General Manager Dayton Moore shipped away four blooming prospects, including Minor Leauge Baseball’s top prospect last season and the Royals’ top pitching prospect, for the pitching services of James Shields and Wade Davis.

August 05, 2011; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost (left) with general manager Dayton Moore (right) before a game against the Detroit Tigers at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

Moore traded away some major pieces to the farm, but for the most part, the farm system is still intact and developing. However, it will be Moore’s and his player evaluation staff to patch the holes left by the departure of Wil Myers, Jake Odorizzi, Mike Montgomery and Patrick Leonard (but mainly Myers and Odorizzi).

The Royals will hope to restock the pantry through the draft, starting with a very important pick at No. 8. Now, the Royals can go a few ways with this. There is an abundance of talent in this class, possibly not as deep as recent drafts, but certainly a variety of options.

When you look at the big league roster as a whole, you see lots of young talent. There will be very few needs from an age perspective seeing as the oldest every day player will be Jeff Francoeur at 29 years old. However, the key loss in the Shields-Davis trade was obviously Myers, a young, 22-year-old slugging outfielder with one of the highest ceilings on a prosect from a hitting perspective. This leads me to the first scenario for the Royals.

Sitting at No. 8 gives the Royals the advantage of gaining legit talent ahead of just about everyone else. Some names which continue to cover the boards in connections to the Royals:

        Austin Wilson-Jr.-Stanford-OF

       Wilson is a big strong kid, 6-5, 245 pounds, who some describe as raw but exploding with potential. In 2012, Wilson hit .285, with 10 home runs, all while driving in 54 RBI. This season will dictate whether he’s seen as that top 10 type prospect, or if his stock will plummet. It should be noted that through 11 games this season, Wilson only has three plate appearances with two strikeouts

       Dominic Smith-Sr. (HS)-California HS-1B/OF

       Smith is one of those guys who has still yet to lockdown his premier position. Some say the 6-1. 200-pound lefty, lacks the defensive skills to play outfield,  but has the bat to supply power from either position. He excels at making consistent hard contact and while his defensive skills may need to be refined, scouts say he has a very strong arm to field the position.

        Clint Frazier-Sr. (HS)-Loganville HS-OF

         Frazier may not be catching headlines like some of his classmates, but after watching only a few seconds of his HR Derby tape, you see why his name is legit mention in the first round. The 6-1 righty has lightning quick hands (think Bryce Harper fast) and can really extend his arms for some major pop. He’s young, talented and committed to Georgia, so this pick may come with a bit of a risk factor.

         Trey Ball-Sr. (HS)-New Castle HS-LHP/OF

         Ball definitely benefits from being a left-hander, gaining attention as an outfielder and standout pitcher. His arm speed was clocked at 93 MPH on the hill, but his 6-6 frame and athleticism indicates he could show some flash as an outfielder. His bat is described as smooth and strong, with power and strength to come as he matures. Ball could definitely be groomed to be a major league pitcher, as well.

         Phillip Ervin-Jr.-Samford-OF

         Ervin is my dark horse at No. 8 in the outfield group. The 5-10, 200-pound outfielder collected MVP honors over the summer in the Cape Cod League, hitting .323 with 10 home runs and 11 stolen bases. At Samford, Ervin is on an offensive tear, hitting .340 with six home runs and 12 RBI. Last season, he batted .327 with 10 home runs and 52 RBI.

The Royals can definitely afford to go after a big bat and outfield impact with the pick, but there will be plenty of pitchers for Moore to choose from, if he so chooses. Most of the arms the Royals should be interested in are already at the college level, but a few high school pitchers will certainly catch the eye of the Royals.

           Mark Appel-Sr.-Sanford-RHP

           Appel was selected last year by the Pirates, but chose not to sign and return to Sanford for one more season. The righty is projected to go ahead of the Royals, but still carries a risk to sign, which could turn off some teams ahead of KC. Appel is 2-1 this season for the Cardinals and has a sub-1.20 ERA to start the season. He’s by far the most advanced and big league-ready arm in the draft.

          Jonathan Crawford-Jr.-Florida-RHP

          Crawford has some critics who doubt he will have the ability to make it as a big league starter. Crawford currently only uses two pitches, a mid-90s fastball and sweeping slider, and pitches from a funky delivery which some say uses too much effort and will causes problems later down the road. However, the kid went 6-2, with a 3.13 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 72 innings of work.

          Jordan Sheffield-Sr. (HS)-Tullahoma HS-RHP

          The big knock against Sheffield is his size. At 6-3, 195-pounds, some say his frame is too small for a big time work horse in the pros, but his strong arm and use of secondary and third pitches could make him a steal. He has a standing commitment to Vanderbilt, but being taken in the top 10 would be a hard thing to pass up over a college career. Rumors swirled that Sheffield peaked  out in the upper-90s over summer.

          Robert Kaminsky-Sr. (HS)-St. Joseph Regional HS-LHP

          Kaminsky measures in at 6-foot, 190 pounds, but already has the measures of an advanced arm when it comes to his pitching ability. The lefty sits mid-to-low 90s on his fastball, with a healthy back up of off-speed pitches. Many agree he is legitimate first-round talent, but not sure where he exactly falls. The Royals may want to take a gamble on Kaminsky at No. 8 for his advanced potential.

As you can see, the player scouting and evaluation department for the Royals has a bit of a task on their hands. There’s plenty of talent out in the draft this year, some which may make a late push to the top of the boards as the season progresses.

The hardest part with evaluating baseball talent is the shear amount of talent in the United States. With so many rounds and picks, it can be a gargantuan task finding the talent to fill all the picks. As June approaches, the Royals will make it clear their intentions on who will fill the No. 8 spot on the big board.

That lack of making a move continued into Thursday’s Rule 5 Draft, which officially ends the Winter Meetings. They had the eighth selection in the MLB phase and passed. It sort of was expected considering they have a full 40-man roster. It was expected that lefty Jon Keck, who pitched in the Arizona Fall League, would be plucked, but he wasn’t.

The Royals then passed in both the Triple-A and Double-A phase. So no new players being brought into the system. However, the Royals did lose five players in the Triple-A phase. Three of those players were taken in a row.

Third baseman Diego Goris was selected by the San Diego Padres. This past season, he finished the season with rookie level Idaho Falls, where he hit .286 with ten homeruns and 32 RBIs. Next came Ethan Hollingsworth, who was plucked by the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Royals acquired him last September from Oakland for Kila Ka’aihue. Hollingsworth split the 2012 season between Triple-A Omaha and Double-A NW Arkansas. Here are his combined numbers: 5-11 with a 4.82 ERA in 34 games (eight starts). He allowed 125 hits in 102.2 innings and walked 30 compared to 66 strikeouts. The Philadelphia Phillies selected lefty Brendan Lafferty next. Coming out of the Naturals bullpen, he had a 4.11 ERA in 43 games (60.1 innings). He struck out 71 but walked 40.

The final two players taken were taken late and are both pitching in winter ball. Lefty Ryan Dennick went to the Cincinnati Reds. He spent the majority of the 2012 season with NW Arkansas (he started the year with High-A Wilmington). There, he was 6-5 in 30 games (three starts) with a 4.62 ERA. He walked 30 and struck out 72. Dennick has been starting for Mayaguez in the Puerto Rican League. There, he is 2-0 with a 2.82 ERA. In 22.1 innings, he has allowed 24 hits, walked five, and struck out 14. The final player plucked from the Royals organization was right-hander Federico Castaneda, who was selected by the Padres. He pitched in Mexico this past season and struggled a bit (5.71 ERA in 51 games), though he struck out 52 compared to 15 walks. He is currently pitching in winter ball in Mexico and has a 3.68 ERA in 31 games.

Really, the Royals did not lose an impactful player.

For more on the Draft, check out Baseball America’s coverage or MLB.com’s coverage.

Selman is listed at 6’3″ and 190 lbs. from Austin, Texas.  He sports a fastball that ranges from 90-95 mph and also offers a slider and change up that both need some polishing up.  He certainly has the potential to be a power arm from the left side for the Royals in a few years.  It’s important for him to continue his development and throw more innings as he refines his delivery to one that is a bit more consistent.  One of his down falls throughout his collegiate career was the lack of consistency in his delivery and the walks that would follow.  It would seem as if he may have found a remedy as he has allowed only 16 walks through his first 47.1 professional innings pitched.

It’s still to be determined how fast Selman could rise through the minors, but he’s definitely pushing for his next promotion right now.  Selman is completely dominating the Pioneer League this summer.  His last 5 starts he has thrown 27 innings and tallied up 46 strikeouts while only allowing 11 walks and 13 hits.  These are some astonishing numbers and have to delight Royals fans who are constantly looking for promising young pitchers to someday grace the mound at Kauffman Stadium.

