2014 Royals Repository

[duncan_idaho]

With my 6,000th post on ChiefsPlanet (it only took me 12 years to get here), I bring you: The 2014 Kansas City Royals Repository.

To be discussed here: All things Royals, as they attempt to post another winning season and make it back to the playoffs for the first time since 1985.

25-man RosterAvailable HERE

AL Central Standings:

Link

Duncan's Top 20 Royals Prospects

Spoiler!

1) 3B Hunter Dozier ETA: 2015
Dozier started slowly at A+ Wilmington but caught fire in May and June, earning a mid-season promotion to AA Northwest Arkansas. Big, strong kid with good plate discipline skills and solid power who projects to be an above-average glove at 3B with solid power.

2) SS Raul (Adalberto) Mondesi ETA: 2017
Mondesis is the opposite of Dozier…. Started red-hot at Wilmington before back spasms derailed him for a few weeks and hasn’t gotten it going since coming back. Scouting reports have been great – defense and speed both improved over the offseason. Still a chance to be an elite SS, with 40 SB speed, plus glove, .300 average and some pop.

3) LHP Sean Manaea | ETA: 2015
Scouting reports outperform the stat line so far. Missing a ton of bats at A+ but not preventing runs like you’d expect to see. Needs to work deeper into games (gradually working about an inning deeper/month so far this year) and improve control. Walks are biggest concern right now, but could be elevated due to work on extra off-speed offerings. Still has No. 2 starter potential, could be higher if the great control he exhibited before his hip surgery eventually comes back.

4) RHP Kyle Zimmer| ETA: 2015
Should be NO. 1 on the list and is probably the Royals most VALUABLE current prospect, but he hasn’t thrown a ball in 4-5 weeks and had only been throwing for 2-3 weeks when he was shut down then.

5) LHP Brandon Finnegan| ETA: 2015
Top 2014 draft choice is an undersized lefty who will start at A+ Wilmington after anchoring CWS run for TCU. Good fastball, better slider, change that needs work to stick as a starter, but if he sticks, No. 2/No. 3 starter upside. Likely a top 10 or even top 5 pick if he doesn’t miss 1 start in the middle of the college season as a precautionary move.

6) RHP Miguel Almonte| ETA: 2016
Have heard some say Almonte is more advanced as a pitcher at A+ than Yordano Ventura was (comparison because both were cheap signs out of Latin America). Really advanced changeup and a curve that is working out well (where the ‘more advanced’ comment comes from). Fastball velo is good but not great – 92-94. Like Manaea, working on his second-best offspeed pitch and leaning less on his bread-and butter (changeup), which has hurt his numbers a bit.

7) RHP Christian Binford 2017
Reverse case of “don’t just scout stat lines.” Based on his stats at A+, you’d think he was an elite prospect, but there are questions about Binford’s stuff playing up at higher levels. Tall righty with great command of fastball, slider and a good and still developing changeup. None of those pitches profiles as better than average, though, limiting his likely upside to back-end rotation guy.

8) SS Orlando Calixte| ETA: 2016
I still like him more than many. Good combination of SS/MI skills and power. Started hot at NWA but in a slump at moment.

9)LHP Foster Griffin | ETA: 2019
Tall, projectable lefty taken in 2014 draft. Viewed as a great value in the sandwich round and probably would have been KC’s pick at No. 17 if Finnegan hadn’t fallen. High school arm who is going to take a while to develop.

10) RF Jorge Bonifacio| ETA: 2016
Hasn’t hit as well as expected in his second go-round at AA NWA. Power still sapped, and average skills have dipped. Once looked like he might be an option in RF at some point in 2015, now looks like 2016 is optimistic. Still young for his level.

11) 3B/2B Cheslor Cuthbert| ETA: 2016
Cuthbert has had better luck at NWA than Boni and is also extremely young for level. HE’s been moved to 2B since Dozier was promoted, which could put a new spin on Cuthbert’s prospects. If he sticks at 2B, bat plays up much better. Good OBP/plate discipline and solid power, but needs to continue improving contact skills

12) C Chase Vallot| ETA: 2020
Young (just 17) C with tremendous power. One of the top prep bats and a great value for KC where it got him. If he sticks at C, expect him to move slowly, but the bat may force the issue (or force him to another position).

13) C Zane Evans| ETA: 2017
GA Tech product has handled Wilmington better than most RH bats and probably is in line for a promotion to NWA sometime soon. Decent pop, decent skills behind the plate. Could be a nice reserve catcher.

14) RHP Scott Blewett| ETA: 2020
Tall, projectable righty with a fresh arm but some injury concerns on his shoulder that slipped him out of Round 1 of MLB draft. Big time potential.

15) CF Bubba Starling | ETA:
Bubba Starling has great tools. Bubba Starling (still) can’t hit. That’s all I have to say about that.

16) 1B Samir Duenez| ETA:
I still like him, even though the attempt to run him through full season ball at 17 did not go well.

