tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29931046841057642522024-03-04T04:43:36.511-06:00Royal RevivalA blog devoted to the revival of what once was the model franchise in professional baseball, the Kansas City Royals.Landon Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757270442133039299noreply@blogger.comBlogger654125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-8568103414154837842015-11-12T07:25:00.000-06:002015-11-12T08:50:52.186-06:00Theory on the Royals "Interest" in O'Day & SoriaThe hot stove is just getting warmed up, but we've already heard on several occasions that the Royals are interested in <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=3321&position=P">Darren O'Day</a> and <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=6941&position=P">Joakim Soria</a>. If you are like me then you read this and immediately brushed it off as the club doing their due diligence. Before I go any further, I want to be clear that I do believe that is the case. However, let's take a moment and allow ourselves to believe that the Royals are seriously considering adding Soria or O'Day to the back end of their bullpen.<br />
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O'Day has been one of the very best relievers in all of baseball over the last four seasons and in the last two seasons Soria has returned to his pre-2012 form. For the Royals, either pitcher would immediately be slotted into the back of the bullpen and join the triumvirate of <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=7441&position=P">Wade Davis</a>, <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=6033&position=P">Kelvin Herrera</a>, and <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=6943&position=P">Luke Hochevar</a>. It is in large part due to this that the acquisition of either feels more like overkill and a waste of resources in regards to the 2016 team.<br />
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What if the Royals intention to pursue O'Day or Soria isn't because they want to make their back of the bullpen 4 deep? What if it is because they are looking to flip one of HHD for an outfielder, second baseman, or starting pitcher. It is no secret that this year's free agent market is exceptionally shallow in the relief pitching department. If the Royals could land O'Day or Soria, not only would it lessen the blow should they move Davis, Herrera, or Hochevar, but it would also help to corner the relief market. This would allow the Royals even more negotiating power.<br />
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If the Royals were to pursue this sign a relief pitcher, trade a relief pitcher then who would be most likely to be moved? Luke Hochevar would be the least painful to part with. He is owed $5.5 million in 2016 and then has a $7 million mutual option for 2017. Unfortunately, Hochevar is the least painful for a reason. His peripherals were very strong in 2015 and he is said to have closer stuff, but the 3.73 ERA and 4.00 WHIP don't scream closer.<br />
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Kelvin Herrera will make approximately $2.5 million in 2016 and has three more years of control before he hits free agency. This and his career 2.60 ERA would make him an extremely valuable commodity on the trade market. I think most in the industry would be perfectly fine with handing the ball to Herrera to get the final three outs of the game.<br />
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Wade Davis is owed $8 million for 2016, and has a team option of $10 million for the 2017 season. For arguably the top reliever in baseball this is a bargain. If the Royals signed O'Day to a two year $16 million contract, would it make sense to then slide him into the closer role and trade Davis? Royal Revival's sources have told us that last offseason the Royals were close to moving Davis for a starting pitcher.<br />
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Personally, I think this strategy makes sense. Obviously, there is risk that by dealing from a strength you could damage it to a point where it is no longer a strength. We also know that relief pitching is one of the most fickle things in all of baseball. The shelf life for top tier relievers typically isn't long. We were reminded of that just a couple of months ago by <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=7196&position=P">Greg Holland</a>. It was rumored that Dayton Moore had opportunities to move Soria for quality packages prior to his injury. It bares to reason, that the Royals likely could have netter a good haul for Holland last offseason. In both cases Dayton Moore held on to his chips too long. Maybe this go around it will be different.<br />
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As far as what the Royals could acquire. I think there is good reason to believe that for either Davis or Herrera the Royals would be looking for a piece that they could immediately slide into the back of the rotation or a corner outfield spot. In addition to that they likely could get a prospect of decent value as well. As a long time <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=12984&position=OF">Jackie Bradley Jr</a>. fan, I'd love to see the Royals match up with Boston to bring the former 1st round pick to Kansas City. Boston is said to be in the market for back end help and there has been rumors that they'd move Bradley Jr or Rusney Castillo plus to get Aroldis Chapman.<br />
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As I said when I started this post, I don't believe the Royals will take this route. I'm not even sure that they should take this route. However, I think it is interesting food for thought. If the Royals were to sign O'Day then trade Wade Davis to Boston for Bradley Jr. plus a prospect, they would be able to fill one of their holes without dipping into their free agent budget. Of course, if Hochevar was enough to grab Bradley Jr. from Boston, I'd jump on that deal in a heartbeat.<br />
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<b>Edit: </b>Approximately 1 hour after the writing of this post, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com said that Jackie Bradley has generated trade interest from the Royals and Cubs.<br />
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<b><i>Follow me on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Landon_Adams">@Landon_Adams</a></i></b>Landon Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757270442133039299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-80874643158227238252015-07-20T23:23:00.000-05:002015-07-21T07:55:11.579-05:00In the Cross Hairs: Brandon PhillipsThe Reds are said to be open for business and on their team there are several intriguing options that could fit for the Kansas City Royals. We've heard a lot about the Royals interest in Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake. Perhaps, there is another name that could catch the Royals' eyes. I'm speaking of the flashy <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/phillbr01.shtml">Brandon Phillips</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://wfny.shoutitoutdesign.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/phillips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://wfny.shoutitoutdesign.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/phillips.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a>When talking about the Cincinnati second baseman, the first thing we need to recognize is that he is not the offensive force that he once was. In fact, since the start of the 2013 season, the former 2nd Round pick has played in 352 games and hit just .267/.310/.381, which is good for an OPS+ of 91. A below average line, but still much better than the .245/.278/.326 line that <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/i/infanom01.shtml">Omar Infante</a> boasts as a Royal.<br />
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What Phillips does bring to the table is excellent defense. This season, Fangraphs credits him as having been worth 4 defensive runs saved, and being worth 2.5 UZR/150. Both of which are above average tallies. In fact, since the start of the 2013 season, Phillips ranks 3rd among qualified second basemen in converting "Remote" (1-10%) plays into outs at 9.8%. He ranks 1st in "Unlikely" (11-40%) plays at 51.5%. He ranks 7th in "Even" (41-60%) plays and 3rd in "Likely" (61-90%). Quite simply his glove is one of the best (and <a href="http://deadspin.com/brandon-phillipss-absurd-sliding-stop-behind-the-back-1719174494">most fun to watch</a>) in baseball.<br />
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So what would it take to land Phillips should the Royals decide to pursue this route?<br />
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Here's how Phillips contract breaks down moving forward:<br />
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<li>2015 - $12 million (roughly $5.2 remaining)</li>
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Phillips is currently worth 1.1 fWAR in 2015 and ZIPs projects him to garner 0.9 over the remainder of the season. If Phillips can continue to be worth about 4 WAR for the remainder of his deal. By valuing a win at the current Fangraphs valuation of $7.6 million, then Phillips would be worth -$1.7 million in excessive value. If we go with a more conservative $5.5 million valuation of wins, then Phillips drops to -$10.2 million. </div>
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So let's say the Royals could work out a Infante plus a prospect swap for Phillips. Before we know what kind of prospect that we'd be talking about we first need to evaluate Infante in the same way that we have Phillips. ZIPs currently projects Infante to be worth about 0.3 WAR over the remainder of 2016. If we project Infante to then be worth 0 WAR in 2016 & 17, then his excessive value would be -$15.6 million at the Fangraphs rate and -$16.2 million at the more conservative rate. </div>
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What we see here is that the difference in excess value between Phillips and Infante comes in somewhere between $6.2 and $13.9 million. Thanks to the work of The Point of Pittsburgh on <a href="http://www.thepointofpittsburgh.com/how-much-an-mlb-prospect-is-worth-updated-trade-surplus-values/">prospect valuation</a>, We can see that sort of valuation would be reflective of a borderline top 100 prospect, or even a pitching prospect ranked somewhere in the 51-100 range in a top 100. Prospects that could work in this range would be guys like Jorge Bonifcaio, Bubba Starling, Miguel Almonte, Brandon Finnegan, Sean Manaea, and maybe guys like Foster Griffin, or Scott Blewett.</div>
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So Royals fans, how would you feel about an Omar Infate plus one of the aforementioned players for Brandon Phillips? Would sacrificing a prospect of that quality be worth the upgrade? Is the upgrade worth having Brandon Phillips <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1753966-brandon-phillips-rips-into-reds-reporter-for-on-base-percentage-comments">less than stellar personality</a> in Kansas City?</div>
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<b><i>Tell me <a href="https://twitter.com/Landon_Adams">@Landon_Adams</a>! </i></b></div>
Landon Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757270442133039299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-58634081544626651092015-07-14T23:23:00.000-05:002015-07-15T09:17:17.502-05:00In the Cross Hairs: Cameron Maybin<br />
Over the next couple of weeks, I hope to take a look at several different players that the Royals could/should target via trade. As I highlighted <a href="http://royalrevival.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-state-of-royals-outfield.html">here</a>, I believe that the Royals should pursue an outfielder at this year's trade deadline. Also, according to Jon Heyman the Royals are actively searching the trade market for outfield help.<br />
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Royals, pirates among teams looking at outfield help</div>
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/status/620311450704326656">July 12, 2015</a></blockquote>
For these reasons, I'll probably focus my efforts on examining outfielders. Let's start with Atlanta Braves center fielder <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/maybica01.shtml">Cameron Maybin</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/298/files/2015/06/cameron-maybin-mlb-pittsburgh-pirates-atlanta-braves-850x560.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/298/files/2015/06/cameron-maybin-mlb-pittsburgh-pirates-atlanta-braves-850x560.jpg" height="210" width="320" /></a>A former first round pick and top prospect, Maybin has for the most part failed to live up to the hype as a Major League player. However, the Asheville, North Carolina native has produced 9.3 fWAR over 641 career games, which translates to about 2.4 fWAR per 162. For comparison's sake, Alcides Escobar has been worth 2.1 fWAR per 162 throughout his career.<br />
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For his career, Maybin has hit .252/.317/.372. However, in 2015, Maybin has boosted that line to .289/.356/.418. Clearly, teams need to be wary of acquiring players when they are at peak performance and in this case, Maybin is having the best offensive season of his career (117 RC+). The question becomes is this luck driven or change driven?<br />
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In this particular circumstance, I believe there is a strong case that Maybin has turned a corner offensively. Although, I don't believe it do be quite as pronounced as the stats seem to indicate. To double check on this, I ran Maybin's contact rates through a xBABIP calculator to see what we should expect his line to be thus far this season.<br />
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<li>Actual: .289/.356/.418 with 8 HR</li>
<li>xBABIP Adjusted: .303/.368/.433 with 8 HR</li>
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Now let's look at how his numbers change if we change his HR/FB% to league average of 10.5%:</div>
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<li> .295/.361/.396 with 5 HR</li>
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Finally, how would the numbers look with Maybin's career HR/FB% instead of the 16% that he has blasted out in 2015.</div>
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<li>.293/.359/.386 with 4 HR</li>
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My personal conclusion is that as a 28 year old with regular playing time for the first time since 2012, Maybin has improved at the plate. He is posting a career high 9.3% walk rate and he is squaring the ball up more frequently than he has at any other point in his Major League career. What I don't buy is the sudden increase in power. However, even if you accept the final line that uses Maybin's career HR/FB% a .293/.359/.386 line would represent an enormous improvement of <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/riosal01.shtml">Alex Rios</a>'s .238/.266/.288. </div>
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Of course when talking about Maybin the offense is only a portion of what intrigues me. Despite a career year at the plate, the numbers indicate that Maybin has struggled defensively in 2015. Defensive Runs Saved believes that Maybin has cost the Braves 14 runs this season. UZR has him at -7.2 runs through the first half. </div>
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These numbers come as a bit of a surprise considering that through Maybin's first 8 seasons, he was worth on average about 3 runs saved per year. Nothing special, but a slightly above average defensive center fielder carries value and typically translates into an above average corner outfielder. Fortunately, for the Royals that is exactly where Maybin would wind up. </div>
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While it isn't a slam dunk, my guess is that if Maybin were to move to a corner at Kauffman Stadium, his defense would play up in a tremendous way. The Royals have finally begun to realize that the uniqueness of Kauffman's spacious outfield can be an enormous competitive advantage. Essentially, by fielding 2 or 3 center fielders, there is enough space that the individual's fielding territories don't overlap which allows for maximum defensive effect. </div>
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Maybin is currently owed about $3.5 million for the remainder of the 2015 season. He is under control at a very affordable $8 million for 2016 and has a $9 million team option for 2017 that includes a $1 million buyout. Overall, if the Royals were to acquire the Braves outfielder, the team would owe him a approximately $12.5 million guaranteed. Not only would that buy the Royals a fill in during Alex Gordon's time on the disabled list, but it would also check off a box on this winter's shopping list.</div>
