Post by MizzouTiger on Jan 9, 2008 12:32:30 GMT -5
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Around the Horn: Corner infielders
Royals have questions at first heading into Spring Training
By thingy Kaegel / MLB.com
The following is the second in a series of weekly stories on MLB.com examining each Major League club, position by position. Each week until Spring Training camps open, we'll preview a different position. Today: Corner infielders.
KANSAS CITY -- The burning question for the Royals is this: Can Billy Butler play first base every day this year?
"I think I can," Butler said. "It's just proving it to the coaches."
Say this for Butler: he's working at it. He'll head for Surprise, Ariz., on Jan. 14 to continue sharpening his defensive tools. That's more than a month before Spring Training's reporting date. Also, he played 13 games at first base this winter for Azucareros in the Dominican Republic.
"If I can play it down there, I can play in the States," Butler said. "The fields are bad. It definitely teaches you to trust your hands.
"I didn't make an error. I had a lot of balls hit my way and a lot of pick opportunities -- I had everything come my way. I felt I learned a lot down there."
Manager Trey Hillman, of course, received appraisals on Butler.
"We did get some reports that his footwork was OK, he moved around the bag OK," Hillman said. "For a guy that's trying to establish a position, I like hearing those reports rather than, 'This guy has got no shot.'"
The Royals know that Butler, a right-handed batter, can crush a baseball, but they're not sure if Butler will be at first base or at designated hitter. It could turn out to be some of both.
Across the field, third baseman Alex Gordon is all set after proving himself last season. He survived a shaky start and his hitting eventually caught up with his excellent fielding.
"That's going to be Alex," Hillman said. "I'm going to stick with him, building on what he did last year. I think it would be ridiculous to go any other route there."
First base, though, is a different story.
"It's not quite so cut-and-dried," Hillman said. "Some days it could be [Mark] Teahen. Butler could get some time there. I don't want to count out Ryan Shealy. You've also got Ross [Gload]. Ross could be in left, Ross could be in right, he could be at first base."
Teahen? Well, Hillman concedes that Teahen likely will remain in right field after switching last year from third base. But he just might play some first as well.
Hot Stove League rules demand that somebody be listed as the starter for each position, so let's put Gload at first at this winter juncture. Like Teahen, he's a left-handed hitter and, after coming off the disabled list, Gload did a nice job in the second half (.293 in 71 games).
"He's a grinder, too, and I'm a liking-grinder-kind of guy," Hillman said.
Shealy was supposed to be the first baseman last season but got off to a horrible start (5-for-52), and then was hobbled by a left hamstring that bothered him all season. That, it turned out, wasn't all that was wrong.
"Actually, he had a broken bone in his foot," Hillman said. "He's a tough kid, and they didn't even know it was broken."
Shealy would be a welcome right-handed presence in a lineup that tends to be top heavy on the left side.
"It could be a rotating thing," Hillman said. "But if somebody gets hot, I'm going to let him have it. I'm not going to take somebody that's hot out of the lineup. But I do like the option of having two lefts and two rights and, hopefully, all four are good defenders."
Three out of the four have exhibited defensive reliability, but Butler still has to prove his worth in that regard.
"He's getting better," general manager Dayton Moore said. "I think it'll just be a work-in-progress the whole time."
Gordon's backup at third base is likely to be Esteban German or Alberto Callaspo. German has been a successful backup in the infield and outfield for two seasons. Callaspo was obtained from the Arizona Diamondbacks as a switch-hitter with great offensive potential.
Another alternative, especially if Gordon is forced to miss any extended period of time, is the ever-obliging Teahen.
"That's a distinct possibility as well," Hillman said.
And did we mention that Gordon also is capable of playing first base rather well, as he did 32 times last year?
Even with Mike Sweeney out of the picture, there's no shortage of guys who could fill that position. The Royals prefer that guy be Butler, a former third baseman and outfielder who is just learning the dance of first base.
"I'll say the same thing I always say with infielders: If you show me just a little bit of feet, we can develop the hands," Hillman said.
