Royals *** Official Royals Repository, Part 4 *** - Page 202

duncan_idaho · 10:46 PM

In this thread: All things related to the AL Champions.

Duncan's Official Team Record prediction: 90 wins
One month in: Looking strong
All Star Break: Looking strong, probably should adjust up to 93-94 wins.
Duncan's Official Team MVP prediction: Eric Hosmer
One month in: Upstaged by his best friend MIKE MOOTACOS, MAN. Tell us bout your hittin, bro!
All Star Break: Lorenzo Cain starting to run away with this one.

Division Preview
Clearly, overlooking the Twins was a mistake at this point. I still don't believe in that team long-term, but they're starting to get that Magic Season twinkle about them.

Detroit is toast. Garbage rotation beyond Price and Sanchez, Miggy out.

And Cleveland... Cleveland still is dangerous if it ever clicks offensively, because the starting pitching is good enough for them to real off a 15-5 stretch and get right back into the playoff picture.

The Royals will be a division winner IF ...
1) Ventura and Duffy combine for 375+ innings of high-quality work
2) Eric Hosmer delivers on his potential with a FULL season of success rather than bursts
3) The deeper bullpen lessens the critical load on Herrera, Davis and Holland
4) Lorenzo Cain stays healthy
5) Either Alex Rios or Kendrys Morales bounces back to 2013 form

The first of these is clearly not going to happen. The second looked good through the end of May but is now eating Cain's dust (Hosmer has still been improved this year, though, lessening his valley. If he has a really hot second half, he can get right back in it). Item three is definitely the case. Item four should probably be first at this point. And Morales has more than bounced back.

Duncan’s Top 20 for mid-season 2015:

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. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.

Spoiler!

8. 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.
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.
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.

Prison Bitch · 09-15-2015, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brainiac

Try watching the games instead of spending hours on Fangraphs, Eggbert.

Translation: "I hate when you call me out on my unsubstantiated bullshit"

Lex Luthor · 09-15-2015, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Translation: "I hate when you call me out on my unsubstantiated bullshit"

Your translation sucks as bad as your baseball knowledge does. You obviously spend hours on Fangraphs in an attempt to appear to be an expert on baseball analytics, but your conclusions are so idiotic that it's obvious that you've never actually played the game and you seldom bother to watch the game. You're the nerd trying to impress the cool kids.

The problem is, it just isn't working for you. But keep trying. We know you will.

Lex Luthor · 09-15-2015, 07:21 AM

Prison Bitch explaining how Johnny Cueto is pitching just the same as he ever has, and it's just bad luck (as proven by BABIP) that's bringing him down:

mr. tegu · 09-15-2015, 02:06 PM

Cueto's BABIP is high because they are absolutely crushing his pitches. Out of the zone or not is irrelevant if the hitter is making the kind of contact they are consistently making right now.

He isn't just giving up a few big hits or bad luck here and there either. He is just getting hit hard each and every inning. He has given up at least one run in 16 of his last 27 innings. That includes 8 HRs and 9 doubles in 27 innings. That isn't bad luck.

siberian khatru · 09-15-2015, 02:09 PM

KC has recently been experimenting with Kendrys Morales in RF. He's been taking fly balls there on this trip.
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) September 15, 2015

Morales could start in right when the Royals go to Wrigley Field in a couple weeks.
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) September 15, 2015

When Kuntz watched Morales in the outfield, he asked if the person was an impostor wearing a Morales costume. Morales looked natural.
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) September 15, 2015

@McCulloughStar When did you start writing crazy Royals fan fic?
— Scott Preston (@univac528) September 15, 2015

shakesthecat · 09-15-2015, 02:12 PM

Please.....PLEASE let this happen

Discuss Thrower · 09-15-2015, 02:15 PM

I'm jizzing at the thought of Morales looking competent in the OF.

Prison Bitch · 09-15-2015, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brainiac

You obviously spend hours on Fangraphs in an attempt to appear to be an expert on baseball analytics, but your conclusions are so idiotic.

My data was taken from Shoenfeld's ESPN article yesterday. You know: a real life actual professional writer paid to provide facts to inform his reader. You would never be hired to write for ESPN because you believe this fact-based approach is no match for you (laughable) "Hootie blather".

Prison Bitch · 09-15-2015, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

Cueto's BABIP is high because they are absolutely crushing his pitches. Out of the zone or not is irrelevant if the hitter is making the kind of contact they are consistently making right now.

He isn't just giving up a few big hits or bad luck here and there either. He is just getting hit hard each and every inning. He has given up at least one run in 16 of his last 27 innings. That includes 8 HRs and 9 doubles in 27 innings. That isn't bad luck.

You're not distinguishing between in-zone and out-of-zone. Yes he is getting creamed on in-zone meatballs. That makes some sense. But he's also giving up hits out-of-zone and that's never happened to him at any pt in his career nor does it happen for long to ANY pitcher in the game, even to 2015 JGuts.

cosmo20002 · 09-15-2015, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

KC has recently been experimenting with Kendrys Morales in RF. He's been taking fly balls there on this trip.
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) September 15, 2015

Morales could start in right when the Royals go to Wrigley Field in a couple weeks.
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) September 15, 2015

When Kuntz watched Morales in the outfield, he asked if the person was an impostor wearing a Morales costume. Morales looked natural.
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) September 15, 2015

@McCulloughStar When did you start writing crazy Royals fan fic?
— Scott Preston (@univac528) September 15, 2015

This seems like a bad idea.

