Royals *** Official 2016 Royals Offseason Repository *** - Page 157

duncan_idaho · 09:49 AM

Well, folks, it has happened. The Royals stand triumphant, atop the heap of MLB.

In this thread, we'll track the action as Dayton Moore continues The Process and attempts to defend the long-awaited title.

Before we get to the meet of it, let's take a minute to reflect ... and say "I'm Sorry" to Dayton Moore.

We gave you hell. Many of us called for your head. But you were right. You got it done. Congratulations. Mea culpa.

Now, let's talk about the offseason:

LINK TO 2016-18 PAYROLL INFO COURTESY OF ROYALS REVIEW

The Royals will have a few priorities: Corner OF (x2) and 1 SP, IMO. The rest of the core is solid and will need little tweaking. Looking at the increase in ticket sales, merchandising, concessions, parking, etc., I think it's fair to assume the Royals GROSSED $100 million more this season, or close to it. That gives Glass and Dayton Moore much more flexibility on payroll for 2016 (hopefully).

First order of business will be gauging the Alex Gordon market. If he can be resigned for 4-5 years at around $75-80 million total, it would be hard for KC to pass on that. He's still an above-average corner OF bat, and the Royals will need to bring in at least one proven guy to play in a corner if Gordon walks... and the whole market looks a lot like Alex - guys in their early 30s looking for huge, final contracts.

Second order of business: Make a decision on Zobrist. It sounds like KC will pursue him aggressively. At 34, he's at risk of declining in a big way after a few years. If they could find someone to take on Omar Infante for eating 1/2 of his deal, that would be a great start to things.

If they decide not to spend on Zobrist, KC will need to cobble together some sort of plan for 2B/RF that involves some cheaper options like Orlando, Colon, Dyson, etc.

I could see them deciding his ability to provide great insurance at either 2B or in RF is worth the risk.

Third order of business: Add depth to the rotation with a FA SP. Duffy, Ventura, Volquez and Medlen are locks for 4 spots, it seems. Kyle Zimmer may finally be ready to make a MLB impact, but his innings will be limited. That means KC needs insurance. Will it kill two birds with one stone (and insure against Duffy/Ventura regression) by signing a more top-tier guy? Or does Moore look to Chris Young/someone like him for this depth?

Personally, I think Mike Leake would be a great fit with KC's defense and park, and I know Moore has long coveted him. He's still young - just 28 - and has succeeded in bandbox Cincinnati for years.

Ian Kennedy, Mat Latos, Marco Estrada, and Justin Masterson are some other names that may pique interest (a little further down the list).

Other than that, I don't think KC makes any major moves. Greg Holland will be interesting to observe, as they have one more year of control of him, and he will obviously miss all of that season. I wouldn't be surprised to see a pre-arbitration deal that pays him something like $15 million over the next two seasons, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him turned loose, period.

The bullpen will rest upon Wade Davis/Herrera/Hochevar, filling in pieces around them. Bringing Madson back wouldn't be a surprise, but he could get a big deal from another team that is willing to pay him as their top setup guy or even their closer.

I think the biggest prospects to watch in Spring Training will be:

1) Kyle Zimmer. The hype has built, died down, built again, etc. If he's healthy, he's filthy and a potential ToR arm. But what does he look like in ST, and how many innings can you reasonably expect from him if he does earn a rotation spot? It seems like 120-130 innings would be his limit unless they really stretch (or unless he has a lot of hidden innings from simulated games/extended spring training, which might push him to 150-160).

Having another cheap, home-grown pitcher would be a significant boon for this team as it tries to extend the competitive window (and potentially give KC a strong 1-2 to build its rotation around in Zimmer and Ventura)

2) Bubba Starling. I'm trying to remain skeptical, but I like what I hear about Bubba from this season, and the performance has picked up. If KC does not sign someone to fill the RF slot, I think that's a strong indication KC's front office believes Starling will be ready to contribute in 2016.

Dayton Moore has long said that when Starling's light flips on, it will happen quickly and burn brightly. Time will tell.

After his STRONG Arizona Fall League Performance, he shot up my prospect chart.

3) Miguel Almonte. His late-season stint out of the KC bullpen went poorly, but Almonte has a plus-plus changeup, a good fastball, and a decent curve ball. He may be the dark horse in the rotation competition, and unlike Zimmer, he's set up to pitch a full 180 inning season.

