“(He) should hit for power and average because he has a sweet left-handed swing, strength, exceptional strike zone discipline and the ability to make adjustments. He uses the entire field and can drive the ball where it’s pitched.”

That was a scouting report by Baseball America of a Royals’ player before he was drafted.

The sweet lefty swing would probably lead you to believe that the player in question is one of the team’s up and coming stars, Mike Moustakas or Eric Hosmer. Both were first round draft picks, who joined the Royals with plenty of acclaim. Moustakas was the second overall pick in the 2007 draft and Hosmer was the third overall pick in the 2008 draft.

But the player reviewed above is neither Hosmer nor Moustakas, but rather Alex Gordon, the second overall pick of the 2005 draft.

After Gordon was drafted in 2005, he quickly made a name for himself in the minor leagues and Baseball America named Gordon its 2006 Minor League Player of the Year.

All the praise, all the numbers and all the awards for Gordon didn’t immediately translate into success at the big league level. Gordon did have a solid rookie season, hitting .247 with 15 homers, 60 RBI and 14 steals. But after that year (2007), his batting average steadily declined over the next few years until it reached .215 in 2010. Injuries limited Gordon to 164 at-bats in 2009 and 242 at-bats in 2010.

After four seasons in the big leagues, many Royals fans and baseball experts wondered if Gordon would live up to the promise he showed in college at Nebraska and in the minor leagues.

The situation was very similar to what Moustakas and Hosmer are facing right now. Plenty of hype, but limited results early on.

Here are some early scouting reports on Hosmer and Moustakas from Baseball America.

“Hosmer’s approach is very advanced for his age, and one scout likened it to Joey Votto‘s. He already likes to use the opposite field and has the strength to drive the ball out of the park while going the other way.”

“With his (Moustakas’) excellent bat speed, he can drive the ball out of the park to any field. He may never walk a lot, but he also has an uncanny ability to make contact.”

Gordon’s early reviews as well as his numbers from his first two seasons, closely resemble those of Hosmer and Moustakas.

These are two young lefty’s career stats with the Royals compared to Gordon’s first two seasons:

Moustakas: 1040 AB, 107 runs, 29 HR, 114 RBI, 8 SB, .240/.294/.384.
Hosmer: 1202 AB, 149 runs, 34 HR, 150 RBI, 30 SB, .263/.321/.403
Gordon: 1036 AB, 132 runs, 31 HR, 119 RBI, 23 SB, .253/.332/.421

Gordon switched from third base to left field in 2011 and his numbers quickly transformed. For the 2011 season, Gordon scored 101 runs, hit 23 homers, drove in 87 runs, stole 17 bases and boasted a .303 batting average. After a solid 2012 season, Gordon has great numbers early in the 2013 season.

While Gordon is flourishing, Hosmer and Moustakas are struggling out of the gate in 2013.

Moustakas is hitting just .176 this year with an OPS of .550 and Hosmer only has one home run on the year and has .264 batting average. To his credit, Hosmer had a good rookie year, with 19 homers and a .293 batting average in 523 at-bats. But he took a step back in his second year (2012), with his average dropping all the way down to .232.

Because they were praised and looked upon so highly by scouts and analysts, many Royals fans expected the early numbers would be better. But not every player progresses the same way. Not every young player is Mike Trout or Bryce Harper or even Manny Machado. Struggles at the highest level are not uncommon.

While Royals fans may be frustrated with the progress that Hosmer and Moustakas have made, they have to look no further than left field for an example of what the talented duo can become.

Gordon is proof that talent can take time to develop. So if Royals fans can take a patient approach while critiquing Hosmer and Moustakas, in a few years the results may match the hype. And that could be scary for Royals’ opponents.

The St. Louis Cardinals have seen their share of injuries this off-season.  The one that appears to have the most impact currently will be at shortstop.

Rafael Furcal, the Cardinals starting shortstop, is out for the season after requiring Tommy John surgery to repair an elbow injury that dates back to late last season.  An offseason and Spring of market investigation for a replacement has yielded no results to date, leaving general manager John Mozeliak and manager Mike Matheny to react the same way they did last season, with Pete Kozma.

