Kansas City Royals News

Royals send Aaron Crow to minor leagues
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March 17
Kansas City Star
 
"An impressive spring showing wasn't enough to keep rookie right-hander Aaron Crow in big-league camp. The Royals optioned Crow, their first-round pick in last year's draft, to Class AA Northwest Arkansas prior to Wednesday's game against the San Diego Padres at Surprise Stadium. Crow, 23, departs after working 5 2/3 scoreless innings over three appearances. He struck out six and walked one. "His makeup is outstanding," manager Trey Hillman said, "and he's got real good stuff. When he's behind (in the count), he finds, very quickly, a way to get back in the count. And he's got a couple of pitches that he can put away a hitter with. "He can go to both sides of the plate with pitches that ..."
Royals muster little offense in 2-0 loss to Brewers
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March 17
Kansas City Star
 
"Perhaps the Royals fell victim Tuesday to the day-after effect from their first spring night game. Or maybe they were just overmatched by relay of Milwaukee pitchers. Either way, they managed just eight hits in a 2-0 loss to the Brewers at Surprise Stadium. The offensive snooze followed a 17-hit attack Monday in a 9-1 victory over the White Sox. "We were hitterish (Monday) night," manager Trey Hillman said. "We could have made it easier on ourselves if we had executed. We're going to start bunting a little more the last couple of weeks. We just didn't execute." The main lack of execution came on successive bunt plays in the second inning. Kila Ka'aihue was at third with one out when ..."
Four lefties still battling for a place in the Royals' bullpen
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March 17
Kansas City Star
 
"The left-handed options for the Royals' bullpen now consist of three guys who worked primarily as starters as recently as last year and a veteran newcomer still under close observation while he recovers from a shoulder injury that forced him to miss all of last season. Club officials believe that might not be as bad as it sounds. "At this point," manager Trey Hillman said, "they're all throwing the ball pretty well. I hope they continue to do that. It could be a difficult decision for us." All four worked Tuesday with the former starters — Edgar Osuna, Bruce Chen and Dusty Hughes — each pitching one scoreless inning in a 6-3 loss to Texas in a "B" game. John Parrish worked a one-two-three ..."
Royals keep trimming roster, send Rosa to Class AAA Omaha
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March 16
Kansas City Star
 
"The Royals on Tuesday continued their run of roster moves by optioning right-handed reliever Carlos Rosa to Class AAA Omaha. That makes eighth players cut from the big-league roster in less than 24 hours. Rosa, 25, was once regarded as one of the organization's top pitching prospects, but his ERA ballooned last season to 4.56 in 43 games at Omaha. He made just two spring appearances and allowed two runs on one hit and three walks in two innings. The Royals began their personnel shuffle just prior to Monday's 9-1 victory over the White Sox in Glendale, Ariz., by optioning left-handed pitcher Noel Arguelles to Class A Wilmington and infielder Jeff Bianchi to Class AA Northwest Arkansas."
Royals' Callaspo, Maier capitalizing on opportunities from Gordon's injury
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March 16
Kansas City Star
 
"While Alex Gordon's broken right thumb is, undeniably, a personal setback, it just might turn into something of a good break for the Royals — especially for two Royals in particular. Gordon's injury created a full-time opening at third base for displaced second baseman Alberto Callaspo, which alleviates the problem of finding a spot in the lineup for his .300 average and run-production bat. It's an added bonus that Callaspo already shows a greater comfort level at third base than he ever exhibited at second. His quickness is emphasized, and his lack of speed — i.e., range — is minimized. "I've always liked him at third base," manager Trey Hillman agreed. "His first step is good, and his ..."
Seitzer hopes new approach produces a net gain in production
Comment
March 15
Kansas City Star
 
"Hitting coach Kevin Seitzer wants to rein in the false promise of Arizona. The best way to do that, he believes, is with a net. So this spring, when the Royals take batting practice on their two primary practice fields, they will do so with just such a net hanging down several feet from the front of the backstop. The mesh crowds the batter and serves to knock down balls that arch sharply upward from a swing. And that's the point. Seitzer wants line drives, not desert-aided fly balls. "I want them to stay on the top half of the ball to get that backspin," he said. "We just crushed the ball last spring, but all of those Arizona homers turn into fly balls that don't reach the warning track." ..."
Ankiel to be out for a week because of sore right ankle
Comment
March 15
Kansas City Star
 
