Royals 2014 Royals Repository - Page 58

duncan_idaho · 09:30 AM

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!

duncan_idaho · 02-03-2014, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

I wouldn't touch Ubaldo with a 10 foot pole. His mechanics are exceptionally shitty. If he has another season like he had last year, it will be surrounded by 3-4 years with 4-5+ ERAs.

And there's the matter of surrendering a first-round pick for him...

He's just as volatile and risky long-term as Ervin Santana. Which might land both guys back in the cities in which they played last year.

Royals would have to move some payroll around to do it, but...

Bambi · 02-03-2014, 12:13 PM

**gblowfish** · 02-03-2014, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bambi

Here's the video:
http://m.mlb.com/video/v31329453/thi...40203_17988424

OmahaChief · 02-03-2014, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Here's the video:
http://m.mlb.com/video/v31329453/thi...40203_17988424

Watching the video got me pumped up for some Royals action. Can't wait to see this team come together.

**Bowser** · 02-03-2014, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Here's the video:
http://m.mlb.com/video/v31329453/thi...40203_17988424

Had the feel of a recruiting video, lol.

And am I the only one that looks for the dude giving the double fisted bird every time they show a shot of the crowd?

Strongside · 02-03-2014, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Here's the video:
http://m.mlb.com/video/v31329453/thi...40203_17988424

I don't mind the slogan, but the brown doesn't do it for me. Especially on the website. It looks like the ****ing Padres.

Also, that line over 'ROYAL' isn't tilted on the same axis as the word...and that bothers me. I'm anal, since it's my job, but c'mon man.

BlackHelicopters · 02-03-2014, 02:02 PM

Video has me pumped.

Cephalic Trauma · 02-03-2014, 02:04 PM

Be Royally screwed

WakkaWakka · 02-03-2014, 02:10 PM

Video worked. Got me pumped! Can't wait to take my little girl out to Kauffman for her first games this year!

KCUnited · 02-03-2014, 02:13 PM

Want to take a walk? Nope, being Royal.

BlackHelicopters · 02-03-2014, 02:40 PM

Optimism running high, as it always does in February.

duncan_idaho · 02-03-2014, 02:46 PM

Just posted this on the Royals scout board, and too much research was involved to not share.

Background: Discussion of catching up to Detroit. Why do the Royals have a better shot than you might think?

This is the likely lineup:

Austin Jackson (career numbers show he is a .280/.340/.420 type leadoff guy... very similar to Aoki)
Ian Kinsler (Career .263/.317/.418 player away from Ballpark in Arlington)
Miguel Cabrera
Victor Martinez (still a stud, but not a huge HR threat anymore and carries injury issues around)
Torii Hunter (also still a stud, but 39 and holding off father time)
Alex Avila (has been below average hitter in 3 of 4 full seasons)
Nick Castellanos (rookie projected to be a .260/15 hitter, likely with slightly below average D at 3B)
Jose Iglesias (hit .303 as a rookie, surprising everyone, based on a .356 BABIP his history suggests is NOT sustainable)
Andy Dirks/Rajai Davis platoon (I actually like this platoon a lot. Very strong duo.)

That lineup is not nearly as deep or as productive as it was a year ago. Just no way they don't take a step back there.

Then you get to the rotation. Which lost a key contributor (Fister) and is replacing him with a talented question mark (Smyly) and still contains the enigmatic Rick Hoche... Porcello. Who showed a good K rate in 2013 for the first time (7.22/9 after a career spent as a 5/9 guy) and still was no more than a solid No. 5 starter.

And finally, the big 3. Scherzer and Sanchez both had the best years of their career in 2013. It's possible they have both figured things out and taken them to the next level, but it's more likely they simply had career seasons and will come back down to their normal performance level a little bit.

Scherzer, for example, posted a .259 BABIP, a figure that is a little more than 20 percent lower than his career BABIP entering the season. The only other peripheral of Scherzer's that showed significant change in performance in 2013 was his Hits Allowed. Looks like a BABIP blip that will probably correct itself this year, to me.

Anibal Sanchez had a very fine year. He reached a record high K rate and saw his HR/FB rate cut nearly in half. All other peripherals basically in line... he just gave up 9 HR instead of the 20 he had the two previous seasons. Normalize the HR, and you're talking about a half point on his ERA right there, and probably a little bit more (as those likely would not all be solo shots).

And then there's Verlander. He wasn't quite himself in 2013 and likely takes a step back towards normal Verlander in 2014... but overall, the Tigers LIKELY get less from these three than was received in 2013.

BlackHelicopters · 02-03-2014, 02:51 PM

One solid starter away from overtaking DET

duncan_idaho · 02-03-2014, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCUnited

Want to take a walk? Nope, being Royal.

