Bautista makes case for rotation
 

http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/NAS...t=.jsp&c_id=kc

Notes: Bautista getting noticed
Pena says youngster could earn spot in the rotation
By Alan Eskew / Special to MLB.com

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Denny Bautista is the early leader to claim a spot in the Royals' rotation.

Bautista, a 24-year-old rookie right-hander, threw three shutout innings and allowed just one single, while striking out four in the Royals' 6-0 victory over the Mariners on Wednesday.

Royals manager Tony Pena said there is "no way" he could omit Bautista from the rotation if he continues to pitch the way he has been.

In two outings, Bautista has allowed one unearned run in five innings, while striking out eight and walking two.

"This kid has thrown real good in back-to-back games," Pena said. "He's real tough. He threw only 32 pitches today in three innings. He threw only two pitches up in the strike zone. Everything else was down. He had a good changeup, good curveball and a good slider."

Not to mention a fastball that tops out at 98 mph and is consistently 96-97.

"Bautista is one of the most intimidating pitchers I've ever seen," Royals pitching coach Guy Hansen said. "He has got four pitches that are all above average. He has the eye of the tiger. He wants the ball. He's just got an exceptional arm.

"He could be an impact guy. The Royals did a tremendous scouting effort to get him in a trade [with the Orioles last June for veteran reliever Jason Grimsley]. I know a couple of guys called me and said, 'You've got the mother lode.' "

The Royals said Bautista, who stands 6-foot-5, added 20 pounds to his frame and is weighing 190 pounds, which helped increase the velocity on his fastball.


Lima escapes: Jose Lima weaved his way into and out of trouble the first three innings on Wednesday.

Lima did not allow a run, but he yielded five hits, all singles, and walked three. The Royals turned double plays behind him in the first and third innings. In the second with the bases loaded and one out, Lima struck out Jamal Strong and retired Ichiro Suzuki on a ground ball.

"I got the bases loaded, but that didn't bother me," Lima said. "I'm a better pitcher when I'm in trouble. I made some good pitches. I don't try to be too fine."
Pena thought Lima got in jams because "he tried to be fine."

"He tried to make perfect pitches," Pena said.

Pena said Lima's outing was "much better" than his first, when he allowed seven runs, six earned, on eight hits against the Rangers.

"If I get the slider going, watch out," Lima said. "Then I'll have my two-seam fastball, my changeup and my slider. I can throw the changeup anytime I want now for strikes."


Forget about it: Chris George's line looked alarming in the box score: two innings, five hits, three runs, in a loss to the Rockies on Monday.

"The stats lied," Hansen said. "It wasn't an indicator. I actually thought he threw the ball as well as I've seen him. He had a firmness to his breaking ball. He had some deception in his delivery. There were a lot of good things I liked."

George gave up two ground-ball singles off infielders' gloves, a broken-bat single to Desi Relaford and a RBI on a squibbler to the first baseman.

"That's the story of my life," George said. "I was throwing all four pitches for strikes. Again, I didn't walk anybody, which is big for me. I was being aggressive, just trying to make them put the ball in play. I'm not afraid of contact."

George paused and then added, "Maybe I should be," and laughed.

"I felt really good about the way I threw the ball," George said. "I just didn't get the breaks. It's going to equal out in the end."


Guiel meeting: Outfielder Aaron Guiel met with general manager Allard Baird and Pena on Wednesday after a published report came out with the headline: "Guiel: If I'm not starting, I'll probably be departing."

Guiel is competing for an outfield job after missing most of last season because of a vision problem that he corrected with two laser eye surgeries.

"I just wanted to clear the air with Allard and Tony," Guiel said. "I was glad I could meet with both. Allard and I had a nice conversation. I was probably not misquoted, but the quotes were taking out of context.

"I never said if I wasn't starting that I wanted out. All I ever asked for was an opportunity to prove to them that my vision is 100 percent. My eye is 100 percent, but they have to see me perform on the field.

"I have a lot of loyalty to this ballclub. The organization signed me out of the Mexican League [in 2000] and gave me my first opportunity to play in the big leagues."


Injury updates: Tony Graffanino, who has been restricted to DH duties after having shoulder surgery last season, said his throwing is coming along well and that he anticipates he will be able to play second base on Friday in a "B" games against the Rangers.

