Brazil was the surprise team to qualify for the World Baseball Classic, but could not continue the fairy tale into the second round. Despite going 0-3 in Pool A in Fukuoka, they did not make it easy on any of the other three teams in their pool.

They actually led 3-2 heading into the 8th inning against host Japan in Game 1, before losing 5-3. The heartbreaker may have come in their final game, as they led 2-0 heading into the bottom of the 8th inning, before losing to China, 5-2. In that 8th inning, Brazil pitchers walked five (and hit a batter). Three of those walks came with the bases loaded, while Ray Chang delivered a two-run single.

In Game 1, KC Royals minor league outfielder Paulo Orlando went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. In Game 2, he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, but he impressed the analysts with his defense and speed. In Brazil’s final game, he went 0-for-4. In all three games, he batted leadoff and played centerfield. Orlando will now head back to Arizona to join the Royals in spring training.

Japan and Cuba had already clinched spots to the second round by going 2-0 before playing each other.

*In Pool B, the Netherlands clinched a spot in the second round by beating Australia, 4-1 in their final game. It got interesting in the 9th inning when Brad Harman hit a deep fly ball to left field with two runners on base. However, the wind that was non-existent throughout the game, came back and kept the ball in the ballpark. Former Royal Justin Huber had another awful WBC (he had just one hit), as did most of his teammates not named Stefan Welch or Mike Walker.

Chinese-Taipei also clinched a spot, despite losing to Korea in their final game (and having the same 2-1 record). It all came down to tiebreakers (but thankfully not a coin toss).

Well, there was just one KC Royal playing on Day One of the World Baseball Classic. That was minor league outfielder Paulo Orlando over in Japan.

Orlando and Team Brazil were hoping to pull the upset over host Japan in Pool A, but fell just short, losing 5-3. The Brazilians actually led 3-2 heading into the top of the 8th inning. It didn’t help that over 28,000 fans were rooting against them.

Orlando was a big reason why: he went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a stolen base. He led off and played center field for Hall of Fame manager Barry Larkin. You can check out a video recap of the game HERE.

Next up for Brazil, Cuba live on MLB Network at 10:30pm ET. Chicago White Sox prospect Andre Rienzo will get the start for Brazil.

*Former Royal Justin Huber was the DH for Australia, as they lost to host Chinese-Taipei, 4-1 in Pool B. Former big leaguer Chien-Ming Wang shut down the Aussies for six innings. The Australians now have off before playing Korea on Monday at 5:30am ET. They then meet the Netherlands for their final game at 11:30pm ET.

**Following the Aussie loss, the Netherlands pulled a bit of an upset over Korea, 5-0. They received great pitching from starter Diegomar Markwell, who faced 15 batters and threw 15 first pitch strikes. The Netherlands collected ten hits, with Andrelton Simmons and Andruw Jones leading the way with five hits combined (though Jones’ base running was poor). Korea had as many hits (four) as errors. The Netherlands now play host Chinese-Taipei at 1:30am ET live on MLB Network.

***If you stayed up and then got up early to watch the games, then you know how tired I am right now. But the two games that I watched (the Aussie loss and Netherlands win) was definitely worth it.

The Caribbean Series begins on February 1st, as the winners of the four major winter leagues (Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela) face off for supremacy. Escogido will be representing the DR, Obregon will be representing Mexico, Caguas will be representing Puerto Rico, and Lara will be representing Venezuela.

Four current KC Royals (and minor leaguers) were a part of getting their winter league team to the Caribbean Series.

Starter Luis Mendoza (who will be pitching for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic) made one start in the Mexican Pacific League finals. It came in Game 1 and he picked up the win. Mendoza allowed two runs on five hits and three walks over six innings. He struck out 11 and threw 64 of his 103 pitches for strikes. He allowed a solo homerun to former Royal Yuniesky Betancourt in front of over 17,000 fans.

