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.