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.

[TEX]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

"I'm getting the same results from $92M that I got from $60M..." /Glass

When you start thinking like this, the payroll and record goes the other direction and usually stays there for awhile.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by BWillie

I wouldn't invest in the team either if I was Glass. You put together + .500 team, last year, and attendance DOESNT go up. Strictly from a business perspective, why would he continue to think increased spending and winning would make him more profitable? It's easy to spend 30m, lose 100 games, still get ppl to come out to and watch the futility while cutting your cost.

Attendance is not just a faucet that can be turned on and off. Winning just a little bit doesn't turn it back on full blast.

The Royals were epicly terrible for 15+ years before last season, one fluke year aside in 2003. That drives attendance down (and season ticket sales).

The Royals had a absolutely horrible month of May that squashed a lot of expectations quickly. They eventually dug out of that whole, but June and July attendance suffered because of that hole.

From a business perspective, there are tons of examples of sports teams that make money by spending money. There's one in this city, in fact.

Who knows what Glass will do? I certainly didn't expect payroll to increase this much this year, and he has been surprising many with his willingness to spend since Moore got here. Part of me thinks he would look at handing over a record payroll to a GM who had been here for a LONG time and not gotten it done, and maybe say "It's time to go a different direction."

Moore has wheedled a lot more money out of Glass and co. over the years, with nothing to show for it. He'll either see that as a sign Moore must go or as a sign that spending money is worthless.

It's the ROyals, so it likely would be the latter.

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by BWillie

I wouldn't invest in the team either if I was Glass. You put together + .500 team, last year, and attendance DOESNT go up. Strictly from a business perspective, why would he continue to think increased spending and winning would make him more profitable? It's easy to spend 30m, lose 100 games, still get ppl to come out to and watch the futility while cutting your cost.

Eat a bowl of AIDS.

[gblowfish]

You know, if we throw pitching out of the mix, the only player I think that has improved so far this year is Escobar. He's been clutch on defense, he's hit better, done OK in the number two hole when Omar was out. He's maturing as a real major league shortstop both on offense and defense.

Around the horn otherwise:

Hosmer: His defense has always been good. No home run power. None. Hits a lot of doubles, still has a big looping swing.

Omar: Good when he's healthy. Getting hit in the face pretty much derailed his first two months.

Moose: Enjoy the world class zoo in Omaha, you pop up machine.

Gordon: Great defense again this year, inconsistent at the plate. Not as bad as Hosmer and Billay, spotty power but too few and far between.

LoCain: Flashes of brilliance on defense. Can't play more than four weeks or so without getting hurt. Has to stay healthy to be a factor. So far, missed too many games. Doesn't hit for much power either as an outfielder.

Aoki: Can't hit much on the road, poorest fielder and arm of all our outfielders. Dink, slap, Texas league hitter. At least he'll take a walk, but he hasn't been as good of a leadoff guy as Alex Gordon.

Salvie: His defense hasn't been as good this year. Pass balls, wild throws, etc. But he calls a great game and is light years better than whatever #2 guy they throw in there. Injury bug again this year. Banged and bruised up because he's a big guy and big target behind the plate. Batting average has waivered around .250. He should hit for more power too. He's been hitting into DPs more often lately.

Belly: He's fat. He's slow. He doesn't walk as much as last year. He has the same, weak ass warning track power. A lot of last years doubles are singles this year because he's too damn fat to make it to second. He looks like a 40 year old Harmon Killebrew, and he's not even 30 yet. I was hoping he'd be the Royals version of Jim Thome, but he's more like a current version of Bob Hamelin. Hell, I bet a 40 year old Hammer could have hit more than one home run by now. And probably wouldn't have hit into as many DP's either.

Looks like another .500 season, if the pitching doesn't implode.

[BeMyValentine]

Anything on Ventura yet?

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth

My preference would be David and Dan Glass and anyone else related that could take over ownership.

I don't know why people give Glass so much shit. Compared to Clark Hunt, Glass is more of a baseball guy than Clark Hunt is a football guy. You guys may all mock David but his heart is in the game. He could easily optimize his earning potential by not increasing payroll, he's shown a willingness to increase spending. He moved AA closer to his house so he could attend some games. More than you can say than Clark Hunt at least, a soccer guy posing as a football man, who would gladly give up the Chiefs if he could land a Champions League team in Europe. Glass is a baseball fan who is from the midwest, and owns his favorite team.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Glass is a baseball fan who is from the midwest, and owns his favorite team.

When did Glass buy the Cardinals?

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by BWillie

I don't know why people give Glass so much shit. Compared to Clark Hunt, Glass is more of a baseball guy than Clark Hunt is a football guy. You guys may all mock David but his heart is in the game. He could easily optimize his earning potential by not increasing payroll, he's shown a willingness to increase spending. He moved AA closer to his house so he could attend some games. More than you can say than Clark Hunt at least, a soccer guy posing as a football man, who would gladly give up the Chiefs if he could land a Champions League team in Europe. Glass is a baseball fan who is from the midwest, and owns his favorite team.

What World are you living in?

[KevB]

Originally Posted by BWillie

I don't know why people give Glass so much shit. Compared to Clark Hunt, Glass is more of a baseball guy than Clark Hunt is a football guy. You guys may all mock David but his heart is in the game. He could easily optimize his earning potential by not increasing payroll, he's shown a willingness to increase spending. He moved AA closer to his house so he could attend some games. More than you can say than Clark Hunt at least, a soccer guy posing as a football man, who would gladly give up the Chiefs if he could land a Champions League team in Europe. Glass is a baseball fan who is from the midwest, and owns his favorite team.

I don't think people give him a hard time much anymore? The last 3/4 years or so, he's probably done as much as you could expect of a small market owner. It's the previous decade+ that he gets killed for, and rightfully so.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by KevB

I don't think people give him a hard time much anymore? The last 3/4 years or so, he's probably done as much as you could expect of a small market owner. It's the previous decade+ that he gets killed for, and rightfully so.

I think the Oakland A's prove otherwise

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by KevB

I don't think people give him a hard time much anymore? The last 3/4 years or so, he's probably done as much as you could expect of a small market owner. It's the previous decade+ that he gets killed for, and rightfully so.

19. Kansas City Royals $92,034,345
20. Chicago White Sox $91,159,254
21. San Diego Padres $90,094,196
22. NY Mets $89,051,758
23. Chicago Cubs $89,007,857
24. Minnesota Twins $85,776,500
25. Oakland A's $83,401,400
26. Cleveland Indians $82,534,800
27. Pittsburgh Pirates $78,111,667
28. Tampa Bay Rays $77,062,891
29. Miami Marlins $47,565,400
30. Houston Astros $44,544,174

[sedated]

Originally Posted by BWillie

2012 Royals Attendance 21,748
2013 Royals Attendance 21,614
2014 Royals Attendance 20,676

Team gets better, less people go. I think it's safe to say this down doesn't give two shits about the Royals anymore.

The epic face-plant in May 2013 took the air out of that season. The utter mediocrity following such high expectations in 2014 have taken the air out of this season. If KC was leading Detroit by 7 games, the fans be there.

Also, fans like offense. This team is frustratingly bad.

[C3HIEF3S]

GMDM on MLB network radio says that Ventura will only miss one start.

[ChiefsCountry]

610 said Ventura looks to be out one start.

[WhawhaWhat]

So I Shotgunned A Beer And Went To Bed Lineup: Aoki 9, Infante 4, Hosmer 3, Butler DH, Gordon 7, Perez 2, Cain 8, Escobar 6, Paredes 5.

— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) May 27, 2014