From FanFest to Spring Training

"Life is like a jigsaw puzzle, the answer is on the box but you have to fit the pieces together yourself."

To many, FanFest is the unofficial starting countdown to Spring Training. This year, FanFest was a two-day event at Bartle Hall and it certainly didn't disappoint. Besides more opportunities to obtain autographs, the best addition was overall space. Those of you that braved the winter mix of snow and ice for the first day of FanFest probably scored on autographs as much as I did. James Shields, Eric Hosmer, Alex Gordon, Salvador Perez, etc. Friday's attendance was roughly 3,000 along with over 8,000 on Saturday. I only attended Friday and it was a success for me. Scored a bunch of autographs on game used memorabilia that players gave to me during the season (especially Salvy's bat from batting practice). I was able to get Yordano Ventura's autograph on his 2014 Topps Series 1 Rookie Card. 

Wins and losses don't matter much for Spring Training but the Royals will defend their Cactus League title from last year (25-7-2) when they take on their Surprise Stadium counterparts, Texas Rangers, on February 27th at 2:05 pm CST. 

During FanFest, Bruce Chen was signed to a one-year contract for $4.25 million with a mutual option for 2015 of $5.5 million, with a buyout of $1.25 million. On top of that, Yost positioned Chen as #4 in the starting rotation behind Shields, Guthrie, and Vargas, respectively. He finished strong as a starter, beginning the season in the bullpen, but coming to the rescue as Mendoza struggled. that leaves the final rotation spot up for grabs. The competition that'll be contending for it? Danny Duffy, Wade Davis, Yordano Ventura, Kyle Zimmer, and Luke Hochevar. I predict that Ventura or Duffy will claim the final rotation spot to start the year. Ventura went 0-1 in three starts with a 3.52 ERA and 11 K in 15.1 IP. He could have gone 2-0 but the bullpen allowed runs late following a quality start at home. Duffy started five games and went 2-0 with a 1.85 ERA and 22 K in 24.1 IP. I can see Hochevar, Davis, and Zimmer starting at some point during the season if there are injuries or inconsistent starts.

If you haven't seen Yost's, presumably set, lineup for Opening Day, it looks like a real MLB lineup. Compared to last year's, it doesn't really need to be tampered with when it comes to left-handed pitching. The batting order includes left-handed or right-handed and each player's career BA (batting average) and OBP (on-base %) for that batting order position . MLB BA average for 2013 was .253 and OBP was .318.

1. Norichika Aoki (L)- .296 BA and .367 OBP (main batting order position in career)
2. Omar Infante (R) - .444 BA and .500 OBP (only 2 games batting 2nd)
3. Eric Hosmer (L) - .322 BA and .372 OBP (.279 BA and .324 OBP when batting 4th)
4. Billy Butler (R) - .283 Ba and .391 OBP (.303 BA and .454 OBP when batting 3rd)
5. Alex Gordon (L) - (never has batted 5th, in 119 games as lead-off .255 BA/.323 OBP) 
6. Salvador Perez (R) - .333 BA and .345 OBP (only 16 games batting 6th)
7. Mike Moustakas (L) - .233 BA and .268 OBP (only 34 games batting 7th)
8. Lorenzo Cain (R) - .500 BA and .545 OBP (only 3 games batting 8th)
9. Alcides Escobar (R) - .282 BA and .297 OBP (only 46 games batting 9th)

A lead-off hitter is one of the most important components of a successful lineup. In my opinion, the part of this lineup that's most prominent is the decision of the #3/4 hitters. I agree with Yost's decision for Hosmer as the #3 hitter instead of Billy Butler. After Hosmer's second half  surge last season, it's obvious that he deserves the #3 hole. Hosmer was batting .285 in the 1st half and .323 in the 2nd half. His numbers across the board in wins last year proves that he should be the #3 hitter, especially with our two newest additions for lead-off and #2 (Aoki and Infante). (Link for Win/Loss stats - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.cgi?id=hosmeer01&year=&t=b#outcb)

For 2014, I expect Mike Moustakas to have a career year. I expect him to excel in every statistical category. He has been working out during the entire off-season. He got married (sorry ladies), which should mature him quite a bit. He has been playing games in the Venezuelan League with hitting coach Pedro Grifol, where he has completely changed his approach and swing. The biggest factor that should help him improve is his new approach of not pulling the ball anymore. Watching games last year, Hosmer didn't pull the ball as most lefties do. He was hitting opposite bombs and doubles in the left-center field gap.

