FanPost

Finding the Right (Handed) Answer in Right

Bob Levey

Norichika Aoki is likely gone after his brief sojourn to the Paris of the Plains, so the Royals will again have a significant Wil-Myers-sized hole in right field for 2015. First, if any of you are still advocating for Jarrod Dyson to take over in center full time while shifting Lorenzo Cain to right, please allow me to present you with the following:

.209/.285/.243, .242 wOBA, 47 wRC+

Those are Dyson's career numbers against left-handed pitching. Don't get me wrong: Dyson is a valuable player. I love Dyson. My love is not blind, however. You do not want Dyson getting significant plate appearances versus left handed pitching.

With that in mind, and with the complete dearth of any Major League ready right handed batting (or really any) outfielders down on the farm, the Royals will have to turn to either the free agent or trade market. There are some "big" names out there like Torii Hunter and Nick Markakis, but the Royals should not go that route for a variety of reasons including cost and age.

While there may be a number of MLB-ready prospects potentially available through a trade, I'm not a prospect hound so that list is better left to someone else. In addition, given the Royals' potential for contention again in 2015 I wanted to focus on players with some level of MLB experience. This is by no means an exhaustive list, so please feel free to add to it in the comments. In no particular order, here are six right handed batting options for RF:

Dexter Fowler, Houston Astros

Age entering 2015 season: 29

Contract status/team control: Heading into last year of arbitration; just finished second year of two-year deal that avoided arbitration (2013: $3.25M, 2014: $7.35M); free agent after 2015

MLBTR 2015 Arbitration Estimate: $9.0M

Career vs. LHP: .299/.391/.433, .366 wOBA, 118 wRC+ (942 PAs)

Defense: -14.4 UZR/150 (-44 DRS) in 5954.2 innings (in CF)

Fowler is probably an expensive pipe dream, in that his 2015 salary will likely approach $10M (through arbitration or a deal avoiding it). EDIT: Likely $9M per MLB Trade Rumors (see above)...a complete bargain! And that doesn't include what Jeff Luhnow would require in trade, assuming the Astros were willing. Furthermore, he's a switch hitter who still hits fairly well against RHP as a LHB (102 wRC+). This fact, coupled with his likely 2015 salary probably pushes Dyson onto the bench, rather than a more defined platoon situation (which would maximize Dyson's value). On the defensive side of the equation, UZR and DRS aren't fans of Fowler in CF. Perhaps he'd do better in RF, and under the tutelage of the Outfield Whisperer (a/k/a Rusty Kuntz). In any event, his on base skills alone would make him a welcome replacement at the leadoff spot, unless Dayton truly thinks that Escobar (.299 career OBP) can flip his Plate Discipline Switch to the "on" position.

Drew Stubbs, Colorado Rockies

Age entering 2015 season: 30

Contract status/team control: Heading into third year of arbitration (signed a 1 year/$4.1M deal with the Rockies before 2014 season to avoid arbitration)

MLBTR 2015 Arbitration Estimate: $5.7M

Career vs. LHP: .283/.357/.466, .359 wOBA, 122 wRC+ (828 PAs)

Defense: 1.8 UZR/150 (-2 DRS) in 5208.2 innings in CF (0.1 UZR in 785.0 innings in RF for Cleveland in 2013)

Like Fowler, Stubbs is a free agent after the 2015, so while he would also be a one-year rental, it should keep his trade price down. He will be due for a significant raise next season, however. Another knock on Stubbs is that much of his recent production has been a product of (yeah, you guessed it) hitting at Coors Field. He had a 72 wRC+ away from Denver's friendly thin-air (34 wRC+ against lefties away). However, his career numbers above do include one season in Cleveland and three (plus change) with Cincinnati. His wRC+ versus LHP was 106, 112, 148, 109, and 117 (42 games) in those years. The Rockies don't have much depth in CF heading into next season, which could make the Royals' acquisition of Stubbs more problematic. If they were going to trade Stubbs the Rockies' asking price may be too high simply because of they lack other decent CF options.

Chris Denorfia, FA

Age entering 2015 season: 34

Contract status/team control: Free agent (completed a two-year deal, 2013: $2M, 2014: $2.25M)

Career vs. LHP: .292/.358/.430, .346 wOBA, 123 wRC+ (919 PAs)

Defense: 12.3 UZR/150 (23 DRS) in 2260 innings in RF

Denorfia signed a two-year deal with the Padres in 2012, but was traded last season to the Mariners. He didn't fare too well with either team, finishing with a .230/.284/.318, .271 wOBA, 74 wRC+. It was easily the worst season of his career, so he may be a good buy-low opportunity. Steamer has him rebounding to a 97 wRC+ in 2015 (but also currently projects him for 0 games and 1 PA, so I'm not sure what's going on with his numbers). One positive is his defense, which should be good-to-great in RF, keeping in line with the rest of the Royals outfield. While his age is a potential concern, he doesn't have much of an injury history. The fact he's 34 also means he would be much less likely to command a long-term deal.

