2011 KC Royals - Pre-season

[SubGod22]

Royals invite lefty Sisk to big league camp

KANSAS CITY -- A day after losing left-handed pitcher Dusty Hughes to the Twins on waivers, the Royals added another lefty to their Spring Training arsenal.

Brandon Sisk, who pitched last season for their Northwest Arkansas club, on Thursday was invited to the Major League camp. He's the 24th non-roster player, including 14 pitchers, to receive an invitation.

Sisk, 25, had a 4-6 record, nine saves and a 4.46 ERA in 40 relief outings for the Texas League champion Naturals with 63 strikeouts in 68 2/3 innings. He also pitched 10 games for Surprise in the Arizona Fall League and posted a 2.51 ERA and held batters to a .167 average.

[SubGod22]

Former All-Star White reduces Royals role

Frank White, an icon in Royals history, has resigned as a full-time employee of the ballclub.

White said he will continue as an announcer for Royals telecasts on Fox Sports Kansas City, and he plans to work as a guest instructor for the team during Spring Training. But he stepped down from his full-time position with the team earlier this month.

"As far as my dealings with the Royals -- since 1996, I've had a great time as a coach on the field. I was able to get a couple years in the front office and three years in the Minor Leagues managing," White said. "And the last three years I've been in community relations, and that's all been fun to me. I really feel like I learned a lot."

Kevin Uhlich, Royals senior vice president-business operations, confirmed White's resignation but hoped that former Royals star would continue to make appearances for the team.

Move to outfield should get Myers to KC sooner

The move was made public just after Myers was named the game's No. 2 catching prospect this month by MLB.com. But it was a change that had been under consideration for a while.

"The question came up, 'Is this the best spot for him if he's that good of a hitter?'" said J.J. Picollo, the Royals' assistant general manager of scouting and player development.

The answer was no -- that he'd likely progress faster as a hitter and help the Major League Royals sooner as an outfielder.

"I think long-term it's the best step for me -- and also the Royals," Myers said.

Myers is a powerful right-handed batter, at a time the Royals are strongest from the left side, and he's done well. Most notably, he finished last season by hitting .346 with 24 extra-base hits and 38 RBIs in 58 games for Advanced Class A Wilmington.

The Royals had figured on making a decision on a position change after this season.

"But with the year he had offensively, he forced our hand a little bit quicker," Picollo said.

[SubGod22]

Royals bring in veteran Feliz with Minors deal

In a year when the Royals' training camp will be dominated by kids, the club reached out for experience on Thursday by signing third baseman Pedro Feliz.

Feliz, 35, was signed to a Minor League contract for 2011 with an invitation to Major League Spring Training.

General manager Dayton Moore said that Feliz, who has 11 years of Major League experience, will provide depth in a camp that also will have Mike Aviles, Wilson Betemit and rookie Mike Moustakas as third-base candidates.

I guess he's not guaranteed anything and you never know what a veteran presence in Spring Training can do for a youngster like Moose.

"But when Mike Moustakas is ready for the team, he's going to be our third baseman," Moore said.

[ShockTalk]

I'll admit I don't follow the Royals that close, but this is a little bit of a head scratcher. Feliz best days are probably well behind him and would think Betemit would be as good. Why are they thinking of moving Aviles to 3rd? And if that's the case, I know I go with Aviles over Feliz.

[SubGod22]

I'll admit I don't follow the Royals that close, but this is a little bit of a head scratcher. Feliz best days are probably well behind him and would think Betemit would be as good. Why are they thinking of moving Aviles to 3rd? And if that's the case, I know I go with Aviles over Feliz.

I think they'd prefer Aviles at 2nd. Betemit is a defensive liability at 3rd. I think Feliz is just a fill in for defensive purposes if things go wrong. Plus, a veteran guy like that may be able to help Moose along some. It's only a minor league deal so I don't think it's too bad. I don't expect him to be in KC unless we have injury issues.

[BenWSU]

The 2011 Royals TV schedule is here: http://bit.ly/dYOm8C. All 140 regular season games on FSKC will be in HD.

