*** 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.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

Seems weird to me that these talks are so public with Hosmer and the Royals. Made sense for a guy like Duffy, who was obviously going to sign a long-term deal. But I must say it just sounds off how public these facts are that the Royals are negotiating with Hosmer, yet not with Moose or Cain.

Didn't Duncan suggest they "try" to reup Hosmer and when Hos inevitably responded with demands to be signed to 10 years, they tell the fans "well, we tried" before moving on to re-upping Moose?

I don't remember who suggested that, but it oddly feels like we may be watching this strategy play out now.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by dlphg9

He was shit in the playoffs in 2015

In all seriousness, I'd refute your sentiment for the following reasons.

First, I'd argue that looking at a statsheet is a not the best way to evaluate a hitter's postseason performance. Hitters are typically up against elite competition, and generally, offensive players see their stats trend down in October. Hos in this postseason alone faced Cy Young winner Keuchel x2, lefty specialist Sipp x3 (who, as DJ pointed out, managers will be much quicker to put in against Hos), CY runner up David Price x2, Harvey x2, DeGrom, Thor, Matz, and Familia. Matchups like this will be hard for any hitter, especially when combined with the colder October weather.

With that said, let's look at some of his key moments that had direct impacts on games in our 2015 postseason. tk13 already did a great job of pointing a lot of these out - but I'll focus on a few that stand out to me.

Game 2 of the ALDS, Top of the 9th, 0 out.



Wade Davis uncharacteristically walks Tucker and the Astros immediately put in Carlos Gomez to run for him. Davis, who hadn't picked off anyone in two years, immediately throws a quick toss to Hos. It wasn't a great throw and quick hops Hosmer. It's a ball that gets by a lot of major league first basemen, but instead, Hos not only gloves the ball but simultaneously tags out Gomez. Instead of a situation where we had a runner on 2nd or 3rd with 1 out, Hos' defense singlehandedly flipped the situation in the 9th inning. Clinching a must-win against a flyball killing team with Keuchel looming in the coming game.

Game 4 of the ALDS, Top of the 8th inning, 0 out.



Honestly, this post should be about Hosmer's fantastic at-bats in Game 4 of the ALDS. He put up a simply phenomenal at-bat against Sipp with our season 6 outs from being finished. Hos started out 0-2, laid off Sipp's devastating slider, gets back into the count before lining a tough pitch for a base hit to keep the inning going. As TK mentioned, in the next inning he then roasts a pitch 452 feet to give Davis much needed insurance before he went out for the next inning. This at-bat alone could have saved our season, as a strikeout or a double play radically changes the inning.

Tk mentioned Hos' momentum shifting RBI in Game 5 (this moment brought me a sigh of relief and gave me an unusual confidence about the contest), so I'll move on to the ALCS.

Game 1 of the ALCS, Bottom of the 8th, 1 out



This play doesn't seem too substantial to Game 1's outcome, but I'd argue that it could have been very substantial to the overall series. Ahead 3-0, Hosmer ropes a pitch off the wall in right field. This AB sparks a 2 run outburst that convinces Ned to opt for Hochevar over Davis in the bullpen. While this may seem minuscule, this saves Davis' arm and also limits his exposure to the Jays' powerful lineup. Though Davis is a stud and still could have likely survived Game 6 - Andrew Miller and Kluber's collapse this year shows how valuable it is to rest our pen's borgs at every opportunity.

Game 2 of the ALCS, Bottom of the 7th, 0 out



This bad boy was one I had the pleasure of witnessing in person. For the first six innings I got to see David Price go GOAT on our lineup, but then Goins and Joey Bautista combine to Conseco a pop-up, and the rest is history. This was another phenomenal at bat by Hos. He lays off a killer price change up and then has fantastic plate coverage to hit a difficult ball away to drive it into opposite field. This sparks the first run in an electrifying rally that allows us to rush to a 2-0 chokehold on the heavily favored Jays.

