Down on the Farm

As much fun as it's been for Royals fans to follow their team for the past 25 years, here at Beer League Sports Talk, we realize sometimes you just need a break from all the Excitement. At a certain point after watching multiple 4-5-3 double plays, pop outs, and the always untimely error, fans need to step away from the circus and just take a breather. That's precisely why we're bringing you the Down on the Farm farm report every Friday. That way, you'll get a sneak peak at the players who will be "performing" at the K in the next few years. I kid.

On a more serious note, despite the lack of success on the field at the Major League level, Dayton Moore has done a superb job the last three years of stocking the system with young talent. Whether through the draft, international signings or minor league swaps, Moore has planted some promising young ball players. As these guys grow, it's important for fans to know that, yes, there is light at the end of this long, dark tunnel.

We're going to follow three categories of players: The Blue Chippers, The Role Players, and The Trade Pieces. Blue chip players are those who the team believes will contribute heavily at the Major League level. Role players are guys like bullpen arms, fourth outfielders, and organizational depth. Finally, the Trade Pieces (no, they aren't the good players like Carlos Beltran that we'll dump for two used tires and a bucket of Double Bubble) are those players which have been brought in through Dayton Moore's Minor League transactions.

Blue Chippers:

1. Mike Moustakas 3B: .374 12 DOUBLES 12 HR 41 RBI 17BB 20K 6 E
-"Moose" is currently one of the top hitters in the entire minor league system (not just for the Royals). His bat is adjusting quite nicely to the Texas League in Double A and has shown some major consistency. He looks to be developing into a high average, disciplined power bat. While the bat is hot, the glove still needs work. For this reason, the Royals won't be rushing him to the Big Leagues ahead of schedule.

2. Michael Montgomery SP: 5-1 1.98 ERA 50IP 1HR 55K 0.94WHIP
-"Monty" is a tall, lanky lefty who throws for both power and control. Sounds a little dreamy, huh? He's the real deal. After dominating at High A Wilmington (a known pitcher's park), he took his show on the road to Northwest Arkansas (Double A). Not even the Texas League bats have slowed his success rate down. Look for Montgomery to get a look for September call-ups. He might enjoy a sniff of the Bigs before earning a spot on the 25 man in 2011.

3. Eric Hosmer 1B: .370AVG 16DOUBLES 4TRIPLES 2HR 30RBI 22BB 15K 4E
-"Hos" earned the reputation in high school as having a Major League-ready glove. When the Royals drafted him in 2008, he drew the comparison to a Casey Kotchman with power. The more he progresses through the system, the more he becomes the next Billy Butler-- a guy who's going to hit for average, hit the gaps, hit worm burners through the holes, and just plain hit. The power isn't showing up yet in the stat line, but it's there. Remember, he's hitting in one of the most pitcher friendly parks in the minors.

4. Aaron Crow SP: 2-4 4.33ERA 60IP 8HR 36K 1.49WHIP
-After getting drafted in 2008 by the Nationals and failing to get a deal done, Crow re-entered the 2009 draft and fell to the Royals at pick 12. Pitching for the Missouri Tigers, Crow has drawn comparisons to fellow Tiger Max Scherzer as well as our own Luke Hochevar. Because he spent a year out of competitive baseball, he's still shaking the rust off in Double A. Don't let his numbers scare you. It's likely he'll get a call-up in September and compete for a spot on the 25 man in 2011.

5. Will Myers C: .271AVG 10DOUBLES 1TRIPLE 6HR 29RBI 27BB 34K 6SB 2CS 4E
-Myers was drafted in the third round with first round talent. A lot of people in baseball graded him as the highest upside catcher in the draft. Why? Will played almost every position in the field before settling in at catcher his senior year. Coincidingly, he broke the North Carolina state record for home runs despite missing a few games due to rain. This kid is a 5 tool player behind the plate. He'll learn the fundamentals behind the plate as he progresses through the levels of the Royals system. He's currently at Low A and should be pushing his way into Double A by the end of next year. As far as upside goes, it just doesn't get any better.

On the bubble: Derrick Robinson and Johnny Giovatella
-Robinson is hitting over .320 and on pace for Ricky Henderson-like steals this year. He lacks pop, but after an off season batting stance tweak, his contact rates have skyrocketed. He is on the Royals radar as their future center fielder and should earn a big league spot at some point in 2011.
-Giovatella is a Dustin Pedroia clone. Well, let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. Ok, he's 5'9" 185 and blends hitting for average with gap power so sweetly. He needs to work on his defense at the second bag, but his stick is what will eventually earn him a starting spot for the Royals.

The Traded Pieces:

1. Manuel Pisa C: .257AVG 6DOUBLES 4HR 20RBI 15BB 14K 5E
-"Manny" was part of the deal that sent former Royals farm hand Danny Guittierrez out (right before a 50 game suspension for a banned substance. gulp.) He was targeted by the Royals for his defense behind the plate, but the recent breakout of his bat is a welcome surprise. He projects to be a second catcher in the bigs and should keep the plate warm for Myers.

2. Tim Smith OF: .306AVG 5DOUBLES 4HR 17RBI 7BB 9K 0E
-Smith is an all around outfield prospect. He's not great at any one thing, but certainly fits the mold of "jack of all trades". He's shown slightly above average pop as well as hitting for average and is considered a future fourth outfielder. However, as far as the royals are concerned, he might look pretty good in RF.

3. Rey Navarro SS: .205AVG 2DOUBLES 1HR 8RBI 3BB 5K 5E
-Rey is a toolsy infielder with a strong desire to learn. He was rated as the 12th best prospect in the Diamondbacks system (according to Baseball America) before the Royals sent Carlos Rosa in an exchange. It's important to consider his short time with the Royals when looking at his numbers, because if you don't you'll probably start going off about how we have the next TPJ, Angel, or Yuni as our short stop in waiting. If it makes you feel any better, scouts liken him to Brewer's current starting short stop Alcides Escobar. Who would complain about that?

The Role Players:

1. Louis Coleman RP: 1-0 1.82ERA 29IP 0HR 25K 0.81WHIP
-Coleman is a recent draftee out of LSU. He may have the fastest "sticky" track to the majors as a bullpen contributor and is the most likely of all farm hands to get that September call-up... if not sooner.

2. David Lough OF: .279AVG 7DOUBLES 5TRIPLES 3HR 17RBI 8BB 25K 0E
-Lough, or better known as "David Dejesus Jr.", is almost a sure thing to make the royals in the near future. He smoked through the lower levels in the past couple years and is currently recovering from a terrible start in triple A. Look for him to contribute while the upside players below him refine their skills.

Next time you're at the K and actually watching the game, just remember that these guys are right around the corner. If you can just make it through a couple more seasons, there might be some homegrown talent winning games like the old days. And, if you can't wait that long, ask the nearest Royals' employee where Rivals Sports Bar is. You may need to hibernate.

Thanks for reading. More updates will be coming next Friday!