Royals *** Official 2018 Royals Offseason Repository *** - Page 41

duncan_idaho · 06:46 AM

It's the end of the world as we know it... and we feel... fine?

2018 is a season of transition for the Royals, or at least it is at this point. Dayton Moore is back. Will he swing full into THE PROCESS 2.0? Or will he try to load up again and make some reload magic happen?

Pending Free Agents:
1B | Eric Hosmer | San Diego Padres, 8 years, $144 million ($5 million signing bonus; $20 million/year in Yrs 1-5; $13 million/year in Yrs 6-8 wth player opt out)

Spoiler!

3B | Mike Moustaskas | Kansas City Royas, 1, $6.5 million

Spoiler!

CF | Lorenzo Cain | Milwaukee Brewers, 5 years, $80 million

Spoiler!

RP | Mike Minor | Texas Rangers, 3, $28 million

Spoiler!

SP | Jason Vargas | New York Mets, 2, $16 million

Spoiler!

SS | Alcides Escobar | Kansas City Royals, 1, $2.5 million

Spoiler!

2018 MLB Draft Picks
#18
#33 - Compensation (Eric Hosmer)
#34 - Compensation (Lorenzo Cain)
#40 (Competitive Balance Round A)

Comp picks explanation:

Spoiler!

2018 Draft Names to Watch

RHP Kumar Rocker, N Oconnee HS, Georgia.

Spoiler!

OF Jarred Kelenic, Waukasha West HS, WI

Spoiler!

1B Triston Casas, American Heritage HS (FL).

Spoiler!

RHP Carter Stewart, Eau de Gallie HS (Ga).

Spoiler!

ANY Any, Any (Any). Any current top projected pick who slides for injury concerns. Includes current top prospect prospect SP Brady Singer, U of Florida.

Sure-Oz · 01-04-2018, 08:39 PM

@NYDNSports: Mike Moustakas may be in play for the Mets as team seems prepared to spend more than originally believed - @NYDNHarper
http://nydn.us/2EWO0sP https://twitter.com/NYDNSports/statu...207744/photo/1

Why Not? · 01-04-2018, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

To the @Royals organization and its fans: I am so excited and thankful for this opportunity to build new relationships, compete, and win together! I’m looking forward to developing more as a pitcher and to meeting my new teammates, coaches, and staff at Spring Training!
— Trevor Oaks (@trevoaks) January 5, 2018

I like this guy already

ChiefsCountry · 01-04-2018, 09:04 PM

https://www.truebluela.com/2017/12/1...-40-man-roster

LOS ANGELES — Dodgers pitcher Trevor Oaks saw his 2017 season cut short by an injury, but has a chance to contribute to the major league rotation at some point next season with a style and poise that make the right-hander stand out among pitching prospects in the organization.

Oaks was one of two pitchers added to the 40-man roster in November, protecting him from potential selection in Thursday morning’s Rule 5 draft. It was a few months later than he was planning to join the roster.

“For me personally I was hoping to making the big leagues last year in September and help them out, but that oblique injury set me back,” Oaks said in a recent telephone interview.

Oaks was 4-3 with a 3.64 ERA in 84 innings with Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2017, but was sidelined the final two months with an oblique strain. He was limited the rest of the season to a series of rehab appearances, both at the Dodgers complex at Camelback Ranch in Arizona and in Ogden in the rookie-level Pioneer League.

“He’s a great person, and really focused on being a great teammate. We saw it this year in instructional league, when he threw some innings here,” said new Dodgers director of player development Brandon Gomes. “He was such a mentor to some of the guys that were there. It was really fun to watch.”

The Dodgers drafted Oaks in the seventh round in 2014 out of Cal Baptist in Riverside, where Oaks won the PacWest and NCBWA West Region Pitcher of the Year as a junior.

“He’s a very competitive guy, obviously. He’s a very cerebral pitcher, he can think his way through things,” said Cal Baptist coach Gary Adcock. “What we were able to do for him was to simplify a plan for him, get him to trust his stuff a little bit more, and be a better attacker on the mound.”

Adcock, who played college baseball at UCLA with Dave Roberts, set a goal for his pitchers of 15 or fewer pitches per inning — “We really preach tempo,” Adcock said. — emphasizing quick outs, something Oaks still thinks about. He averaged 15.2 pitches per inning in Triple-A in 2017, and was at 13.3 in 2016 between both Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A.

“If you can get outs in four pitches or less, that’s a lost art. That’s what I try to set out to do every time. With all the analytics and everything, the emphasis on strikeouts has gone up a ton,” Oaks said. “Everybody likes watching those “wow” pitches that blow hitters away, and that’s obviously what our objective is and we’re trying to do that. But if I so happen to get a hard ground ball out to my shortstop in two pitches, I’m not going to be disappointed.”