EDIT: Honorable mention: Game 4 of the ALCS, Top of the 1st, 0 out.

Shoutout to AJKCFAN for pointing this one out below. While there aren't any highlights of this, Hos hits a single in the top of the 1st to drive Cain to third, and continue the damage against R.A. Dickey. Considering his knuckleball was death to our aggressive lineup several times over the past seasons, chasing him so early in Game 4 and getting to the Jays' bullpen was a big victory for the Royals - and Hos deserves his share of the credit for getting him out of the game.

Game 6 of the ALCS, Top of the 3rd, 0 out.



Back to Hos' defense, this play has always stood out to me. The tying run was on the on deck circle for the Jays', and we all knew how quickly that offense could close that gap. This snag prevents a double (if not more) for Pillar and Yo goes on to blow by Goins and Revere. If this isn't snagged, Yo faces Donaldson with a runner in scoring position in this inning, and one hit changes the entire complexion of this game.

Game 6 of the ALCS, Bottom of the 8th, 0 out.



Everyone should have known this was coming. Cain and Jursch get almost all of the attention here, and understandably so, however, this whole exchange doesn't happen without Hos. Ozuna, though the loser in this one, wasn't exactly off his game. To the contrary, he was throwing straight up gas. Ozuna was hitting his targets at 98 mph, and Hos fouled off tough pitch after tough pitch, had great takes, and waited for a slider just out over the plate to drive into right field. Again, Hos' at bat was instrumental in the Royals advancing in the 2015 playoffs... and we aren't even into the iconic moment of the 2015 World Series.

Game 1 of the World Series, Bottom of the 6th, 0 out.



Yes, I am sure you were expecting to see Hos hit a sac fly, but perhaps not this sac fly. This was a massive AB. The Royals were down two and the (previously) unhittable Familia was looming in the bullpen. Hosmer quickly goes down 0-2 in the count, but shortens his swing to hit a tough sac fly to get within one. Yeah, yeah. Hos went on to blow the lead in large part thanks to his lousy fundamentals at first, but he more than made up for it with the walkoff in the 14th - one also hit off a tough pitch and one I'm sure you've seen dozens of times (so I'll spare you here).

Game 2 of the World Series, Bottom of the 5th, 2 out.



This was a massive AB. I was beginning to grow concerned that we were going to squander an opportunity to chase away one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball. However, with 2 out Hos ropes a ball to center to drive in 2. This at bat was critical for us chasing off Degrom and getting to the Mets vulnerable bullpen... one that we subsequently smashed, allowing Cueto to pitch a complete game and giving our pen critical rest for the series.

We all know what happened in Game 4. Some will argue Hos didn't actually do much against Familia. I can see that, but making contact in that AB was major regardless, on to Game 5...

Game 5 of the World Series, Bottom of the 7th, 0 out.



It's a shame Hos' defense is remembered mostly by his two errors in the World Series (especially with the second being questionable), because Hos had his share of standout moments like this one. It's easy to take these kind of plays for granted with Hosmer, but this play ended up being massive for our comeback. The Mets had the leadoff runner on, no out, and a chance to give themselves critical insurance for Harvey. A misplay here not only keeps the momentum of the inning alive, but it also drives up Kelvin's pitch count, something that could have prevented Ned from sending him out for a third inning. With Kelvin as lockdown as he was, I shudder to think about him potentially turning to Madson for a 3rd game in a row in either the 9th or the 11th. Little plays like this went on to make a big impact in the series... as seen below.

Game 5 of the World Series, Bottom of the 9th, 0 out.



This at-bat is vintage Eric Hosmer. Though Hos has received some much deserved scorn for his refusal to adjust his fundamentally questionable approaches at the plate and on defense, when Hosmer is clicking, the aesthetics are like watching poetry in motion on both sides of the diamond.