"The sore right ankle bothering outfielder Rick Ankiel is now sufficiently troubling to the Royals that he isn't expected to play for a week. "It was better (Saturday)," manager Trey Hillman said, "but it was minimally better. It was better to the point where we felt like there wasn't anything major going on. "We've got until the end of the month, so I'm probably going to hold Rick out for the next six to seven days to make sure. We've still got plenty of time." Hillman revealed his plans before Sunday's game against Oakland at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Ankiel remained at the club's complex in Surprise, Ariz., where he received treatment. Ankiel, 30, was scratched from Friday's game ..."
A's rough up Davies in 10-3 victory over Royals, but Tejeda shows improvement
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March 15
Kansas City Star
 
"The muddled competition for the final slot in the Royals' rotation crystallized somewhat Sunday afternoon when Robinson Tejeda delivered 2 1/3 shutout innings after another rough outing by Kyle Davies. Oakland roughed up Davies for six runs and seven hits in 2 2/3 innings in rolling to a 10-3 victory at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. The A's scored two runs in each of the first three innings. Davies and Tejeda are generally viewed as the top two candidates to round out the five-man rotation. Kyle Farnsworth, Edgar Osuna and Philip Humber are also in the mix. "It goes without saying," Davies acknowledged, "that if you're going to make the team, you've got to start showing that you can command ..."
Royals overcome early deficit in 12-3 victory over Angels
Comment
March 14
Kansas City Star
 
"Mitch Maier and Chris Getz hit two-run homers in the fifth inning this afternoon that ignited the Royals to a 12-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels at Surprise Stadium. The Royals trailed 3-0 before Maier and Getz hit no-doubt drives over the right-field wall against Rafael Ramirez. The Royals also scored four runs in the sixth and eighth innings while improving their Cactus League record to 5-3-1. Veteran reliever Kyle Farnsworth fueled his bid to win a spot in the rotation by pitching three scoreless innings in relief of Brian Bannister. Farnsworth allowed just one hit and recorded seven ground-ball outs. Dusty Hughes pitched two scoreless innings before Brian Bullington worked a ..."
Soria already seeing benefits from spending winter in Kansas City
Comment
March 14
Kansas City Star
 
"Joakim Soria is the other sure thing who needs to be a sure thing if the Royals are to climb back toward relevancy this season in the American League Central Division. This isn't exactly news, but it explains why he spent the winter freezing in Kansas City instead of enjoying the more moderate climes of his home in Montclova, Mexico. "Ohhh, I picked the worst winter to stay in Kansas City," Soria recalled with a shudder. "All that snow. I'm not used to that. I was freezing all winter." He saw little choice, though. The Royals' training staff _ strength-and-conditioning coordinator Ty Hill and physical therapist Jeff Blum _ were in Kansas City. So Soria was there, too, along with his wife ..."
Wood making a case for a spot in Royals' bullpen
Comment
March 13
Kansas City Star
 
"The strained right forearm that forced right-hander Blake Wood into the bullpen at the end of last season is looking more and more like a blessing in disguise as the Royals reach the midpoint of spring training. Wood, 24, is emerging as the camp's most pleasant surprise and, just maybe, as the sort of power arm the bullpen needs as a late-inning bridge to shutdown closer Joakim Soria. "You look at him and say, 'That looks like a big-league pitcher,' " pitching coach Bob McClure said. "He could be a factor. No question. He hasn't done anything to make me think he can't do it." That potential was always there. Wood's imposing size, at 6 feet 5 and 228 pounds, and power arsenal, augmented by ..."
Moustakas among seven players sent to minor-league camp
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March 12
Kansas City Star
 
