The KC Royals traded right-hander Jeremy Jeffress to the Toronto Blue Jays for cash considerations. He was placed on waivers last week.

Jeffress came to the Royals from the Milwaukee Brewers via the Zack Greinke deal. He has struggled throughout his career with his command.

He admitted that he made progress this season with the help of minor league pitching coaches Doug Henry and Larry (LC) Carter:

 ”In the last year, I felt like I made progress,” Jeffress said. “The first time I came up in April at the beginning of the year, it really opened my eyes. I felt like I had to learn a lot more stuff off the field and to be able to stay focused on my task at hand. The year before, 2011, I just felt like I was all off. It was my first year breaking camp with the big team and when I got sent down, my concentration was just all lost.”

He is expected to head to play winter ball for Bravos de Margarita in Venezuela. The Blue Jays need bullpen help and Jeffress could be a key cog if he can figure it all out.

» Continue reading “Bye, Bye Jeffress, Hottovy”

It was a pitcher’s duel early until the two teams’ bullpens got into the action. The KC Royals were then pummeled by the Cleveland Indians, 15-4.

Jake Odorizzi with the Blue Rocks

Jake Odorizzi was making his Major League debut for the Royals and looked good early on. I couldn’t watch the game (as many probably couldn’t because it wasn’t televised), but either he was aggressive in the strike zone or the Indians were aggressive at the plate. He hit the 50 pitch mark after four innings, but 34 of them were for strikes.

Then the 5th inning. He needed 22 pitches to get through the inning, but still did not allow a run.

In the sixth, it was the third time through the Indians order. Odorizzi finally retired Shin-Soo Choo (who had the only two hits off him to that point). Jason Kipnis then tripled on the very first pitch and the wheels seemed to fall off for Odorizzi.

He fell behind 2-0 to Asdrubal Cabrera before allowing an RBI single to give the Indians the lead. Carlos Santana took the first pitch from Odorizzi into the seats for a two-run homerun.

After a coaching visit, he allowed a single to Michael Brantley which ended his day. Francisley Bueno entered and escaped. He was the only Royals reliever to not allow a run.

All-in-all, it was a good first start for Odorizzi. His fastball stayed in the 88-92 mph range. He hit 93 mph once when trying to put away Jack Hannahan (he ended up walking him). He allowed three runs on six hits and a walk over 5.1 innings. He struck out three.

Indians starter David Huff was just as good as Odorizzi, though he was losing 1-0 before the 6th inning. The only run he allowed came via Adam Moore‘s first homerun in the big leagues this season.

Huff retired eight in a row after the homerun before walking Moore to lead off the bottom of the sixth. After Alex Gordon‘s two out single put runners at the corners, Huff was lifted for Esmil Rogers, who threw one pitch to get Billy Butler to fly out to end the inning.

The Royals usually reliable bullpen was BAD on Sunday. It all started in the top of the 7th inning. The Indians sent 11 men to the plate and scored five runs off three Royals relievers.

» Continue reading “Tribe Ruins Odorizzi’s Debut”

The KC Royals will once again be well represented in a minor league all-star game. Four members of Triple-A Omaha were named to the Pacific Coast League All-Star team, which will face off against the International League in the Triple-A All-Star Game in Buffalo on Wednesday, July 11th.

It will be a busy few days for outfielder Wil Myers. In addition to traveling to Kauffman Stadium to participate in the Futures Game on Sunday, July 8th, he was voted as a starting outfielder for the PCL. This from a guy that needed to be written in to receive votes (he has played in just 40 games and started the season in Double-A).

Myers leads minor league baseball in homeruns with 25, as he hit his 12th in Triple-A last night. He is hitting .309 with 35 RBIs and 33 runs scored.

Maybe he will head back to Kansas City to make his Major League debut after the Triple-A ASG? 

First baseman/DH Clint Robinson will be in his second Triple-A ASG. This season, he is hitting .313 with 21 doubles, 10 homeruns, 44 RBIs, and 40 runs scored. He has also walked (42) more than he has struck out (33).

Lefties Ryan Verdugo and Tommy Hottovy (who have both seen time this season with the Royals though Verdugo did not pitch) will be making appearances out of the bullpen.

