*** Official 2018 Royals Repository ***

[duncan_idaho]

The season is upon us, even if spring is not.

2018 MLB Draft Picks
#18
#33 - Compensation (Eric Hosmer)
#34 - Compensation (Lorenzo Cain)
#40 (Competitive Balance Round A)

018 Draft Names to Watch

RHP Kumar Rocker, N Oconnee HS, Georgia.

Spoiler!

Possibly goes top 10 but is a big, physical SP with ace potential. Moore and co. will be all over him if he slips a bit and could offer top 10 money at No. 16

OF Jarred Kelenic, Waukasha West HS, WI

Spoiler!

Kelenic is the top prep bat, toolsy OF. Royals would be ecstatic to have shot at him.

1B Triston Casas, American Heritage HS (FL).

Spoiler!

Tremendous raw power, best in HS bats. Royals typically like HS arms or HS bats with "special" tools. He qualifies.

RHP Carter Stewart, Eau de Gallie HS (Ga).

Spoiler!

Another big, physical specimen with huge upside. More likely to be available mid-first than Rocker.

ANY Any, Any (Any). Any current top projected pick who slides for injury concerns. Includes current top prospect prospect SP Brady Singer, U of Florida.

Current Prospects to Watch:

OF Seuly Matias - Huge tools. Hit 2 HR in Lexington (A) season opener.

1B Nick Pratto - Top pick in 17 has advanced approach and good glove; needs to start tapping into power in first full year in minors. Also at Lexington.

OF Michael Gigliotti - Good defender in CF, good OBP skills, plus baserunner. Next mainstay in CF for KC, IMO. Advanced college bat also starting at Lexington.

OF Khalil Lee - Probably has highest upside in Royals' system. Could hit 30 HR in majors, could steal 30 bases. Plus defensive ability in RF. Nice test at Wilmington this year.

3B Emmanuel Rivera - Really nice approach and good contact skills. Power is still developing. Also getting a good test at Wilmington.

SP Foster Griffin - Made nice strides in 2017. Needs to continue to progress in 2018. Could be a lefty version of Jakob Junis (good breaking ball that he can really manipulate, OK fastball, good command).

1B Samir Duenez - Duenez still is intriguing, hoping for a step forward in his power production this year at Northwest Arkansas, which would turn him into a legit prospect.

Others to keep an eye on:
SP Gerson Garabito (Wilmington), OF Marten Gasparini (Lexington), C MJ Melendez (Lexington), RP Tyler Zuber (lexington), RP Richard Lovelady (Omaha), SP Dan Tillo (Lexington), SS Nicky Lopez (NWA), SP Scott Blewett (NWA), OF Brewer Hicklen (Idaho Falls),

In general, Lexington and Wilmington are the most interesting spots to watch. Nice depth and a lot of interesting pieces at both.

[tk13]

Also, pay attention to what the Rays are doing. They started Sergio Romo today, the relief pitcher. He pitched the 1st inning against the top of the Angels lineup, struck them all out, then turned the game over to the "starter" for the 2nd inning. It worked so well they're going to do it again today, so Romo will start two days in a row. It guarantees one of your best relievers faces the big bats on top of the order.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

They were the past few years. I've always thought arm problems would catch up with Duffy and he clearly looks not healthy. As for Sal there's an expectation date on catchers.

People keep saying this “he clearly looks unhealthy..” I don’t see it. He clearly sucks ass right now, and he’s battling himself on the mound. That’s what I clearly see. If he were injured the Royals would be shutting him down immediately. They have a lot invested into him. They aren’t going to keep running him out there in a season like this, just because. He’s got lots of talent, but he’s always been a head case. He’s got to get right in the head before he can get right on the mound, IMO

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

People keep saying this “he clearly looks unhealthy..” I don’t see it. He clearly sucks ass right now, and he’s battling himself on the mound. That’s what I clearly see. If he were injured the Royals would be shutting him down immediately. They have a lot invested into him. They aren’t going to keep running him out there in a season like this, just because. He’s got lots of talent, but he’s always been a head case. He’s got to get right in the head before he can get right on the mound, IMO

Did you catch Duffy's post game interview last night?

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

Did you catch Duffy's post game interview last night?

No, I didn’t. What did I miss?

[ChiTown]

I just watched the video of his post game that is on the Royals site. Pretty good. Talks about the “phantom DL stint”. Lol. So many on CP were just flat convinced that he was injured. No, he’s not physically injured. He’s just a really shitty starting pitcher right now. He should be relegated to the pen until he gets his head right. It wouldn’t be the first time the Royals had to do this with Duffy.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by tk13

Also, pay attention to what the Rays are doing. They started Sergio Romo today, the relief pitcher. He pitched the 1st inning against the top of the Angels lineup, struck them all out, then turned the game over to the "starter" for the 2nd inning. It worked so well they're going to do it again today, so Romo will start two days in a row. It guarantees one of your best relievers faces the big bats on top of the order.

Call me when managers start throwing their closers in a middle inning with the tying or winning run in scoring position and the top of the order is up.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Are we thinking Karns is either done or a BP guy at this point?

TOS is looking like a career killer these days. Still hopeful he can be an exception but man, track record is really bad at present.