4) RA Mondesi. The only player to debut in the MLB World Series has incredible tools. He still needs to refine his game, but again... he may be KC's best cheap, plus alternative at a key position (2B). His defense would be a boon from Day 1, but he needs seasoning with the bat before he's asked to hold down 2B full time.

And, as always, here are the Prospects:

Duncan’s Top 20 for 2016:

Spoiler!

1. Raul Adalberto Mondesi, SS, BOTH: Tools, tools, tools. RA has tools galore. At his best, he’s an All-Star SS who plays elite D, hits 15-20 HR, swipes 40 bags, and is an ideal 1, 2 or 3 hitter. At his worst, I think he looks a lot like Alcides Escobar. Plate discipline is his biggest challenge at this point, but evaluators are confident that will come with time. Clear No. 1
2. Kyle Zimmer, RHP: He’s pitching again and staying healthy, which is nice. He’s pitcing out of the bullpen to build back his arm strength, which is less nice. But still has that high upside, just a lower floor now. Ideally, the team will use him as a bullpen weapon in September (because he has earned it) and then give him a chance to transition back to starting for 2016.
3. Bubba Starling, CF, RH: Starling has been up and down this year but put himself back on the map by greatly improving his K rate while also improving across the slash line as a hitter. His defense and baserunning are MLB ready; if Starling can work himself into a league average hitter, he can be a solid MLB regular who plays great D in CF while hitting 15 HR and swiping 20 bags.
4. Miguel Almonte, RHP: Still love the body, FB/CH combo. Results aren’t eye popping, but he’s still low enough and early enough in the development to prize those things over performance. Still a solid No. 3 starter upside, and just a year and some change away from potentially being ready to contribute at the MLB level.
5. Jorge Bonifacio, RF, RH: Emilio’s little brother got off to a horrible start in 2015 but has heated up as the season went on. He also is translating BP power to game power for the first time, with 15 HR just past the mid-way point of his season. Despite his disappointing 2014, he has a chance to build his way back into legit prospect status – and still is only 22. Next challenge for him should be Omaha, but that may wait for the start of the 2014 season.
6. Scott Blewett, RHP: Blewett has a nice two –pitch mix already and is off to a strong start. With his size (6-6) and a good fastball/curveball combo, Blewett could eventually turn into a good No. 3 starter, with a MLB-average changeup.
7. Nolan Watson, RHP: The Royals’ 2015 sandwich pick is a polished prep arm who is adding velocity and explosiveness to a good, polished base. Likely to move quickly.
8. Ashe Russell, RHP: The 2015 top pick probably needs more work than Watson, but the upside is really nice. Again, advanced two-pitch mix that will depend on him adding a changeup. Could be a very good NO. 2 if it all adds up.
9. Balbino Fuenmayor, 1B/DH, RH: The Balbino came out of basically nowhere in 2015 to earn a Futures Game spot. Big power and an improved two-strike approach have turned the late bloomer into a legit prospect. He’s blocked at the MLB level currently by Eric Hosmer and Kendrys Morales, but Fuenmayor’s combination of power hitting and good average/strike zone control makes him intriguing.
10. Cheslor Cuthbert, 3B, RH: Cheslor probably is not going to be the star KC was hoping for when signing him out of Nicaragua, but he does look like he can be a solid reserve for an MLB club. Good defense at 3B paired with a solid plate approach and some gap power plays fine off the bench. He becomes a lot more interesting if they think he can stick as a 2B, which they have experimented with.

Spoiler!