"Third baseman Mike Moustakas and outfielder David Lough, two of the organization's top prospects, each made an impression before exiting big-league camp Thursday as part of the Royals' first round of cuts. And, really, that's about as much as either one could have achieved. "They were here for the experience," manager Trey Hillman said, "but especially David Lough, he did pretty well for himself … considering that his at-bats have been sporadic, and you continue to see him put good at-bats together, that's a pretty good gift." On Moustakas, Hillman said: "He's very athletic defensively. Offensively, he's got some of the best hitting hands I've seen. He understands his contact position." ..."
Royals send seven players to minor-league camp
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March 11
Kansas City Star
 
"The Royals began trimming their big-league camp roster Thursday morning by reassigning seven players to the minor-league side. The cuts included third baseman Mike Moustakas, the second overall pick in the 2007 draft, and outfielder David Lough, the organization's minor-league player of the year in 2009. Left-handed pitcher Danny Duffy, who participated in last year's All-Star Futures Game, was also reassigned, along with outfielder Derrick Robinson, first baseman Ernesto Mejia, infielder Mario Lisson and catcher Steve Lerud."
Greinke works three more scoreless innings as Royals top Rockies
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March 11
Kansas City Star
 
"One benefit generally afforded to veteran big-leaguers in spring training is that long bus trips are minimized. That explains why the Royals' travel roster for Wednesday's 300-mile round trip - one of two this spring to Tucson - didn't include José Guillen, Jason Kendall, David DeJesus, Rick Ankiel, Scott Podsednik, Willie Bloomquist, Yuniesky Betancourt or Josh Fields. There was one position player - minor-league utilityman Wilson Betemit - on the trip who possesses sufficient major-league service to qualify for arbitration. The eight bullpen options failed to include a single pitcher certain to break camp with the club. So it might seem strange the starting pitcher was Cy Young winner ..."
Rookie Blake Wood pitching his way to bullpen spot
Comment
March 11
Kansas City Star
 
"If this was the Royals' last visit to venerable Hi Corbett Field, as seems likely, they went out in style. Zack Greinke and five relievers combined on a five-hit shutout Wednesday afternoon in a 5-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies in Tucson, Ariz. Greinke permitted one hit in his three innings before Brad Thompson, Josh Rupe, Blake Wood, Adam Bostick and Nelson Payano completed the gem. Neither team scored until Scott Thorman delivered a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning. The Royals, 4-2, then capitalized on some soft Colorado defense in a four-run eighth inning. Jarrod Dyson's two-run single through the middle was the key blow. The Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks are both leaving ..."
Royals rally late, beat A's
Comment
March 10
Kansas City Star
 
"A dramatic comeback by the Royals in the ninth inning Tuesday afternoon, albeit somewhat gift-wrapped, failed to hide the inability by either Robinson Tejeda or Kyle Davies to step forward in their battle for a spot in the rotation. The Royals pulled out an 11-10 victory over an Oakland split-squad at Surprise Stadium by scoring twice in the final frame. The winning run scored with two outs when Oakland first baseman Dallas McPherson failed to corral Vance Wilson's wind-blown pop-up. It was the only time the Royals led all game. Tejeda and Davies each pitched for the second time this spring and, for the second time, each found trouble on this afternoon chilled by winds ranging from 27-33 ..."
Kendall says he won't let 'ridiculous' accusations affect him
Comment
March 10
Kansas City Star
 
"Veteran catcher Jason Kendall returned Tuesday morning to Royals camp and vowed not to let a potentially messy divorce situation affect his play. Kendall appeared Monday in court in Los Angeles in an effort to gain permission to bring his two children to Kansas City during the Royals' season. His wife, Chantel, appeared in court with boyfriend Sean Stewart, son of rock star Rod Stewart, in an effort to block the move. The case was continued until March 18. Chantel Kendall has also leveled charges in court papers alleging that Kendall is overusing Adderall, a prescription he takes to control Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). "I won't dignify the ridiculous accusations that ..."
Royals hoping Podsednik can do for them what he's done to them
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March 10
Kansas City Star
 