Originally Posted by ChiTown

I just watched the video of his post game that is on the Royals site. Pretty good. Talks about the “phantom DL stint”. Lol. So many on CP were just flat convinced that he was injured. No, he’s not physically injured. He’s just a really shitty starting pitcher right now. He should be relegated to the pen until he gets his head right. It wouldn’t be the first time the Royals had to do this with Duffy.

Interesting. His velocity was down, but maybe it’s mechanical. Also looks like he has ticked up in the past 2-3 starts.

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

Lots of its in your statements Duncan. I also don't think Perez and Duffy will be as good by 2021.

Prayers can involve ifs.

[CaliforniaChief]

So the Braves are in 1st place and need a 3rd baseman. Let's make it happen, GMDM.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

TOS is looking like a career killer these days. Still hopeful he can be an exception but man, track record is really bad at present.




Interesting. His velocity was down, but maybe it’s mechanical. Also looks like he has ticked up in the past 2-3 starts.




Prayers can involve ifs.

It looked like Duffy’s FB was hitting 95+ at times last night. I have a buddy of mine who was a Minor League pitcher for a number of years who swears to Me that Duffy is tipping his pitches. That may be the case, but his pitch location has been extremely poor all year, regardless of whether he is tipping or not.

[suzzer99]

The best outfield in Royals history https://www.royalsreview.com/2018/5/...royals-history

[tk13]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

So the Braves are in 1st place and need a 3rd baseman. Let's make it happen, GMDM.

They're clearly the best place for Moose, if they're interested. They just cut Jose Bautista today.

They do have a 3B prospect sitting at AAA right now. That might be Dayton's biggest obstacle depending on what the Braves are thinking about him.

[dlphg9]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

The name of a dipshit is listed here, but isn’t “Dayton.”

Hey that's not nice. I have a ton of respect for you. Don't take my criticism of Dayton Moore so personal. The guy had so many years of suck and had a ton of high draft picks. He lucked into one of the best bullpens in history. Without that bullpen we don't have 2 WS appearances and 1 championship. The guy is loyal to a fault holding on to trash players for way too long. Picking Almonte over Manaea. Also I'm just throwing this out here but can anyone guarantee that we needed to trade for Cueto and Zobrist? Do we not win a world series if we don't have them? Honestly I'm glad we did it. I cried after they won the World Series, but I don't give much credit to DM or Yost for those wins.

I'm not looking to get people all over my ass with this post either since I'm sure it will be very unpopular

[dlphg9]

Originally Posted by tk13

They're clearly the best place for Moose, if they're interested. They just cut Jose Bautista today.

They do have a 3B prospect sitting at AAA right now. That might be Dayton's biggest obstacle depending on what the Braves are thinking about him.

Let's trade Moose for that 3B prospect lol. Then they don't have to worry about Moose taking his playing time.

[DanT]

Originally Posted by tk13

Also, pay attention to what the Rays are doing. They started Sergio Romo today, the relief pitcher. He pitched the 1st inning against the top of the Angels lineup, struck them all out, then turned the game over to the "starter" for the 2nd inning. It worked so well they're going to do it again today, so Romo will start two days in a row. It guarantees one of your best relievers faces the big bats on top of the order.

The idea of starting the game with a short-innings pitcher who would go until he was due up to bat was something that was described in a 1972 Sports Illustrated article about an innovative analyst, someone who had gotten the attention of Ewing Kauffman. Recall that the DH rule was not adopted by the AL until the next year. Here's an excerpt from that article.

https://www.si.com/vault/1972/03/06/...-and-never-was

Originally Posted by March 6, 1972 SI article, "It ain't necessarily so, and never was"

•In each game, a reliever should start, go two or three innings and come out for a pinch hitter his first time up. He would be followed by a starter type, who would go about five innings, batting the first time he came up, but going out for a pinch hitter his second time up. Another short man would finish the game. This sounds revolutionary, but essentially the only difference is that the "starter" appears in the middle of the game instead of at the beginning.

The normal odds are 3 to 1 against a pitcher throwing a complete game. "So why try?" Cook asks. "To have a shot at a no-hitter? The percentage system—two innings, then five innings, then two innings—not only puts better hitters into the lineup more often, it removes a pitcher before he is likely to get into trouble, not afterward." Two years ago Cook produced figures showing that the Kansas City Royals would have picked up 54 additional runs over the season by employing pinch hitters regularly for pitchers and could have reduced their opponents' scoring against them by 35 runs by working the best relievers more often. That is a net gain of 89 runs—at no expense, with no upheaval. Cook has even worked up a chart showing the optimum staff rotation in this system. "All that is necessary is to convince one manager and four starting pitchers," he says wistfully. He really wants to help. Any .500 team that adopted real percentage baseball would, he claims, automatically become an even-money bet to make the World Series.

At least one baseball man is finally paying Cook some heed. Ewing Kauffman, the progressive owner of the Royals, keeps a copy of Percentage Baseball on his desk. He flew Cook to Kansas City for a day of talks last year. Shortly after Kauffman met with Cook, a banker named Bill Welsh approached the owner with the idea of feeding Royals data into a computer. "My conversation with Cook had made me far more receptive to such a notion than I otherwise would have been," Kauffman says. "Baseball is full of traditions and myths that won't stand up to analysis. Cook challenges them."

[ChiTown]

Every single starter for the Royals not named Jake Junis ****ing sucks.

This Staff is ****ing pathetic