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.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by Valiant

S
The trade still is a wash, if Butler/Moose/Hosmer would have showed up this season we would be a playoff team.

This doesn't make sense to me. Yeah, we would be a playoff team. Certainly not because of James Shields, though. He's pitched like a solid #3 pitcher this year, or perhaps a #4 on many staffs.

I don't hate James Shields. He's a good 2/3 that eats a lot of innings and I love how he competes.

What I don't love is the fact we gave the Rays a 300% markup for this guy.

I mean, you have to look at the opportunity cost, as well. We pay Shields/Davis around 17M this year (that's a ballpark guess I don't feel like looking up actual salaries). The Rays pay Odorizzi/Myers around 1M this year.

If we kept our two prospects, what could we have spent that 16M on? Nelson Cruz? Ervin Santana for another year?

Shit, we could've kept Will Smith who is having a hell of a year as a setup guy in Milwaukee and not have even missed the emergence of Wade Davis, either.

I mean...I understand being a GM is not easy and there is going to be all sorts of missteps...

but good lord...Dayton has done everything wrong for 2 straight years now.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

It's SIX years of Myers, and two have already been burned. He better turn it around quickly in order to make it work. Shields will finish over 7 WAR for us and Myers is at 2.5 WAR for them. There's absolutely no guarantee he'll out-do Shields but even if he does, it'll have taken him much longer to do so.


People need to seriously consider present value for WAR anyway. 7 WAR in two seasons is worth way more than 10 WAR in five. It's like those people who still think we "won" the Greinke trade just because Cain-Escobar play here forever and eventually outdo Greinke's WAR in MIlwaukee. It's just terrible math.


Smart teams, like Milwaukee, just traded him off in year 2 and got a good SS in return. And already have CF covered via their system. They don't even need Cain or Escobar. If they can do it so can we. If we produce a decent RF (and we did last year in WAR value) then Myers is irrelevant.

Other than his April and May of 2013, Jean Segura has really not been a "good SS." Those months: .358/.397/.554 (8 HR, 6 2B, 5 3B in 204 ABs). Since that point: .248/.281/.340 (8 HR, 23 2B, 11 3B in 750 ABs)

And it's not like he's a great defender that carries his value with his glove. He's adequate at SS but not a standout defender.

[Hootie]

Segura looks to like he's going to turn into a flash in the pan type of player.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Hootie 2.0

PB, I realize everyone here thinks you're a moron....

Lol

[Hootie]

I mean, you're not making a very good case in your James Shields/Wil Myers trade analysis...that's for certain.

[Prison Bitch]

You've essentially turned hysterical, prob why you can't see any other angles to an argument. But again, I really couldn't care less what you think of my opinions. Fan graphs data backs up my assertions so I don't need "hootie 2.0" to grade my papers.


On a different note, it's funny how Myers is never brought up any more. Obv he's been hurt all year but its all we heard last year. And this one? Nothing. Nobody expected that, but then nobody expected Moose-Hos to suck this late into their career either.

[Hootie]

last year Wil Myers had a 2.5 WAR in a half season with the Rays with a .832 OPS

no one on the Royals has an .OPS over .800 last I looked

extrapolate Myers' numbers over the course of a whole year and he had a higher WAR than James Shields in 2013

so we can call Shields/Myers a 2013 wash

and now Odorizzi/Shields is a 2014 wash

so hopefully Wade Davis (is still a Royal??) in 2015 has a WAR close to 10 or we're ****ed!!!

you know...since TB still has like 4 years service time out of both Myers and Odorizzi

GOOD TRADE THOUGH

[Hootie]

we can probably add Jeff Francoeur's negative WAR into this equation in 2013, and than Aoki's (too an extent) in 2014...and even Wade Davis' shit 2013 season as well.

we got all sorts of ****ed in this trade

I can't even imagine why anyone would try and spin it otherwise.

It's not hard to say something like:

"Gee, I really do like James Shields. Wade Davis has really surprised me this year and I think he can be an elite closer. However, boy did we get totally ass raped by the Rays in that trade!"

[Prison Bitch]

Myers is hurt this year so 2014 would still require a RF. Aoki sucks but nobody is saying otherwise. Regardless Myers would not be out there.

2013 we had Frenchy-Lough-Dyson give us ~4 WAR out there so not sure where you're going there either. In both years Myers wouldn't have impacted our team had he stayed.

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Thoughts on trade:

I talked to one of my guys last night and did not hear very many positive things about Valencia. Between his poor defense and poor attitude (It sounds like he wore out his welcome here very quickly, just like everywhere else he has played), they were looking to move him regardless.

Apparently Kratz is a Mennonite... but a Mennonite with good power who should be a solid backup catcher. So the Royals probably got better at one bench spot (C) at the expense of another.

Hendriks is probably a AAAA pitcher, but it does provide some rotation depth (better option than some of the guys at Omaha if they need a spot start).

Ultimately, though, I think this move is about the Royals' terrible roster construction. Swapping Colon for Valencia gives KC another guy on the roster who can at least legitimately play SS and gives them a chance to give Escobar a break, which he needs (don't think it's any surprise he's been slipping a bit at the plate and in the field... those are signs of either carelessness or weariness, and I'd place my money on the latter).

Hopefully, the Royals are bright enough to use Colon at 3B against LHP, but it's the Royals, so...