Kozma, an enigma of a ballplayer, had all but been given up on due to his (lack of) performance at the minor league level.  A first round draft pick that seemed to be a bust, Kozma was the reason that Furcal arrived in St. Louis in the first place.  But when Furcal went down last season, the Cardinals were left with very little choice and handed the position to the struggling prospect.

What happened was something no one expected: he succeeded.  Kozma found a glimpse of his potential on the biggest stage possible and performed well during the final month of the season and in the post-season for the Cardinals.  As the Cardinals prepare to break camp, Kozma is prepared to be the starting shortstop once again.

Friend of the site Sam Feldman helped i70baseball immortalize Kozma and the feelings surrounding him with a t-shirt that is now available on TeeSpring.com.  The shirt, which embodies both the spirit of the fans that have an extreme feeling of support for the young shortstop as well as a sarcastic feel for those that feel the hype is a bit too high, is available for a limited time at the price of $15 per shirt.

Kozmamania has hit St. Louis.  Get your shirt today.

If 2011 wasn’t exciting enough, 2012 will likely bring the debut of the 21-year-old Miller…at some point.  Shelby Miller is a gem in a talented and improving St. Louis Cardinals’ system.  Cardinal Nation needs to start getting excited.

With a rotation that already features Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter and the emerging Jaime Garcia, the Cardinals are in great shape for years to come. Adding Miller to the mix in or around September will only boost a great pitching staff and make the Cardinals better.

He is unquestionably one of the best pitching prospects in all of baseball. Hype like that calls for future ace status.

Here are three reasons why Shelby Miller won’t disappoint.

Shelby Miller possesses a fastball which always lingers around the mid-90′s. More importantly, Miller has an incredible ability to command the pitch.

His ability to paint the strikezone’s corners make the fastball his best asset.

The Major League is full of sluggers who can drive breaking balls out of the park and, as a result, the fastball is becoming more important than ever.

Shelby Miller doesn’t need to worry about that. If he becomes a true ace, much thanks will go to his fastball.

At just 21, Shelby Miller is showing a lot of discipline and consistency with his entire delivery.

It is that delivery that is helping the righty remain one of the top prospects in all of baseball.

Miller’s delivery is nothing flashy. It is compact and coordinated. Perhaps the best feature is his leg strength.

His leg power allows for an excellent push-off on the mound, giving him the extra momentum on his fastball that can now reach up to 97 mph.

His 6-foot-3 frame certainly helps as well.

If Miller builds on his delivery and progresses, we could be looking at one one of the least hittable young pitchers in baseball.

Right now, Shelby Miller has no reason to complain about his situation.

The Cardinals aren’t rebuilding or a struggling team looking for a face to boost their franchise, and they already have two bona fide aces on their staff in Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter.

But how long will those guys be around?

Wainwright hasn’t pitched in nearly a year due to Tommy John surgery and Carpenter will be a seasoned 37 years old come April.

If the spotlights get dimmer on both Carp and Wainwright, Shelby Miller will be there to pick up where the left off.

He has no other choice.

Jaime Garcia is not a No. 1 pitcher and the other St. Louis prospects will take much longer than Miller to develop.

Shelby Miller must be the ace of the St. Louis Cardinals.

It is Super Bowl Sunday.  This year on I-70 we will mark the end of the football season, which is subsequently the beginning of the baseball season, with guest posts from various writers.  The writers will provided with one subject to write about: Why Baseball Is Better Than Football.

What follows is from Rob Harris of Blue Batting Helmet.

Today there’s snow on the ground, and the air is cold. Winter is a tolerable season, but hardly much more than that for me.

I can understand why football fans love this time of year. There’s the NFL playoffs, topped off by the Super Bowl and all of the hype that surrounds it. Football is certainly king on this day, just as it is on Super Sunday every year. And this year’s marquee matchup of Brady vs. Eli Manning makes the drama that much more compelling.

Right now, at the end of all this buildup, there is exactly 60 minutes of play left in the entire football season. No Super Bowl has ever gone into overtime, and it probably won’t happen this year, either. But baseball–on the other hand–is just about to awaken from its offseason hibernation.

Spring is the annual time of rebirth, for nature and for baseball, and it will be here before we know it. Football fans, however, will soon have a long offseason ahead of them. I know whose shoes I’d rather be in tomorrow.

