Tagged: Royals
Prospects aplenty in KCs Major League camp
Four of the Royals’ Top 10 prospects, as recently defined by Baseball America, will get a priority evaluation in the Major League Spring Training camp.
Pitcher Aaron Crow, rated No. 2, is on the 40-man roster and third baseman Mike Moustakas (No. 4), pitcher Danny Duffy (No. 8) and outfielder David Lough (No. 10) have also been invited.
The other six in the Top 10 are pitcher Mike Montgomery (1), catcher Wil Myers (3), first baseman Eric Hosmer (5), pitcher Tim Melville (6), pitcher John Lamb (7) and pitcher Chris Dwyer (9). They’ll be in the Minor League camp in the same complex at Surprise, Ariz.
Of the four Top 10ers in the big-league camp, Baseball America cites as Moustakas as the farm system’s best power hitter and best infield arm and Crow as having the best fastball and best slider. And, in the publication’s projected 2013 (yes, 2013!) lineup, Lough is seen as the center fielder and Moustakas as the right fielder (that Alex Gordon guy is still at third base) and Crow as the No. 4 starter. Duffy isn’t listed but neither is the projected bullpen so maybe he’s sitting out there in 2013.
Other up-and-comers from the Minors, already on the 40-man roster, that will get close scrutiny include catcher Manuel Pina, shortstop Jeff Bianchi, outfielders Jarrod Dyson and Jordan Parraz and pitchers Noel Arguelles, Henry Barrera, Edgar Osuna and Blake Wood. Arguelles is the Cuban lefty the Royals signed for $7 million. And guys like slugging first baseman Kila Ka’aihue and shortstop-third baseman Mario Lisson will be back for another try.
It should be an interesting camp for getting an eyeful of the Royals’ future hopes.
–Dick Kaegel
Royals close to deal with outfielder Scott Podsednik
The Royals were close to signing a deal with outfielder Scott Podsednik on Friday.
Podsednik, a free agent, is expected to take over the Royals’ center field spot. A speedster, the left-handed batter last season hit .304 for the Chicago White Sox with a .353 on-base percentage and 30 stolen bases.
No terms of the deal, expected to be signed if all went well with a physical examination in Kansas City, were known immediately.
The Royals began last season with Coco Crisp in center field but he was shut down after 49 games and subsequently underwent surgery on both shoulders. The Royals declined their $8-million contract option on Crisp for 2010 and he signed with the Oakland A’s.
The Royals also had talked to agents for prospective center fielders such as Rick Ankiel and Randy Winn but Podsednik had been in their sights most of the offseason. He seemed the most logical fit because he figures as a top-of-the-lineup batter along with left fielder David DeJesus.
The Royals also signed Brian Anderson, another ex-White Sox outfielder, this offseason and have holdover Mitch Maier as another experienced center fielder.
Podsednik, 33, has a .277 career average in nine Major League seasons with Seattle, Milwaukee, Colorado and the White Sox.
–Dick Kaegel
Royals Caravan to launch at Fort Riley
The Royals have been big supporters of the military and that continues with the launch of the 2010 Royals Caravan next Tuesday at Fort Riley in Kansas.
Hall of Famer George Brett will be joined by his old pal and former catcher Jamie Quirk and the noted “Joker” and ex-third baseman Joe Randa in meeting members of the Combat Aviation Brigade. The unit of more than 2,700 soldiers is preparing to deploy overseas in the nation’s war zone.
They’ll be joined by broadcaster Joel Goldberg for the visit from 11:15 to 12:45 p.m. CT on Tuesday. The group also will visit the Cottonwood Elementary School in Salina, Kan., at 2:15 p.m. and go to that night’s basketball game at Manhattan, Kansas State vs. Texas A&M.
