BigChiefFan
07-31-2010, 08:34 PM
Royals give Yost two-year extension
Club thinks skipper is best to develop talent within system
fan comments (13)print this page e-mail this page post on facebook Yost on Royals' winDuration: 00:01:307/30/10: Ned Yost discusses the Royals' dramatic walk-off win over the Orioles courtesy of Alex Gordan's home runVideo Tags
KC Postgame, Ned Yost, More From This Game, press conference, Kansas City RoyalsRelated Video
Recap: BAL 5, KC 7Must C: ClutchWood's first career winBy Sam Zuba / MLB.com
07/31/10 8:49 PM ET
KANSAS CITY -- The Royals announced Saturday that they have extended the contract of manager Ned Yost for two years through the 2012 season.
The announcement came just minutes after the Royals informed the media of a trade that sent reliever Kyle Farnsworth and outfielder Rick Ankiel to the Braves in a five-player deal.
Yost took over as manager of the Royals on May 14 after the club dismissed Trey Hillman after 35 games. Since taking over, Yost has compiled a record of 31-37. Yost, 55, was hired by Kansas City as a special adviser to baseball operations on Jan. 13 before taking over as manager.
"We're delighted to announce that we've agreed to a two-year extension with Ned Yost to be our manager," general manager Dayton Moore said in a news conference before Saturday's game. "So, that's something that we're very proud to have happen. It's something that we anticipated."
With just more than two months left in the season, the Royals' organization decided now was the perfect time to make the decision on who would manage the team for the upcoming season.
"We considered other managerial candidates, and we felt that this was exactly the right time to move forward," Moore said. "We wanted to do something after the Trade Deadline. We knew we were going to be active, and we wanted to put ourselves in a position over the last two months -- it was important to Ned, personally and professionally, to go forward at this time. I felt the same way."
With Braves manager Bobby Cox retiring at the end of the 2010 season, there was speculation that Yost would wait to make a decision on his future, given his strong ties to Cox and Atlanta. Yost, however, quickly shut down those rumors.
"I never wanted to do that," Yost said. "I wanted to be here from the minute that I got here. I love this organization. In the short period of time that I've been here, the people that I've worked together with are top-notch."
In Yost's previous position with the organization, he traveled around to the Royals' farm teams scouting talent. After seeing the players in the system, he knew he wanted to help turn the Kansas City franchise around.
"That was a big part of it," Yost said. "Because if you don't have the right player development people, if you don't have the right scouts in place or the right personnel in terms of prospects in the Minor Leagues, it doesn't matter what I do. It's not going to work. Every piece is as important as the next. In my eyes, all the pieces were together down [in the Minors]. Now, we just need it shaped up here. Through time, that will happen."
The Royals think Yost is the right person to turn their prospects into Major League ballplayers.
"Ned has tremendous baseball intellect," Moore said. "He's an outstanding human being, great character person, a lot of energy. I like his style. He has a great understanding of the rhythm and the pace of a Major League season. As I've said many times, he understands what we're trying to do right here in Kansas City."
It's no secret that the Royals need some work to become contenders in the American League Central again, but Yost welcomes that challenge.
"This is my type of deal," he said. "I like this. I like building. I like helping an organization come in when it's struggling at the bottom, [but] this organization is not at the bottom. What you see here right now is the tip of the iceberg."
Yost pointed to the talented prospects and people in place in scouting and development as the keys to turning the franchise around.
"We're focused on making sure that we have the very best players to put Ned and our coaching staff and this organization in a position to win every night," Moore said. "That's our focus. ... Our energy is directed on making sure we can get the right players in this organization in a position so Ned has as many options as possible."
Royals second baseman Mike Aviles was pleased to hear the news of Yost's extension.
"He's a good motivator," Aviles said. "He keeps you positive, and he doesn't let you get down on yourself. He definitely always believes in you and believes that you can do better. He's a good guy to have around younger guys and a good guy to have in the clubhouse period."
Over the past week, the Royals have traded four veterans and received seven younger players in return to add to an all ready young clubhouse.
Pitcher Brian Bannister said Yost is the right guy for the direction the Royals are heading.
"I think it fits right in with the trend of what we're doing and what the future of this team is all about," he said. "It's a bright future. There are a lot of great guys coming up. I've been proud to wear this jersey for the last four years, and I know in the future I'm going to be proud to say I played for this team."
The Royals are the third team Yost has coached or managed for. He served as a bullpen coach for the Atlanta Braves under Cox from 1991-98 and was the third-base coach from 1999-2002. Yost was hired as manager of the Brewers from 2003-08 before being dismissed in September 2008. For the Brewers, Yost compiled a record of 457-502 (.447).
But for Yost, Kansas City offers the most exciting challenge of his career.
"I love the challenge of helping Dayton and our staff turn the Kansas City Royals into champions," Yost said. "It's something that's very exciting; it's something I'm very, very pleased to be a part of. I'm very thankful that we got here to this point today."