17)LF/RF Elier Hernandez| ETA:
Hernandez still pops up in scouting reports but still is very raw and toolsy.

18) RHP Pedro Fernandez| ETA:
Pop-up player on the same track as Ventura and Almonte. Similar signing, similar profile. One to watch over next few years.

19) SS Marten Gasparini| ETA:
Royals’ most expensive international signing likely moves to CF eventually, but his speed and athleticism are intriguing abilities. Early reports from complex ball are very positive on him.

20) RHP Niklas Stephenson| ETA:
Interesting pop-up candidate who found 10 more MPH on his fastball by using a weighted ball during workouts over the winter. Now sits mid-90s with fastball and is dominating at rookie ball (after having an ERA over 8 there a year ago). Likely promoted to a higher challenge soon.

[Wilson8]

Looked up Spencer Patton and found the story below.

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Former SIUE baseball pitcher Spencer Patton (Kinmundy, Ill.) has been promoted by the Kansas City Royals and will report to double-A Northwest Arkansas later this week.

"I'm definitely excited to get there and see what double-A is all about," Patton said. "I'm excited to be closer to home and have the chance to have family and friends see me play."

The right-hander began the 2013 season in Wilmington in the Carolina League. In 25 appearances (23 in relief) for the single-A club Patton was 5-2 with a 2.10 earned run average. In 64.1 innings, he piled up 76 strikeouts compared to just 20 walks, and has allowed only 49 hits.

"I've never pitched out of the bullpen in my life until now," Patton added. "For whatever reason the relief role suits me in pro ball."

Patton, who was drafted by the Royals in the 24th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball first year player draft, was the first SIUE player drafted since Clay Zavada in 2006. Zavada went on to make 49 Major League appearances.

Patton was 13-10 in his career in a Cougar uniform. He struck out 201 hitters in 172.2 innings, leaving him sixth in school history in career strikeouts. His career average of 10.48 strikeouts per nine innings is second best in a career.

http://www.siuecougars.com/sports/m-...20130724v4oe2e

For the Naturals, Spencer had a 1.50 ERA in 12 games, 18 innings with 27 SO.

[alnorth]

After that weekend, I'm really looking forward to some baseball.

[BlackHelicopters]

Come on fast spring training.

[alnorth]

At this point, if we make no other moves then our opening day payroll will be about $94,150,000.

Last year it was a little under 82MM. So, as expected, DM's comment that our 2014 payroll would be about the same as last year was a bunch of hogwash.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by alnorth

At this point, if we make no other moves then our opening day payroll will be about $94,150,000.

Last year it was a little under 82MM. So, as expected, DM's comment that our 2014 payroll would be about the same as last year was a bunch of hogwash.

Yeah. I was surprised that Guthrie was the 2nd highest contract for the Royals. That made me cringe a little, but on the other hand, Guthrie has been a solid pitcher, so it's a wash.

It will be interesting to see how the Royals will handle the arbitration eligible players.

[Nightfyre]

That's just because they backloaded his deal. You have to look at contracts from an aav lens.

[Ceej]

Looking forward to meeting up with some CPers at some games.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by Ceej

Looking forward to meeting up with some CPers at some games.

Spring Training?!!!

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by lewdog

Spring Training?!!!

FANTASY CAMP!

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by BWillie

FANTASY CAMP!

[Coach]

I suspect that the market for starting pitchers will now be figured out, as Tanaka is being posted to the MLB clubs.

Pitcher Masahiro Tanaka is set to move to the Major League Baseball next season after his Japanese team, the Rakuten Eagles, announced Wednesday it was prepared to let him leave, reversing its earlier rejection.

Rakuten Eagles president Yozo Tachibana said during a news conference that the team has decided to release Tanaka through the posting system, paving the way for his departure. Tachibana said Tanaka's outstanding performance over the past seven years, including this season, meant he deserved to be allowed to move to the U.S.

Read more here at http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10...baseball-teams

[Ceej]

Originally Posted by lewdog

Spring Training?!!!

I think I told you this -- but, my fiancée mentioned something about wanting to go to spring training and it was out of nowhere.

So, we will definitely be doing that one year for sure.

[Nightfyre]

So now that posting is capped at 20M, would it be worth it to take a stab at a guy like tanaka? I mean, 6/56+20M seems pretty good if you get a guy like Darvish.

[Nightfyre]

I mean, just for arguments sake, let's say that it happened. You've basically just improved the window for 2014 and extended it through 2020.

2014
Shields
Tanaka
Guthrie
Vargas
Duffy

2015
Tanaka
Guthrie
Vargas
Duffy
Ventura

2016-2019
Tanaka
Ventura
Duffy (FA in 2018)
Zimmer
Vargas (FA in 2018)

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

So now that posting is capped at 20M, would it be worth it to take a stab at a guy like tanaka? I mean, 6/56+20M seems pretty good if you get a guy like Darvish.

Looks like he'll get much more/year than that.

But he probably is worth the money.