Verdugo, a starter, is 5-2 with a 3.65 ERA in 14 starts (79 innings). Opponents are hitting just .212 against him.

Hottovy is 2-0 in 20 games with seven saves and a 1.69 ERA (which went up after his last outing). He had not allowed a run over his last nine appearances prior to June 25th when he allowed two runs in three innings. In 26.2 innings, Hottovy has allowed just 17 hits and six walks while striking out 36.

The game will be televised live on MLB Network. You can check out the rest of the PCL roster HERE.

All four of the KC Royals full season minor league affiliates won on Friday.

Omaha had two 3-run innings en route to winning the series finale at Sacramento, 7-1. Terry Evans accounted for the three runs in the 2nd inning with a three-run homerun.

Tony Abreu went 2-for-4 with a solo homerun. Max Ramirez went 2-for-3 with two RBIs while Kevin Kouzmanoff went 2-for-4.

The offensive outburst made a winner of Will Smith, who allowed just one run on six hits over seven innings. He struck out six. Tommy Hottovy finished off the Rivercats with two scoreless innings of relief. He struck out four.

One day after a no-hitter, NW Arkansas received another stellar pitching performance, this time from Jake Odorizzi. He allowed two runs on six hits over seven innings en route to the Naturals 8-2 win over Springfield. Odorizzi struck out seven.

Patrick Keating pitched two perfect innings of relief with two strikeouts.

The Naturals also had two 3-run innings. In the 5th inning, John Whittleman hit a three-run homerun (three of his four RBIs). Christian Colon went 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Carlo Testa went 2-for-4.

A five-run outburst in the 5th inning gave Wilmington the 6-5 win at Frederick. In that inning, Brett Eibner hit a grand slam.

Whit Merrifield led off the game with a solo homerun (one of his two hits). The offensive outburst made a winner of Greg Billo, who allowed four runs on four hits and two walks over six innings (he allowed two homeruns).

The wild game of the night went to Kane County, as they scored three runs in the bottom of the 9th inning to beat Clinton, 8-7. Orlando Calixte hit a walk-off solo homerun with two outs (and he didn’t make an error).

The Cougars had 15 hits. The 2-5 hitters (Daniel Mateo, Jorge Bonifacio, Lane Adams, Michael Antonio, and Calixte) went 13-for-23 with eight runs scored and eight RBIs.

Just when you thought that the KC Royals might actually win a home series, their pitching goes and gets pummeled. A six-run 3rd inning chased Royals starter Luke Hochevar from the game, as the NY Yankees won 10-4 (and the teams split the series).

The 3rd inning was capped by two homeruns: a grand slam from Robinson Cano and a solo shot by Nick Swisher in his return to the lineup. The Yankees collected five hits in the inning and Hochevar hit Alex Rodriguez with a pitch. Hochevar exited after the Swisher homerun.

Luis Mendoza was next for the Royals and retired the final two Yankee hitters. He didn’t crumble until the 8th inning when he walked the first two batters he faced (two of his five walks). Tommy Hottovy entered and struck out Curtis Granderson, but gave up a three-run homerun to A-Rod.

The Royals meanwhile, were stymied by both Yankee starter Phil Hughes and their bullpen. Hughes allowed three runs (all single runs) on six hits. He walked one while striking out seven over a season high 6.2 innings.

Irving Falu made his Major League debut and went 2-for-4 with a run scored, including a triple in his first at-bat. Jarrod Dyson went 2-for-5 with an RBI in the leadoff spot. The Royals collected nine hits, but went just 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

*Eric Hosmer is just 4 for his last 37 and dropped to .185. Maybe he needs a few days off to clear his head. The Royals will be facing two left-handers as they welcome Boston to Kauffman Stadium this week.

**For more on the Yankees, check out Second Place is Not an Option.

In a recurring theme, the KC Royals lost again and were pounded from the very beginning. This time it was to the Detroit Tigers, 9-3.

This time it was Luke Hochevar‘s turn again to get lit up. The Tigers scored five runs in the first inning, three more in the third inning, and one more in the fourth. Hochevar lasted just four innings, as he allowed nine runs on 12 hits and three walks.

