

1. Hosmer's Mad Dash WS 2015 game 5
2. Gordon HR WS 2015 game 1
3. Gordon triple in bottom of 9th World Series 2014.

Because they were so unexpected and instantly filled me with hope (2 of 3 worked!)
Also Morales off Correa and Salvy hit for the win in 2014 WC.

The other memorable moments aren't single at bats, but innings.

ALDS game 4 entire top 8th inning, comeback from 6 to 2.
Wildcard 8+9, comeback from 6 to 2.
ALCS 2015 game 2 7th inning against David Price, comeback from 3 to 0.

I screamed after Wade Davis struck him out, but being 7 to 2 with Wadebot out there, it wasn't 100% tense, but going outside in the middle of November to a firework filled sky was a moment I'll never forget.

**Saul Good** · 03-31-2016, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Rany is up to the Royals top 5 plays the last two years. Here are the top 30 so far and my guesses for the top 5. I know 4 of the plays but am totally stumped on the 5th. The top 5 are my guesses.

Sal's hit to win the WC game
Hos' mad dash to tie the WS
Gordon's HR in 2015 WS game 1
Kendrys' single/Correa's misplay to tie up 2015 ALDS game 4
??? What am I forgetting?
Hosmer's triple in the WC game 12th inning, down by 1
Cain scores from first on Hos' single in 2015 ACLS game 6
Hos 2 run homer in the 2014 ALDS game 2 (I was there!)
Dyson steals 3rd in the WC game 9th inning
Davis/Moose get Donaldson out to seal the 2015 ALCS
Moose homers in the 11th of 2014 ALDS game 1
Gordon homers in the 10th in 2014 ALCS game 1
Colon gets Hos home in the WC game with a Baltimore Chop
Colon drives in the go-ahead run in 2015 WS game 5
Murphy booting Hos' ground ball in 2015 WS game 4
Esky doubling to give the Royals the lead in 2014 ALCS game 2
Gordon holding at 3rd in game 7 of the 2014 WS
Kendrys' 3-run bomb in ALDS game 5
Aoki's sac fly to tie the WC game in the 9th
Moose's dugout catch
Aoki's crazy catch under Cain's glove in 2104 ALDS game 1
Rios double in 2015 ALDS game 5
Esky's inside-the-parker to lead off the WS
Davis picking off Carlos Gomez in 2015 ALDS game 2
Dyson throwing out Cowgill in 2014 ALDS game 2 (I was there and right above 3rd!)
Davis strikes out Revere in 2015 ALCS game 6
Moose's fan-aided homer in 2015 ACLS game 6
Cain's bases clearing double to clinch the WS
Gordon's bases clearing double in 2014 ALCS game 1
Gordon's bases clearing double in 2014 ALDS game 3

How about the ball that dropped in front of Bautista?

**Gonzo** · 03-31-2016, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buehler445

bricks.

ChiefsandOsFan pulled the same shit in 14. I mean, to the T.

I think there is an uncomfortably high probability that he killed himself after the Royals swept them.

Nope, he and Bricks both still post here.

Surprisingly.

Pitt Gorilla · 03-31-2016, 04:06 PM

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt...e69214502.html

suzzer99 · 03-31-2016, 04:27 PM

Hilarious addendum to the Pos piece: http://joeposnanski.com/what-the-royals-know/

11-02-2015, 05:00 PM
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $-2079692	* 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: 22,434

03-31-2016, 02:37 PM	#4066
KChiefs1 I’m a Mahomo! Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Mid-Missouri Casino cash: $6771021	How about Davis getting Donaldson to groundout to Moose to win the 2015 ALCS? __________________
Posts: 54,038

03-31-2016, 02:42 PM	#4067
suzzer99 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: L.A. Casino cash: $-745716	#10
Posts: 28,361

03-31-2016, 02:44 PM	#4068
suzzer99 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: L.A. Casino cash: $-745716	Maybe it's Colon's SB in the WC game. But I thought he already did that. Ok yeah he did - #74.
Posts: 28,361

03-31-2016, 02:51 PM	#4070
suzzer99 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: L.A. Casino cash: $-745716	Yeah maybe that's it. I feel like I saw that one already though.
Posts: 28,361

03-31-2016, 03:03 PM	#4072
jbwm89 MIZZOU Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Saint Joseph Casino cash: $10005040	He said on 810 today # 1 is Davis striking out Flores. __________________ "You can't sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You've got to throw the ball over the goddamn plate and give the other man his chance. That's why baseball is the greatest game of them all."
Posts: 1,076

03-31-2016, 03:13 PM	#4073
suzzer99 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: L.A. Casino cash: $-745716	Yeah I mean it all depends on what criteria you use. And since it's Rany's list and he's doing all the work, he can use whatever criteria he wants. But in terms of sheer emotional impact it has to be Salvy's hit. My top 10 Royals plays of all time in terms of emotional impact: Dane Iorg Salvy's hit Hos's Dash Gordon's HR Brett's 3 run homer in 1980 Kendrys off Correa Cain's dash Motley's 2 run homer, after hitting one just foul, in game 7 Donaldson's ground out to end the ALCS Sundberg's triple off the top of the wall in the 1985 ALCS
Posts: 28,361

03-31-2016, 03:27 PM	#4074
Jerok Veteran Join Date: Sep 2013 Casino cash: $3544092	I predict: "Dyson scores from second on a wild pitch in the 2016 World Series game 7 walkoff victory"
Posts: 2,420

03-31-2016, 03:33 PM	#4075
ChiefsCountry The Insider Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Lake of the Ozarks Casino cash: $-1541248	My drunkest moment was when Davis struck out Flores. Chugged a whole bottle of wine right after and called all of my lifetime Royals fans. Glorious night.
Posts: 52,106

03-31-2016, 03:36 PM	#4076
Jerok Veteran Join Date: Sep 2013 Casino cash: $3544092	The biggest moments in terms of me screaming loudly are: 1. Hosmer's Mad Dash WS 2015 game 5 2. Gordon HR WS 2015 game 1 3. Gordon triple in bottom of 9th World Series 2014. Because they were so unexpected and instantly filled me with hope (2 of 3 worked!) Also Morales off Correa and Salvy hit for the win in 2014 WC. The other memorable moments aren't single at bats, but innings. ALDS game 4 entire top 8th inning, comeback from 6 to 2. Wildcard 8+9, comeback from 6 to 2. ALCS 2015 game 2 7th inning against David Price, comeback from 3 to 0. I screamed after Wade Davis struck him out, but being 7 to 2 with Wadebot out there, it wasn't 100% tense, but going outside in the middle of November to a firework filled sky was a moment I'll never forget.
Posts: 2,420

03-31-2016, 04:06 PM	#4079
Pitt Gorilla Banned! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: NOT Columbia, MO 65201 Casino cash: $-89806	http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt...e69214502.html __________________ Your son is a bench warmer because of your weak genetics not because of the coach Norlin Mommsen is disgusting.
Posts: 47,379

03-31-2016, 04:27 PM	#4080
suzzer99 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: L.A. Casino cash: $-745716	Hilarious addendum to the Pos piece: http://joeposnanski.com/what-the-royals-know/
Posts: 28,361