"It's no surprise the Royals had veteran outfielder Scott Podsednik near the top of their free-agent wish list in the offseason. Very simply, they wanted Podsednik to do to others what he's done to them. "He sees a lot of pitches," manager Trey Hillman said in launching into a litany. "He gets into a two-strike count, and he has the ability, because of his approach and his mechanics, of being able to spoil a nasty pitch to get to the next pitch. "Obviously, he's a force on the base paths. And he's got a lot of experience. He's coming off one of his most productive major-league seasons." Podsednik batted .373 last season against the Royals with a .397 on-base percentage in 14 games. His 29 ..."
Royals' Kendall says he won't let 'ridiculous' divorce accusations affect him
Comment
March 9
Kansas City Star
 
"Veteran catcher Jason Kendall returned Tuesday morning to Royals' camp and vowed not to let a potentially messy divorce situation affect his play on the field. Kendall appeared Monday in court in Los Angeles in an effort to gain permission to bring his two children to Kansas City during the Royals' season. His wife, Chantel, appeared in court with boyfriend Sean Stewart, the son of rock star Rod Stewart, in an effort to block the move. The case was continued until March 18. Chantel Kendall has also leveled charges in court papers that Kendall is overusing Adderall, a prescription he takes to control Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). "I won't dignify the ridiculous ..."
Royals take first crack at Reds' acclaimed Cuban defector
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March 9
Kansas City Star
 
"Royals catcher Brayan Pena was already well acquainted with Cincinnati left-hander Aroldis Chapman before the $30 million defector from Cuba made his much-anticipated spring debut Monday at Goodyear Ballpark. "He was pitching in Miami, doing tryout camps in the offseason before he signed," Peña recalled. "They had two high school guys trying to catch him - and they couldn't catch him. So they called me." Peña paused and smiled before continuing. "I couldn't catch him either." It was Peña, ironically, who was the first hitter to face Chapman, who replaced Reds starter Bronson Arroyo to begin the third inning. "When I was with him in Miami," Peña recalled, "I told him, 'I don't know where ..."
Reds pound Royals, Farnsworth
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March 9
Kansas City Star
 
"Initial returns on the quest by veteran reliever Kyle Farnsworth to reinvent himself as a starter aren't encouraging. He failed to complete his two scheduled innings Monday afternoon in a 14-5 loss to the Cincinnati Reds at Goodyear Ballpark. Farnsworth permitted five runs, six hits and three walks in 1 2/3 innings before a pitch-count limitation prompted his exit. Left fielder Brian Anderson's inability to run down a catchable fly ball didn't help, but Farnsworth had plenty of problems on his own. "I'm going out there and just trying to get a feel for pitching," he said. "It's my first time in a game situation in four months. I definitely would have liked for the results to be a little ..."
A headfirst slide is actually faster
Comment
March 8
Kansas City Star
 
"Royals manager Trey Hillman was succinct. When asked by reporters whether there is a time when it's advisable for a player to make a headfirst slide, Hillman answered: "None. Zero. Never." Hillman made his comments while talking about third baseman Alex Gordon, who broke his thumb Saturday on a headfirst slide. However, David A. Peters, the McDonnell Douglas Professor of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, might disagree. Peters first stated in 2008 that the headfirst slide is faster than the feetfirst slide. There are three important mathematical issues at play on a slide. "There's momentum - mass of the body times how fast the player is moving," he said in a news release. ..."
Rained out
Comment
March 8
Kansas City Star
 
"A steady rain throughout Sunday morning and into the early afternoon forced cancellation of the game between the Royals and San Francisco Giants at Surprise Stadium. A crowd of 5,000 or more was anticipated because the Giants attract a sizable following in spring training and were planning to start two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum. Royals officials said they hoped the game can be rescheduled for later in the spring as part of a split-squad double-header."
Royals' Gordon out 3-4 weeks because of broken thumb
Comment
March 8
Kansas City Star
 