I already like the pick of the young Austin, Texas native.  In my opinion, drafting Selman was well worth it.  He shows tremendous upside and only has a few tweaks to make to his game, the most important being the consistency of his delivery.  While, like most pitchers, his secondary pitches need a little work, they are still very formidable for the lower minor leagues.  However, to hold up in the upper minors and in the big leagues, he will need his slider to be sharper and his changeup to fade.  This should come with more seasoning in the minors and more repetition.

I’m hoping to give Selman the praise he deserves so far, as well as bring his name to light to other Royals fans.  I’m very excited we had the opportunity to take this kid, and I’d love to see him turn into a great number 2 or 3 starter for us down the line.  Realistically, I think that will be his calling as he continues to develop into a very promising young hurler.  Also feel free to give Sam a follow on his twitter page @crazylegsselman

July 8, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; USA batter Wil Myers drives in a run with a fielder

This is my first post in nearly two months.  A lot of things have come up in the past two months that have taken my attention away from my articles, but now I’m back and ready to focus on my posts.  At this point in the season, not many things have gone right, however there are still a few interesting developments I’d like to see play out over the course of the next two months.

The first thing I’d like to see is Billy Butler give a nice run towards breaking Steve Balboni‘s single season record of 36 home runs.  With the juiced ball and steroid era, it was commonplace for teams to have multiple players with 30 and 40 home run seasons.  The Royals have remained quiet with the long ball and at 27 years and counting no one has surpassed Balboni’s 36 home runs in 1985.  I’m aware Butler only has 20 home runs through Sunday’s game but with a few hot streaks here and there it is possible for him to challenge the record.

The next thing I’d like to see is Greg Holland really stake a claim to the closer’s role as we head into next season.  Now I’ll admit I’ve been one of the biggest Holland advocates for the past two years.  I really like his makeup and his electric stuff, but I truly believe he could be a very dominate closer for the Royals for at least the next few years.

It’s been really nice to see Mike Moustakas carry over his hot September from last season into this year.  It’s been an even better surprise to see how well he has played defensively at third base.  On the other side of the diamond has been Eric Hosmer, who has been a little different story than Moose.  Hosmer still has time this season to get things in gear and put together a respectable season, although his time will be running out very soon.  It would certainly make me feel a bit more at ease going into the off season with Hosmer raking over the last several weeks of the season.

The last thing I’d like to see the rest of the way is the arrival of the most talked about prospect in all of baseball, Wil Myers.  Now it may be possible the Royals decide to keep Myers down until next year, but that will anger a lot, if not all, of the fan base.  I’d love to see what Wil can do the rest of the way if he gets the call.  It will, at least, add a little bit of suspense for the final two months to see if he gets promoted to Kansas City.  We will just have to wait and see what the front office decides to do, as he may end up waiting until next May to finally put on a Major League uniform.

I hope to see a few of these stories develop into realization.  These are some things that keep me watching even in the dog days of the season when the team is struggling to stay out of the basement in the AL Central.  What are some other interesting topics fans are looking forward to the rest of the season?  I’d love to hear what others are thinking about.

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All-star picks can be a point of great contention and, in my case, are often embarrassing. This is because I make a lot of my picks based on my gut reaction mixed with a sprinkling of statistical success and often, my picks don’t make a lot of sense. But I’ve decided that I’m not worried about ridicule this year and I’m going to go into this selection process cold and allow you to make the journey with me.* I’m filling out my ballot as I write this. I’m not Buster Olney. I don’t care. Let’s do it. (more…)

There were probably a lot of Royals fans clamoring for Appel but it seemed unlikely that the Royals would be able to negotiate a contract with him given his agent is Scott Boras.  Therefore, the Royals took the guy they had been wanting, in Kyle Zimmer.  Zimmer was in the list of three of the top collegiate pitchers available in this draft also including Appel and LSU right hander Kevin Gausman.

My first reaction to the selection is praise.  I think the Royals did the right thing in selecting Zimmer and it seems most Royals fans have been in favor of the move as well, or at least those on Twitter.  Zimmer had a fantastic season for the Dons this past year posting a 2.85 ERA and serving as the club’s ace.  I’m more fascinated by his ability to limit his walks and rack up strikeouts.  He recorded 104 strikeouts to only 17 walks in 2012.

Zimmer stands at 6’4″ and weighs in at 220 pounds.  He is a young 20 year old with plenty of time to grow and develop as he hits the professional ranks.  I believe he has a few mechanical issues to work on but nothing major.  It appears he has a lean towards home and breaks his hands a tad too early, but once again it’s not a major issue.

He has three good offerings including a curveball, changeup, and a fastball that sits in the mid 90s and has touched 99.  He is very polished for someone who picked up pitching his freshman season at USF after transitioning from 3rd base.  He has a fresh arm and could be on the fast track for the big leagues.  I believe we could see Zimmer as early as the 2014 season.  My first projection has him as a solid number 2 with the possibility of advancing into an ace, but of course, that would depend on his development and the Royals ability to develop him as a starter.

Thanks for visiting Kings of Kauffman. You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed.  You can also send your questions to our mailbag at KoKMailbag@gmail.com and follow Jordan McLaughlin on Twitterto be notified each time he posts a story.

May 07, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Jonathan Sanchez (57) is relieved by manager Ned Yost (3) in the fourth inning of the game against the Boston Red Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

Today, I realized I can no longer do this.  I can’t be hopelessly optimistic about someone who has given me little in return to back up my optimism.  I was never a fan of the Luke Hochevar pick in the 2006 draft, but I sucked it up and tried to find a reason to like the pick and give my support for Hochevar.  First, let me state that Hochevar should have never been the 1st overall pick and because of his selection there, he is going to be the most scrutinized player from that draft.  It’s also hard to swallow that Evan Longoria, Clayton Kershaw, and Tim Lincecum were all top ten picks that year as well, and were passed on.

While Hochevar hasn’t been bad every time out, what makes him so frustrating to watch, is the fact he is one of the most inconsistent pitchers in the game.  He’s had days of complete game shutouts and then he’ll turn around and have an outing like the home opener onslaught that a sold out crowd witnessed earlier this year at Kauffman Stadium.  A starter needs to be consistent, something Hochevar is not.  Yeah, Bruce Chen won’t dominate a line up but you can expect 6 innings and 2-3 runs every time he toes the rubber.  There’s peace of mind knowing what to expect from your starter on any given day.

That being said it really is time to at least scan around for other options to start in place of Hochevar and Jonathan Sanchez.  I’m not sure how much longer their leash is, but it can’t be too long.  Sanchez and Hochevar combined have went past 5 innings only twice thus far this season.  Hochevar is now the 6th worst pitcher in MLB history according to ERA that includes pitchers with over 100 starts.  That’s an interesting piece of information that can be found here* along with the rest of the top, or should I say bottom, ten.  I tend to get a sick feeling in my stomach every time it’s Sanchez’s turn in the rotation.  I know 5 walks and 3 innings is very likely.  These two make watching the Royals a nauseating task.  Normally, I’m not this down on the Royals, but I hate seeing the starting pitching give these types of performances.

*It’s interesting to note Kyle Davies is right in front of Hochevar on this list.

Therefore, there may come a time relatively soon where a change has to be made.  Ryan Verdugo, Nate Adcock, and Everett Teaford are all guys I truly believe can give us a quality start just about every time out.  The most important things a starter can do is keep the team in the game and go deep in the game to preserve the bullpen arms throughout the season.  Jake Odorizzi is also an intriguing name that I’d love to see in Kansas City at some point during the season.

I really don’t like giving up on a player, but it appears as though Hochevar is not capable of overcoming his blow up inning more times than not.  I believe there is a lack of focus there, even though no one will come out and say that.  I’m sure he prepares himself very well and puts in the time and effort, but there is something with the mental side of his game that is just not adding up.  A guy with the repertoire of pitches that Hochevar sports should not be nearly this inconsistent and should be a top of the rotation starter.  It’s just very frustrating to continue to watch him and anticipate his blow up inning.

All I’m hoping for is this doesn’t continue.  Whether Hochevar and Sanchez figure out a few things and can pitch deeper into a game or Ned Yost finally makes a move and replaces one or both of them with a few candidates I mentioned earlier, something will need to change.  The starting pitching is the weak spot of the team but that doesn’t mean you can’t make changes to try and produce different outcomes.  These two are certainly not cutting it.

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Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Aaron Crow (43) against the Oakland Athletics Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

There isn’t much else we can say about our beloved Royals.  They lost 12 straight games and completed a winless season opening home stand.  Their lack of timely hitting and an inconsistent bullpen have combined for a disastrous start to the 2012 season.  I’ve had enough of discussing what’s going wrong and who’s to blame.  That’s why I’d like to focus my attention on a few bright spots in recent years.  I’m talking about the MLB draft and the solid job the Royals have done in drafting their talent.  With the MLB first-year player draft looming merely a month away, I’d like to recap the past 5 first round picks and evaluate them now as well as what their future might hold.

