Tagged: Royals
Aviles to have elbow surgery, out for the year
Royals shortstop Mike Aviles will undergo reconstructive surgery on his right elbow and will be out for the rest of the season, manager Trey Hillman announced on Wednesday.
“Mike Aviles is going to have Tommy John surgery a week from today,” Hillman said. “Dr. (Lewis) Yocum will be doing it in LA. We came to this conclusion after further testing. Obviously, there is ligament damage.”
Aviles has been on the disabled list since May 23 with what was described as a right forearm strain. Hillman said the strain was a result of the elbow damage.
After giving the elbow a period of rest, the problem did not calm down and surgery was deemed necessary.
“Typical with position players, there’s a nine-to-12 month recovery period,” Hillman said.
That means Aviles would, at a minimum, be out until next April.
Aviles has been in Arizona going through an injury rehabilitation program. He played 36 games this season and batted just .183 with one home run and eight RBIs.
–Dick Kaegel
Olivo gets one-game suspension for Pittsburgh flap
Royals catcher Miguel Olivo has been suspended for one game and fined an undisclosed amount for inappropriate actions in Saturday’s game at Pittsburgh.
The penalty was for an argument in which Olivo made contact with plate umpire Phil Cuzzi after being called out on a checked swing. Olivo was ejected from the game.
Unless appealed, the suspension would be served in Wednesday afternoon’s game against the Minnesota Twins.
The announcement was made by Bob Watson, vice president of on-field operations for Major League Baseball.
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–Dick Kaegel
Guillen takes a look at baseball internationally
Here are some thoughts that Jose Guillen had when asked about some aspects of international baseball.
On which international player is the best in the game: “We have some good ones but overall I’d have to take Albert Pujols because he’s pretty much the complete package right now. You cannot go wrong with him. He’s a winner and plays the game the right way, plays hard.”
On whether Major League Baseball is tougher or easier for international players: “I think it’s a little tougher on us because we come from a different country, a different culture, different language. And this is an American game, this is not a Latin game. When a Latin player comes here, it’s learn the language, learn the culture and understand the game when the coaches are talking about it. This game is not just about pitching and hitting, it requires a lot of other things the players have to understand. Coming from a different country, you have to adjust to an American style, not a Dominican style – a different type of life to lead. There are things you can do in the Dominican you can’t do over here so it’s thoroughly different. So I guess the Americans have an easier time.”
On which foreign country produces the best players: “Right now it’s the Dominican and Venezuela. It used to be the Dominican but right now Venezuela is getting there with some really good ones. But I’ve got to go with my country because it’s all baseball, that’s all we play there. It’s the only big sport there and you can see how people go crazy about baseball there. It’s a different atmosphere than any other Latin American place so I’ve got to go with my country but Venezuela is right behind. There’s a lot of great ones from there but a lot of great ones from the Dominican, too.”
–Dick Kaegel
Crisp to have surgery, out for rest of season
Royals center fielder Coco Crisp will undergo right shoulder surgery on Wednesday and will miss the rest of the season, manager Trey Hillman said on Tuesday.
Dr. James Andrews will perform the surgery to repair a labrum tear at Birmingham, Ala.
“So he’s out for the season and, obviously, that’s not what we were looking for but it’s something that needs to be done,” Hillman said. “They don’t know exactly what they’re going to have to do until they get in there but they’ve got a pretty good idea.”
Crisp was hampered swinging, particularly from the left side, and was hitting just .228 in 49 games. As the leadoff batter, though, he drew 29 walks and had a healthy on-base percentage of .336 along with 13 stolen bases.
He’s been replaced in center field recently by Mitch Maier although Willie Bloomquist could see action there as well.
Crisp is expected to spend at least two or three days in Birmingham after the surgery and then his program will depend on the exact nature of the procedure, Hillman said.
–Dick Kaegel
Some Royals thoughts on top power hitters
For the MLB.com feature called “Around the Cage,” we asked some of the Royals about power hitting. Here’s what they had to say:
Who’s the best power hitter in the game today?