I can sum up why baseball is better than football in three words: “Who’s On First”

–David Henderson

With the signing of Prince Fielder on Tuesday afternoon, the Detroit Tigers have quickly become once again the favorites in the American League Central.  After losing top of the line player Victor Martinez  to injury, the Tigers solidified their lineup by bringing in their new masher. This sets up a problem for both Kansas City Royals of present and of future.

The Royals will have to face Fielder 18 times this season.  The one good thing about having to face such a powerful first basemen is the fact that his name does not have anything to do with his game.  The Tigers will be worse defensively withe him in the field but like others players in the Major Leagues he makes up for it at the plate and then some.

The bigger problem that the Royals face is the fact that now we have to sit and watch the Detroit Tigers spend gobs of money over the next ten years. The highest four contracts for the Tigers in 2012 will add up to 78 million dollars while the Royals only will be around 47 million depending if or when the Alex Gordon extension happens.  The problem with the numbers being that high across the division is because the Royals have expressed many times that even at a high point they will not be able to exceed a 75 million dollar payroll.  Now what is the problem here?  If the Royals begin to win over the next five years, just speculation, then they will have to start spending money.  The young talent that is presently playing and the more to come will have to start making money.

The top four contracts for the Detroit Tigers are between Prince Fielder, first base and designated hitter, Justin Verlander, ace, Miguel Cabrera, third base, first base and designated hitter, and Victor Martinez,catcher and first base. Now compare those to similar players that the Royals will presumably have to pay in the future. Eric Hosmer, first base, with all of the hype and the high ceiling of this young player the Royals will be spending a lot of money to not let this one get away. A number one starter, whether that comes from in house or they go find one in free agency, is probably where, if they spend money in the near future, they will have to go first. Mike Moustakas, all of the reports say that the way “Moose” played last year is the same way he started at every level and that he will pick up his game once comfortable.  This we saw a little bit of at the end of the 2011 season. Finally, Salvador Perez, the surprise call up of the 2011 season, showed that he may have the game to be an elite catcher for a long time in the Major Leagues.  With his defense alone he will be a reliable starting catcher but with the amount of knowledge at the plate that he showed he will make big dollars in the future.

These four contracts alone do not even include the amounts that will have to be paid to Billy Butler, if he is even a Royal of the future, and the other starters in the rotation.  The outfield that seems to be able to come together and put forth great season of productivity in the field.  The four contracts at the top will presumably take up at least 55-60 million dollars and then the holes have to filled in form their.

The Tigers have put a new pressure on teams in the division.  The one hurting the most from the signing of Prince Fielder is the Kansas City Royals.  They Royals will have to reevaluate how and when they are going to become grown-ups and spend the money that is necessary and needed to have a perennial contender not only for the division but also for a world championship.

This past weekend, the Royals clinched their season-long series against the White Sox 11-7. It was the first time since 2000 that the Royals completed this feat, but don’t expect it to be another 11 years before it happens again.

After the game on Sunday, Ozzie Guillen said “They’re (the Royals) going to be awesome. They’re not too far away.” And on Monday night, it was announced that Guillen was leaving the White Sox to coach the Miami Marlins in 2012.

There, White Sox fans. Now do you believe it? Your (former) manager just gave a bigger compliment to a division rival than he gave to your team all year long. Something’s got to be going right in Kansas City now, doesn’t it?

Over the weekend, I got to catch up with some friends who I haven’t seen in a while and (of course) talk about baseball. Most of them are fans of teams in the Midwest like the White Sox, Cubs, and Twins. Naturally, a few of them are fans of the Red Sox or Yankees. For the most part, they all see the Royals’ record and say, “Those are the Royals we’ve all come to know.” The Royals have been getting national hype from guys like Peter Gammons and Steven Berthiaume lately, but not many people are noticing besides fans in Kansas City. This is completely understandable, because I don’t follow any other team as closely as I do the Royals. I couldn’t tell you much about White Sox center fielder Alejandro De Aza or half of the Twins’ roster that they trot out on a nightly basis. What I do know is that the majority of the MLB is taking notice of the Royals. Especially everyone in the AL Central.

In his postgame press conference last night, Guillen went on to compliment the Royals. “I talked to Manny Acta and any manager in our division,’’ he said. “The first thing they talk about is how good [the Royals] are and how hard they hit the ball. You talk about the future, I think these are maybe the guys with the best future in our division,” he added. “You look at Detroit, they’ve got the big boys, but in the future, I think Kansas City is way in front of a lot of teams.”

For how much Ozzie hated losing to the Royals this year, I take these statements as a huge endorsement. Thanks, Ozzie. Looks like you picked the right time to get out of the AL Central.

New number. New position. New life.

What a ride it has been so far for Alex Gordon.

From being the No. 2 overall pick in the 2005 draft, to being the Royals’ best player in 2011, Gordon has faced some extreme lows and some (recent) extreme highs.

He started his career as the most popular player on the Royals after being labeled the “next George Brett” right out of college. He kept the majority of his popularity after hitting 15 homeruns and 60 RBI’s in his rookie season. However, there were questions about his overall approach at the plate because of his .247 average and his 137 to 41 K to BB ratio.

A number change in 2008, from 7 to 4, didn’t bring any changes to his play on the diamond. His offensive numbers were almost identical and his defense raised some concerns after having 16 errors with a .955 fielding percentage.

Gordon’s numbers in 2009 and 2010 were much worse while he was dealing with injuries and a position change. Some fans gave up on Gordon and thought of him as another bust.

Slow development is not what Royals’ fans were told to expect. He was supposed to come in and turn the club around. He was supposed to carry the team to relevancy right away.

As everyone knows, those things did not happen.

This year was the perfect chance for Gordon to start from scratch. The Brett comparisons and hype from being a No. 2 overall pick were gone. Hosmer and Moustakas were the new names fans were looking at to carry the team to the next level. Billy Butler held onto his crown as Kansas City’s “Fan Favorite.”

Gordon was merely an afterthought in most fans’ minds. For once, he could go out and play baseball without facing such scrutiny every time he struck out.

He started the season flying under the radar, but it didn’t take him much time to turn that around.

He has been Mr. Consistency for the Royals all year offensively, and defensively. His popularity amongst fans is back to where it was his rookie year. He has completely reinvented himself.

Alex Gordon 2.0 has been in effect during the entire 2011 season.

In 2006, nobody could have imagined Gordon as the Royals’ starting left fielder hitting in the leadoff spot. He was supposed to be a power-hitting third baseman knocking in runs from the three-hole.

He has gone from a 22-year-old kid facing an immense amount of pressure, to a 27-year-old man who has figured out the ropes of the majors.

This complete 180 degree turn that Gordon has gone through is not at all a bad thing.

With 27 games remaining, Gordon has career highs in Runs (87), Hits (160), Doubles (40), Homeruns (19), BA (.305), OBP (.378), SLG (.506), and OPS (.884).

His defense has been nothing short of remarkable as well. He only has two outfield errors on the season and has an MLB-best 20 outfield assists.

His numbers have put Royals fans back on his side. The last two years Kauffman Stadium was scattered with “boo’s” every time his name was called. This year he gets the biggest ovation of any of the Royals’ players.

He came up just short in the MLB’s Final All-Star Vote, and probably should have been the Royals’ representative anyway.

The Royals’ organization has also shown their appreciation of what Gordon has done this year. They held Ballot Punch Parties to encourage fans to vote him into the All-Star game and named him the winner of the “Heart and Hustle Award.” They are also offering $4 tickets to this Sunday’s game versus the Indians to honor his breakout season.

Gordon was in the perfect situation coming into this year and seized what could have been his last opportunity with the Royals. He proved what he is capable of and everyone is taking heed.

He is only guaranteed to be with the Royals through next season. Hopefully the Royals are able to lock him up for years to come.

The Alex Gordon of 2006-2010 wouldn’t be hearing much talk about a contract extension…but Alex Gordon 2.0 definitely is.

Something’s been bothering me about these 2011 Kansas City Royals.

Yes, everyone knows the organization has quite possibly the best farm system in the history of baseball. And everyone knows in two or three years that should translate to a fine big-league team.

Everyone also knows that by all indications, the Royals are gonna suck in 2011.

Even I have espoused this view, and I’ve even gone so far as to say that I’d be disappointed if the Royals lost fewer than 100 games.