"Even Alex Gordon realizes he deserves this latest setback, at least partially, because he chose to slide headfirst into second base Saturday on an attempted steal. That doesn't make it any easier to swallow. "I'm pretty tired today," Gordon said quietly Sunday morning as he stood in front of his locker in the Royals' clubhouse at Surprise Stadium. "I didn't get much sleep. Coming off the injury and now having this … (stinks)." Gordon suffered a broken right thumb on the play — technically a minimally displaced fracture. Recovery time is initially pegged at three to four weeks for a return to full baseball activities. "It's unfortunate because it didn't have to happen," manager Trey Hillman ..."
Gordon out a month with broken thumb
Comment
March 7
MLB.com
 
"Third baseman Alex Gordon will be out for three to four weeks with a broken right thumb, the Royals announced on Sunday morning. Gordon was injured on a head-first slide as he was thrown out attempting to steal second base in Saturday's game against the Texas Rangers. "I slid in the second [inning] and felt something," Gordon said. "I kept playing, and after the game they looked at it and wanted to do an X-ray and found out the tip of it was broken." Royals spokesman Mike Swanson described the injury as a "minimally displaced fracture of the right thumb." The injury opens the door for Alberto Callaspo and Josh Fields to jump into the third-base picture. Callaspo is already is jeopardy of ..."
Meche believes back and shoulders issues are behind him
Comment
March 7
Kansas City Star
 
"The key moment in Gil Meche's recovery from a year plagued by back and shoulder miseries came in November on a Texas golf course. It didn't hurt to play. "In the previous offseason," he said, "I wasn't able to play golf because when I would go to swing, I would notice from the (body) rotation that I would get a little tight the next day. "I played a round last November. When I realized how good I felt, I started playing every 10 days or two weeks. I never had any problems with it. So I knew what I was doing was definitely benefiting my body. "When I started throwing, it was the same thing. I didn't feel anything. To this day, I haven't felt anything in my back." A healthy Meche ranks atop ..."
Royals' Greinke not planning to watch Lincecum pitch
Comment
March 7
Kansas City Star
 
"Zack Greinke has no plans Sunday to hang around to watch the other league's Cy Young Award winner when the Royals play host to the San Francisco Giants at Surprise Stadium. Tim Lincecum is scheduled to pitch for the Giants. "Do we have to stay for that game?" Greinke asked. "Then no, I won't be studying him." Manager Trey Hillman's rules require all pitchers to remain for the first five innings of home games -- except those against National League opponents. "I'll study him on the videos," said Greinke, who made his spring debut Friday with three scoreless innings in a 4-2 victory over Texas. "It's weird. He only throws 90-91 (mph) now, but he just dominates hitters. "There's something ..."
Crow works two strong innings as Royals beat Rangers 2-1
Comment
March 7
Kansas City Star
 
"It wasn't a bad Saturday for all Missouri Tigers. Former All-American Aaron Crow delivered two strong innings for the Royals in a 2-1 victory over the Texas Rangers that clinched the campus title. OK, it's not the Border War, which didn't go so well today for Crow's Tigers in a 77-56 loss to Kansas. But, hey, it's still marked a nice spring debut for the Royals' first-round pick in last year's draft. "There were a lot of people in the stands," Crow said. "It was a lot better than doing it on the back fields. It got me pumped up a little bit." Crow allowed just one hit while striking out three in a brisk 23-pitch performance that included 17 strikes. The victory enabled the Royals to win ..."
Soria to start on Sunday - and only Sunday
Comment
March 7
Kansas City Star
 
"It wasn't a bad Saturday for all Missouri Tigers. Former All-American Aaron Crow delivered two strong innings for the Royals in a 2-1 victory over the Texas Rangers that clinched the campus title in front of 6,511 on a gorgeous afternoon at Surprise Stadium. OK, it's not the Border War, which didn't go so well Saturday for Crow's Tigers in a 77-56 loss to Kansas. But, hey, it's still marked a nice spring debut for the Royals' first-round pick in last year's draft. "There were a lot of people in the stands," Crow said. "It was a lot better than doing it on the back fields. It got me pumped up a little bit." Crow allowed just one hit while striking out three in a brisk 23-pitch performance ..."
Colon retires six in two innings
Comment
March 6
Kansas City Star
 