After taking a first pitch strike to allow Cain to steal second (eliminating the double play ball), Matt Harvey throws a fatigued 94 mph fastball in the Hos zone. On the outside part of the strike zone, Hosmer gets extension on his swing a ropes a pitch into the left field corner. In situations in October, many players botch hittable pitches or makable plays. Time and time again, Hosmer has shown an uncanny ability to breakthrough in the clutch... and that fact is no better illustrated than in this at-bat.

Game 5 of the World Series, Bottom of the 9th, 1 out.



Of course this play was coming. Call it short sighted, call it stupidity, but however you feel, Hosmer took a chance to tie the World Series in Game 5, and it paid off. Ask Cleveland fans if they wish they had an opportunity like this against the Cubs. With Degrom and Thor looming, I was more than happy to walk away with the title in NYC - and without Hosmer, there's a good chance it doesn't happen.

I would have accepted an argument that Hos' performance in the 2015 postseason is overrated, especially with his poor overall numbers in each series. But to say he was shit? Considering how instrumental he was to our postseasons biggest moments, as well as how clutch he was in elimination or clinching games in every series, I must respectfully disagree.

Love you, Hos, you swagtastic bastard.

[Prison Bitch]

Trivia:

Name the highest drafted player in Royals history. (This will be a two part question)

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Trivia:

Name the highest drafted player in Royals history. (This will be a two part question)

Luke Hochevar?

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by Bowser

Luke Hochevar?

Yes




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Trivia:

Name the highest drafted player in Royals history. (This will be a two part question)

1. Hochevar
2. Dodgers.

[AJKCFAN]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

In all seriousness, I'd refute your sentiment for the following reasons.

First, I'd argue that looking at a statsheet is a not the best way to evaluate a hitter's postseason performance. Hitters are typically up against elite competition, and generally, offensive players see their stats trend down in October. Hos in this postseason alone faced Cy Young winner Keuchel x2, lefty specialist Sipp x3 (who, as DJ pointed out, managers will be much quicker to put in against Hos), CY runner up David Price x2, Harvey x2, DeGrom, Thor, Matz, and Familia. Matchups like this will be hard for any hitter, especially when combined with the colder October weather.

With that said, let's look at some of his key moments that had direct impacts on games in our 2015 postseason. tk13 already did a great job of pointing a lot of these out - but I'll focus on a few that stand out to me.

Game 2 of the ALDS, Top of the 9th, 0 out.



Wade Davis uncharacteristically walks Tucker and the Astros immediately put in Carlos Gomez to run for him. Davis, who hadn't picked off anyone in two years, immediately throws a quick toss to Hos. It wasn't a great throw and quick hops Hosmer. It's a ball that gets by a lot of major league first basemen, but instead, Hos not only gloves the ball but simultaneously tags out Gomez. Instead of a situation where we had a runner on 2nd or 3rd with 1 out, Hos' defense singlehandedly flipped the situation in the 9th inning. Clinching a must-win against a flyball killing team with Keuchel looming in the coming game.

Game 4 of the ALDS, Top of the 8th inning, 0 out.



Honestly, this post should be about Hosmer's fantastic at-bats in Game 4 of the ALDS. He put up a simply phenomenal at-bat against Sipp with our season 6 outs from being finished. Hos started out 0-2, laid off Sipp's devastating slider, gets back into the count before lining a tough pitch for a base hit to keep the inning going. As TK mentioned, in the next inning he then roasts a pitch 452 feet to give Davis much needed insurance before he went out for the next inning. This at-bat alone could have saved our season, as a strikeout or a double play radically changes the inning.

Tk mentioned Hos' momentum shifting RBI in Game 5 (this moment brought me a sigh of relief and gave me an unusual confidence about the contest), so I'll move on to the ALCS.