The bright spot tonight was the Royals bullpen. It started with Kelvin Herrera, who threw 1.2 perfect innings of relief while striking out two. Next was lefty Tim Collins, who walked one while striking out four over 1.2 innings. Louis Coleman got into trouble in his 2/3 of an inning (two hits), but lefty Tommy Hottovy bailed him out by getting Prince Fielder to line into an inning-ending double play.

Offensively, the Royals had their chances. They had eight hits, but went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Jarrod Dyson went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Jeff Francoeur went 3-for-4 with a run scored.

Tigers starter Rick Porcello did not reach 100 pitches through eight innings (98 total). He threw just 28 pitches out of the strike zone.

Now the Royals have the daunting task of facing Justin Verlander tomorrow afternoon.

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

I’ve been waiting 15 days to finally write that the KC Royals have won a game (they had two off days in this dreadful streak). For once, everything seemed to go right against the Cleveland Indians in their 8-2 victory.

• Starter Luke Hochevar was solid. He allowed two runs on four hits and three walks over 6.1 innings. He struck out four.

• The offense scored EIGHT runs on 11 hits.

• The power came to life. Billy Butler hit a two-run homerun in the first inning against Indians starter Ubaldo Jimenez. He would hit another one (a solo shot) in the 9th inning. Eric Hosmer hit two-out, two-run homerun in the 5th inning. Alex Gordon added a three-run shot in the 9th inning (right before Butler’s solo shot).

• The bullpen was solid, though newest member Tommy Hottovy gave up one of Hochevar’s runs in the 7th inning. Hottovy, Aaron Crow, and Jose Mijares combined for 2.2 scoreless innings of relief.

Maybe some of the offense is breaking out of their slumps? Hosmer went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two walks to raise his average to .225. Gordon went 3-for-5 with two runs scored from the two-hole to raise his average to .197. I know it’s nothing to get too excited about, but it’s a start.

Hopefully, the Royals feel the monkey off their backs and can start a winning streak in the finale tomorrow afternoon in Cleveland. Luis Mendoza takes the mound versus Josh Tomlin.

*Hottovy was called up prior to the game because of all the left-handed hitters in the Indians lineup. He took the place of right-hander Jeremy Jeffress, who was optioned back to Triple-A.

**Outfielder Lorenzo Cain flew back to Kansas City to get checked out after suffering an injury in his rehab game on Tuesday night with NW Arkansas.

I apologize for not updating for Friday night’s minor league games. Reality hasn’t been too kind as of late, so I’m combining Friday and Saturday night’s recaps.

Omaha scored a run in the top of the 5th inning, only to see Round Rock score two runs in the bottom of the inning en route to their 2-1 victory on Friday night. Will Smith took the loss, as he allowed two runs on four hits over seven innings. He struck out five. Jeremy Jeffress followed with a shutout inning of relief and was called up to the big leagues to take the place of the injured Greg Holland.

On offense for the Storm Chasers, Irving Falu went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases.

Francisley Bueno was in his third inning of work for the Storm Chasers in the 9th inning Saturday night, when he allowed a two-run homerun to tie the game at 5-5. The game went into extra innings. Make that the 13th inning to be exact.

The Storm Chasers loaded the bases on an error with nobody out. Jarrod Dyson came to the plate and provided the heroics with a walk-off single and the 6-5 win. They pounded out 16 hits, as five players had two hits.

Tommy Hottovy earned the victory with three hitless innings of relief. He struck out five.

NW Arkansas was rained out in Little Rock on Friday so the two teams played a doubleheader on Saturday. In Game 1, the Travelers used two 3-run innings en route to their 7-1 victory. The Naturals lone run came via a Wil Myers homerun.

In the loss, Ben Theriot went 2-for-2. Elisaul Pimentel put together his first good relief outing for the Naturals, as he allowed one hit and a walk over 1.1 innings. He even left an inherited runner stranded.

The second game was ugly for the Naturals, as starter Tim Melville lasted just 1.2 innings. He allowed eight runs on eight hits and two walks, as the Naturals lost 10-3. The Naturals did not get on the board until they were already losing 10-0.

