2014 Royals Repository

[duncan_idaho]

With my 6,000th post on ChiefsPlanet (it only took me 12 years to get here), I bring you: The 2014 Kansas City Royals Repository.

To be discussed here: All things Royals, as they attempt to post another winning season and make it back to the playoffs for the first time since 1985.

25-man RosterAvailable HERE

AL Central Standings:

Link

Duncan's Top 20 Royals Prospects

Spoiler!

1) 3B Hunter Dozier ETA: 2015
Dozier started slowly at A+ Wilmington but caught fire in May and June, earning a mid-season promotion to AA Northwest Arkansas. Big, strong kid with good plate discipline skills and solid power who projects to be an above-average glove at 3B with solid power.

2) SS Raul (Adalberto) Mondesi ETA: 2017
Mondesis is the opposite of Dozier…. Started red-hot at Wilmington before back spasms derailed him for a few weeks and hasn’t gotten it going since coming back. Scouting reports have been great – defense and speed both improved over the offseason. Still a chance to be an elite SS, with 40 SB speed, plus glove, .300 average and some pop.

3) LHP Sean Manaea | ETA: 2015
Scouting reports outperform the stat line so far. Missing a ton of bats at A+ but not preventing runs like you’d expect to see. Needs to work deeper into games (gradually working about an inning deeper/month so far this year) and improve control. Walks are biggest concern right now, but could be elevated due to work on extra off-speed offerings. Still has No. 2 starter potential, could be higher if the great control he exhibited before his hip surgery eventually comes back.

4) RHP Kyle Zimmer| ETA: 2015
Should be NO. 1 on the list and is probably the Royals most VALUABLE current prospect, but he hasn’t thrown a ball in 4-5 weeks and had only been throwing for 2-3 weeks when he was shut down then.

5) LHP Brandon Finnegan| ETA: 2015
Top 2014 draft choice is an undersized lefty who will start at A+ Wilmington after anchoring CWS run for TCU. Good fastball, better slider, change that needs work to stick as a starter, but if he sticks, No. 2/No. 3 starter upside. Likely a top 10 or even top 5 pick if he doesn’t miss 1 start in the middle of the college season as a precautionary move.

6) RHP Miguel Almonte| ETA: 2016
Have heard some say Almonte is more advanced as a pitcher at A+ than Yordano Ventura was (comparison because both were cheap signs out of Latin America). Really advanced changeup and a curve that is working out well (where the ‘more advanced’ comment comes from). Fastball velo is good but not great – 92-94. Like Manaea, working on his second-best offspeed pitch and leaning less on his bread-and butter (changeup), which has hurt his numbers a bit.

7) RHP Christian Binford 2017
Reverse case of “don’t just scout stat lines.” Based on his stats at A+, you’d think he was an elite prospect, but there are questions about Binford’s stuff playing up at higher levels. Tall righty with great command of fastball, slider and a good and still developing changeup. None of those pitches profiles as better than average, though, limiting his likely upside to back-end rotation guy.

8) SS Orlando Calixte| ETA: 2016
I still like him more than many. Good combination of SS/MI skills and power. Started hot at NWA but in a slump at moment.

9)LHP Foster Griffin | ETA: 2019
Tall, projectable lefty taken in 2014 draft. Viewed as a great value in the sandwich round and probably would have been KC’s pick at No. 17 if Finnegan hadn’t fallen. High school arm who is going to take a while to develop.

10) RF Jorge Bonifacio| ETA: 2016
Hasn’t hit as well as expected in his second go-round at AA NWA. Power still sapped, and average skills have dipped. Once looked like he might be an option in RF at some point in 2015, now looks like 2016 is optimistic. Still young for his level.

11) 3B/2B Cheslor Cuthbert| ETA: 2016
Cuthbert has had better luck at NWA than Boni and is also extremely young for level. HE’s been moved to 2B since Dozier was promoted, which could put a new spin on Cuthbert’s prospects. If he sticks at 2B, bat plays up much better. Good OBP/plate discipline and solid power, but needs to continue improving contact skills

12) C Chase Vallot| ETA: 2020
Young (just 17) C with tremendous power. One of the top prep bats and a great value for KC where it got him. If he sticks at C, expect him to move slowly, but the bat may force the issue (or force him to another position).

13) C Zane Evans| ETA: 2017
GA Tech product has handled Wilmington better than most RH bats and probably is in line for a promotion to NWA sometime soon. Decent pop, decent skills behind the plate. Could be a nice reserve catcher.

14) RHP Scott Blewett| ETA: 2020
Tall, projectable righty with a fresh arm but some injury concerns on his shoulder that slipped him out of Round 1 of MLB draft. Big time potential.

15) CF Bubba Starling | ETA:
Bubba Starling has great tools. Bubba Starling (still) can’t hit. That’s all I have to say about that.

16) 1B Samir Duenez| ETA:
I still like him, even though the attempt to run him through full season ball at 17 did not go well.