Justin Ruggiano, Chicago Cubs

Age entering 2015 season: 33

Contract status/team control: Second year of arbitration (signed a 1 year, $2M deal avoiding arbitration for the 2014 season)

MLBTR 2015 Arbitration Estimate: $2.5M

Career vs. LHP: .266/.329/.508, .360 wOBA, 128 wRC+ (443 PAs)

Defense: -4.1 UZR/140 (-6 DRS) in 521.2 innings in RF [0.6 UZR/150 (-5 DRS) in 2536.1 innings in the OF]

Despite turning 33 prior to the 2015 season, Ruggiano is only entering his second year of arbitration and definitely shouldn't break the bank (he agreed to a $2M deal last offseason to avoid a hearing). Of the candidates on this list, he has displayed the most power by far, and he has the added benefit of being pretty good against RHP, too: 94 wRC+ career (806 PAs), 103 wRC+ in 2014 (160 PAs). His defense in RF would likely be below average at this point, but with Cain's range in CF and the Dyson-to-CF, Cain-to-RF late inning maneuver he should be fine. Perhaps the biggest drawback to Ruggiano (besides his trade price) is his injury history, which includes some recent problems last year. Ruggiano missed 66 games during the 2014 season, including a 28-game DL stint for a Grade 2 hamstring strain. Most glaringly, he was out for the last 34 games of the Cubs' season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle. While you would expect him to be fine for the start of spring training, it's possible the procedure is indicative of a lingering problem that could affect his availability in 2015.

Dan Robertson, Texas Rangers

Age entering 2015 season: 29

Contract status/team control: Not yet arbitration eligible; would be due league minimum in 2015

Career vs. LHP: .330/.398/.423, .367 wOBA, 132 wRC+ (108 PAs)

Minors vs. LHP:

2011: .299/.420/.465 (AA - San Antonio)

2012: .320/.426/.432 (AAA - Tucson)

2013: .276/.384/.352 (AAA - Tucson)

2014: .319/.398/.434 (AAA and MLB combined per B-R)

Defense: With only 92 innings in RF last season, Robertson's MLB defensive data is particularly unreliable

Depending on how you want to describe him, Robertson is either a "late bloomer", a minor league journeyman, or perhaps just a AAAA player. Drafted out of Oregon State in 2008, he seems to have always exhibited great plate discipline but not much power. At 5'8" and 170 pounds the lack of an MLB power stroke isn't surprising, but his strengths are supposed to include decent defense and above average speed. Perhaps he could end up being Dyson's RHB doppelganger. Given his age and pedigree (or lack thereof), plus the likely competition for a RHB outfield spot on the Rangers 2015 roster (Ryan Rua, Jake Smolinski, and Michael Choice), Robertson should be a cheap trade target.

Moises Sierra, Kansas City Royals

Age entering 2015 season: 26

Contract status/team control: Not yet arbitration eligible, would be due league minimum in 2015

Career vs. LHP: .232/.264/.391, .286 wOBA, 81 wRC+ (72 PAs)

Minors vs. LHP:

2011: .295/.369/.554 (168 PAs in AA - New Hampshire)

2012: .296/.354/.451 (158 PAs between AAA - Las Vegas and MLB Toronto)

2013: .222/.301/.370 (154 PAs between AAA - Buffalo and MLB Toronto)

Defense: -5.4 UZR/150 (-6 DRS) in 910 innings in RF

The best thing you can say about Sierra is that he's already in the Royals' system, as Dayton claimed him off waivers from the White Sox on October 24. In his limited exposure to RHP in the majors, he has not looked very good, but it has been a small sample. I would hope the Royals would not head to spring training with Sierra and Justin Maxwell (?) as their only RHB RF platoon options, but this is Dayton we're talking about. He may sign Torii Hunter to a $15M AAV deal and roll with a Cain-Hunter-Sierra/Maxwell "rotation" at RF and DH.

***

So, have I missed anyone? What about MLB-ready prospects? Are there any RHB RF languishing/blocked in some other organizations's AAA affiliate that the Royals should be looking at? Or do they already have enough of those in Omaha now?

This FanPost was written by a member of the Royals Review community. It does not necessarily reflect the views of the editors and writers of this site.