FSKC will also televise two Royals Spring Training games: 3/25 vs. WS Champ SF Giants and 3/28 vs. Milwaukee.

[lostshocker]

I think they'd prefer Aviles at 2nd. Betemit is a defensive liability at 3rd. I think Feliz is just a fill in for defensive purposes if things go wrong. Plus, a veteran guy like that may be able to help Moose along some. It's only a minor league deal so I don't think it's too bad. I don't expect him to be in KC unless we have injury issues.

betemit is a utility guy. he shouldnt be playing everyday to begin with. do they have any plans on letting moustakas be their everyday 3b this year?

[SubGod22]

I think they'd prefer Aviles at 2nd. Betemit is a defensive liability at 3rd. I think Feliz is just a fill in for defensive purposes if things go wrong. Plus, a veteran guy like that may be able to help Moose along some. It's only a minor league deal so I don't think it's too bad. I don't expect him to be in KC unless we have injury issues.

betemit is a utility guy. he shouldnt be playing everyday to begin with. do they have any plans on letting moustakas be their everyday 3b this year?

They do. The only question is will he be that guy out of Spring Training or will he spend a month or two in Omaha before coming up. Arizona will decide that. I hope he tears it up and is our opening day 3B.

[Shocker Rocker]

I think they'd prefer Aviles at 2nd. Betemit is a defensive liability at 3rd. I think Feliz is just a fill in for defensive purposes if things go wrong. Plus, a veteran guy like that may be able to help Moose along some. It's only a minor league deal so I don't think it's too bad. I don't expect him to be in KC unless we have injury issues.

betemit is a utility guy. he shouldnt be playing everyday to begin with. do they have any plans on letting moustakas be their everyday 3b this year?

They do. The only question is will he be that guy out of Spring Training or will he spend a month or two in Omaha before coming up. Arizona will decide that. I hope he tears it up and is our opening day 3B.

But since the Royals aren't going to compete this year, wouldn't you rather have him called up later in the year to ensure that he sticks around just a little bit longer?

[SubGod22]

I think they'd prefer Aviles at 2nd. Betemit is a defensive liability at 3rd. I think Feliz is just a fill in for defensive purposes if things go wrong. Plus, a veteran guy like that may be able to help Moose along some. It's only a minor league deal so I don't think it's too bad. I don't expect him to be in KC unless we have injury issues.

betemit is a utility guy. he shouldnt be playing everyday to begin with. do they have any plans on letting moustakas be their everyday 3b this year?

They do. The only question is will he be that guy out of Spring Training or will he spend a month or two in Omaha before coming up. Arizona will decide that. I hope he tears it up and is our opening day 3B.

But since the Royals aren't going to compete this year, wouldn't you rather have him called up later in the year to ensure that he sticks around just a little bit longer?

Either way he's going to need to play. If he can help and get going right out of ST I'm all for it. If he really does need a little time in Omaha then I'm ok with that too. But he will be the 3B for the Royals this year. How soon is up to the team and I'm fine with that.

[SubGod22]

Young Royals to get chance to blossom at camp

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- This is the swing year for the Royals.

This is the year that they begin -- they fervently hope -- to see the fruits of all those young plantings the past few seasons in the Minor Leagues. In spring, the Royals should be bustin' out all over. Many of their top prospects will be populating the Major League camp and, well, it should be fun.

"No doubt," manager Ned Yost said. "I'm really looking forward to it because you're going to have a ton of talent in that camp and it's going to be a lot of fun watching them grow and develop."

[SubGod22]

Glass: Now is the time to start winning

KANSAS CITY -- Now that the dust, or at least the snow, has settled and the Royals appear set for Spring Training, owner David Glass is eager for camp to open in Arizona.

"I'm excited, optimistic, encouraged and I can't wait to get to Surprise to see what all these kids look like," he said by phone on another frigid day in the Midwest.

"The fans in Kansas City deserve to have a good team. They are really supportive of the Royals and they've gone through a number of years now where we've not been very good. They are the ones that I want to have a good team for because they deserve it. They've hung in there with us and I think it's going to pay off."

