Daily Clips
March 3, 2017
LOCAL
Hosmer provides boost with 1st spring homer
March 2, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan & Jesse Sanchez/MLB.com
O'Brien making powerful case for roster spot
March 2, 2017by Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
Young, Wood solid in spring work vs. Rockies
March 2, 2017by Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
Hosmer gets real in regard to spring numbers
March 2, 2017by Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
Black wearing No. 10 to honor late manager
March 2, 2017by Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
Royals pitchers tame Rockies’ offense in 3-1 victory
March 2, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star
Five years after stumbling with the Royals, Jonathan Sanchez is not ready to quit
March 2, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star
Rockies manager Bud Black pays tribute to former Royals manager Dick Howser
March 2, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star
How to watch the Royals on FOX Sports Kansas City
March 2, 2017FOXSportsKC.com
MINORS
Chasers/Royals Spring Training Update
Chasers alums Perez, Dozier, Pena off to hot starts in KC camp
March 2, 2017By Andrew Green/Omaha Storm Chasers
NATIONAL
Which MLB teams will beat or betray expectations in 2017?
March 3, 2017By Jeff Sullivan/ESPN.com
Chris Young throws two scoreless innings in first spring start
March 2, 2017AP (via ESPN.com)
Intentional walk, 30-second limit on challenges among MLB rule changes
MLB and the players union announced the new rules on Thursday
March 2, 2017By Dayn Perry/CBSSports.com
Jorge Soler says trade from Cubs was best thing for him
March 1, 2017By Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune
Former Cubs pitcher Jason Hammel learned about free agency the hard way
March 1, 2017By Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune
Inside Jason Hammel's Free-Agent Odyssey from Cubs to Royals
March 1, 2017By Patrick Mooney/CSN Chicago
MLB TRANSACTIONS
March 3, 2017 •.CBSSports.com
LOCAL
Hosmer provides boost with 1st spring homer
March 2, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan & Jesse Sanchez/MLB.com
Eric Hosmer launched his first home run of the spring, a two-run, 414-foot shot to center field, lifting the Royals to a 3-1 win over the Rockies on Thursday at Surprise Stadium.
Rockies left-hander Tyler Anderson bounced back from a shaky first outing and breezed through two innings, retiring all six batters he faced.
Anderson, a first-round pick in the 2011 Draft, likely sets up as the Rockies' No. 2 or 3 starter. He threw 29 pitches, 19 for strikes, and struck out three.
"I definitely had a better idea of where the ball was going to go when the ball left my hand," Anderson said. "As opposed to last time when it left my hand and I was like, 'Ooh, I'm not sure where that's going to be.'"
Meanwhile, right-hander Chris Young and left-hander Travis Wood, battling with Nathan Karns for the Royals' No. 5 spot in the rotation, each worked two scoreless innings.
Wood gave up an infield hit and an unearned run in his second inning of work.
"He changed speeds really good," Royals manager Ned Yost said of Young. "His slider was really good. He moved his fastball around, effectively up. And Wood the same way -- changed speeds and his command was excellent."
After the game, Rockies manager Bud Black said he was not sure Hosmer's drive should have been called a homer and he discussed the call with the umpires.
"They called it a home run, but it was not a home run," Black said. "The ball hit the top railing, but the umpires told me it went over the fence and that it hit the grass [berm]. So I said to the umpire, 'How does the ball go 20 feet up in the air when it hits the grass? That's hard grass.'"
Up next for Rockies: Follow the as the Rockies will get a good look at three pitchers competing for the final spot in the rotation -- starting with Jeff Hoffman -- on Friday at 1:05 p.m. MT against the Indians at Goodyear Ballpark. German Marquez and Chris Rusin, who are also in the mix for the job, are scheduled to pitch.
Up next for Royals: Listen live on Gameday Audio as right-hander Ian Kennedy, likely the No. 2 starter this season, makes his spring debut when the Royals travel to Glendale to play the Dodgers on Friday at 2:05 p.m. CT. Right-hander Josh Staumont and his 100-mph fastball also will pitch.
O'Brien making powerful case for roster spot
March 2, 2017by Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
The talk of Royals camp through the first week of games has been the prodigious power of outfielder/designated hitter Peter O'Brien, who hit three mammoth home runs in eight at-bats entering Thursday's game against the Rockies.
But the serious question is: Can O'Brien and that raw power somehow crack the 25-man roster?
The Royals already have three starters in the outfield, and they presumably have a primary DH in Brandon Moss, though manager Ned Yost has indicated he will move Moss around to the outfield and to first base as well.
And that is why O'Brien, too, will work at different positions defensively.
"He can DH, he can play the outfield," Yost said. "We've got him working at first base, too, to increase his options and versatility defensively, just to see how he looks. I would imagine [if he makes the 25-man roster] it would be as an outfielder and a DH, of course.
