*** Official 2017 Royals Offseason Repository

[duncan_idaho]

The reign is over. Time to begin the quest for the next one.

Interesting offseason opens for the Royals. Will they go all in for one last shot with this crew? Will they re-tool for 2018 and beyond? Will Dayton Moore actually decrease payroll this time?

Trades, free agent signings, rumors, plans, proposals... dump 'em all here, for this is... the offseason repository!

Royals Top Prospects, 2017

This is a list that’s going to seem a little bleak initially, as Raul Mondesi got enough ABs to age out of the prospect rankings (just barely – at 135 ABs, he is not rookie eligible). But that said, I like the talent and feel like this is a system that will actually be underrated by the prospect services.

Spoiler!

Format: POS/Name/2017 Projected Final Level

1) 3B/OF Hunter Dozier, MLB. Dozier bounced back from a disastrous 2015 campaign that had many wondering, myself included, if he was wrecked. His strong offensive performance in 2016 saw Dozier recapture the mature approach that many liked coming up, while also starting to tap into his above-average raw power for the first time.

In addition to his success at the plate, Dozier also proved he could at least HANDLE an OF spot, which could put him in the conversation for 2017 playing time at the major leagues. If the Royals DO end up trading Cheslor Cuthbert, Dozier could find a decent amount of MLB playing time sliding between RF and 3B. With Moustakas recovering from knee surgery, he likely will need more regular breaks from the field. And the streaky Paulo Orlando is just not an intriguing short-side platoon partner for Jarrod Dyson.

2) LHP Matt Strahm, MLB. Strahm just barely skates under the rookie eligibility rules for a pitcher, so he can be included here. Royals fans already got a taste of the lefty’s abilities, as he used his above-average fastball and slurve to dominate out of the pen in 2016. For him to translate that dominance to the rotation, Strahm will need to maintain his velocity (92-94) and continue to improve a changeup that flashed average at times.

If the changeup becomes a weapon he can lean on against righties, Strahm could be a very solid mid-rotation starter and fringe ToR/No. 2 type (think Danny Duffy-lite).

3) RHP Josh Staumont, AAA. This one could blow up on me and look really silly by this time next year, but I’m encouraged by what we saw from Staumont late last year. He showed significantly improved control down the stretch for Northwest Arkansas, including some impressive playoff starts, while maintaining the big-time K ability. That trend continued in the Arizona Fall League.

If Staumont’s control holds, the Royals have a guy with a plus fastball, plus-plus curve, and average change (with a slider that could develop into a real weapon as he matures). He’ll start next season at AAA and could be an addition to the MLB bullpen or even the rotation before the season ends.

4) RF Jorge Bonifacio, AAA. Boni, like Dozier, had a bounceback season in 2016 with the bat, and also played 15-20 pounds lighter than the year before, which added some nice defensive utility according to reports I’ve gotten. He now looks like a guy could provide solid/average RF production in the major leagues… Average defense paired with potential to put up a .275/.335/.450 line. While that’s not all-star level, it IS playable. Especially at pre-arbitration dollars. He’ll get another year in Omaha to refine his approach, and likely be in the mix of a 2018 mini-youth movement… unless moved for MLB reinforcements.

5) C Meibrys Viloria, Low-A (Lexington). I haven’t seen him in person, but I like the pedigree. You’ve got a lefthanded hitting catcher with the defensive ability to stick behind the plate. He was a big-bonus guy out of Colombia (nearly $500k). And his offensive performance has been highly impressive early, with a good combination of power, plate discipline, and contact skills.

He’s forever away from the majors, just now clearing rookie ball, but Viloria is the most exciting prospect KC has had at Idaho Falls since someone on this board was gushing about a 16-year-old SS tearing it up.

6) 1B Ryan O’Hearn, AAA. O’Hearn is a guy who has never gotten a lot of hype from scouts, but he continues to be a strong producer. He’s someone who likely will strikeout about 25 percent of the time at the big-league level, but has the ability to be a .500+ SLG guy. That plays. He also has shown good patience at the plate, posting above-average OBPs at every level.

