Daily Clips
July12, 2017
LOCAL
Vargas, Salvy record scoreless frame in ASG
Royals lefty keeps NL squad at bay as AL prevails in 10th
July 12, 2017By Maria Guardado/MLB.com
Mike Moustakas faced his friends, and hit a scary line drive at All-Star Game
July 12, 2017By Sam Mellinger/KC Star
Salvador Perez takes foul tip off his hand, but stays in All-Star Game
July 12, 2017By Pete Grathoff/KC Star
Mike Moustakas had a sweet tribute to his mom during the All-Star Game
July 12, 2017By Pete Grathoff/KC Star
MINORS
After early demotion from Kansas City, Raul Mondesi’s All-Star season has been bright spot for Storm Chasers
July 12, 2017By Tony Boone/Omaha World Herald
MLB TRANSACTIONS
July12, 2017 •.CBSSports.com
LOCAL
Vargas, Salvy record scoreless frame in ASG
Royals lefty keeps NL squad at bay as AL prevails in 10th
July 12, 2017By Maria Guardado/MLB.com
Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas had but two pitchers he wanted to face on Tuesday night and, as luck would have it, he went two-for-two in wishes granted while going 0-for-2 at the plate.
"I'd like to face [Cubs closer Wade Davis], and I'd like to face [Rockies closer Greg Holland]," Moustakas said before the 2017 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard. "Those are good buddies of mine, and I was hanging out with them last night. It'd be fun just to face one of those guys at the All-Star Game."
Moustakas got his wish, facing both of his former Royals teammates in the American League's 2-1 victory in 10 innings over the National League on Tuesday night at Marlins Park.
"It was fun," said Moustakas, who finished 0-for-2. "It was awesome to see them out there. I was definitely smiling, just laughing to myself a little bit."
Moustakas, who replaced Miguel Sano at third base in the seventh and stayed in to play the rest of the game, took his first at-bat in the top of the eighth. Holland won the battle by getting Moustakas to fly out to right field to start the inning.
Moustakas also came up empty against Davis, striking out in the 10th. Still, that at-bat took a scary turn when Moustakas inadvertently lined a foul ball that hit a photographer by the AL dugout and briefly paused the game. Clearly concerned, Moustakas immediately took a knee as a sign of respect, and then he walked over to check on the photographer before resuming his at-bat.
"He seemed like he was doing all right," Moustakas said. "I saw him when he went down in the tunnel after my at-bat, and I talked to him a little bit, and he seemed like he was OK. I told him I'm sorry, apologized a bunch. Obviously, you don't want anything like that to happen."
Moustakas was one of three Royals to appear in the Midsummer Classic, following starting catcher Salvador Perez and left-hander Jason Vargas.
Perez, who made his fifth career All-Star Game appearance, had a brief injury scare in the first inning after he was struck on the right hand by a foul tip off the bat of Giants catcher Buster Posey. A trainer came out to check on Perez, but he stayed in the game and caught five innings.
"Everything is fine, thanks to God," Perez said afterward.
Perez also finished 0-for-2 at the plate, though he was robbed by Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper in his first at-bat of the night. In the second, Perez lined a 2-1 sinker from Phillies reliever Pat Neshek into the gap in right-center field, but Harper made a diving grab to end the inning.
"The play happened, it was pretty good," Perez said. "I was happy. Good for him."
Perez later popped out against Dodgers left-hander Alex Wood to start the fifth.
Perez was also behind the plate for Vargas' All-Star debut in the fourth. Vargas worked around a leadoff single to Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado to post a scoreless inning, though Vargas got some help from Red Sox center fielder Mookie Betts. After Ryan Zimmerman flied out to center field, Arenado attempted to tag and take second, but Betts made an outstanding throw to second baseman Jonathan Schoop, completing the double play.
"Mookie made a nice throw there to get Nolan out at second," Vargas said. "It felt really nice to get that out at second base."
Vargas capped his outing by coaxing a groundout from Marlins outfielder MarcellOzuna to end the inning.
"It happened so quick," Vargas said. "You get loose and you get in the game. Fortunately enough, it was fairly quick for me out there in the game. You get a chance to kind of take a breath when you get in, and enjoy what just happened."