Trey Hillman: “I’d have to say Pujols. He has the ability to use all fields, hit ’em on all counts, certainly one of the most feared hitters. I would say Albert.”
Willie Bloomquist: “Pujols. I haven’t seen him play a lot but he doesn’t miss. You either walk him or he’s going to hit something hard somewhere. He’s an absolute pure hitter with a ton of pop behind it. So everything I’ve heard is pretty much on a par for what I see. He’s legit.”
Who could hit the most and the longest home runs?
Mark Teahen: “I’m gonna go with Carlos Pena, because I’ve seen him hit a couple of balls (at Kauffman Stadium) that were ridiculous.”
Hillman: “I’d say Pujols fits into both of those. Distance, I’d put Jake (Mike Jacobs) in there. We’ve seen him hit a couple that have knocked our socks off but I think we’re going to see more that have more distance than most home runs have.”
Bloomquist: “(For longest) probably Josh Hamilton. His swing is kind of made for it, especially playing in Texas which is kind of a launching pad. (For most) They don’t pitch to Pujols enough; if they’d pitch to him, no problem. I would say probably Alex Rodriguez because of the protection he has in the lineup, he’s going to get pitched to. And that stadium is kind of a band box from what I understand. So I would go with him.”
–Dick Kaegel
Farnsworth suffers bite breaking up dog fight
Royals reliever Kyle Farnsworth was bitten by one of his dogs on Tuesday morning and had four stitches taken in his left index finger but said he was able to pitch.
“I’m just glad it wasn’t my other hand,” said Farnsworth, a hard-throwing right-hander.
Farnsworth’s left index or forefinger was wrapped in tape which was protruding from his glove as he went through batting practice shagging balls in center field. The dog’s bit reached a tendon but did not cause serious damage, he said.
“My dogs got in a fight this morning and I just tried to break it up and they bit me in the process,” he said.
Farnsworth said he owned two American bulldogs, one about 80 pounds and the other about 90 pounds. They’re named Strike and Rambo. The incident happened about 7:30 a.m. CT Tuesday morning at his Leawood, Kan., home when the dogs got into a scrap apparently over sharing the affections of Farnsworth’s children.
He’s not sure which dog bit him.
“I think it was Rambo. I don’t know. I reached in there and started grabbing dogs and throwing dogs. And one of them got me,” he said. “One of those things that happens. It’s never pretty. I’ve had to do it a few times and it’s ugly.”
The dogs were current on shots so he has no rabies concerns.
“It hurts a little bit but no big deal, just a flesh wound,” he said.
Royals manager Trey Hillman said that Farnsworth was not expected to miss any time.
“Not planning on it, planning on wrapping it up and having him available today,” Hillman said.
Farnsworth at least was able to grin about the incident.
“That’s how I start my mornings off,” he said. “Wrestling with bulldogs.”
— Dick Kaegel
Crisp goes on 15-day DL with sore shoulder
Center fielder Coco Crisp’s continuing battle with a sore right shoulder finally put him on the 15-day disabled list on Sunday.
The Royals placed Crisp on the list retroactive to Saturday because of a right rotator cuff strain. His spot on the roster was taken by infielder Tug Hulett, recalled from Triple-A Omaha.
Crisp has been in and out of the lineup since May 26 when he was removed during a game because of shoulder soreness. It has been particularly affecting his swing from the left side of the plate and his ability to throw.
Manager Trey Hillman was hoping the shoulder would heal during a six-game hiatus during which Crisp missed four games because of the shoulder and two more to attend his great grandmother’s funeral. Since rejoining the team at Tampa Bay on June 4, he has played in five of nine games.
Crisp is batting .228 but had proven especially adapt at drawing bases on balls; he has 29 walks for a .336 on-base percentage. Batting in the leadoff spot in 47 of his 49 games, Crisp was leading the Royals with 30 runs scored and 13 stolen bases with five triples.