2007

First, let’s look at 2007 first rounder Mike Moustakas.  A highly-touted high school kid out of Chatsworth, CA, Moustakas was drafted 2nd overall and signed on the deadline of August 15 for $4 million dollars.  Moustakas garnered some accolades in the minor leagues, including being named the 2010 Texas League Player of the Year.  Moose has been a top prospect entering every season in his professional career.  He has started off this season very well and has produced at the plate and on defense.  He will always have a tremendous amount of power and there was a question about his glove.  Thus far, he has shown vast improvement in the field and I like the way he has adjusted to major league pitching.  He’s not getting himself out nearly as much as he was last year.  Moose should put together a few 40+ homerun seasons when all is said and done and earn  himself a few All-Star bids as well.  It has always seemed it’s taken him a little while to adjust to each level, and it’s finally looking like he is coming around at the major league level on a consistent basis.

2008

In 2008, the Royals took American Heritage High School star, Eric Hosmer.  We all know how good this kid is, but there was a time he struggled early in his professional career.  It wasn’t until he had vision correction surgery that his career took off at the plate.  He hit so well in early 2011, the Royals were practically forced to call him up to Kansas City.  He finished 3rd in the American League Rookie of the Year voting and is well on his way to a phenomenal career.  He should have a similar career path as Cincinnati Reds first baseman, Joey Votto.  Hosmer will most likely play in multiple All-Star games and find himself in the top 10 in MVP voting in the prime of his career.  The Royals did a great job of drafting the corner of their infield for several years to come in back-to-back drafts.

*Also in the supplemental first round, the Royals selected left-handed pitcher Mike Montgomery.

2009

Aaron Crow was selected 12th overall by the Royals in the summer of 2009.  He had been previously drafted by the Washington Nationals in the first round of the 2008 draft but elected not to sign.  Crow had a rocky road to the majors, but has found a calling in a bullpen role.  He was named an All-Star last year as a reliever, but it’s yet to be determined if Crow could find a home in the starting rotation anytime during his career.  While it certainly is a possibility, I think the closer role is a likely landing spot for the former Mizzou standout.  I have faith that he could be a dominant closer for several years as we hope the Royals find themselves in contention for a playoff spot.

2010

Christian Colon was the least impressive pick of the past 5 years.  I’m not sold on the fact that Colon is a first round talent.  I don’t think he will ever be much more than a Carlos Febles type at second base.  He is certainly not going to translate to a shortstop at the major league level, which is what he was at Cal-State Fullerton.  Currently, Colon is batting .271 with 1 homerun and 7 RBI for Double-A Northwest Arkansas.  He could find his own and be a quality major league player, but I think it’s more reasonable to expect him to be a utility guy at best for several seasons.

2011

The most recent pick was Bubba Starling.  Starling was chosen 5th overall out of Gardner Edgerton High School in 2011.  At the time of the pick, many people were in favor of the selection.  I for one, was all in favor of drafting Bubba.  I think he is loaded with immense amounts of raw talent.  It will take some seasoning for him to fully tap into his potential, which means his path to the show could be 4 or more years before he is finally called up.  Once he is up, his ability will be limitless.  He very well could be an MVP candidate for several seasons with Kansas City.  I think at the very least, he will be a mainstay in centerfield and a top contributor for what we hope is a contending team.  I will be anxiously awaiting the day that Bubba is in the middle of the order with Hosmer and Moose.

I find the MLB draft very entertaining and am anxiously awaiting this year’s draft.  The Royals have had their fair share of busts, but lately they have been selecting top notch talent and forking out the money to get these players signed.  When the draft creeps a little closer I will have a preview of who the Royals could end up taking and examine some of those players.  Let’s just hope they select a Hosmer and not another Chris Lubanski.

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The wacky Puffy Taco mascot of the San Antonio Missions AA Baseball team

The first thing you need to know about the Naturals’ road trip to San Antonio is that they were confronted with possibly the wackiest mascot in baseball.  Nuttier than the Flying Squirrel in Richmond, VA; loonier than the Lansing, MI Big Lug Lugnut; much cuter than Gnate the Sand Gnat of Savannah; and equally as crazy as the Sushi Rolls of Vancouver, Canada.  You’ll almost never see him on a list of the most off-the-wall minor league characters, but I’m smitten with the mascot of the San Antonio Mission’s (the AA affiliate of the San Diego Padres), the Puffy Taco and his trusty companion, Ballapeño.  And don’t forget their best friend H.E.Buddy, the grocery bag mascot (yes, grocery bag) from the dominant local grocery store chain H.E.B.

Once you get past the kitschy trappings of minor league baseball, they actually play some fun games that are meaningful – at least to the players and the fans of players with high potential that we expect to eventually see in the majors.   And that’s the reason you’re reading this story right now.

I wish I could give you a sunshine and roses report of the Naturals performance, but that wouldn’t be the truth.  So, what I’m going to do is offer you is my list of “takeaways” from the game, both good and bad.

Here’s my first takeaway, and you aren’t going to like it.  Will Myers was not impressive.  Not at all.  I only saw him play one game, but he looked completely lost at the plate and nothing like the guy who tore up the Arizona Fall League a few months ago.  In the first inning he struck out swinging on 3 pitches (and looked bad doing it) immediately after the first two batters of the game hit solid singles up the middle and we needed him to move the runners.  In his second at bat he popped straight up to the catcher.  He struck out again in another at bat.  The only hit he received in 5 at bats was against a pitcher who was on the ropes, following a long delay and a coach’s visit to the mound, he squirted a broken bat single over the second baseman’s head.  Not an impressive day’s work for Mr. Myers.

The Naturals Christian Colon waits for a pitch while Wil Myers looks on from the on deck circle. April 9, 2012 CREDIT: Alan Barrington

On the other hand, on this particular day Christian Colon looked every bit the player and leader the Royals selected him to be.  He was 4 for 4 at the plate, and every hit was a ringing line drive.  He turned two nearly identical outstanding defensive plays in the field, running hard to his right, backhanding a ground ball before it could escape into left field, and throwing back across his body to force a fast runner at second base.  When Tim Melville, the Naturals starting pitcher, threw five straight balls to begin the game, Colon didn’t wait to act.  He showed leadership on the field, called time out and went to the mound alone to calm Melville down.  It must have worked, Melville didn’t give up a run and only allowed 3 hits, 1 walk (the first batter of the game), and 6 strikeouts in 5 innings pitched.

Colon stole second, only his first stolen base of the season, but when I describe the play I think you’ll agree he needs to make more attempts.  After he stole second base, he stood up and I probably could have counted three Mississippi’s before the ball arrived from the catcher.  Colon got an absurd jump on the pitch and made the Mission’s battery look like they were chasing shadows.

One other thing about Christian Colon – Baseball Reference says he’s 6’ 1” tall.  I didn’t take a measuring tape onto the field, but he doesn’t look anything close to that in my opinion.  But if you think his size might indicate he isn’t tough, consider this – He was hit by a pitch, and I don’t think he made any attempt to move out of the way.  Christian ended the night reaching base five times in five at bats.  I love the toughness and the willingness to do anything necessary to get on base and give his team a chance to win.

The Naturals starting pitcher Tim Melville warms up prior to the game. April 9, 2012. CREDIT: Alan Barrington

Tim Melville started the game on the mound for the Naturals and I didn’t know much about him before the game.  But this week I learned he knows how to mix his pitches and can make the opposing hitters chase balls in the dirt.  Unfortunately, I didn’t find the radar gun readout in the stadium until late in the game (it was lost in the sea of advertising signs on the outfield wall), so I don’t know how fast he was throwing, but he was definitely fooling people and pulling the string on occassion.

I was very impressed with the defensive play of light hitting second baseman Sharlon Schoop.  He made a fantastic play moving hard toward the right field line, throwing himself into a headlong dive, and came up firing a bullet to nail the runner at first.  It was “Frank Whitesque” and the best defensive play of the night.  However, I wish I had positive comments about the rest of his game.  He wandered two far off second and was nearly picked off by a snap throw from the catcher.  (How embarrassing would that be to get picked off second by the catcher?)  He struck out on a ball that was nearly over his head which got the crowd excited and a few of the drunk Missions fans sitting near me taunted him with a few choice words on his walk back to the dugout.  I considered joining them.

A few more miscellaneous notes:

• Melville was replaced on the mound by Elisaul Pimentel.  Pimentel got rocked and only lasted 2/3 of an inning.
• Catcher Ryan Jenkins did a good job of going with a tough pitch and poking it up the middle for a base hit to drive in 2 runs.
• Third Baseman Kurt Mertins laid down a picture perfect sacrifice bunt to move two runners, then hustled down the line and beat the throw to first on an error to load the bases.
• Edinson Rincon let a ball play him in left field.  He ran in to field a ball that was about to land in front of him, thought of diving for it (I think he could have gotten to it if he had committed rather than hesitating), changed his mind and backed off.  The ball bounced past him, but he was able to get it back to the infield before the runner could advance to second.
• Some of the guys I really wanted to see didn’t make it into the game: Promising pitchers Chris Dwyer, Noel Arguelles, Jake Odorizzi, and catcher Ben Theriot.  And of course, pitcher John Lamb is still recovering from surgery so it will be a couple more months before anyone has a chance to see him play.

