Yordano Ventura has never had an injury problem despite having aggressive innings increases every year of his career (knocks on wood).

He also has succeeded at higher levels than any Royals pitching prospect since Zack Greinke.

Got to see the boys in blue today! Spectacular day and great to have a chance to meet all of them.

Wife went with me yesterday when they weren't there. Today she said she didn't feel like going again so I didn't get any shots of me with the guys but I did get some action shots and some autographs. Large following of Japanese reporters and photographers for Aoki. Seriously, like 10 photographers just for him and maybe 4 general photographers for everything else and he easily signed the most autographs for people.


Infield Practice
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/g...5/P1010296.jpg

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/g...5/P1010297.jpg

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/g...5/P1010299.jpg

Followed the starting infield over to watch BP. Hoz and Moose here.

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/g...5/P1010300.jpg

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/g...5/P1010301.jpg


Moose, Brett, Esky and Infante watching Hoz take BP

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/g...5/P1010302.jpg





Now I know some of you think it's reeruned that adults collect autographs but I find it fun and enjoyable. I like to display them in my man cave and I like the interaction with the players. I'm not up there pushing and shoving, I let all kids go first and I'm ok with a player telling me no. The players are extremely accessible the weekend before games start so I took some balls and a bat today. I also wore my Moustakas jersey, as it is the only jersey I own (yes, I'm the Moose curse).

I know watching Moose has be frustrating but there isn't a nicer guy out there. During the end of the workout he was near the outfield wall and if a ball came near him, he'd look through the outfield wall hole, see if any kids were out there and tell them to come up to the fence. He'd then drop the ball to them. I was near the back outfield line where there is a gate opening for golf carts and what not to enter the field. Moose sees me over there and yells, "hey man, want a ball?!" I said yes and he chucked it over to me. Players wrap up around noon and Hoz is the first to leave the gate and I'm the only one there. I ask if he'll sign a bat and he says yes. He also says, "that's a weak jersey man," with a laugh looking back at Moose. I then ask Moose if he'll sign the ball he gave me and he says of course. He starts his signature on the wrong side of the ball and I say jokingly, "Come on man, you've gotta sign the sweetspot." He laughs and asks if it's ok if he switches to the sweetspot even though he's already made a line on the ball and I say ok. After he signs that he asks if I have any other balls and he'd sign another one to get it right this time. So I pull out a new ball I have and he signs it. I make the comment that I don't get these autographs to sell them like many do but that I actually keep all of them. He jokes, well if you can sell this ball for more that $1-5 bucks on ebay, I say take it!

Hoz and Moose are so easy going and really are great with fans. I also got Billy and Gordon to sign a ball. Gordon doing all his signing while walking and not saying a word. Billy thanked me for wishing me good luck.

Alex Gordon- He doesn't always sign the number so that was nice.
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/g...5/P1010303.jpg

Billy Butler
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/g...5/P1010304.jpg

Moose-Used and New
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/g...5/P1010305.jpg

Hosmer Bat
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/g...5/P1010306.jpg


It really is pretty neat to be able to see these guys up close. The pitchers always have less access as many of their workouts are done in the morning when things aren't open to the public and they seem to stay on the two fields that are roped off so they head straight to the locker room without having to go by the fans. It was only BP but Moose was crushing balls over the fence more than anyone. His bat speed looked improved but who knows how it'll fare against a curve ball.

It really is something special to see these guys in a relaxed atmosphere and very up close. I recommend any of you to hit me up if you come to the Phoenix area this time of year.

Those are awesome pics Lew. Makes me jealous.

Nothing like some lewdog pictures and prose to get the Spring Fever boiling. Thanks man!

So jealous . Thanks Lew. Keep the pics coming.

Thank you, Mr. lewdog, for pics and insight

You're all welcome. I met some people who took a trip just for this and a chance to meet the players up close.

Sadly, this was probably the only workout I can get to and I might only get to a handful of games since they play most of them mid-day. :(

Awesome pictures Lew! Sounds like you had a great time out there. Those autographs are too cool.

Agents for three free agents, including Santana, are now threatening to hold out until after the draft in June if they do not get an acceptable offer. They figure at that point once draft pick compensation drops off, some teams may be desperate to pay good full-season money for just 2/3 of a season once playoffs are on the line.

...and if the agents misjudge this scenario as well, what happens? I just can't wait for the collusion accusations.

Off with their heads, I'd imagine.

Pitching for the Royals for one year and only making 14.1 million dollars is interpreted as an insult by Santana's agent. Got it. What Bean Stingfellow doesn't seem to understand about his client is his history in the majors. He also doesn't seem to understand that if Santana signs and plays with us the entire year and ends up looking much like he did in 2013 that they will essentially be able to make their own contract and have somebody pay it.

I'm not sure who the bigger dumbass in this equation is, Santana or the agent.

It's clearly the agent.

He pays that guy to make decisions for him about contract and etc. It's like trusting your lawyer to defend you in court.

I don't think Stringfellow is really insulted by the QO, right? I think it's all the 2- and 3-year deals that have been offered that seem to be the issue.

If they had to do it all over again, they obviously would have taken the QO. We shouldn't get into revisionist history here, this *IS* a very big surprise. Perhaps the agents who are the real experts in this should know more than we do, but at the time everybody thought that he'd get a long-term deal for way more than we could afford, if not the 9-digit number they initially asked for.

I'm not so sure they would've taken the QO if a do-over was possible, but I'd imagine some of the teams with interest had thrown out numbers similar to the Garza and Nolasco deals earlier in winter and they were told no. Which they would most definitely play ball with now if a second chance presented itself.