Alex Gordon. Where do you even begin with him? Guys still won't learn to NOT run on him. Offensively, I expect a better year than last season when he hit .265 with 20 HR, 81 RBI, and only 27 2B (compared to his league leading 51 2B in 2012).

Salvador Perez. The Venezuelan Cannon behind home plate. 1st Gold Glove of many. Gunning down runners than underestimate him. I see him having another great season after his first full season last year.

*All statistics are from www.baseball-reference.com *

Spring Training Home Schedule 2014

• February 27th vs Rangers (2:05 pm CST)
• February 27th vs Rangers (away team - 2:05 pm CST)
• March 1st vs Padres (2:05 pm CST)
• March 4th vs Reds (2:05 pm CST)
• March 6th vs White Sox (2:05 pm CST)
• March 7th vs Giants (2:05 pm CST)
• March 9th vs Rockies (3:05 pm CDT) *Note the time change from daylight savings
• March 11th vs Dodgers (3:05 pm CDT)
• March 14th vs Athletics (3:05 pm CDT)
• March 15th vs Cubs (Split Squad - 3:05 pm CDT)
• March 17th vs Rangers (8:05 pm CDT)
• March 19th vs Reds (8:05 pm CDT)
• March 20th vs Angels (3:05 pm CDT)
• March 22th vs Rangers (3:05 pm CDT)
• March 25th vs Mariners (8:05 pm CDT)

All home/away games except March 5/8/13/14/15/20/21/22 are available on KCSP 610, MLB.com, or the MLB At Bat app.

Spring Training is right around the corner! Only 10 more days until Royals pitchers/catchers report and 15 more days until the first full squad workout!

-Nick Brown (@nick_brown32)

Spring Preview

Spring Training. The escape of frigid winter for players and fans. February 14th is the arrival of pitchers and catchers for the Kansas City Royals in Surprise, Arizona. Position players report on February 19th with the first full squad workout on February 20th. Spring Training is the official start to the countdown of Opening Day. 

Spring Training is about fans standing behind the fences, watching their favorite players and teams loosening up to begin their season long grind. Hearing the birds chirp, the sun glisten on your skin, the spitting of sunflower seeds, and the crack of bats connecting with baseballs. It's not "like" Spring setting in after a snowy winter. It "is" Spring awakening from the slush of snow and the coldness of winter.

I had the opportunity to attend Spring Training down in Surprise, Arizona, in 2013. Before that, I hadn't been to Surprise since 2003. If you have never been to Spring Training, I highly advise that you make the trip down. Especially this year since the Royals just finished their first winning season since 2003 and their best record since 1989. I wasn't even alive in 1989. I watched this team last season and saw talent. Talent that was being shown in the batters box, talent snagging line drives and making plays in the infield, and talent saving runs and holding runners to singles instead of easy doubles. Some talent wasn't used properly and some talent wasn't displayed at all. As a fan, I could just sit here and tell you this is the season for the Royals. Statistically though, this is the season the Royals rebound from all their slumping seasons in the past. When you finish ten games above .500 and are literally in contention for the playoffs the entire year until the last week of the season, that is rebounding. We all dread a few seasons in between 2003 and now but this year will be different. Look at what has gone down so far this off season. Finally settling the dispute at second base with the addition of Omar Infante, Norichika Aoki for Will Smith that will solidify right field, and the signing of Jason Vargas as a top three starter are three key acquisitions for the Royals. 

Sixteen non-roster invitees are headed to Spring Training this year. The name that stands out the most on the list is Kyle Zimmer. I was able to talk to him a little bit at Spring Training last year. I was lucky enough to get an autograph personalized to my son from Zimmer after I told him I was working at the Royals Stadium the day he signed with the Royals. I think Zimmer has a legitimate shot at making the roster this year. He has four pitches that allow him to confuse hitters and compete: fastball, curve, slider, and changeup. Other non-roster invitees include: Jason Adam, Scott Alexander, Aaron Brooks, Sugar Ray Marimon, Cory Wade, P. J. Walters, Juan Graterol, Ramon Hernandez, Adam Moore, Jason Donald, Brandon Laird, Jorge Bonifacio, Gorkys Hernandez, Melky Mesa, and Paulo Orlando. 

Three Royals won Gold Gloves. The first of many for our fortress of a catcher, Salvador Perez, our democratic Berlin Wall at first base, Eric Hosmer, and the stealth hawk, Alex Gordon.

Salvador Perez is a human cannon behind home plate. His defensive stats for last season make him a top three player for the Royals. When he was injured, our W-L record showed that he was an essential component of the bigger picture.