Bold prediction: I won’t be shocked if O’Hearn takes over at 1B for KC in 2018/2019 and provides similar offensive production to Hosmer out of the gate. He’s probably never going to be a consistent plus average (.290+) hitter, but .270 with 25 HR is something within reach for him. He’ll get his first shot at AAA in 2017.

7) RHP AJ Puckett, A+. Puckett is a high floor, low-ceiling guy who performed about as you’d expect in 2016 after being the Royals’ first pick in the 2016 Rule IV Draft. He’s not flashy, but Puckett does profile as a solid potential back-end starter. Good fastball command and an above-average changeup are his calling cards. If Puckett finds a reliable breaking ball to put batters away, this could tick up. Great athlete, very similar to Jake Odorizzi in that regard.

8) RF Khalil Lee, Low-A (Lexington). Lee was a two-way player in HS and many viewed him as a pitcher first as a pro, but the Royals drafted him as an OF and were reward with a strong debut campaign. Lee is not a big guy, but he produced solid power numbers despite that. He’s a dynamic athlete who could contribute with power and speed.

9) C Chase Vallot, High-A (Wilmington). Vallot has an intriguing bat, with plus raw power. Got off to a great start in 16 before being sidelined and then sidetracked by injury. RH bat may be good enough to push him out from behind the plate, where he has good tools but a long way to go.

10) RHP Jake Junis and RHP Alec Mills (AAA). I'm copping out here and including both at No. 10 because they're so similar. Like Puckett, they each project as a serviceable back of rotation starter. Similar stuff and profiles, though Junis has shown a little better strikeout ability and may have a smidge more upside as a result.

Others of note:

SS/CF Marten Gasparini. Production has been bad for this toolsy player, but Gasparini has speed and pop that jump out at you. At only 19, need to be patient with him... this European signee was even less polished when signing at 16 than the typical Latin America prospect.

OF Seuly Matias. Loud, loud tools. Matias profiles as a classic RF... big-time power potential. He's a long ways from the majors but is one of the Royals' biggest bonus babies from LA.

RHP Ashe Russell. 2014 1st rounder saw his velocity disappear last year and was quickly shut down. He's intriguing one way or the other, even if he ends up as another notch in the belt of the TINSTAAPP saying.

2B Corey Toups. O'Hearn's HS teammate has been an above-average producer for an up-the-middle player. His small stature hides a surprising amount of pop. Could turn into a Mark Grudzielanek type of offensive second baseman at his peak - solid average, lots of 2Bs.

RHP Scott Blewett, LHP Foster Griffin, RHP Nolan Watson - all three have underwhelmed as pros but were drafted in the supplemental round. Stuff and projectability for each is a positive. Wouldn't be surprised to see one of them take a Cody Reed-like step forward this season and crack the 50-75 range on prospect lists. They all have the natural ability.

SS/2B Ricky Aracena - Jose Altuve-sized Aracena is a switch hitting middle infielder who can flat out run. Switch hitter with a good approach.

RHP Pedro Fernandez - I'm still a believer in his stuff, even if he is destined for the pen. Was having a nice 2016 start until injuries derailed him right after his promotion to AA.

Sirs not Appearing in this Prospect List:

RHP Kyle Zimmer. Same story, different year. The Royals are hopeful they FINALLY found the cause of Zimmer's achy shoulder. If they really did, and he can stay healthy, the talent/potential is exciting.

OF Bubba Starling. Never trust a guy named Derek.

[KChiefs1]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CoMoChief]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Gross.

Another food item that would be massively undercooked by Kauffman/Aramark staff.

I refuse to eat any meat product sold at either the K or Arrowhead. Been sick 2x from their food.

[Dartgod]

Hey KChiefs1, how about some links to those articles?

[KCUnited]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sure that's not a photo of Mike Sweeney's herniated disc?

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

Sure that's not a photo of Mike Sweeney's herniated disc?