Noel Arguelles, the only Naturals player on the Royals 40 man major league roster. April 9, 2012 CREDIT: Alan Barrington

This team doesn’t appear to be full of superstars in-waiting as the Naturals of the past two years have been.  But there is talent here that the fans of Northwest Arkansas will enjoy watching this Summer, and in particular a pitching staff that has the ability to completely shut down the opposing team on any given night.  Maybe I’ll get lucky and see some of those guys take the mound the next time I get to see the Naturals play.

Thanks for visiting Kings of Kauffman. You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed.  You can also send your questions to our mailbag at KoKMailbag@gmail.com and follow Alan Barrington on Twitter to be notified each time he posts a story and receive his incredibly insightful sports commentary.

What are the Royals Future Plans for Wil Myers? (Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE)

One of the premiere players predicted to lead the second wave of the youth movement is outfielder Wil Myers.  Myers was drafted in the 3^rd round of the 2009 draft, not because there were 90 players available who were more talented, but primarily because of “signability issues.”  He’s a first round talent that Baseball America has ranked as the Royals 3^rd best prospect behind Mike Montgomery and Bubba Starling.  Myers began his minor league career as a catcher, but was moved to the outfield to hasten his development time and to make way for defensive whiz Salvador Perez – very good forward thinking on the Royals part.

Wil Myers experienced nothing but success during his first two seasons of professional ball.  However, in 2011, he struggled at the plate, hitting just .254 in 99 games for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals.  You might think that Wil’s knee injury suffered early last season from jumping over a wet sidewalk, or the subsequent stitches and staples, or the resulting infection and ultimately surgery were the issues that derailed his progress.  However, Myers said he was just thinking too much, “I was pressing and overthinking things.  Trying to work on too many things.  I couldn’t get my foot down (for proper timing.) I was getting a little too selective.“

Last Fall, Myers found his touch again at the showcase for young talent, the Arizona Fall League.  Myers tore up opposing future pitching stars to the tune of .360/.481/.674, one of the top performances in the AFL and better than Bryce Harper by every measurement except home runs.

It was reported last November that the Royals were interested in the Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Jair Jurrjens, but the deal was nixed because the Braves wanted Wil Myers in return.  There are mixed reviews on Jurrjens future and his persistent knee problems, but he is projected as the Braves opening day pitcher on a deep staff (due to Tim Hudson’s injury) and he certainly could have improved the Royals weak starting rotation.  If this report is true, the fact Dayton Moore didn’t pull the trigger on the trade tells us the Royals have plans for Myers that involve using him as more than just a trade chip.

Assuming Myers picks up anywhere near where he left off in the AFL, he’ll be banging on the Royals door sometime this year.  The question is, what do the Royals do with him when this happens?  Dayton Moore, Ned Yost and company haven’t answered this question yet.  With a trio of skilled outfielders already patrolling the grass at Kauffman, the Royals brass will have some tough decisions to make.

It’s unlikely Wil would be promoted just to sit on the bench as the 4^th outfielder as this could stunt his continued development.  It’s best for him to be a starting outfielder, regardless of whether this occurs in Omaha or Kansas City.  The only potential easy answer would be that Myers (if he performs well) could be called up when a starting outfielder stumbles, which of course we all hope doesn’t happen.  I think we would all prefer that his strong performance in the minors demands a promotion rather than receiving a promotion by default.

While the most likely destination for Wil is in right field, he has played all three outfield positions in the minors.  Although Alex Gordon hasn’t been locked up long term yet, we all believe it’s just a matter of time before this happens, and the consensus opinion says the delay hasn’t been for any lack of desire on the Royals part to get a deal done.  This makes it unlikely that Myers would inherit left field.

Myers could go to center field, but this position isn’t a natural fit for him.  We haven’t seen a large sample size from Lorenzo Cain hitting against major league pitching, but in Spring Training he has demonstrated the probability that he can more than hold his own.  So once again, it’s somewhat unlikely Myers would end up in center field.

Will fan favorite Jeff Francoeur be the odd man out in the Royals future outfield alignment? (US PRESSWIRE)

This leaves Jeff Francoeur, the fun loving, cannon-armed leader of the Royals outfield as a potential casualty of a Wil Myers promotion.  Would the Royals then trade Francoeur to a contender if Myers promotion occurred prior to the deadline?  It’s possible, but Frenchy is signed through 2013 and while his pay rate isn’t outrageous, at $7.5 million in 2013, it isn’t an amount that most teams would be excited to take on.  Francoeur is a team player, but it’s hard to picture him sitting on the bench next to Yuniesky Betancourt.  (Yuni is going to be sitting on the bench, right?  Please tell me Yuni will be sitting on the bench…)

Another possibility is that Myers performs well this year, but not so well that he can displace one of the Royals current outfielders.  (Does that sound familiar Lorenzo Cain? Déjà vu from 2011.)  Then maybe he’ll receive a call up in September and a taste of the big leagues to see what he can do at the major league level.

None of this conjecture really provides us with any answers for 2012, and if the Royals have any answers regarding their plans for Myers, they aren’t revealing them yet.  It’s possible that things could work out so the Royals won’t be forced to make a decision this year.  But next year in 2013, barring a major injury among Gordon, Cain, Francoeur, and Myers, or a major setback in performance from any one of this group, the Royals will have no choice but to let us in on their little secret.

Thanks for visiting Kings of Kauffman. You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed.  You can also send your questions to our mailbag at KoKMailbag@gmail.com and follow Alan Barrington on Twitter to be notified each time he posts a story and receive his incredibly insightful sports commentary.

August 8, 2011; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Luke Hochevar (44) throws a pitch during the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

As we are nearing opening day, a few things should start to clear up.  There are some pieces to the puzzle the Royals still have to figure out, and it’s becoming a guessing game for their fans to try and solve as well.  One thing that is certain, is Yuniesky Betancourt and Chris Getz will be platooning at second base to start the season.  This makes me question so many things, and the move has left a sour taste in the mouths of Royals diehards on Twitter .  In no way can this work in the Royals favor.  But I digress, there’s still many other questions to answer.  Who will be the lefty out of the bullpen?  Who will be the number four and five to fill out the rotation?  Also, who will be the next Royals closer in the wake of Joakim Soria needing his second Tommy John surgery?

Jose Mijares, Tim Collins, Everett Teaford, and Tommy Hottovy are all in the race to be the left-handed reliever out of the pen.  Three out of four of these pitchers have spotless ERAs and Collins has still managed a miniscule 1.08 ERA, at this time.  I think Mijares is the lead dog of the pack simply because he was brought in to be the go-to lefty.  Although, the other three guys are making their cases to start the year on the opening day roster as well.  It does seem possible to me, that two of these four could make the team but I would definitely say no more than that.

I don’t know about all of you, but I have been less than impressed by what I’ve seen out of the starters so far this spring.  I want to clarify that I’m aware the Royals aren’t anywhere near the Phillies or Angels in terms of starting pitching, but I was hoping they would be above adequate this spring.  Luke Hochevar and Luis Mendoza are the only two guys who have pitched extremely well and there is no guarantee Mendoza even makes the team as a starter.  Bruce Chen, Jonathan Sanchez, Danny Duffy, and Felipe Paulino have all underperformed this spring and aren’t doing much to claim their spots in the rotation.  I know not much weight should be put into spring training stats, but the fact that Chen has given up 27 hits in 12 innings is very disheartening.  It would be nice if a few of these guys pitched like they wanted the job.  That being said, Paulino is pitching his way out and Mendoza is pitching his way into the rotation.  I believe Duffy will start out in the rotation and am looking for Sanchez and Chen to bounce back after very rough springs.  I do not think there is room for Paulino, Duffy, or Mendoza out of the bullpen, if that question comes up, as there is an abundance of arms already out there now.

The starting pitching has been a question mark all off season, but one thing we thought was certain, was the closer’s role.  With the news that Joakim Soria will undergo his second Tommy John surgery, the question remains, who will fill his shoes?  I say  Greg Holland, Aaron Crow, and Jonathan Broxton, in that order.  Holland has the dominating stuff and one of the best sliders in the game, so I feel extremely confident with him in the 9th.  Crow was bestowed upon as the closer for a short amount of time last season and Broxton is coming off some elbow issues but is still capable of returning to his former All-Star self.  I would be okay with any of these relievers, but I’m personally pulling for Holland.

We only have a few more weeks, if not sooner, before we get some of the answers to these questions.  Whatever happens though, I’m sure it will make for some great conversations and playful banter.  Either way, Opening Day is less than two weeks away!