17)LF/RF Elier Hernandez| ETA:
Hernandez still pops up in scouting reports but still is very raw and toolsy.

18) RHP Pedro Fernandez| ETA:
Pop-up player on the same track as Ventura and Almonte. Similar signing, similar profile. One to watch over next few years.

19) SS Marten Gasparini| ETA:
Royals’ most expensive international signing likely moves to CF eventually, but his speed and athleticism are intriguing abilities. Early reports from complex ball are very positive on him.

20) RHP Niklas Stephenson| ETA:
Interesting pop-up candidate who found 10 more MPH on his fastball by using a weighted ball during workouts over the winter. Now sits mid-90s with fastball and is dominating at rookie ball (after having an ERA over 8 there a year ago). Likely promoted to a higher challenge soon.

[DeezNutz]

Yeah, there's the rub. The "greatest farm system" in history doesn't even have replacement-level players available at AAA.

Gio would likely offer this as a DH, though he was at -0.1 oWAR this year in limited action.

[gblowfish]

They should just DFA Aoki and bring somebody up from the minors to shake up Butler. Sit his ass for two weeks.

Is Ibanez still on the team? If so, why?

Next Saturday is Faith and Family Night at Kauffman Stadium.

I think I'm going to write Toby Cook and demand the Royals have "Agnostic and Atheist Night." Because after watching this team for the last 30 years, one could rationally question if there IS a God. And if so, why did 1985 piss him off so much?

[Nzoner]

Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth

The family are Cards fans. Tough go of it when your ownership isn't even a fan or vested in the club they own.

Sounds like a helluva plan though,buy the cross state rival,make some profit and don't worry about having another contender in the state.

[duncan_idaho]

If the plan is to acquire Alex Rios to be primarily the Royals DH, with him replacing Butler on the roster, this is a positive move. Rios' defense has not graded out well this season, but his offense would be a valuable addition.

Rios has a .765 OPS, which would be the second-best OPS on the Royals. Rios has a 110 OPS+, which again would be second on the Royals.

For all intents and purposes, you'd basically be adding a RH-hitting Alex Gordon to the lineup. He is the 31st-ranked OF in mlb in terms of OPS, 16th in the American League. If played exclusively at DH, he'd still be the 7th-most productive DH in baseball. Which would help the O...

If the idea is that he plays everyday in RF, it still helps the offense, but at the expense of the defense.

Rios is a little bit of a sulker, with questions about his motivation, but he has responded well when added to teams "in the mix" in the past. Coming to a team that's trying to win might make a big difference for him in terms of effort and therefore performance.

It's not a "WOW!" deal, but it wouldn't have a "WOW" cost either, and would help the offensive side of the ball much more than an Aoki or Dyson or even a Butler is likely to give you in the second half.

[gblowfish]

Originally Posted by Nzoner

Sounds like a helluva plan though,buy the cross state rival,make some profit and don't worry about having another contender in the state.

I'm frankly surprised the Royals haven't been a feeder team for the Cardinals, like the old KC A's were for the Yankees.

I'm sure Glass is thinking how much Salvie could help the Cards now that Molina is out for the year....

[Deberg_1990]

That Mellinger column is spot on.

This organization has continued to spit in the face of its fans in "big moments" over and over again. Frankly im surprised there are still fans and a season ticket base out there. How much more can these people take????? 30 years.....good grief.

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by Nzoner

Sounds like a helluva plan though,buy the cross state rival,make some profit and don't worry about having another contender in the state.

One very rich man's ultimate payback for the '85 WS.

/ tears in beers

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

Relevance?

Sporting Ownership can't afford the Royals, in all probability.

[KCUnited]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Sporting Ownership can't afford the Royals, in all probability.

lolwut

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

lolwut

How many of those guys are there? Took a bunch to own an MLS club that has a payroll of 3 million. The Royals have a 90 million dollar payroll and more operating expenses.

[doomy3]

Originally Posted by BWillie

How many of those guys are there? Took a bunch to own an MLS club that has a payroll of 3 million. The Royals have a 90 million dollar payroll and more operating expenses.

Dude, the owners of SKC are incredibly rich. Much more so than the Glasses.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Sporting Ownership can't afford the Royals, in all probability.

http://www.forbes.com/profile/neal-patterson/

[ChiefsCountry]

Ideal trade would be a three way deal where we can ship Shields out and still get some return for a post season push. Example:

Royals
Carlos Quentin
Ian Kennedy

Padres
Get Prospects from both

Mystery Team
James Shields

Cover your major need, still rebuild for the year, and can still win now.

[C3HIEF3S]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Sporting Ownership can't afford the Royals, in all probability.

Read back 1-2 pages to Duncan's post, he explains pretty well.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by doomy3

Dude, the owners of SKC are incredibly rich. Much more so than the Glasses.

Fair enough. Still an obstacle. I want a car, so I buy one for $10,000. I really like Lamborghini's too, but I'm not going to buy one.