Trevor Oaks 2015-17
Year IP K rate GB rate
2015 125⅔ 14.9% 60.8%
2016 151 17.9% 58.7%
2017 91⅔ 21.5% 51.5%

The strikeouts still came for Oaks, who set a career high with a 21.5% K rate in 2017, but his bread and butter is keeping the ball off the ground with his sinker. He posted a 50.8% ground ball rate in Triple-A this season and in the last three years has a 58.3% ground ball rate.

“He’s a big ground ball guy with a heavy sinker. He’s got a big body capable of taking down 200-plus innings at the big league level,” Gomes said. “His cutter-slider helped him get some swings and misses, and also induced weak contact versus lefties. The next step for Oaksie is to refine his sinker and command, and add in what we feel can be a really strong change up moving forward.”

That big body led Dodgers minor leaguers with 151 innings pitched in 2016, a number topped in the organization by only Kenta Maeda and Clayton Kershaw. Oaks was on a similar track in 2017 before his oblique injury.

“I feel like I’m a little bit different than everybody else. I’m not going to throw fastballs up in the zone all day, but I’m going to keep coming at guys. I think that’s kind of a lost art at times,” Oaks said. “The efficiency and trying to get deep into ballgames, you don’t really see that as much anymore. It’s mostly get through five innings and hand it over to the bullpen. I’m trying to make that my competitive advantage in baseball.”

On a Dodgers team that is hesitant to let its non-Kershaw starters face a lineup a third time through the order, whether Oaks gets to utilize his durability remains in question. But his efficiency figures to pay off however long his leash.

Oaks lasted at least six innings in each of his last eight starts in 2017 for Triple-A, and in 2016 went six innings or longer in 20 of his 24 outings, including seven or more innings 10 times.

“The Dodgers do like the strikeouts, but they’ve also adjusted too. They’ve said, ‘We do need some depth because it saves the health of the bullpen’,” Oaks said. “The longer the starter can go, the more options you have later in the series for your bullpen guys, because now they’re fresh.

“If you can go six innings plus, you’re only having to use two, maybe three arms out of the bullpen and that’s huge. It will help you win ballgames.”

At the moment Oaks is behind Kershaw, Rich Hill, Alex Wood, Hyun-jun Ryu, Maeda and Brandon McCarthy on the starting depth chart. The Dodgers used just 10 starting pitchers in 2017, but have averaged 13 starters per year in the last five seasons.

In other words, given the current depth chart Oaks figures to get his major league shot at some point in 2018. And now that he’s on the 40-man roster his path from Oklahoma City to Los Angeles has one less impediment.

“I’m really excited the Dodgers are giving me the opportunity and have that faith in me,” Oaks said. “I hope that I can prove them right.”

**petegz28** · 01-04-2018, 09:07 PM

So we let Minor walk and traded Alexander. The 2 bright spots of the bullpen.....

Chiefspants · 01-04-2018, 09:08 PM

At best, it seems like this guy is Guthrie (in terms of innings eating, rather than his pitch repertoire)

At worst, he's Brian Bannister.

ChiefsCountry · 01-04-2018, 09:12 PM

I'm surprised nobody has brought up Erick Mejia and moving Mondesi or Whit to center yet.

KChiefs1 · 01-04-2018, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petegz28

So we let Minor walk and traded Alexander. The 2 bright spots of the bullpen.....

Having a great bullpen on a losing team is worthless.

**HemiEd** · 01-04-2018, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

Joakim Soria is also going to the White Sox in the three-team deal.
— Rustin Dodd (@rustindodd) January 5, 2018

please be true.

ChiefsCountry · 01-04-2018, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HemiEd

please be true.

It's true.
https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/roya...de/c-264300558

**HemiEd** · 01-04-2018, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

It's true.
https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/roya...de/c-264300558

Like others, hate to see Alexander go but Soria being gone is great news.

Prison Bitch · 01-04-2018, 09:35 PM

I'd love to package Duffy with Kennedy in a pure salary dump

ChiefsCountry · 01-04-2018, 09:43 PM

Any word on Nate Karns rehab?

Sure-Oz · 01-05-2018, 06:15 AM

Hate getting rid of Alexander but hopefully Oaks will pan out to be a starter...saw on scout say he has potential to be a #3 guy.

DeepSouth · 01-05-2018, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

I'd love to package Duffy with Kennedy in a pure salary dump

Kennedy might actually rebound.
To get Duffy, a team needs to take Jason Hammel and Brandon Moss. That will clear the DH spot for Soler.