Game 1 of the ALCS, Bottom of the 8th, 1 out



This play doesn't seem too substantial to Game 1's outcome, but I'd argue that it could have been very substantial to the overall series. Ahead 3-0, Hosmer ropes a pitch off the wall in right field. This AB sparks a 2 run outburst that convinces Ned to opt for Hochevar over Davis in the bullpen. While this may seem minuscule, this saves Davis' arm and also limits his exposure to the Jays' powerful lineup. Though Davis is a stud and still could have likely survived Game 6 - Andrew Miller and Kluber's collapse this year shows how valuable it is to rest our pen's borgs at every opportunity.

Game 2 of the ALCS, Bottom of the 7th, 0 out



This bad boy was one I had the pleasure of witnessing in person. For the first six innings I got to see David Price go GOAT on our lineup, but then Goins and Joey Bautista combine to Conseco a pop-up, and the rest is history. This was another phenomenal at bat by Hos. He lays off a killer price change up and then has fantastic plate coverage to hit a difficult ball away to drive it into opposite field. This sparks the first run in an electrifying rally that allows us to rush to a 2-0 chokehold on the heavily favored Jays.

Game 6 of the ALCS, Top of the 3rd, 0 out.



Back to Hos' defense, this play has always stood out to me. The tying run was on the on deck circle for the Jays', and we all knew how quickly that offense could close that gap. This snag prevents a double (if not more) for Pillar and Yo goes on to blow by Goins and Revere. If this isn't snagged, Yo faces Donaldson with a runner in scoring position in this inning, and one hit changes the entire complexion of this game.

Game 6 of the ALCS, Bottom of the 8th, 0 out.



Everyone should have known this was coming. Cain and Jursch get almost all of the attention here, and understandably so, however, this whole exchange doesn't happen without Hos. Ozuna, though the loser in this game, wasn't exactly off his game. To the contrary, he was throwing straight up gas. Ozuna was hitting his targets at 98 mph, and Hos fouled off tough pitch after tough pitch, had great takes, and waited for a slider just out over the plate to drive into right field. Again, Hos' at bat was instrumental in the Royals advancing in the 2015 playoffs... and we aren't even into the iconic moment of the 2015 World Series.

Game 1 of the World Series, Bottom of the 6th, 0 out.



Yes, I am sure you were expecting to see Hos hit a sac fly, but perhaps not this sac fly. This was a massive AB. The Royals were down two and the (previously) unhittable Familia was looming in the bullpen. Hosmer quickly goes down 0-2 in the count, but shortens his swing to hit a tough sac fly to get within one. Yeah, yeah. Hos went on to blow the lead in large part thanks to his lousy fundamentals at first, but he more than made up for it with the walkoff in the 14th - one also hit off a tough pitch and one I'm sure you've seen dozens of times (so I'll spare you here).

Game 2 of the World Series, Bottom of the 5th, 2 out.



This was a massive AB. I was beginning to grow concerned that we were going to squander an opportunity to chase away one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball. However, with 2 out Hos ropes a ball to center to drive in 2. This at bat was critical for us chasing off Degrom and getting to the Mets vulnerable bullpen... one that we subsequently smashed, allowing Cueto to pitch a complete game and giving our pen critical rest for the series.

We all know what happened in Game 4. Some will argue Hos didn't actually do much against Familia. I can see that, but making contact in that AB was major regardless, on to Game 5...

Game 5 of the World Series, Bottom of the 7th, 0 out.



It's a shame Hos' defense is remembered mostly by his two errors in the World Series (especially when the second being questionable), because Hos had many standout moments like this one. It's easy to take these kind of plays for granted with Hosmer, but this play ended up being massive for our comeback. The Mets had the leadoff runner on, no out, and a chance to give themselves critical insurance for Harvey. A misplay here not only keeps the momentum of the inning alive, but it also drives up Kelvin's pitch count, something that could have prevented Ned from sending him out for a third inning. With Kelvin as lockdown as he was, I shudder to think about him potentially turning to Madson for a 3rd game in a row in either the 9th or the 11th. Little plays like this went on to make a big impact in the series... as seen below.