Around the Horn: Corner infielders
Royals have questions at first heading into Spring Training
By thingy Kaegel / MLB.com
The following is the second in a series of weekly stories on MLB.com examining each Major League club, position by position. Each week until Spring Training camps open, we'll preview a different position. Today: Corner infielders.
KANSAS CITY -- The burning question for the Royals is this: Can Billy Butler play first base every day this year?
"I think I can," Butler said. "It's just proving it to the coaches."
Say this for Butler: he's working at it. He'll head for Surprise, Ariz., on Jan. 14 to continue sharpening his defensive tools. That's more than a month before Spring Training's reporting date. Also, he played 13 games at first base this winter for Azucareros in the Dominican Republic.
"If I can play it down there, I can play in the States," Butler said. "The fields are bad. It definitely teaches you to trust your hands.
"I didn't make an error. I had a lot of balls hit my way and a lot of pick opportunities -- I had everything come my way. I felt I learned a lot down there."
Manager Trey Hillman, of course, received appraisals on Butler.
"We did get some reports that his footwork was OK, he moved around the bag OK," Hillman said. "For a guy that's trying to establish a position, I like hearing those reports rather than, 'This guy has got no shot.'"
The Royals know that Butler, a right-handed batter, can crush a baseball, but they're not sure if Butler will be at first base or at designated hitter. It could turn out to be some of both.
Across the field, third baseman Alex Gordon is all set after proving himself last season. He survived a shaky start and his hitting eventually caught up with his excellent fielding.
"That's going to be Alex," Hillman said. "I'm going to stick with him, building on what he did last year. I think it would be ridiculous to go any other route there."
First base, though, is a different story.
"It's not quite so cut-and-dried," Hillman said. "Some days it could be [Mark] Teahen. Butler could get some time there. I don't want to count out Ryan Shealy. You've also got Ross [Gload]. Ross could be in left, Ross could be in right, he could be at first base."
Teahen? Well, Hillman concedes that Teahen likely will remain in right field after switching last year from third base. But he just might play some first as well.
Hot Stove League rules demand that somebody be listed as the starter for each position, so let's put Gload at first at this winter juncture. Like Teahen, he's a left-handed hitter and, after coming off the disabled list, Gload did a nice job in the second half (.293 in 71 games).
"He's a grinder, too, and I'm a liking-grinder-kind of guy," Hillman said.
Shealy was supposed to be the first baseman last season but got off to a horrible start (5-for-52), and then was hobbled by a left hamstring that bothered him all season. That, it turned out, wasn't all that was wrong.
"Actually, he had a broken bone in his foot," Hillman said. "He's a tough kid, and they didn't even know it was broken."
Shealy would be a welcome right-handed presence in a lineup that tends to be top heavy on the left side.
"It could be a rotating thing," Hillman said. "But if somebody gets hot, I'm going to let him have it. I'm not going to take somebody that's hot out of the lineup. But I do like the option of having two lefts and two rights and, hopefully, all four are good defenders."
Three out of the four have exhibited defensive reliability, but Butler still has to prove his worth in that regard.
"He's getting better," general manager Dayton Moore said. "I think it'll just be a work-in-progress the whole time."
Gordon's backup at third base is likely to be Esteban German or Alberto Callaspo. German has been a successful backup in the infield and outfield for two seasons. Callaspo was obtained from the Arizona Diamondbacks as a switch-hitter with great offensive potential.
Another alternative, especially if Gordon is forced to miss any extended period of time, is the ever-obliging Teahen.
"That's a distinct possibility as well," Hillman said.
And did we mention that Gordon also is capable of playing first base rather well, as he did 32 times last year?
Even with Mike Sweeney out of the picture, there's no shortage of guys who could fill that position. The Royals prefer that guy be Butler, a former third baseman and outfielder who is just learning the dance of first base.
"I'll say the same thing I always say with infielders: If you show me just a little bit of feet, we can develop the hands," Hillman said.