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

Sure that's not a photo of Mike Sweeney's herniated disc?

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by Dartgod

Hey KChiefs1, how about some links to those articles?

It's hard to do from my phone but I'll work on it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BlackHelicopters]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

Sure that's not a photo of Mike Sweeney's herniated disc?

Heh

[KChiefs1]

Ask Rustin: Jason Hammel, Kyle Zimmer, and the best restaurants in Surprise.

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt...134712984.html


Royals mailbag: Jason Hammel, Luke Hochevar, Kyle Zimmer | The Kansas City Star

So this is the kind of thing perfectly suited for spring training, the kind of camp joke that might find itself in a bigger story down the road, but is too good not to be shared right now.

So here goes. All around the Royals clubhouse, people have noticed this: Jason Hammel looks exactly like Luke Hochevar.

“Every time I see him, I think of Hoch,” Royals manager Ned Yost says. “… He looks just like him.”

Hammel, of course, is the Royals’ new starting pitcher, the former Cub who signed a two-year, $16 million contract in the final weeks of the offseason. And Hochevar is the former Royals pitcher who remains a free agent after undergoing surgery last summer to address thoracic outlet syndrome.

And yes, there is some weird symmetry here. For the first time in 11 years, Hochevar isn’t here in Surprise with the Royals. And now the club has gone out and acquired somebody that could be his stunt double.

In truth, Hammel and Hochevar are not quite twins. But there is an uncanny similarity in their hair, beard, gait and mannerisms. On the latest SportsBeat KC podcast, Joel Goldberg and I break down the differences. So go ahead and listen to that. But we’ll finish this inane intro with this thought: Hammel, a Pearl Jam-loving native of the Seattle area, is essentially Hochevar if he was from the Pacific Northwest.

OK, let’s get to the mailbag. The music pick of the week is not from Seattle. It’s Tennis, which was in Phoenix this week and has a new album out in March.

Let’s start here: Kyle Zimmer is in camp and throwing well. He’s returning from surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome — a procedure that includes the removal of a rib, which sounds awful. All in all, he’s battled an array of shoulder issues and other injuries since being drafted No. 5 overall in 2012.




Zimmer has remained remarkably optimistic and determined through all his injury problems — and despite repeated kicks to the gut, year after year, setback after setback, he remains open, honest and accessible about his career. Spoiler: It’s been insanely frustrating.

This will all be the subject of a longer story at some point during camp. But for now, we know this: Zimmer is slated to start on Sunday in the Royals’ second game of the spring. Earlier this week, he said he experienced some normal soreness after throwing live batting practice, but that’s to be expected.

Is there genuine reason to be optimistic? We’ll see. We’ve been here before. But for now, Zimmer is optimistic. So there’s that.

1. A $10 bill found in an old pair of jeans

2. A bar tab that is much cheaper than you think it’s going be

This is a yearly topic around spring training, and I’ll say it again: Surprise is not exactly a culinary destination. It’s mostly chain restaurants and strip malls. But there are some decent spots.

Saigon Kitchen is a Vietnamese place with good food and a good vibe. And Little Sicily is a little pizza place in a strip mall with good pie. It’s also BYOB. It’s not just good pizza for Surprise, either. It’s just good.

Yes. Definitely yes. I don’t want to tell anybody how to spend their money, but the weather is great. The sight lines at the smaller stadiums are solid. The whole atmosphere is fairly laid back and relaxing.

Don’t expect to see a ton of your favorite players in games, of course. They’re usually done after a few innings, especially early in camp. But I think the best fan experience is probably just showing up to the workouts in the mornings. In the weeks before the games begin, you can watch batting practice up close on the practice fields. Once minor-league camp starts, you can do the same with the club’s younger prospects.

If autographs are your thing, there’s an opportunity for that. Just be polite.

And, of course, you may run into scenes like this.

Tweet of the year.