Game 5 of the World Series, Bottom of the 9th, 1 out.



Of course this play was coming. Call it short sighted, call it stupidity, but however you feel, Hosmer took a chance to tie the World Series in Game 5, and it paid off. Ask Cleveland fans if they wish they had an opportunity like this against the Cubs. With Degrom and Thor looming, I was more than happy to walk away with the title in NYC - and without Hosmer, there's a good chance it doesn't happen.

I would have accepted an argument that Hos' performance in the 2015 postseason is overrated, especially with his poor overall numbers in each series. But to say he was shit? Considering how instrumental he was to our postseasons biggest moments, as well as how clutch he was in elimination or clinching games in every series, I must respectfully disagree.

Love you, Hos, you swagtastic bastard.

Great job on your part and tk13 part as well.

And there were STILL OTHER huge moments not covered by either of you. I have three more to add.

Game 2 Astros
Hosmer comes through with a clutch single to score Cain to trim Astros lead to 4-3. Inning would not end until it was tied. Hosmer's hit was THE big play of that inning. Also against a tough lefty in Oliver Perez who was giving him fits. Forgive me for not knowing how to embed but here's the link:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IBBieX1wM-8

Game 4 Blue Jays
When KC was pouring it on poor R.A. Dickey in the first, was Hosmer involved in that big inning? You bet he was!
Feel free to watch the entire ass whuppin but Hosmer's hit I'm talking about is at the 7:10 mark but this hit really made this inning go from Alcides bunt, Zobrist blast to the next level.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=t1bsyeqd0cM

Game 5 Blue Jays
It happened in a loss but it was such a great catch by Hosmer. Had they won this game it may lay claim to being a really, really memorable defensive play in Royals postseason history but still it was the only highlight worth keeping from this game Royals related.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ur80dVklUV8

Is there a more clutch player on this Royals run than Hosmer? I don't believe so. All due respect to whomever you say, the number of Hosmer's memorable moments from 2015 and let's not forget 2014 as well, is tops.

I mean that's now three posts on Hosmer's 2015 postseason. Yeah, he was that good.

Only one Royal All Time has been more clutch than Hosmer and that's
George Brett. It goes without saying Hosmer is NOT the player Brett was. He doesn't need to be. However, like Brett, both usually came up big in big moments and should the Royals hopefully make the playoffs again this year, I'm expecting Hosmer to again make the plays to help the Royals win again.

Count me in for approving an extension if it happens....

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by AJKCFAN

Great job on your part and tk13 part as well.

And there were STILL OTHER huge moments not covered by either of you. I have three more to add.

Ah man, I really did consider those first two plays. I just had a feeling someone would yell "BABIP!!!1!" for the Game 2 ALDS highlight. However, I do regret not mentioning his AB in Game 4 of the ALCS (he had a play in Game 3 of the WS I considered dropping in as well).

While many may look at that final score of Game 4 of the ALCS and go "pff we'd have had it in the bag either way," that game was much, much more tense in the first half of the game.

Funnily enough, the Royals were not unduly concerned about David Price, Harvey or Degrom in the postseason, but R.A. Dickey was someone who did give them great concern. His style continually flummoxed the Royals aggressive hitters and the FO was worried that he'd pitch a gem to even the series. Hos' hit to help chase away Dickey allowed the Royals to get to the Jays' little league pen and run away for a massive Game 4 win.

[dlphg9]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

In all seriousness, I'd refute your sentiment for the following reasons.

First, I'd argue that looking at a statsheet is a not the best way to evaluate a hitter's postseason performance. Hitters are typically up against elite competition, and generally, offensive players see their stats trend down in October. Hos in this postseason alone faced Cy Young winner Keuchel x2, lefty specialist Sipp x3 (who, as DJ pointed out, managers will be much quicker to put in against Hos), CY runner up David Price x2, Harvey x2, DeGrom, Thor, Matz, and Familia. Matchups like this will be hard for any hitter, especially when combined with the colder October weather.

