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.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

I think they are equal drama queens to this event, don't you? That said, the Royals should be above this. The fact that aren't, just accentuates their suck factor. The whole Organization is one giant vag.

I agree they should be above it. Just saying that 810 is making a mountain out of a mole hole over something so ****ing stupid. But I guarantee you if it was say Eric Berry and whoever would be the Chiefs similar to Dyson - we wouldn't be hearing one peep out of them.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Might as well re-name them the Piolis at this point.

Exactly. All hype and no substance.

[Sure-Oz]

Jarrod Dyson and Hosmer were left out. They comr off as spoiled douches along with Moose. Dyson is just a runner and that's it. Moose and Hosmer are nobodies except gmdm spoils them. Atleast Gordon And Butler earned their stripes being sent to AAA to get better. Hos and Moose think they're better than they are...makes them real hardto root for

[KCUnited]

Dyson initially took the wrong route to Harrah's which is why they were running late.

[DeezNutz]

lol.

I didn't post about it, but I couldn't believe that stupid **** managed to get picked off second with 2 baseman essentially standing on the ****ing bag.

[Anyong Bluth]

Don't have any sympathy for 810 even if it does seem childish.

[RockChalk]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

lol.

I didn't post about it, but I couldn't believe that stupid **** managed to get picked off second with 2 baseman essentially standing on the ****ing bag.

Why? I literally don't think he would be on any other team's 25-man roster. Yet DM/Ned think he's a huge weapon. Only the Royals

[gblowfish]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

810 is still pissed off because they lost the Royals radio rights, which is a huge money maker for them. 810 wanted them on the cheap which was let the Royals sell a select amount of inventory themselves and then 810 takes care of the rest. The Royals wanted no part of that and 610 writes them the check instead. Keitzman bitches and moans about it all the time. 810 would not dare pull this shit with the Chiefs since they are an official partner.

Well, this is not quite right. 810 had the Royals rights for a few years. They happened to have the rights when the Royals were at their worst, three 100 loss seasons. During those years, WHB lost money on the contract because the team was horrible, nobody was listening, and nobody wanted to sponsor the broadcasts.

Losing that contract was actually a good thing for WHB, because they were swimming in red ink. Same reason they got rid of the Jim Rome Show. It was costing them too much. They did Soren Petro local show instead to lower their operating expenses.

610 was converting over from country music to sports, and needed an "anchor tenant" for the broadcasts. They got KU football and basketball, and got Royals Baseball. Entercom paid big bucks for the Royals because they are a conglommo, and needed content for their sports startup station.

KK craps on the Royals now, because they have no direct tie to the club, since 610 bought their way in.

KK will always soft soap the Chiefs and throw softball questions to Clark Hunt, because 810 is now the "official" post game station for the Chiefs, although the play by play and pregame is still owned by KCFX-FM.

KK is a radio weasel, and will always kiss the ass of whoever pays the freight. He only gets "journalistic" if he's not getting greased.

That's the way the game is played. Follow the money.

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by Fish

I don't think that not getting in to the 810 Zone has anything to do with the Royals players snubbing 810. I think that's just 810's attempt at sensationalizing an otherwise pathetic jr high girl squabble.

Clinkscale sounds like he'd be a colossal douche in person. Hearing him explain it in his whiny nasally voice "So I went up to another player and said will you speak to the evil 810?" So much butthurt.....

Agreed. They are milking it for all they can and if the Royals don't think it matters from a PR standpoint then who cares about if one media outlet being declined interviews - they're not cutting out the entire media.

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

Dyson initially took the wrong route to Harrah's which is why they were running late.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

Jarrod Dyson and Hosmer were left out. They comr off as spoiled douches along with Moose. Dyson is just a runner and that's it. Moose and Hosmer are nobodies except gmdm spoils them. Atleast Gordon And Butler earned their stripes being sent to AAA to get better. Hos and Moose think they're better than they are...makes them real hardto root for

Oh really? Were you there? There wasnt anything more to it than what 810 is saying? One thing I know about Kevin Kietzman and almost the entire 810 crew is they are a bunch of whining babies.

[Demonpenz]

Hit the ball over the wall and strike people out and all this is moot

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

Why? I literally don't think he would be on any other team's 25-man roster. Yet DM/Ned think he's a huge weapon. Only the Royals

This is probably going to surprise folks on here, but I'm not the biggest Dyson fan. Nevertheless, that level of stupidity was impressive.

[gblowfish]

Looks like we're going to muddle through May, but at least they haven't had a prolonged six, seven, eight game losing streak. Last year's wretched May wrecked all chances for this team. They're still under-performing offensively. Pitching is going to choke up some leads, like Vargas did vs Chisox. But all in all, our pitching has been pretty damn good. Way too little production from Alice, Moose and Belly. Belly's starting to push his average a little, but no real slug in his numbers. Difference in the last two games is, Chisox hit homers, and we do not. Power wins games. Station to station small ball relies on constant clutch hitting. We ain't got clutch or power. So we lose.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Looks like we're going to muddle through May, but at least they haven't had a prolonged six, seven, eight game losing streak. Last year's wretched May wrecked all chances for this team. They're still under-performing offensively. Pitching is going to choke up some leads, like Vargas did vs Chisox. But all in all, our pitching has been pretty damn good. Way too little production from Alice, Moose and Belly. Belly's starting to push his average a little, but no real slug in his numbers. Difference in the last two games is, Chisox hit homers, and we do not. Power wins games. Station to station small ball relies on constant clutch hitting. We ain't got clutch or power. So we lose.

Would you rather be shot in the head, or slowly clubbed to death? At least last year May put us out of our misery. BANG! 20 losses, we're gone.

This year we're still kinda sorta in contention so we have to say invested and suffer just a little more each week.