Titty Meat · 01-05-2018, 08:06 AM

Heh if Soria is traded in 16 that team would have made the playoffs

11-17-2017, 08:24 PM
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $1760308	* Official 2018 Royals Offseason Repository * It's the end of the world as we know it... and we feel... fine? 2018 is a season of transition for the Royals, or at least it is at this point. Dayton Moore is back. Will he swing full into THE PROCESS 2.0? Or will he try to load up again and make some reload magic happen? Pending Free Agents: 1B \| Eric Hosmer \| San Diego Padres, 8 years, $144 million ($5 million signing bonus; $20 million/year in Yrs 1-5; $13 million/year in Yrs 6-8 wth player opt out) Spoiler! (DI's Guess: Texas Rangers, 6, $118 million) 3B \| Mike Moustaskas \| Kansas City Royas, 1, $6.5 million Spoiler! (DI's Guess: Los Angeles Angels, 5, $98 million) CF \| Lorenzo Cain \| Milwaukee Brewers, 5 years, $80 million Spoiler! (DI's Guess: San Francisco Giants, 4, $68 million) RP \| Mike Minor \| Texas Rangers, 3, $28 million Spoiler! (DI's Guess: Los Angeles Angels, 3, $35 million+ $12 million team option SP \| Jason Vargas \| New York Mets, 2, $16 million Spoiler! (DI's Guess: Baltimore Orioles, 2, $29 million) SS \| Alcides Escobar \| Kansas City Royals, 1, $2.5 million Spoiler! (DI's Guess: San Diego Padres, 1, $6.5 million) 2018 MLB Draft Picks #18 #33 - Compensation (Eric Hosmer) #34 - Compensation (Lorenzo Cain) #40 (Competitive Balance Round A) Comp picks explanation: Spoiler! In case I, picks would be #32, 33, and 34, if Alex Cobb of Rays signs for $50 million guaranteed. Kansas City will likely have 5 of the top 40-45 picks in the draft, and the bonus pool money should rival that of the teams drafting 1-3 in the 2017 draft. This should give KC tremendous flexibility in acquiring talent that otherwise might slip or not be "signable." 2018 Draft Names to Watch RHP Kumar Rocker, N Oconnee HS, Georgia. Spoiler! Possibly goes top 10 but is a big, physical SP with ace potential. Moore and co. will be all over him if he slips a bit and could offer top 10 money at No. 16 OF Jarred Kelenic, Waukasha West HS, WI Spoiler! Kelenic is the top prep bat, toolsy OF. Royals would be ecstatic to have shot at him. 1B Triston Casas, American Heritage HS (FL). Spoiler! Tremendous raw power, best in HS bats. Royals typically like HS arms or HS bats with "special" tools. He qualifies. RHP Carter Stewart, Eau de Gallie HS (Ga). Spoiler! Another big, physical specimen with huge upside. More likely to be available mid-first than Rocker. ANY Any, Any (Any). Any current top projected pick who slides for injury concerns. Includes current top prospect prospect SP Brady Singer, U of Florida. Last edited by duncan_idaho; 04-02-2018 at 06:46 AM..
Posts: 21,085