"Reliever Roman Colon made an early bid for a setup job by retiring all six hitters in his two innings. "He's always had good velocity since his arm came back for him last year," manager Trey Hillman said. "His slider had a lot of depth. I haven't seen a lot of consistency of depth to his slider. Sometimes that's a matter of a little more arm speed coming back (after an injury)." Regular guys Veteran catcher Jason Kendall again batted second in the lineup, but manager Trey Hillman cautioned against reading too much into it. "Nobody has an early lead on that," Hillman said. "(Kendall) just has a history of handling the bat. I know his numbers have gone down the last three years, but we're ..."
Cy Young winner Greinke picks up where he left off
Comment
March 6
Kansas City Star
 
"Wondering what Zack Greinke can do for an encore? Well, here's a bit of sobering news for the rest of the American League: He's already ahead of his Cy Young pace of a year ago. Greinke made his spring debut Friday afternoon with three overpowering innings in the Royals' 4-2 victory over the Texas Rangers at Surprise Stadium. He retired nine of 10 hitters with three strikeouts on only 27 pitches. The only blemish was an opposite-field, two-out single by David Murphy in the first inning. Otherwise, Greinke was in complete control. Murphy's single was one of only two balls to leave the infield. Even Greinke was a bit surprised. "My first outing, usually, is not good," he said. "I've probably ..."
Davies, Tejeda, Lerew are roughed up in Cactus League opener
Comment
March 5
Kansas City Star
 
"Choosing a fifth starter for their rotation got a little tougher Thursday for the Royals. And not in a good way. Neither Kyle Davies, Robinson Tejeda nor even Anthony Lerew distinguished himself in a 13-3 loss to the Texas Rangers that marked the Cactus League opener for both clubs. "You can't panic too much," manager Trey Hillman said, "but you certainly hope for one of those guys to come to the forefront and show that they're going to pitch ahead and keep the ball down." Davies and Tejeda are generally viewed as the top two candidates for the final spot in the rotation behind Zack Greinke, Gil Meche, Luke Hochevar and Brian Bannister. Lerew projects a long shot but is in line for a look ..."
Royals' spring opener offers little to like from three rotation candidates
Comment
March 5
Kansas City Star
 
"Choosing a fifth starter for their rotation got a little tougher Thursday for the Royals. And not in a good way. Neither Kyle Davies, Robinson Tejeda nor even Anthony Lerew distinguished himself in a 13-3 loss to the Texas Rangers that marked the Cactus League opener for both clubs. "You can't panic too much," manager Trey Hillman said, "but you certainly hope for one of those guys to come to the forefront and show that they're going to pitch ahead and keep the ball down." Davies and Tejeda are generally viewed as the top two candidates for the final spot in the rotation behind Zack Greinke, Gil Meche, Luke Hochevar and Brian Bannister. Lerew projects a long shot but is in line for a look ..."
Royals' brass gets look at Cuban defector Arguelles
Comment
March 5
Kansas City Star
 
"It was just 20 pitches, all fastballs, and it was only a bullpen workout. But much of the Royals' top brass made the trip Thursday morning to the practice mounds on the west side of their complex for a look at left-hander Noel Arguelles. "It was the first time I've seen him off the mound," pitching coach Bob McClure said. "Impressive. My first impression is how athletic he is. His fastball command, for his first time, was really good and had pretty good hair on it, too." The Royals kept Arguelles, 20, off a mound until Thursday as a precaution because he threw roughly 18 straight months after his defection from Cuba before signing in January with the Royals for a guaranteed $7 million over ..."
Royals' Arguelles makes quick impression with first mound workout
Comment
March 5
Kansas City Star
 
"It was just 20 pitches, all fastballs, and it was only a bullpen workout. But much of the Royals' top brass made the trip Thursday morning to the practice mounds on the west side of their complex for a look at left-hander Noel Arguelles. "It was the first time I've seen him off the mound," pitching coach Bob McClure said. "Impressive. My first impression is how athletic he is. His fastball command, for his first time, was really good and had pretty good hair on it, too." The Royals kept Arguelles, 20, off a mound until Thursday as a precaution because he threw roughly 18 straight months following his defection from Cuba before signing in January with the Royals for a guaranteed $7 million ..."
Royals reach deals with Butler, Callaspo
Comment
March 4
Kansas City Star
 
