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.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by Our Time

I don't disagree bro, but ****.

Would we really be any worse off if we sold high on Shields?

I'd start fielding offers and cash in on an overpay.

I'm not sure they would get much better of an offer than the comp pick they would get by hanging on to him.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

I'm not sure they would get much better of an offer than the comp pick they would get by hanging on to him.

Agree.

But if they can get someone to give them a Samardzija deal...gotta take it.

[tk13]

That's not homerism or optimism. It's 3.5 games. That's one good week of baseball. They had a hot week or two about a month ago and were in 1st place. If someone gives you a Samardzija type deal maybe you listen about Shields. I'm not sure that'll happen though. Trading Gordon or Hosmer or anyone else is crazy. It's basically throwing in the towel during a 4-5 football season when you're one game out of a WC spot.

Last year after 97 games this team was 5 games under, and 9 games out of a WC spot. This year they're 3.5 and there are less teams to hop... Toronto's come back to earth, the Yankees are missing two of their best pitchers, we still have several games against Cleveland and Seattle has to battle Oakland/Anaheim. Dayton should be out there trying to wheel and deal for help to overtake these teams. His job should depend on it.

[C3HIEF3S]

Originally Posted by tk13

That's not homerism or optimism. It's 3.5 games. That's one good week of baseball. They had a hot week or two about a month ago and were in 1st place. If someone gives you a Samardzija type deal maybe you listen about Shields. I'm not sure that'll happen though. Trading Gordon or Hosmer or anyone else is crazy. It's basically throwing in the towel during a 4-5 football season when you're one game out of a WC spot.

Last year after 97 games this team was 5 games under, and 9 games out of a WC spot. This year they're 3.5 and there are less teams to hop... Toronto's come back to earth, the Yankees are missing two of their best pitchers, we still have several games against Cleveland and Seattle has to battle Oakland/Anaheim. Dayton should be out there trying to wheel and deal for help to overtake these teams. His job should depend on it.

Kaboom. Good post.
A lot of baseball left.

[Hootie]

Can't argue with that. I'd never trade Gordon. I'd make him walk. He's the type of guy we should dangle that 5 year, 90M extension in front of.

Shields is really the only guy I'm talking about.

That being said...if Dayton is trying to buy anything, he needs to buy some ****ing bats. Anything. The A's find shit off the scrap heap all of the time. They literally platoon every single player on that team...they find 5 catchers and convert them to everything. Stephen Vogt is a guy no one has ever heard of, is a catcher, absolutely rakes right handed pitching, and will play C, OF and 1B for that team.

Stephen ****ing Vogt.

Can we please find a few Stephen Vogts?

[tk13]

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

Kaboom. Good post.
A lot of baseball left.

I get the pessimism on here, that's fine...but that tweet from Morosi ticks me off. He makes it sound like there's some doubt within the Royals about whether they're buyers or sellers. Maybe that's not the case. When has a front office ever given up 3.5 games out of a playoff spot?

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by tk13

I get the pessimism on here, that's fine...but that tweet from Morosi ticks me off. He makes it sound like there's some doubt within the Royals about whether they're buyers or sellers. Maybe that's not the case. When has a front office ever given up 3.5 games out of a playoff spot?

CHI SOX

White flag trade of July 31, 1997

[lewdog]

Any of you guys who live in Phoenix want to hit the Royals here in early August (5/6/7)? We can get some cheap outfield seats for like $15! But really, I'll probably go to two games. Let me know.

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by tk13

This team is 3.5 games out of a playoff spot. If Dayton Moore is even thinking about selling he should be strung up outside the George Brett statue. This shouldn't even be a debate. If they go out and lose 5 or 6 of 7 this week though, it could be.

This team is done. They aren't magically going to start hitting. Time to sell Shields.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Our Time

well I knew we were done after the 1st inning when we gave up a run.

good thing I decided to golf instead of watch that snooze fest

I went to brunch, watched 5 hours of Open, then golfed myself this afternoon. At the turn I saw the tv was on the Royals: 6-0 in the 5th. I just laughed, bought a granola bar and an apple, and went back to something that makes me happy.


This shit franchise doesn't deserve any more of my time so unless they go on a 10-5 runner to get back in I'm out. I'm sure that'll make Duncan and Bundy happy. You guys can debate if they should trade Shields or not, but this GM tried to " swim upstream" with payroll hitting mid market status. And that'll change drastically next year.

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

Kaboom. Good post.
A lot of baseball left.

Until September, that's always true.

/béisbol

[Why Not?]

Originally Posted by lewdog

Any of you guys who live in Phoenix want to hit the Royals here in early August (5/6/7)? We can get some cheap outfield seats for like $15! But really, I'll probably go to two games. Let me know.

I'm out of town until the 7th but might be down that night. If these guys totally go in the shitter the next two weeks maybe not though.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Originally Posted by cmh6476

I'd almost rather fug a tranny than watch the royals anymore

Big Smoke would rather read a Deberg thread than watch em.

[Great Expectations]

Originally Posted by lewdog

TIME TO BE SELLERS

Time to see if Glass is telling the truth. Need a new Manager, and a new a GM to pick him.

[Hootie]

I'd sell Shields either way. If we can get a better return than whatever value a 30s pick is...I'd pull the trigger...yesterday.