Thanks for visiting Kings of Kauffman. You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed.  You can also send your questions to our mailbag at KoKMailbag@gmail.com and follow Jordan McLaughlin on Twitter to be notified each time he posts a story.

Kansas City Royals left fielder Alex Gordon (4) hits a single during a game against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-US PRESSWIRE

I had several topics I was considering posting about today, but this is one that I have wanted to do for a while.  It’s fair to say, up to this point, Alex Gordon‘s baseball career resembles that of a roller coaster.  He has seen many ups and also encountered his share of downs.  I’m hoping that what we saw of him last year isn’t a mirage and that he can produce along those lines for several more years in a Royals uniform.

Gordon was drafted in the first round, 2nd overall in 2005, after an illustrious collegiate career at the University of Nebraska.  His career at Nebraska included an enormous amount of honors including 2x Big XII Player of the Year as well as being a 2x First-Team All-American.  At this point Gordon was riding high and was possibly being looked at as the next face of the franchise.

Coming into the 2006 season he was ranked as the 13th best prospect by Baseball America.  Simply put, he did not disappoint.  Gordon hit 29 homeruns and hit .325.  He also had a remarkable OPS of 1.016.  He garnered the Texas League Player of the Year award as well as Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year.  Needless to say, Gordon was on the right track for the big leagues, and heading into the 2007 season he was the number two overall prospect.

2007 turned out to be a mediocre year after an abysmal start.  Through his first two months he was on the way down of this roller coaster as he hit .185 with three homeruns and only eight RBI as an everyday starter in the show.  However, he did manage a respectable 15 homeruns and 60 RBI to go along with a .247 batting average.  He showed some promise throughout the year, but it didn’t equate to much over the next handful of years.  Gordon really saw some of his darkest days as a baseball player from 2008-2010.

He saw many trips up and down from the majors to the minors over these next three seasons, and many were losing hope that this wonder boy from Lincoln would ever be able to put it together and be the player most thought he should be.  In 2008 he tore a muscle in his hamstring that landed him on the DL and he also had the lowest fielding percentage of all qualifying 3rd basemen in the American League.  2009 did not go any better as he found himself on the DL again only a week after the start of the season.  He missed 12 weeks, and a month after he was reinstated the Royals optioned him to Triple-A Omaha.  The roller coaster just kept on dipping down for Mr. Gordon.

Royals fans always seem to be optimistic, so there was still hope from the diehards that Gordon could still be a great player and 2010 would be the year he asserts himself as a force.  Wrong again.  He started the year on a rehab assignment with Class-A Wilmington due to an injury sustained in spring training.  He was activated after three weeks into the season and then demoted only a short time after that, in May.  Things were not going his way and they didn’t seem like they ever would.  He was recalled in late July and finished out the season with the major league club.  Still nothing to write home about at this point.

Well, in 2011 the light started to shine down on him.  In spring training he led the major leagues with 23 RBI and was showing some signs of his elite level prospect status from 4 years prior.  I even decided to pick him up as a free agent in my fantasy league as I had some hope of things to come.  That sure paid off nicely for me throughout the season.  Gordon finally rode his roller coaster to a career year.  He was one of the best overall outfielders in all of major league baseball last season and he even added a Gold Glove award as he threw out an astonishing 20 base runners.  He received votes in the MVP race and was also tied for second in the majors in doubles with teammate Jeff Francoeur.  We all are hoping that this is the Alex Gordon that will be around for several more years.  I think the Royals believe he is capable of more seasons like 2011, and will most likely reward him with a handsome contract extension very soon.

Gordon certainly has seen some very high high’s and some rock bottom low’s but he is entering the prime of his career and seems to have finally made some adjustments in his approach at the plate as well as found a position as a left fielder.  It finally looks like Gordon could level off on a high note and be a producer for many years for the Royals as they make their run for the playoffs.  At least, that’s what we all hope happens.

Thanks for visiting Kings of Kauffman. You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed.  You can also send your questions to our mailbag at KoKMailbag@gmail.com and follow Jordan McLaughlin on Twitter to be notified each time he posts a story.

Bret Saberhagen was drafted in the 19^th round, but performed so well in the minors that it only took him one year to get to the big league.  Albert Pujols was drafted in the 13^th round.  Dan Quisenberry wasn’t drafted at all and ended up leading the majors in saves five times.  (Can you believe that?)  All of these great players have something in common – they overcame relatively low expectations to become strong contributors in the major leagues.  You certainly know how much Sabes and Quiz have contributed to Royals history, and Pujols is already considered to be shoe-in for the Hall of Fame.

Have you considered the possibility the Royals could have a few low expectation players who may breakout and surprise all of us by forcing their way to Kansas City?  It doesn’t happen very often, and you never know when it will occur, but when it does it’s one of the most exciting things about baseball.

Greg Billo's performance demands attention (Kane County Chronicle)

Consider Greg Billo.  Greg was selected in the 28^th round of the 2008 draft as a 170 pound high school kid.  He toiled through a couple of short and rather undistinguished seasons as a pitcher on three different rookie league teams.  Then, in 2011 on the Kane County Cougers (A Team), he blossomed with an absurd 1.93 ERA, 119 strikeouts to 25 walks, and HR/9 of 0.4.  His SO/9 rate dropped a bit from 2010, but all his other metrics look strong for the pitcher many consider to have the best control in the Royals organization.

Billo has been a professional for 4 years now and he’s still learning and growing and adapting and making himself a better pitcher each season.  “I learned to keep the ball down (last year) and that was a big help for me,” said Billo, “and being able to throw my off-speed pitches for strikes made it so much easier to pitch.”  Billo also credits his improvement in 2011 to “a few mechanical changes and a lot of little tweaks,” made under the watchful eye and guidance of Cougars pitching coach Jim Brower.

Do you know who else pitched for the Kane County Cougars last year?  Yordano Ventura, considered to be about the 10^th best prospect in the Royals organization also started for Kane County.  Who do you think was the # 1 pitcher for the Cougars last year?  Well, it wasn’t Yordano.  Now I’m not saying Billo is going to end up as a better pitcher than Ventura and his 100 mph fastball or that he has more upside, or anything of the sort.  Yordano is a year younger with tons of potential and we all have very high hopes for him.  But, I am saying we shouldn’t count Billo out.  His improvement has been so great over the past year that I’m not sure any of us can possibly know for certain what his future holds.

Greg doesn’t have blazing stuff like many other Royals pitchers, but what he does possess is intelligence, and saavy, and a willingness to listen to the guidance of his coaches and commit to doing what is necessary to be successful.  Billo identifies Greg Maddux as a pitcher he’d like to emulate (not a bad choice) and if everything goes as planned, he expects to be pitching for the Naturals by mid-season of 2012.

MLB.com ran an article after the 2011 season and listed the minor league players for each club who had the best season by position.  They recognized Greg Billo as the right handed starting pitcher who had the best season of all Royals minor leaguers.  This includes a few names you might recognize in addition to Yordana Ventura.  Have you heard of Jake Odorizzi?  How about Luis Mendoza?  Billo impressed MLB last year, and if he impressed them, well…  the rest of us should probably be impressed too.

The Royals minor league system is full of outstanding talent that we may or may not eventually see in Kansas City.  Some of these guys will flame out, some will ultimately have a great future in the majors, and some could end up as trade bait for the Royals to attain some missing pieces.  As you know, one of the pieces the Royals are missing right now is a strong right handed starting pitcher.  Billo isn’t ready for this responsibility right now, but I think it’s safe to assume the Royals will have a similar need in the coming seasons.  I suggest we root for Greg Billo to continue to improve and force the Royals brass to consider him as a future candidate for this job.  Just ask Dan Quisenberry, you never know where impressive talent will come from.

Sep 11, 2011; Seattle, WA, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar (2) makes a diving catch against the Seattle Mariners in the 2nd inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE

My first few posts  for Kings of Kauffman have dealt with some player analysis and a few simple projections or expectations I have for these players.  I want to take an another angle for a moment and simply state how excited I am for this upcoming season.  I have not felt a buzz like this surrounding the Royals since I was a Freshman in high school when they started unbelievably hot in April of 2003.  I recently experienced the buzz on a whole other level, and it sparked my interest in writing this piece.

I was recently hired by the Royals to be an usher for this season and I couldn’t have been happier when I received the call.  Not only will I get to spend my summer nights working at a stadium that I love, but I will also be able to witness, first hand, this much anticipated season on a nightly basis.  Also, it will be one of the greatest experiences of my life to work and be around all of the All-Star excitement during that week in July.

On Monday evening I had my first training session with all of the new hires for this season.  I was instantly hit with a flabbergasted feeling.  The team that I grew up rooting for has hired me, and now I am getting paid to walk the grounds of Kauffman Stadium.  It will be an amazing feeling for me to wander by players and ownership as if I belong now.  I realize my position is of the part-time variety, but it is still a dream come true to work for the organization I had dreams of playing for as a kid.  I’d also like to meet a lot of great Royals fans this year including readers and contributors to this site, and this will just give me another outlet to do so.