So was there any good in this game? Well…yes. Reliever Bryan Paukovits threw two scoreless innings while striking out two. John Whittleman went 2-for-3 with a two-run homerun. Kurt Mertins also went 2-for-3.

Wilmington Blue Rocks starter Greg Billo put together a start on Friday night similar to the one’s he put together last year in Kane County. He pitched five shutout innings en route to his first High-A victory. The Blue Rocks beat Winston-Salem, 6-0.

Billo allowed four hits and two walks while striking out four. Angel Franco so far has played his way into the struggling Blue Rocks lineup. As the DH on Friday, he went 3-for-3 with a run scored, an RBI, a walk, and a stolen base to raise his batting average to .343. Catcher Kevin David went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

The Blue Rocks won Saturday’s wild affair, 9-6. They had taken a 6-2 lead in the top of the 6th inning only to see Winston-Salem score four in the bottom of the inning to tie that game at 6-6. In the top of the 9th inning, the Blue Rocks scored three runs, capped by a Cheslor Cuthbert two-run single.

Brian Fletcher finally hit his first homerun, while also going 2-for-5. Jake Kuebler also hit a homerun, while driving in four runs.

There wasn’t a whole lot of good that came out of Kane County’s loss on Friday night. They lost to Fort Wayne, 12-1. They allowed 6 hits and committed three errors. The Cougars’ pitchers issued seven walks.

On Saturday, Fort Wayne put up five runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back, as they won 7-2. Orlando Calixte accounted for both runs, as he went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

Three errors for the Cougars cost starter Jason Mitchell three runs (4IP, 5H, 6R, 3ER, 0BB, 2K). Scott Alexander followed with 2.2 perfect innings of relief. He struck out three.

With the KC Royals and LA Angels set to meet next weekend to start the 2012 MLB season, both teams decided to send their regularly-scheduled starting pitcher to pitch in a minor league game. That meant Jonathan Sanchez stayed in Surprise and Ervin Santana was on a Tempe back field.

It was a wild game, especially early.

The Royals jumped all over Angels starter Eric Hurley in the first inning. Lorenzo Cain led off the game with a double and Alcides Escobar followed with a single. Eric Hosmer drove in one with a double and Jeff Franoeur cleared the bases with a homerun. Hurley struck out Mike Moustakas, but allowed another homerun to Yuniesky Betancourt.

In the 2nd inning, Humberto Quintero singled to lead off the inning and stole second base. With two outs, Hosmer homered to dead center to give the Royals a 7-0 lead.

Things then fell apart for the Royals, and starter Everett Teaford. With one out, Kendrys Morales crushed the pitch well over the left field wall for a homerun. Mark Trumbo followed with a homerun off the right-center field scoreboard. Next was Hank Conger, who hit a homerun well over the left field wall.

Back-to-back-to-back.

» Continue reading “Royals Lose Slugfest to Angels”

Felipe Paulino is one of the leading candidates for one of the two final spots in the KC Royals rotation. However today’s performance did nothing to help his case.

He allowed five runs on six hits and three walks over just 2.2 innings. Of his 78 pitches, 44 were thrown for strikes. The Royals lost to the Milwaukee Brewers, 7-3.

Lefty Tommy Hottovy, who is fighting for one of the final spots in the bullpen, allowed one of the two inherited runners to score. In 2.1 innings of relief, he allowed two hits and no runs. He also struck out three.

The other lefty, Tim Collins, also pitched well. He allowed one hit over his scoreless inning of relief. However just ten of his 20 pitches were strikes.

Right-hander Louis Coleman is expected to be one of the seven relievers to makes the Opening Day roster. However he didn’t pitch well today. He allowed two hits and two runs in his one inning of work. He gave up a two-run homerun to Scooter Gennett (one of his four hits).

Another righty competing for a bullpen spot is Kelvin Herrera. He pitched a scoreless inning of relief.

There wasn’t a whole lot of offense for the Royals in the loss. No player had more than one hit. Eric Hosmer went 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Minor leaguer Terry Evans hit a homerun in the 8th inning.

*Jeff Francoeur was ejected in the 4th inning while arguing balls and strikes (he was called out on strikes).