The following is a review of the Royals first basemen that intrigue me enough to make a post about. I'm going to offer whether or not the player performed as well, better, or worse than what I personally expected. I'll also give a brief explanation on my thoughts.
Kila Ka'aihue (Gain): This could be the last time I mention Kila Ka'aihue as a prospect, but that is not a bad thing. After posting solid yet mildly disappointing numbers a season ago, Kila returned to Omaha in 2010 and decided he would dominate the Pacific Coast League Circuit. His major league numbers were influenced by some hard luck so I'm optimistic when I project Kila's numbers in 2011.
Clint Robinson (Gain): The 'Alabama Hamma' has been a guy that has intrigued me since he began his professional career by leading the Pioneer League in RBIs and finishing second in home runs. In A ball he continued to post the numbers needed to progress thru the system, but this year in Northwest Arkansas, Robinson decided to go Rogers Hornsby on the Texas League and win the triple crown and now his name is thrown into the discussion of a potential logjam at first base.
Eric Hosmer (Gain): Hosmer was a key factor in 2009's disappointing minor league performance, but he as much as anyone is responsible for the system's incredible rebound in 2010. Hosmer is as complete a hitter as they come and he dominated the Carolina and Texas Leagues despite being under the legal drinking age for the summer. It'll be interesting to see if he returns to Springdale to open 2011, or if the Royals will send him to Omaha.
Ernesto Mejia (Loss): After Mejia won rookie of the year and most valuable player honors in the Venezuelan Winter League I had high hopes that he could be a steal of a minor league signing. Unfortunately his season was okay and he was passed by both Clint Robinson and Eric Hosmer. You could very easily say that Robinson was already ahead of him and that he was merely a stop gap until Hosmer was ready for double A and I wouldn't argue with you. Nonetheless the guy has displayed above average power as a pro and I entered the season optimistically thinking he could put it together.
Joey Lewis (Loss): Lewis had some big time power during his SEC days and while I never expected too much of him I'm disappointed that his power hasn't translated into his professional career.
Jacob Kuebler (Steady): The only reason Kuebler makes this list is because he displayed decent power during his stint with Idaho Falls this season. He is still young and maybe, just maybe he can figure something out.
Murray Watts (Gain): Could be this draft's version of Clint Robinson. Posted very similar numbers to Clint in the Pioneer League and has a good blend of power and plate discipline. He's old for his league so he has little room for error and must continue to prove himself at ever level.
Henry Moreno (Gain): After posting extremely unimpressive numbers in the Arizona League a season ago, Moreno returned to Surprise with a vengence in 2010. He tore up the league to a slash line of .327/.396/.599. Out of the guys on the bottom part of this list, he probably has the best shot at a major league career.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Prospect Stock Watch: Catchers
The following is a review of the Royals catchers that intrigue me enough to make a post about. I'm going to offer whether or not the player performed as well, better, or worse than what I personally expected. I'll also give a brief explanation on my thoughts. So let's begin.
Lucas May (Steady): Lucas May came over from the Dodgers system with some pretty impressive offensive numbers that many thought would regress once he was out of the hitter's paradise of triple A. However, his numbers stayed pretty consistent and actually showed small improvement. I don't think May is a long term solution for the Royals at catcher, but I do believe that he is good enough to help hold down the fort until a long term solution is found or is ready.
Manny Pina (Loss): I was able to watch Pina all season long and I can attest to the fact that his defensive skills are top notch. However, this was his second stint in the Texas League and he moved into a more hitter friendly park in Springdale and posted basically identical offensive numbers as his first season. He's got some promise to be a defensive oriented major league back up, but the bat has to improve.
Ben Theriot (Gain): Last season Theriot played in Idaho Falls and showed that he has a good feel for the strike zone and pretty good contact ability. This season Theriot bounced all around the Royals system in a way that shows the organization probably doesn't view him as anything more than an organizational guy. This season his contact improved as he hit full season ball and I'm going to say that he beat expectations by simply filling in for Northwest Arkansas and hitting .310 over 19 games.
Salvador Perez (Gain): Because so many Royals prospects had dominating seasons, Salvador Perez's quiet but impressive season has basically flown under the radar. Salvador Perez began the season as the youngest player in the Carolina League, in a league brutal on hitters, and a park brutal on hitters. Yet Perez was able to post solid numbers with a slash line of .290/.322/.411 in his first stop on the circuit. Perez has gotten the opportunity to play in the Arizona Fall League and with Myers beginning to take flyballs in the outfield, Perez may be the future for the Royals at catcher.
