Post by MizzouTiger on Jan 30, 2008 19:22:16 GMT -5
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Around the Horn: Rotation
With top three spots set, battle for last two starts this spring
By thingy Kaegel / MLB.com
The following is the fifth in a series of weekly stories on MLB.com examining each Major League club, position by position. Each Wednesday until Spring Training camps open, we'll preview a different position. Today: The rotation.
KANSAS CITY -- The first three spots in the Royals' rotation seem to be settled: Gil Meche, Brian Bannister and Zack Greinke.
"With me, Greinke and Banny, I think that's three pretty good guys going up against anybody," Meche said.
Not much argument there, based on 2007 performances.
It's the other two spots, Nos. 4 and 5, that remain big questions as Spring Training approaches. No more pitchers are expected to be added to the roster.
"I don't see any options for us other than the ones we currently have," Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. "I like the core group that we have. We've created a level of competition between our fourth and fifth starters and bullpen spots."
Manager Trey Hillman has a couple of names to fill in the blanks just to get the Hot Stove pot bubbling. Remember, though, it's still late January.
"Brett Tomko is No. 4 for me," Hillman said. "I told Brett before we ever signed him, before he chose us over Cincinnati, 'You need to know, in a perfect scenario, what I want as a manager and what we are looking for as an organization. And that's for you to be a part of our rotation.'"
OK, then that makes four right-handers and ...
"You go to Jorge De La Rosa," Hillman said. "We'd love to have a lefty in our mix and I'm not going to try to hide the excitement of having either him or a John Bale moving out of the bullpen."
The Nos. 4 and 5 jobs are going to occasion an all-comers brawl. There are a lot of guys who could muscle their way in -- including the split-finger "Tornado" from Japan, Hideo Nomo.
The perception is that Nomo, two arm surgeries past his Dodgers glory, is being brought in to guide reliever Yasuhiko Yabuta in his first season playing in the United States.
"I know what the public sentiment is -- 39 years old, arm injuries, window dressing for the Yabuta thing, hanging out with a buddy -- but I'm staying open-minded about that," Hillman said. "Sometimes, depending on what types of surgery and the way the body reacts, with this guy being the winningest Japanese pitcher in the history of Major League Baseball, there's no doubt in my mind that his passion and his desire and his competitiveness are still there. So I'm anxious to see how the arm works."
You easily can come up with six or seven names for the last two spots.
De La Rosa was the fourth starter last year until he fell out of favor with ex-manager Buddy Bell after a midseason slump and a late July injury. The Royals love his stuff if not always his location.
Bale is a big left-hander who formerly started in Japan. He missed the first half of 2007 with an injury but was good enough in his last 16 games to merit consideration as a starter.
Tomko has split time between starting and relieving the last two years. But in his last four starts of 2007, the Padres were 3-1 and Tomko believes he's regained his touch.
"If Tomko's healthy enough, there are enough bullets left, seemingly from our homework and our scouting on it," Hillman said. "Unless he's pulling my pants off, I think he's excited about coming in and winning a job in the rotation."
Certainly, he's a veteran presence.
"Veteran," Tomko observed, "is a nice way of saying geezer."
Obviously, he could help guys like Kyle Davies. Obtained from the Braves last season, Davies experienced rocky times for the Royals, but he's just 24 and approaching his fourth big league year. If he can control his fastball, word is he'll be fine.
Luke Hochevar, the top pick in 2006 First-Year Player Draft, is also 24 and still learning. Because of September success, he'll get a good look to see if he'll be starting for KC or Omaha.
Luke Hudson will have to come back from shoulder surgery. He was a fine starter in 2006 but pitched only once last year. But Hudson is confident he's arm is near 100 percent.
There are also Brandon Duckworth, who might have a non-roster spot if he clears waivers, Brian Lawrence, who pitched for five years in the Padres' rotation but is now coming back from surgery, and Tyler Lumsden, a young lefty who won nine games for Omaha.
If the back end is unsettled, the front three appears solid.
Greinke was superb in the bullpen last year but returned to the rotation and had a 1.85 ERA in seven starts.
"I know he went through some things before I became a Royal, but, to me, he's fine," Meche said. "He's having fun and everybody knows he has some of the best stuff in the American League or in the big leagues, period."
Bannister led the Royals with 12 wins as a rookie and had a 3.12 ERA before slumping in his last four starts.
"Gil Meche said early on, 'I would be shocked if Brian Bannister is not one of the sharpest pitchers you've ever been around,'" Hillman said.
And what about Meche, anointed the staff ace but unable to get run support (or more than nine wins) in his first season with Kansas City?
"It was something that played out the whole year, unfortunately for me. I was the unlucky guy on the staff," Meche said. "Hopefully, I can be consistent like I was last year and stay healthy for 34, 33, 35 starts."
Meche clearly embraces his role as the staff leader and wonders who else will be with him this year.
"The last two spots in the rotation are going to be the biggest thing to see what happens in camp," he said. "I'm pretty curious to see what the opening five is going to be when the season opens up."