Outfielder Paulo Orlando is also getting geared up for the WBC, but he will be playing for upstart Brazil. He helped Lara win the Venezuelan Winter League title. Orlando played centerfield, batted second, and hit .307 in the postseason (5-for-23 in the finals with seven strikeouts).

Jose Jimenez is Orlando’s teammate with Lara. In their first game, he pitched a perfect 1/3 of an inning. He picked up a hold the next day with 1/3 of an inning. Jimenez pitched another 1/3 of an inning in their Game Four loss.

The Puerto Rican League finals was a battle between Mayaguez and Caguas and a battle between Royals utility fielders Irving Falu and Rey Navarro. Navarro hit just .184 (5-for-26 in the finals) for champion Caguas while playing second base and batting second. Falu hit .229 (6-for-27 in the finals) while playing second base and batting leadoff for Mayaguez.

For more on the Caribbean Series, click HERE.

*The answer to Tuesday’s trivia answer is: SEVEN. The inductees were Whitey Herzog (1975-1979), George Brett (1973-1993), Orlando Cepeda (1974), Joe Gordon, (1969), Harmon Killebrew (1075), Bob Lemon (1970-1972), and Gaylord Perry (1983).

The provisional rosters for the World Baseball Classic were released this afternoon and there are quite a few current and former KC Royals on those rosters.

I wrote earlier about lefty reliever Tim Collins being a member of Team USA.

It was rumored that lefty starter Bruce Chen might join Team China. Well, it looks as though the crafty veteran will be anchoring the Chinese staff in the WBC. I am surprised that he is going to be leaving the Royals early in spring training when he is going to be in a tight battle for the final rotation spot. Their pool, Pool A, begins play on March 2nd, but China starts play on the third against host Japan.

Pitchers are only allowed to throw 65 pitches in the first round of pool play, so if Chen can be economical, he could realistically go five or six innings (unless he gets ripped).

Joining Chen in Pool A is Royals minor leaguer Paulo Orlando. The outfielder was a member of the surprise Brazilian team that upset Panama in the WBC Qualifier. He will be with Brazil in their first WBC when they begin play on March 2nd against host Japan. As of right now, Brazil’s lone big leaguer, catcher Yan Gomes, who played in the qualifier, is not on the roster (but they only have one catcher listed on their roster).

The Netherlands shocked the world in 2009 and look to do the same in 2013 in Pool B with some players with a little more name recognition (like Jair Jurrjens, Andruw Jones, Andrelton Simmons, and Jurickson Profar). Pitcher JC Sulbaran, who the Royals received from Cincinnati for Jonathan Broxton, is a member of the Netherlands pitching staff.

I am most looking forward to seeing some of the veteran Netherlands players, like Robbie Cordemans and Yurendell de Caster, along with some of the prospect guys like Jonathan Schoop, Xander Bogaerts, and Spencer Kieboom.

The Netherlands begin pool play on March 2nd against Korea in Taiwan.

Former Royal Justin Huber is yet again a member of the Australian team that is looking to use some of that explosive offensive (over .300 average in 2009) to make it out of the pool.

Huber will be joined with other veterans Luke Hughes, Peter Moylan, and Brad Harman. They also have some young prospects like Stefan Welch, James Beresford, and Clayton Tanner.

» Continue reading “WBC Rosters Full of Royals”

On Monday night, Brazil stunned Panama with a 1-0 victory (their second win over the host country) to claim the final spot in the World Baseball Classic that begins in March.

Over the course of the WBC Qualifier, KC Royals minor leaguers shined in the event.

In both of Brazil’s victories over Panama, centerfielder Paulo Orlando had big games. He was their leadoff hitter and went 2-for-4 in both games. In Game 1, he tripled and scored their first run in the 3rd inning. Orlando scored Brazil’s lone run on Monday night.

Sugar Ray Marimon (screen capped from the WBC game on MLB Network)

Columbia won their only game, which was their first game of the qualifier on Friday night. Sure they received some offense, as they won 8-1 over Nicaragua, but they also received great starting pitching. Getting the ball for the first time for the Columbians was Sugar Ray Marimon. He was a strike throwing machine. Over five innings, he allowed just one run on four hits. He struck out four and did not walk a batter. 41 of his 61 pitches were thrown for strikes.

