*** Official 2016 Royals Repository, Version 1 ***

[duncan_idaho]

And so it begins: The Royals' second straight attempt to repeat as AL Champions, and first attempt to repeat as World Series champions.

In this thread, we'll track all non-gameday action. Roster moves, prospect news, etc.

I'll start the thread as usual, with division rivals thoughts. I still like KC to repeat as AL Central champs. Here's how I see the rest of it shaking out:

2) Indians - they have the pitching (and seem to have at least semi-Kluber-ed Cody Anderson, who added 3 mph to his fastball in the offseason). Will the offense hold up? I think this is a team that ends up looking a lot like the 2014 Royals. Francisco Lindor will solidify their IF defense over the full season, and is a help with the bat. I think this club is still a year away from really breaking through - the offense still has a lot of question marks - but I like them to nab a wildcard spot.

Key Player(s): Michael Brantley. When Brantley returns - and how he hits when he does - will be critical to the Indians' ability to be good enough on offense.

Jason Kipnis. Kipnis has been an enigmatic offensive performer for the past several years. If he finally has a good offensive campaign from start to finish, Cleveland could make real noise.

Something of interest to me: For all the acclaim the Twins' farm system gets, I look at the Indians young players, and would much rather have them. Brad Zimmer is going to be a very good all-around CF. Clint Frazier has huge power potential and should arrive soon (2017). Lindor is a young stud.

3) Tigers - Old and dependent on a few stars. If Verlander and Sanchez are healthy and effective, they will be playoff contenders. I'm sure JD Martinez will continue to hit roid-aided bombs. I'm also pretty sure Victor Martinez's days as a huge power threat are gone.

Key player: Justin Verlander. Detroit people would have you believe he figured out how to succeed without his big fastball in September of last year. If that's true, and he returns to dominant form, Detroit will likely contend again.

Something of interest to me: Will Jose Iglesias stay healthy and not try to kill teammates in the dugout? His defense makes the whole group much better.

4) Twins - They won't lead the division or be in playoff contention for as long this year, but Minnesota will avoid the cellar.

Key Player: Miguel Sano. Huge power, huge K rate. Can he continue to drive the ball and be a plus offensive player? Probably needs to cut that 35 percent K percentage to do so.

Something of interest to me: Will teams challenge Sano inside with hard stuff? Working away, away, just lets his power play up. Also - will Mike Berardino continue to be the biggest beat writer homer in MLB?

5) White Sox - still managed by a shitty manager who can't control his clubhouse (The blame for the LaRoche thing really should fall on him, not the GM). Still have a shitty overall defense and a lot of douchebags on the team. They will once again look better on paper than they actually perform.

Key player: Carlos Rodon. The White Sox need Rodon to take a big step forward to make an actual move this season. He's got the talent...

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.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

The team is winning.


**** war.

Where did mondesi touch you?

We are going to love Mondesi, but hes just over matched at the plate. His pitch recognition is horrendous. And its supposed to be, hes barely 21 and has never really shown he has the hit tool over any decent sample in the minors. He will get there. But we are no longer a team with no shot. Mondesi will be the better otpion in a year and a half, but Colon and Whit are better options right NOW.

Colon has 247 career abs with a .340 obp and 2.0 WAR. Not bad, hes not going to amaze you but hes not scared of the moment and is the best option at 2B right noe imo

[KChiefs1]

https://youtu.be/5hFUK3dXi6g







Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by DJJasonp

If this is true - and it sounds like it may be - you would think Oakland would designate Belly for assignment or put him on waivers.

cant see the guy sticking around....

A cheap move on Butler's part if this is true - who made him the clubhouse endorsement cop??

Susan Slusser, the A's beat writer, was on 810 as I was driving home and said they have friendly banter back and forth all the time in the clubhouse and on the field, she called it big brother, little brother type banter. Billy just went over the line this time.

[sedated]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

He did make some major missteps. He first tried to make a run at contention during the Greinke years.

I still disagree. He traded those bullpen pieces because that was ALL he had, and had shown a knack for replacing them quickly. Yeah, I'm sure he learned from not being able to replace them as easily as he thought he could, but I still don't think GMDM had any hope or intention of trying to compete on the major league level. He knew there was too much work to do in the minors first.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

LHP Jason Vargas had his rehab assignment transferred to @OMAStormChasers. He will start tonight's 7:05 game vs. Nashville. #Royals

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) August 22, 2016

A healthy Vargas in September & October could get us to a 3rd straight World Series.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[C3HIEF3S]

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

Billy Butler told Danny Valencia's equipment rep that he doesn't wear their cleats, not just told them but then said that Valencia NEVER wears their cleats. Valencia popped him for it. Don't **** with people's endorsement deals.

Seems like that is a pretty basic and common unwritten rule that Belly broke, is it not?

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by sedated

I still disagree. He traded those bullpen pieces because that was ALL he had, and had shown a knack for replacing them quickly. Yeah, I'm sure he learned from not being able to replace them as easily as he thought he could, but I still don't think GMDM had any hope or intention of trying to compete on the major league level. He knew there was too much work to do in the minors first.

I think we might be whitewashing Moore's history a bit here. There was a lot of optimism after our strong finish in 2008. Believe it or not, many were stoked that not only did we avoid a 100 loss year, but a 90 loss year as well.