"He's done OK in the outfield, but it's still too early to judge. But I don't think he's a guy who's a pigeon-holed hitter. He can throw and he can do things."
One thing perhaps working against O'Brien is that he has two Minor League options left. The Royals have plenty of time to be patient with O'Brien and develop that power.
Keeping O'Brien on the 25-man roster could deprive him of precious developmental at-bats.
"Our mindset is to put the best team together on the field, but still protect ourselves in the Minors," Yost said. "You get a guy who has an option and the other guy is about even, the guy with the option is probably going to go down. That all plays into it.
"But this kid still has tremendous power and is very smart. But he still has options where you can continue his development to get at-bats."
The other factor the Royals guard against is the sometimes illusion of Spring Training numbers, especially in the dry air of the Cactus League where balls often fly out of ballparks at a rapid pace.
"His power is definitely real," Yost said. "It's going to play anywhere.
"But yeah, you're looking at swings. You're looking at contact. You look at a lot of different things, not just numbers. If you're looking at numbers in Spring Training, especially for veteran guys, it's not valuable because they don't care about numbers down here. You can say, 'How can this guy ever get a hit?' Then, boom, the season starts and they're hitting.
"It's just very early and [O'Brien's] off to a good start."
Young, Wood solid in spring work vs. Rockies
March 2, 2017by Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
The battle for the Royals' No. 5 spot in the rotation remains a dead heat after the first week of Spring Training.
Nathan Karns, Chris Young and Travis Wood all survived their first two innings of work without allowing an earned run.
Young and Wood each pitched two innings in the Royals' 3-1 win over the Rockies on Thursday at Surprise Stadium.
Young gave up two hits, walked one and struck out two. His slider demonstrated some hard bite down in the zone. And he elevated his fastball to the spots he wanted.
"I just tried to establish my fastball command," Young said. "Just compete. That's it.
"Slider was good. Fastball command was pretty good. Good day to get my feet wet. Everybody seemed to pitch well today."
And included Wood, who had a 1-2-3 inning before giving up an infield hit and an unearned run in his second inning of work.
"Just trying to get that first one out of the way," Wood said. "It worked out well today.
"First outing, I'm taking it nice and easy, mechanics-wise, and everything felt good. We're all just feeling our pitches right now. You just want to make sure the pitches feel good and come out good. That's it."
Hosmer gets real in regard to spring numbers
March 2, 2017by Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
Royals manager Ned Yost always talks about disregarding his veterans' Spring Training numbers.
"The older guys, they come down here and they don't care about results," Yost said. "They're just working on things."
First baseman Eric Hosmer couldn't agree more.
"We're always paying attention to something we're doing," Hosmer said. "You're always working on something. Yeah, Spring Training numbers don't count, but you work on things. You work on situations.
"It's just really about getting the eyes trained, and seeing pitches."
Hosmer, who hit his first spring homer in Thursday's 3-1 win over the Rockies, and is 3-for-9 with two doubles, believes his swing is coming along just fine.
"I feel really good," he said. "It's always a worry when you first get down here facing live [batting practice] right away. And then, you get someone like Danny Duffy out of the gate.
"After that, you start the games and you get fans in the stands, and you get the competitive fire back."
The numbers are mostly meaningless, though.
"Hey, that's the beauty of hitting out here," Hosmer said. "The ball flies, the ground is hard. You can put up some numbers.
"But I will say that the homers we've hit have been no-doubters. The other day in Peoria, [Salvador Perez] and [Paulo Orlando] crushed those balls.
"And I saw the homer that [Peter O'Brien] hit in Maryvale. That was a no-doubter. So, you still just try to hit the ball hard, don't chase pitches out of the zone, get your work in."
Black wearing No. 10 to honor late manager
March 2, 2017by Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
Rockies manager Bud Black has switched uniform numbers with Ian Desmond to honor his former manager, the late Dick Howser.
Black will wear No. 10 the rest of the season and Desmond will wear No. 20.
Black pitched for the Royals from 1982-1988. Howser, whose No. 10 is retired beyond the center field wall at Kauffman Stadium, managed the Royals to their 1985 World Series championship.
"He was the one that early in my career, he kept giving me the ball," Black said after Thursday's 3-1 loss to the Royals. "He showed a lot of faith in me and I learned a lot from Dick. He believed in who he believed in and he was really convicted to the players that he truly trusted. He was fiery yet patient at the same time. That's a good combination."
Howser died in 1987 after battling a brain tumor.
Royals pitchers tame Rockies’ offense in 3-1 victory
March 2, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star
On paper, the Royals’ 3-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Thursday delivered plenty of positive developments.
Chris Young and Travis Wood made their spring debuts with impressive outings, each striking out two over two innings. Reliever Joakim Soria posted his second scoreless frame. Eric Hosmer supplied the punch, driving a two-run homer to left-center field inside Surprise Stadium.
