*** Official Royals Repository, Part 4 ***

[duncan_idaho]

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.

[Hootie]

Meh. If our starting pitching can give us QUALITY STARTS (that's all I'm asking) -- 6 innings and 2-3 runs -- we have a shot

If they can't do that, we're doomed

I'm worried about Cueto and Volquez ... but Ace is a gamer.

[Lex Luthor]

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

Did you even bother to check the stats, or are you just saying that?
And I think you're giving 1B coaches a little too much credit for SB success.

You are dangerously close to channeling Prison Bitch with that post.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by Hootie 2.0

Meh. If our starting pitching can give us QUALITY STARTS (that's all I'm asking) -- 6 innings and 2-3 runs -- we have a shot

If they can't do that, we're doomed

I'm worried about Cueto and Volquez ... but Ace is a gamer.

Some folks actually suggested trading Ace FOR Cueto.

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Bring on whoever wins tonight. Both bring challenges you have to overcome that can beat you in a short series, even sweep you. So let's go.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

Some folks actually suggested trading Ace FOR Cueto.

Who said that?

[Deberg_1990]

So who are you guys rooting for tonight ?

Personally, I fear the Astros more than the Yankees.

I'll actually be rooting for them to win. It would be fun to bury them in a series.

[mr. tegu]

Yankees.

[bsroyals54]

Want the Astros to win, but would rather play the Yankees. So for the Royals I want the Yankees to win.

[siberian khatru]

I've been thinking about it and studying it the last two days and I've decided I'd rather face the Yankees. Don't like their SP, their D sucks, don't play in a pinball machine.

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Yup!

Ventura was never DFAed, though. He was demoted for all of about 10 hours. Much different than being designated for assignment (which puts you on waivers).

My bad, I knew that but phrased it incorrectly

[suzzer99]

Yep Yankees. They did nothing to improve down the stretch and isn't one of their stud relievers struggling or hurt or something? Also Royals/Yankees for old time's sake will be kind of fun. We'll get to see Brett's homer in 1980 about 100 times.

Then maybe we'll get to see Royals/BJs '85 highlights if the home teams hold. Brett's incredible career game. Sundberg's awesome bases-clearing triple. Wasn't there some controversy that had the Jays all pissy and whining? I know I've never liked Toronto since that series.

Then if the home teams hold again we'll get to see Denkinger's call about 300 times, on the 30th anniversary of the first I-70 series. And while that is probably the last matchup I want to see since Bum**** is out, it will still be fun just to needle Cards fans every time they replay that call.

[suzzer99]

Crap though I just realized we'll also have to see Chambliss' homer about 100 times. At least I was almost too young to remember that. I just remember my mom locking herself in her room for an hour.

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

I got no problem with Rusty.
Hey, sorry for questioning anything. I forgot that you're above being questioned.
And how was I combative? Someone made a statement. I didn't even disagree...I asked, "How are you judging that?" You chimed in without offering any stats, which is largely how such things are discussed.
So, you can go ahead and **** off.

But I'm sure that having a good SB percentage must be due to awesome 1B coaching. I'm sure putting him on another team would yield similar results.

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

I got no problem with Rusty.
Hey, sorry for questioning anything. I forgot that you're above being questioned.
And how was I combative? Someone made a statement. I didn't even disagree...I asked, "How are you judging that?" You chimed in without offering any stats, which is largely how such things are discussed.
So, you can go ahead and **** off.

But I'm sure that having a good SB percentage must be due to awesome 1B coaching. I'm sure putting him on another team would yield similar results.

1st I was being tongue in cheek. But, Kuntz is universally lauded around baseball. Ned has spoken about him and his disbelief he was able to add him to the staff. Even though they're friends, the only way he was available was because the manager got fired and they cleaned house to start fresh with his last club I believe.

It's pretty obvious how respected and liked he is throughoutthe organization from top to bottom when he was taking a medical absence earlier this year.

You stated you didn't know much about him or his reputation or responsibilities, but when someone offered you an answer you immediately try to refute it and get argumentative? I don't get it.
The part I put in bold speaks more to the fact you take issue with who responded with an answer than the answer itself.

Also, no, not everything requires a statistical analysis and breakdown. I have yet to see the formula for determining how big a pimp somebody is empirically.

Besides, the pimp mention stems from last year's playoffs.
Being on national TV a lot got him noticed, and he started getting a bunch of fan mail and chatter from a lot of women because he bears a striking resemblance to Robert Redford. The notoriety carried over into them doing a few interviews and video segments about him because he was getting so much attention from women all across the country.

My whole post was in celebration, and it certainly wasn't meant to be scrutinized or become a topic to cause vitriol in the repository. The thread is supposed to be much dickhead free, and the small amount alloted is monopolized by PB.

[Kidd Lex]

Excellent post Bluth!!

[cosmo20002]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Don't bother. He doesn't understand MLB stats anyway. I tried to explain what offensive WAR was after he used it on me, and even after the 2nd run he was confused as ever. Pointless.

OK, liar. Never seen such an unashamed liar.