Sam Zuba is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Club thinks skipper is best to develop talent within system
fan comments (13)print this page e-mail this page post on facebook Yost on Royals' winDuration: 00:01:307/30/10: Ned Yost discusses the Royals' dramatic walk-off win over the Orioles courtesy of Alex Gordan's home runVideo Tags
KC Postgame, Ned Yost, More From This Game, press conference, Kansas City RoyalsRelated Video
Recap: BAL 5, KC 7Must C: ClutchWood's first career winBy Sam Zuba / MLB.com
07/31/10 8:49 PM ET
KANSAS CITY -- The Royals announced Saturday that they have extended the contract of manager Ned Yost for two years through the 2012 season.
The announcement came just minutes after the Royals informed the media of a trade that sent reliever Kyle Farnsworth and outfielder Rick Ankiel to the Braves in a five-player deal.
Yost took over as manager of the Royals on May 14 after the club dismissed Trey Hillman after 35 games. Since taking over, Yost has compiled a record of 31-37. Yost, 55, was hired by Kansas City as a special adviser to baseball operations on Jan. 13 before taking over as manager.
"We're delighted to announce that we've agreed to a two-year extension with Ned Yost to be our manager," general manager Dayton Moore said in a news conference before Saturday's game. "So, that's something that we're very proud to have happen. It's something that we anticipated."
With just more than two months left in the season, the Royals' organization decided now was the perfect time to make the decision on who would manage the team for the upcoming season.
"We considered other managerial candidates, and we felt that this was exactly the right time to move forward," Moore said. "We wanted to do something after the Trade Deadline. We knew we were going to be active, and we wanted to put ourselves in a position over the last two months -- it was important to Ned, personally and professionally, to go forward at this time. I felt the same way."
With Braves manager Bobby Cox retiring at the end of the 2010 season, there was speculation that Yost would wait to make a decision on his future, given his strong ties to Cox and Atlanta. Yost, however, quickly shut down those rumors.
"I never wanted to do that," Yost said. "I wanted to be here from the minute that I got here. I love this organization. In the short period of time that I've been here, the people that I've worked together with are top-notch."
In Yost's previous position with the organization, he traveled around to the Royals' farm teams scouting talent. After seeing the players in the system, he knew he wanted to help turn the Kansas City franchise around.
"That was a big part of it," Yost said. "Because if you don't have the right player development people, if you don't have the right scouts in place or the right personnel in terms of prospects in the Minor Leagues, it doesn't matter what I do. It's not going to work. Every piece is as important as the next. In my eyes, all the pieces were together down [in the Minors]. Now, we just need it shaped up here. Through time, that will happen."
The Royals think Yost is the right person to turn their prospects into Major League ballplayers.
"Ned has tremendous baseball intellect," Moore said. "He's an outstanding human being, great character person, a lot of energy. I like his style. He has a great understanding of the rhythm and the pace of a Major League season. As I've said many times, he understands what we're trying to do right here in Kansas City."
It's no secret that the Royals need some work to become contenders in the American League Central again, but Yost welcomes that challenge.
"This is my type of deal," he said. "I like this. I like building. I like helping an organization come in when it's struggling at the bottom, [but] this organization is not at the bottom. What you see here right now is the tip of the iceberg."
Yost pointed to the talented prospects and people in place in scouting and development as the keys to turning the franchise around.
"We're focused on making sure that we have the very best players to put Ned and our coaching staff and this organization in a position to win every night," Moore said. "That's our focus. ... Our energy is directed on making sure we can get the right players in this organization in a position so Ned has as many options as possible."
Royals second baseman Mike Aviles was pleased to hear the news of Yost's extension.
"He's a good motivator," Aviles said. "He keeps you positive, and he doesn't let you get down on yourself. He definitely always believes in you and believes that you can do better. He's a good guy to have around younger guys and a good guy to have in the clubhouse period."
Over the past week, the Royals have traded four veterans and received seven younger players in return to add to an all ready young clubhouse.
Pitcher Brian Bannister said Yost is the right guy for the direction the Royals are heading.
"I think it fits right in with the trend of what we're doing and what the future of this team is all about," he said. "It's a bright future. There are a lot of great guys coming up. I've been proud to wear this jersey for the last four years, and I know in the future I'm going to be proud to say I played for this team."
The Royals are the third team Yost has coached or managed for. He served as a bullpen coach for the Atlanta Braves under Cox from 1991-98 and was the third-base coach from 1999-2002. Yost was hired as manager of the Brewers from 2003-08 before being dismissed in September 2008. For the Brewers, Yost compiled a record of 457-502 (.447).
But for Yost, Kansas City offers the most exciting challenge of his career.
"I love the challenge of helping Dayton and our staff turn the Kansas City Royals into champions," Yost said. "It's something that's very exciting; it's something I'm very, very pleased to be a part of. I'm very thankful that we got here to this point today."
Sam Zuba is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.