Bonifacio is almost certainly ticketed for Omaha again, and I haven’t watched much of him this spring. (It’s early.) But he coupled a strong performance in camp last year with solid numbers at Class AAA.

For now, he’s blocked by a deep outfield. But so was Brett Eibner last season, and he got an opportunity after a rash of injuries. In a perfect world, the Royals will not see similar injury issues this season. But Bonifacio could position himself to be next in line with a strong performance in camp.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DeepSouth]

Assuming Cain is gone after 2017, can Bonifico play Center Field? If not, is there anyone in the minors that can other than Bubba Starling?

[KChiefs1]

http://www.royalsreview.com/2017/2/2...ls-scott-boras

After grading out the Royals’ offseason as a B at FanRag Sports, Jon Heyman took a trip around the league and had the following to say about the Royals and the prospect of them signing Eric Hosmer to an extension:

The Royals and Eric Hosmer are expected to have negotiations, and word is, he’s the top free agent on their “keep” list (Mike Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain also are free agents after the year). The team has conceded he’s worth more than Brandon Belt, who got a $75-million deal with the Giants, and the number would almost certainly hit nine figures.

There is a lot to unpack here, but before diving in, there is a huge caveat that should probably be applied to the source of the above statement. The writer in question is thought of as a mouthpiece for Scott Boras in some circles. Given this reputation, it would stand to reason that this passage could be serving to strengthen the position of the Boras client in negotiations and should be read accordingly.

There is a reason players like Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas flock to Scott Boras. He is one of the best agents in the business. Using the press is but one way in which he earns his keep.

One can reasonably intuit that the first point is accurate. The only reports in which the Royals have been linked to extension discussions since Danny Duffy signed his have centered around Eric Hosmer. Whether or not it is wise that the Royals have put Hosmer atop their list of pending free agents whose services they would like to retain beyond this season is certainly questionable. Hosmer’s weaknesses have been discussed ad nauseum. Ground balls. Defense disliked by advanced metrics. Ground balls. Middling power. Because of ground balls. MVP potential with second division results.

Sidestepping the question as to why Moustakas or Cain wouldn’t place ahead of Hosmer on Dayton Moore’s list, Heyman’s next statement doesn’t make a lot of sense. “The team has conceded he’s worth more than Brandon Belt...” Here are career numbers for two first basemen on a per-162 game basis.

Player A - 681 PA, .277/.335/.428, 19 HR, 7.9 BB%, 16.4 K%, 107 wRC+, 1.0 fWAR, 1.8 rWAR, 1.9 WARP

Player B - 614 PA, .272/.359/.460, 18 HR, 11.3 BB%, 24.0 K%, 129 wRC+, 3.7 fWAR, 3.8 rWAR, 4.1 WARP

Pretty easy to see that Player B is the superior player.

Want to guess who Player B is?

Hosmer has three Gold Gloves in years in which the publicly available advanced defensive metrics differ strongly with his having been awarded. Both players have been to one All-Star Game - last year - but Hosmer won game MVP. Hosmer’s postseason résumé is a little more impressive, but neither player’s overall numbers in October are particularly good.

Belt has three 4.1+ fWAR seasons in the past four years. Hosmer’s best season was a 3.4 fWAR season in 2015. 2013 was the only other season he was better than 1.0 fWAR (3.2). Even if Hosmer’s defense was better than he’s been credited for by the metrics, Belt is still the better hitter by a wide margin.

If Dayton Moore and the Royals are conceding that Hosmer is better than Belt, they’re doing it wrong. Judging by each player’s statistical record in the harsh day of light, Belt is better.

The only way in which a Hosmer contract being larger than the deal Belt signed last April makes any sense is that there would be a difference in the first year of the deal. Belt signed his extension last year after already agreeing to a $6.2MM, one-year deal in his penultimate year of arbitration. So the first year of Belt’s extension was this year, what would have been his final arbitration year, and it was priced at $2.8MM with the $6MM signing bonus essentially making it $8.8MM. Hosmer is set to make $12.25MM (thanks, Gold Gloves!) in his final season before eligibility for free agency. The subsequent four years of Belt’s deal come at the price tag of $16MM, which is about all Hosmer should hope to get at this point in time.