11. Chase Vallot, C/DH/1B: I really like Vallot’s power and plate discipline combo. His bat will probably force him from behind the plate, but he’s held his own despite being extremely young for every level he has faced.
12. Alfredo Escalera-Maldonado, OF, RH: Escalera-Maldonado earned a promotion to Wilmington at age 20, which is pretty advanced movement for that age. He’s an athletic outfielder who has shown some plate discipline at an early age, which is encouraging. Doesn’t sound like he can stick in CF long term for KC, but his bat has become one to watch.
13. Pedro Fernandez, RHP: I haven’t seen much of him, but like the reports I’ve heard on his fastball and general makeup. Could become the next Almonte/Mondesi, though he’s more likely to land in the pen than either of them.
14. Elier Hernandez, OF, RH: Elier Hernanez teamed with Escalera-Maldonado in breaking out at Low-A and earning a promotion to Wilmington. It’s still early for this guy – he is just 20 years old – but he doesn’t take walks and hasn’t developed the prodigious power many thought he had the potential for. Still worth watching.
15. Hunter Dozier, 3B, RH: Dozier is reworking his swing mid-season, which generally will cause production to do what his has done: Nose dive. The changes he made entering the season (seemingly geared towards increasing his power production) were a disaster, and now he’s trying to get back to what he used to be. Still looks great and checks most of the scouting boxes, but the performance hasn’t matched, and it almost knocked him out of the list.
16. Christian Binford, RHP: After a breakthrough 2014, Binford struggled mightily at AAA and suffered a demotion. His upside remains similar – a back-end starter who can eat innings – but Binford’s lack of velocity and reliance on command have caught up to him so far.
17. Marten Gasparini, OF, SH: Gasparini is intriguing because of his speed and athleticism. He’s a LOOOOONG ways from the majors and young for his level, but reports on his bat speed, swing, and speed remain positive enough to keep him on the bubble.
18. Eric Skoglund, LHP: Skoglund had a nice year at Wilmington. I'm skeptical because his K rate is lower than I like to see for a guy at A+ - just 7/9, and usually guys lose a strikeout or two/9 as they move up the chain from there - but he has excellent control, walking 1.17 batters/9. 6-7 lefties with great control who get lots of ground balls - like Skoglund - have a chance to overcome bad K rates.
19. Ryan O'Hearn, 1B/LF: A lefty stick with power, O'Hearn was a savings signing as an 8th round pick, but a change in his approach increased his power - while increasing his K rate. After Vallot, probably the best pure power prospect in the Royals system.
20. Josh Staumont, RHP: I was terrified of this guy's control problems, and he walked nearly a batter an inning in his pro debut (32 BB in 40 1/3 IP). Staumont's nasty, nasty stuff (plus-plus fastball, plus slider) could make him a very good late-inning reliever who strikes out more than a batter an inning, if he can develop average or slightly below-average control. If he really masters the control, you're talking about a potential Greg Holland type, but that's a TALL task.

**Anyong Bluth** · 01-06-2016, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

Bigger market dream job covering the overrated dodgers? Wonder who takes his place

If someone deserves it- he does. Kid's got talent. If he can be half as funny on camera as he is on twitter he could be a big talent.

I've heard that LA is a decent place to go if you have any interest on being on TV or some type of career in sports entertainment? That's the rumor at least.

okcchief · 01-07-2016, 12:25 AM

It's pretty much the same team that was running away with the division before Zobrist and Cueto arrived. I think they'll still have 90 win plus potential especially adding Kennedy. Zobrist is a big hit, but Orlando/Dyson is an upgrade.

I posted a few weeks back I thought Gordon waiting this long was a good sign. He didn't want to leave as I thought. It's a good deal for both sides. There's always a chance if we are sitting pretty they take a shot at some guys to fill some gaps. It's another year fielding a competitive baseball team so I'll take it.

Can't wait to see the defending World Champs in Spring Training

C3HIEF3S · 01-07-2016, 12:38 AM

The fact that I may be living in Lawrence come summertime will not be good for my bank account

. Would love to attend some games and meet some of the CP Royals guys this summer.

C3HIEF3S · 01-07-2016, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth

If someone deserves it- he does. Kid's got talent. If he can be half as funny on camera as he is on twitter he could be a big talent.

I've heard that LA is a decent place to go if you have any interest on being on TV or some type of career in sports entertainment? That's the rumor at least.

His relationship Ned was sure an interesting one. Ned loved to make fun of him. I am definitely going to miss Andy, but it didn't take very long for Royals fans to see his talent and suspect that he may be onto bigger and better things sooner than later. Whoever the KC Star hires in his place has some very big shoes to fill.

**Anyong Bluth** · 01-07-2016, 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

His relationship Ned was sure an interesting one. Ned loved to make fun of him. I am definitely going to miss Andy, but it didn't take very long for Royals fans to see his talent and suspect that he may be onto bigger and better things sooner than later. Whoever the KC Star hires in his place has some very big shoes to fill.

Definitely. To the Star's credit, I don't know if there's another paper in America that's churned out more quality sportswriters and columnists- certainly not over the last 30 years or so.