Marimon‘s lone blip on the radar was a solo homerun he allowed in the 4th inning. That homerun went to Royals teammate Cheslor Cuthbert, who hit a good pitch just over the wall in left field. He was all smiles as he rounded the bases, especially at second base when he looked back at Marimon. Spring training conversation should be fun.

Even though Nicaragua did not win a game (0-2), Cuthbert impressed. He played pretty good defense at third base (he did make an error that cost them a run). He also hit well and batted 5th in both games. In the loss to Columbia, he went 2-for-4 with the homerun. In their 6-2 loss to Panama, Cuthbert went 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Luis Piterson was the other Royal in the WBC. Like during the regular season, he was a bench player for Columbia. He did get into their 7-1 loss to Brazil on Saturday. Piterson went 0-for-1, as he struck out as a pinch-hitter in the 8th inning. He then went in to play right field.

So congrats to Brazil and Paulo Orlando in advancing to the WBC (and shocking the world).

Omaha made an RBI ground out in the 2nd inning hold up, as they beat Memphis, 3-0. The Storm Chasers tacked on two runs in the bottom of the 8th inning on a Clint Robinson two-run double.

Jake Odorizzi made the start but lasted just five innings due to four walks (95 pitches). He allowed just two hits in his scoreless innings. Doug Davis pitched three shutout inning of relief behind Odorizzi.

On offense, David Lough picked up two of Omaha’s five hits.

NW Arkansas scored five runs in the top of the 10th inning en route to their 10-5 win. Julio Rodriguez drove in two runs with a single and Paulo Orlando followed with a three-run homerun (Rodriguez had three hits and Orlando finished with two hits).

Leading 5-3 heading into the bottom of the 9th inning, Patrick Keating allowed a two-run homerun to Mike Olt (his second of the game) to tie the game and send it to extra innings. Keating rebounded with a 1-2-3 bottom of the 10th inning.

The much-anticipated matchup between Wilmington’s Yordano Ventura and Frederick’s Dylan Bundy was just as advertised. Both had similar lines, but the Blue Rocks handed Bundy his first professional loss, 1-0.

Ventura pitched five shutout innings and allowed three hits and three walks while striking out six. Bundy allowed one run on three hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out seven. “Bundy looked incredible,” said Blue Rocks manager Vance Wilson following the game.

The Blue Rocks scored their lone run on a suicide squeeze by Alex McClure in the bottom of the 5th inning.

The Blue Rocks took the second game of the doubleheader, 2-1 with another solid pitching performance. Greg Billo followed up his Carolina League Pitcher of the Week performance with five innings. He allowed one run on four hits and a walk while striking out six.

Nick Rogers picked up his seventh save of the save with two 1-hit innings of relief.

Frederick had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the 4th inning, only to see the Blue Rocks score two runs in the bottom of the inning. Cheslor Cuthbert, who hadn’t played since May 29th, went 2-for-3. Geulin Beltre also went 2-for-3.

Kane County was pummeled 15-3 by Peoria. The Cougars runs were scored in the final two innings.

Jorge Bonifacio went 2-for-3 in the loss. The Cougars used five pitchers, including yesterday’s starter Angel Baez, who was ejected in the 9th inning (though I think someone typed in the wrong reliever). Michael Giovenco pitched two hitless innings of relief while striking out three.

Omaha took a 4-0 lead, but held on for the 4-2 win over Oklahoma City. Ryan Verdugo was great, as he pitched seven shutout innings. He allowed just three hits while striking out eight.

It got dicey in the 9th inning when Ethan Hollingsworth allowed a solo homerun to Scott Moore with two outs and then walked the next hitter. In came Brandon Sisk, who struck out Brett Wallace to end the game.

Offensively for Omaha, Derrick Robinson went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Clint Robinson went 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

NW Arkansas scored four runs in the top of the 9th inning, but still lost 14-9. Springfield scored four runs in the 3rd inning and six more in the 4th inning.

Chris Dwyer got the start and left with the bases loaded in the 4th inning (Michael Mariot allowed all three runs to score). Dwyer allowed ten runs (seven earned) on five hits and six walks.

The Naturals out-hit the Cardinals, 15-14. The first two in the order, Yem Prades and Paulo Orlando, went 7-for-8 with six runs scored. Kurt Mertins was promoted to Triple-A.

A one out walk cost Wilmington, as the runner came around to score in walk-off fashion, as Potomac won 5-4. Rick Hague drove in the game winner with a two-out RBI single.

Ryan Dennick got the start for the Blue Rocks (he normally piggy-backs Yordano Ventura) and allowed three runs on six hits over four innings.

The Blue Rocks had 12 hits, but grounded into four double plays. Kevin David, Roman Hernandez, Geulin Beltre, and Jake Kuebler each collected two hits. Kuebler drove in three runs.

Cheslor Cuthbert was hit by a pitch in the 4th inning and replaced in the order by Brian Fletcher.

While the Blue Rocks lost in walk-off fashion, Kane County won with a walk-off. With a runner on second base and one out, Henry Moreno drove in the game winner with a single for a 4-3 win (after Peoria tied the game in the top of the 9th inning). Moreno went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

Kellen Moen got the start for the Cougars and pitched six shutout innings. He allowed four hits while striking out four.

Orlando Calixte and Lane Adams went 2-for-3 with Calixte scoring three runs.

Nate Adcock couldn’t improve to 3-0, as he and the Omaha Storm Chasers lost to Round Rock, 4-2. He allowed three runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out three.

Max Ramirez went 2-for-4 with an RBI, as Omaha collected just seven hits. That RBI came in the 9th inning with two outs as Omaha tried to mount a comeback.

After a six-run 6th inning, it looked as though the NW Arkansas Naturals would roll over San Antonio. Instead, the Missions came back with two runs in the 8th and another in the 9th inning to take an 8-6 lead. The Naturals stormed back with three runs in the 8th inning en route to their 9-8 win.

With two outs in the 8th inning, Kurt Mertins delivered a two-run single (he is hitting just .125). Paulo Orlando followed with an RBI single to give the Naturals the lead.

Kendal Volz put away San Antonio quickly in the 9th inning, as he picked up the win (2IP, H, OR, BB, 3K). Jake Odorizzi got the start for the Naturals and struggled again. He allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out four.

The Wilmington Blue Rocks beat visiting Carolina, 5-3 to win their first series of the season. Tyler Sample pitched well and left with the win, but Chase Boruff blew the save, though the Blue Rocks offense came back to take the lead (and win).

The Kane County Cougars played two in Beloit on Tuesday after Monday’s series opener was rained out. The Cougars took Game 1, 5-2 as they pounded out 12 hits. Lane Adams went 3-for-4 with five RBIs. He fell a homerun short of the cycle.

Jorge Bonifacio went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, while Edul Escobar and Henry Moreno also collected two hits.

Scott Alexander allowed just an unearned run on two hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out five.

After tying the game in the top of the 7th inning, the Cougars couldn’t pull off the win. The Snappers scored the winning run in the bottom of the 7th inning on a wild pitch en route to their 3-2 walk-off win. In that inning, there were two walks (one intentional) and two wild pitches.

Edwin Carl allowed two unearned runs on three hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out seven in the start for the Cougars.

This is the final installment of the KC Royals non-roster invitee breakdown. This afternoon we will be taking a look at the outfielders the Royals invited to spring training this season. Two of the three will be first-timers to big league camp.

The Royals have quite a few outfielders already on their 40-man roster (seven) so it will be interesting to see if any of the non-roster players will receive a legitimate chance to make the club in spring training.