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Another aspect that draws me to Maybin is the fact that he is right handed. I've made no secret that I believe <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dysonja01.shtml">Jarrod Dyson</a> should be playing more often. If the Royals were to acquire Maybin they could put Dyson and Rios into a platoon at the other corner. Then when Gordon comes back, Maybin could take Rios's place with Dyson occasionally spelling him against right handed pitching. (Of course, my dream would be to DFA Rios and start both Maybin and Dyson everyday until Gordon returns. Sight.) If the Royals can manage to bring back Gordon for the 2016 season, I believe that it'd make more sense to acquire a right handed hitter than a lefty for the reason above. </div>
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So would the Braves trade Maybin? What would it take? The answer to the first question is not obvious, but I believe the answer to be yes. The Braves are clearly in a rebuild mode. Despite their best efforts to keep things interesting in 2015, the team is now 7 games behind the Nationals in the NL East and 6 behind the Cubs for the second wild card.<br />
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<b>EDIT: </b><a href="http://www.macon.com/2015/07/14/3843151_shanks-braves-are-ready-to-trade.html?rh=1">According to Bill Shanks the Braves are open for business and wouldn't refuse a strong trade offer for Maybin</a>. Shanks believes the Braves could reasonably demand a prospect in a team's 5-10 range. For the Royals that zone preseason included: Hunter Dozier, Miguel Almonte, Foster Griffin, Scott Blewett, Jorge Bonifacio, and Christian Colon.</div>
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What would it take to acquire Maybin is a more difficult question to answer. Let's say we are optimistic and project Maybin to be worth 1 fWAR for the rest of 2015, 2.5 fWAR for 2016, and 2.5 fWAR. Let's say we don't discount future value and we value 1 fWAR at $8 million, which seems high. If we do all of these things, we find that Maybin is worth about $27 million in surplus value. (Considering the way we reached this figure, I believe this to be on the high end.)</div>
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Based on the work from <a href="http://www.thepointofpittsburgh.com/how-much-an-mlb-prospect-is-worth-updated-trade-surplus-values/">The Point of Pittsburgh</a>, this is roughly the equivalent of a pitching prospect in the #26-50 range and a pitching prospect in the #51-75 range. </div>
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If we take a more pessimistic approach in how we value Maybin, we could reach the conclusion that he is worth more like $6-10 million in surplus value. This would make Maybin worth a border line top 100 prospect. </div>
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Based off all of this, I could see the Braves and Royals coming together somewhere in between. Perhaps, one of the Royals top pitching prospects, plus another guy ranking in the 20-45 ranges of the Royals top prospects. This aligns well with what resident Braves fan Nick Allen guessed at on Twitter. He discussed the Braves desire to add arms and catching depth and throughout a Maybin for <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/finnebr01.shtml">Brandon Finnegan</a> and<a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=evans-000zan"> Zane Evans</a> swap. </div>
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It has been said before, but if the Royals do move a top prospect, it seems like Finnegan is the most likely to go. Finnegan was a beast last October, but the Royals approach to his development this season has at times been baffling. At this point, I think it is likely that the Royals view him as a reliever long term and with that being the case, his value could be higher as a trade commodity than as a building block for future teams. I also recall that from his MLB Network days that John Hart, President of Operations for the Atlanta Braves was a huge Miguel Almonte fan.</div>
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What do you think Royals fans? Would you trade either Brandon Finnegan or Miguel Almonte plus another low level prospect for Maybin? Let me know!</div>
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<b><i>Follow me on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Landon_Adams">@Landon_Adams</a>!</i></b></div>
Landon Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757270442133039299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-63517732192813018582015-07-08T23:38:00.000-05:002015-07-09T09:48:52.630-05:00The State of the Royals OutfieldAs Royals nation collectively awaits the official results of the MRI on Alex Gordon's left leg, we are left to ponder what this means for the team moving forward. If the early indications are true that it is a grade 3 groin strain, then (based off a limited amount of research) Gordon could be sidelined between 6 and 12+ weeks. So let's look at how that breaks down on the calendar:<br />
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6 weeks - August 19 </div>
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7 weeks - August 26</div>
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8 weeks - September 2</div>
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9 weeks - September 9</div>
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10 weeks - September 16</div>
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11 weeks - September 23</div>
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12 weeks - September 30</div>
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Obviously, that's not a good situation. Another note is that the final game of the 2014 Minor League season on September 16. The importance of this is that if Gordon winds up being out 9+ weeks, then it is extremely unlikely that the Royals would have the ability to send their All-Star left fielder on rehab assignment. If Gordon winds up being out 9+ weeks, the Royals would have to reacclimate him through batting practice and a careful increase in playing time at the Major League level. </div>
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It is not impossible to get a guy back to speed without a rehab assignment, but it does make it a bit more difficult. Not to mention the possibility that the Royals could be playing in extremely important games over the last several weeks of the season. </div>
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Here is how I see it. If Gordon takes 9 weeks or less to return, the Royals are able to send him on rehab to the Minors and have the best chance of reintegrating him into the lineup in an effective manner. If Gordon takes between 9 and 11 weeks to return to game shape, the Royals have a shot of getting him back for October. If Gordon takes 12 or more weeks before he is ready for game action, the Royals will find themselves in an incredibly difficult spot of whether or not he should be included on a postseason roster when he has hardly played for two and a half months. </div>
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Long story short, if the news comes back that Gordon has sustained a grade 3 groin strain, then the team must approach this as though they will not see Gordon again this season. Prior to the injury, I had enough <a href="http://royalrevival.blogspot.com/2014/12/an-ode-to-mr-zoombiya.html">faith in Jarrod Dyson</a> that I didn't believe the Royals needed to acquire a corner outfielder to replace the lackadaisical Alex Rios. Now, I believe it is quite certain that the Royals should seek out replacement opportunities. </div>
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I view this situation in two parts. First, there is the 2015 problem. Rios is terrible and now Gordon is hurt. The Royals need to fill two outfield spots and they have a solution for one (Dyson). The second part of this is 2016. While the injury will increase the likelihood that Alex Gordon returns to Kansas City for the 2016 season, there is still a very good chance that he departs. If this is the case then the Royals return just Lorenzo Cain, Jarrod Dyson, and Paulo Orlando. Even if Dyson proves that he can play everyday in 2016, the Royals still need another starting outfielder. </div>
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If you find an outfielder now, you get the benefit of improving the roster for the remainder of 2015 by pushing aside Rios, while also getting a step ahead in setting the 2016 roster. If by chance the Royals are able to bring back Gordon for 2016, then they again can push Dyson into a rotation role as the fourth outfielder and will be even stronger a unit for the 2016 campaign.</div>
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It is my opinion that the outfielder the Royals need will come via trade. Some would argue that there are capable internal replacements and here is how I would counter on each of those options.</div>
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<b>Paulo Orlando</b> - Fourth Outfielder</div>
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<b>Brett Eibner</b> - The former second round pick has some promise. He is 26, extremely streaky at the plate, plays good defense, and has a good arm. He is also hitting .292/.349/491 in Omaha. There is a part of me that believes he could grab and handle an everyday job. However, I also know that Werner Park heavily favors right handed power and as a 26 year old, he needs to prove it in the Majors. The scenario that I prefer is that the Royals acquire a starting RF and Eibner gets called up in replace of Orlando or as a 5th outfielder. Given his power from the right side, I think he complements the roster better than Orlando. There is already a ton of speed, but a power bat off the bench would be a bonus and Eibner could even wind up in the small side of a platoon with Dyson.</div>
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<b>Whit Merrifield</b> - Based on reports it sounds like Merrifield could be the guy to replace Gordon on the roster. The former 9th round pick is an easy player to root for, but he is 26 and is currently slugging .392 in a hitter friendly league. He gets bonus points for being able to play both outfield and second base, but I don't see the South Carolina product as an answer.</div>
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<b>Moises Sierra/Reymond Fuentes/Jose Martinez</b> - All of these guys have done enough to get a chance to fill a void on the roster for a little bit. However, the Royals aren't filling this hole with any of these retreads.</div>
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<b>Lane Adams</b> - At 25 years old, the toolsy outfielder is barely hanging on to the prospect label. He's excellent defensively, can steal bases, and shows flashes at the plate. He received a cup of coffee last September and the organization loves his athleticism. Similar to Eibner, I think he is a guy who could complement Dyson well in a platoon role for left field. However, he isn't going to ever be an everyday outfielder.</div>
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<b>Jorge Bonifacio/Bubba Starling</b> - I've lumped these two 22 year olds together because I think at this point they have similar trajectories. Both could be in a position at some point in 2016 to deserve a look as an everyday guy. At this point, it is clear that both need more minor league seasoning. Unless the Royals decide to go the Salvador Perez route in their developmental approach, neither of these prospects will be slam dunks to deserve a Major League spot at the beginning of 2016.</div>
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All of this brings us back to my initial conclusion. The Royals need to add a corner outfielder to the roster sometime in the next few weeks. It will be an enormous boost to the team for 2015, and will also better position the team for success in 2016. </div>
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I've been wanting to get going on here for awhile, but have been considering who other options. It is good to be back and I'll try to break down some specific trade targets over the next few weeks. </div>
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<b><i>Follow me on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Landon_Adams">@Landon_Adams</a>! </i></b></div>
Landon Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757270442133039299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-73703291698320351212014-12-16T15:21:00.003-06:002014-12-16T15:21:39.080-06:00An Ode to Mr. ZoombiyaThe Royals entered the offseason with three positions to fill. Fans and the front office agreed the team needed to find a right fielder (to replace the departing <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=13075&position=OF">Nori Aoki</a>), a designated hitter (to replace the departing <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=7399&position=1B/DH">Billy Butler</a>), and a starting pitcher (to replace the departing <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=7059&position=P">James Shields</a>). It was generally accepted that the voids would need to be filled with individuals outside the organization and thus far Kansas City has checked two of the items off their list.<br />
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I'm not going to spend time in this post analyzing the <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=2090&position=OF">Alex Rios</a> or <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=8610&position=1B/DH">Kendrys Morales</a> additions, but instead I am going to ask a simple question. Why couldn't the team have filled right field with an in-house option? No, I'm not talking about <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=8760&position=OF">Carlos Peguero</a>. I'm talking about <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=4866&position=OF">Jarrod Dyson</a>.<br />
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Unlike Peguero there has been absolutely zero buzz about the possibility of breaking camp with Jarrod Dyson starting in the outfield. Why not?<br />
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The simple answer is that Dyson looks like a fourth outfielder. He is an excellent defensive replacement and an enormous weapon off the bench as a pinch runner. The former 50th round pick is so good in the fourth outfielder role that narrative dictates that is all he is. Never mind the fact that despite only receiving 290 plate appearances and playing in just 120 games, Dyson ranked 36th among outfielders in fWAR in 2014 and 5th on the team.<br />
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At this point many people tend to point out that Dyson's numbers were inflated due to the fact that he faced predominately right handed pitching last season. This is true. In 2014, Dyson faced right handed pitching in 81% of his plate appearances. Given that the typical regular sees right handed pitching approximately 70% of the time, we should adjust our expectations to reflect that number.<br />
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In order to get a more accurate feel on what Dyson's production would be over the course of the season, I broke out The Spitter. If you are unfamiliar with The Spitter or new to this blog, it is a projection system that weights batted ball data and is able to "spit" out a projection. The Spitter can then take these numbers and provide a wOBA and a WAR total for the player. I've added 2014 park factors to the Spitter, so the numbers are even more accurate now than they have been in the past. Like any projection system, The Spitter occasionally <a href="http://royalrevival.blogspot.com/2013/12/a-closer-look-at-norichika-aoki.html">whiffs</a>, but a vast majority of last season's projections were extremely accurate.<br />
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Since we aren't actually creating a projection for Dyson, I have adjusted The Spitter to give us full season results had Dyson maintained his contact rates against lefties and faced them in 30% of 600 plate appearances, as well as maintaining his contact rates against righties in the same plate appearance size.<br />
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Enough with the technical mumbo-jumbo. Had our hero been able to keep up his performance over a 600 plate appearance sample his season line should have ended up looking like this:<br />
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Jarrod Dyson 2014: .270/.329/.330, .297 wOBA and <b>1.34 </b>WAR.<br />
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This might not seem like a very impressive player, but this fails to consider Dyson's defense. When we plug in a positional adjustment and factor in Dyson's UZR from 2014, The Spitter increases Dyson's WAR to <b>5.23</b>. This tally would have ranked 22nd in baseball among all players and 10th among outfielders. Again, those results are not fudged. They are simply an extrapolation of the numbers that Dyson posted in 2014.<br />