On paper, Zack Greinke was finally looking like an ace, Meche looked like a an anchor in a solid rotation, Kyle Davies (yes, that Davies) had a strong finish in 08 that made many believe he was turning the corner. There was hope that Brian Bannister was due for a bounceback year, and that Hoch would start flashing #1 stuff in his sophomore year.

Moore was hopeful that adding a leadoff hitter and a cleanup guy would bolster Billy Butler's production and give Alex Gordon the lineup protection he needed to finally breakout as a hitter. However, to bolster this lineup caused the Royals to depart with the strongest part of their 2008 team.

There was a definite excitement coming from the Royals FO after 2008. It was commonly said that if KC had gone 6-6 during an 0-12 stretch in May, the Royals would have finished with a .500 record.

Unfortunately, 2009 made it clear that Moore had a bad read on the talent of his team. He relied on no talent all grit guys like Yuni and Gload, pinned the offense in hitters and defenders not suited for the park like Guillen and Jacobs, and put his trust into "all faith" guys like Barnyard Trey, who proceeded to ruin Meche's career by leaving him out for 120 pitches a start. Moore originally defended this, questioning the science behind pitch counts and arguing it was more of a "feel thing." At the time, Moore didn't even seem to put a lot of stock into defense. Openly admitting that he "didn't understand" defensive analytics and put out a team that featured Billy/Jacobs at first, Guillen in left, Yuni at third, and Buck/Olivo at the plate. Even Alex Gordon was positioned at 3rd at the time, where he was never more than a mediocre defender.

Moore undeniably thought the Royals were in a position to compete in 2009. The leaps the team has made since illustrates his evolution as a GM, and there's no one I'd rather have at the lead of our organization.

In GMDM I trust.

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

The team is winning.


**** war.

Where did mondesi touch you?

Low and inside.

[KChiefs1]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/mlb-t...-five-percent/

Two years ago, the Royals came out of nowhere to make the World Series. Last year, that momentum carried over to viewers as Kansas City led MLB teams in local ratings. After winning the World Series last year, Kansas City is still watching a ton of baseball. Ratings-wise the two teams from Missouri boast the top two spots in baseball, per Forbes.

Ratings are particular to markets and don’t directly translate into raw viewer numbers, as the figures are based on the percentage of households in that market. Or, rephrased: just because a greater percentage of people are watching games in Kansas City, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh, that doesn’t necessarily mean more total people are watching than in other markets. The chart below shows the raw number of households, on average, that are watching each game on the local channel.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nychief]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

A healthy Vargas in September & October could get us to a 3rd straight World Series.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You do know who Jason Vargas is don't you?

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

A healthy Vargas in September & October could get us to a 3rd straight World Series.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Think about how that sounds

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Think about how that sounds

How does Dillon Gee sound?





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by nychief

You do know who Jason Vargas is don't you?

Vargas > Gee Whiz




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

I think we might be whitewashing Moore's history a bit here. There was a lot of optimism after our strong finish in 2008. Believe it or not, many were stoked that not only did we avoid a 100 loss year, but a 90 loss year as well.



On paper, Zack Greinke was finally looking like an ace, Meche looked like a an anchor in a solid rotation, Kyle Davies (yes, that Davies) had a strong finish in 08 that made many believe he was turning the corner. There was hope that Brian Bannister was due for a bounceback year, and that Hoch would start flashing #1 stuff in his sophomore year.



Moore was hopeful that adding a leadoff hitter and a cleanup guy would bolster Billy Butler's production and give Alex Gordon the lineup protection he needed to finally breakout as a hitter. However, to bolster this lineup caused the Royals to depart with the strongest part of their 2008 team.



There was a definite excitement coming from the Royals FO after 2008. It was commonly said that if KC had gone 6-6 during an 0-12 stretch in May, the Royals would have finished with a .500 record.



Unfortunately, 2009 made it clear that Moore had a bad read on the talent of his team. He relied on no talent all grit guys like Yuni and Gload, pinned the offense in hitters and defenders not suited for the park like Guillen and Jacobs, and put his trust into "all faith" guys like Barnyard Trey, who proceeded to ruin Meche's career by leaving him out for 120 pitches a start. Moore originally defended this, questioning the science behind pitch counts and arguing it was more of a "feel thing." At the time, Moore didn't even seem to put a lot of stock into defense. Openly admitting that he "didn't understand" defensive analytics and put out a team that featured Billy/Jacobs at first, Guillen in left, Yuni at third, and Buck/Olivo at the plate. Even Alex Gordon was positioned at 3rd at the time, where he was never more than a mediocre defender.



Moore undeniably thought the Royals were in a position to compete in 2009. The leaps the team has made since illustrates his evolution as a GM, and there's no one I'd rather have at the lead of our organization.



In GMDM I trust.

Would have been interesting to see what would have happened had that 2009 team not lost Coco Crisp. They were in contention until that point, but lack of depth killed them.

Hillman was also an abortion of a manager who ruined Moore's first really good scouting victory (Meche).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[KChiefs1]

Chapman walks, charged to Vargas. Wendle doubles him in, charged to Vargas. 3-0 Sounds.

Vargas: 3 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K. 67 pitches.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk