Mother Nature was not kind to the big league KC Royals or their farm system last week. There were a total of six games postponed.

The Royals had two more games postponed last week, with them only playing five (4-1). Their four-game winning steak came to an end with a heartbreaking loss in Monday’s makeup game against Chicago. The lack of games pushed them into second place behind Detroit. The Royals head to Baltimore for three games beginning tonight (hopefully the rain holds off because I will be there).

Omaha also had two games postponed last week. The Storm Chasers went 2-3, but are still in first place in the Pacific Coast League’s American Northern Division at 16-12. They finished up their series at home yesterday afternoon (an extra inning loss) and now are out on the road for eight games in Reno and Colorado Springs.

NW Arkansas had back-to-back games postponed last week and went 2-3. The Naturals are still the worst team in the Texas League at 10-18. They finish up their series at home today against Arkansas before heading out on the road for nine games.

Wilmington went 4-3 last week and enjoyed a day off on Monday. The Blue Rocks are just 13-17 and in last place in the Carolina League’s Northern Division. They welcome Potomac to town for three games beginning tonight and could move out of last place with a sweep.

Lexington has now won six in a row (including last night’s win over Lakewood) and went 5-1 last week. The Legends are moving up in the South Atlantic League Southern Division standings at 14-16. They finish up their series in Lakewood today before heading home for seven games.

Now that you are up-to-date on the teams, let’s hand out some awards.

» Continue reading “Royals Weekly Awards”

The KC Royals were thumped out of first place in the American League Central by the last place Cleveland Indians on Monday night. They lost 9-0.

Who would have thought that Ubaldo Jimenez would decide to pitch like the pitcher the Indians thought they were acquiring? Well, he did tonight. He held the Royals to just one hit over seven innings. That hit was an infield single by Billy Butler. Yup, the slowest guy on the team. It came in the 4th inning.

Ubaldo allowed two hits to lead off the 8th inning, which chased him from the game. Still, the Royals could not score. Ned Yost pinch-hit George Kottaras for Salvador Perez (really?) and Terry Francona countered with lefty Nick Hagadone, who struck him out. Hagadone then got a weak ground out by Elliot Johnson (who pinch-hit for Chris Getz) before striking out Alex Gordon to end the threat.

The Royals went down without a fight in the 9th inning against Cody Allen, as he struck out pinch-hitter Miguel Tejada for the second out.

Jason Kipnis during spring training. I had to post an Indians pic because there were not Royals highlights.

What compounded the Royals offense being completely shut down was the poor pitching by starter Wade Davis. He allowed a solo homerun to Jason Kipnis in the first inning, the first of the season for him and his .185 batting average.

It all completely unraveled for Davis in the 5th inning, when the Indians scored six runs. He allowed a one out double to Michael Brantley (who had three hits) and then walked Kipnis (?). Asdrubal Cabrera (he of the .225 average) doubled in the first run of the inning. Then after recording an out, Nick Swisher singled in a run and Carlos Santana doubled in another. After a coaching visit, the seldom-used Ryan Raburn hit a three-run homerun. Out was Davis and in was Luke Hochevar who got out of the inning with a strikeout.

Raburn added another homerun in the 8th inning off Kelvin Herrera (can he stop giving up homers already?). He went 4-for-4 on the night to raise his average to a whopping .208.

The night could have been a whole lot worse for Davis if not for the two double plays turned and Lorenzo Cain throwing a runner out at the plate.

What was lost in the blowout was the solid pitching from three of the Royals four relievers. Hochevar, Aaron Crow, and Tim Collins combined to throw 3.1 scoreless innings of relief. Only Hochevar allowed a baserunner (a one out single in the sixth).

The Royals now welcome Tampa Bay to town, who have been in town since Sunday night. Former Ray James Shields will start the opening game versus Alex Cobb (who has a 1.82 ERA).

The KC Royals won their slugfest over the visiting LA Angels, 17-11 on Sunday afternoon. It was another piggy-back game for fifth rotation spot contenders Luke Hochevar and Bruce Chen. Neither pitched well, but their offense continued to do the talking.

Hochevar started and allowed four runs on five hits over 3.1 innings. He walked two and struck out three. Hochevar also allowed two home runs. He threw 68 pitches, 42 for strikes.

Chen followed and allowed five runs on five hits over 3.2 innings. He walked two and struck out four. Chen also allowed two home runs. He threw 40 of his 67 pitches for strikes.

Francisley Bueno and Aaron Crow each allowed a run in their one inning of work.

Alcides Escobar went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Billy Butler went 3-for-4 with a double, three runs scored, and four RBIs. Jeff Francoeur fell a double short of a cycle, with three RBIs.

Next up, the Royals will enjoy their second day off this spring. On Tuesday, they will head to Phoenix to play Oakland and Tommy Milone. James Shields will start for the Royals, followed by Everett Teaford, Greg Holland, Juan Gutierrez, Donnie Joseph, and Louis Coleman.

Catcher Salvador Perez is expected back by Tuesday and should be in the lineup. He went 0-for-1 in his final game of the World Baseball Classic for Venezuela.

Eric Hosmer went 2-for-5 in the USA’s clinching game of Pool D over Canada. His bases clearing double in the ninth blew the game open. He and lefty Tim Collins will be heading to Miami for the second round, where they will face Puerto Rico. Irving Falu went 2-for-4 in Puerto Rico’s loss to the Dominican Republic. Former Royals Carlos Beltran went 0-for-4 and Mike Aviles went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run. In the game for the Dominicans, Miguel Tejada came off the bench to go 2-for-2.

The KC Royals won yet again on Tuesday, as they beat visiting Oakland, 8-2. They scored four runs in the bottom of the first and cruised to victory.

Three straight singles opened the bottom of the first to score a run and Billy Butler’s RBI ground out drove in another. Mike Moustakas followed with an RBI double before Lorenzo Cain’s two out RBI single closed out their first inning scoring.

Alcides Escobar was the only Royal that recorded a multi-hit game. They totaled 13 hits. Jarrod Dyson drove in a run in the Royals three run 8th inning with a triple and Brandon Wood hit a solo home run in that inning. Brett Hayes also hit a solo home run (in the second).

Now to my headline.

Bruce Chen made his first start of the spring and allowed one run over three innings. He allowed two hits while striking out two. He threw 29 of his 44 pitches for strikes.

Luke Hochevar followed with three scoreless innings. He allowed three hits and walked one while striking out three. He threw 33 of his 56 pitches for strikes.

Louis Coleman allowed another run in the seventh, before Aaron Crow threw a quick, perfect inning. He threw just nine pitches.

Greg Holland finished out the game by allowing one hit. He struck out two and threw 13 pitches.

James Shields will make his second spring start on Wednesday against Arizona at Salt River. He is hoping to pitch three innings. Lefty Will Smith will follow. Trevor Cahill will start for the Dbacks.

On Wednesday afternoon, the KC Royals battle for the fifth spot in the rotation officially began, as Luke Hochevar made the start and Bruce Chen pitched in relief. The Royals came back to beat the visiting Milwaukee Brewers, 3-2.

Hochevar did not make it through the customary two innings for a first start in spring training. He only allowed one hit, but walked three and used 38 pitches to get just five outs. Francisley Bueno followed and allowed an inherited runner to score (so Hochevar ended up giving up two runs).

Chen entered in the fourth and pitched two perfect innings. He struck out two and threw 21 of his 28 pitches for strikes.

Kelvin Herrera and Tim Collins, who will be leaving for the World Baseball Classic, each pitched a scoreless inning of relief. Louis Coleman followed with a shutout inning before Michael Mariot picked up his second spring training save with a perfect inning.

Meanwhile, on offense for the Royals, it was all about the starters.

Alex Gordon went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Eric Hosmer also went 2-for-3 with a run scored, but he also drove in a run. His replacement, Max Ramirez, went 1-for-1 with a two out RBI.

Mike Moustakas went 2-for-2 with a two out RBI. His replacement, Miguel Tejada, went 1-for-2.

The Royals defense turned four double plays.

James Shields will make his Cactus League debut on Thursday with one inning of work to start at Peoria against the San Diego Padres. Lefty Will Smith will follow in his second spring appearance. Atahualpa Severino will make his final outing before heading to join the Dominican Republic in the WBC.