Wil Myers (Gain): Myers may be the top prospect in the entire Royals system after cleaning up the Midwest League, then seeing his numbers improve upon becoming the youngest hitter in the Carolina League. Myers could be a superstar in the outfield, but his value is greater if he can stay behind the plate. But as previously stated he has begun to take flyballs in the outfield during instructional league.
Travis Jones (Loss): After last year's draft there was some talk that Jones' power could make him a late round steal, but a year later we still haven't seen any of that batting practice power transferred into gametime at bats.
Jose Bonilla (Loss): Because of Baseball America's rating of Bonilla in their top 30 the past couple of years Bonilla has been pretty disappointing to Royals fans. I expected him to rebound this year in his second stint in low A. However, he struggled once again and it's hard to be to optimistic regarding Bonilla's future.
Kevin David (Gain): Like Jones, Kevin David has gotten some publicity as a guy that has displayed impressive power in instructional league and batting practice. He didn't show it in the games, but at this point his stock is higher than where it was when he was drafted in the 19th round.
Jin Ho Shin (Loss): At the time of Jin Ho Shin's signing he received the largest international signing bonus in team history on the Pacific Rim. Unfortunately he struggled in his professional debut in the Arizona League. He's very young and I remain very optimistic with Shin's future with the Royals.
Lucas May (Steady): Lucas May came over from the Dodgers system with some pretty impressive offensive numbers that many thought would regress once he was out of the hitter's paradise of triple A. However, his numbers stayed pretty consistent and actually showed small improvement. I don't think May is a long term solution for the Royals at catcher, but I do believe that he is good enough to help hold down the fort until a long term solution is found or is ready.
Manny Pina (Loss): I was able to watch Pina all season long and I can attest to the fact that his defensive skills are top notch. However, this was his second stint in the Texas League and he moved into a more hitter friendly park in Springdale and posted basically identical offensive numbers as his first season. He's got some promise to be a defensive oriented major league back up, but the bat has to improve.
Ben Theriot (Gain): Last season Theriot played in Idaho Falls and showed that he has a good feel for the strike zone and pretty good contact ability. This season Theriot bounced all around the Royals system in a way that shows the organization probably doesn't view him as anything more than an organizational guy. This season his contact improved as he hit full season ball and I'm going to say that he beat expectations by simply filling in for Northwest Arkansas and hitting .310 over 19 games.
Salvador Perez (Gain): Because so many Royals prospects had dominating seasons, Salvador Perez's quiet but impressive season has basically flown under the radar. Salvador Perez began the season as the youngest player in the Carolina League, in a league brutal on hitters, and a park brutal on hitters. Yet Perez was able to post solid numbers with a slash line of .290/.322/.411 in his first stop on the circuit. Perez has gotten the opportunity to play in the Arizona Fall League and with Myers beginning to take flyballs in the outfield, Perez may be the future for the Royals at catcher.
Wil Myers (Gain): Myers may be the top prospect in the entire Royals system after cleaning up the Midwest League, then seeing his numbers improve upon becoming the youngest hitter in the Carolina League. Myers could be a superstar in the outfield, but his value is greater if he can stay behind the plate. But as previously stated he has begun to take flyballs in the outfield during instructional league.
Travis Jones (Loss): After last year's draft there was some talk that Jones' power could make him a late round steal, but a year later we still haven't seen any of that batting practice power transferred into gametime at bats.
Jose Bonilla (Loss): Because of Baseball America's rating of Bonilla in their top 30 the past couple of years Bonilla has been pretty disappointing to Royals fans. I expected him to rebound this year in his second stint in low A. However, he struggled once again and it's hard to be to optimistic regarding Bonilla's future.
Kevin David (Gain): Like Jones, Kevin David has gotten some publicity as a guy that has displayed impressive power in instructional league and batting practice. He didn't show it in the games, but at this point his stock is higher than where it was when he was drafted in the 19th round.
Jin Ho Shin (Loss): At the time of Jin Ho Shin's signing he received the largest international signing bonus in team history on the Pacific Rim. Unfortunately he struggled in his professional debut in the Arizona League. He's very young and I remain very optimistic with Shin's future with the Royals.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Playoff Baseball in the Texas League
Okay so the Naturals have proven to be the most successful double A affiliate in Royals history. Mike Moustakas won the Texas League Player of the Year. Brian Poldberg won Texas League Manager of the Year. Clint Robinson won the Texas League triple crown. But what else have we overlooked when evaluating the talent of this roster?
