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.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

I grew up a Cardinals fan as did my dad. These days I'm a Royals fan, mostly because of this board and the guys here. I'm just not a hardcore baseball fan.

At any rate, I was poking fun...

Ouch.

[chefsos]

Originally Posted by Mother****erJones

Good call....not!

Dude.

I irrationally hate your Sox, going all the way back to LaRussa and Hoyt and Dotson (although Prickzynski being gone is a point in your favor), but the Scott Carroll story from yesterday is ****in' win, completely.

Right-hander Scott Carroll spent parts of eight seasons and made 138 appearances in the minor leagues before getting his first shot in the majors Sunday. His debut with the Chicago White Sox, at 29 years old and two years removed from Tommy John elbow surgery, made a first impression that was much better late than never at all.

Carroll limited the Tampa Bay Rays to two runs — one earned — over 7 1/3 innings subbing for injured ace Chris Sale in Chicago's 9-2 victory at U.S. Cellular Field. Carroll allowed six hits and two walks, and generated 13 ground-ball outs and three double plays with his sinker — as noted by reporter J.J. Stankiewicz of CSN Chicago.

After pitching in front of about 30 friends and family, including his parents, Carroll got a stadium-wide standing ovation when manager Robin Ventura removed him in the eighth inning. Carroll happily and enthusiastically waved back to the crowd while walking off the field as his mom, Linda Carroll, cried tears of joy from the stands.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-bi...010923773.html

Maybe you'll get in trouble for this shit being here instead of me. Heh.

[Prison Bitch]

One point that isn't being mentioned: management's acceptance of it. When they are allowed to swing wet noodles up there, it's tolerated and they keep playing. I'd start sending messages to these pricks that if they don't start driving the ball (like our damn 2B can even do), they're sitting. Period. I'd start by taking away some of Fatty's ABs beginning this weekend.

Just tell them. Tell them it's not acceptable, and tell them they'll start losing playing time if it doesn't change.

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

I grew up a Cardinals fan as did my dad. These days I'm a Royals fan, mostly because of this board and the guys here. I'm just not a hardcore baseball fan.

At any rate, I was poking fun...

You are just a glutton for punishment.

[Demonpenz]

Gordon has broken twice as many bats as anyone in the history of the game because of his popeye forarms. At this point our MO is just going to be to scrap runs together. No one is good enough to drive the ball let alone turn on one and yank it out.

[Prison Bitch]

It's sad we're wasting such good pitching though. A halfway competent, league average offense would put us into the playoffs. And the point is Butler-Gordon-Hosmer should be way above league average hitters. If they were we'd be fine. This isn't on Aoki or Cain or Dyson etc.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

One point that isn't being mentioned: management's acceptance of it. When they are allowed to swing wet noodles up there, it's tolerated and they keep playing. I'd start sending messages to these pricks that if they don't start driving the ball (like our damn 2B can even do), they're sitting. Period. I'd start by taking away some of Fatty's ABs beginning this weekend.

Just tell them. Tell them it's not acceptable, and tell them they'll start losing playing time if it doesn't change.

But you need options or alternatives to do it. Don't want to incite a clubhouse revolt by doing things perceived to severely damage the team's chances at winning.

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

It's sad we're wasting such good pitching though. A halfway competent, league average offense would put us into the playoffs. And the point is Butler-Gordon-Hosmer should be way above league average hitters. If they were we'd be fine. This isn't on Aoki or Cain or Dyson etc.

Yes. I was hopeful they could be a league-average offense this year. Even getting ONLY what they got last year out of those three guys, this would be a league-average offense.

Guys in the middle have to hit. If they don't...

[Anyong Bluth]

Are we still undefeated when scoring 4+ runs? Maybe I'm unrealistic, but I would have thought they could muster 4 runs in at least 65% of their games this season. Obviously, they won't win all of those just based on this, but if you average it out - that's still a lot of cushion to win at least 90.

Hell, a .550 winning % is 89 games right there. .650 is 105 or 106.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth

Are we still undefeated when scoring 4+ runs? Maybe I'm unrealistic, but I would have thought they could muster 4 runs in at least 65% of their games this season. Obviously, they won't win all of those just based on this, but if you average it out - that's still a lot of cushion to win at least 90.

That's how bad this offense has been.

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by Zeke

That's how bad this offense has been.

Butler aside. What is troublesome is its indicative of a club philosophy on how they are approaching their plate appearances.

[AndChiefs]

Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth

Are we still undefeated when scoring 4+ runs? Maybe I'm unrealistic, but I would have thought they could muster 4 runs in at least 65% of their games this season. Obviously, they won't win all of those just based on this, but if you average it out - that's still a lot of cushion to win at least 90.

Hell, a .550 winning % is 89 games right there. .650 is 105 or 106.

We're undefeated when scoring 4+ runs. I also believe we haven't won when scoring less than 4 runs.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth

Butler aside. What is troublesome is its indicative of a club philosophy on how they are approaching their plate appearances.

Ding ding ding!

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by AndChiefs

We're undefeated when scoring 4+ runs. I also believe we haven't won when scoring less than 4 runs.

9 of our 12 losses, our pitching has held the opponent to 5 or fewer runs... and we've still lost the game. NINE OF TWELVE.

That is absolutely ridiculous.

[Prison Bitch]

Let's look at the data. We are 12-12 and have outscored our opponents 91-87. So our record is what it should be. We are 13/15 in runs and 2/15 in ERA. So we score 3.81 runs per game. League average: 4.43.


So we are only 86% of the league average. Suppose we were at that level instead. That would be .62 runs per which is 15 runs more. That puts us at 106 runs instead of 91. Running a league-average run total through the expected win/loss formula (Pythagorean) results in an expected final record of 91-71.

http://replacementlevel.com/stuff/sg/Calculators.html

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Let's look at the data. We are 12-12 and have outscored our opponents 91-87. So our record is what it should be. We are 13/15 in runs and 2/15 in ERA. So we score 3.81 runs per game. League average: 4.43.


So we are only 86% of the league average. Suppose we were at that level instead. That would be .62 runs per which is 15 runs more. That puts us at 106 runs instead of 91. Running a league-average run total through the expected win/loss formula (Pythagorean) results in an expected final record of 91-71.

http://replacementlevel.com/stuff/sg/Calculators.html

That would be with a league Average offense.

Freaking amazing how good this pitching staff has been, especially when so many worried about Guthrie\Chen declining (which they have), an untested\young Ventura, and kind of a question mark in Vargas. It's only going to get better when Duffy takes over for Chen.