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.

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by theelusiveeightrop

Our first losing month. 0 for March.

Lol, no shit.

Welp, pack it in, fellas. There's always next year.

[Demonpenz]

Originally Posted by Bowser

Well, hopefully yesterday pissed them off. You just can't give up games like that when you have their ace down. Not going to get any easier tomorrow going against Scherzer.

I hope it fired them up as well. Tired of this awshucks attitude. It's like a mouse getting caught in a snakes mouth and them slowly getting ingested to death, but instead of slowly having snaked stomach acid burn up their souls the royals die a slow rotting death due to low .ops and oozing fb/gb ratios

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by theelusiveeightrop

Our first losing month. 0 for March.

yeah, it hardly even counts. we can start with a winning April tomorrow!

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

I hope it fired them up as well. Tired of this awshucks attitude. It's like a mouse getting caught in a snakes mouth and them slowly getting ingested to death, but instead of slowly having snaked stomach acid burn up their souls the royals die a slow rotting death due to low .ops and oozing fb/gb ratios

If they were fired up, then get ready to see a lot of walks given up by our pitchers, and strikeouts in our lineup.

Fired-up players tend to suck.

[tyton75]

I'd say it depends on the players make-up. I mean, George Brett or Pete Rose types always seemed to play a little pissed off. I like that type of player.

Other players, Pujols comes to mind, just tend to get into a good groove and relax into it.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by tyton75

I'd say it depends on the players make-up. I mean, George Brett or Pete Rose types always seemed to play a little pissed off. I like that type of player.

I really don't think so. They may play that persona in interviews and they may let loose a bit on the basepaths or after the game, but if you get angry or amped up easily, you will fail in the minor leagues. Successful baseball players have to be cold-blooded reptiles during their at-bat.

[tyton75]

I disagree.. some people get amped and they can really focus in.. others get amped and just start breaking bats over their legs. Differing personalities.

Larry Bird or Michael Jordan would get pissed and just destroy another team single-handedly with 3 pointers.. etc.

not saying its the same thing exactly in baseball, but there are games that are a bigger deal than others, and the perceived "bigger game" helps guys focus

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by tyton75

I'd say it depends on the players make-up. I mean, George Brett or Pete Rose types always seemed to play a little pissed off. I like that type of player.

Other players, Pujols comes to mind, just tend to get into a good groove and relax into it.

Gotta suppress the emotion until the play is over.

A pitcher who is too amped up is going to overthrow. Overthrowing kills control and tends to elevate the baseball.

A hitter who is too amped up is going to grip too tight/lose fluidity/lose judgment/press.

A field who is too amped up is going to go too fast, which increases the chances for fielding and throwing errors.

[alnorth]

By the way, as I feared the the Royals 6th-inning song bracket has the potential for disaster: Sweet Caroline is in the running, along with Low Places.

If either of those songs win, I'll be very disappointed. Actually, I can probably live with Low Places as long as its not Sweet Caroline.

[Three7s]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Gotta suppress the emotion until the play is over.

A pitcher who is too amped up is going to overthrow. Overthrowing kills control and tends to elevate the baseball.

A hitter who is too amped up is going to grip too tight/lose fluidity/lose judgment/press.

A field who is too amped up is going to go too fast, which increases the chances for fielding and throwing errors.

You know, while we're on the subject of emotions, I want to see what you think about players or even teams with the "It" factor.

My theory on it is that a player or even a team is able to experience an emotional and physical balance of the highest form at the same time When they do that, they're able to react to every situation with the best case scenario. (i.e. draining 3-pointers, NFL defenses and offenses appearing unstoppable, baseball offenses chaining hits, etc)

Most people would call this momentum, and while it can certainly be called the same thing, I call it the "zone", and when you're in that "zone", the only thing that can really knock you out of it is an emotional change, whether it's forced by something happening to you or the other team forcing it.

Anyway, just wondering what your thoughts are on this or if I'm totally smoking the aids tree.

[SPATCH]

Originally Posted by Three7s

You know, while we're on the subject of emotions, I want to see what you think about players or even teams with the "It" factor.

My theory on it is that a player or even a team is able to experience an emotional and physical balance of the highest form at the same time When they do that, they're able to react to every situation with the best case scenario. (i.e. draining 3-pointers, NFL defenses and offenses appearing unstoppable, baseball offenses chaining hits, etc)

Most people would call this momentum, and while it can certainly be called the same thing, I call it the "zone", and when you're in that "zone", the only thing that can really knock you out of it is an emotional change, whether it's forced by something happening to you or the other team forcing it.

Anyway, just wondering what your thoughts are on this or if I'm totally smoking the aids tree.

You're talking about "flow" state. It's not pure bull shit. But, it's close.

Basically, it's those unexplainable moments when you feel disconnected with yourself and you aren't actually thinking, you're body is just performing. Some people think that you can learn to control when you go in and out of "flow" or learn to have really prolonged states of "flow".

[Mother****erJones]

Originally Posted by theelusiveeightrop

Pitching for the ChiSox?

Yessir

[Mother****erJones]

Originally Posted by Zeke

Loved by the masses... was honestly sad to see him go. I think many here would have liked to see him come back and get his shot for the team. He was arguably one of our best pitchers on the staff when given the opportunity. Hard throwing guy with good stuff, will walk his fair share of batters... team that with his injury history and that's why he's never really broken through at the majors for any major period of time. If he is able to fully come back from TJ surgery and pitch for you guys for an extended period... you'll like him... a lot. He misses a lot of bats.

Nice thanks. Well our pitching coach has a history of fixing or working well with pitchers. He pitches tomorrow

[Mother****erJones]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Tremendous stuff. Mid-90s heat, good slider.

Location and command come and go.

Has workhorse body but has not produced like a workhorse thus far.

Ok thanks for the response. He seems finally healthy. Looking forward to watching him.

[stonedstooge]

Originally Posted by Mother****erJones

Ok thanks for the response. He seems finally healthy. Looking forward to watching him.

The word is that he has a "loose" shoulder, so I guess his tendons and ligaments in the shoulder area aren't what they should be. I really liked him and he performed well when given the chance in KC