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By the way, we still haven't accounted for baserunning. According to Fangraphs, Dyson was worth approximately 4.5 runs on the bases in 2014. When you consider that he would be on the bases 196 times in our extrapolated sample, compared to just 92 in reality, all of the sudden Dyson's legs add in another 9.6 runs in value. This would increase Dyson's WAR to approximately <b>6.28</b>, ranking him as the 6th most valuable outfielder in baseball.<br />
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At this point, things are starting to get a little crazy. How could Mr. Zoombiya really be worth nearly 6.3 wins above replacement? It just doesn't make sense. Blatantly, this thought doesn't fit the narrative. Dyson is a fourth outfielder. He is a former 50th round pick that has scraped out a career with his legs to earn a few seasons in the Show. He sure as hell doesn't look like a 6 win player.<br />
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What we have to realize is that Dyson doesn't look like a starting player, because his value comes in things that are more difficult to see. He isn't bopping home runs. He isn't hitting .320. He isn't posting 100 RBI seasons. He is a world class runner, He does get on base at a decent clip. He did post the highest UZR/150 out of all players with over 600 innings in the field.<br />
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For those of you that know me, you know that I have long been a Jarrod Dyson fan. I've defended him when few others would and I would loudly proclaim that his arm was vastly underrated until finally it wasn't. But do I think that Jarrod Dyson is a top ten outfielder in the Major Leagues? No. I do not.<br />
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I do think that given a full time job, it would be safe to project Dyson as a 3.5 win player in 2015. He might have a skill set that will cause his value to drop off quicker than the average outfielder, but he isn't going to become an average runner between now and April 6.<br />
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The Royals just paid Alex Rios $11 million hoping that he will turn back into the 3 win player that he was in 2013. Jarrod Dyson will make a fraction of that cost as a first time arbitration eligible player this year and he was worth 3 Wins Above Replacement in a part time role last season. Not to mention, Dyson won't be eligible for free agency until after the 2017 season.<br />
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For guys like Jarrod Dyson sometimes it is impossible to overcome the narrative and get the shot they deserve. Regardless, I'll be in Kansas City on Opening Day sitting in section 118, wearing my Mr.Zoombiya jersey. If you can find me, we'll get a drink and and dream about what Dyson could be have been as the Royals' everyday centerfielder.<br />
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<b><i>Follow me on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Landon_Adams">@Landon_Adams</a>!</i></b>Landon Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757270442133039299noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-77967375187122223162014-11-10T09:47:00.000-06:002014-11-10T09:48:30.667-06:00In the Cross Hairs: Scott Van SlykeYou might have noticed on Twitter a few days ago that I brought up Scott Van Slyke as a potential solution to the Royals right field search for 2015. Scott, who is the son of former Cardinals first round pick Andy Van Slyke, currently is stuck in the midst of a glut of outfielders with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers currently have one of the most crowded outfields in professional baseball and as a result will be pressed to make a move this offseason. Given the Royals strength at the back end of the bullpen and the Dodgers need of late inning help, it bares to reason that the two organizations could match up in a trade this winter.<br />
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Obviously, when it comes to the Dodgers, I would love if the Royals could get their hands on the Pacific Coast League MVP Joc Pederson, or the dynamic Yasiel Puig. However, I don't think the Royals are pulling back one of the aforementioned players, even if they are moving one of the HDH triumvirate. So another player who is catching my eye is Van Slyke.<br />
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First, off Van Slyke makes sense because he is right handed. This allows him to slide in nicely as a platoon partner with Royal Jarrod Dyson. Here is a look at what each of the outfielders did in 2014 against opposite side pitching:<br />
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<i>Van Slyke vs L: .315/.415/.630 in 130 plate appearances</i><br />
<i>Dyson vs R: .274/.326/.337 in 233 plate appearances</i><br />
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The combination of the two would allow both players to be put into excellent situations to succeed. As you can see, with Van Slyke in the lineup the Royals would receive a nice boost offensively. When Dyson is roaming the outfield the team would get a bump in the speed and defense department. The two players offer quite differing skill sets which would mesh extremely well on the roster.<br />
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Unlike many of the free agent options, Van Slyke is a strong defensive outfielder. For his career he has posted a 13.7 UZR/150. Not only does he have solid range, but his arm is rated average by the metrics.<br />
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The final pro with a Scott Van Slyke acquisition is the cost. Van Slyke will only be owed the league minimum in 2015 and will not be eligible for arbitration until following the season. In fact, Van Slyke wouldn't even be eligible for free agency until after the 2019 season. This means that the Royals could control the outfielder for five seasons. Granted the Missouri native is already 28 years old, but there is good reason to believe he would mesh well with the roster the Royals already have in place.<br />
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If the Royals were to acquire Van Slyke in a trade involving Greg Holland, they would immediately gain approximately $9 million more dollars in payroll flexibility for next season. Would a trade of Van Slyke plus a prospect for Holland be enough to get the Royals to pull the trigger? Most Royals fans would say no. They would argue that one of the top closers in the game should fetch more than a platoon player and prospect. I wouldn't necessarily disagree, but what fans should realize is that the Royals would also gain a huge amount of additional funds to put toward a starting pitcher and designated hitter.<br />
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One negative to note is Van Slyke's .394 BABIP from 2014. He also had an unsustainable HR/FB rate. However, he did square up the ball in over 20% of his at bats and walk 11.4% of the time. While a part of Van Slyke's success in 2014 was definitely BABIP driven, he still garnered the Dodgers 2.8 fWAR. Greg Holland, despite all of his hype in the postseason, earned the Royals 2.3 fWAR. <br />
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It is going to be hard to pull the trigger on a trade for any of the big three at the back of the bullpen. Is Van Slyke enough to get it done? Not in my opinion. First, I would ask for Pederson. When that doesn't happen, I'd turn my attention to a package that includes Van Slyke and one or two more prospects or pieces. Relievers are volatile and I think the Royals are well equipped to deal with a loss of Holland.<br />
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<b><i>Follow me on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Landon_Adams">@Landon_Adams</a>!</i></b>Landon Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757270442133039299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-9035232963580698672014-11-08T20:49:00.001-06:002014-11-08T20:49:43.318-06:00In The Cross Hairs: Melky CabreraLet's travel back in time. Say...four years ago. I know you don't want to, but it'll be a quick stop. The Royals of 2010 were a team to forget. The lineup was abysmal, but honestly, any lineup with Yuniesky Betancourt as the starting shortstop and Jose Guillen sitting in the designated hitter spot hacking away at pitches like a lumberjack will be anything but pretty to watch. Our future cyborg in left field, Alex Gordon, spent over half the year in Omaha learning the new position he now dominates. Our shortstop was Yuniesky Betancourt. Our then Ace, Zack Grienke, had an off year after coming off a dazzling Cy Young Award season in 2009. Gil Meche, or known to Royal Revival members as the "GILamonster", spent most of the season on the DL with back and shoulder issues. We had guys in the rotation like Kyle Davies, Sean O'Sullivan, Bryan Bullington, and Anthony Lerew (the guy with the Elvis Presley chops) making starts. Oh, did I mention Yuniesky Betancourt was our stinking shortstop?<br />
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Along with that seemingly endless list of problems, there was the occupancy of center field. The CF position saw not one, not two, but seven players receive playing time for the Royals. Those seven: Rick Ankiel (yes, Rick Ankiel), Gregor Blanco (sad face), Willie Bloomquist (Ol' droopy), David DeJesus, Jarrod Dyson (Zoombiya), Mitch Maier (player/coach for NW Arkansas Naturals in 2014), and Scott Podsednik. Woof. To top it off, the 2010 Royals employed two managers. Trey Hillman, who was let go after starting the year 12-23, managed in Kansas City the prior 2 seasons and finished off his tenure with a combined W-L record of 152-207. Then, Jeff Foxworthy's best friend, Edgar Frederick a.k.a. Ned Yost, steps in to take the reigns. I can still remember him getting a standing ovation that night when his name was first announced by the legendary Voice of the Royals, Mike McCartney. Simply put: the 2010 season was poop.</div>
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2011 wasn't all that much better, considering the Royals finished fourth in the division with a 71-91 record, but the lineup was shaping into what got Kansas City to the World Series for the first time since we beat the Cardinals in '85. Alex Gordon played 151 games in his new home of left field that earned him his first of many gold gloves, while hitting .303 with 23 HR. Newly acquired Jeff Francoeur played right field, hitting .285 with 20 HR and 22 SB. Our future corner infielders and starting catcher, Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, and Sal Perez, made their debuts that got everyone excited about the future. Even Lorenzo Cain received a September call-up to give the Royal Nation a brief glimpse into 2012.</div>
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One of the key components to 2011 was the signing of free agent CF Melky Cabrera. The Royals managed to sign Cabrera, 26 years old at the time, to a 1 year $1.25 million deal, mostly because of a disappointing campaign with the Atlanta Braves the year before. With the Braves, Cabrera hit .255/.317/.354 with just 4 HR and 42 RBI. What a steal this signing would turn out to be. Melky, hands down, had the best season of his young career as a Royal. During his stint in KC, he set career highs in batting average, HR, RBI, R, and SB. He finished fourth in the American League in hits with 201, which made him just the 6th Royal in franchise history to collect 200 hits in a season.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of cjonline.com</td></tr>
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During the offseason, the Royals needed to trade Cabrera for pitching and to clear the CF spot for Lorenzo Cain to take over. Kansas City sent Cabrera to San Francisco for pitchers Ryan Verdugo and, excuse me.. I just threw up in my mouth, Jonathon Sanchez. I'll stop there as far as the trade is concerned. While in The City by the Bay, Cabrera continued where he left off. The Melkman earned himself a spot in the starting lineup for the National League in the All-Star game in Kansas City. He collected two hits, including a 2-run HR, earning him the All-Star MVP award. His stellar year ended abruptly when MLB slapped him with a 50 game suspension for PED use. Since then, Melky has been playing for the Toronto Blue Jays. Last season, he was on his way to another solid year, but was stopped unexpectedly from getting hit by a pitch, fracturing his pinkie. He ended 2014 with a .301/.351/.458 line with 16 HR and 73 RBI.</div>
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Cabrera was one of several free agents who received a Qualifying Offer of a 1 year $15.3 million deal from their respective teams. According to SportsNet's Shi Davidi, Cabrera and the Blue Jays are "far apart" in contract discussions. The now 30 year old will likely test the waters of free agency. If Melky signs elsewhere, the Blue Jays will receive a compensatory draft pick in exchange, so there is a plus to the situation for Toronto. </div>
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A Melkman reunion in Kansas City isn't really seen by many for 2015. <a href="http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/11/2014-15-top-50-free-agents-with-predictions.html" target="_blank">MLB Trade Rumors</a> has predicted a 5 year $70 million deal in the works for the 30 year old switch hitter. If by happenstance the Royals were to look into Cabrera's services for a second go-around, there may be a very slight issue. There's no worry about Cabrera having trouble playing the outfield. Last season, all but three of his 139 games were in the OF. For most of his career, however, he has certainly avoided RF, but not completely. If the Royals happen to part ways with DH Billy Butler, which most definitely would be a sad day, Melky could in fact fill Butler's position. I would not be opposed if he were to see some time in RF, assuming the Royals do not re-sign Nori Aoki.<br />
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Daniel Warehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01608733322111325919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-15381489565479220602014-11-03T10:37:00.000-06:002014-11-03T10:37:13.185-06:00In The Cross Hairs: Brandon McCarthyWhat a year. What an unbelievably, amazing season from our Boys in Blue. Right off the bat, I want to thank the Royals for giving all of us memories we will cherish forever. Sure we had some bad spells, I can even recall a game we attended in May against the Astros. Nothing was going our way that series. For kicks, I said to fellow Royal Revival members Landon and Paden, "Watch this..Chris Carter. Left Field bullpen. Dinger." Sure enough. Things weren't going our way, but the boys ignored the doubters and eventually made the World Series for the first time in my young life. I look forward to talking to my children about this season, but I also look forward to the future and how bright it certainly looks!<br />
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Onward we go. This winter should be a busy one for Dayton Moore and Company. Three key positions need to be answered in the coming months. As you know, the Royals announced they had declined Billy Butler's $12.5 million option, which should have been no surprise to anyone. Billy wants to stay, which is great to hear, but a cheap and mutual agreement between Butler and the Royals will be needed. While discussing this with fellow R.R. members, we believe a 1 year $6 million deal could do it, or possibly a 2 year $12 million contract. However, if another suitor comes along with a 2 year $14 million deal on the table, I think Butler takes it. He's repeatedly said he wants to #BeRoyal, but baseball is a business. We'll have to wait and see what he decides. Life without Billy just doesn't seem right.<br />
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To the main topic of this post. Our rotation was revamped two years ago when the Royals traded top prospect Wil Myers for James Shields and Wade Davis. I think it's safe to say, we won the trade. Now that 2014 has come to a close, 'Big Game' James is a free agent and is seeking big money in free agency. Will the Royals extend a Qualifying Offer of 1 year $15.3 million to the soon-to-be 33 year old? Sure. Will James take the deal? He will probably test the waters of the market before discussing anything with the Royals. One place I can see him land is Chicago. No, not with the White Sox, but reuniting with his former manager Joe Maddon and dawning a Cubs uniform. The Cubs have a great core of young talent and something they could use again is an ace for their rotation. I don't want Shields to go away any more than I do Billy, but with the Royals current situation, Butler seems to be the top priority for the time being.<br />
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So, let's talk in terms of 2015 without James Shields. He undeniably helped the Royals get to where they are today, but Dayton and his colleagues need to think of a possible replacement. One idea could be to sign 31 year old Brandon McCarthy. There's no question that he wasn't superb in Arizona to begin the 2014 season. In 18 starts for the D-Backs, he was 3-10 with a 5.01 ERA. Those numbers helped the Yankees lure him in from Arizona by exchanging Vidal Nuno. McCarthy stepped up in a big way for his final 14 starts, going 7-5 with a 2.89 ERA with 82 Ks and 13 BBs in 90.1 innings. This was definitely a nice acquisition considering the injuries to C.C. Sabathia and Masahiro Tanaka.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Bill Kostroun, NYPost.com</td></tr>