Should be an interesting FanFest with the ’85 World Series boys coming in. Even Buddy Black, busy as the Padres manager, is taking time to join ex-pitching buddies such as Charlie Leibrandt, Bret Saberhagen and Danny Jackson. And Hal McRae will be there with his big smile and famous cackle. . . . We hear the Royals are planning to have an alumni game next summer with the ’85ers squaring off against some of the Cardinals’ alums from the I-70 Series. Wouldn’t it be nice if new Hall of Famer Whitey Herzog could join the fun? . . . Mike Sweeney will be at next Thursday night’s Royals Awards dinner to present the award named for him – which goes to the player who best represents the organization on and off the field. This year’s winner is first baseman Clint Robinson from the Wilmington Blue Rocks. He logged many hours at the community’s schools and camps and the local Children’s Hospital. He also hit .298 with 13 dingers. Sweeney last year was surprised with the Mr. Baseball Award for his long service to Kansas City. . . . Tickets for the dinner, by the way, are on sale at www.royals.com/awardsnight. It’s 75 bucks and gets you a look at Zack Greinke, Billy Butler, Brett, Frank White and many other celebs. It’s at the Overland Park Convention Center.
— Dick Kaegel
Sizable salary increases for Bannister, Davies
Even though they had losing records and had to shut down early because of shoulder fatigue, pitchers Brian Bannister and Kyle Davies got sizable salary increases from the Royals.
Bannister, 7-12, agreed to $2.3 million for 2010 after making $1,737,500 last season. Davies, 8-9, took $1.8 million and went up from $1.3 million.
They agreed to terms on Saturday, avoiding the possibility of salary arbitration, along with pitcher Roman Colon who settled for $665,000 after making $435,000 last year. That’s if he makes the Major League roster, of course; his Minor League salary would be $240,000.
— Dick Kaegel
Royals sign catcher Jason Kendall to two-year deal
The Royals’ legwork during the Winter Meetings paid off on Friday when they signed free-agent catcher Jason Kendall to a two-year contract.
Kendall, 35, is expected to take over as the Royals’ primary catcher following the departure of Miguel Olivo into the free-agent pool.
A 14-year Major Leaguer, the right-handed batter has a career average of .290 in 1,967 games. He’s not a power hitter – 75 homers – but has an on-base percentage of .369. Earlier in his career, he often batted in the leadoff spot, unusual for a catcher, and has 177 stolen bases.
The Royals went into the meetings at Indianapolis last Monday checking the market for a catcher, a center fielder, a left-handed starter and bullpen help but the signing of Kendall is the first tangible result.
They also were linked to catchers Ivan Rodriguez, who signed a two-year deal with the Washington Nationals, along with Jose Molina and Rod Barajas.
–Dick Kaegel
Royals release DH Mike Jacobs, pitcher John Bale
The Royals got the last day of the Winter Meetings off to a fast start, releasing designated hitter Mike Jacobs and relief pitcher John Bale early Thursday morning.
The moves reduced the roster to 38 players, leaving open two spots prior to the Rule 5 draft.
Both players proved to be disappointments last season.
Jacobs, obtained from the Marlins in a trade for reliever Leo Nunez, hit 19 home runs with 61 RBIs and a .228 average after a .247/32/93 line in 2008 in the National League.
He got off to a good start in his first 36 games, batting .270 with nine homers and 23 RBIs but fell off rapidly. He began the season as the starting first baseman but quickly lost that job to Billy Butler and went into a DH role.
Bale, in his third season with the Royals, began the season on the disabled list after undergoing thyroid surgery. Reinstated on May 23, he pitched in a career-high 43 games but posted a 5.72 ERA in 28 1/3 innings with a 0-1 record and one save.
A left-handed signed by the Royals as a free agent out of Japan for the 2007 season, his stay was interrupted by injuries including shoulder and back strains and a broken hand. He was tried as a starter in 2008 but that experiment ended after he lost all three outings.
–Dick Kaegel
Repaired Crisp caught in the middle
Coco Crisp sounds as if he’d really like to come back to the Royals next season but, as a free agent, he’s kind of caught in the middle. Surgery on both shoulders last summer makes him a gamble for teams to sign before they can judge his recovery and that might not be possible until January or whenever he can resume full baseball activities. For his part, Crisp says he’s feeling good and expects to be back to normal – maybe even better with his repairs – this season.