With respect to Andy, I had little doubt that a bigger market was in the cards for him, but I didn't foresee as quick a jump for him. The kid lucked out doubletime.

His 2 seasons covering back to back World Series, and I have little doubt that the Royals higher profile nationally put his work in the spotlight to get noticed that much faster.

Has Bob Dutton killed himself yet after abandoning team after ages just as they have their gigantic success in 3 decades?
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Bob's gruff and dry sense of humor, but you have to think part of this eats at him given how the team did right after he leaves the Royals beat.

C3HIEF3S · 01-07-2016, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth

Definitely. To the Star's credit, I don't know if there's another paper in America that's churned out more quality sportswriters and columnists- certainly not over the last 30 years or so.

With respect to Andy, I had little doubt that a bigger market was in the cards for him, but I didn't foresee as quick a jump for him. The kid lucked out doubletime.

His 2 seasons covering back to back World Series, and I have little doubt that the Royals higher profile nationally put his work in the spotlight to get noticed that much faster.

Has Bob Dutton killed himself yet after abandoning team after ages just as they have their gigantic success in 3 decades?
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Bob's gruff and dry sense of humor, but you have to think part of this eats at him given how the team did right after he leaves the Royals beat.

Good points re: Dutton. To make it worse for him is that he went to cover the Mariners. That team seemed like it was finally trending in the right direction after pouring money into Cano and finishing with 87 wins in 2014, only to fall into a crater from the get-go of 2015 and finish 10 games under .500. Talk about a career of writing for misery (at least for the last couple of decades.).

WhawhaWhat · 01-07-2016, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

His relationship Ned was sure an interesting one. Ned loved to make fun of him.

After Nate Bukaty left FSKC, Ned needed a new guy to make fun of every day. Andy took it all in stride. He is a great writer and while I think most are sad to see him go, we all understand why he's leaving.

Prison Bitch · 01-07-2016, 10:49 AM

FG: "Royals win again, keep Alex Gordon"
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/royal...p-alex-gordon/

2 interesting parts:

Obviously, he will age. He’s already started. Last year he stole just two bases, and he didn’t hit a triple. He’s unlikely to be an elite baserunner again, and he’s unlikely to maintain the extent of his defensive range in left field. But there are two things: one, Gordon shouldn’t hit the wall all of a sudden, and two, a lot of his defensive value is actually tied up in his arm, which has been the third-most valuable in the outfield of the past decade by both UZR and DRS.. I don’t know how outfield arms age, compared to range, but my sense is that they should age better....

We can do something really simple. The last four years, Gordon has been an outfielder worth 18.6 WAR. Over the last 30 years, there have been 23 outfielders worth something within 2.5 wins of that between the ages of 28-31. Between 32-35, those same outfielders averaged 12.5 WAR. These are just the simplest possible Gordon comps, but if you projected Gordon to be worth 12.5 WAR over the next four years, you’d expect him to sign a contract worth about $100 million.

**Anyong Bluth** · 01-07-2016, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

FG: "Royals win again, keep Alex Gordon"
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/royal...p-alex-gordon/

2 interesting parts:

Obviously, he will age. He’s already started. Last year he stole just two bases, and he didn’t hit a triple. He’s unlikely to be an elite baserunner again, and he’s unlikely to maintain the extent of his defensive range in left field. But there are two things: one, Gordon shouldn’t hit the wall all of a sudden, and two, a lot of his defensive value is actually tied up in his arm, which has been the third-most valuable in the outfield of the past decade by both UZR and DRS.. I don’t know how outfield arms age, compared to range, but my sense is that they should age better....

We can do something really simple. The last four years, Gordon has been an outfielder worth 18.6 WAR. Over the last 30 years, there have been 23 outfielders worth something within 2.5 wins of that between the ages of 28-31. Between 32-35, those same outfielders averaged 12.5 WAR. These are just the simplest possible Gordon comps, but if you projected Gordon to be worth 12.5 WAR over the next four years, you’d expect him to sign a contract worth about $100 million.

I'm actually optimistic about his level of defense remaining extremely high. Alex has never been speedy. He's fantastic at recognition of the the ball coming off the bat and judging the trajectory instantly. He wastes so few steps in getting position to play the ball. A slight decrease in speed is going to hamper catching up to a few balls maybe. When you have Cain or Dyson playing beside you, that significantly cuts down on the gaps that neither one of the 3 are outside their zone of coverage.