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2014 was definitely a breath of fresh air for Brandon. For Arizona and NY combined, he logged 200 innings for the first time in his career, and the most since his 2011 campaign with Oakland when he threw 170 innings. For most of his career, McCarthy has been inconsistent, except for his two year stint in Oakland, which he enjoyed very much. In 281.2 innings, he had a combined ERA of 3.29 with 196 Ks and 49 BBs. He has good command of his fastball, which averaged 93 mph this season, he features a nice cutter that the Yankees encouraged him to through again, which could be part of his success in the pinstripes. He'll also put some sink on his fastball and throws a curveball around 80 mph and a changeup, but the off-speed pitch was almost non-existent as he threw it only 0.7% of the time.<br />
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McCarthy would definitely be a gamble. He made $10.25 million in 2014, while making a combined $15.5 million the last two seasons. I've seen possible offers for the righty at around $30 million in total for 3 years. That's quite a bit for the Royals to take on, considering McCarthy has been anything but consistent throughout his career. Here's a plus: his groundball and flyball numbers have flipped since the beginning of his career in 2005. According to FanGraphs, his GB% the past 2 seasons: 48.2% and 52.6%, respectively. FB% the past 2 seasons: 27.1% and 24.7%. Compared to Shields, McCarthy would be a cheaper replacement, but is it worth the risk on the unpredictable 31 year old? <br />
<br />Daniel Warehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01608733322111325919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-33391597090109625452014-10-31T10:40:00.001-05:002014-10-31T10:40:25.215-05:00The Experience was EverythingWhat an incredible run? I don't even know where to begin. I guess to start let me just say how blessed I am to have gotten to witness such an improbable story about a team that simply refused to quit. For Kansas City the last few weeks have represented so much more than W's on a baseball scorecard. For the city it represented rebirth.<br />
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Once upon a time, the city of Kansas City was betrayed by the team they loved. Shortly after the exodus, Ewing Kauffman brought baseball back to the city which adored it. Through shrewd moves and a dedication to developing talent from within the Royals developed into the model franchise of professional baseball. This was not only the case on the field, but in a time when cookie cutter parks were the norm, only Kauffman Stadium and Dodger Stadium continue to represent the beauty of their era.<br />
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Expressing their love for the team, the fans came in droves. For 18 straight seasons the Royals posted attendance totals above the American League average. This stretch peaked in 1989, when the team averaged over 30,000 fans per game for the only time in the franchise's history. Will this magical season push the Royals past that mark again in 2015?<br />
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In 2014, the team averaged 24,154 per game. It isn't unreasonable to expect a jump of about 3-4,000 per game next season. A jump of 3,000 per game would give the Royals nearly 2.2 million fans on the season and would be their highest total since the 1990 season. Even if the Royals could just average 537 more fans per game next season they will top the 2 million mark since the first time since 1991.<br />
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What do you think Royals fans? Can we collectively push this team over the 30,000 per game mark for just the second time in team history? It is undoubtedly a tall order, but this city has fallen in love with this team.<br />
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For me the October magic brought back memories. I was reminded of school nights when I was supposed to be tucked sound in my bed, but instead would sneak into the living room to watch the game with my dad. It reminded me of the time I got home from school and my dad was parked in the drive way and said to get in, we are going to go watch the Royals take on Ken Griffey Jr. and the Mariners.<br />
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These are the things that the Royals postseason has reminded us of. Sports aren't just about winning or losing. If they were then why would so many people choose a hobby in which every night, half of the participants wind up disappointed?<br />
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What this postseason run has reminded me of is the beauty of the game. It reminds me of how integral of a role that it has played in the relationships of my life. While I consider myself to be an extremely analytical fan, over the last year and a half I have wondered if this approach somehow detracts from my enjoyment of watching the game that I love. Expected win percentages and projected records. If we can pinpoint these things so distinctly then why do we even watch? We watch because even if there is an 87% chance that the Royals win between 79-86 games, there is still a 13% chance that they don't. Somewhere in those odds is the opportunity for something incredible to be witnessed. This season the Royals have reminded me of that.<br />
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In 20 years, when we look back on the 2014 season, we won't explain that the Royals playoff odds were set at 23% at the start of the season. We won't talk about how at one point during Game Four their series win expectancy stood at 83%. We will talk about the moments that defined the season. We will talk about how this team overcame two deficits of more than 7 games in the division. We will talk about Lorenzo Cain's diving catches, Jarrod Dyson's stolen bases, Alex Gordon's throws, and the two young stud pitchers who shoved it.<br />
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More importantly than that we will talk about our personal highlights. The moment in the Wild Card game when the man beside you started sobbing after Hosmer dove in to first to beat out a throw in the top of the tenth. Or the night spent with your dad and brothers in the upper deck during the ALCS. Or the time you were so happy that the Royals came back on Jon Lester that you kissed your friend on the cheek. These are the moments that sports are all about.<br />
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The Royals were just the third team in baseball history to lose Game Seven with the tying run on third base when the final out was made. The Royals are also the winningiest team from a single postseason to not earn World Series rings. By all accounts all Royals fans should be heart broken today. But I'm not heart broken. In fact, I feel more love for this team and these fans than I have felt in my entire life and I know one thing for certain.... Just wait until next year.Landon Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757270442133039299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-16526734822810732272014-10-29T10:24:00.000-05:002014-10-29T10:24:18.318-05:00Naming Rights for "The K"<div>
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Analytics breakdown: <a href="https://twitter.com/Royals">@Royals</a> stadium Naming Rights partner would've rec'd $28.1M during <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB">@mlb</a> playoffs from signage/mentions @ (8) home games<br />
— Front Row Analytics (@FRAnalytics) <a href="https://twitter.com/FRAnalytics/status/527470801428439041">October 29, 2014</a></blockquote>
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This morning Front Row Analytics posted a very interesting tweet regarding the naming rights of Kauffman Stadium. As you can see above the company estimates that a sponsor could have generated approximately $28.1 million in advertising value from having its name plastered on Kauffman throughout the postseason.</div>
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Some of you might recall past rumors about the naming rights to Kauffman Stadium. In 2011, Yahoo reported that the team had sold the rights for <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/royals-reportedly-set-to-corporately-rename-kauffman-stadium?urn=mlb,wp26511">$3-6 million annually</a> over the next 21 years. Later it was reported that a deal had fallen through with <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/print-edition/2012/04/06/kansas-city-royals-whiff-on-naming.html?page=all">US Bank</a> to acquire the naming rights to the stadium known affectionately by Royals fans as "The K."</div>
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I come from a background in sports marketing and sales and so I realize as well as anyone that everything has a price. This is especially true when it comes to sports marketing and promotion. However, I couldn't get myself to be accepting of selling the Kauffman name for just $3-6 million per season. Roughly enough to add a utility player or middle reliever to the roster. </div>
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What Front Row Analytics illustrates though is how quality performance can boost revenue across the board. Not only will the Royals sell more seats in 2015 than they have for twenty years, but they will also see an increase in advertising and sponsorship revenue as a result. More butts in the seats means more eyes on the field, eyes on the screens, and ears next to radios. These things equate to dollars. </div>
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I'm not sure what it would take for me to be happy to hear that the Royals have sold the naming rights to Kauffman Stadium. Would $6-10 million be enough to get the job done? Would $10-15 million per year make it worth it? Obviously, that sort of money could be a huge boon to the payroll of the franchise and more important to me than the name of the stadium is the product on the field.</div>
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For many fans, there is no number that could make such an action acceptable. What we must remember is that no matter the name scripted on to the facade of the building it will always be "The K" for us. </div>
Landon Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757270442133039299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-75661695150520411782014-10-29T10:01:00.002-05:002014-10-29T12:43:57.359-05:00RevivedWow! Where do I even begin? As many of you know this blog has been eerily quiet over the past four months. After posting a record number of times and receiving a record number of page views all throughout the Spring (thank you all for taking the time to read our ramblings), this blog slipped into near non-existence throughout the summer months.<br />
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First, let me explain why that was the case. You see when a man loves a woman...<br />
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Let's try this again. First let me explain myself.<br />
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This last summer, I was busy planning a wedding, honeymoon, and beginning the process of remodeling a house. The wedding was completed on October 11 and my loving wife allowed the ALDS to be played during the reception. The honeymoon was finished on Sunday, October 26. Again my wonderful wife allowed us to watch each of the games while we were in Vancouver and Seattle. Finally, my home is should to be finished this afternoon. On top of all of this I have also been pursuing an MBA and working a full time job.<br />
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I do not believe that I am necessarily any busier than the rest of you, but when it came to time management, unfortunately, posting to this site was the first sacrifice. Hopefully, we can get back to writing as usual as we move forward!<br />
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As for the rest of the blog team, Dan Ware is engaged and planning a wedding/honeymoon for next summer. He is also searching for schools to continue his post graduate learning. Paden Bennett was married this summer, a wedding that myself and Dan were fortunate to be a part of. Joe Cox moved twice and has started a new job. Finally, Nathan Bramwell finished up his MBA a couple of months ago and has transitioned to a new home and job back in our hometown of Joplin, Missouri. Nick Allen may stop in from time to time, but you can also find his excellent work on <a href="http://flywareagle.com/">Fly War Eagle</a> and <a href="http://tripsided.com/">TripSided</a>.<br />
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What I am saying is that for our blog team it has been the perfect storm, but we have stayed as active as possible on Twitter and have simply enjoyed the ride that we are on.<br />
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We'll be with you tonight Royals nation as our Boys in Blue seek to cap off what has been one of the most incredible runs in sports history. Regardless of the outcome, consider the Royals Revived!<br />
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<i><b>You can find our team on Twitter at the following handles:</b></i><br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b>Landon Adams - @Landon_Adams</b></i><br />
<i><b>Nicholas Allen - @NicholasIAllen</b></i><br />
<i><b>Paden Bennett - @PadenBennett22</b></i><br />
<i><b>Nathan Bramwell - @tipof_arrowhead</b></i><br />
<i><b>Daniel Ware - @Daniel_L_Ware</b></i><br />
<br />Landon Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757270442133039299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-58178978086140181492014-07-05T12:03:00.000-05:002014-07-05T12:03:40.619-05:00Revisiting the Wil Myers TradeFirst off, I want to apologize for my absence over the past six weeks. As many of you have read here before, I've never been one to analyze individual games or do weekly updates. Quite frankly, I haven't been writing for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, I haven't had the free time necessary to maintain this blog. I am getting married in October and in the process of a home remodel. Also, my brother was married last night, as well as fellow Royal Revival writer Paden. In addition to these items, I am currently pursuing a Master's degree and have the responsibilities of a full time job. If the posts here are few and far between over the next few months, I hope you can bare with me.<br />
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The major reason for this post today is yesterday's blockbuster trade between the Athletics and Cubs. My initial reaction to the trade was 'man, is the Cubs system stacked.' My second thought, I hope this gets Billy Beane a ring.<br />
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Despite the lack of pitching prospects in the Cubs system it seems possible that the lovable losers could push for the title of Best Farm System ever. Theo Epstein, who has stated that he wants to build a farm system like the one the Royals had is on the cusp of accomplishing just that. (On a side note, I wonder how many baseball executives looked lustily upon the Royals system and thought to themselves, "oh if only I could be the one to take them to the next level.")<br />
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Since the trade there have been many who have comped this deal to the trade that sent Wil Myers to Tampa Bay. Let me be perfectly clear, this comparison is lazy. Yes, both the Royals and A's sent a top ten prospect plus to another team for pitching talent in an attempt to win now. No, that doesn't make the trades equal. This mentality that one is approved because it is Billy Beane and the other is rejected because it is Dayton Moore is unfair to the fans smart enough to evaluate moves on a much deeper level.<br />
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The Royals made the trade to get to the periphery of playoff contention. The Athletics made the trade to win a world series title. If you equate these two items as being of the same value, then you can click the X found in the upper right hand corner of the browser. A team's placement on the win curve is essential in determining what they should be willing to pay for each additional win. This is rudimentary stuff, but somehow seems to be forgotten by those stating these trades are one in the same.<br />
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Another point that should be made is that the Royals trade occurred in the off-season, a time in which talent can be acquired without sacrificing talent already in hand. Quite simply, if the A's wanted to improve their rotation in July, they had no choice but to move talent from their organization. In the off-season, the Royals could in theory acquire talent, while also hanging on to the talent at hand. This represents an enormous difference in the trades.<br />