I want to get back to Monday evening.  During the introduction of training we were shown a video highlight tape from 2011.  There were so many great clips shown including Frenchy’s strike from right field straight into Moose’s glove, Escy’s numerous acrobatic adventures, and Gordon’s gold glove plays in left.  All I can say is I had chills during the duration of the film.  Nothing gets me more fired up for this season than watching Hosmer’s first homerun at Yankee Stadium, while his mom is in utter amazement, and he calmly struts around the bases like he’s done it 500 times before.

Folks, we are merely one month away from beginning a fantastic and exciting season in Kansas City.  Let’s just keep bringing the positive energy to the guys, as I’m sure they are able to feed off our energy.  We are all in store for a treat this year (as long as it doesn’t involve Yuni starting three or four times per week), and it’s nice to finally say it’s “Our Time”.

Thanks for visiting Kings of Kauffman. You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed.  You can also send your questions to our mailbag at KoKMailbag@gmail.com and follow Jordan McLaughlin on Twitter to be notified each time he posts a story.

Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-US PRESSWIRE

One player that keeps getting attention by the fans, front office, and the media, is Eric Hosmer, and deservedly so.  There is a lot of hype surrounding the third overall pick from 2008, as he emerged on the scene last year in Kansas City, and found a home in the heart of the order.  As a Royals fan, I am extremely pleased that he is with this organization, and thankful the front office was able to sign him minutes before the deadline in August of 2008.  His signing could go down as one of the most important deals in club history.  Hosmer was mere minutes away from not getting a deal finished and pursuing a collegiate career at Arizona St. University.  If that would have been the case, he would have been an afterthought for the Royals and their fans.

Hosmer seems to have an aura about him that makes him a very special, charismatic player.  He has been a spark plug ever since his much anticipated debut last May, and seems to have single-handedly rejuvenated and captivated the Royals fan base and the entire organization.  He displays just the right amount of confidence and swagger for the young talented star he is becoming.  I find it amazing, watching him handle himself in games and in interviews, as he always seems to be at ease and is very comfortable no matter what the situation.  When I watch this guy play, I see an instant star and someone who can handle the attention of the national media.  He carries himself the way a ballplayer should carry himself on and off the field, and is a great person for young ballplayers to look up to as a role model.  At 22, Hosmer is already the face of the franchise heading into his sophomore year.  On top of that, he is the featured Royal in the “Our Time” commercial.  It’s fairly evident, when Hosmer goes, so does this franchise.

Another thing I have noticed are the comparisons Hosmer receives to several other young stars in the game today.  One that stuck out to me was the comparison of Hosmer to Cincinnati Reds slugger, Joey Votto.  I have seen this one several times, and I believe it is a great fit.  Both are left-handed hitters who are known for their sweet swings and great defensive play at first base.  Votto has progressively improved his play at first base throughout his career, and even won a gold glove last season.  I know there are some people out there who would agree with me, that Hosmer is already a better defensive first baseman than Votto, and is on his way to winning a few himself.  Hosmer is also capable of putting up the same type of numbers Votto has recently rattled off at the plate. I firmly believe ”The Hoz” will be in contention for an MVP award for several seasons to come.  This comparison alone should help people understand what type of star Hosmer is becoming.  He’s being compared to a recent National League MVP and he hasn’t even played a full major league season yet.

Coming into 2011, Hosmer was the number 8 rated prospect by Baseball America, and for his first month in Triple-A all he did was rake, and finally forced the Royals hand to call him up.  In his first season, Hosmer slashed .293/.334/.465 and I believe he will improve on all these numbers this season.  His slugging percentage should see the largest jump, but I also expect him to walk at a slightly higher clip, which would raise his OBP.  This year will be another great year and a stepping stone for Hosmer to propel himself into elite status as a Major League ballplayer.  He has already established his name in baseball circles around the country and is on his way to becoming an icon in Kansas City, following in the footsteps of Hall of Famer, George Brett.  The Royals should take some major steps this year toward becoming a contender for several years, and they will be led by the man we all call ”Hoz”.

Thanks for visiting Kings of Kauffman. You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed.  You can also send your questions to our mailbag at KoKMailbag@gmail.com and follow Jordan McLaughlin on Twitter to be notified each time he posts a story.

Bryce Harper laughs at Minor League pitching (Andrew Weber-US PRESSWIRE)

One of them will turn 20-years-old on August 3, the other will celebrate his 20^th birthday two months later on October 16.  One was the first pick in the 2010 draft, the other was the fifth pick in 2011.  Both players were selected by teams with basement dwelling recent histories but high hopes for the future.  Both of them are represented by super agent Scott Boras.

Bubba Starling and Bryce Harper grew up wowing fans and scouts alike at a young age with their prodigious home runs, playing against competition 2-3 years older.  Both are relatively humble kids with a strong work ethic and professional demeanor who are expected to make strong role models for the next generation of baseball fans.  Both are considered to be five tool players, freaks of nature with once-in-a-generation athleticism (well, maybe twice in a generation) and the ability to contribute mightily to dragging their respective clubs toward contention.

For all their similarities, comparing Bubba Starling and Bryce Harper is like comparing apples to oranges, or more accurately like comparing baseballs to footballs, basketballs, and more baseballs.  To begin, Bubba grew up on 20 acres in Gardner, KS and Bryce Harper grew up in the bright lights of Las Vegas.  Bryce’s father’s name is Ron.  Bubba’s father’s name is Jimbo.  (I’m not making that up.)  Bubba bats right handed, Bryce bats from the left.  (They both throw right handed.)  Bryce grew up eating, thinking, breathing, and playing baseball non-stop since he was three years old.  Bubba grew up in an athletically diverse and competitive family of cousins that all played 3 different sports, and played each sport very well.

As I’m sure you know, Bubba accepted a scholarship to play football AND baseball for the University of Nebraska.  If not for that $7.5 million signing bonus the Royals game him (the largest ever offered to a high school player), we might have watched Bubba in a red jersey last Fall tossing footballs around Lincoln, NE.  And oh by the way, he could dunk a basketball when he was in 8^th grade and averaged 28.3 points per game as a high school senior on the hardwood.  So, you could say Bubba had options when it came to deciding his future as a professional athlete.

Bubba’s baseball experience stems from playing for only two months out of each year, partially because it’s not generally realistic to throw a baseball outside between November and March in Kansas, and partially because he was too busy playing other sports during the baseball off season.

Bryce grew up in a warmer climate which afforded him more time to spend outside on a baseball field, and traveled all over the country participating in tournaments and winning more awards than you can carry in an F-350.  Bryce was named to the All American Travel Ball Select team as a 12, 13, and 14 year old, he was the TBS player of the year at 14, he was the Baseball America High School Player of the Year in 2009, the SWAC player of the year in 2010, the Golden Spikes award winner in 2010, plus the recipient of many additional accolades and trophies that would take another entire story just to list.

Both Bryce and Bubba can hit the ball a ton.  It’s been widely reported that Bubba has belted 500 foot home runs on more than one occasion.  Bryce’s high school coach says he hit a 570 foot blast while playing in the desert of Las Vegas.  Read that again – 570 feet.  Now read this – when he was 15-years-old!!

Bryce’s high school home run story seems just a tiny bit farfetched to me.  Baseball America says that “anything in the 500-foot range is genuinely historic.”  The computerized measuring system installed in the major leagues since 1982 has only recorded one, just one 500+ foot home run.  Cecil Fielder (you know, Price’s dad) hit a ball 502 feet in Milwaukee in 1991.  This is the last time anyone hit a 500 foot home run in the majors.  So, how could we possibly believe that Bryce Harper hit a ball 570 feet?

Now, having said that, full disclosure requires me to inform you that Bryce did touch the back wall of Tropicana Field during a Power Showcase home run derby, setting a stadium record with an officially measured 502 foot home run.  Although this blast was hit off a batting practice pitch, I suppose anything is possible, including maybe even a 570 foot dinger.

Bryce Harper’s pure focus on baseball has created a player who is major league ready, or nearly so, at just 19 years of age.  He’s well deserving of the moniker, “the Lebron James of baseball.”  The fact that there is some discussion about whether Harper might break Spring Training with the Washington Nationals seems incredible.  More than likely he’ll begin the season with the Syracuse Chiefs, he’ll destroy AAA pitching for a couple months, and then he’ll be called up sometime midseason.

It’s the rarest of talent that can play in the big leagues at 19.  Robin Yount played for the Brewers at 18-years-old in 1974, but it just doesn’t happen very often.  Even Bret Saberhagen had to wait until he was 20-years-old, and Eric Hosmer until after his 21^st birthday before receiving their promotions to Kansas City.