As for arm strength. It's a bit harder to tell because at this point guys aren't testing him. His assist numbers have been down for a while, and it's not because of diminished performance. Runners almost never challenge him, thus the opportunities for him to make those plays aren't there like they have been or are for other guys at his position.

**ChiTown** · 01-07-2016, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Lineup
Escobar
Gordon
Cain
Hosmer
Morales
Moose
Salvy
Infante/Colon
Dyson/Orlando

I'm completely down with 1-8, especially if Infante is healed up and "fixed". I hate, that's probably too strong, I strongly dislike having a rotation in the outfield between Dys and Orlando. I have no problem with those guys being our 4th and 5th OF'rs, but I really don't want to see either one of those guys as an everyday RF

Great Expectations · 01-07-2016, 02:31 PM

I'd rather see Eibner and Dyson platoon with Orlando as our 5th guy. Eibner has mashed lefties, he'd also have the most power in the lineup. His HR's that I saw in AZ last year were all no doubters. Rios his several, but while the ball was in the air I was never sure if they'd get out. Eibner's were crushed.

ChiefsCountry · 01-07-2016, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiTown

I'm completely down with 1-8, especially if Infante is healed up and "fixed". I hate, that's probably too strong, I strongly dislike having a rotation in the outfield between Dys and Orlando. I have no problem with those guys being our 4th and 5th OF'rs, but I really don't want to see either one of those guys as an everyday RF

Get us to the trade deadline and then try to deal for a rent a bat for the postseason stretch.

okcchief · 01-07-2016, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth

I'm actually optimistic about his level of defense remaining extremely high. Alex has never been speedy. He's fantastic at recognition of the the ball coming off the bat and judging the trajectory instantly. He wastes so few steps in getting position to play the ball. A slight decrease in speed is going to hamper catching up to a few balls maybe. When you have Cain or Dyson playing beside you, that significantly cuts down on the gaps that neither one of the 3 are outside their zone of coverage.

As for arm strength. It's a bit harder to tell because at this point guys aren't testing him. His assist numbers have been down for a while, and it's not because of diminished performance. Runners almost never challenge him, thus the opportunities for him to make those plays aren't there like they have been or are for other guys at his position.

He made an incredible throw in game 3 of the ALDS. I believe was Carter trying to stretch out a double. He's still got a gun.

Prison Bitch · 01-07-2016, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth

I'm actually optimistic about his level of defense remaining extremely high. Alex has never been speedy. He's fantastic at recognition of the the ball coming off the bat and judging the trajectory instantly. He wastes so few steps in getting position to play the ball. A slight decrease in speed is going to hamper catching up to a few balls maybe. When you have Cain or Dyson playing beside you, that significantly cuts down on the gaps that neither one of the 3 are outside their zone of coverage.

As for arm strength. It's a bit harder to tell because at this point guys aren't testing him. His assist numbers have been down for a while, and it's not because of diminished performance. Runners almost never challenge him, thus the opportunities for him to make those plays aren't there like they have been or are for other guys at his position.

That's why I read these write-ups and study the data: I would never guess it was his arm that was so valuable. I see him sliding into foul ground, running back to the alleys and jumping over the walls into the crowd and thought that was his value. I was guessing his speed decline would hurt his game severely.......but it appears the data says I'm wrong.

Net: he can probably go .250-10-70 with declining defense and still earn 2 WAR/yr. that's his floor, barring injury. This contract probably will work out.

**Dartgod** · 01-07-2016, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

That's why I read these write-ups and study the data: I would never guess it was his arm that was so valuable. I see him sliding into foul ground, running back to the alleys and jumping over the walls into the crowd and thought that was his value. I was guessing his speed decline would hurt his game severely.......but it appears the data says I'm wrong.

Net: he can probably go .250-10-70 with declining defense and still earn 2 WAR/yr. that's his floor, barring injury. This contract probably will work out.

Dayton Moore is extremely happy you approve.