With that said, let's look at some of his key moments that had direct impacts on games in our 2015 postseason. tk13 already did a great job of pointing a lot of these out - but I'll focus on a few that stand out to me.

Game 2 of the ALDS, Top of the 9th, 0 out.



Wade Davis uncharacteristically walks Tucker and the Astros immediately put in Carlos Gomez to run for him. Davis, who hadn't picked off anyone in two years, immediately throws a quick toss to Hos. It wasn't a great throw and quick hops Hosmer. It's a ball that gets by a lot of major league first basemen, but instead, Hos not only gloves the ball but simultaneously tags out Gomez. Instead of a situation where we had a runner on 2nd or 3rd with 1 out, Hos' defense singlehandedly flipped the situation in the 9th inning. Clinching a must-win against a flyball killing team with Keuchel looming in the coming game.

Game 4 of the ALDS, Top of the 8th inning, 0 out.



Honestly, this post should be about Hosmer's fantastic at-bats in Game 4 of the ALDS. He put up a simply phenomenal at-bat against Sipp with our season 6 outs from being finished. Hos started out 0-2, laid off Sipp's devastating slider, gets back into the count before lining a tough pitch for a base hit to keep the inning going. As TK mentioned, in the next inning he then roasts a pitch 452 feet to give Davis much needed insurance before he went out for the next inning. This at-bat alone could have saved our season, as a strikeout or a double play radically changes the inning.

Tk mentioned Hos' momentum shifting RBI in Game 5 (this moment brought me a sigh of relief and gave me an unusual confidence about the contest), so I'll move on to the ALCS.

Game 1 of the ALCS, Bottom of the 8th, 1 out



This play doesn't seem too substantial to Game 1's outcome, but I'd argue that it could have been very substantial to the overall series. Ahead 3-0, Hosmer ropes a pitch off the wall in right field. This AB sparks a 2 run outburst that convinces Ned to opt for Hochevar over Davis in the bullpen. While this may seem minuscule, this saves Davis' arm and also limits his exposure to the Jays' powerful lineup. Though Davis is a stud and still could have likely survived Game 6 - Andrew Miller and Kluber's collapse this year shows how valuable it is to rest our pen's borgs at every opportunity.

Game 2 of the ALCS, Bottom of the 7th, 0 out



This bad boy was one I had the pleasure of witnessing in person. For the first six innings I got to see David Price go GOAT on our lineup, but then Goins and Joey Bautista combine to Conseco a pop-up, and the rest is history. This was another phenomenal at bat by Hos. He lays off a killer price change up and then has fantastic plate coverage to hit a difficult ball away to drive it into opposite field. This sparks the first run in an electrifying rally that allows us to rush to a 2-0 chokehold on the heavily favored Jays.

Game 6 of the ALCS, Top of the 3rd, 0 out.



Back to Hos' defense, this play has always stood out to me. The tying run was on the on deck circle for the Jays', and we all knew how quickly that offense could close that gap. This snag prevents a double (if not more) for Pillar and Yo goes on to blow by Goins and Revere. If this isn't snagged, Yo faces Donaldson with a runner in scoring position in this inning, and one hit changes the entire complexion of this game.

Game 6 of the ALCS, Bottom of the 8th, 0 out.



Everyone should have known this was coming. Cain and Jursch get almost all of the attention here, and understandably so, however, this whole exchange doesn't happen without Hos. Ozuna, though the loser in this game, wasn't exactly off his game. To the contrary, he was throwing straight up gas. Ozuna was hitting his targets at 98 mph, and Hos fouled off tough pitch after tough pitch, had great takes, and waited for a slider just out over the plate to drive into right field. Again, Hos' at bat was instrumental in the Royals advancing in the 2015 playoffs... and we aren't even into the iconic moment of the 2015 World Series.

