Royals *****Official 2025 Royals Season Repository Thread***** - Page 60

ChiefsCountry · 01-01-2025, 01:34 PM

Coming off an American League Divisional Series appearance, its year 3 of Matt Quatraro tenure. Can they take the next step to a division title? Can Bobby Witt, Jr. take his superstar status to another level? Can Cole Ragans develop more? Will the other starting pitching duplicate last season? The offense can it deliver more? Who will be in the outfield? How about the new stadium development?

Free Agents/Trades Acquisitions
Jonathan India, 2B
Joey Wiemer, OF

TomBarndtsTwin · 05-06-2025, 01:30 PM

Despite Vinnie's struggles this year, we need BOTH of those bats in the lineup if/when Cags gets the call up. Our most productive offensive bats are righties. We could use another big time LH bat to help balance out the lineup. Vinnie and Cags can split time at 1B, DH. If Cags can play some passable RF, you could stick him out there every so often. I mean, Renfroe has looked uncharacteristically bad out there this year, so he couldn't do much worse.

You could be looking at a lineup like this:

LF India
SS Witt
1B/DH Vinnie
DH/C Salvy
RF/1B Cags
3B Garcia
CF/LF Waters
2B Massey
C Fermin

That's a lineup that would play . . . . .

(And, yes, Renfroe should be DFA'd if/when Cags gets the call up. He serves zero function on the roster when Cags gets up here, especially with Cahna on the bench)

tk13 · 05-06-2025, 01:56 PM

If you put Cags in RF you almost have to put Isbel out there next to him. India and Cags playing the corner spots in the K is going to be brutal and you're going to need Isbel to cover the middle third of the field. I'm not even sure they'd try that because it could affect our pitching success.

There is zero percent doubt that JJ will be looking for outfielders at the deadline, that's literally the 1st, 2nd and 3rd thing we need. If you could find another OF bat you can let Isbel play D in center and keep India and Garcia in the infield more often, or Massey needs to start hitting consistently.

duncan_idaho · 05-06-2025, 02:06 PM

Re: Caglianone, I’d still give him some time at AAA before jumping to the show.

It takes away some of your lineup flex to have another guy who really should be a 1B/DH, but to me you find ways to get him in the lineup.

I don’t love him in RF at Kaufman, but he can get by if Isbel is in CF, and it’s an easier task in smaller OFs. Renfrow is also not covering a lot of ground these days.

It’s also less of a pain to manage if you’re in the playoffs, because you’re not trying to juggle the rest and the grind nearly as much.

TomBarndtsTwin · 05-06-2025, 02:07 PM

I agree that India has been rough in left, but he's the leadoff guy and he's gonna have a spot and since they insist on leaving Massey at 2B, there's really no where else to play him. Yeah, he's had a couple starts at 3B, but how can you justify (right now) not giving that spot full time to Garcia at this point. He's finally hitting the way we always knew he could and he offers GG caliber defense at 3B.

If you stuck Cags out in RF, the best OF defense would be with Isbel in CF and Waters in LF, but again . . . . India. Until Massey ends up on the DL, anyway (which always seems to happen at some point).

Good problem to have, though, when Cags gets up here. If he can play a passable RF and they use him out there occassionally, it may just give JJ a built in excuse not to trade for another OF bat at the trade deadline.

It'll be an interesting couple months to see how it all plays out.

TomBarndtsTwin · 05-06-2025, 02:12 PM

I know he's injured and all now, but Tyler O'Neil would have been such a perfect solution in RF at the K.

(once my Bellinger dream died, of course)

Could have DFA'd Renfroe already and filled that spot perfectly.

BWillie · 05-06-2025, 02:13 PM

Total MiLB ABs
Bobby Witt Jr - 661 ABs with 253 in AAA
Alex Gordon - 926 ABs
Jac Caglianone- 109 ABs
Aaron Judge - 1313 ABs

I think it's gonna be a while.

TomBarndtsTwin · 05-06-2025, 02:24 PM

Witt was straight out of HS, Gordo got the call up after around 500 MiLB at bats and went straight from AA to the Show. And to be fair, Judge was not near the hyped prospect that Gordo or Witt were when he was drafted.

I do agree Cags likely gets some AAA work for a while, but I don't think it's unrealistic to say we see him later this summer.

ASB could be realistic if he gets the AAA call up soon and does well there.

GabyKeepsMeWarm · 05-06-2025, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomBarndtsTwin

Witt was straight out of HS, Gordo got the call up after around 500 MiLB at bats and went straight from AA to the Show. And to be fair, Judge was not near the hyped prospect that Gordo or Witt were when he was drafted.

I do agree Cags likely gets some AAA work for a while, but I don't think it's unrealistic to say we see him later this summer.

ASB could be realistic if he gets the AAA call up soon and does well there.

Well, if you went with this lineup 60-70% of the time, I think you’d be okay. Defense would remain solid, bench would “improve”, you can still have flexibility rotating guys around and it’s probably the best compromise getting our best offensive weapons on the field at the same time.

