Spring Training 2014:
Pitchers and catchers have reported. Position players reported before they were required to. It's official. Spring Training games start this week. The Royals will face their Surprise Complex co-hosts, the Texas Rangers, at Surprise Stadium on Thursday, March 27th at 2:05 pm CT. Not that it really matter but the Royals will be the home team and the game the following day, they'll be the away team against the Rangers. The contingency of 60 players have started the process of loosening, oiling, and prepping the gears for the grind of the 162-game season.
The complete pitching assignments: (written by Dick Kaegel of MLB.com)
Thursday vs. Rangers - Bruce Chen, Danny Duffy, Donnie Joseph, Cory Wade, Guillermo Mota, Scott Alexander, and Kelvin Herrera.
Friday at Rangers - James Shields, Chris Dwyer, Jason Adam, Sugar Ray Marimon, Everett Teaford, Michael Mariot, and Tim Collins.
Saturday vs Padres - Jason Vargas, Brad Penny, Aaron Brooks, Aaron Crow, Greg Holland, and Jon Rauch.
Sunday at Cubs - Wade Davis, Yordano Ventura, John Lamb, Francisley Bueno, and P.J. Walters.
Monday, March 3rd, at White Sox - Jeremy Guthrie, Luke Hochevar, Justin Marks, and Louis Coleman.
3Things to Watch in Spring Training
1. Final Rotation Spot
Competitors include: Yordano Ventura, Danny Duffy, Wade Davis, Luke Hochevar, Chris Dwyer, Brad Penny, P.J. Walters, and Everett Teaford. The top three guys that have the best chances in claiming the fifth rotation spot, respectively, are Ventura, Duffy, and Davis. Hochevar proved last year he was bullpen material after multiple years of sluggish starts. The best spot for him is the bullpen. I don't see any other guys having a legitimate shot.
Yordano Ventura. If you were lucky enough to attend his Major League Debut, and only home start so far, on September 17th, 2013, you were somewhat disappointed. Not by Ventura but by the bullpen. Ventura pitched out of a few jams but was marvelous in his debut. Pitching 5.2 innings, 1 ER, 2 BB, and 3 SO, he was in line for the win until Kelvin Herrera allowed 2 earned runs in the 7th. The Royals ended up losing the game to Cleveland 5 to 3 but Ventura looked great. Overall, Ventura started 3 games in the final month of the season. His stat line of 15.1 IP, 13 H, 6 ER, 6 BB, 11 SO, and 3.52 ERA are pretty decent numbers.
Danny Duffy made his MLB debut at 21 on May 18, 2011. He ended up making 20 starts during the season, compiling a 4-8 record along with a 5.68 ERA. Tommy John Surgery to his left elbow in 2012 limited him to starting just 6 games. In his 3 years of Major League experience, Duffy is 8-10 with a 4.75 ERA in 157.1 IP. Granted he was limited by injuries and not backed by much offense. If he is able to stay healthy throughout Spring Training this year, I think he has a legitimate shot at the fifth rotation spot. But only if he is healthy throughout Spring Training.
I'm still a fan of the Wade Davis acquisition. Don't let his stats from 2013 throw you off. Yes he went 8-11 with a whopping 5.32 ERA between the bullpen and as a starter. You can argue that he is better as a bullpen when he went 3-0 in 70.1 IP and a 2.43 ERA in 2012 with Tampa Bay. What is the definition of a winning team? Above .500. Wade Davis is a "winning pitcher". His career numbers are 36-33 (.522) but with a 4.26 ERA (kind of high) in 88 starts. If he struggles this year as a starter, just move him to bullpen again and have Duffy or Hochevar fill in. But don't let me pitch half the season with a roller coaster of quality and poor starts.
Career numbers that matter:
Yordano Ventura: 0-1 record, 3.52 ERA, 3 GS, 15.1 IP, 13 H, 6 ER, 6 BB, 11 SO, 1.239 WHIP.