Jason Marquis will make his first spring start for the Padres and is expected to throw two innings. Tyson Ross and Wilfredo Boscan are expected to follow and throw two to three innings each.

The KC Royals reached an agreement with right-handed pitcher Luke Hochevar on a one year deal to avoid an arbitration hearing this spring.

The contract is worth $4.5 million. It also includes $100,000 in performance bonuses.

That contract is an increase of $1.05 million from last season. A season in which he went 8-16 with a 5.73 ERA. The 16 losses were second-most in the Majors. The positive was that he had a career-high 144 strikeouts in 185.1 innings (seven per nine innings).

Hochevar had 11 terrible starts in 2012 (at least five earned runs and a 13.88 ERA). In his other 22 starts, he carried a very respectable 2.88 ERA.

Hochevar will be battling for the final spot in the Royals rotation with the likes of Bruce Chen, Luis Mendoza, Will Smith, and Everett Teaford. Both Chen and Mendoza will be away during spring training, participating in the World Baseball Classic.

The Royals have been actively shopping both Hochevar and Chen, but have yet to have any takers. In his six years so far with the Royals, he has a career 38-59 record with a 5.39 ERA in 132 games. He was their number one pick back in 2006.

The Hochevar signing locks up all Royals players to contracts for the 2013 season (he was the only player to file).

With the acquisition by the KC Royals of starters James Shields and Wade Davis, it has suddenly over-crowded their rotation.

I don’t necessarily think it is a question of will the Royals trade Bruce Chen and/or Luke Hochevar, but can they trade one or both of them? Would any team take them and their salaries?

Teams are overpaying for starting pitching right now (ie Zack Greinke and Anibal Sanchez), but can the Royals sell that these two are worth the risk?

Chen may be an easier sell mainly because he has pitched better of late and he is a veteran with a good clubhouse presence. He is slated to make $4.5 million in 2013, which is relatively cheap for the going rate (Dan Haren will make $13 million to fill the same role as Chen with Washington).

The Royals signed Chen to a multi-year deal after a very successful 2011 campaign when he went 12-8 with a 3.77 ERA over 25 starts. However, he like many of his teammates, could not duplicate it. The 2012 season started out rough, as he allowed 34 earned runs over his first 11 starts. His best months were June and August, when he went 6-1 with an ERA under 4.00.

Chen is a crafty lefty, so no one knows if he will ever be able to put together another season like 2011. I would like to see him stay in Kansas City and give it a shot. Plus, the Royals need a left-handed starter. He could rack up wins as the Royals fifth guy rather than facing other teams’ two guys like he has in the past.

Teams in desperate need of pitching, like Minnesota, could be tempted. However, I am not sure the Royals want to trade within the division.

» Continue reading “Can the Royals Trade Chen & Hochevar?”

Friday’s Major League Baseball deadline to sign unsigned players under team control came and went for the KC Royals and they tendered contracts to three players.

First, they signed pitcher Felipe Paulino to a $1.75 million contract, with performance bonuses that could push the contract to $2 million. That is a bit of a pay cut from last season, but he is recovering from Tommy John surgery and expects to be back after the All-Star break. Paulino is excited to be sticking around and thinks the team is moving in the right direction. He began playing catch for the first time since surgery this week.

Second baseman Chris Getz avoided arbitration by signing a $1.05 million contract. There is also $150,000 in performance incentives. GM Dayton Moore was glad to have him back, as he is a leader and makes shortstop Alcides Escobar better. Getz is also looking forward to returning to Kansas City and getting back on the field healthy.

They also tendered starter Luke Hochevar. No word yet on the monetary figures. Right now, the Royals are shopping both Hochevar and lefty Bruce Chen.

They did not tender a contract to outfielder Derrick Robinson, who they designated for assignment last week. He has yet to make his big league debut, thus he is not eligible for arbitration. He is now a free agent and an intriguing pickup for all teams out there.

Left hander Ryan Verdugo and catcher Adam Moore cleared waivers and both were outrighted to Triple-A Omaha. Both are eligible for next Friday’s Rule V draft.