Hopefully, this team changes the mindset on that in this clubhouse. Here are the OBPs of the first 5 hitters in the lineup in 2013:

Aoki - .356
Infante - .345
Hosmer - .353
Butler - .374
Gordon - .327 (lowest of his career... career .344 guy)

Would not be shocked to see that group run off .355/.330/.375/.375/.350 as a group. Which would make this, likely, at least an average team in terms of drawing walks. Been a long time since that was the case in KC.

duncan_idaho · 02-03-2014, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theelusiveeightrop

One RotY-type season from Yordano Ventura away from overtaking Detroit

FYP

12-19-2013, 12:45 PM
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $-1869692	2014 Royals Repository 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. Last edited by duncan_idaho; 07-01-2014 at 09:30 AM..
Posts: 22,298

02-03-2014, 12:13 PM	#857
Bambi Banned Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: New York City Casino cash: $10036993
Posts: 17,810

02-03-2014, 02:02 PM	#862
BlackHelicopters Spiraling down the Drain Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Dante's Ninth Circle Casino cash: $-649412	Video has me pumped. __________________ "We're both part of the same hypocrisy, Senator, but never think it applies to my family." "Fredo. You are my brother, and I love you. But never take sides against the Family again. Ever." 2019 Adopt a Chief - Travis Kelce #87
Posts: 33,260

02-03-2014, 02:04 PM	#863
Cephalic Trauma Permitted Join Date: Jul 2011 Casino cash: $10004900	Be Royally screwed
Posts: 4,095

02-03-2014, 02:10 PM	#864
WakkaWakka Lets Go Royals! Join Date: Oct 2012 Casino cash: $10014360	Video worked. Got me pumped! Can't wait to take my little girl out to Kauffman for her first games this year! __________________ Royals \| Packers \| Fan of Sports in general
Posts: 1,256

02-03-2014, 02:13 PM	#865
KCUnited Cheat Death Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Land of Drincoln Casino cash: $-1361756	Want to take a walk? Nope, being Royal.
Posts: 36,830

02-03-2014, 02:40 PM	#866
BlackHelicopters Spiraling down the Drain Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Dante's Ninth Circle Casino cash: $-649412	Optimism running high, as it always does in February. __________________ "We're both part of the same hypocrisy, Senator, but never think it applies to my family." "Fredo. You are my brother, and I love you. But never take sides against the Family again. Ever." 2019 Adopt a Chief - Travis Kelce #87
Posts: 33,260

02-03-2014, 02:46 PM	#867
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $-1869692	Just posted this on the Royals scout board, and too much research was involved to not share. Background: Discussion of catching up to Detroit. Why do the Royals have a better shot than you might think? This is the likely lineup: Austin Jackson (career numbers show he is a .280/.340/.420 type leadoff guy... very similar to Aoki) Ian Kinsler (Career .263/.317/.418 player away from Ballpark in Arlington) Miguel Cabrera Victor Martinez (still a stud, but not a huge HR threat anymore and carries injury issues around) Torii Hunter (also still a stud, but 39 and holding off father time) Alex Avila (has been below average hitter in 3 of 4 full seasons) Nick Castellanos (rookie projected to be a .260/15 hitter, likely with slightly below average D at 3B) Jose Iglesias (hit .303 as a rookie, surprising everyone, based on a .356 BABIP his history suggests is NOT sustainable) Andy Dirks/Rajai Davis platoon (I actually like this platoon a lot. Very strong duo.) That lineup is not nearly as deep or as productive as it was a year ago. Just no way they don't take a step back there. Then you get to the rotation. Which lost a key contributor (Fister) and is replacing him with a talented question mark (Smyly) and still contains the enigmatic Rick Hoche... Porcello. Who showed a good K rate in 2013 for the first time (7.22/9 after a career spent as a 5/9 guy) and still was no more than a solid No. 5 starter. And finally, the big 3. Scherzer and Sanchez both had the best years of their career in 2013. It's possible they have both figured things out and taken them to the next level, but it's more likely they simply had career seasons and will come back down to their normal performance level a little bit. Scherzer, for example, posted a .259 BABIP, a figure that is a little more than 20 percent lower than his career BABIP entering the season. The only other peripheral of Scherzer's that showed significant change in performance in 2013 was his Hits Allowed. Looks like a BABIP blip that will probably correct itself this year, to me. Anibal Sanchez had a very fine year. He reached a record high K rate and saw his HR/FB rate cut nearly in half. All other peripherals basically in line... he just gave up 9 HR instead of the 20 he had the two previous seasons. Normalize the HR, and you're talking about a half point on his ERA right there, and probably a little bit more (as those likely would not all be solo shots). And then there's Verlander. He wasn't quite himself in 2013 and likely takes a step back towards normal Verlander in 2014... but overall, the Tigers LIKELY get less from these three than was received in 2013. __________________ "You gotta love livin', cause dying is a pain in the ass." ---- Sinatra
Posts: 22,298

02-03-2014, 02:51 PM	#868
BlackHelicopters Spiraling down the Drain Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Dante's Ninth Circle Casino cash: $-649412	One solid starter away from overtaking DET __________________ "We're both part of the same hypocrisy, Senator, but never think it applies to my family." "Fredo. You are my brother, and I love you. But never take sides against the Family again. Ever." 2019 Adopt a Chief - Travis Kelce #87
Posts: 33,260