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.

[Three7s]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Moustakas returned from the minors on June 1. Since that time, he is:

.250/.308/.469 (6 HR, 18 RBI). Paired with his defense, that's a very playable major league player, and an above-average guy overall. Dayton Moore said before the season his expectation for Moustakas was for him to hit between .250/.260 with good power and above-average defense. He's succeeding - so far - since his return at meeting those expectations. Project Moustakas out over 550 ABs, and you'd be pretty happy with the results you get - 34 HR and 100 RBI.

Of course, this is Moustakas, so we need to see that sample size grow before we can believe he can sustain it. But he has not been a problem since returning (in fact, he's actually been a plus and would be a very, very effective No. 6 or No. 7 hitter if he can sustain it).

Since June 1, Hosmer is .226/.278/.316. It's just awful, and there's not enough lipstick in Orange County to make it look any different. No power, no OBP. Nothing.

Pair that with Yost and Dayton Moore coddling him more than the worst over-protective mom AND insisting on batting him in the first 3 spots in the lineup, and you've got a production bomb.

And Hosmer cost us the game by swinging at the first pitch with the bases loaded one out located down and away and rolled it over to 2nd. He has no patience at all.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by Canofbier

I know that I'm hardly alone in thinking this, but I always appreciate your takes on the Royals and baseball in general. I think I've become a much more knowledgeable fan from reading your posts.

Amen, Duncan is the shit.................even if he is a mu fan

[FringeNC]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Moustakas returned from the minors on June 1. Since that time, he is:

.250/.308/.469 (6 HR, 18 RBI). Paired with his defense, that's a very playable major league player, and an above-average guy overall. Dayton Moore said before the season his expectation for Moustakas was for him to hit between .250/.260 with good power and above-average defense. He's succeeding - so far - since his return at meeting those expectations. Project Moustakas out over 550 ABs, and you'd be pretty happy with the results you get - 34 HR and 100 RBI.

Of course, this is Moustakas, so we need to see that sample size grow before we can believe he can sustain it. But he has not been a problem since returning (in fact, he's actually been a plus and would be a very, very effective No. 6 or No. 7 hitter if he can sustain it).

Since June 1, Hosmer is .226/.278/.316. It's just awful, and there's not enough lipstick in Orange County to make it look any different. No power, no OBP. Nothing.

Pair that with Yost and Dayton Moore coddling him more than the worst over-protective mom AND insisting on batting him in the first 3 spots in the lineup, and you've got a production bomb.

If Moose maintains his post-callup OPS for the remainder of the season, he's a nice player.

[Three7s]

Originally Posted by FringeNC

If Moose maintains his post-callup OPS for the remainder of the season, he's a nice player.

Agreed, I've stopped bashing him for the mean time. He's risen his average and he's still providing the very little power this team has. He's worth playing every day at this point.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

Amen, Duncan is the shit.................even if he is a mu fan

If only he was better at starting game threads...

[Deberg_1990]

Its truly amazing how the Royals are even "in the hunt" with the type of seasons they have gotten from the 4 main guys who were supposed to carry this team.

Butler
Gordon
Hosmer
Moose


My prediction is for 84-86 wins. same as it ever was........

[Archie F. Swin]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Its truly amazing how the Royals are even "in the hunt" with the type of seasons they have gotten from the 4 main guys who were supposed to carry this team.

Butler
Gordon
Hosmer
Moose


My prediction is for 84-86 wins. same as it ever was........

And that record will buy you a lot of free time in Oct.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by Archie F. Swin

And that record will buy you a lot of free time in Oct.

I think the last AL WC playoff spot takes 88 wins

I think the AL Central Winner needs 91 wins.

Therefore, the Royals have to play .573 ball (9 games over .500) in the Second Half for a WC Spot, and have to play at a ridiculous .613 pace to take the Central. In short (with our weak-assed Offense), we have uphill battle to climb for a WC spot, but nothing crazy. Given what DET has been able to amass in the last 2 weeks, I think they are starting to show why they were the prohibitive favorite to win the ALC.

[Discuss Thrower]

I'll get laid before the Royals earn a playoff berth.

[cmh6476]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

I'll get laid before the Royals earn a playoff berth.

will you post in the butt sex thread before you post in the royals playoff GDT?

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

It's not about Jeremy Guthrie (though I do have issues with the way they figure their WAR for pitchers, which is incredibly dependent on FIP and strikeouts... Wade Davis was nearly 2 WAR starting pitcher according to Fangraphs, and his WAR stayed flat even after being moved to the bullpen last year). It's about their formula in general. I just tend to find Baseball Reference to be a little more reliable and less likely to make me go "Wait, that makes no sense.".

They do have some things I quibble with, I pointed out they undervalue closers IMO (Greg Holland example). They postulate - correctly as I've come to believe - that your best pitchers are always in the rotation and hence should get a boost for it. But I don't think that holds for closers if I read them right because Holland was 48/51 (94.1%) last year in saves and the average has been 65% for years. I don't think you can put Crow in there and get 94% so shouldn't Holland have a boost for being the best reliever?


He's surely better than our 5 starter. And if he converts 65% that equtes to 33/51 saves or 15 more blown. If the Royals win 1/2 of those that's still a net shortfall of (-7) and his WAR was only 3.3 or something, which is understated.


That said I think they do a great job of ridding statistics of their inherent white noise and their articles are top notch.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by cmh6476

will you post in the butt sex thread before you post in the royals playoff GDT?

My cornhole is exit only Chief.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

I'll get laid before the Royals earn a playoff berth.

Not unless you fix that self loathing. And I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Royals to playoffs two years before you get laid.

[Prison Bitch]

Gordon's game tonight made me think again that players need more rest to play well. I think we have overplayed Escobar this year and Cain as well. Perez needs more off days than we give him. Even Hosmer would do well to get a rest, since Moose might prove he's staying slmewhat rested with occasional days off via his platoon. 90+ heat is approaching.

[GloryDayz]

Man, the Fatty and Hos were getting ripped on AM radio today. It was LOL to say the least.