Boyceofsummer
10-22-2007, 10:42 PM
http://videos.kansascity.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=1537243
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91thEcyQpf8
Royals players happy with Hillman’s hiring
By DAVID BOYCE
The Kansas City Star
Throughout Trey Hillman’s news conference introducing him as the new Royals manager, he emphasized the players.
“I don’t want to be the focal point,” Hillman said Monday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium. “I want the players to be the focal point.”
The relationship a manager has with his players goes a long way in determining the success of the team.
In his meeting with the media, Hillman went beyond talking about his baseball strategy and days in Japan. He reiterated some of the same principles Royals general manager Dayton Moore has stressed since arriving in Kansas City more than a year and a half ago.
“I’m a big family guy. This is going to be a big family,” Hillman said. “I want to meet the players’ kids. I want to bond with their families.”
Words such as those are exactly what Royals catcher John Buck liked hearing.
“It means he’s starting at the heart and working out,” Buck said. “That’s what we need to change.
“Everybody in the major leagues have the skills, but if you don’t have the heart and soul, that’s when you fall short. It seems like that’s right where he’s starting.”
Buck went through a managerial change with the Royals once before when Buddy Bell replaced Tony Peña two months into the 2005 season.
Getting accustomed to a new manager in the offseason is a little easier, Buck said.
“This is a little less hectic,” Buck said. “You are able to read about the manager, learn a little more about him. It’s a slower pace instead of here’s a manager, now go play for him.”
With a core group of young players with experience such as outfielders Mark Teahen, David DeJesus and pitchers Zack Greinke and Brian Bannister, the Royals are banking on Hillman, 44, to be the perfect fit to mold this group into a championship-caliber team.
“He seems to really know the game, and is humble about it,” Teahen said. “But he’s also hungry to do what we need to do to win championships.
“In my three years here, there has been a lot of instability. It’s nice to see Dayton got the man he wants. It feels like Dayton is going to be here a long time. Trey Hillman is going to be here a long time.
“It’s nice to know who is going to be around and we are all on the same plan.”
Hillman said he can work with coaches he never knew before.
The Royals retained pitching coach Bob McClure from Bell’s staff because of the dramatic improvement the staff showed in 2007.
Young pitchers like Bannister and reliever Joakim Soria really blossomed under McClure.
“I’m extremely excited both about our new manager and about the Royals keeping Bob McClure,” Bannister said.
“That’s one thing, among the pitchers, that we were really waiting to hear. A lot of us made big strides because of Mac. I know that Gil (Meche) pitched to his best year ever. I was coming of an injury-filled year. I had a great year, and I owe a ton of that to the approach that Mac instilled in me.
“From what I know of him so far, Trey is a man of character. He has experience both in the Yankees’ organization, which is a winning organization; he also was very successful over in Japan in bringing the Ham Fighters to their first championship.”
Playing in the postseason is something the Royals want to stride toward instead of talking about not losing 100 games or playing for fourth place.
“I was excited the way the season went for the most part,” Teahen said. “I know we didn’t finish strong, but we were also trying out some new parts at the end.
“It’s exciting to see our young core come together like it did this year. Now we are adding a new manager who is going to be around for a while. It’s an exciting time to be apart of the Royals.”
To reach David Boyce, sports reporter for The Star, call 816-234-4745 or send e-mail to dboyce@kcstar.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91thEcyQpf8
Royals players happy with Hillman’s hiring
By DAVID BOYCE
The Kansas City Star
Throughout Trey Hillman’s news conference introducing him as the new Royals manager, he emphasized the players.
“I don’t want to be the focal point,” Hillman said Monday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium. “I want the players to be the focal point.”
The relationship a manager has with his players goes a long way in determining the success of the team.
In his meeting with the media, Hillman went beyond talking about his baseball strategy and days in Japan. He reiterated some of the same principles Royals general manager Dayton Moore has stressed since arriving in Kansas City more than a year and a half ago.
“I’m a big family guy. This is going to be a big family,” Hillman said. “I want to meet the players’ kids. I want to bond with their families.”
Words such as those are exactly what Royals catcher John Buck liked hearing.
“It means he’s starting at the heart and working out,” Buck said. “That’s what we need to change.
“Everybody in the major leagues have the skills, but if you don’t have the heart and soul, that’s when you fall short. It seems like that’s right where he’s starting.”
Buck went through a managerial change with the Royals once before when Buddy Bell replaced Tony Peña two months into the 2005 season.
Getting accustomed to a new manager in the offseason is a little easier, Buck said.
“This is a little less hectic,” Buck said. “You are able to read about the manager, learn a little more about him. It’s a slower pace instead of here’s a manager, now go play for him.”
With a core group of young players with experience such as outfielders Mark Teahen, David DeJesus and pitchers Zack Greinke and Brian Bannister, the Royals are banking on Hillman, 44, to be the perfect fit to mold this group into a championship-caliber team.
“He seems to really know the game, and is humble about it,” Teahen said. “But he’s also hungry to do what we need to do to win championships.
“In my three years here, there has been a lot of instability. It’s nice to see Dayton got the man he wants. It feels like Dayton is going to be here a long time. Trey Hillman is going to be here a long time.
“It’s nice to know who is going to be around and we are all on the same plan.”
Hillman said he can work with coaches he never knew before.
The Royals retained pitching coach Bob McClure from Bell’s staff because of the dramatic improvement the staff showed in 2007.
Young pitchers like Bannister and reliever Joakim Soria really blossomed under McClure.
“I’m extremely excited both about our new manager and about the Royals keeping Bob McClure,” Bannister said.
“That’s one thing, among the pitchers, that we were really waiting to hear. A lot of us made big strides because of Mac. I know that Gil (Meche) pitched to his best year ever. I was coming of an injury-filled year. I had a great year, and I owe a ton of that to the approach that Mac instilled in me.
“From what I know of him so far, Trey is a man of character. He has experience both in the Yankees’ organization, which is a winning organization; he also was very successful over in Japan in bringing the Ham Fighters to their first championship.”
Playing in the postseason is something the Royals want to stride toward instead of talking about not losing 100 games or playing for fourth place.
“I was excited the way the season went for the most part,” Teahen said. “I know we didn’t finish strong, but we were also trying out some new parts at the end.
“It’s exciting to see our young core come together like it did this year. Now we are adding a new manager who is going to be around for a while. It’s an exciting time to be apart of the Royals.”
To reach David Boyce, sports reporter for The Star, call 816-234-4745 or send e-mail to dboyce@kcstar.com