In my opinion, Bubba Starling has equal or greater athletic gifts than Bryce Harper, but his baseball talents are more raw and will require additional time to refine.  It might be more meaningful for us to compare Bubba to Hall-of-Famer Dave Winfield who played both college baseball and basketball at the University of Minnesota, and then was drafted by the San Diego Padres, the Atlanta Hawks, and the Minnesota Vikings as well although he had never played a down of college football.   However, this still isn’t a perfect comparison because Winfield wasn’t drafted until he had graduated from college at 21 years of age, three years older than Bubba Starling when he was drafted.  But then again, the Padres did place him directly into the major leagues that same year where he hit .277 in 56 games, so the resulting age when he arrived in the bigs will likely be comparable to Bubba’s.

Another comparison could be between Bubba and multi-sport star Bo Jackson who played both football and baseball in college.  Bo’s baseball talents were considered to be less refined than his football skills when he was drafted (he was a Heisman Trophy winner), but his sheer otherworldly athleticism enabled him to jump to the majors after just 53 games of AA ball at the age of 23.  To the dismay of Royals fans, in 1987 Jackson decided to play football as a “hobby.”  This unfortunate decision ultimately resulted in a devastating hip injury that ruined what potentially could have been a career as a perennial All Star.

Maybe Joe Mauer would make a better measuring stick to compare with Bubba Starling.  Joe played football, basketball, and baseball for his high school team, just like Bubba.  He was drafted upon his high school graduation, just like Bubba.  He was the first pick in the 2001 draft while Bubba was the 1^st non-pitcher taken in the 2011 draft.

Mauer was the USA Today High School baseball player of the year in 2001, but because he grew up playing multiple sports, in a cold climate (St. Paul, MN) where he couldn’t practice baseball for several months of the year (sounds similar to Bubba, doesn’t it?), Joe’s baseball talents were not as well refined as someone like Bryce Harper.  Because of this, Joe ended up playing parts of 4 seasons in the minors.  When he debuted with the 2004 Twins at 21 years of age, in 35 games he blistered the ball at a .308 clip.  Since then, he’s led the league in hitting 3 times, he’s been an All Star 4 times,  he’s won 3 Gold Gloves, and he threw in an MVP season too just for good measure.  Refinement complete.

I’d like to think that we can expect a similar timetable for Bubba Starling’s development and hopefully similar results.  Bubba said as much to Ashley Marshall of MiLB.com last week when he indicated he expected to arrive in Kansas City within 3-4 years.  Unfortunately, Bubba signed too late last summer to obtain any significant professional experience in 2011 so it became somewhat of a lost year for his development track.  This seems to occur frequently with a large percentage of high caliber talent during the Scott Boras era.

Based on what we know of Starling’s skill sets and the track record of similarly talented athletes, I’m hopeful that we may see him as a September call-up in 2013 and possibly a mid-season promotion in 2014.  I don’t want to rush Bubba, but I’m a little anxious because as of today, we don’t know for sure what we have in Lorenzo Cain.  With only 181 major league at bats, MLB Radio Network’s Inside Pitch has already proclaimed Cain one of the most overrated players of 2012.  (I’m surprised they’ve even heard of him so I’m shocked they would say he was overrated.)  If “The Painkiller” performs well, then this should take the pressure off Bubba and allow him to develop at his own pace.  If not, then the Royals will either need to rush Starling along, or find another Melky Cabrera type player to sign for a year or two to hold his place.

I see nothing but high ceiling potential and a positively bright future for Bubba Starling in a Royals uniform.  That is, except for one hopefully remote possibility.  Let’s just pray he doesn’t ever decide to take up football as a hobby.

Thanks for visiting Kings of Kauffman. You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed.  You can also send your questions to our mailbag at KoKMailbag@gmail.com and follow Alan Barrington on Twitter to be notified each time he posts a story and receive his incredibly insightful sports commentary.

Not every player in the Royals’ farm system comes from a major university or big-time prep high school.  There are some who come from small towns and little known universities such as the one in northeastern Missouri where the campus of Truman State University is located.  If you are reading this blog then chances are you know of the Eric Hosmers, Wil Myers, and Mike Montgomerys of the world.  Well now it’s time to put the spotlight on Holt, Missouri native, Christian Witt, who completed his first professional season this past summer with the rookie-level AZL Royals.

Not only is Witt a Royals minor league player, but he’s also a great friend and former teammate of mine at Truman St. It was no surprise to us at Truman when Witt was drafted in the 36^th round in June of 2011.  We had all been around and seen the scouts at various games last spring, and were very aware that they came to see the 93 mph fastball that he seems to effortlessly hurl out of his right hand towards home plate.

However, a few years ago no one on the team would have thought this would be happening for him.  When he first arrived to Truman he possessed an average mid 80s fastball for a collegiate pitcher, but was no where near an elite talent.  After having to red shirt his freshman season due to a grade 2 UCL sprain suffered at Emporia St., in only his second collegiate start, Witt bounced back by rehabbing and dropping nearly 50 pounds from his frame in his return to school the next fall.  I believe this weight loss and added conditioning aided Witt immensely.  He started the next fall by touching 90 on the radar gun several times and by dropping in a monster 12-6 curve that dropped off the table and buckled opposing hitters.

It was known by some on the team that he had a chance, albeit small, of getting drafted at this point.  If he could light up the radar and put up some dazzling numbers in the spring then he certainly would raise the probability for his chances of getting drafted.  He did just that.  Witt posted a 2.70 ERA in 36 innings while accumulating a win-loss record of 4-2.  He also stockpiled 43 strikeouts to only 10 walks.  He was named MIAA Pitcher of the Week twice, and was placed on the honorable mention all-MIAA team.  His eye-popping K:BB ratio and his sizzling fastball got the attention of many scouts in the area, including the Royals.

On the third day of the First-Year MLB player draft, Witt was selected by the Royals in the 36^th round.  He would soon sign only days after so he could start his journey through the minor leagues in Surprise, Arizona, where all draft picks report.  Witt began his professional career with two starts.  These are definitely two starts he’d like to have back.  With the build up of nerves and some bad luck he amassed a 0-2 record and a 50.14 ERA in just 2.1 innings of work.  This is not the start one would have in mind, that’s for sure.  Because of this the Royals decided to make a move and placed Witt in the bullpen, a role in which he’s always been more comfortable in, at the beginning of July.

In this bullpen role, he went 1-0 with a stellar 1.98 ERA in 8 outings which also included a save.  He went on to collect two more wins in August, but had one rough outing that ballooned his August ERA to 9.26.  Witt settled down very nicely after shaking off his nerves of his first two professional outings and went on to rebound and end the summer with a respectable 3-3 record and a skewed ERA of 9.11.  He still maintained a good K:BB ratio over the summer while striking out 19 and only walking 7 in 27.2 innings.  He has made many strides over the summer and was  able to put his bad start behind him.  He reports to spring training March 1^st, and I look forward to hearing updates throughout the spring from him as well as following whatever team he winds up on this summer, whether it’s Idaho Falls or with the AZL Royals again.  Whatever team it is, I know Witt will work just as hard as I’ve seen him work at Truman, if not harder, and will continue to progress as a professional pitcher.  Witt’s success and accomplishments so far are a great story and proof that talent can come from anywhere.

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I’m both fascinated and disturbed by extreme couponing.

I’ve never tried it myself and other than one woman in my office and people on TV, I don’t know anybody who really does it either, but it still blows my mind how people will pile up case after case of canned and boiled tripe because they have a double coupon that will actually pay them fifty cents to purchase.

It’s a very savvy way to take advantage of the constraints of the system.  The store will allow a coupon on top of a sale? Make it happen! Preparation and savvy allow them to push cart after cart out of the store at a steep discount from what most anybody else would pay.

And it’s exactly the same in baseball in the way teams will construct their franchises.

Wait, what?

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The deadline for signing selections from this June’s first year player draft is August 15 and the Royals have a lot of stake.  Bubba Starling, taken fifth overall by the Royals, is as dynamic a player the Royals have drafted since perhaps Bo Jackson.  His reputation coming out of Gardner Edgerton high school is a tale of 500 foot homers, 80-yard runs and the type of athleticism that earned him scholarships to Nebraska to play football and baseball.

He’s in line for a huge bonus from the Royals – if he takes it.

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I see a lot more positivity in the streets than years past. I’m currently in a Borders in Saint Louis. I’m taking a break, drinking a coffee and writing this story. Next to me, on a magazine rack, is a USA Today “Sports Weekly” edition. On the front page is a baseball player photographed in live action, sliding feet first into home. He wears all white, with a blue helmet and stitching.

It’s Eric Hosmer. The headline reads, “Young Royals on the Move –KC’s wealth of talent starting to spill into majors.”

A promising title indeed. It’s not a regional cover either; it’s all national news over here. If it were regional, Albert Pujols would have surely filled the printer pixels… not a young Royals prospect.