Crisp was impressive last spring, changing his approach at the plate to coax more walks and being aggressive on the bases. He looked like an ideal leadoff man and was roaming center field wide and free. A good guy with a terrific family, he was a calm veteran presence in the clubhouse.
Royals GM Dayton Moore was impressed with him but, due to the uncertainty of Crisp’s condition, feels compelled to look at other alternatives such as free agent Scott Podsednik and the Orioles’ Felix Pie. Of course, the Royals already have Mitch Maier in house with considerable potential and Josh Anderson as a backup. Another alternative would be to move David DeJesus back to center field from left and try newcomer Josh Fields in left.
The bottom line consideration, as usual, would be what money Crisp would want to come back. During a long phone conversation, we asked if he’d come up with a price.
“Yeah, yeah, a hundred million dollars per year, obviously,” he said merrily. “That’d be OK with me.”
Coco always comes with a smile.
–Dick Kaegel
A Cy Young distinction for the Royals
Thanks to Curt Nelson, director of the Royals Hall of Fame, for this Cy Young tidbit:
The Royals are the only club to have three of its own draft picks win the award while pitching for their original drafting organization. That’s Zack Greinke, David Cone and Bret Saberhagen.
Going through all the winners since the Young Award began in 1956, Nelson found that the Brooklyn-Los Angeles Dodgers had six winners who called Dem Bums their original Major League club. But the first three (Don Newcombe, Don Drysdale, Sandy Koufax) came along before the draft was instituted in 1965 and Fernando Valenzuela, the 1979 winner, was purchased from the Mexican League. Actually the only Dodgers winner who was drafted was Orel Hershiser because Eric Gagne, the 2003 winner, was a non-drafted free agent.
Anyway, the A’s and Royals each had three winners they signed themselves but the A’s Catfish Hunter pre-dated the draft. So that leaves the Royals with three victorious draftees in Zack, Coney and Sabes. Of course, we must point out that Coney was traded away and then lured back by Mr. Kauffman, who sat down and wrote the pitcher a $1 million check at the Winter Meetings in 1992. Then, the spring after he won the Cy Young in the strike-shortened ’94 season, Coney was sent off to the Blue Jays.
Thanks, Curt, for the info. And if you folks haven’t yet visited the Royals Hall of Fame, it’s open even during the winter, usually from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays (not this coming Saturday, however). Or if you have a large group and want a special tour, call 816-504-4297.
— Dick Kaegel
Royals add powder blue caps to uniforms
News flash for the fashion conscious fan: The Royals next season will wear powder blue caps to match the powder blue jerseys they’ve been sporting on afternoon home games and other Easter Parade occasions.
The caps are being unveiled next week.
You can buy powder blue caps for $38 at the Majestic Team Store at the stadium starting on Nov. 24, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT. In fact, former Royals Willie Wilson, Kevin Seitzer and Willie Aikens will be signing autographs at the store from noon to 2 p.m. on Nov. 27, the Friday after Thanksgiving.
Also available for holiday shoppers is Zack Greinke Cy Young merchandise. All kinds of stuff. For operating hours, you can call the store at 816-504-4045 or go to www.royals.com/teamstore.
— Dick Kaegel
Butler has had no long-term talks with club
Billy Butler, while commenting on his selection as the Royals Player of the Year, was asked if he or his agent had discussed a long-term contract with the club.
“Not that I know of,” he said. “I would hope that my agent would have called me if that would have happened. We have not been in any contact or anything along those lines. I know the Royals have a lot on their plate, trying to make the Royals better and everything like that, but obviously I have not heard of anything like that.”
Butler has 2 years and 102 days of Major League service time so he’ll cross into salary arbitration territory after next season.
Also on Monday, the Royals reinstated three players from the 60-day disabled list to their 40-man roster – outfielder Jose Guillen, shortstop Mike Aviles and pitcher Doug Waechter. That puts the roster at 39.
— Dick Kaegel
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