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Finally, Addison Russell, while he is an outstanding prospect is not ready to contribute at the Major League level. He has played 16 games in the upper levels of the Minor Leagues. Best case is that he is called up midway through next season. Meaning the A's were not going to get a return on him for basically an entire season. Wil Myers on the other hand was Major League ready and returns on him would begin the same time as the returns of the asset. This is a key point that I haven't seen mentioned, but should not be ignored.<br />
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Of course, all of this pushed me to revisit the Myers trade. Since the Royals seemingly made the decision to go for it in 2013 and 2014, it would make sense that they would have returned much more value in the short term than the Rays. In order to see if the Royals have come out ahead in the Myers-Shields trade, I decided to compare the post trade WAR totals for the Royals with the WAR total from the Royals in an alternate universe in which they stayed the course and held on to Wil Myers. Also, since the Royals would have had a solution in right field, I have included the Smith brothers, Justin Maxwell, and Nori Aoki in this evaluation.<br />
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<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; text-align: center; width: 461px;">
<colgroup><col style="mso-width-alt: 4498; mso-width-source: userset; width: 92pt;" width="123"></col>
<col span="2" style="mso-width-alt: 1682; mso-width-source: userset; width: 35pt;" width="46"></col>
<col style="mso-width-alt: 1133; mso-width-source: userset; width: 23pt;" width="31"></col>
<col style="mso-width-alt: 4498; mso-width-source: userset; width: 92pt;" width="123"></col>
<col span="2" style="mso-width-alt: 1682; mso-width-source: userset; width: 35pt;" width="46"></col>
</colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl63" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 92pt;" width="123">bWAR</td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 35pt;" width="46">2013</td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 35pt;" width="46">2014</td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 23pt;" width="31"> </td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 92pt;" width="123">fWAR</td>
<td class="xl64" style="width: 35pt;" width="46">2013</td>
<td class="xl66" style="width: 35pt;" width="46">2014</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl67" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">w/out trade</td>
<td class="xl68">$1.00 </td>
<td class="xl68">$1.50 </td>
<td class="xl69"> </td>
<td class="xl70">w/out trade</td>
<td class="xl68">$1.00 </td>
<td class="xl71">$1.50 </td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl72" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Patrick Leonard</td>
<td class="xl73">A</td>
<td class="xl73">A+</td>
<td class="xl69"> </td>
<td class="xl73">Patrick Leonard</td>
<td class="xl73">A</td>
<td class="xl74">A+</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl75" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Mike Montgomery</td>
<td class="xl76">AAA</td>
<td class="xl76">AAA</td>
<td class="xl69"> </td>
<td class="xl76">Mike Montgomery</td>
<td class="xl76">AAA</td>
<td class="xl77">AAA</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl72" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Jake Odorizzi</td>
<td class="xl73">0.3</td>
<td class="xl73">0.9</td>
<td class="xl69"> </td>
<td class="xl73">Jake Odorizzi</td>
<td class="xl73">0.3</td>
<td class="xl74">1.5</td>
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<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl75" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Wil Myers</td>
<td class="xl76">1.9</td>
<td class="xl76">-0.6</td>
<td class="xl69"> </td>
<td class="xl76">Wil Myers</td>
<td class="xl76">2.4</td>
<td class="xl77">0.4</td>
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<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl72" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Will Smith</td>
<td class="xl78"> </td>
<td class="xl73">1.3</td>
<td class="xl69"> </td>
<td class="xl73">Will Smith</td>
<td class="xl78"> </td>
<td class="xl74">0.6</td>
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<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl75" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Kyle Smith</td>
<td class="xl76">A+</td>
<td class="xl76">AA</td>
<td class="xl69"> </td>
<td class="xl76">Kyle Smith</td>
<td class="xl76">A+</td>
<td class="xl77">AA</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl79" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"> </td>
<td class="xl70"><b>2.2</b></td>
<td class="xl70"><b>1.6</b></td>
<td class="xl80"> </td>
<td class="xl69"> </td>
<td class="xl70"><b>2.7</b></td>
<td class="xl81"><b>2.5</b></td>
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<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl79" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"> </td>
<td class="xl69"> </td>
<td class="xl69"> </td>
<td class="xl80"> </td>
<td class="xl69"> </td>
<td class="xl69"> </td>
<td class="xl82"> </td>
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<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl67" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">w/trade</td>
<td class="xl83">$11.80</td>
<td class="xl83">$20.25</td>
<td class="xl80"> </td>
<td class="xl70">w/trade</td>
<td class="xl83">$11.80</td>
<td class="xl84">$20.25</td>
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<td class="xl72" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">James Shields</td>
<td class="xl73">4.1</td>
<td class="xl73">-0.1</td>
<td class="xl80"> </td>
<td class="xl73">James Shields</td>
<td class="xl73">4.5</td>
<td class="xl74">1.4</td>
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<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl75" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Wade Davis</td>
<td class="xl76">-2.1</td>
<td class="xl76">1.8</td>
<td class="xl80"> </td>
<td class="xl76">Wade Davis</td>
<td class="xl76">1.7</td>
<td class="xl77">1.5</td>
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<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl72" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Nori Aoki</td>
<td class="xl78"> </td>
<td class="xl73">-0.5</td>
<td class="xl80"> </td>
<td class="xl76">Nori Aoki</td>
<td class="xl78"> </td>
<td class="xl77">0.9</td>
</tr>
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<td class="xl75" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">Justin Maxwell</td>
<td class="xl76">0.6</td>
<td class="xl76">-1.2</td>
<td class="xl80"> </td>
<td class="xl76">Justin Maxwell</td>
<td class="xl76">0.7</td>
<td class="xl77">-1.1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl85" height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;"> </td>
<td class="xl86"><b>2.6</b></td>
<td class="xl86"><b>0</b></td>
<td class="xl87"> </td>
<td class="xl88"> </td>
<td class="xl86"><b>6.9</b></td>
<td class="xl89"><b>2.7</b></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
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The left hand column utilized the WAR from Baseball Reference, while the right side uses Fangraphs' version. As you can see, the Royals clearly came out ahead in 2013, but depending on which WAR you prefer it was either just 0.4 wins or 4.2 wins ahead. Let's split the difference and say the Royals were 2.3 wins better because of the trade. In 2014, we find that according to bWAR the Royals are actually 1.6 WAR worse because of the trade, while fWAR says they are 0.2 wins better. Again let's split the difference and say they are 1.4 wins worse because of the trade. </div>
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Really based off the above totals, no matter how you slice it, it is hard to argue that the Royals were much better off over the past two seasons due to the acquiring of James Shields and Wade Davis. In fact, based off of our midway points, the Royals actually were just 0.9 wins better over the last year and a half, thanks to the trade. I doubt this is what Royals officials had in mind when they pulled the trigger on the trade that would send their top prospect to Tampa Bay.</div>
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Unfortunately for Royals fans it gets worse. As you can see in the above tables, there is also a dollar figure included. This represents in millions how much the Royals paid for the players. In 2013, the Royals spent $10.8 million more for the bottom group and in 2014 the total jumped to $18.75 million more. My guess is that this difference could have been spent on the free agent market to acquire an additional win over the last year and a half, which would have made the top grouping better even in the short run. </div>
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Fortunately, there is a way that we can consider the monetary implications in our evaluation. In 2013, Fangraphs valued each win at approximately $5 million. If we multiply that by the WAR total for each set and add in the difference in money to the alternate universe scenario, the Myers led Royals squad boasts an average over $23.05 million in value between Baseball Reference and Fangraphs to $23.75 million for the Shields version (approximately 0.1 win). This obviously is a slight edge to the Shields led Royals. However, the 2014 averages favor the Myers led squad $54.1 million to $26.65 million (roughly 4.6 wins).</div>
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Clearly, the Royals were willing to sacrifice the long term to push the envelope in the short term. Unfortunately, based off these numbers the Royals have lost tremendously in the short run as well. Even if we discount each year following 2013, the numbers are going to be staggeringly one sided when this set of trades is evaluated. To close, let me just give you an update on the other guys the Royals gave up that have yet to contribute at the Major League level. </div>
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<b>Patrick Leonard</b>: Hitting .298/.386/.521 in 76 games with Tampa Bay's High A team. His 12 homers would be tied for third most in the Royals organization. He is 21 years old.</div>
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<b>Mike Montgomery</b>: 3.28 ERA in 85 innings with Triple A Durham (most hitter friendly park in league). He leads the International League in FIP and SIERA. Still just 24 years old. </div>
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<b>Kyle Smith</b>: Has pitched 78.1 innings between the Astros High-A and Double A teams. Currently has a 3.56 ERA, is striking out 10.23 per 9 innings and walking just 2.64. He is also 21 years old.</div>
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<b><i>Follow me on Twitter @Landon_Adams!</i></b></div>
Landon Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757270442133039299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-44023266637429428522014-05-06T14:03:00.001-05:002014-05-06T14:03:21.963-05:00The Royals Offense is as Bad as it Seems<br />
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The Royals offense obviously has been disappointing yet again in 2014. Most of us would make the case that this is mainly because of the Royals inability to drive the baseball. We'd all likely also admit that this team does a pretty good job of making contact, albeit very weak contact. </div>
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Given the amount of contact that the Royals make, it is likely that the success of this offense will fluctuate more than that of offenses that rely on walks and the long ball. This is simply because as a statistic batting average on balls in play can fluctuate a great deal. This thought process has led us in the past to make excuses for the offense and specifically individual players. </div>
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This season for instance the Royals offense currently ranks 18th in baseball in batting average on balls in play. How much difference would our opinion of the offense be, if for instance, instead of posting a .293 BABIP, they were above the .300 mark? Specifically, we might look at individual players and point out guys who are likely to improve. </div>
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Sure, Moustakas has been bad, but damn the luck his BABIP is just .132!</div>
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Unfortunately, what we must remember is that there also exist methods to calculate expected BABIP. These methods can vary, but Jeff Zimmerman has found good reason to believe that Hard Hit% plays a crucial role in the xBABIP formula. Either way, the days of assuming that players should fall in around the .300 mark in batting average on balls in play are behind. It is clear that players have an enormous say in how the many of their balls are converted into outs. </div>
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Here's a look at the Royals current hitters. The first number is their current BABIP and the second number is their xBABIP supplied by Zimmerman. (You can view the numbers for yourself <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qtwPSb4g9czWkhW8k4hvSBi_W_I28ufJAdnoeVUnyFo/edit#gid=0">here</a>.)</div>
<ul>
<li>Nori Aoki: .337/.266</li>
<li>Omar Infante: .286/.305</li>
<li>Eric Hosmer: .344/.263</li>
<li>Billy Butler: .275/.262</li>
<li>Alex Gordon: .306/.240</li>
<li>Salvador Perez: .269/.265</li>
<li>Mike Moustakas: .132/.239</li>
<li>Lorenzo Cain: .412/.238</li>
<li><u>Alcides Escobar: .343/.273</u></li>
<li>Jarrod Dyson: .429/.240</li>
<li>Justin Maxwell: .364/.252</li>
<li>Brett Hayes: .000/.158</li>
<li>Danny Valencia: .300/.275</li>
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As you see, the Royals have actually been quite fortunate when it comes to their batting average on balls in play. On average, each starting Royals is overachieving by about 39 points. This would indicate that instead of being near the middle of the pack in BABIP, the Royals should actually be ranking near the bottom of the league. </div>
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For Royals fans this is a scary notion. Is it really possible that an offense averaging 3.9 runs per game has actually outperformed itself? It's a tall order, but let's hope the Royals realize that being a good hitter isn't just about putting the ball in play.<br />
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<b><i>Follow me on Twitter @Landon_Adams!</i></b></div>
Landon Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757270442133039299noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-53643035503742009892014-05-05T11:41:00.000-05:002014-05-05T11:41:16.167-05:00Billy Butler and Future ProductionAs a whole, the Royals offense is again off to an incredibly disappointing start in 2014. Of course, there are some players that deserve the blame more than others and there are some players who receive more of the blame than others. Over the past few years, no player has teetered this line more often than designated hitter Billy Butler.<br />
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A portion of the fan base complains that Butler is fat, too slow, doesn't hit for enough power, and can't deliver in clutch situations. Another portion of the fan base points out that Butler is a career .313/.394/.460 hitter with runners in scoring position and that he gets on base at a career clip of .362. It seems as though this debate has gotten so divisive that there is no grey area in regards to Billy Butler.<br />
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Obviously, there is a segment of fans that view baseball much differently than myself. They beat their chest to stats like RBI and they prefer to keep math away from their evaluation of players. Obviously, many of these individuals greatly undervalue the strengths of Butler. More surprising to me are the analytics on the other side of the fence that are unable to see flaws in Butler's game as well as some of his concerning trends.<br />
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In regards to last season, it is true that Butler was valuable to the offense. His 116 RC+ was the second best among everyday hitters in the lineup. At the same time, it is not unfair to expect more from Butler. In 2013, he was coming off a 138 RC+ and the Royals were pushing the chips into the center of the table. Despite this there were reports of him coming to camp overweight, and then in season his average flyball distance dropped from 297 to 276 feet. As a result his HR/FB% nose dived, his home run total dipped, and his slugging percentage fell all the way to .412.<br />
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Yes, if all things were created equal, Butler was not the problem with last season's offense. However, Butler wasn't expected to simply be one of the best hitters in the lineup. He was expected to be one of the best hitters in the American League. After a season which saw him bop a career high 29 home runs, Butler seemed poised to be one of the most dangerous hitters in the American League in his age 27 season.<br />