Pena said third baseman Chris Truby, who has not played since the March 3 opener because of a sore left wrist, will be out at least three or four more days.

Good to hear that about Bautista, you heard he was a steal for the aged Grimsley at the time, hopefully all that talk was right.

Oh shit, they actually beat someone yesterday?!

The pitching has been much better the last two days. After a shutout on Wednesday, Kevin Appier struggled starting yesterday and gave up 4 runs, but a group of relievers (Kyle Snyder, Affeldt, Field, Ambiorix Burgos, Cerda, and Leo Nunez from the Santiago trade) followed him and over the last 7 innings didn't allow a single hit as the Royals beat the Brewers... pretty impressive.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...s/11105251.htm

Bautista possesses right stuff for Royals

Pitcher shows team that he has a good selection of pitches

By BOB DUTTON
The Kansas City Star


MARYVALE, Ariz. — The buzz continued Thursday in the Royals' camp over Denny Bautista's dominating three-inning performance a day earlier against the Seattle Mariners.

“It was awesome,” catcher John Buck said. “The first inning, he just went out and challenged them with fastballs, and they couldn't handle it.

“We could have stayed with that, but we made him throw his change-up, his slider and his curve. And he moved all of his pitches to both sides of the plate. He's got sharp stuff. Everything was electric.”

Bautista, a 24-year-old right-hander, was nearly as good in his first outing. He has always been long on potential but, finally, everything shows signs of falling into place.

“I've got everything under control,” he said. “Everything I've got is working. I can throw my slider. I can throw my curveball for strikes, too. And you know about my fastball, my two-seamer …”

It punched 98 mph on the radar gun against the Mariners, packing a kick thoroughly shrouded by his newly streamlined delivery.

“Bautista threw 32 pitches, and only two were up in the strike zone,” manager Tony Peña said. “Everything was down. His fastball … it looks 92, and it comes in at 96 or more.

“He had a good change-up, a good curveball, and a good slider. We need to see him continue to do that.”

If he can, Bautista will open the season in the rotation.

“No doubt about it,” Peña said. “But we have to wait. We still have a lot of time.”

The battle to determine a fifth starter is one of several to be decided over the next three weeks before the Royals break their Arizona camp for two exhibition games in Houston before the April 4 season opener in Detroit.

Here's a breakdown through two weeks of full-squad workouts and games:

• Rotation: Bautista has the early lead for the fifth spot, but oft-injured Kyle Snyder, armed with a new split-finger fastball, has been a pleasant surprise. Lefty Jimmy Gobble shows growing comfort in adjusting to mechanical changes implemented by new pitching coach Guy Hansen.

Veteran Kevin Appier is pain-free after three years of elbow miseries and throwing perhaps the best change-up of his career. Veteran pickups Dennis Tankersley and Ryan Jensen have been inconsistent.

“Tankersley has been off and on,” Peña said. “But some people take longer. That's why you hesitate to make any comments right now. We need to see more.”

Mike Wood and Chris George are also in the mix, though George is a long shot who is out of options and could be headed elsewhere. Wood seems a likelier candidate to work from the bullpen as the long reliever.

• Bullpen: The Royals figure to break camp with seven relievers. The only guy guaranteed a job at this point is closer Jeremy Affeldt, but the bullpen is already shaping up.

Lefty Andrew Sisco, a Rule 5 acquisition, has probably already shown enough to ensure he won't be heading back to the Cubs.

“When you're 6 feet 10 and you keep the ball low,” general manager Allard Baird said, “your fastball isn't just a fastball. It becomes a pitch because of the release point and the leverage on it. And he's up to 94 the other day.”

Lefty Jaime Cerda has yet to pitch an inning without walking a batter, but he was the unit's most consistent performer last season and would need a series of miserable outings to lose his job.

Nate Field has yet to allow a hit in four appearances and shows no sign of the torn oblique muscle that ended his season in mid-August. Shawn Camp also seems a likely choice because of his versatility.

“They're both tough to face,” Hansen said. “Camp because of his movement and his makeup; Field because of his makeup and his arm strength.”