1. India - DH
2. BWJ - SS
3. Vinnie - 1B
4. Salvy - C
5. Jac - RF
6. Maikel - 3B
7. Massey - 2B
8. Waters - LF
9. Isbel - CF

And if Jac is a disaster in RF, put him at 1B, Vinnie at DH, India back in LF and slide Waters over to RF with Isbel remaining in CF.

duncan_idaho · 05-06-2025, 02:39 PM

Witt also had a full minor league season wiped out by COVID. He got 500 or so ABs in camp that year that stood in for that season, but it doesn’t show up on his stat sheet.

SithCeNtZ · 05-06-2025, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomBarndtsTwin

Witt was straight out of HS, Gordo got the call up after around 500 MiLB at bats and went straight from AA to the Show. And to be fair, Judge was not near the hyped prospect that Gordo or Witt were when he was drafted.

I do agree Cags likely gets some AAA work for a while, but I don't think it's unrealistic to say we see him later this summer.

ASB could be realistic if he gets the AAA call up soon and does well there.

I think it's going to be mid August when the date that players can keep rookie eligibility for next season happens. They would almost certainly try and get an extra first rounder over Cags getting 25 more games under his belt.

TomBarndtsTwin · 05-06-2025, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GabyKeepsMeWarm

Well, if you went with this lineup 60-70% of the time, I think you’d be okay. Defense would remain solid, bench would “improve”, you can still have flexibility rotating guys around and it’s probably the best compromise getting our best offensive weapons on the field at the same time.

1. India - DH
2. BWJ - SS
3. Vinnie - 1B
4. Salvy - C
5. Jac - RF
6. Maikel - 3B
7. Massey - 2B
8. Waters - LF
9. Isbel - CF

And if Jac is a disaster in RF, put him at 1B, Vinnie at DH, India back in LF and slide Waters over to RF with Isbel remaining in CF.

Hadn't really considered using India at DH since they seem to like using that as a rotational spot for half the team.

I don't think Cags would be a 'disaster' in RF, but I think that last scenario is more likely once he gets up here and does give you much better overall OF defense, which the Royals obviously value highly.

TomBarndtsTwin · 05-06-2025, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SithCeNtZ

I think it's going to be mid August when the date that players can keep rookie eligibility for next season happens. They would almost certainly try and get an extra first rounder over Cags getting 25 more games under his belt.

I get what you're saying, but with the Royals in their playoff window right now, I don't think they're gonna make decisions based on PPI.

I think they will do what makes them the strongest possible playoff team down the stretch and if they determine that is adding Cags before August then they will do just that.

If they don't, I don't think it will have anything to do with his rookie eligibility for next season. JMO

BWillie · 05-06-2025, 02:59 PM

I do think that Cags also COULD move fast if Sherman gets involved. The smart thing to do would be delay his service time I bit, at least as I understand it but he wants a new stadium. What better way to add excitement for the org by bringing the kid up.

dlphg9 · 05-06-2025, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BWillie

I do think that Cags also COULD move fast if Sherman gets involved. The smart thing to do would be delay his service time I bit, at least as I understand it but he wants a new stadium. What better way to add excitement for the org by bringing the kid up.

But that excitement fades if he doesn't come out and have a .750 OPS. Right now the team is playing well, so you have to think they are content if the team is staying around .500 and then you can wait until next year and let Jac build up even more hype while he hits 30+ HRs in the minors.

**PHOG** · 05-06-2025, 04:56 PM

This COULD be a LITTLE early for this, but the Royals are currently 2 games in front for the last wildcard and tied with the As for the 2nd wildcard. And they are only a half game behind the Cleveland rocks for the 1st wildcard.

And, and, they're only 2.5 games out of first place in the division behind Detroit.

01-01-2025, 01:34 PM
ChiefsCountry The Insider Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Lake of the Ozarks Casino cash: $-1431248	***Official 2025 Royals Season Repository Thread* Coming off an American League Divisional Series appearance, its year 3 of Matt Quatraro tenure. Can they take the next step to a division title? Can Bobby Witt, Jr. take his superstar status to another level? Can Cole Ragans develop more? Will the other starting pitching duplicate last season? The offense can it deliver more? Who will be in the outfield? How about the new stadium development? Free Agents/Trades Acquisitions** Jonathan India, 2B Joey Wiemer, OF
Posts: 52,029

05-06-2025, 01:30 PM	#886
TomBarndtsTwin MVP Join Date: Mar 2013 Casino cash: $2429883	Despite Vinnie's struggles this year, we need BOTH of those bats in the lineup if/when Cags gets the call up. Our most productive offensive bats are righties. We could use another big time LH bat to help balance out the lineup. Vinnie and Cags can split time at 1B, DH. If Cags can play some passable RF, you could stick him out there every so often. I mean, Renfroe has looked uncharacteristically bad out there this year, so he couldn't do much worse. You could be looking at a lineup like this: LF India SS Witt 1B/DH Vinnie DH/C Salvy RF/1B Cags 3B Garcia CF/LF Waters 2B Massey C Fermin That's a lineup that would play . . . . . (And, yes, Renfroe should be DFA'd if/when Cags gets the call up. He serves zero function on the roster when Cags gets up here, especially with Cahna on the bench)
Posts: 10,256	2 0