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What most of us have seemed to underestimate though is just how much more harsh the aging curve is for heavy players than it is for average sized individuals. Here is a look at the aging curves of the two body types, with Butler's OPS numbers overlayed:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4GJ_VD6Ju2wOsZZB_w3dh2DS8FzHgLmqUMbAn3DM1AWPbh7t9npagpkVEw04CAPLQPWhyphenhyphenCiJTAVeuPo1spI6byiCGzFTC9UZ065MlFzhLRWaFoj1khnwYBK_Uun6UbikRwZ2BakHXmGf/s1600/Butler+Age+Curve.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4GJ_VD6Ju2wOsZZB_w3dh2DS8FzHgLmqUMbAn3DM1AWPbh7t9npagpkVEw04CAPLQPWhyphenhyphenCiJTAVeuPo1spI6byiCGzFTC9UZ065MlFzhLRWaFoj1khnwYBK_Uun6UbikRwZ2BakHXmGf/s1600/Butler+Age+Curve.png" height="290" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
As you can see, the curve of heavier players dips much earlier in the player's career than it does for average sized individuals. For Butler's own sake, I haven't even included this year's numbers in the illustration of how his own aging curve is playing out. If you are a defendant of Billy Butler and you like to cite advanced statistics to back up your argument, you have to recognize that there is an analytical reasoning behind the notion that Butler's skillset could regress much more quickly than the average player.<br />
<br />
Butler appears to be heating up. In his last 9 games (yay! selective end points), he is hitting .343/.368/.514. However, not only has Butler's ground ball percentage increased in four consecutive seasons, but his average fly ball distance has also decreased. Even when he is getting the ball into the air he isn't driving it as far.<br />
<br />
Do I expect Butler to finish the year with a sub .700 OPS? Absolutely not. But I also wouldn't bet on him getting back into the .850+ OPS range. Based off the aging curves of heavier players in the past, Butler should have two or three more seasons with an OPS around .800. However, after that it could be a pretty quick fall for the Royals former first round pick. Hopefully, Butler can prove me wrong and can stay hot throughout the rest of 2014. We all know the offense needs the lift.Landon Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757270442133039299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-48616352156019083782014-04-23T07:39:00.000-05:002014-04-23T07:41:06.850-05:00Minor League Update - Lexington Legends<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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The mustachioed Legends of Lexington have started 9-10 to
start the 2014 season. The club currently sits sixth in the seven-team South
Atlantic League’s Southern Division, trailing first place Savannah (SF) by 2.5
games.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As a team, the Legends are hitting .249/.299/.350 with a
league low 36 walks. The pitching staff has recorded a solid 3.31 ERA, ranking
in the top half of the league. The staff has a league-high two shutouts this
season.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i>Individual Hitting<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<o:p><b> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjexBN9arGzBajR3AGXlTOh26XJc_S4iZ2y1J0V6Be0eUBO4lSWCifb10QN5PdjHDctBAGAxotjXc16iNGdrsetPVYUhCJ7UHr7oI-XbQtj3cQelGi7HHICJYNkpoWhlkAvFfIwEF9XgoQG/s1600/Ford_HR_41313_9jiaq3qp_kbl77kaz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjexBN9arGzBajR3AGXlTOh26XJc_S4iZ2y1J0V6Be0eUBO4lSWCifb10QN5PdjHDctBAGAxotjXc16iNGdrsetPVYUhCJ7UHr7oI-XbQtj3cQelGi7HHICJYNkpoWhlkAvFfIwEF9XgoQG/s1600/Ford_HR_41313_9jiaq3qp_kbl77kaz.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MiLB.com/lexingtonlegends.com (Mary Lay)</td></tr>
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<b>Who’s Hot:</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Outfielder and Missouri native Fred Ford leads the South
Atlantic League with 17 RBI and ranks second with seven doubles. The 22-year
old, who has also spent some time at first base is hitting .283/.338/.500
across 64 plate appearances in 18 games. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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He and third baseman Michael Antonio each have two of the
club’s eight total home runs. Antonio and outfielder Dominique Taylor have nine
RBI, trailing only Ford on the Lexington roster.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Who’s Not:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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Prospect Elier Hernandez is off to a slow start, hitting
.206/.242/.222 in 16 games with only one RBI to this point.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Shortstop Humberto Arteaga may be turning the corner with
seven hits in his last four ballgames, but his line is less than stellar at
.239/.239/.254 – which of course means he has yet to draw a walk in 67 plate
appearances out of the two-hole. Arteaga has collected hits in 13 of 16 games,
but has scored only twice and driven in only two runs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i>Individual Pitching<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Who’s Hot:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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Andrew Edwards ranks second in the league among qualified
starters with a 1.06 ERA over 17 innings. Teammate Andrew Matt Tenuta falls
just behind him with a 1.09 ERA in 24.2 innings and has allowed only 24 base runners
thus far.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Luis Santos is 1-0 with a save as a tandem starter. In 14.1
innings, the right hander has allowed 13 hits and only one walk. He has struck
out 13.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Who’s Not:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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Andrew Fairchild was dominant in his first start of the
season, tossing six no-hit innings April 8. He walked three and struck out
seven in the outing and allowed one unearned run. However, in his next start,
the 20-year old lefty surrendered nine earned runs in just 1.1 innings. He
walked six and allowed two hits. To this point, Fairchild is 0-2 with an 11.05
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Lefty Luis Rico’s three losses are tied for most in the
league. He has allowed three earned runs or more in three of four starts this
season, and has posted a 9.00 ERA to this point.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Nicholas Ian Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03928212618651910400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-53682517170772238802014-04-22T20:02:00.003-05:002014-04-22T21:44:55.945-05:00Minor League Update - Wilmington Blue Rocks<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Through the season’s first 18 games, Wilmington is 7-11,
four games behind first place Potomac (WSH) in the Carolina League’s Northern
Division. The club has dropped four in a row.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Wilmington’s offense has struggled thus far hitting just
.217/.316/.311 with only three long balls, fewest in the league (as is the
Royals style). That number is half the next closest club. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The Blue Rocks have been good on the base paths however,
stealing 21 bases, which ranks second in the eight-team league. In fact, the
club is a staggering 21-for-21 in stolen base attempts!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">While the team’s 3.67 ERA falls in the middle of the pack,
the club has fanned a league-high 162 batters in 147 innings this season.
Defensively, the club has allowed only four unearned runs, fewest in the
league.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Individual Hitting</i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJFXPtDX7f8_Yni4tM3FaCoH_qu1YJiNgOx_q3UnzJc8AEO2P8lQw4j3mt60hssIYk_ZnR21a2w6gemFB-PGfirow5x3ujr0Xig7J2i7p2qWjBxMlfWxithl3jCe4HSGQHABqz5S1x5yC/s1600/ChismBig_a1lmvk5l_asvsjr6e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJFXPtDX7f8_Yni4tM3FaCoH_qu1YJiNgOx_q3UnzJc8AEO2P8lQw4j3mt60hssIYk_ZnR21a2w6gemFB-PGfirow5x3ujr0Xig7J2i7p2qWjBxMlfWxithl3jCe4HSGQHABqz5S1x5yC/s1600/ChismBig_a1lmvk5l_asvsjr6e.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MiLB.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Who’s Hot:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Everyone’s favorite Blue Rock, Raul A. Mondesi has hit
safely in 11 of his last 13 games. The 18-year old shortstop is hitting .283/.358/.367
in 66 plate appearances as the Wilmington leadoff hitter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Zane Evans is tied for second in the league with seven
doubles, six of which game in his first four ballgames. In 11 games, the
Georgia native is hitting .400/.467/.575 and has eight RBI. The catcher/DH is
10-for-22 against right-handed pitching with a 1.227 OPS in that small sample.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Middle infielder Jack Lopez leads the club with nine RBI,
and is tied with Terrance Gore with a team-high five stolen bases. The 21-year
old is currently the league’s hardest regular to strike out. Lopez strikes out
every 16 at bats, on average, more than five at bats more than the closest
player.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Who’s Not:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Bubba Starling has struck out 24 times this year, third most
in the league. In fact, the outfielder has recorded at least one strikeout in
all but one game this season (and 0-for-3 night on April 9). The one-time top
prospect is hitting just .133/.284/.250 through 17 games, but has improved
quite a bit from his low point of .098/.260/.220 a week ago. He has accounted
for one-third of the club’s homers, however.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2013 first rounder Hunter Dozier is on a four game hitting
streak, but has spent a large portion of April below the Mendoza Line. The
third baseman currently stands at .203/.316/.266 in 72 plate appearances
hitting third in the order for Wilmington.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Individual Pitching<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Who’s Hot:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Christian Binford ranks ninth in the Carolina League among
qualified starters with a 2.20 ERA in 16.1 innings. The right-hander did not
allow an earned run in his first 12 innings. He has struck out 19 hitters (29.7%)
and allowed just three walks (4.7%) this season. Opponents are hitting .197
against Binford, and he has allowed a total of 15 baserunners - 8.27 per nine
innings – which ranks third in the league.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Lefty starter Jonathan Dziedzic is tied for the league lead
with three wins, and owns a 1.69 ERA in 16 innings across three appearances. He
has struck out 29.7% of the hitters he has faced this year. Lefties are
1-for-12 against Dziedzic thus far.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In the bullpen, Zeb Sneed has held opponents to a 2-for-29 start this
season, good for a .069 batting average allowed. He also has yet to allow a run
or a walk in 9.1 innings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Fellow reliever Glenn Sparkman has struck out 15 of the 37 batters he has
faced this season (40.5%) in ten innings across five outings.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Who’s In Between:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The club’s top pitching prospect, Miguel Almonte, ranks
third in the league with 21 strikeouts, a round 25% of the batters he has
faced. If that rate holds, it would be the best of Almonte’s professional
career. He has held opponents to a .191 batting average. In four starts, the
21-year old is 2-0 with a 5.23. with two outstanding starts and two poor ones. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Relievers Matthew Murray and Ali Williams have ERAs of 1.35
and 1.17, respectively, in a combined 21 innings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Who’s Not:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Following a very rough third start, in which he allowed
seven earned runs in just two innings at Myrtle Beach (TEX), big-time prospect
Sean Manaea sits with an 8.71 ERA. Opponents are now hitting .318 against the
lefty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Daniel Stumpf is 0-3, and his three losses are tied for the
most in the league.</span><br />
<!--EndFragment-->Nicholas Ian Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03928212618651910400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-49593127953105580832014-04-22T07:00:00.000-05:002014-04-22T08:14:29.731-05:00Minor League Update - Northwest Arkansas Naturals<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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The Royals' Texas League affiliate is off to a rough start to
2014, sitting at 4-13 and in last place in the North Division. The club trails
first place Springfield (STL) by five games, and is winless at home in seven
tries thus far.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Among the biggest struggles for Northwest Arkansas is a 5.77
team ERA, which is a full two runs higher than the next closest club. Opponents
have scored a staggering 115 runs – 39 more than the second worst team. Perhaps
worse, 22 of those runs are unearned. Naturals pitchers have walked 81 hitters
and have thrown 17 wild pitches, both the most in the eight-team Texas League. <o:p></o:p></div>
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As a team, the Naturals are hitting just .236/.323/.328 and
have scored only 62 runs in 2014, the league’s second worst mark. Northwest
Arkansas batters have hit just eight home runs, which also ranks second lowest
in the league.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Individual Hitting<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGUjncP4PlZttBMyan81WR3qxyH4Jtf9KgL04ro1HV3GgZbEatLQ2Cfpt2BE7Qn9dHteOphXZ4EBYezT7SEekRdb96Ru9QjnNraDSzjNg4UCbb5z9HR4bmo7Gu3dGyI9ysvcUYGWI6eotW/s1600/Jorge_Bonifacio_du1id2cn_mtim8zhn.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGUjncP4PlZttBMyan81WR3qxyH4Jtf9KgL04ro1HV3GgZbEatLQ2Cfpt2BE7Qn9dHteOphXZ4EBYezT7SEekRdb96Ru9QjnNraDSzjNg4UCbb5z9HR4bmo7Gu3dGyI9ysvcUYGWI6eotW/s1600/Jorge_Bonifacio_du1id2cn_mtim8zhn.png" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MiLB.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Who’s Hot:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After going 1-for-16 to start the season, Jorge Bonifacio is
now fourth in the Texas League with 12 RBI, just three off the pacesetter. The
outfielder has five multi-hit ballgames in his last 10 starts and is hitting
.310/.370/.429 since April 11. In all, Bonifacio has one home run with a line
of .239/.338/.358.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Infield prospect Cheslor Cuthbert has a team-high 17 hits
and 12 walks and ranks second on the club with seven RBI. In all, he is hitting
.279/.392/.361.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whit Merrifield is tied for the league lead with six
doubles, three of which have come in his last four games. Over that period, the
second baseman/left fielder has three multi-hit games and five RBI.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Who’s Not:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lane Adams is on the rise with five hits in his last three
games, but is still hitting just .224/.329/.284 in 74 plate appearances across
17 games. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Individual Pitching<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Who’s Hot:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
23-year old pitching prospect Sam Selman tossed five innings
in his season debut April 11, in which he allowed just one unearned run. The
lefty allowed just two hits and walked four. Across two starts, Selman is
currently 0-1 with a 2.79 ERA.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two of Tim Melville’s three starts have been very
impressive. The 24-year old tossed four scoreless innings April 4 and five
scoreless April 15. He allowed a combined three hits in the two outings. In
all, the right-hander has a 2.77 ERA in 13 innings and has held opponents to a
.133 batting average.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Relievers Cody Fassold and Andrew Triggs both have ERAs
under 1.80 in six appearances apiece.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Who’s Not:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Basically, everyone else. Specifically:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Prospect Jason Adam has lost three games, tied for the most
in the Texas League.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He was roughed up in his first start of the season, surrendering
eight runs (six earned) in just three innings against Midland (OAK). He
followed that outing with a two-hit performance and one earned run across four