This is Hulett’s second stint with the Royals. He with with them for 10 days, May 24-June 4, and went 0-for-4.
–Dick Kaegel
First replay review at Kauffman results in no change
The first replay review at Kauffman Stadium resulted in no change to the umpire’s decision on Saturday night.
The incident came as the Royals’ half of the fourth inning began against Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo.
Billy Butler’s line drive down the left-field line into the seats was ruled a foul ball by third-base umpire Tony Randazzo. Royals manager Trey Hillman, watching from the first-base dugout, came out to question the call.
After a brief huddle, crew chief Jerry Layne and two of the other three umpires went to the tunnel next to the umpires’ room near third-base to view a replay from Major League Baseball offices in New York.
After a brief delay, Layne emerged and indicated the call was correct and play resumed.
Umpires supervisor Steve Palermo, observing from the press box, said the umpires executed the review by the book.
The replay rule was put into effect last year to aid umpires ruling on boundary calls such as fair-foul balls and fan interference.
–Dick Kaegel
Heres how Zacks ERA got all the way up to 1.72
A reader wanted to know how in the how Zack Greinke was charged with two runs in the eighth inning on Thursday night at Cleveland. He thought the second run should have been charged to John Bale.
Here’s what happened: With one out, Mark DeRosa singled and Victor Martinez walked. At that point, Greinke was relieved by Bale. Shin-Soo Choo hit a possible double-play ball to first baseman Billy Butler, who threw to second for the force. But shortstop Tony Pena Jr.’s return throw got past Bale covering for an error, DeRosa scoring. On that play, second baseman Alberto Callaspo, after chasing down the ball, threw poorly to home for another error that let Choo take second. Then Joakim Soria relieved Bale and Jhonny Peralta blasted a double off the top of the left-field wall, Choo scoring.
Greinke is charged with both runs because he put the first two runners on base. And even though Martinez was retired on Choo’s fielder’s choice, the fact that there was a runner on at all still reverts to Zack. It might be a bit unfair but that’s the way it is.
Even though DeRosa scored on Pena’s throwing error, that came on a double play attempt in which you cannot assume the second out which would have ended the inning. So the scorer ruled that DeRosa would have scored along with Choo on Peralta’s double, hence both runs were earned and charged to Zack.
In the case of the second run charged to Zack, I suppose the scorer could have ruled that Choo would not have reached second base except for Callaspo’s error and therefore would not have scored on Peralta’s double. However, there were two outs when the double was hit so Choo would have been running all the way if he were still at first base and the ball hit high off the wall anyway so he’d probably have scored from first regardless.
–Dick Kaegel
Buck goes on disabled list; Brayan Pena promoted
Catcher John Buck was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a slight herniation in his lower back, Royals manager Trey Hillman announced before Sunday’s game against the White Sox.
Catcher Brayan Pena’s contract was selected from Triple-A Omaha to take his spot on the roster.
Buck was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital after being suddenly seized with back pain just before his time at bat in the third inning on Saturday night.
“The inning ended with him reaching up and tagging on the strike three and he came down, took his catcher’s gear off and realized his spot in the lineup was due up,” Hillman said.
“He was reaching for something – I think his catching helmet had fallen off – and felt a little tweak. He grabbed his bat and as soon as he went up the stairs (of the dugout), he went down. It just grabbed on him. It’s unfortunate.”
Hillman said Buck was still confined to the hospital on Sunday.
“He was in some pain last night,” Hillman said. “It grabbed him so hard they said he went down to his knees.”
Buck, relegated this year to a secondary role to Miguel Olivo, was batting .226 with three home runs and 19 RBIs in 28 games. He had made a special effort to streamline his body during the winter and was in excellent condition this spring.
Pena was batting .307 with four homers and 18 RBIs for Omaha in 22 games, although he caught in just five games and had played the outfield in nine. He appeared in four games for the Royals, going 2-for-7, before being designated for assignment on April 24. Pena cleared waivers and was assigned to Omaha on May 5.
–Dick Kaegel
Royals Beat 