But here’s the thing – in the pit of my stomach, I have a strange feeling that the 2011 Kansas City Royals are going to be good.

And I’m not talking about compared-to-the-last-five-seasons good. I’m talking about competing-for-the-AL-Central-title good.

Keep in mind, I didn’t say I have a good feeling about it.

Not to play a game of what-if, but…

What if Billy Butler competes for a batting title this season?

What if Kila Ka’aihue, Jeff Franceour and Alex Gordon hit 25 home runs apiece and provide the middle-of-the-order threat the Royals have been lacking since… well, since the beginning of the team’s existence?

What if Alcides Escobar and Melky Cabrera reach their long-lost potential and solidify the front of the lineup, while shoring up the defense up the middle?

What if Jeff Francis wins 18 games, Bruce Chen wins 15 and Kyle Davies wins 12?

What if Luke Hochevar becomes an ace?

What if Mike Aviles truly breaks out this year, stays healthy and owns the leadoff spot?

And what if Mike Moustakas comes up at mid-season and plays like a rookie-of-the-year candidate?

All of these things could happen. Some of them probably will happen. If more than half of them do, there’s no reason the Royals can’t compete THIS SEASON.

Honestly, the Royals probably will live up to the hype this season and finish at or near the bottom of the AL Central. But I’ll be rooting for them to win every single game.

Of course, competing this season could be a bad thing. Let’s say by mid-season the Royals are hovering in second place, four games behind the Twins. The Nationals dangle a trade out there – “We’ll give you Jayson Werth! All you have to give up is Eric Hosmer, Mike Montgomery and Christian Colon.” That might help us win now. Might. And the Royals have a deep enough farm system to justify some moves down the road.

But selling out a bright future for a slim chance to win now would be disastrous to the long-term growth of this organization. Just look at what the Braves gave up in 2010 for Rick Ankiel, Kyle Farnsworth and a chance to win a division title. They lost in the playoffs, and their farm system is substantially weaker for it.

Even if the Royals are competitive this season, Dayton Moore must be careful to keep the farm system intact.

Matt Kelsey is a Royals writer and associate editor for I-70 Baseball. He can be reached at mattkelsey14@yahoo.com.