*Pitcher Jeremy Guthrie was elected to one of two of the highest positions within the Players Association. He and Curtis Granderson of the NY Yankees will serve as Association Player Representatives.

** Word is that the Royals offered pitcher Scott Feldman, formerly of the Texas Rangers, a one year, $4.5 million contract, but he chose more money with the Chicago Cubs. They also offered Ryan Dempster a two year deal worth $26 million, but dropped out of the bidding war.

Yup, that’s right. The Cleveland Indians scored ten runs in an inning. They went on to beat the KC Royals, 15-3.

The ten run inning in the fifth made a relatively well-pitched game UGLY.

The Indians led 1-0 after the 2nd inning on a two out RBI single by Lou Marson. Luke Hochevar pitched well up until the fifth when the wheels completely fell off.

Shin-Soo Choo doubled to lead off the inning, stole second base, and scored on Jason Kipnis‘ RBI double. After a bunt single by Asdrubal Cabrera and a coaching visit, Hochevar struck out Lonnie Chisenhall. But then Jack Hannahan singled in a run and Brent Lillibridge walked to load the bases.

Casey Kotchman grounded into a force out to drive in another run and Marson walked again to load the bases. On the very next pitch, Hochevar hit Jason Donald to drive in a run and Choo followed with a two-run single to chase Hochevar from the game.

In came lefty Everett Teaford, who didn’t fare any better in the inning. He walked he first batter he faced, Kipnis, on four pitches. Cabrera followed with a grand slam to cap the Indians scoring.

Let’s recap the 5th inning:

The Indians sent 13 men to the plate. They scored ten runs. They collected six hits. The Royals two pitchers walked three hitters while hitting another.

The Royals actually got two of those runs back in the top of the 6th inning on Alex Gordon‘s homerun. But it was a little too late.

Jeremy Jeffress had another rough outing on Sunday. In the 7th inning, he allowed two runs on pinch-hitter Matt LaPorta‘s double. In the eighth, he allowed four straight singles with one out that drove in another run. That chased him from the game and brought in Louis Coleman. He wild pitched a run in.

The Royals finish up the 2012 season with the Detroit Tigers heading to Kauffman Stadium. They could play spoiler for the Tigers, but they have a three game lead in the American League Central over Chicago with three games to go.

*The injuries keep piling up as the 2012 season is coming to an end. Third baseman Mike Moustakas left the game with groin tightness. He says he’s okay.

I know. We all already knew that the KC Royals had NO chance of making the postseason, as they were officially eliminated.

With a chance to play spoiler to the second place Detroit Tigers, they lost 6-2. The Tigers needed a great start from ace Justin Verlander and they got that.

Verlander scattered nine hits over eight innings. He struck out eight. He allowed both runs, one coming on a solo homerun by Alex Gordon in the 4th inning. At that time, the Tigers led just 2-1.

After the Tigers’ two-run 2nd inning (one run came via Prince Fielder‘s LONG homerun), Royals starter Luke Hochevar retired seven in a row.

Then the 5th inning happened.

It could have been worse, as Jhonny Peralta singled. However he was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double by centerfielder Jarrod Dyson (his second outfield assist of the game). Alex Avila then worked a walk, Omar Infante singled, and Austin Jackson drove them both in with a double.

The Tigers tacked on another run in the 6th inning on Dirks‘ sac fly before the Royals scored their second run (a Billy Butler RBI single in the 8th inning).

The Royals went down quietly in the 9th inning against Tigers closer Jose Valverde. He finished the game off with two strikeouts.

On offense for the Royals, Billy Butler collected three of the team’s nine hits.

*Nate Adcock, who hasn’t pitched since being recalled after Triple-A Omaha’s season ended in the Pacific Coast League finals (he last pitched on September 14th), finally got into a big league game. He entered with two runners on base and allowed one to score in the 8th inning on Andy Dirks‘ single. Adcock escaped by inducing a double play grounder from Peralta.

**Salvador Perez returned to the lineup after sitting out the Cleveland series this weekend. He went 1-for-4.

***For more on the Tigers, check out Motown Lowdown.