"You have to like [Mike] Moustakas and [Eric] Hosmer, we had both of them here. And I got to watch [Mike] Montgomery and [John] Lamb pitch. They're going to be special," he said. "Derrick Robinson didn't play much baseball, he was more of a football player, but he's going to wind up being a really good player. And a really interesting guy is Clint Robinson, the kid that played first base for the Naturals last year. He was the Triple Crown winner in the Texas League and nobody's even mentioned him. Paulo Orlando, the kid we got from the White Sox a couple of years ago, really started to come into his own."

What Glass especially likes is that the Royals now have a lot of depth in their reserve of Minor League talent.

"It's not like you have a wave of these kids coming and that's it. There are a lot more in the pipeline behind the kids that are getting all the visibility," he said. "Just because a kid is outstanding in the Minor Leagues and a highly-regarded prospect doesn't mean they'll be successful at the big league level. But the percentages tell me that we've got enough in the pipeline that some of them are going to be really good."

[Awesome Sauce Malone]

So nice of him to join party.

[SubGod22]

Pitching fountain sprays youth on Royals' camp

KANSAS CITY -- During the cold, snowy winter in Kansas City, Royals manager Ned Yost paid a visit from his Georgia home and fed a little fuel into the ol' Hot Stove.

Yost recalled that when the Zack Greinke trade was about to be completed with Milwaukee, he discussed the deal with his oldest son, Ned, who happens to be a hitting coach in the Brewers organization.

"We got right to the point of making the deal and he said, 'Who are we getting?' I said, 'Well, I think you guys are going to get Zack Greinke.' And his eyes lit up. And he said, 'Who do we have to give up?' "

Yost gave his son the names of pitchers Jeremy Jeffress and Jake Odorizzi, shortstop Alcides Escobar and center fielder Lorenzo Cain -- the four players who were sent to the Royals for Greinke and shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt.

"And he said, 'My gosh, you're taking our whole future,' " Yost continued. "And I said, 'Well, you guys are getting Greinke.' And he said, 'Yeah, I guess we are.' So they're all four pretty special players."

The big story among the pitchers is the massive influx of youngsters, most of them from the Royals' top-rated farm system. Eight of them are 22 years old or younger. Four are 23. Of those 12, eight happen to be left-handed.

The youngest is John Lamb, 20, who was so impressive in 2010 -- he was the Royals' Minor League Pitcher of the Year -- that he could make a serious bid for the Major League roster. You could pencil in a lot of names in that category and, if they don't crack the rotation, they just might get into the bullpen mix behind setup man Robinson Tejeda and closer Joakim Soria.

Certainly Yost and pitching coach Bob McClure will be keeping an open mind to that possibility.

"We may have a guy who has been a starter the whole time in the Minor Leagues and we may put him in the bullpen, let him get his feet wet and maybe halfway through the season begin to incorporate him into the rotation," McClure said. "I was brought up that way. A lot of guys were."

[XManCometh]

I think they'd prefer Aviles at 2nd. Betemit is a defensive liability at 3rd. I think Feliz is just a fill in for defensive purposes if things go wrong. Plus, a veteran guy like that may be able to help Moose along some. It's only a minor league deal so I don't think it's too bad. I don't expect him to be in KC unless we have injury issues.

betemit is a utility guy. he shouldnt be playing everyday to begin with. do they have any plans on letting moustakas be their everyday 3b this year?

They do. The only question is will he be that guy out of Spring Training or will he spend a month or two in Omaha before coming up. Arizona will decide that. I hope he tears it up and is our opening day 3B.

But since the Royals aren't going to compete this year, wouldn't you rather have him called up later in the year to ensure that he sticks around just a little bit longer?

Either way he's going to need to play. If he can help and get going right out of ST I'm all for it. If he really does need a little time in Omaha then I'm ok with that too. But he will be the 3B for the Royals this year. How soon is up to the team and I'm fine with that.

Since we have no chance to compete this year, we'll likely go with the 3-headed monster of Aviles, Betemit and Feliz at 3rd. However, once we have successfully delayed Moustakas' salary arbitration and free agency by a year, he's likely to get the call.