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 DeepSouth

I read an article where the Dodgers are going to have five OF's when one of them comes off the DL. Matt Kemp wants out because he's already fighting for playing time with four OF's. It mentioned the Dodgers would have to eat some of his salary to get a trade partner. Kemp in RF for prospects if they would be willing to eat some salary? Here's the link;
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/a...ery-day-071614

I would do a trade for Kemp if the Dodgers eat the majority of the salary. He can be somebody you can platoon over the years at DH as well.

[TLO]

If you have DirecTV, the Storm Chasers are playing on channel 221.

[TLO]

Some guy named Mortenson for us is sucking ass.

[WhawhaWhat]

Jason Adam was promoted to AAA.

[TLO]

Welp... that's enough minor league baseball for me.

[kcxiv]

Originally Posted by DeepSouth

I read an article where the Dodgers are going to have five OF's when one of them comes off the DL. Matt Kemp wants out because he's already fighting for playing time with four OF's. It mentioned the Dodgers would have to eat some of his salary to get a trade partner. Kemp in RF for prospects if they would be willing to eat some salary? Here's the link;
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/a...ery-day-071614

They wont trade kemp unless they get something in return. Its Ethier and Crawford that will be released or traded. Dodgers are going to call up Joc Pederson very soon. Ethier's playing time has dimished alot lately. Kemp has played in just about every game but 1 in the last month or so.

[DeepSouth]

Originally Posted by Fruit Ninja

They wont trade kemp unless they get something in return. Its Ethier and Crawford that will be released or traded. Dodgers are going to call up Joc Pederson very soon. Ethier's playing time has dimished alot lately. Kemp has played in just about every game but 1 in the last month or so.

After I did the math on his salary, I realized how ridiculous the trade sounded. Kemp is due $107mm over 5.5 years. The Dodgers would have to eat about 1/3 of his salary for the Royals to afford it. And then, the Royals would be paying him between, 12 to 13 million per year. That's a lot but considering what Butler's option is for next year it'd be a steal. But, the Dodgers aren't going to eat 1/3 of his salary.

[Sure-Oz]

Kemp hasn't been healthy and awesome in a few years. Also his #'s are decent but not worth 12 mill

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Fruit Ninja

Its Ethier and Crawford that will be released or traded. Dodgers are going to call up Joc Pederson very soon. Ethier's playing time has dimished alot lately.

Perfect then. We'll just wait, go dumpster diving, and pick up someone who's free while the Dodgers pay 100% of the salary.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Fruit Ninja

They wont trade kemp unless they get something in return. Its Ethier and Crawford that will be released or traded. Dodgers are going to call up Joc Pederson very soon. Ethier's playing time has dimished alot lately. Kemp has played in just about every game but 1 in the last month or so.

I imagine it would be ethier who's on the chopping block. He and Crawford have performed at similar levels with the bat, but Crawford offers more skills and is owed more money over a longer contract.

Probably easier to move Ehtier for some sort of return, and definitely easier to stomach cutting him if necessary.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Former Royals Equipment Manager Al Zych died in a car wreck Monday at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Are you kidding me? I missed that news. He was a great guy. One summer day, in 77 or 78, (and it was hot as F) several friends and I arrived at the stadium to line up for GA tickets ($ 1.50 at that time).

In those days of consistent sell outs or near sell outs, you had one or two guys station themselves at the gate and one or two station themselves at the GA ticket booth which was located in RF or LF depending on where you sat. The ticket sales for GA started 90 minutes before the game. Once they opened, you bought tix, rushed them to your friends, who then rushed for the front row of GA, saving your seat.
On this day, it was over 100* easily. We arrived at noon to stand in line for a series with the BOSOX (maybe) And we took turns going into the shade to cool down.
As I was walking in the shadows all down the RF line I pass the players entrance and sit down. No players were around as they usually didn't arrive until 4pm. As I'm sitting there a nice man walked up and asked if I needed a drink. I said "Sure". I thought he was going to give me glass of water. Instead, he takes me into the players entrance into the stadium and into the clubhouse. He opens a fridge and hands me a coke. Asks me if I want to look around. So he introduces himself as "Al". I knew immediately who he was. So for an hour or so I wander around the empty clubhouse looking at uniforms and wishing I could ask for a jersey. Was too frightened tho. Honestly, I was hoping he would ask me if I needed a job as a clubhouse attendant. But I was overwhelmed and mortified just to be there. It was a great experience. I had no camera, nothing. Those would have been such great photos.

Anyway, he walked me out and every once in a while Al would exit the RF bullpen before a game and we would exchange waves. To give me, a young kid some of his time on a hot day was just a very nice thing to do.

I made a lot of acquaintances at the stadium in those days. The beer men, the ground crew, the bullpen crew and pitchers. So many great memories.

RIP Al.

[Sully]

Awesome story, and most likely an even awesome-er memory. That's boyhood dream-type stuff there.
Wow

[Dartgod]

I remember the days of getting in line early for right field GA. I never go there early enough for front row, but there were always the same cast of characters seated there. i remember a couple we called can head (he had a baseball cap with a Budweiser can sticking out of it) and Santa Claus. They always had a bunch of chants they used every game.

Good times...

[Toadkiller]

Loved seeing santa in GA. God that brings back a lot of memories.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by Dartgod

I remember the days of getting in line early for right field GA. I never go there early enough for front row, but there were always the same cast of characters seated there. i remember a couple we called can head (he had a baseball cap with a Budweiser can sticking out of it) and Santa Claus. They always had a bunch of chants they used every game.

Good times...

Those were good times. I remember my older brothers taking me to games in RF GA. I think tickets were $2 (??) back in the 70's, but don't completely recall.