Do you think the Royals place too much emphasis on clubhouse, chemistry, attitude? Is that one reason we have the cliqueish Hosmer/Moose atmosphere where everybody's supposed to feel good about themselves and live by the power of positive thinking?

Valencia crushes LHP and is a good platoon partner for Moose, who is worthless vs. lefties. Yet we dump him, allegedly because he's a cancer, and keep Ibanez, who brings nothing to the table, because Raul is a good teammate.

Now, maybe Colon will be a good platoon partner with Moose (he WAS mashing lefties in AAA). I HOPE they at least try to platoon him with Moose; I'm skeered that they believe "Moose is fixed" and therefore warrants more ABs vs. LHP, despite zero evidence that he can or has ever hit them worth a crap.

But we basically broke up a decent platoon (while boosting a WC rival's platoon situation) and got virtually nothing in return -- AAA depth and a backup C who might not get 50 ABs the rest of the way. When we could've just cut Ibanez and brought Colon up.

Was Valencia THAT BAD in the clubhouse? A.J. Pierzynski bad? Or do Moore/Yost have a too-low tolerance for different personalities?

[Hootie]

that's nonsense

duncan said a few posts ago that Odorizzi never would have developed that pitch had he stayed in KC.

so we can't speak like Myers would have been injured had he never been traded

of course, using that logic...we can only assume Myers would have hit about .190 with 10 HR's like the rest of our "all-star" prospects!!

this STILL does not discount the fact that we got ass raped by the Tampa Bay [Devil] Rays in that trade.

any time you can pay a 300% markup to get James Shields (and not even David Price) you gotta do it!!

I can't wait until the 2015 All-Star game! Wil Myers and Jake Odorizzi will represent the Rays.

But don't worry, our closer Wade Davis will represent the Royals and Prison Bitch will point his fingers and say, "see! see! and Shields led us to two winning seasons!!!!!!"

haha

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Do you think the Royals place too much emphasis on clubhouse, chemistry, attitude? Is that one reason we have the cliqueish Hosmer/Moose atmosphere where everybody's supposed to feel good about themselves and live by the power of positive thinking?

Valencia crushes LHP and is a good platoon partner for Moose, who is worthless vs. lefties. Yet we dump him, allegedly because he's a cancer, and keep Ibanez, who brings nothing to the table, because Raul is a good teammate.

Now, maybe Colon will be a good platoon partner with Moose (he WAS mashing lefties in AAA). I HOPE they at least try to platoon him with Moose; I'm skeered that they believe "Moose is fixed" and therefore warrants more ABs vs. LHP, despite zero evidence that he can or has ever hit them worth a crap.

But we basically broke up a decent platoon (while boosting a WC rival's platoon situation) and got virtually nothing in return -- AAA depth and a backup C who might not get 50 ABs the rest of the way. When we could've just cut Ibanez and brought Colon up.

Was Valencia THAT BAD in the clubhouse? A.J. Pierzynski bad? Or do Moore/Yost have a too-low tolerance for different personalities?

Yes. I think it's yet another one of those old school things the Royals "brain trust" (and I use that term loosely at this point) thinks is important but really doesn't effing matter.

I think the goal with this move was to improve at several backup spots (2B, SS, C) at the expense of one. I suspect they think Colon can handle what Valencia was doing at 3B, and do so without being a pain in the ass.

It's a weird move if they don't make another one, and I agree that Ibanez should have simply been cut to bring up Colon.

[Three7s]

I was listening to the Border Patrol in 810 this morning, and they kept assuming that Moose would be playing against LHP, saying it was a stupid idea. Guess those boneheads forgot Colon's played 3rd before.

[duncan_idaho]

A smart team would be planning to use Colon as the reserve at 3B...

Of course, the Royals rarely act like a smart team, so they may be right about Moustakas.

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by Hootie 2.0

This doesn't make sense to me. Yeah, we would be a playoff team. Certainly not because of James Shields, though. He's pitched like a solid #3 pitcher this year, or perhaps a #4 on many staffs.

I don't hate James Shields. He's a good 2/3 that eats a lot of innings and I love how he competes.

What I don't love is the fact we gave the Rays a 300% markup for this guy.

I mean, you have to look at the opportunity cost, as well. We pay Shields/Davis around 17M this year (that's a ballpark guess I don't feel like looking up actual salaries). The Rays pay Odorizzi/Myers around 1M this year.

If we kept our two prospects, what could we have spent that 16M on? Nelson Cruz? Ervin Santana for another year?

Shit, we could've kept Will Smith who is having a hell of a year as a setup guy in Milwaukee and not have even missed the emergence of Wade Davis, either.

I mean...I understand being a GM is not easy and there is going to be all sorts of missteps...

but good lord...Dayton has done everything wrong for 2 straight years now.

Our pitching staff would not be this good without shields. He gave those pitchers valuable insight and is a leader. The guys we traded more than likely would of never became better here since we would not have had the leadership.

Only thing that would not of happened, we would not of sent myers down for sucking or for very long. And knowing our coaching odorrizi would be bullpen to get Chen more starts.

Th a t is how shit works for the royals.

I hated the trade at first, but backed off a lot once the way our other pitchers became. Hell, I would try and sign shields for 2 years if we get a good deal. He is a better coach than the actual one for pitchers.