"The Royals wrapped up their contract negotiations by announcing one-year agreements with first baseman Billy Butler and second baseman Alberto Callaspo prior to their Cactus League opener against Texas. Butler gets $470,000 up from $421,500, while Callaspo jumps to $460,000 from $415,500. Both players lacked three years of major-league service, which left them little leverage in negotiations."
Royals' Arguelles makes quick impression with first mound workout
Comment
March 4
Kansas City Star
 
"It was just 20 pitches, all fastballs, and it was only a bullpen workout. But much of the Royals' top brass made the trip Thursday morning to the practice mounds on the west side of their complex for a look at left-hander Noel Arguelles. "It was the first time I've seen him off the mound," pitching coach Bob McClure said. "Impressive. My first impression is how athletic he is. His fastball command, for his first time, was really good and had pretty good hair on it, too." The Royals kept Arguelles, 20, off a mound until Thursday as a precaution because he threw roughly 18 straight months following his defection from Cuba before signing in January with the Royals for a guaranteed $7 million ..."
Pitchers excel in intrasquad game
Comment
March 4
Kansas City Star
 
"The pitchers struck back Wednesday afternoon with a series of strong performances when the Royals staged their second and final intrasquad game in preparation for today's Cactus League opener against Texas. Brian Bannister was so efficient that he recorded four outs in his first inning to boost his pitch count after retiring the first three hitters on 10 pitches. Lefties Dusty Hughes and Bruce Chen joined Bannister in working two scoreless frames in a five-inning game. "Every guy out there threw strikes," manager Trey Hillman said. "We had 10 frames without any walks. That's good to see." Hitters managed just two runs, one of which was unearned, in contrast to Tuesday's offensive show, ..."
Royals still have roster issues as Cactus League season begins
Comment
March 4
Kansas City Star
 
"Check the calendar. The Royals are one-third of the way through their spring camp and appear no closer now to resolving numerous roster issues than when pitchers and catchers began official workouts last month here in the Arizona desert. Today brings a new phase in the evaluation process as the Royals swing into their 31-game Cactus League schedule with the first of three straight games against cross-campus Texas at Surprise Stadium. "You always find out a lot more," manager Trey Hillman said, "when you're playing against somebody else." The biggest issue remains finding at-bats for Alberto Callaspo, a .300 hitter with doubles pop who appears likely to lose his starting job at second base ..."
Royals obtain pitcher from Red Sox in waiver claim
Comment
March 4
Kansas City Star
 
"The Royals acquired right-handed pitcher Gaby Hernandez in a waiver claim Wednesday from the Boston Red Sox. The move comes two days after he was designated for assignment. Hernandez, 23, was 10-9 with a 5.23 ERA last season in 26 starts for Class AAA Tacoma in the Seattle organization. The Red Sox obtained him in a Feb. 10 waiver claim from the Mariners. The Royals cleared space for Hernandez on their 40-man roster by placing right-hander Henry Barrera on the 60-day disabled list. Barrera, 24, made just four relief appearances last year at Class A Wilmington before undergoing reconstructive-elbow surgery on June 30."
Hochevar, Rosa come to terms
Comment
March 3
MLB.com
 
"Pitcher Luke Hochevar signed a one-year, $1.7-million contract for 2010 with the Royals on Tuesday. In 2006, Hochevar signed a four-year, $5.3-million deal with the Royals after being the nation's No. 1 Draft choice and that expired last season, when he earned $1.325 million. He's expected to be a key part of the rotation this season after going 7-13 with a 6.55 ERA in 25 starts last year. Among his victories were an 80-pitch complete game against Cincinnati, a 13-strikeout performance against Texas and a three-hit shutout of the Chicago White Sox."
A healthy Gordon looks to unlock his potential
Comment
March 3
Kansas City Star
 