- Naturals players rank 1,2,3 in hits: Johnny Giavotella with 168, Clint Robinson 160, Derrick Robinson with 146.
- Clint and Johnny also rank 1 and 2 in doubles with 41 and 35.
- Derrick Robinson is tied for 2nd in triples with 8.
- Derrick Robinson led the league in steals with 50. For the record second place had just 33.
- The Naturals led the league with 770 runs scored or 5.5 per game. Second highest was Springfield with 721 and third highest had just 646.
- The Naturals had 121 more hits than the runner up in this category.
- The Naturals hit 43 more doubles than the runner up.
- The Naturals were third in triple and second in home runs.
- The Naturals led the league in total bases.
- The Naturals had 26 more steals than second place.
- Finally the Naturals led the Texas League in Batting Average (.291) On Base Percentage (.364) and Slugging Percentage (.453) with a team OPS of .817. Wow.
- Not to mention that Paulo Orlando ending the season with the best walk up song in the league narrowly beating out Nick Van Stratten. Here is a link to Paulo's walk up, I believe he comes to the plate at around the 1:18 mark and it plays til about the 1:50 range.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49jZRjvx45U
- Everett Teaford led the Texas League in wins with 14.
- Unfortunately most of the team's starters didn't meet the inning requirements for the era race, but several would have ranked high. Edgar Osuna and Danny Duffy would have both ranked third with a 2.95 era and Chris Dwyer would have ranked fifth with a 3.06 era.
- Even though Northwest Arkansas plays half their games at what has been called the Coors Field of the Texas League their team era ranks third at 3.84.
- The team also leads the league with 14 shutouts.
- The team is third in strikeouts and walks allowed.
It is my opinion that if a team wins both halfs they should be allowed to host all five playoff games as their reward. Some have suggested that a bye would be appropriate but then you get into the issue of this throwing off players timing and routines. But I think it would be a fair solution if Springfield had to spend the entire series in Springdale. This would provide the Naturals with a competitive edge for winning both halfs and would provide the organization with a boost in revenue which is fair given their success this season. It is a real shame that a team could dominate both halfs and then have just as much a chance to lose in the first round as any other team that has homefield advantage. But I digress...
I'm very excited for the Naturals to dominate the Texas League playoffs just as they have for most of the regular season. Duffy tonight, Teaford tomorrow, and whether it is Lamb or Teaford on Saturday they should be looking to sweep. For Royals fans, this is an opportunity to dream about the future, an opportunity to root for the organization in important games, and an opportunity to witness some really quality baseball. Go Naturals! Represent the work that the organization has put into the farm system!
Friday, August 6, 2010
Eibner Signs with Royals
I hear from an Arkansas source that 2nd Round Pick Brett Eibner signed with the Royals on Monday. Terms or the deal are unknown. Eibner has been seen with Royals officials including Dayton Moore and Mike Arbuckle at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Arkansas, the past several days.
I wouldn't be surprised if the deal was a bit overslot and thus will not be announced until the deadline is nearer. Eibner also sustained an arm injury and still may not be ready to play and so there is no rush for the Royals to make the deal public at this point. Eibner was a two way star at Arkansas but the Royals plan to make him their centerfielder of the future.
I wouldn't be surprised if the deal was a bit overslot and thus will not be announced until the deadline is nearer. Eibner also sustained an arm injury and still may not be ready to play and so there is no rush for the Royals to make the deal public at this point. Eibner was a two way star at Arkansas but the Royals plan to make him their centerfielder of the future.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Ankiel and Farnsworth Dealt to Atlanta
Royals Lose: Rick Ankiel & Kyle Farnsworth
Like Podsednik, I supported the Ankiel signing with the reasoning that he could have a good first half and then be good trade bait at the deadline. This didn't exactly workout as I had hoped but amazingly the Royals were able to flip him at the deadline along with probably the most effective reliever to ever be so hated by the Royals faithful. He pretty much sealed his fate with his first week in the Royal blue. Anyways, Farnsworth should provide some help to the Atlanta bullpen and Ankiel got just hot enough to allow the Royals to package him, opening up another roster spot for something that could be a part of the future of the organization.