Former All-Star Mike MacDougal struggled in his first two spring outings before flashing dominating form in his last appearance. Just the opposite for D.J. Carrasco — two solid outings, then a bad one.

The Royals had high hopes for Santiago Ramirez, signed in the offseason to a minor-league deal after eight years in the Astros' organization. So far, Ramirez has been a disappointment.

“Ramirez is a little tight,” Peña said, “but that's why you can't make a judgment after two weeks.”

Tankersley and Wood opened camp as the leading candidates for long relief. They still are, but some club officials now project Snyder and even Appier as possibilities.

• Harvey/Pickering: Not much has changed since camp opened. Ken Harvey missed four games because of a sore quadriceps muscle before returning in Thursday's 6-4 victory over Milwaukee.

The Royals love Calvin Pickering's discipline in trying to extend each at-bat until he gets a pitch he can handle. The debate among club officials is whether he can get enough of those pitches to offset other shortcomings.

“Pickering can swing the bat.” Peña said. “He's a threat. But we have to watch all the little things closely to see who is the best guy.”

Oddly, the decision could hinge on first baseman Mike Sweeney's success in improving his defense. Pickering is a far better fit as a designated hitter. Harvey benefits if the club isn't comfortable with Sweeney playing five or six times a week in the field.

• Nuñez/Guiel: One club official said, “This is about to get interesting.”

Nuñez entered camp as the incumbent right fielder, while Guiel needed to prove his eyesight is no longer a problem after two laser surgeries last year to correct blurred vision.

After two weeks, it's a dead heat. Nuñez is struggling, while Guiel is six for 11 and looks a lot like the player who batted .277 in 2003 with 15 homers and 30 doubles in 99 games.

Club officials particularly liked Guiel's recognition in drawing a walk on a borderline pitch earlier this week.

The hitch is this: Nuñez is out of options but could be sent outright to the minors if he clears waivers. Guiel is on a minor-league contract. That means Guiel likely has to be clearly better to win the job.

So far, he has been.

“We need to see Guiel play more to find out if he's 100 percent,” Peña said. “You can see Abraham is pressing, but I'm not making any decisions right now.”

He doesn't have to. Yet.

our pitching is gonna be infuggincredible this year. It will be cool to see. I think we have TOO much pitching and will make a trade for some bats in May/June.

See ya, Pick.

:hail: :drool:

What "little things" can Ken Harvey do? Just because he might play D a tad better than Pick doesn't mean he's an acceptable 1B. It all comes down to hitting, and Pick has more power and plate discipline than Harvey.

Wow, I read Batistuta and was like WTF is he doing playing baseball?

Exactly. But, he can hit his pitcher in the face at point blank range with a throw, he can allow a relay throw to the plate hit him squarely in the back, he can stand in the baseline at first and get run over, and he can wrestle with the tarp and come out the loser. All of the "little things" big league clubs look for.

Bautista is such a steal. Baltimore's GM should lose his job over that trade.

I know it's early, but just imagine if Bautista, Snyder, Hernandez, Gobble, and Sisco all come through this year... One of them surely will be headed out of town for a bat, hopefully.

...also, it sure looks like Ape is headed for the unemployment line. He doesn't really fit in with the long term plans of the team, but I really wanted him to make the rotation.

Not that anyone's listening to us, the charter members of the He-man Harvey Haters Club.

I can understand the team not wanting to give up on the guy....but there's enough statistical evidence at this point that he's not going to be adequate at first base, both offensively and defensively. And players with weight issues don't age well, so it's not as if we can expect a late bloomer here.

The front office does seem to have a hard-on for Harvey. I'm guessing they want to see if he just sucks, or if he started to show his true talent last year but just got gassed out (and maybe a little less focused because the team stunk) before his .370 average came crashing down. Personally, I don't understand how Pickering's become such a hero, really he's always been the same thing as Harvey, a big prospect who's never lived up to it. I know he hit a zillion homers in Omaha last year so fans get caught up in that, but I always get the vibe that he's gonna put up Rob Deer numbers, real low average, 20-30 homers. Maybe he'll prove me wrong. Chris Truby tore it up in AAA ball last year, and it doesn't seem like any fans are riding his bandwagon like most Royals fans are ga-ga over Pickering. And I do think having Sweeney play first everyday is a legitimate concern...