"Is this the year, finally, that it all comes together for Royals third baseman Alex Gordon? He ponders the question for a moment while pulling his mouth into a wry grin before answering. "I can say that all day," he said, "but I've got to go out there and prove it." True enough. There's been too much talk for much too long surrounding Gordon, although the once-massive hype ebbed away steadily over the last three years. It seems a long time since Gordon, now 26, acquired a can't-miss label as the consensus college player of the year in 2005 and the minor-league player of the year in 2006. "There were a lot of scouts who viewed Gordon not only as a sure thing but as a sure-fire Hall of ..."
Ankiel hits two homers, DeJesus goes three-for-three in scrimmage
Comment
March 3
Kansas City Star
 
"Rick Ankiel's first swing in a Royals' uniform outside of batting practice was a no-doubt homer Tuesday afternoon on a hanging changeup from Luke Hochevar. Nice way to make a first impression. It got better. Ankiel hit a second homer in this first of two intrasquad scrimmages prior to the Cactus League opener Thursday afternoon against campus-neighbor Texas in Surprise Stadium. Homer No. 2 came on a fat breaking ball from rookie Danny Duffy. "It's early," Ankiel said. "You have to remember it's early for everybody, and those guys will (soon) start spotting their pitches a little better. But for my first day, that was fun. No question.""
Former St. Louis Cardinal Rick Ankiel starts a new chapter
Comment
March 3
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Former Cardinals righthander Brad Thompson, vying for a spot on the Kansas City roster, played with new Royals center fielder Rick Ankiel for a half-dozen or so years in the Cardinals' organization, both when Ankiel was a pitcher and when he was a hitter. The maturation process of Ankiel has been a long, sometimes tortured one but what Thompson sees now is a more relaxed, confident Ankiel. "He's loving it," Thompson said. "He's as happy as can be. He's almost a team-leader type over here. "People gravitate toward him. He's not hard to approach. He's one of those guys who's pretty much done everything you can do in baseball. If you want to talk to somebody about something, Ank would be a ..."
Spring assignments hint at rotation alignment
Comment
March 2
Kansas City Star
 
"Want to play the projection game in the Royals' rotation? Start with this: Pitching coach Bob McClure always counts back from opening day in lining up spring starting assignments. And manager Trey Hillman has already said Zack Greinke and Gil Meche, barring injuries, will start the first two games of the regular season. That suggests the club's early thinking is to slot Luke Hochevar at No. 3 and Brian Bannister at No. 4 with Kyle Davies, Robinson Tejeda, Kyle Farnsworth and everybody else battling for the final job. It is speculation at this point. "We haven't told anybody anything yet - other than Zack and Gil," Hillman said. "We've told Zack that he's day one, and Gil is day two. Beyond ..."
Royals' Arguelles is face of hope and change
Comment
March 2
Kansas City Star
 
"Noel Arguelles is at the very beginning of his new life. He is less than two years into his time in the United States, and less than two weeks into big-league spring training. Friendly faces locker on either side: Victor Marte to his left, Wilson Betemit to his right. The rest of this, though, must seem, well, foreign, particularly when Arguelles is eating breakfast and coach Rusty Kuntz walks up and yells in his squarest twang: What up, playa!? Arguelles smiles. The others at the table laugh. Arguelles goes back to his eggs, nobody paying much mind to the mostly anonymous rookie who represents the franchise's hope for a brighter future as well as anyone in this room. If you're a Royals ..."
Spring assignments suggest possible rotation alignment
Comment
March 1
Kansas City Star
 
"ant to play the projection game in the Royals' rotation? Start with this: pitching coach Bob McClure always counts back from opening day in lining up spring starting assignments. And manager Trey Hillman has already said Zack Greinke and Gil Meche, barring injuries, will start the first two games of the regular season. That suggests the club's early thinking is to slot Luke Hochevar at No. 3 and Brian Bannister at No. 4 with Kyle Davies, Robinson Tejeda, Kyle Farnsworth and everybody else battling for the final job. It is speculation at this point. "We haven't told anybody anything yet -- other than Zack and Gil," Hillman said. "We've told Zack that he's day one, and Gil is day two. Beyond ..."