strong innings also against the RockHounds , but then surrendered ten hits to
Springfield in his last start. The Cardinals score five runs, four of which
were earned. Opponents are hitting .388 against Adam with right-handed hitters
scorching him for a line of .545/.519/.773 in 23 April plate appearances.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Angel Baez has struck out 17 hitters in 10.2 innings, which
ranks among the league’s leaders in K/9. Unfortunately, he has a 10.97 ERA this
year across six relief appearances.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Noel Arguelles is tied for the league’s most walks with 13
and has a 14.09 ERA in his first 7.2 innings across six appearances.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Nicholas Ian Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03928212618651910400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-30537832558567302982014-04-21T22:51:00.000-05:002014-04-21T23:51:37.309-05:00Minor League Update - Omaha Storm Chasers<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Through the season’s first 18 games, the Storm Chasers are
9-9 and are in a three-way tie for second place in the PCL American Northern
Division, trailing Oklahoma City (HOU).<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Chasers have played an astonishing 15 of 18 games at
home to start the season, but will leave for an eight game road trip to New
Orleans (MIA) and Iowa (CHC) following Tuesday’s morning game against Nashville
(MIL).<o:p></o:p></div>
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Through eighteen games, Omaha ranks third with a .299 team batting
average, but are middle of the road in the 16-team league with a .356 on-base
percentage and .411 slugging percentage, including just 11 home runs (fourth
worst in the PCL). The team does not rank any individuals among the league’s
leaders in any major offensive categories.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The club is one of three teams with a sub-4.00 ERA, sitting
third at 3.96. However, the Chasers rank third from the bottom with 119
strikeouts.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i>Individual Hitting<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_ZMVqwPaVolLGcPpEufEJyKy7WcIstycqIY6DecllwnDvtOYeBP_LpJGL0LeyGLL5ihWR0oY-cHvux42UKOmZ01KpZBU_OwyYZNgv1pZJf4D35yDz5QmWB-UPenSaF0GVM_3kEak1CMC/s1600/Omaha+-+MiLB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_ZMVqwPaVolLGcPpEufEJyKy7WcIstycqIY6DecllwnDvtOYeBP_LpJGL0LeyGLL5ihWR0oY-cHvux42UKOmZ01KpZBU_OwyYZNgv1pZJf4D35yDz5QmWB-UPenSaF0GVM_3kEak1CMC/s1600/Omaha+-+MiLB.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MiLB.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Who’s Hot: </b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Outfielder Brett Eibner took a big step forward April 9 when
he went 5-for-5, including two home runs and nine RBI. The 25-year old scored
three times in the game as Omaha beat Memphis (STL) 20-3. Eibner added a four
hit game and a three hit contest over the next week and now sits at .333/.395/.500
with 12 RBI and 12 runs scored on the season. He has excelled against
right-handed pitching to the tune of .340/.435/.566 with all three of his
homers, which is tied with Francisco Pena for the team lead in round-trippers.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Matt Fields has held the everyday first base duties for
Omaha and has responded offensively. Fields hit safely in his first 14 games,
and was hitting a white-hot .459/. 524/.622 on April 11. Despite being held
hitless through his last three ballgames, the 28-year old is hitting
.361/.437/.475 with one homer and 10 RBI in 67 plate appearances.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Paulo Orlando hit safely in 10 of his first 12 ballgames and
sits at .328/.371/.345 in 17 games. The Brazilian outfielder has four multi-hit
games in early April. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Infielder Johnny Giavotella spent nine days in the big
leagues, but returned to Omaha on a hot streak. In his first four games back,
Giavotella had seven hits and has compiled a line of .368/.429/.526 in ten
Triple-A games. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Who’s Not: </b></div>
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Prospect Christian Colon has five multi-hit games
this season, but sits at just .230/.275/.338 in 18 games. He has one home run,
nine RBI and has scored 13 runs, but only four walks, in 78 plate appearances.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i>Individual Pitching</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Who’s Hot:</b> </div>
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Spencer Patton is 1-0 with three saves and a 1.04
ERA in five appearances this season. In 8.2 innings, the 26-year old
right-hander has nine strikeouts and allowed four hits and four walks.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Fellow reliever Buddy Baumann has yet to allow a run in ten
innings across five appearances. The lefty has surrendered nine hits, four
walks and has hit one batter. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Columbian starter Sugar Ray Marimon is 1-0 with a 1.00 ERA
in two starts this season. He collected a win in his first appearance, five
scoreless innings against Nashville on April 11. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Who’s Not:</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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John Lamb has allowed five home runs, which is the third
most in the Pacific Coast League. The lefty is 0-4with a 5.31 ERA, has
surrendered at least two runs in every start this season, and has allowed a
.333 batting average across 20.1 innings. With runners on, Lamb hitters have
posted a line of .368/.429/.632.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Lefty reliever Donnie Joseph has had two rough outings, in
which he allowed a combined eight runs (five earned) across two innings. In 22
plate appearances, left-handed hitters are posting a staggering .357/.609/.357,
which includes eight free passes. Not very good for someone that hopes to get
lefties out in Kansas City this season.<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Nicholas Ian Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03928212618651910400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-3936964500304967712014-04-08T14:52:00.000-05:002014-04-08T14:52:10.171-05:00Royals Roster IssueThis morning the Royals received about as good as news as they could have hoped for on the Omar Infante front. No fractures. No concussion. As a result, the Royals are going to attempt to avoid a DL stint for their shiny new $40 million second baseman.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, for the Royals there is no back up middle infielder on the roster. It now appears that the Royals are going to stick with the current roster for 2-3 days in the hopes of Infante being healthy enough to play by the weekend. What this means is that Danny Valencia will be manning second for at least today and tomorrow's contests.<br />
<br />
Personally, I think this is a mistake. Even last night, we saw first hand how risky playing Valencia at second could be. When Valencia turned a potential double play into a throwing error, the Rays were given new life in the 9th inning. In fact, thanks to this play the Rays were able to get the tying run to the plate.<br />
<br />
So what could the Royals do?<br />
<br />
Well yesterday the Royals called up Donnie Joseph and Michael Mariott. The Royals also recently called up Aaron Brooks. Each of these three pitchers have options available. We also know that Louis Coleman is nearly ready to return to the team following a trip to the disabled list in spring training. Either way in a few days the Royals will need to option one of their relievers to AAA Omaha.<br />
<br />
The Royals could speed up that process and option one of the relievers to Omaha now and bring up either Johnny Giavotella or Christian Colon. Another option could be Jason Donald, although he would need to be added to the 40 man roster. By bringing up one of these middle infielders now, the Royals could then have an actual second baseman for the next couple of games, instead of playing Valencia out of position.<br />
<br />
If Infante is ready to return to the lineup by the weekend (something that I think is very unlikely), you simply send down the recently called up middle infielder and bring back Coleman off the disabled list, getting you back to a 12 man pitching staff. For the next two games, you'd have to have an 11 man staff, but every reliever should be available for tonight. If having an 11 man staff wasn't an issue a week ago then it shouldn't be now.<br />
<br />
If Infante takes a week to return to the lineup, then that makes the call up of a middle infielder even more important. For a team on the borders of contention every game is of the utmost importance. They can't afford to be playing multiple games with players out of position. It is great that Valencia can fill in as an emergency second baseman in situations like last night, but there's no reason the Royals should enter a game with him as the only option.<br />
<br />
There is a move that can be easily made and improve the team for tonight. There's no excuse for the Royals not to make it.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Follow me on Twitter @Landon_Adams!</i></b>Landon Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757270442133039299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-64947490044001382102014-04-08T09:03:00.000-05:002014-04-08T09:03:00.303-05:00Money to Spend on Amateur TalentLast Wednesday, Baseball America brought us a few different articles breaking down the bonus pools by team for the 2014 amateur draft and international signing period. If you missed it, you can read the article <a href="http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/2014-draft-and-international-team-spending-allowances/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
Once again, the Royals rank very highly in terms of total money available to spend on amateur talent for 2014. They rank 18th in baseball in terms of international budget at $2,136,800, but despite not selecting until the second half of the draft they rank 5th in draft bonus pool at $8,602,900. This is a result of the compensation pick that was received for Ervin Santana and the competitive balance pick they received for playing in one of the smallest markets in baseball.<br />
<br />
Overall, the Royals rank 8th in total budget for 2014 at $10,739,700. The White Sox rank 3rd, the Twins 6th, the Indians 10th, and the Tigers 25th.<br />
<br />
With what is rumored to be a deep draft in 2014, the Royals will have four selections in the first 56 (17, 28, 40, 56). This should again present the Royals with a prime opportunity to add to what figures to be one of the top farm systems in baseball heading into 2015.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Follow me on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Landon_Adams">@Landon_Adams</a>!</i></b>Landon Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757270442133039299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-43836210077138618572014-04-07T09:04:00.002-05:002014-04-07T09:05:13.378-05:00Monday Musings: April 7, 2014A couple of the quickest things to normalize for hitters are their strikeout and walk rates. We're one week into the season and as a team the Royals have logged 185 plate appearances. It is still early, but there are good indications that the 2014 Royals approach could be much better than the 2013 version.<br />
<br />
Last season, Royals hitters walked in just 6.7% of their plate appearances. A mark which ranked 27th in all of baseball. In fact, six of the top nine Royals in walk percentage from a season ago are no longer with the team (George Kottaras, Johnny Giavotella, Emilio Bonifacio, Jamey Carroll, Adam Moore, and Chris Getz). So far this season, the Royals are walking in 9.7% of their plate appearances, which is good for 6th in baseball. Last year's league leader walked 9.4% of the time.<br />
<br />
On the strikeout side, after ranking second in the league last season, we knew that the Royals would be even better when they brought in Nori Aoki (struck out just 5.9% of the time in 2013) and Omar Infante (9.2% in 2013). So far this season, the Royals are leading the league in strikeout percentage at just 13.5%. Surprisingly, Aoki is has struck out in 15.8% of his plate appearances, while Infante has 13.6% of the time.<br />
<br />
Obviously, we are just one week into the season, but this a team that does an excellent job of keeping the ball in play. The Royals have ranked in the top 3 in strikeout percentage in each of the last four seasons with 2010, being their best mark at just 14.6%. If they can keep the percentage under 14% over the entire season it will be the first time a team has done it since the Twins, Dodgers, and Mariners did it in 2007. If they can keep it at 13.5%, it will rank as the lowest number for a team since the Athletics only struck out 13.1% of the time in 2005.<br />
<br />
Of course, if we mention the Royals start in the K% and BB% we should also make a point about the lack of power displayed in the first week of the season. Currently, the Royals rank last in baseball in isolated power at 0.61 and 28th in slugging percentage at .305. Oh and by the way, the Royals are the only team in baseball that has yet to hit a home run in 2014. The Giants already have 11.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Follow me on Twitter @Landon_Adams! </i></b><br />
<br />Landon Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07757270442133039299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-24058058318285309252014-04-04T09:44:00.000-05:002014-04-04T09:44:00.665-05:00Lexington Legends Ballpark Preview<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyG44DIrvPART92wnNADlmzJbbq3IFq2c3GrslspNy0TXrjHYS-YX0grblhwwQ-xfc1GtpUv-VXZ5cjhnlEa0S2o7A3FIT7maRS0QJ0NwNQ3pFL4E_xSNoH39lFJP5IuWhQYVYCSxn4_cc/s1600/Lex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyG44DIrvPART92wnNADlmzJbbq3IFq2c3GrslspNy0TXrjHYS-YX0grblhwwQ-xfc1GtpUv-VXZ5cjhnlEa0S2o7A3FIT7maRS0QJ0NwNQ3pFL4E_xSNoH39lFJP5IuWhQYVYCSxn4_cc/s1600/Lex.jpg" height="243" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://www.sportsfieldmanagementmagazine.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;">In the
fourth and final full-season ballpark preview, Nicholas Ian Allen, formerly the
Assistant General Manager of the Helena Brewers, offers insight, tips and
tricks to make the most out of your experience when visiting a Minor League
ballpark.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #1d1d1d;">Ticket Information:</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Diamond Club $24</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Super Club $19</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Club $15</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Field Box $12</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Box $10</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bleachers $6</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lawn $5</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Legends are hosting a
Pitch, Hit and Run event at the ballpark 4/26, which gives kids an opportunity
to show their skills in a competitive format. The best of the group will move
to the next round and could be honored at the National Finals during the 2014
MLB All-Star Week.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Like
the Blue Rocks, the Legends have a free kid’s club. The program could be the
best in the system with free admission to all Sunday games as well as a monthly
event for club members, in addition to a selection of free goodies.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The club hosts many
different visitors throughout the season to give young fans a fresh and
exciting visit to the ballpark. Several costumed characters will visit
Lexington this summer including the popular ZOOperstars! on 3/31, Curious
George 6/15 and the Fur Circus 8/8.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fans in Lexington can
double up on fireworks promotions, as the club offers them post game on Fridays
and Saturdays.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Legends offer $0.37
hot dogs on Tuesdays, which is a great promotion for fans, but a terrible one
for food and beverage staff.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some of the quirkier
promotions in the Royals system can be found in Lexington, including Splash Day 7/11, Propane Night 8/11 and Create A Jersey Sat 8/9.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The club will end the
season by inducting new members to the team’s Hall of Fame, as well as with a
Jose Altuve (appropriate) mini-bobble head giveaway.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;">The Legends
are one of the best looking teams in the Minor Leagues, and operate in Whitaker
Bank Ballpark with a wide range of ticket options. With lawn seats the lowest
in the system, you can enjoy a game in Lexington for just $5 per person.