11-02-2015, 05:00 PM
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $1210308	* Official 2016 Royals Offseason Repository * Well, folks, it has happened. The Royals stand triumphant, atop the heap of MLB. In this thread, we'll track the action as Dayton Moore continues The Process and attempts to defend the long-awaited title. Before we get to the meet of it, let's take a minute to reflect ... and say "I'm Sorry" to Dayton Moore. We gave you hell. Many of us called for your head. But you were right. You got it done. Congratulations. Mea culpa. Now, let's talk about the offseason: LINK TO 2016-18 PAYROLL INFO COURTESY OF ROYALS REVIEW The Royals will have a few priorities: Corner OF (x2) and 1 SP, IMO. The rest of the core is solid and will need little tweaking. Looking at the increase in ticket sales, merchandising, concessions, parking, etc., I think it's fair to assume the Royals GROSSED $100 million more this season, or close to it. That gives Glass and Dayton Moore much more flexibility on payroll for 2016 (hopefully). First order of business will be gauging the Alex Gordon market. If he can be resigned for 4-5 years at around $75-80 million total, it would be hard for KC to pass on that. He's still an above-average corner OF bat, and the Royals will need to bring in at least one proven guy to play in a corner if Gordon walks... and the whole market looks a lot like Alex - guys in their early 30s looking for huge, final contracts. Second order of business: Make a decision on Zobrist. It sounds like KC will pursue him aggressively. At 34, he's at risk of declining in a big way after a few years. If they could find someone to take on Omar Infante for eating 1/2 of his deal, that would be a great start to things. If they decide not to spend on Zobrist, KC will need to cobble together some sort of plan for 2B/RF that involves some cheaper options like Orlando, Colon, Dyson, etc. I could see them deciding his ability to provide great insurance at either 2B or in RF is worth the risk. Third order of business: Add depth to the rotation with a FA SP. Duffy, Ventura, Volquez and Medlen are locks for 4 spots, it seems. Kyle Zimmer may finally be ready to make a MLB impact, but his innings will be limited. That means KC needs insurance. Will it kill two birds with one stone (and insure against Duffy/Ventura regression) by signing a more top-tier guy? Or does Moore look to Chris Young/someone like him for this depth? Personally, I think Mike Leake would be a great fit with KC's defense and park, and I know Moore has long coveted him. He's still young - just 28 - and has succeeded in bandbox Cincinnati for years. Ian Kennedy, Mat Latos, Marco Estrada, and Justin Masterson are some other names that may pique interest (a little further down the list). Other than that, I don't think KC makes any major moves. Greg Holland will be interesting to observe, as they have one more year of control of him, and he will obviously miss all of that season. I wouldn't be surprised to see a pre-arbitration deal that pays him something like $15 million over the next two seasons, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him turned loose, period. The bullpen will rest upon Wade Davis/Herrera/Hochevar, filling in pieces around them. Bringing Madson back wouldn't be a surprise, but he could get a big deal from another team that is willing to pay him as their top setup guy or even their closer. I think the biggest prospects to watch in Spring Training will be: 1) Kyle Zimmer. The hype has built, died down, built again, etc. If he's healthy, he's filthy and a potential ToR arm. But what does he look like in ST, and how many innings can you reasonably expect from him if he does earn a rotation spot? It seems like 120-130 innings would be his limit unless they really stretch (or unless he has a lot of hidden innings from simulated games/extended spring training, which might push him to 150-160). Having another cheap, home-grown pitcher would be a significant boon for this team as it tries to extend the competitive window (and potentially give KC a strong 1-2 to build its rotation around in Zimmer and Ventura) 2) Bubba Starling. I'm trying to remain skeptical, but I like what I hear about Bubba from this season, and the performance has picked up. If KC does not sign someone to fill the RF slot, I think that's a strong indication KC's front office believes Starling will be ready to contribute in 2016. Dayton Moore has long said that when Starling's light flips on, it will happen quickly and burn brightly. Time will tell. After his STRONG Arizona Fall League Performance, he shot up my prospect chart. 3) Miguel Almonte. His late-season stint out of the KC bullpen went poorly, but Almonte has a plus-plus changeup, a good fastball, and a decent curve ball. He may be the dark horse in the rotation competition, and unlike Zimmer, he's set up to pitch a full 180 inning season. 4) RA Mondesi. The only player to debut in the MLB World Series has incredible tools. He still needs to refine his game, but again... he may be KC's best cheap, plus alternative at a key position (2B). His defense would be a boon from Day 1, but he needs seasoning with the bat before he's asked to hold down 2B full time. And, as always, here are the Prospects: Duncan’s Top 20 for 2016: Spoiler! 1. Raul Adalberto Mondesi, SS, BOTH: Tools, tools, tools. RA has tools galore. At his best, he’s an All-Star SS who plays elite D, hits 15-20 HR, swipes 40 bags, and is an ideal 1, 2 or 3 hitter. At his worst, I think he looks a lot like Alcides Escobar. Plate discipline is his biggest challenge at this point, but evaluators are confident that will come with time. Clear No. 1 2. Kyle Zimmer, RHP: He’s pitching again and staying healthy, which is nice. He’s pitcing out of the bullpen to build back his arm strength, which is less nice. But still has that high upside, just a lower floor now. Ideally, the team will use him as a bullpen weapon in September (because he has earned it) and then give him a chance to transition back to starting for 2016. 