05-06-2025, 01:56 PM	#887
tk13 ... Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $-1737500	If you put Cags in RF you almost have to put Isbel out there next to him. India and Cags playing the corner spots in the K is going to be brutal and you're going to need Isbel to cover the middle third of the field. I'm not even sure they'd try that because it could affect our pitching success. There is zero percent doubt that JJ will be looking for outfielders at the deadline, that's literally the 1st, 2nd and 3rd thing we need. If you could find another OF bat you can let Isbel play D in center and keep India and Garcia in the infield more often, or Massey needs to start hitting consistently.
Posts: 56,639

05-06-2025, 02:06 PM	#888
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $-1969692	Re: Caglianone, I’d still give him some time at AAA before jumping to the show. It takes away some of your lineup flex to have another guy who really should be a 1B/DH, but to me you find ways to get him in the lineup. I don’t love him in RF at Kaufman, but he can get by if Isbel is in CF, and it’s an easier task in smaller OFs. Renfrow is also not covering a lot of ground these days. It’s also less of a pain to manage if you’re in the playoffs, because you’re not trying to juggle the rest and the grind nearly as much. __________________ "You gotta love livin', cause dying is a pain in the ass." ---- Sinatra
Posts: 22,386

05-06-2025, 02:07 PM	#889
TomBarndtsTwin MVP Join Date: Mar 2013 Casino cash: $2429883	I agree that India has been rough in left, but he's the leadoff guy and he's gonna have a spot and since they insist on leaving Massey at 2B, there's really no where else to play him. Yeah, he's had a couple starts at 3B, but how can you justify (right now) not giving that spot full time to Garcia at this point. He's finally hitting the way we always knew he could and he offers GG caliber defense at 3B. If you stuck Cags out in RF, the best OF defense would be with Isbel in CF and Waters in LF, but again . . . . India. Until Massey ends up on the DL, anyway (which always seems to happen at some point). Good problem to have, though, when Cags gets up here. If he can play a passable RF and they use him out there occassionally, it may just give JJ a built in excuse not to trade for another OF bat at the trade deadline. It'll be an interesting couple months to see how it all plays out.
Posts: 10,256

05-06-2025, 02:12 PM	#890
TomBarndtsTwin MVP Join Date: Mar 2013 Casino cash: $2429883	I know he's injured and all now, but Tyler O'Neil would have been such a perfect solution in RF at the K. (once my Bellinger dream died, of course) Could have DFA'd Renfroe already and filled that spot perfectly.
Posts: 10,256	1 0

05-06-2025, 02:13 PM	#891
BWillie Are you ready to Rumble? Join Date: Apr 2006 Casino cash: $-1308759	Total MiLB ABs Bobby Witt Jr - 661 ABs with 253 in AAA Alex Gordon - 926 ABs Jac Caglianone- 109 ABs Aaron Judge - 1313 ABs I think it's gonna be a while.
Posts: 52,609

05-06-2025, 02:24 PM	#892
TomBarndtsTwin MVP Join Date: Mar 2013 Casino cash: $2429883	Witt was straight out of HS, Gordo got the call up after around 500 MiLB at bats and went straight from AA to the Show. And to be fair, Judge was not near the hyped prospect that Gordo or Witt were when he was drafted. I do agree Cags likely gets some AAA work for a while, but I don't think it's unrealistic to say we see him later this summer. ASB could be realistic if he gets the AAA call up soon and does well there.
Posts: 10,256

05-06-2025, 02:39 PM	#894
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $-1969692	Witt also had a full minor league season wiped out by COVID. He got 500 or so ABs in camp that year that stood in for that season, but it doesn’t show up on his stat sheet. __________________ "You gotta love livin', cause dying is a pain in the ass." ---- Sinatra
Posts: 22,386

05-06-2025, 02:59 PM	#898
BWillie Are you ready to Rumble? Join Date: Apr 2006 Casino cash: $-1308759	I do think that Cags also COULD move fast if Sherman gets involved. The smart thing to do would be delay his service time I bit, at least as I understand it but he wants a new stadium. What better way to add excitement for the org by bringing the kid up.
Posts: 52,609

05-06-2025, 04:56 PM	#900
PHOG Dazed and Confused Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Somewhere Out There Casino cash: $-1709500	This COULD be a LITTLE early for this, but the Royals are currently 2 games in front for the last wildcard and tied with the As for the 2nd wildcard. And they are only a half game behind the Cleveland rocks for the 1st wildcard. And, and, they're only 2.5 games out of first place in the division behind Detroit.
Posts: 19,911