	Eduardo Sanchez Relief Pitcher AAA-Memphis 21-years-old Bats: Right Throws: Right Height: 5’11″ Weight: 155 lbs Signed by the Cardinals as a non-drafted free agent in 2005
Just like every Saturday here on i70baseball, the Cardinal Farm Report spotlights one of the prized Cardinal minor leaguers. This week, it is Eduardo Sanchez, one of the best relief prospects in the Minors.Watching the late innings of a Memphis Redbirds game can be exciting these days. Depending on the score, you could see two of the top relief pitching prospects in the minor leagues. Eduardo Sanchez and Francisco Samuel are both top prospects in the Cardinals system, and both are with the Redbirds. About a year ago, Samuel was Springfield’s pride and joy when it came to closing out games. Samuel, not Sanchez, played in the Futures Game in St. Louis. Samuel, not Sanchez, was the one getting all of the national attention. Nevertheless, Sanchez was given the closing role in the second half of the 2009 season and held on to all the attention that came with it. All of a sudden, everybody was talking about this 5’11” 20-year-old kid with a 100 mph fastball. Sanchez had a really good 2008 season in Quad Cities coming out of the bullpen, but it was in August of last year when he really caught some eyes. When the 2009 campaign finally came to a close, Eduardo Sanchez had compiled 28 saves in Palm Beach and Springfield. In 75 innings he had stuck out 82 batters while sporting a 2.28 ERA. Naturally, he was starting to get the hype he deserved. The guy is labeled as St. Louis’ “closer of the future” and there is no doubt that he is on that track. His high-90′s fastball is what he is known for, but he also has a very good slider and a knee-buckling curve that he can throw consistently for strikes. His control is above-average, and is actually pretty impressive considering how young he is and how hard he throws. He also doesn’t give up any home runs. This season, his HR/9 rate is sitting at a pretty amazing 0.7. The thing I like about him most is this number right here: 78 That is the percentage of batters he faces that either strikeout or groundnut. 78% of batters he faces strikeout or groundnut. That is ridiculous. When it comes to upside and potential, the Cardinals haven’t seen a prospect reliever like this in a long, long time. At the start of this season, Sanchez was still in AA but was quickly promoted after an injury. He wasted no time showing people that he is for real. So far in Memphis, Eduardo rocks a 2.12 ERA with three saves in 22 innings out of the ‘pen. Make no mistake about it, people. Sanchez has “closer” written all over him. Just ask the radar gun in Springfield that clocked him at 103 last season as a 20-year-old. A minor league scout actually compared Sanchez to the Texas Rangers phenom closer Neftali Feliz and said, “Eduardo has very similar stuff. Neftali’s fastball may have more tail, but I would say Sanchez’s breaking pitchers are a notch better.” John Mozeliak has been interviewed on 101 ESPN in St. Louis saying that he “wouldn’t be afraid to bring him up” if he thought he could help the club out. Sanchez may not be a September call-up in a few days, but look for him to be on the 40-man roster next season, and don’t be surprised if he takes the mound at Busch in 2011.
MiLB WEEKLY ROUNDUP
AAA-Memphis Redbirds
Record to date: 75-59, second place in the PCL American North, 1.5 games behind Iowa … This past week: 5-2, including a 2-2 series split with our I-70 friends in Omaha …Transactions: LHP Tyler Norrick assigned to Memphis Redbirds from Springfield Cardinals, RHP Jason Motte assigned to Memphis Redbirds, LHP Ryan Kulik assigned to Springfield Cardinals from Memphis Redbirds, LHP Nate Robertson filed for free agency, St. Louis Cardinals recalled RHP Fernando Salas from Memphis Redbirds, RHP Matthew Scherer assigned to Memphis Redbirds from Palm Beach Cardinals …Coming up: The Redbirds will play games four and five of the long Round Rock series before finishing up the homestand with New Orleans.
AA-Springfield Cardinals
Record to date: 33-27 in the second half (71-59 overall), second place in the TEX North, 3 games behind NW Arkansas … This past week: 3-4, won the San Antonio series 2-1, and lost the NW series 3-1 …Transactions: Springfield Cardinals activated RHP Scott Gorgen from the 7-Day disabled list, LHP Tyler Norrick assigned to Memphis Redbirds from Springfield Cardinals, Arquimedes Nieto assigned to Palm Beach Cardinals from Springfield Cardinals, LHP Ryan Kulik assigned to Springfield Cardinals from Memphis Redbirds … Coming up: The Cardinals will take on Arkansas for three games at home before they head to Tulsa for a four-game set.
A-Palm Beach
Record to date: 33-29 in the second half (72-56 overall), second place in the FSL South, 1 game behind Bradenton … This past week: 2-6, including a five-game losing streak …Transactions: Palm Beach Cardinals activated LHP George Brown from the 7-Day disabled list, Kevin Moscatel assigned to GCL Cardinals from Palm Beach Cardinals, Arquimedes Nieto assigned to Palm Beach Cardinals from Springfield Cardinals, Matthew Scherer assigned to Memphis Redbirds from Palm Beach Cardinals, C Roberto Espinoza assigned to Palm Beach Cardinals from Batavia Muckdogs … Coming up: The Baby Birds will finish up the Jupiter series before taking on Fort Myers on the road.
POSITION PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Joe Mather, OF, Memphis
.500 AVG (14-for-28), .577 OBP, .562 SLG, 5 runs, 1 RBI, 2 walks
This wasn’t a great offensive week down on the farm, but Mather was the exception. He’s been on a tear recently and could get the call up if Holliday misses time. On the season, Joey Bombs is hitting .272/.347/.432 with 49 runs, 14 doubles, nine home runs, and 38 RBI in 294 at bats.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Brian Broderick, SP, Springfield
W, 9 innings pitched, 5 hits, 2 runs, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts
You don’t see complete games very often in the Minors, but Broderick accomplished the feat on Wednesday night. In 24 games at Palm Beach and Springfield this season, Broderick is 12-7 with a 3.94 ERA and 86 SO in 137 innings.

Justin Hulsey covers the Cardinals for i70baseball and his blogs, Cardinals Front Office and Rising Redbirds, that are also dedicated to Cardinals baseball and their minor league system.You may follow him on Twitter @JayHulsey by clicking here.