Royals Acquire: Jesse Chavez, Gregor Blanco, & Tim Collins
My I first glanced over the stats of the three players acquired I told my friends that "I was less than overwhelmed by the return." Two days later, this statement doesn't entirely hold true and here is are my reasons:
1) Jesse Chavez- Originally I saw his career era of 4.95 and the fact that he has been abysmal this season in the NL East. But after watching him pitch the on television I am somewhat optimistic that with the quality of his stuff and McClure's track record of improving bullpen arms that he could be turned into a viable reliever that is under team control for the next several seasons.
2) Gregor Blanco- I am still less than thrilled about Gregor Blanco, however he seems to have decent speed and a knack for getting on base at a decent clip. Hopefully he can develop into a somewhat decent defensive outfielder and he can be a fourth outfielder guy. If not he can help hold down the fort until an outfield prospect is ready to claim it from him. Anyone? Please...
3) Tim Collins- Collins is the reason why I am excited about this trade. At first glance (literally a couple of seconds before I had to go out the door.) of his statistics there were two things that my eyes focused on: his height which is 5-7, and his 5.68 era last season in double-A. But wait! This season as a twenty year old his double A era is a glistening 2.29 and even more impressive is the fact that he has averaged 15.4 Ks per 9 innings this season. Collins will be assigned to triple A, Omaha and should be a fast riser to the majors. He could be a lefty set up man with his low 90s heat, deceptive arm angle, and plus curveball.
For Collins I've heard comparisons to Billy Wagner thrown out there and even a lefty Tim Lincecum. He's an exciting prospect but let's not get crazy. It's not that unordinary to record that many strikeouts. How many was it? Oh yeah 308 in 202 career minor league innings. Okay, I'll admit that's impressive.
Conclusion:
Once again Royals open two spots for younger guys that will be under team control for longer than the remainder of the season. They acquire several years of a reliever with above average stuff, several years of a fourth outfielder, and six years of a potentially dominant reliever. I approve.
Like Podsednik, I supported the Ankiel signing with the reasoning that he could have a good first half and then be good trade bait at the deadline. This didn't exactly workout as I had hoped but amazingly the Royals were able to flip him at the deadline along with probably the most effective reliever to ever be so hated by the Royals faithful. He pretty much sealed his fate with his first week in the Royal blue. Anyways, Farnsworth should provide some help to the Atlanta bullpen and Ankiel got just hot enough to allow the Royals to package him, opening up another roster spot for something that could be a part of the future of the organization.
Royals Acquire: Jesse Chavez, Gregor Blanco, & Tim Collins
My I first glanced over the stats of the three players acquired I told my friends that "I was less than overwhelmed by the return." Two days later, this statement doesn't entirely hold true and here is are my reasons:
1) Jesse Chavez- Originally I saw his career era of 4.95 and the fact that he has been abysmal this season in the NL East. But after watching him pitch the on television I am somewhat optimistic that with the quality of his stuff and McClure's track record of improving bullpen arms that he could be turned into a viable reliever that is under team control for the next several seasons.
2) Gregor Blanco- I am still less than thrilled about Gregor Blanco, however he seems to have decent speed and a knack for getting on base at a decent clip. Hopefully he can develop into a somewhat decent defensive outfielder and he can be a fourth outfielder guy. If not he can help hold down the fort until an outfield prospect is ready to claim it from him. Anyone? Please...
3) Tim Collins- Collins is the reason why I am excited about this trade. At first glance (literally a couple of seconds before I had to go out the door.) of his statistics there were two things that my eyes focused on: his height which is 5-7, and his 5.68 era last season in double-A. But wait! This season as a twenty year old his double A era is a glistening 2.29 and even more impressive is the fact that he has averaged 15.4 Ks per 9 innings this season. Collins will be assigned to triple A, Omaha and should be a fast riser to the majors. He could be a lefty set up man with his low 90s heat, deceptive arm angle, and plus curveball.
For Collins I've heard comparisons to Billy Wagner thrown out there and even a lefty Tim Lincecum. He's an exciting prospect but let's not get crazy. It's not that unordinary to record that many strikeouts. How many was it? Oh yeah 308 in 202 career minor league innings. Okay, I'll admit that's impressive.
Conclusion:
Once again Royals open two spots for younger guys that will be under team control for longer than the remainder of the season. They acquire several years of a reliever with above average stuff, several years of a fourth outfielder, and six years of a potentially dominant reliever. I approve.
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