Worth noting
• Moustakas made a touching tribute to his mother, Connie, in the middle of the sixth inning, holding up a placard with her name written on it during the "Stand Up to Cancer" moment. Connie lost her two-year battle with cancer in August 2015, but her son firmly believes she is still watching him every day, and he honors her before each at-bat by etching her initials outside the batter's box.
Mike Moustakas faced his friends, and hit a scary line drive at All-Star Game
July 12, 2017By Sam Mellinger/KC Star
Two hours before the first pitch, Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas smiled and made the kind of wish he could not have expected to come true.
“Hopefully tonight I get to face Wade or Greg,” he said.
As it turned out, he faced both of his former teammates. First in the eighth, when he flew out to right on a first pitch fastball from Greg Holland that got too far in.
Then in the 10th, immediately after Robinson Cano’s home run, Moustakas struck out on the fourth cutter from Wade Davis.
Two tries against old friends, and two outs, but Moustakas was happy.
“I was definitely smiling, just laughing to myself,” he said. “Obviously this game is important but not as important. Maybe if we’re playing in the postseason I wouldn’t be laughing, but it was a lot of fun to face those guys.”
The at-bat against Davis was busy. He hit a foul scorcher into the photographer’s booth, the ball hitting a man hard enough that home plate umpire Joe West paused the game.
Moustakas went to a knee during the delay, then walked over to the photographer before continuing the plate appearance.
“I told him I was sorry,” Moustakas said. “Apologized a bunch. Obviously you never want to do that, but he seemed good, he said he was all right.”
All three Royals — Moustakas, pitcher Jason Vargas, and catcher Sal Perez — lockered next to each other. After the game, Perez was the first one dressed.
They all had different reasons to remember the night. Moustakas faced his friends. Vargas pitched a scoreless fourth inning, highlighted by a terrific throw from Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts that turned into a double play. Perez, as he tends to be, was a fixture in the middle of any celebration in the American League dugout.
“Love you, bro,” he said to Vargas, going in for a hug.
“Travel safe,” he said to Moustakas, with another hug.
Salvador Perez takes foul tip off his hand, but stays in All-Star Game
July 12, 2017By Pete Grathoff/KC Star
Had this been any other Royals player, fans might have really been worried.
Sure, there were a few breathless moments Tuesday after Giants catcher Buster Posey fouled off a pitch that hit Royals catcher Salvador Perez in the right hand in the first inning of the All-Star Game in Miami.
A trainer came out to check on Perez, who grimaced. But Perez declared that he would be able to continue.
Perez has a reputation for being tougher than the average player. Remember that terrible collision with Drew Butera in March during the World Baseball Classic? Perez limped off the field, but he wasn’t out of action all that long. In 2016, Perez collided with third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert as both tried to get a foul popup.
Again, Perez’s knee seemed to take a hard knock, but he didn’t need to go on the disabled list.
In the second inning of the All-Star Game, Perez came to the plate and hit a looper to right field that was snagged by Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper on a nice play.
Mike Moustakas had a sweet tribute to his mom during the All-Star Game
July 12, 2017By Pete Grathoff/KC Star
That was a really, really sweet moment in sixth inning of the All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Miami.
After the American League batted in the top of the frame, there was a break in the action as people took time to honor friends and family who have battled or are fighting cancer in the “Stand Up To Cancer” moment.
On his sign, Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas’ wrote his mother’s name.
Connie Moustakas died on Aug. 9, 2015 after a two-year battle. Few outside of the Royals organization knew she was sick as her son kept the matter private while he mostly continued to play (he took two short family-leave absences).
So, it was neat to see on Tuesday night as Mike Moustakas was taking part in his second All-Star Game.
Another cool part of the ceremony: the umpires paid tribute to Steve Palermo, who died in May.
MINORS
After early demotion from Kansas City, Raul Mondesi’s All-Star season has been bright spot for Storm Chasers
July 12, 2017By Tony Boone/Omaha World Herald
After leaving early in Sunday’s game against Iowa in Des Moines with an apparent injury, Omaha shortstop Raul Mondesi won’t play in Wednesday’s Triple-A All-Star Game in Tacoma, Washington.
The move to hold Mondesi out is likely a precautionary one. But it leaves the Storm Chasers without a representative in the annual midseason event while denying the Kansas City prospect a well-earned trip.
