It's the end of the world as we know it... and we feel... fine?
2018 is a season of transition for the Royals, or at least it is at this point. Dayton Moore is back. Will he swing full into THE PROCESS 2.0? Or will he try to load up again and make some reload magic happen?
Pending Free Agents:
1B | Eric Hosmer | San Diego Padres, 8 years, $144 million ($5 million signing bonus; $20 million/year in Yrs 1-5; $13 million/year in Yrs 6-8 wth player opt out)
Spoiler!
(DI's Guess: Texas Rangers, 6, $118 million)
3B | Mike Moustaskas | Kansas City Royas, 1, $6.5 million
Spoiler!
(DI's Guess: Los Angeles Angels, 5, $98 million)
CF | Lorenzo Cain | Milwaukee Brewers, 5 years, $80 million
Spoiler!
(DI's Guess: San Francisco Giants, 4, $68 million)
RP | Mike Minor | Texas Rangers, 3, $28 million
Spoiler!
(DI's Guess: Los Angeles Angels, 3, $35 million+ $12 million team option
SP | Jason Vargas | New York Mets, 2, $16 million
Spoiler!
(DI's Guess: Baltimore Orioles, 2, $29 million)
SS | Alcides Escobar | Kansas City Royals, 1, $2.5 million
In case I, picks would be #32, 33, and 34, if Alex Cobb of Rays signs for $50 million guaranteed.
Kansas City will likely have 5 of the top 40-45 picks in the draft, and the bonus pool money should rival that of the teams drafting 1-3 in the 2017 draft. This should give KC tremendous flexibility in acquiring talent that otherwise might slip or not be "signable."
2018 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
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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. [Reply]
I am giddy on this, really. I love Moose. Can’t wait to wear my Moose sweater again.
But the goal of this season was to finally give Cutty, Soler and Dozier 500 AB’s. That’s gone. That’s okay, I suppose. But if we’re sacrificing the development of talented players for another 500 season I’m not sure how I feel about it. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Strongside:
Cuthbert isn’t a long-term piece. He just isn’t.
Royals fans love finding a guy to rally around who “just isn’t being given a fair chance”. See Giavotella, J or Colon, C. Inevitably when these guys leave KC, they flop miserably. Not sure Cuthbert is anything more than an at best, rich man’s version of those guys. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Strongside:
Yeah, and Zimmer was the next big thing. You just never know with young guys. I’m willing to bet money that Ches is never any better than a bench guy, though.
Injuries are a different deal, I think.
Healthy guys, in the end, can only prove themselves through routine big league at bats/pitches. There’s no other way to substitute it.
Alex Gordon is a bust -2009
Eric Hosmer is a bust - 2012
Mike Moustakas is a bust - 2012-2014
Luke Hochevar is a bust 2008-2012
Danny Duffy is a bust 2015 [Reply]
Originally Posted by Why Not?:
Royals fans love finding a guy to rally around who “just isn’t being given a fair chance”. See Giavotella, J or Colon, C. Inevitably when these guys leave KC, they flop miserably. Not sure Cuthbert is anything more than an at best, rich man’s version of those guys.
He may turn out to be just that - but I don’t know, he ain’t Orlando. Cuthbert showed more in the first half of 2016 than anyone of the players you’re referencing.
Anywho, i’ll quit being a downer now. Yay, Moose!!!
(If we hadn’t signed Duda, I’d have been 130% behind this signing). [Reply]
Originally Posted by dallaschiefsfan:
I don't agree with this. But I Do agree that they have soured on him a bit. At the least, hopefully this is a wakeup call to Cheslor. He needs to work his ass off to be the starting 3B of a major league team. Too many mental mistakes at the hot corner so far during ST.
I mean what’s the guy ever done to make you stop and say, “this kid is a major league contributor on a daily basis”? I just haven’t seen it. At least Hos and Moose showed flashes. Cuthbert has been inconsistent and mediocre at best. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chiefspants:
He may turn out to be just that - but I don’t know, he ain’t Orlando. Cuthbert showed more in the first half of 2016 than anyone of the players you’re referencing.
Anywho, i’ll quit being a downer now. Yay, Moose!!!
(If we hadn’t signed Duda, I’d have been 130% behind this signing).
Why do we like Duda again? I've seen plenty of his type and it usually doesn't turn out well for us. [Reply]
Soler is probably the only prospect in the system you have to give ML at bats to.
Beyond that, I don't get the handwringing about signing Moose and Duda. Mondesi is definitely not ready for the show. I'd guess same is said for Dozier, and is Cuthbert seriously considered as a potential long term starter for any major league team beyond the Reds? [Reply]
Originally Posted by Strongside:
I mean what’s the guy ever done to make you stop and say, “this kid is a major league contributor on a daily basis”? I just haven’t seen it. At least Hos and Moose showed flashes. Cuthbert has been inconsistent and mediocre at best.
That's not actually true. Cheslor has always played each level of the minor leagues as one of the youngest on the team. And he was one of our bright spots in the 2016 lineup when Moose was hurt. Furthermore, he has usually struggled at first at each level in the minor leagues, but then realizes his talent by the following season. That's been his pattern. He's still way too young to say what he'll do at the major league level. He just turned 25 this off-season! He can still get at-bats. They'll need to be creative. But if you can sign Moose at 6.5, you do it. Even for the chance they can flip him for something at the deadline or when a team loses their starting 3B. Makes too much sense at that price. [Reply]
Originally Posted by dallaschiefsfan:
That's not actually true. Cheslor has always played each level of the minor leagues as one of the youngest on the team. And he was one of our bright spots in the 2016 lineup when Moose was hurt. Furthermore, he has usually struggled at first at each level in the minor leagues, but then realizes his talent by the following season. That's been his pattern. He's still way too young to say what he'll do at the major league level. He just turned 25 this off-season! He can still get at-bats. They'll need to be creative. But if you can sign Moose at 6.5, you do it. Even for the chance they can flip him for something at the deadline or when a team loses their starting 3B. Makes too much sense at that price.
You summed up everything I said more succinctly and in a better fashion than I did. Kudos. [Reply]