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The Royals did what many were hoping they would do and draft Bubba Starling.  Many were hoping for a pitcher but the best were off the board at that time so the question remains now of who is going to be picked up by the Royals with their next few picks today and Thursday.  The Royals will pick quickly again at #65 and there is still some good talent out there for them to get.  According to MLB.com’s list of 50 best prospects here are a few remaining that I think the Royals could go for (in the order I think the would take them):

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Draft Time!

Hey Everyone! After a full day of work and a long ride home in a hot car, it’s finally draft time…

Thanks for joining me for a live blog through the first round of the 2011 MLB First Year Player Amateur Draft. The Pirates are on the clock & it’s been rumored today that they’ll take Gerrit Cole with the #1 overall pick. There’s only one way to find out…

5:59 PM – Pittsburgh Pirates last #1 overall pick: Bryan Bullington in 2002. (originally drafted by Royals in 37th round in ’99, went to Ball St.) He’s been all over the place (including back with the Royals last year) & now pitches in Japan. Overall MLB stats: 1-9 w/ 5.62 ERA in 26 appearances in 5 seasons. Only win was with the Royals…

6:01 PM – Selig takes the stage with his usual superstar quality…and the Pirates are officially on the clock.
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I thought it might be interesting to take a look at some of the local talent that Royals have to choose from.

In past years, the Royals have not shyed away from picking up local talent. Rookie, and newly minted closer Aaron Crow was born in Topeka, KS and went to the University of Missouri. Alex Gordon grew up in Lincoln, NE and was a star at Nebraska. The Royals 74th overall pick in the 1981 draft was a kid from Kansas City named David Cone.

David Cone - A Steal in the 3rd Round

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been shielding my eyes to the growing pains of the Royals and digging into the possibilities that this year’s upcoming Amateur draft could bring.

Oh, what a time to be a prospect – especially one of the guys projected to go in the first round. On one hand, you’re staring the fact of becoming an instant millionaire directly in the eyes. You’re wrecked with anticipation of where the future will take you. While your friends wait to complete their college degrees and start fishing for a job in the real world, you’re grabbing the last 25 pack of Ramen Noodles that you’ll ever have to buy.

On top of that, most of these top guys still have their eyes on an appearance in the College World Series. The Series falls after the draft every year, so college coaches face the challenge of keeping their best players focused on winning a championship. The trouble is, that for these 22 year-old studs, it’s tough not to see the dollar signs in their eyes.

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I’m going to one-up him.

Cole’s partner in crime for UCLA is a hard-throwing strikeout ace named Trevor Bauer. Bauer starred for the Bruins as a Freshman in 2009, and pitched in the College World Series last year. Now, as a Junior, he has been paired with Gerrit Cole in any conversation about not only who the best pitcher in College Baseball, but who is the top pitcher in this year’s draft.

Trevor Bauer – RHP – Valencia, CA – UCLA – 6’2″ 185 lbs
You Tube Highlights

Bauer's "Lincecum-style" Delivery (AP)

While Cole may have better Major League talent – big frame, 100 mph fastball, great breaking stuff – his stats at UCLA are not that of what Trevor Bauer has been able to achieve.

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Last week in my rundown of Dylan Bundy I touched on the fact that the Royals are no doubt having many internal discussions related to whether they want to go high upside HS pitcher, or quick to the bigs College pitcher. Bundy was as good of a high school prospect as there is and now I’m going to go over one of the UCLA aces that is a projected top 10 pick in next month’s draft – Gerrit Cole.

Cole might just be the most major league ready college pitcher in the draft. When looking at the Royals system it is hard to find a comparison to Cole as the Royals (at least recently) have been selecting the high upside HS pitchers. However, there is an exception to that which is the best comparison I can give to Cole and that is Aaron Crow. Crow was looked at as a very major league ready pitcher coming out of college the Royals were hoping he would work through the system quickly and become a front end starter. Crow has had struggles with his 3rd pitch and his starter numbers were not all that great. That said Crow has shown to be a dominant reliever at the major league level.

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As we continue our look at the upcoming Major League Baseball Amateur Draft that begins on June 6th, I want to take a look at what would be the best story for the Royals.

Bubba Starling – OF/RHP – Gardner, Kansas – Gardner-Edgerton High School – 6’5″ 200 lbs
YouTube Highlights

Bubba Starling Takes a Swing For Team USA (mlb draft insider)

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Fellow writer Ryan Wood and myself are gonna bring something to Kings of Kauffman that you all will hopefully find interesting.  As the Major League Baseball Amatuer Draft is coming up on June 6th we thought it would be both fun and entertaining to outline draft prospects  the Royals could select at #5 (which is a good spot because there is a lot of talent in this years draft) and compare them to a current prospect or rookie that is currently in the Royals system.  The idea is to profile where they fit in the organization and how they will most likely be handled moving forward.  The Royals have a couple waves of talent coming but there is a slight hole after that. 

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dobberbaseball.com

Missouri is known as the Show-Me state, a nickname garnered from the inherent skepticism that lies within nearly every born and bred Midwesterner.  Perhaps no fan base embodies this attitude more than the Kansas City Royals fan base.  Surrounded by the sometimes over the top optimism of the other major sports teams in the area, the Royals are the exception.  After years of being promised that ‘things will get turned around,’ and being told players like Johnny Damon, Jermaine Dye, Carlos Beltran, and Zack Greinke are the future only to see them traded away and seeing others like Angel Berroa and Alex Gordon show promise but not lead to any more wins, the fan base is understandably skeptical.

General Manager Dayton Moore has kept his manta of process, process, process but there has been nothing to show for it at the major league level as of yet.  The question the fan base has is why should we expect something different this time?  Royals fans have been drug through the ringer many times and it is no surprise that they keep the recent publicity around the farm system at arm’s length.

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Also, it’s reported that Colon will report to High A Wilmington in about ten days.  Currently, the Blue Rocks have Rey Navarro stationed at shortstop after acquiring him from Arizona in early May for Carlos Rosa.

UPDATE: Dayton Moore is denying reports that there’s been a signing, but that the two sides are “getting closer” to an agreement. Bob Dutton suggests such a deal is close.

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The newest signings are (by round):
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Some scouting reports project he’ll stay at shortstop, some say his limited range will force him to move to second base.  He’ll jump above Jeff Bianchi and Rey Navarro once he signs to be the top shortstop prospect in the Royals system.

I’ll have more tomorrow on Colon, and if you were taking part in the Fansided MLB Draft chat this evening, you will know that Wally will definitely want to chime in on this pick.  (I hear he already bought the Pepto Bismol)

You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed.

The chat starts at 5:15 pm CST as we get ready for the first picks to come in.  Check in and you can join myself and other Fansided columnists as we discuss the picks.

As for the Royals, more and more noise is coming in that they’re leaning towards LHP Chris Sale over catcher Yasmani Grandal.  Those early reports of an agreement seem to have been smoke and mirrors as Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo have Grandal slipping all the way down to the end of the first round.

In other news, drafts are awesome.

The MLB Draft officially starts at 6:00 pm CST.

You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed.

Now it is Monday morning and it turns out that someone in the media reported rumor as fact. There is no deal done with Grandal.  As it turns out, industry experts don’t even believe that Grandal is the Royals preferred choice assuming Harper, Machado, and Taillon are off the board when they pick.

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Check in at CallToThePen.com about 3:15 pm CST for the link to the chat room. Then, starting at 5:15 pm CST, join myself, our MLB Director Wally Fish, and other columnists from the Fansided MLB Network to discuss the picks as they come in. The draft starts at 6:00 pm CST.

As Royals fans, you may want to pop in early to be sure to catch our pick at #4 overall. Reports have pointed to KC taking University of Miami catcher Yasmani Grandal, though nothing’s official until it’s announced. Others who may be selected are Manny Machado and Jameson Taillon (if they happen to slip), Drew Pomeranz and Chris Sale.

We’ll see tomorrow. Thankfully, though, with the presence of Mike Moustakas, Michael Montgomery, Eric Hosmer, John Lamb and others, whoever the Royals take this year won’t be the top prospect by default. Considering the strength of this year’s first-round options, that’s a good sign for the Royals farm system.

You can stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed.

Thankfully, this year there’s a good amount of talent loaded in the first round, so no matter who Kansas City selects, they should get a good prospect. But which direction should they go?
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Here are links to two other recent mock drafts:

My MLB Draft.com

MLB Bonus Baby

Later tonight I should be revealing Kings of Kauffman prospect #6 so stay tuned for that, have a great Sunday, and don’t forget that Luke Hochevar and Carl Pavano face off at 1:10 today at Target Field!

(Wally Fish is the lead writer for Kings of Kauffman, Call to the Pen and is also FanSided’s MLB Director.  You can keep up to date with all of his work by following him on Facebook, Twitter or by way of the Kings of Kauffman RSS feed.)

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