3. Bubba Starling, CF, RH: Starling has been up and down this year but put himself back on the map by greatly improving his K rate while also improving across the slash line as a hitter. His defense and baserunning are MLB ready; if Starling can work himself into a league average hitter, he can be a solid MLB regular who plays great D in CF while hitting 15 HR and swiping 20 bags. 4. Miguel Almonte, RHP: Still love the body, FB/CH combo. Results aren’t eye popping, but he’s still low enough and early enough in the development to prize those things over performance. Still a solid No. 3 starter upside, and just a year and some change away from potentially being ready to contribute at the MLB level. 5. Jorge Bonifacio, RF, RH: Emilio’s little brother got off to a horrible start in 2015 but has heated up as the season went on. He also is translating BP power to game power for the first time, with 15 HR just past the mid-way point of his season. Despite his disappointing 2014, he has a chance to build his way back into legit prospect status – and still is only 22. Next challenge for him should be Omaha, but that may wait for the start of the 2014 season. 6. Scott Blewett, RHP: Blewett has a nice two –pitch mix already and is off to a strong start. With his size (6-6) and a good fastball/curveball combo, Blewett could eventually turn into a good No. 3 starter, with a MLB-average changeup. 7. Nolan Watson, RHP: The Royals’ 2015 sandwich pick is a polished prep arm who is adding velocity and explosiveness to a good, polished base. Likely to move quickly. 8. Ashe Russell, RHP: The 2015 top pick probably needs more work than Watson, but the upside is really nice. Again, advanced two-pitch mix that will depend on him adding a changeup. Could be a very good NO. 2 if it all adds up. 9. Balbino Fuenmayor, 1B/DH, RH: The Balbino came out of basically nowhere in 2015 to earn a Futures Game spot. Big power and an improved two-strike approach have turned the late bloomer into a legit prospect. He’s blocked at the MLB level currently by Eric Hosmer and Kendrys Morales, but Fuenmayor’s combination of power hitting and good average/strike zone control makes him intriguing. 10. Cheslor Cuthbert, 3B, RH: Cheslor probably is not going to be the star KC was hoping for when signing him out of Nicaragua, but he does look like he can be a solid reserve for an MLB club. Good defense at 3B paired with a solid plate approach and some gap power plays fine off the bench. He becomes a lot more interesting if they think he can stick as a 2B, which they have experimented with. Spoiler! 11. Chase Vallot, C/DH/1B: I really like Vallot’s power and plate discipline combo. His bat will probably force him from behind the plate, but he’s held his own despite being extremely young for every level he has faced. 12. Alfredo Escalera-Maldonado, OF, RH: Escalera-Maldonado earned a promotion to Wilmington at age 20, which is pretty advanced movement for that age. He’s an athletic outfielder who has shown some plate discipline at an early age, which is encouraging. Doesn’t sound like he can stick in CF long term for KC, but his bat has become one to watch. 13. Pedro Fernandez, RHP: I haven’t seen much of him, but like the reports I’ve heard on his fastball and general makeup. Could become the next Almonte/Mondesi, though he’s more likely to land in the pen than either of them. 14. Elier Hernandez, OF, RH: Elier Hernanez teamed with Escalera-Maldonado in breaking out at Low-A and earning a promotion to Wilmington. It’s still early for this guy – he is just 20 years old – but he doesn’t take walks and hasn’t developed the prodigious power many thought he had the potential for. Still worth watching. 15. Hunter Dozier, 3B, RH: Dozier is reworking his swing mid-season, which generally will cause production to do what his has done: Nose dive. The changes he made entering the season (seemingly geared towards increasing his power production) were a disaster, and now he’s trying to get back to what he used to be. Still looks great and checks most of the scouting boxes, but the performance hasn’t matched, and it almost knocked him out of the list. 16. Christian Binford, RHP: After a breakthrough 2014, Binford struggled mightily at AAA and suffered a demotion. His upside remains similar – a back-end starter who can eat innings – but Binford’s lack of velocity and reliance on command have caught up to him so far. 17. Marten Gasparini, OF, SH: Gasparini is intriguing because of his speed and athleticism. He’s a LOOOOONG ways from the majors and young for his level, but reports on his bat speed, swing, and speed remain positive enough to keep him on the bubble. 18. Eric Skoglund, LHP: Skoglund had a nice year at Wilmington. I'm skeptical because his K rate is lower than I like to see for a guy at A+ - just 7/9, and usually guys lose a strikeout or two/9 as they move up the chain from there - but he has excellent control, walking 1.17 batters/9. 6-7 lefties with great control who get lots of ground balls - like Skoglund - have a chance to overcome bad K rates. 19. Ryan O'Hearn, 1B/LF: A lefty stick with power, O'Hearn was a savings signing as an 8th round pick, but a change in his approach increased his power - while increasing his K rate. After Vallot, probably the best pure power prospect in the Royals system. 20. Josh Staumont, RHP: I was terrified of this guy's control problems, and he walked nearly a batter an inning in his pro debut (32 BB in 40 1/3 IP). Staumont's nasty, nasty stuff (plus-plus fastball, plus slider) could make him a very good late-inning reliever who strikes out more than a batter an inning, if he can develop average or slightly below-average control. If he really masters the control, you're talking about a potential Greg Holland type, but that's a TALL task. Last edited by duncan_idaho; 11-17-2015 at 09:49 AM..
Posts: 21,199