01-04-2018, 09:04 PM	#603
ChiefsCountry The Insider Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Lake of the Ozarks Casino cash: $2328752	https://www.truebluela.com/2017/12/1...-40-man-roster LOS ANGELES — Dodgers pitcher Trevor Oaks saw his 2017 season cut short by an injury, but has a chance to contribute to the major league rotation at some point next season with a style and poise that make the right-hander stand out among pitching prospects in the organization. Oaks was one of two pitchers added to the 40-man roster in November, protecting him from potential selection in Thursday morning’s Rule 5 draft. It was a few months later than he was planning to join the roster. “For me personally I was hoping to making the big leagues last year in September and help them out, but that oblique injury set me back,” Oaks said in a recent telephone interview. Oaks was 4-3 with a 3.64 ERA in 84 innings with Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2017, but was sidelined the final two months with an oblique strain. He was limited the rest of the season to a series of rehab appearances, both at the Dodgers complex at Camelback Ranch in Arizona and in Ogden in the rookie-level Pioneer League. “He’s a great person, and really focused on being a great teammate. We saw it this year in instructional league, when he threw some innings here,” said new Dodgers director of player development Brandon Gomes. “He was such a mentor to some of the guys that were there. It was really fun to watch.” The Dodgers drafted Oaks in the seventh round in 2014 out of Cal Baptist in Riverside, where Oaks won the PacWest and NCBWA West Region Pitcher of the Year as a junior. “He’s a very competitive guy, obviously. He’s a very cerebral pitcher, he can think his way through things,” said Cal Baptist coach Gary Adcock. “What we were able to do for him was to simplify a plan for him, get him to trust his stuff a little bit more, and be a better attacker on the mound.” Adcock, who played college baseball at UCLA with Dave Roberts, set a goal for his pitchers of 15 or fewer pitches per inning — “We really preach tempo,” Adcock said. — emphasizing quick outs, something Oaks still thinks about. He averaged 15.2 pitches per inning in Triple-A in 2017, and was at 13.3 in 2016 between both Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A. “If you can get outs in four pitches or less, that’s a lost art. That’s what I try to set out to do every time. With all the analytics and everything, the emphasis on strikeouts has gone up a ton,” Oaks said. “Everybody likes watching those “wow” pitches that blow hitters away, and that’s obviously what our objective is and we’re trying to do that. But if I so happen to get a hard ground ball out to my shortstop in two pitches, I’m not going to be disappointed.” Trevor Oaks 2015-17 Year IP K rate GB rate 2015 125⅔ 14.9% 60.8% 2016 151 17.9% 58.7% 2017 91⅔ 21.5% 51.5% The strikeouts still came for Oaks, who set a career high with a 21.5% K rate in 2017, but his bread and butter is keeping the ball off the ground with his sinker. He posted a 50.8% ground ball rate in Triple-A this season and in the last three years has a 58.3% ground ball rate. “He’s a big ground ball guy with a heavy sinker. He’s got a big body capable of taking down 200-plus innings at the big league level,” Gomes said. “His cutter-slider helped him get some swings and misses, and also induced weak contact versus lefties. The next step for Oaksie is to refine his sinker and command, and add in what we feel can be a really strong change up moving forward.” That big body led Dodgers minor leaguers with 151 innings pitched in 2016, a number topped in the organization by only Kenta Maeda and Clayton Kershaw. Oaks was on a similar track in 2017 before his oblique injury. “I feel like I’m a little bit different than everybody else. I’m not going to throw fastballs up in the zone all day, but I’m going to keep coming at guys. I think that’s kind of a lost art at times,” Oaks said. “The efficiency and trying to get deep into ballgames, you don’t really see that as much anymore. It’s mostly get through five innings and hand it over to the bullpen. I’m trying to make that my competitive advantage in baseball.” On a Dodgers team that is hesitant to let its non-Kershaw starters face a lineup a third time through the order, whether Oaks gets to utilize his durability remains in question. But his efficiency figures to pay off however long his leash. Oaks lasted at least six innings in each of his last eight starts in 2017 for Triple-A, and in 2016 went six innings or longer in 20 of his 24 outings, including seven or more innings 10 times. “The Dodgers do like the strikeouts, but they’ve also adjusted too. They’ve said, ‘We do need some depth because it saves the health of the bullpen’,” Oaks said. “The longer the starter can go, the more options you have later in the series for your bullpen guys, because now they’re fresh. “If you can go six innings plus, you’re only having to use two, maybe three arms out of the bullpen and that’s huge. It will help you win ballgames.” At the moment Oaks is behind Kershaw, Rich Hill, Alex Wood, Hyun-jun Ryu, Maeda and Brandon McCarthy on the starting depth chart. The Dodgers used just 10 starting pitchers in 2017, but have averaged 13 starters per year in the last five seasons. In other words, given the current depth chart Oaks figures to get his major league shot at some point in 2018. And now that he’s on the 40-man roster his path from Oklahoma City to Los Angeles has one less impediment. “I’m really excited the Dodgers are giving me the opportunity and have that faith in me,” Oaks said. “I hope that I can prove them right.”
Posts: 49,594

01-04-2018, 09:07 PM	#604
petegz28 Supporter Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Olathe, Ks Casino cash: $2804127	So we let Minor walk and traded Alexander. The 2 bright spots of the bullpen.....
Posts: 128,000

01-04-2018, 09:08 PM	#605
Chiefspants World's Best Boss Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bronco Country Casino cash: $5654654	At best, it seems like this guy is Guthrie (in terms of innings eating, rather than his pitch repertoire) At worst, he's Brian Bannister.
Posts: 18,353

01-04-2018, 09:12 PM	#606
ChiefsCountry The Insider Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Lake of the Ozarks Casino cash: $2328752	I'm surprised nobody has brought up Erick Mejia and moving Mondesi or Whit to center yet.
Posts: 49,594

01-04-2018, 09:35 PM	#611
Prison Bitch Rabbi Goldmann Join Date: Nov 2012 Casino cash: $5450159	I'd love to package Duffy with Kennedy in a pure salary dump
Posts: 87,025	0 1

01-04-2018, 09:43 PM	#612
ChiefsCountry The Insider Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Lake of the Ozarks Casino cash: $2328752	Any word on Nate Karns rehab?
Posts: 49,594

01-05-2018, 08:06 AM	#615
Titty Meat Inmem 2.0 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: My house Casino cash: $2287558	Heh if Soria is traded in 16 that team would have made the playoffs
Posts: 75,145	0 1