2013 Defensive Categories (ranked AL)

·         Assists as C – 71 (1^st)

·         Caught Stealing as C – 25 (1^st)

·         Games caught as C – 137 (2^nd)

·         Putouts as C – 930 (2^nd)

2013 was Perez’s first full season due to injuries that plagued his first two seasons. This guy is a difference maker behind the plate. He calls a game that allows everyone to benefit defensively. His off field amateur interviewing skills kept everyone loose.  I expect to see another outstanding season for him and the Royals.

Eric Hosmer. His name defines him. His swing is a beautiful thing. In the second half of the 2013 season, he improved so much. Hosmer has to be one of the fastest first basemen in the league and he doesn't get thrown out much. Three words come to mind when I hear his name “opposite field power”. He has the ability to drive the ball to any part of any stadium. Now that he has three seasons (two full) under his belt, I can see him as a solid #3 or #4 hitter in the lineup for this year. He will continue to crush the ball, drive in runs, and be a play maker.

2013 Offensive/Defensive Categories (ranked AL)

·         Batting Average - .302 (9^th)

·         At Bats – 623 (10^th)

·         Hits – 188 (7^th)

·         Singles – 134 (6^th)

·         Putouts as 1B – 1,205 (2^nd)

·         Defensive Games as 1B – 158 (1^st)

·         Assists as 1B – 122 (1^st)

·         Double Plays Turned as 1B – 118 (3^rd) and 132 (1^st) in 2012

There was no doubt that a quarter of the way into the season that Alex Gordon was going to win a third Gold Glove in left field. The guy is Fort McHenry lobbing mortars and gunning down runners just like during the War of 1812 and defending the Baltimore Harbor from British naval attacks. When he was still playing third base, I never expected him to convert to left field or do such damage with his arm. In his first three full seasons in left field, Gordon has 54 outfield assists. In 2011, he had 20 in his first full year at the position. You don’t do that. You just don’t. The guy is unbelievable out there.

2013 Defensive Categories (ranked AL)

·         At Bats – 633 (6^th)

·         Plate appearances – 700 (5^th)

·         Triples – 6 (6^th)

·         Defensive Games as LF – 155 (1^st)

·         Putouts as LF – 323 (1^st), 2012 – 319 (1^st), and 2011 – 312 (1^st)

·         Assists as LF – 17 (1^st), 2012 – 17 (1^st), and 2011 – 20 (1^st)

·         Double Plays Turned as LF – 2 (1^st) and 2012 – 3 (1^st)

·         Defensive Games as OF – 155 (2^nd) and 2012 – 160 (2^nd)

      The worst part of the year is waiting after the World Series is over until the beginning of Spring Training. Luckily, there are only thirty more days until the start of Spring Training.

*(All statistics are from baseball-reference.com)*

You Have To Start Somewhere

- "When life throws you a curve ball, do you continue to sit on a fastball or swing away?"

This is first ever actual blog post that anyone can read. I decided to create a Kansas City Royals baseball blog because of my love for the game. For my last Composition II assignment, upon graduating from Johnson County Community College with two Associate's degrees, we were given a "Living History" research paper. The paper consisted of interviewing someone who lived during a historical event and could present what happened. Being the baseball guy I am, I decided to interview Willie Aikens on the 1980 World Series and his career. A few people read it and told me I needed to start writing more about baseball or become a sports journalist (hence the blog). I love baseball. I love the Royals. If it isn't about either one of those things, I'd probably rather not talk about it.

One of the greatest experiences of my life was having the opportunity to work for the Royals as a security guard during the 2012 season. Working at the stadium more than tripled my love for them as well as getting hooked on baseball for life. I've talked to many players from the Royals and other teams while they visited. Before working at the K, I didn't have much of a "baseball collection" or "man cave". Today, I have at least fifty signed baseballs, dozens of signed bats (some given to me by players), signed hats, bobble heads, etc. You get the point. I love the Royals and it's because of my son that I do. He was born in the summer of 2011 and he is the reason I didn't go to college in another state. If he had not been born, I wouldn't have stayed in KC, I wouldn't have worked for the Royals, and I wouldn't have started our collection together.

Prior to creating this blog, I would just post my opinions, views, or events/facts/stats regarding the Royals (play-by-play updates or team moves) via Twitter. It's gotten to the point where I'd rather write articles (longer than 160 characters) and provide an in-depth as much as possible take of the Royals. Like many of you, I enjoy reading things that fans post about the Royals. Why? Because we go to the games, we see what happens, we understand the game, and want to voice how we feel. The 2014 season is just a few months away as pitchers/catchers will be reporting for Spring Training soon enough. I'm just as excited for FanFest on January 31st and February 1st as you are.

Thanks everyone!