However, if you would like a premium experience, the Legends also offer the two
most expensive single game ticket options among the affiliates with the $24
Diamond Club and $19 Super Club.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #1d1d1d;">For the
Kids:</span></b><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #1d1d1d;">Best
Bets:</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Nicholas Ian Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03928212618651910400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-59086378356794437582014-04-03T21:36:00.000-05:002014-04-03T21:36:06.181-05:00Lexington Legends 2014 Preview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPn_nmcRv6tkBbdLvca-7WyxGIFhb2g3bpUIik8MiAC_S07f_gnc6UjWWloRL0vQne32l_RiGUnZLGAarZvZ-PV7o72Zju085LFB1kGSde0kPAPyJ5naxznat9a3hj6cC8PAiNUEAJbQ/s1600/stachtastic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPn_nmcRv6tkBbdLvca-7WyxGIFhb2g3bpUIik8MiAC_S07f_gnc6UjWWloRL0vQne32l_RiGUnZLGAarZvZ-PV7o72Zju085LFB1kGSde0kPAPyJ5naxznat9a3hj6cC8PAiNUEAJbQ/s1600/stachtastic.png" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Defense</u></b></div>
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LF - Fred Ford</div>
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CF - Dominique Taylor*</div>
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RF - Elier Hernandez*</div>
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3B - Michael Antonio</div>
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SS - Humberto Arteaga</div>
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2B - Ramon Torres</div>
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1B - Samir Duenez*</div>
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C - Jin Ho Shin</div>
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<b><u>Rotation</u></b></div>
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Jake Junis</div>
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Kevin McCarthy*</div>
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Cesar Ogando*</div>
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Luis Santos*</div>
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Matt Tenuta*</div>
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<b><u>Bench</u></b></div>
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C - Chad Johnson, C - Frank Schwindel*, IF - Carlos Garcia*, IF - Mauricio Ramos*, OF - Alfredo Escalara-Maldonado</div>
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<b><u>Bullpen</u></b></div>
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Matt Alvarez*, Alex Black*, Andrew Edwards*, Austin Fairchild*, Luke Farrell*, Kevin Perez*, </div>
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Jose Miguel Rodriguez*, Luis Rico*</div>
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<b><u>Notes</u></b></div>
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<ul>
<li>To open the 2014 season, Lexington will have 17 new faces putting on the 'Stachetastic' uniform, including 11 new pitchers.</li>
<li>Elier Hernandez, ranked as the Royals' #11 prospect in Baseball America, joins the Legends after a stellar performance with the Idaho Falls Chukars of the Pioneer League. He posted an impressive line of .301/.350/.439 with 3 HR and 44 RBI. Another stat worth mentioning is Elier's line drive rates. In 66 games for the Chukars, his LD% was 25.8%, while the rest of the league hit on average 18.3%. Plus, the fact that he's facing pitchers a few years older than him makes his 2013 season look just a little more superb. Along with his strong arm and quickness in right field, Hernandez will be a fan favorite at Whitaker Bank Ballpark.</li>
<li>This year's first baseman will not be familiar name to most, but soon will become one of the more popular names among Royals prospects. At the young age of 17, Samir Duenez is ranked as the #17 prospect in the Royals' system and will be fun to keep an eye on. Standing at 6'1", weighing 175 lbs, Samir has great bat speed and good strength for his age. As a left-handed hitter, he has good power going to the opposite field and shows great discipline. During his time with Rookie League Royals in Arizona last year, he hit .294/.337/.380 with 12 doubles, 19 RBI, and struck out only 27 times in 199 plate appearances. For how young he is, Duenez has plenty of time to fill out and could make a possible switch to the outfield in the future, where he played a few games towards the end of last season. </li>
<li>Fun Fact: Newcomer Luke Farrell, who pitched for Idaho Falls in 2013, is the son of Boston Red Sox Manager John Farrell. Luke has 2 brothers involved in baseball, as well. Shane, drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays, is now a member of the Chicago Cubs front office and Jeremy, who plays in the Chicago White Sox system.</li>
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Daniel Warehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01608733322111325919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-75232243804767572782014-04-02T10:02:00.003-05:002014-04-02T10:02:47.547-05:00Wilmington Blue Rocks Ballpark Preview<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnacrYRlFRvzuM1b9lG9Za5Soy0fcyhm0NcMrK5vg5MH1hwHhatqba575J6eXSFvzDNjozqfE2XqRfQ-eI12zV1oH-zKRkvtFPh0ZS48jFqb0S108HmX0DDQ623pucNXlEjPGUh2urKVX/s1600/WBR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnacrYRlFRvzuM1b9lG9Za5Soy0fcyhm0NcMrK5vg5MH1hwHhatqba575J6eXSFvzDNjozqfE2XqRfQ-eI12zV1oH-zKRkvtFPh0ZS48jFqb0S108HmX0DDQ623pucNXlEjPGUh2urKVX/s1600/WBR.jpg" height="151" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">milb.com</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Arial;">In the third
of four full-season previews, Nicholas Ian Allen, formerly the Assistant
General Manager of the Helena Brewers, offers insight, tips and tricks to make
the most out of your experience when visiting a Minor League ballpark. We move
on to the High Class-A Wilmington Blue Rocks.</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Arial;">Ticket
Information:</span></b><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<li><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;">Field Box:
$11</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;">Box: $10</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;">General
Admission: $6</span></li>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;">With the
intimate feel of a lower-classification club come lower priced tickets. Thanks
to weekly promotions, fans can also secure discounted tickets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Arial;">For the
Kids:</span></b><span style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<li><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;">Sunday games
offer the opportunity for kids and parents to play catch on the field before
the game, and run the bases following.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;">The Blue
Rocks’ Kid’s Club is free to join, and includes exclusive events like a meet
and greet with Wilmington players and a baseball clinic. The membership card
allows kids 14 and under free admission on Sundays.</span></li>
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<b><span style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Arial;">Best
Bets:</span></b><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;">The Blue
Rocks are among the leaders in the industry at packing the schedule with fun
and affordable events. They even pride themselves in using the phrase
“AffordaFUNability” to display their goal of provide fun and entertainment to
fans at an affordable price. They take the term seriously and pack the
promotional schedule with events.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;">In 2014, the
California/Carolina League All-Star Game will be held at Frawley Stadium in Wilmington.
This will allow fans to see some of the brightest prospects in High Class-A on
their path to big league stardom, all in one night.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;">The club
offers a different promotion for every day of the week. Among the best
offerings are $1 Monday, which includes $1 hot dogs in addition to a buy one
ticket, get one for $1 special. The Families Eat Free Thursdays promotion
offers a ticket and meal deal for groups of four, as well as a range of theme
nights, including a toothbrush holder giveaway, cowboy monkey bobblehead and Captain
America Night, among many others. If you are a fan of giveaways, Saturday night
ballgames in Wilmington are your best bet, including a night for a free
t-shirt, scarf, salt and pepper shakers and other fun items.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;">In
Wilmington, you will have an opportunity to see many personalities visit the
ballpark for appearances. Fan favorite BBoy McCoy will be in the house 5/15 and
The Fur Circus is in town 6/27 while wrestling fans will enjoy seeing the
Million Dollar Man, Ted DiBiase on Wrestling Night 7/25, just to name a few.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;">Somewhat
unique to the Minor League scene is a Heritage Night series. The Milwaukee
Brewers have spearheaded the idea among big league clubs, expanding the more
common Latin American Heritage Night into a series of events to celebrate
people of many different backgrounds. In Wilmington, the Blue Rocks will
celebrate eight different nationalities on Wednesday games starting 5/14 with
Italian Heritage Night.</span></li>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment-->Nicholas Ian Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03928212618651910400noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2993104684105764252.post-62911873737443444192014-04-02T10:01:00.000-05:002014-04-02T10:01:01.998-05:00Wilmington Blue Rocks 2014 Preview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpJs1pl0LxUGXEECisSSLX-7Z8X8gRwpE_uxLi5LLlFYRWELJkAAGWw6YAkU0PMQx3b9hcpPdtFeK5WSiHPoOzFK9T-w1TdHF8h9JNfhFHxtA7fXpEVZhuL8hieHsZjuGJtpDQdmeM8s/s1600/wilmingtonbluerocks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpJs1pl0LxUGXEECisSSLX-7Z8X8gRwpE_uxLi5LLlFYRWELJkAAGWw6YAkU0PMQx3b9hcpPdtFeK5WSiHPoOzFK9T-w1TdHF8h9JNfhFHxtA7fXpEVZhuL8hieHsZjuGJtpDQdmeM8s/s1600/wilmingtonbluerocks.jpg" height="151" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<b><u>Defense</u></b></div>
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LF - Terrance Gore*</div>
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CF - Bubba Starling*</div>
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RF - Daniel Rockett*</div>
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3B - Hunter Dozier*</div>
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SS - Raul A. Mondesi*</div>
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2B - Jack Lopez</div>
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1B - Cody Stubbs*</div>
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C - Zane Evans*</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u>Rotation</u></b></div>
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Miguel Almonte*</div>
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Christian Binford*</div>
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Sean Manaea*</div>
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Daniel Stumpf*</div>
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Jonathon Dziedzic*</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u>Bench</u></b></div>
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C - Cam Gallagher*, C - Beau Maggi*, 1B - Mark Donato*, IF - Kenny Diekroeger, OF - Tyler Chism, OF - Johermyn Chavez*</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u>Bullpen</u></b></div>
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Mark Peterson, Kyle Bartsch*, John Walter*, Glenn Sparkman*, Matt Murray*, Yender Caramo*, Aroni Nina*, Zeb Sneed*, Ali Williams</div>
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<b><u>Notes</u></b></div>
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<li>A prospect-heavy team, the Blue Rocks will be the affiliate to watch every day to begin the 2014 season. Not only will this team be fun to watch, the roster is practically a fresh start for the Frawley Stadium faithful in Wilmington, Delaware.</li>
<li>Of the 28 players dawning the Blue Rocks uniform, 23 of them will be doing so for the very first time.</li>
<li>The rotation will consist of 5 brand new starters, including <b>3 in the Royals' Top 10 prospects according to </b><i><b>Baseball America</b>.</i> <span style="color: blue;">Miguel Almonte, ranked #5</span>, joins the Blue Rocks after a stellar 2013 campaign with Lexington. From various scouts/media, Almonte is considered far more advanced than most of the pitchers in the organization. He showcases excellent command and possesses secondary pitches, including the best changeup in the Royals system, that assistant GM J.J. Picollo describes as "more advanced than Yordano Ventura at this stage". Almonte could have made the jump to Double-A with no issues, but the Royals decided to give him some innings in the Carolina League before heading to Springdale, Arkansas.</li>
<li><span style="color: blue;">Sean Manaea, ranked #6</span>, will make his professional debut with Wilmington after being selected in the Supplemental Round of the 2013 MLB Draft. Widely considered as one of the top players to go off the board early, some teams were worried about his health as he recovered from a torn labrum in his hip over the off-season, but good fortune was on the Royals side as they were able to take not only Manaea, but Hunter Dozier, as well. Needless to say, the Royals drafted well. For a detailed report on the 22 year old, <a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=23000" target="_blank">here</a> are some notes from <i>Baseball Prospectus </i>writer Jason Parks.</li>
<li>If having Almonte and Manaea in the rotation wasn't good enough,<span style="color: blue;"> Christian Binford, ranked #10, </span>will also join Wilmington for his 3rd professional season. The 21 year old from Hagerstown, Maryland stands at 6 foot 6 inches, which helps give him a great downward plane to the plate and throws at a 3/4 arm slot. Although his fastball sits in the very low 90's, there's time for his body to fill out more and possibly gain a little more velocity on his fastball. Binford is ranked by <i>Baseball America </i>as having the best control in the system for the '14 season, which has been backed up by astounding BB/9 rates in his first 2 seasons (0.90 and 1.67, respectively). His height, along with the movement of his pitches allow him to keep batted balls on the ground (49.2% last season), will only be to his advantage this year in the Carolina League. </li>
<li>The left side of the infield looks down right nasty. Those who visit Frawley Stadium better enjoy it while they're around. Manning 3B and SS for the Blue Rocks will be Hunter Dozier (<i>B.A. #7 ranking)</i> and Raul A. Mondesi (<i>B.A. #4 </i>ranking). In 313 plate appearances split between Idaho Falls and Lexington stints, Dozier already has a career line of .312/.403/.502 and is considered to have the best contact and strike-zone discipline in the system. The 22 year old will show off an excellent arm and quick first step at third base, but is said to have enough athleticism to make a move to a corner OF spot, if the move is necessary. Depending on Moustakas in Kansas City...who knows. </li>
<li>Dozier's neighbor on the diamond, Mondesi, will open 2014 as the youngest player in the Carolina League at just 18 years old. Raul, the son of former Major League OF Raul Mondesi, Sr., bats from both sides of the plate and is considered to have better plate appearances as a lefty. After hitting .261 with 7 HR and 47 RBI, the offensive output will only get better down the road, as he's facing pitchers 4-6 years older than himself. At shortstop, Mondesi has an outstanding glove with exceptional range thanks to his speed, along with a strong arm. Nathan Stoltz did a nice <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/raul-mondesis-considerable-upside/" target="_blank">piece</a> on Mondesi last November that offers a more in-depth evaluation of the future Royal.</li>
<li>Two of the organization's top catching prospects will both be in Wilmington for 2014. Cam Gallagher (<i>B.A. #23 ranking) </i>and Zane Evans (<i>B.A. #24 ranking) </i>will split time behind the plate as they enter their 4th and 2nd seasons, respectively. </li>
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<br />Daniel Warehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01608733322111325919noreply@blogger.com0