Yet it was the specifics that delighted manager Ned Yost. Yes, Young and Wood were solid as they began their bids for the club’s final rotation spot. But consider the context: They were solid against a formidable Rockies lineup that could project as one of the National League’s best offenses.
The Rockies pulled no punches Thursday, throwing out a starting lineup that featured second baseman DJ LeMahieu, center fielder Carlos Gonzalez, third baseman and MVP candidate Nolan Arenado, first baseman Ian Desmond and shortstop Trevor Story. Young and Wood answered the test. Young started and posted two scoreless innings, while Wood allowed one unearned run in two frames. On the next turn through the rotation, Wood will draw the start and Young will pitch in relief.
“That’s their A-lineup that can swing that bat,” Yost said. “You know, Chris threw the ball really, really well. He changed speeds really well. His slider was really good. He moved his fastball around. He used it effectively up. He did a nice job. And Wood [was] the same way.”
Young and Wood are vying with right-hander Nathan Karns for the final slot in the starting rotation. Karns tossed two scoreless innings in impressive fashion on Wednesday. But one day later, Young and Wood were sharp as well.
Young worked around a walk and a seeing-eye single in the first. His slider displayed bite and procured a handful of swings-and-misses. His fastball sat at 85 mph. After a disappointing 2016, Young likely projects as the club’s long reliever when the season begins, but he will have the opportunity to make his case as a starter over the next month.
Wood, meanwhile, would prefer a return to starting after spending most of the last two seasons in the Chicago Cubs’ bullpen. The Royals promised him that opportunity when offering a two-year, $12 million deal last month. But if he does not beat out Karns and Young, he is ready to accept an assignment in the bullpen, he said.
“I do enjoy starting,” he said. “Because it’s a real challenge facing hitters several times throughout a lineup. … But whatever they want me to do, I’ll do it.”
The Arms
In the top half of the sixth inning, reliever Soria was tasked with facing the heart of the Rockies’ lineup. He deftly maneuvered through Gonzalez, Arenado and Desmond, earning plaudits from his manager.
“Facing 3-4-5 right there was a good test for him, and he just aced it,” Yost said.
On the heels of a disastrous 2016 campaign, Soria has yet to allow a run in two appearances. On Thursday, he induced a grounder from Gonzalez, coaxed a foul pop from Arenado and struck out Desmond.
Reliever Peter Moylan also recorded his third scoreless inning of the spring.
The Regulars
The strangest moment of the day belonged to Hosmer. In the bottom of the fourth, with one man on, Hosmer hammered a drive to deep left-center field. The ball appeared to easily clear the fence and railing, landing in the grassy berm beyond the wall. But the baseball ricocheted back onto the playing surface, confusing the umpires. No home run signal was given, and Mike Moustakas, who was leisurely jogging around the bases, was tagged out at home plate.
Moments later, the umpires conferenced and changed the ruling to a homer. The play still baffled Ned Yost, who surmised that the ball must have hit a sprinkler head in the outfield berm. According to the Royals’ in-house tracking system, the baseball traveled 414 feet.
“I could have swore,” Yost said. “… I thought I saw it on the berm.”
The Young Guys
Second baseman Raul Mondesi drew the start and finished 1 for 2, collecting his third hit of the spring. In four games, Mondesi is 3 for 8 with a strikeout.
Hunter Dozier also continued a hot start, collecting a hit in his only at-bat. In limited duty, Dozier has four hits and two walks in nine plate appearances.
Five years after stumbling with the Royals, Jonathan Sanchez is not ready to quit
March 2, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star
It has been four years since his last day on a major-league mound, five years since a disastrous stay in Kansas City, and nearly eight since the most glorious night of his career, and yet Jonathan Sanchez will not quit.
He cannot do it, he says. The fire still burns. The hankering for competition lingers. The dream lives on.
On good days, his fastball can still hums in the mid 90s. In those moments, he can still feel like the pitcher that twirled a no-hitter and started in the World Series and provided volts of electricity from his left arm. So here is he is, standing inside the Royals clubhouse on a morning in late February, battling for a spot in the club’s bullpen, his slender frame a most unlikely figure in a room of All-Stars and prospects, veterans and dreamers.
“I’ll never give up,” Sanchez says. “You just want to keep playing until God says you’re done.”
Sanchez is 34 years old now, five years removed from a brief, forgettable stint with the Royals in 2012. His last major-league appearance came as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 29, 2013. He posted 11.85 ERA in 13 2/3 innings that season before being released in early May.
In the years since, he has had stints with the Dodgers, Cubs and Reds. His career has often languished on life support. In 2014, he didn’t pitch at a level higher than Class AAA. In 2015 and 2016, he was out of affiliated baseball altogether. After a three-year break, it seemed unlikely he would ever pitch in the big leagues again.