He's not alone.
thingy Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Around the Horn: Rotation
With top three spots set, battle for last two starts this spring
By thingy Kaegel / MLB.com
The following is the fifth in a series of weekly stories on MLB.com examining each Major League club, position by position. Each Wednesday until Spring Training camps open, we'll preview a different position. Today: The rotation.
KANSAS CITY -- The first three spots in the Royals' rotation seem to be settled: Gil Meche, Brian Bannister and Zack Greinke.
"With me, Greinke and Banny, I think that's three pretty good guys going up against anybody," Meche said.
Not much argument there, based on 2007 performances.
It's the other two spots, Nos. 4 and 5, that remain big questions as Spring Training approaches. No more pitchers are expected to be added to the roster.
"I don't see any options for us other than the ones we currently have," Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. "I like the core group that we have. We've created a level of competition between our fourth and fifth starters and bullpen spots."
Manager Trey Hillman has a couple of names to fill in the blanks just to get the Hot Stove pot bubbling. Remember, though, it's still late January.
"Brett Tomko is No. 4 for me," Hillman said. "I told Brett before we ever signed him, before he chose us over Cincinnati, 'You need to know, in a perfect scenario, what I want as a manager and what we are looking for as an organization. And that's for you to be a part of our rotation.'"
OK, then that makes four right-handers and ...
"You go to Jorge De La Rosa," Hillman said. "We'd love to have a lefty in our mix and I'm not going to try to hide the excitement of having either him or a John Bale moving out of the bullpen."
The Nos. 4 and 5 jobs are going to occasion an all-comers brawl. There are a lot of guys who could muscle their way in -- including the split-finger "Tornado" from Japan, Hideo Nomo.
The perception is that Nomo, two arm surgeries past his Dodgers glory, is being brought in to guide reliever Yasuhiko Yabuta in his first season playing in the United States.
"I know what the public sentiment is -- 39 years old, arm injuries, window dressing for the Yabuta thing, hanging out with a buddy -- but I'm staying open-minded about that," Hillman said. "Sometimes, depending on what types of surgery and the way the body reacts, with this guy being the winningest Japanese pitcher in the history of Major League Baseball, there's no doubt in my mind that his passion and his desire and his competitiveness are still there. So I'm anxious to see how the arm works."
You easily can come up with six or seven names for the last two spots.
De La Rosa was the fourth starter last year until he fell out of favor with ex-manager Buddy Bell after a midseason slump and a late July injury. The Royals love his stuff if not always his location.
Bale is a big left-hander who formerly started in Japan. He missed the first half of 2007 with an injury but was good enough in his last 16 games to merit consideration as a starter.
Tomko has split time between starting and relieving the last two years. But in his last four starts of 2007, the Padres were 3-1 and Tomko believes he's regained his touch.
"If Tomko's healthy enough, there are enough bullets left, seemingly from our homework and our scouting on it," Hillman said. "Unless he's pulling my pants off, I think he's excited about coming in and winning a job in the rotation."
Certainly, he's a veteran presence.
"Veteran," Tomko observed, "is a nice way of saying geezer."
Obviously, he could help guys like Kyle Davies. Obtained from the Braves last season, Davies experienced rocky times for the Royals, but he's just 24 and approaching his fourth big league year. If he can control his fastball, word is he'll be fine.
Luke Hochevar, the top pick in 2006 First-Year Player Draft, is also 24 and still learning. Because of September success, he'll get a good look to see if he'll be starting for KC or Omaha.
Luke Hudson will have to come back from shoulder surgery. He was a fine starter in 2006 but pitched only once last year. But Hudson is confident he's arm is near 100 percent.
There are also Brandon Duckworth, who might have a non-roster spot if he clears waivers, Brian Lawrence, who pitched for five years in the Padres' rotation but is now coming back from surgery, and Tyler Lumsden, a young lefty who won nine games for Omaha.
If the back end is unsettled, the front three appears solid.
Greinke was superb in the bullpen last year but returned to the rotation and had a 1.85 ERA in seven starts.
"I know he went through some things before I became a Royal, but, to me, he's fine," Meche said. "He's having fun and everybody knows he has some of the best stuff in the American League or in the big leagues, period."
Bannister led the Royals with 12 wins as a rookie and had a 3.12 ERA before slumping in his last four starts.
"Gil Meche said early on, 'I would be shocked if Brian Bannister is not one of the sharpest pitchers you've ever been around,'" Hillman said.
And what about Meche, anointed the staff ace but unable to get run support (or more than nine wins) in his first season with Kansas City?
"It was something that played out the whole year, unfortunately for me. I was the unlucky guy on the staff," Meche said. "Hopefully, I can be consistent like I was last year and stay healthy for 34, 33, 35 starts."
Meche clearly embraces his role as the staff leader and wonders who else will be with him this year.
"The last two spots in the rotation are going to be the biggest thing to see what happens in camp," he said. "I'm pretty curious to see what the opening five is going to be when the season opens up."
He's not alone.
thingy Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.