Mondesi put together a stellar first half after being sent down by the Royals in the opening month of the season. He enters the second half leading Omaha in hitting (.316), runs scored (39), RBIs (43) and stolen bases (18). Mondesi hit grand slams on Friday and Saturday against Iowa before the break.
“For me, he’s a five-tool player,” Chasers manager Brian Poldberg said. “He’s got a chance to be a superstar. But he’s just got to grow into it and understand what he can and can’t do in the situation.”
Mondesi, the son of former MLB All-Star Raul Mondesi and the first player in modern history to make his big league debut in the World Series, is in the midst of the best season of his young career. And he’s still only 21 years old. Considering the high level he’s playing at, even his teammates forget that on occasion.
“He’s honestly become one of the leaders on our team,” veteran Omaha infielder Dean Anna said. “He’s becoming a player that you don’t just look at him as a young guy. I think that’s the best thing. After the first few months, you can tell he’s more mature. It’s hard to explain. But when you see it every day, you know what I’m saying. It’s fun to see him become the player that he should become and will become.”
Kansas City’s front office is high on Mondesi. It handed him the starting job at second base this season after he batted .333 in 23 spring training games. He opened the year going 4 for 42 and was demoted.
Mondesi showed few signs of discouragement at the time. He just got back to work in Triple-A ball.
“It’s not easy, but when you’re focused and motivated every day and go 100 percent, those are the results that you’ve got,” he said. “I’m happy I’m getting back. I’ll keep playing hard and see what happens.”
Mondesi’s consistent play has been a bright spot for the Chasers in an up-and-down first half. Omaha sat third in the PCL’s American North, and within striking distance of the division lead, for most of it. But a dreadful nine-game series against first-place Colorado Springs, in which they won only once, knocked the Chasers into the basement. Their 40-48 record is the fourth-worst in the league at the break.
Omaha has relied on its young pitching, which includes some of the top prospects in the organization. But Jonathan Dziedzic and Kyle Zimmer have battled injuries. Jake Junis, Eric Skoglund and Luke Farrell have all been called up at times. And No. 1 prospect Josh Staumont struggled with his command.
Offensively, the Chasers have been inconsistent. They’re near the bottom of the PCL in on-base and slugging percentage. They’ve scored the fewest runs in the league, although others have played more games.
Mondesi, however, remains a bright spot. He’s been staying the course, even when his team struggles.
“Being around these guys makes me happy,” he said. “Playing with these guys, they motivate me every day. I do my best and play hard every day. I’ll keep working hard, do my little things and keep rolling.”
The youngster, who turns 22 later this month, was happy he’d been selected to represent Omaha in the Triple-A All-Star Game. The fact that he won’t be attending now does little to diminish his achievements.
Poldberg said when Mondesi first arrived at Werner Park this season, he was looking to bunt first when at the plate. Now, he boasts a slash line of .316/.346/.544 with a career-best 10 homers at midseason.
Mondesi has played 51 of his Triple-A games this year at shortstop, his natural position. But he remains open to playing second base — or somewhere else — if Kansas City has other plans going ahead.
“Wherever the team needs me, I just play,” he said. “Even outfield, I don’t have a problem with that. I just want to play every day, give my best and help the team win. It doesn’t matter where I’m playing.”
If the injury suffered Sunday, when he was trying to avoid being hit by a pitch, is minor, Mondesi should be back in action during Omaha’s next homestand, which begins on Thursday. How long he’ll remain in Triple-A is a mystery. Poldberg said it’s only a matter of time before Mondesi is back in the majors.
“He’s already been in the big leagues,” he said. “People expect a lot, but it takes a little longer for some guys. He’s going to be fine. He’s going to be a great player in the big leagues. I don’t think it’s far off.”
MLB TRANSACTIONS
July12, 2017 •.CBSSports.com
Baltimore Orioles / David Washington / Outrighted to Minors
Baltimore Orioles / Paul Janish / Outrighted to Minors
Los Angeles Dodgers / Todd Cunningham / Traded from Cardinals, St. Louis (for cash considerations)
St. Louis Cardinals / Alex Mejia / Sent to Minors
St. Louis Cardinals / Kolten Wong / Removed From 10-Day DL, (Strained right triceps)
St. Louis Cardinals / Luke Weaver / Sent to Minors
St. Louis Cardinals / Kolten Wong / Recalled From Minors, Rehab Assignment