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.

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

Don't worry I was watching it. it's just that the tapatalk app doesn't have a way to access your user functions. At least not that I know of.

Ya, I never got why some other sites have way more integration and features available through tapatalk and some are plain jane basic??

[duncan_idaho]

Great win tonight, and another positive from the next Latin America signing I expect to burst onto the MLB scene and be an instant star for the Royals: RA Mondesi

It's only about 20 games, but he's got an .820 OPS at Wilmington. Wilmington/the Carolina League are the toughest places to put up offensive numbers in the Royals system, for sure, and one of the toughest in the minors, period.

That he is doing this at age 18 makes it even more special.

You usually can't tell much from stat watching guys in Wilmington, but when a guy is crushing the ball, that's a huge positive.

Keep it up, RA. Keep it up.

(Bold prediction: At the end of this season, Mondesi will be just as highly regarded as Lindor and maybe even broach Profar territory. Top 10-15 prospect in baseball)

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

(Bold prediction: At the end of this season, Mondesi will be just as highly regarded as Lindor and maybe even broach Profar territory. Top 10-15 prospect in baseball)

Wow! that is absolutely brilliant to read.

Seems Latin America is the GMDM's greatest achievement as a GM, thus far.

[Simplicity]

Ok, I lied... Maybe ESPN will notice Ventura...

Already on the front page of the MLB tab.

[Prison Bitch]

I'm sure this has been asked but why was Ventura out for the 8th? I don't think his pitch count should ever go above 100 given his (1) age and (2) power style, but he went 112 pitches or something and I don't get it. We were up 4-0. We should be nervous extending a young power arm that long into the game esp watching all the young pitchers who are getting hurt all over baseball right nwo.

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

I'm sure this has been asked but why was Ventura out for the 8th? I don't think his pitch count should ever go above 100 given his (1) age and (2) power style, but he went 112 pitches or something and I don't get it. We were up 4-0. We should be nervous extending a young power arm that long into the game esp watching all the young pitchers who are getting hurt all over baseball right nwo.

I agree. Even though I don't believe on putting limits on pitchers all the time. When the game is 4-0 and if you already know you're not going to get him into the 9th for a CG shutout, then take him out.

[Simplicity]

I'd love to do the game thread again today but I'll be out due to prom so good luck tonight dudes

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Great win tonight, and another positive from the next Latin America signing I expect to burst onto the MLB scene and be an instant star for the Royals: RA Mondesi

It's only about 20 games, but he's got an .820 OPS at Wilmington. Wilmington/the Carolina League are the toughest places to put up offensive numbers in the Royals system, for sure, and one of the toughest in the minors, period.

That he is doing this at age 18 makes it even more special.

You usually can't tell much from stat watching guys in Wilmington, but when a guy is crushing the ball, that's a huge positive.

Keep it up, RA. Keep it up.

(Bold prediction: At the end of this season, Mondesi will be just as highly regarded as Lindor and maybe even broach Profar territory. Top 10-15 prospect in baseball)

What do you do with Escobar?

[Mama Hip Rockets]

I haven't done a game thread this year. Want me to give it a shot today?

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

I'm sure this has been asked but why was Ventura out for the 8th? I don't think his pitch count should ever go above 100 given his (1) age and (2) power style, but he went 112 pitches or something and I don't get it. We were up 4-0. We should be nervous extending a young power arm that long into the game esp watching all the young pitchers who are getting hurt all over baseball right nwo.

A) The bullpen has been inconsistent this year, especially in the 8th inning.
B) Ventura is a badass.

[SPATCH]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

I'm sure this has been asked but why was Ventura out for the 8th? I don't think his pitch count should ever go above 100 given his (1) age and (2) power style, but he went 112 pitches or something and I don't get it. We were up 4-0. We should be nervous extending a young power arm that long into the game esp watching all the young pitchers who are getting hurt all over baseball right nwo.

I was puzzled by this at first, too. But, he was still gassing it in the mid- to high-90s in the 8th. He didn't look too fatigued, either.

We are all accustomed to the 100 pitch rule of thumb. But, that is just an arbitrary number. Paying attention to body language/mechanics/velocity is more important in the end.

He wasn't really laboring in the 8th, so I didn't mind.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by thurman merman

I haven't done a game thread this year. Want me to give it a shot today?

You're in. I'll be at Dbacks game tonight so I won't be watching.

[BlackHelicopters]

Originally Posted by thurman merman

I haven't done a game thread this year. Want me to give it a shot today?

Take it.

[Prison Bitch]

Fangraphs has 1 WAR=$5.5m of value. Ventura is already up to 0.8 WAR and it's not even May. Let's assume he ends up at 2.0 WAR and an implied value of $11.0m. He's being paid league miniumum of $0.5m so his "surplus value" is well north of $10.0m. Guys like this are valuable even to the Yankees or Dodgers, but to small markets their value is amplified greatly.


If we look at other small market successes we see them generating massive surplus with young pitchers (Tampa, Oakland, even Florida). Teams like St Louis and Atlanta continually hit on young pitchers so even bigger spenders gain huge advantages with it.


We know that young pitchers are getting hurt repeatedly and research tends to show the younger the pitcher, the more prone they are to injury. Chris Sale just went on the DL with elbow soreness after his idiot manager let him go 127 pitches last week. If I were Kenny Williams, I'd have one helluva closed door tongue lashing for that. Prospectus has a "Pitcher Abuse Points" ranking and Sale is #2 on this list and #5 last year:
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/so...hp?cid=1657933

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by SPATCH

We are all accustomed to the 100 pitch rule of thumb. But, that is just an arbitrary number.

It's not. Research shows it's a legit number. While it was a cool evening that may have helped him with fatigue, the stress on the elbow and shoulder is still the same. It's all about "incremental stress" anyway. Pitches 101-110 are more dangerous than pitches 21-30.