Game 1 of the World Series, Bottom of the 6th, 0 out.



Yes, I am sure you were expecting to see Hos hit a sac fly, but perhaps not this sac fly. This was a massive AB. The Royals were down two and the (previously) unhittable Familia was looming in the bullpen. Hosmer quickly goes down 0-2 in the count, but shortens his swing to hit a tough sac fly to get within one. Yeah, yeah. Hos went on to blow the lead in large part thanks to his lousy fundamentals at first, but he more than made up for it with the walkoff in the 14th - one also hit off a tough pitch and one I'm sure you've seen dozens of times (so I'll spare you here).

Game 2 of the World Series, Bottom of the 5th, 2 out.



This was a massive AB. I was beginning to grow concerned that we were going to squander an opportunity to chase away one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball. However, with 2 out Hos ropes a ball to center to drive in 2. This at bat was critical for us chasing off Degrom and getting to the Mets vulnerable bullpen... one that we subsequently smashed, allowing Cueto to pitch a complete game and giving our pen critical rest for the series.

We all know what happened in Game 4. Some will argue Hos didn't actually do much against Familia. I can see that, but making contact in that AB was major regardless, on to Game 5...

Game 5 of the World Series, Bottom of the 7th, 0 out.



It's a shame Hos' defense is remembered mostly by his two errors in the World Series (especially when the second being questionable), because Hos had many standout moments like this one. It's easy to take these kind of plays for granted with Hosmer, but this play ended up being massive for our comeback. The Mets had the leadoff runner on, no out, and a chance to give themselves critical insurance for Harvey. A misplay here not only keeps the momentum of the inning alive, but it also drives up Kelvin's pitch count, something that could have prevented Ned from sending him out for a third inning. With Kelvin as lockdown as he was, I shudder to think about him potentially turning to Madson for a 3rd game in a row in either the 9th or the 11th. Little plays like this went on to make a big impact in the series... as seen below.

Game 5 of the World Series, Bottom of the 9th, 1 out.



Of course this play was coming. Call it short sighted, call it stupidity, but however you feel, Hosmer took a chance to tie the World Series in Game 5, and it paid off. Ask Cleveland fans if they wish they had an opportunity like this against the Cubs. With Degrom and Thor looming, I was more than happy to walk away with the title in NYC - and without Hosmer, there's a good chance it doesn't happen.

I would have accepted an argument that Hos' performance in the 2015 postseason is overrated, especially with his poor overall numbers in each series. But to say he was shit? Considering how instrumental he was to our postseasons biggest moments, as well as how clutch he was in elimination or clinching games in every series, I must respectfully disagree.

Love you, Hos, you swagtastic bastard.

You got me. Damn good break down!

[ChiTown]

We haven't even played a single Spring Training game and I already love this thread. You guys rock!

[Why Not?]

Originally Posted by dlphg9

You got me. Damn good break down!

Tip of the cap to you, sir. It is rare in life for someone to swiftly and decisively admit wrong. On CP, it's unheard of.

[dlphg9]

Originally Posted by Why Not?

Tip of the cap to you, sir. It is rare in life for someone to swiftly and decisively admit wrong. On CP, it's unheard of.

Pretty useless to argue against that. He owned me haha

[C3HIEF3S]

Hos comes up huge in the biggest moments. I don't know why, I don't really care how he does it, but as a Royals fan I love that he does and as much love I have for analytics.. I will rest on this case. The dude has a knack for the bright lights, and Scott Boras knows it. Hell of a post, Pants.

EDIT: BTW- Pants probably typed and embedded all of that up in about 2 minutes. The dude types faster than anyone I have ever ****ing seen. Word has it he once wrote a 15 page research paper in 15 minutes while saving 15% or more on car insurance simultaneously.

[Great Expectations]

Pants should sell that message to Boras.

[dlphg9]

I'm just ready for baseball to get here! Go Royals!