With Hosmer being a year-and-a-half younger than Belt, maybe a fifth year could get added to the end, but it’s just difficult to rationalize how Hosmer should get much more than the $16MM per year that Belt got.

Heyman continues:

But it is believed he might at least look at something in the range of the Mark Teixeira deal ($180 million, eight years), or perhaps even more years considering his relative youth (Hosmer was quoted recently saying he never said anything about 10 years). Agent Scott Boras isn’t commenting on the coming talks or the asking price, but word he is he views Teixeira as “old money,” considering skyrocketing MLB revenues in the eight years since.
Boras isn’t commenting but Heyman has magically heard word that Boras believes Teixeira’s contract to be old money! The fact Boras and Hosmer could be seeking a Teixeira deal (or longer!) is frankly, hilarious. The fewest home runs Teixeira had in a season came as a rookie and surpassed Hosmer’s best power season thus far. Heading into free agency, Teixeira had accrued 26.6 fWAR and 31.2 rWAR in a mere six seasons. Tex was a Gold Glover as well. In terms of WAR, Teixeira accumulated more value that Belt and Hosmer have combined.


And if one is trying to use Teixeira’s deal as a benchmark for one that Hosmer might get, then that person also has to explain how the last five years of that deal, in which Teixeira averaged 98 games a season and was worth a total of 5.5 fWAR and 7.8 rWAR while being a $22+MM suck on the payroll doesn’t serve as a cautionary tale. That alone should make the Royals’ case for signing Hosmer to an eight-to-ten-year deal worth well over $100MM.

Sure, baseball’s revenues have gone up, but free agent contracts haven’t necessarily escalated at the same rate, so the market doesn’t appear to bear the claim that Hosmer should get Teixeira dough when he’s been worth somewhere between one-sixth to one-third what Big Tex was in his first six years.

Revenues certainly have not gone up so much that a small-market team like the Royals can afford to pay a 36-year-old Eric Hosmer $20MM to be below replacement level, a level to which he’s performed more than once in his twenties.

Has Scott Boras targeted his mark and found himself a real whale? If the Royals hope to field a competitive Royals squad in Trump’s second term, let’s hope not. If the Royals think paying Omar Infante about $12MM over the last year-and-a-half of his deal was painful, think about how much of an albatross this deal could become.

Moore hasn’t always fared well while working out these larger deals with free agents. Given the Ian Kennedy deal in which the player was given all the leverage in the contract, a first-round draft pick was ceded, and it appeared as though the reigning World Champions were guaranteeing more years than anyone else, the best Royals fans have to hope for is that Hosmer tests the waters of free agency. If this year’s market is any indication, there may not be that much money out there for first basemen with middling power and questionable defense.

No one is saying Eric Hosmer shouldn’t get all the money he can. Unfortunately for Royals fans and Hosmer, the best thing for the Royals is probably for someone else to be footing that bill.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[WhawhaWhat]

Petro had a good interview with JJ Picollo today talking about the minor league guys. It's on the 810 podcast page if you want to listen to it.

[lewdog]

Heading up to Royals practice tomorrow. Wanted to go last weekend but it was raining. They have a game tomorrow at 1 so not sure what it will be like. Hopefully get to see something.

[tk13]

Two things we're going to be sick of by April.

1) Speculation from baseball wonks who enjoy prospects and trades just as much as fielding a winning team.

2) How overrated Eric Hosmer is.

I agree Hosmer didn't play like even a $150M guy last year, but I think the general baseball criticism of him has probably crossed the line in the wrong direction. Seems like every other day I'm reading an article about how he's overrated.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by tk13

I agree Hosmer didn't play like even a $150M guy last year, but I think the general baseball criticism of him has probably crossed the line in the wrong direction. Seems like every other day I'm reading an article about how he's overrated.

This is great for the Royals.