Will Myers is one of the first-time invites. As a prospect and a year or two away from the big leagues, this spring training will mostly be used to get his feet wet and see how he performs against big league pitching. It will also give him the chance to learn from a veteran like Jeff Francoeur.

2011 was a learning experience for Myers, as he struggled for the first time in his career (it was also his first time in Double-A at age 20). He hit just .254 with NW Arkansas as he dealt with an injury and his confidence. He did rebound to hit .360 in the Arizona Fall League.

The other first-timer is Paulo Orlando, who helped lead his winter ball team in Panama to the title. He struggled to start 2011 with Triple-A Omaha (.235), but rebounded in his demotion to Double-A (.305). Orlando is listed as a left fielder on Minor League Baseball’s website, but he played centerfield for the most part for the Naturals (especially late in the season).

*Interesting tid bit on Orlando: he is trying to become the first Major Leaguer born in Brazil.

Greg Golson

Greg Golson is the veteran of the three outfielders, though this is his first year with the Royals. He is an intriguing invitee and someone I have followed for years (he was originally drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies and spent the last two seasons with the NY Yankees so I have seen a lot of him). He hit .263 last year for Triple-A Scranton, but just .213 after the All-Star break (he only got 11 at-bats as a September callup). He did have seven triples and 15 stolen bases.

With the Royals corner outfield spots set, it will be tough for Golson to crack the lineup. However, he has some speed and a cannon for an arm that could relieve Francoeur and never miss a beat.

Before I get to what the KC Royals players have been doing while participating in winter ball in the Caribbean, there are a few stories coming out of the winter leagues.

Colorado Rockies utility player Eric Young, Jr (better known as EY, Jr) was released by Margarita in the Venezuelan Winter League. The team says that it was due to tardiness, but he said in a statement that

a problem with travel arrangements for a family member led to his arriving in the fifth inning of a game on Thanksgiving Day. Young also stated that the incident was his only attendance issue and added that the team failed to address his safety and security concerns for his family member.

His manager with Margarita is current Arizona Diamondbacks coach Don Baylor (who coached his dad in Colorado), who was relieved of his duties in Venezuela on Monday.

Chris Marrero, who was expected to push veteran Adam LaRoche and Michael Morse as the Washington Nationals starting first baseman in 2012, suffered a torn hamstring in winter ball about two weeks ago. He returned to the States and had surgery and believes he’ll just miss some time during spring training. The Nationals, however, are saying he will miss all of 2012 and are thus looking at other first baseman (aka Prince Fielder).

Wilson Ramos of the Nationals is back playing for Aragua in Venezuela after his kidnapping.

There is an article you should check out by Evan Drellich on MLB.com about the mix of veterans and prospects throughout winter ball. One of those veterans is Dmitri Young, who is attempting a comeback at age 38 after losing around 60 pounds and managing his diabetes.

Now onto the Royals in winter ball update.

Apparently, Panama also has a winter ball league (it’s a league that MLB doesn’t cover on their winter leagues site). After being home to baseball’s World Cup a few months ago, the island country is also home to winter ball. They’ve gotten a lot of rain (like they did during the World Cup), but there are quite a few players playing there. Buck Britton of the Baltimore Orioles, Andrew Lambo of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Steven Lerud are there (had to mention them since I saw them play over the last two seasons).

The Royals have four players participating in winter ball in Panama. First up is Edul Escobar, who caught for Idaho Falls this past season (.287 average). This past week, he went 1-for-9. Paulo Orlando, who was a member of the Panama team in the World Cup, had a good week. He went 6-for-17 with six RBIs and two runs scored. He also hit two triples. Outfielder Julio Aparicio played with Kane County this past season (.169 average). Last week, he was 0-for-4 in two games.

The final player in Panama is Ryan Dennick, who was a reliever with the Wilmington Blue Rocks this season. His first outing of the week came on November 22nd, as he allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits over five innings. He walked one while striking out three. His next outing came on November 27th, as he allowed five runs (two earned) on four hits and four walks over just 2.2 innings.

» Continue reading “Royals Winter League Update”