Danny Duffy: 8-10 record, 4.75 ERA, 31 GS, 157.1 IP, 164 H, 83 ER, 83 BB, 137 SO, 1.570 WHIP.
Wade Davis: 36-33 record, 4.26 ERA, 88 GS, 594 IP, 605 H, 281 ER, 225 BB, 455 SO, 1.397 WHIP.
Luke Hochevar: 43-61 record, 5.10 ERA, 128 GS, 841.1 IP, 866 H, 477 ER, 274 BB, 613 SO, 1.355 WHIP.
Luke Hochevar, the man with a beard. Drafted in 2006 (1st Round, 1st Overall Pick) as a starter, has had some decent years and beyond poor years. In 2011, Hochevar went 11-11 in 31 starts but had a 4.68 ERA. Way, way too high. During his first campaign as a bullpen guy in 2013, Hochevar compiled a 5-2 record in 70.1 IP. His ERA was 1.92, the lowest it's ever been. His average ERA from 2007-2012 was 4.90. Does that not prove he should be in the bullpen? Bring the big guy (6' 5") out of the bullpen to shut down hitters late in games.
2. The New Moose
Mike Moustakas used the "off season" as a conditioning transition to what he calls the new Mike. Most guys spend the off season either hunting, golfing, relaxing, or doing what they can't do during the season. Not Moose. He spent part of his off season in the Venezuelan League playing under hitting coach Pedro Grifol. They worked on his hitting approach, plate discipline, and one important factor. One of the most important changes in Moustakas' offensive approach for 2014 will be not pulling the ball every time. He is transitioning like Hosmer did last season into driving the ball to the opposite field. This should help raise his BA, increase H, and lower SO. I wanted him during Spring Training in 2013 and he looked good but things changed during the season. He tried too much, plain and simple. If he is able to do things with his bat like he can with his glove, things will be looking up.
3. Final Outfield Spots
Justin Maxwell, Jarrod Dyson, Carlos Peguero, and Jimmy Paredes are going to battle it out for the fourth and fifth outfield spots. All contenders are worthy of the spots. Yet all have the same thing to lose. Maxwell, Dyson, Peguero, and Paredes are all out of minor league options. Ned Yost has ruled out the possibility of an 11-man bullpen while Dyson is expected to be an "insurance" for CF Lorenzo Cain. Dyson has what all the contenders have but a little bit more. Speed. Dyson stole 34 bases last season while only getting thrown out 6 times. For his career, he has 84 SB and 13 CS. Pretty good numbers.Putting that speed in center field is any manager's dream. But honestly, I don't think Dyson is as great defensively as he could be. The battle for the fifth outfield spot should be between Maxwell and Peguero. Both have spower (speed and power) that will help the Royals since they lacked power most of last season. I don't see Paredes contending that well for the fifth spot. Not get me wrong, Paredes is a great ball player but he lacks hitting for average and power. His 3 years in the Majors only shows a .234 BA and only 3 HR. The way the last home game of the season went in 2013, I think Maxwell has the edge with his walk-off grand slam. But if Peguero can prove to be a lethal threat with his power in Spring Training, I'd be surprised if he gave Maxwell a run for his money.
Let the career numbers speak for themselves:
Justin Maxwell - .228 BA (hit .268 in 35 games for the Royals in 2013), 27 HR, 79 RBI, 26 SB (8 CS), 99 BB, .745 SLG in parts of 5 seasons in the NL/AL.
Carlos Peguero - .195 BA, 9 HR, 27 RBI, 1 SB (1 CS), 10 BB, 380 SLG in parts of 3 seasons with Seattle.
Bold Prediction: Maxwell is fifth outfielder.
-Nick Brown (@nick_brown32)
*All statistics are from www.baseball-reference.com*
*Complete pitching assignments originally reported by Dick Kaegel of MLB.com*
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