01-07-2016, 12:25 AM	#2342
okcchief MVP Join Date: Jul 2008 Casino cash: $9849890	It's pretty much the same team that was running away with the division before Zobrist and Cueto arrived. I think they'll still have 90 win plus potential especially adding Kennedy. Zobrist is a big hit, but Orlando/Dyson is an upgrade. I posted a few weeks back I thought Gordon waiting this long was a good sign. He didn't want to leave as I thought. It's a good deal for both sides. There's always a chance if we are sitting pretty they take a shot at some guys to fill some gaps. It's another year fielding a competitive baseball team so I'll take it. Can't wait to see the defending World Champs in Spring Training
Posts: 6,703

01-07-2016, 12:38 AM	#2343
C3HIEF3S Let's Get Weird Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Austin Casino cash: $9990098	The fact that I may be living in Lawrence come summertime will not be good for my bank account . Would love to attend some games and meet some of the CP Royals guys this summer.
Posts: 15,229

01-07-2016, 10:49 AM	#2348
Prison Bitch Rabbi Goldmann Join Date: Nov 2012 Casino cash: $5450159	FG: "Royals win again, keep Alex Gordon" http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/royal...p-alex-gordon/ 2 interesting parts: Obviously, he will age. He’s already started. Last year he stole just two bases, and he didn’t hit a triple. He’s unlikely to be an elite baserunner again, and he’s unlikely to maintain the extent of his defensive range in left field. But there are two things: one, Gordon shouldn’t hit the wall all of a sudden, and two, a lot of his defensive value is actually tied up in his arm, which has been the third-most valuable in the outfield of the past decade by both UZR and DRS.. I don’t know how outfield arms age, compared to range, but my sense is that they should age better.... We can do something really simple. The last four years, Gordon has been an outfielder worth 18.6 WAR. Over the last 30 years, there have been 23 outfielders worth something within 2.5 wins of that between the ages of 28-31. Between 32-35, those same outfielders averaged 12.5 WAR. These are just the simplest possible Gordon comps, but if you projected Gordon to be worth 12.5 WAR over the next four years, you’d expect him to sign a contract worth about $100 million.
Posts: 87,025

01-07-2016, 02:31 PM	#2351
Great Expectations MVP Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Joplin, MO Casino cash: $13252338	I'd rather see Eibner and Dyson platoon with Orlando as our 5th guy. Eibner has mashed lefties, he'd also have the most power in the lineup. His HR's that I saw in AZ last year were all no doubters. Rios his several, but while the ball was in the air I was never sure if they'd get out. Eibner's were crushed. __________________
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