**lewdog** · 09-15-2015, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

KC has recently been experimenting with Kendrys Morales in RF. He's been taking fly balls there on this trip.
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) September 15, 2015

Morales could start in right when the Royals go to Wrigley Field in a couple weeks.
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) September 15, 2015

When Kuntz watched Morales in the outfield, he asked if the person was an impostor wearing a Morales costume. Morales looked natural.
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) September 15, 2015

@McCulloughStar When did you start writing crazy Royals fan fic?
— Scott Preston (@univac528) September 15, 2015

I'm not holding my breath on this being good.

cosmo20002 · 09-15-2015, 09:47 PM

Magic #:

suzzer99 · 09-16-2015, 01:45 AM

God I love sports.

Unsmooth-Moment · 09-16-2015, 04:30 AM

Good to finally get a low scoring win. Hopefully this is the start of some good fortune.

Fansy the Famous Bard · 09-16-2015, 05:55 AM

There is no doubt there is something amiss with Holland.

07-14-2015, 11:05 PM
duncan_idaho M-I-Z-Z-O-U Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $1400308	* Official Royals Repository, Part 4 * In this thread: All things related to the AL Champions. Duncan's Official Team Record prediction: 90 wins One month in: Looking strong All Star Break: Looking strong, probably should adjust up to 93-94 wins. Duncan's Official Team MVP prediction: Eric Hosmer One month in: Upstaged by his best friend MIKE MOOTACOS, MAN. Tell us bout your hittin, bro! All Star Break: Lorenzo Cain starting to run away with this one. Division Preview Clearly, overlooking the Twins was a mistake at this point. I still don't believe in that team long-term, but they're starting to get that Magic Season twinkle about them. Detroit is toast. Garbage rotation beyond Price and Sanchez, Miggy out. And Cleveland... Cleveland still is dangerous if it ever clicks offensively, because the starting pitching is good enough for them to real off a 15-5 stretch and get right back into the playoff picture. The Royals will be a division winner IF ... 1) Ventura and Duffy combine for 375+ innings of high-quality work 2) Eric Hosmer delivers on his potential with a FULL season of success rather than bursts 3) The deeper bullpen lessens the critical load on Herrera, Davis and Holland 4) Lorenzo Cain stays healthy 5) Either Alex Rios or Kendrys Morales bounces back to 2013 form The first of these is clearly not going to happen. The second looked good through the end of May but is now eating Cain's dust (Hosmer has still been improved this year, though, lessening his valley. If he has a really hot second half, he can get right back in it). Item three is definitely the case. Item four should probably be first at this point. And Morales has more than bounced back. Duncan’s Top 20 for mid-season 2015: 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. 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. 4. 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. 5. 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. 6. 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. 7. 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. Spoiler! 8. 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. 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. 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. Last edited by duncan_idaho; 10-06-2015 at 10:46 PM..
Posts: 21,166

09-15-2015, 07:21 AM	#3018
Lex Luthor MVP Join Date: Mar 2010 Casino cash: $10022775	Prison Bitch explaining how Johnny Cueto is pitching just the same as he ever has, and it's just bad luck (as proven by BABIP) that's bringing him down:
Posts: 16,709

09-15-2015, 02:06 PM	#3019
mr. tegu Forever Royal Join Date: Mar 2012 Casino cash: $1611300	Cueto's BABIP is high because they are absolutely crushing his pitches. Out of the zone or not is irrelevant if the hitter is making the kind of contact they are consistently making right now. He isn't just giving up a few big hits or bad luck here and there either. He is just getting hit hard each and every inning. He has given up at least one run in 16 of his last 27 innings. That includes 8 HRs and 9 doubles in 27 innings. That isn't bad luck.
Posts: 24,159

09-15-2015, 02:09 PM	#3020
siberian khatru 21st Century Schizoid Fan Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: The Gates of Delirium Casino cash: $2184950	KC has recently been experimenting with Kendrys Morales in RF. He's been taking fly balls there on this trip. — Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) September 15, 2015 Morales could start in right when the Royals go to Wrigley Field in a couple weeks. — Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) September 15, 2015 When Kuntz watched Morales in the outfield, he asked if the person was an impostor wearing a Morales costume. Morales looked natural. — Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) September 15, 2015 @McCulloughStar When did you start writing crazy Royals fan fic? — Scott Preston (@univac528) September 15, 2015
Posts: 69,329

09-15-2015, 02:12 PM	#3021
shakesthecat Veteran Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: IA Casino cash: $4053833	Please.....PLEASE let this happen
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09-15-2015, 02:15 PM	#3022
Discuss Thrower "You like to drink?" Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: "I like to drink." Casino cash: $2896869	I'm jizzing at the thought of Morales looking competent in the OF. __________________ Chiefs 2016 Opponents: Home: JAX, TEN, NO, TB, NYJ. Away: HOU, IND, ATL, CAR, PIT Chiefs 2017 Opponents: Home: BUF, MIA, PHI, WSH, AFC North. Away: NE, NYJ, NYG, DAL, AFC South
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09-15-2015, 09:47 PM	#3027
cosmo20002 Debunking your bullshit Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: KC area Casino cash: $4930315	Magic #:
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09-16-2015, 01:45 AM	#3028
suzzer99 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: L.A. Casino cash: $2604284	God I love sports.
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09-16-2015, 04:30 AM	#3029
Unsmooth-Moment Veteran Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: MO Casino cash: $9390051	Good to finally get a low scoring win. Hopefully this is the start of some good fortune.
Posts: 1,528

09-16-2015, 05:55 AM	#3030
Fansy the Famous Bard I'm with the Banned Join Date: Feb 2009 Casino cash: $2036440	There is no doubt there is something amiss with Holland. __________________ Hi.
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