APR 20th,
2013-Heard late evening yesterday that 1B Mark Threlkeld
is getting his cast removed this weekend, and is due to return to the
team early next week.
Threlkeld's cast is coming
off significantly earlier than expected, and he will need a little
time to test the waters where his forearm and wrist is concerned, but
isn't expected to have significant issues once he hits the field.
 |
| Antonio showing a characteristic (but controlled) aggressive swing |
This may push current 1B
Fred Ford back to RF, but would lead to quite a few less
at-bats for Ethan Chapman,
who is batting only .216 in 51 at-bats but also is second on the team
with 9 SB. Playing Chapman off the bench might help him recover his
batting average but could hurt the team in terms of on-base speed and
runs. Plus, Chapman seems to cause a few headaches when he's on; he's
an aggressive and smart base-runner who makes the most of his scoring
opportunities.
In
further updates:
3B
Michael Antonio
is tied for the team lead in BA but has drawn only one walk and
scored just 2 runs. Expect this to turn around significantly, though
he will also need to keep the Ks to a minimum.
SS
Raul Mondesi is
showing some pop, or at least enough to drive in 12 runs and lead the
team in that category. Mondesi is also flashing enough glove to
upholster a living room set, but he'll need to learn when not
to attempt the play as well.
 |
| Gore about to burn up a baseline |
LF
Terrance Gore is...well, Terrance Gore. He's scored 12 runs, stolen 11 bases (including
back-to-back swipes of 2nd
and 3rd
on more than one occasion), and covering approximately half our zip
code in the field. He is tied with Antonio for the team lead in BA,
and I expect that average to climb slowly in the next couple of
weeks. I tend to gush over players like this; I won't apologize for
it. If you haven't seen him play, why the heck not?
 |
| Chapman in right field |
OF
Ethan Chapman has
been filling in at RF while Threlkeld has been out and Ford has been covering first
(and covering it well). While Threlkeld's return will likely put
Chapman on the bench, I wouldn't want to see his AB become limited;
as mentioned, he's a valuable asset in the lineup. He's all-out
in the field, runs the bases like a fugitive, hustles
constantly...why wouldn't you want that?
 |
| Gallagher talks it over with Brickhouse |
C
Cameron Gallagher is
on the pace I expected from him, while handling the staff as well as
you'd like to see from a top catching prospect in your system. Of
course, while Salvador Perez
is in KC, whoever comes up behind him will likely be staying behind
him. Barring another Perez injury, Gallagher may ultimately be trade
bait or split time between catcher, first and DH. The latter would be
preferable.
3B
Adrian Morales may
not be an offensive standout in this lineup, but he's someone I'd
like to see more often. He appears to be a no-nonsense, blue-collar
type, and we need more of those guys in baseball. In the coming weeks
he's going to have to scrap for at-bats with IFs Nicholas
Cuckovich and Yowill
Espinal. Morales can cover
second or third, which will help his cause, but Espinal could as
well, and Espinal may have the better arm at third.
 |
| Arteaga at the plate |
2B
Humberto Arteaga is
floundering at the plate, with 8 hits in 58 at-bats. Add to this no
extra-base hits and 2 walks against 13 K and you've got an offensive
offense. However, as stated previously, his glove is enough to get
him in the lineup, and will continue to be. He will likely be the odd
man out in late-inning pinch-hitter situations, with Morales subbing
in for him.
As
for pitchers (along with a few fun facts):
 |
| RHP Daniel Stumpf |
LHP
Daniel Stumpf has yet
to allow an earned run in 10 innings (2 starts), striking out 9 and
walking two. Batters are hitting .167 against him, thus far.
LHP
Scott Alexander has
basically been lights out in relief; in 4 games (13 innings) he's
allowed a paltry 3 hits, while striking out a batter per inning and
walking five. Opposing batters have one lone unearned run to show for
their efforts. Bit o' Trivia: his brother, Stuart, pitched in the
Marlins organization from 2004-2009.
LHP
Colin Rodgers (yet
another lefty) spun a stunner of a game yesterday. Rodgers went 7
shutout innings against Greenville, allowing only 2 hits, striking
out 6 and walking one. In two of his three starts for Lexington this
year, he's pitched near-scoreless ball (April 7th
@ Augusta-5 IP, 3 H, 2 unearned runs; April 19th,
as mentioned above). For those of you who weren't aware, Rodgers was
drafted in the 3rd
round last year out of high school. Definitely one to watch, this
year.
RHP
Cory Hall (Canadian,
and thus a player I follow closely) has allowed 2 ER in 10 relief
innings, so far. Hall played for Canada in the 2006 World Junior
Baseball Championships, earning a bronze medal in the process. Not
too shabby.
 |
| Righty Daniel Hernandez warms up to go in |
RHP Daniel Hernandez is sporting a tidy 1.86 ERA in 9 2/3 relief innings, showing power pitcher potential. On April 10th at home vs Asheville, he went 2 2/3 innings, allowing 2 runs and walking three but sending five back to the bench on strikes. He K'd 3 in 2 shutout innings, last night. A 12th round draftee in 2010 out of Miami-Dade, he may prove to be a later-round steal (though he would be the last person to say that, being the modest and unassuming type).
 |
| Have to say it: he's a Brick.....HOOOOUUUSE! |
RHP
Bryan Brickhouse has
been a solid starting presence, though the victim of defensive
miscues on two of his three starts. In eight runs allowed thus far,
only 5 were earned. One thing that catches my eye is his marked ground-ball tendencies (2.44 ground-outs for every one fly/airout).
Brick struck out 7 in 4 innings @ Augusta on the 5th,
and has kept his team in the game in all three of his starts, so far.
He's a third round pick from 2011 out of high school, and was ranked
KC's 17th
best prospect going into 2012 by MLB.com.
RHP
Christian “Toolman” Binford
(Home Improvement?...Anyone?...) is also averaging a K per inning,
and has done well spacing out opponents' hits (whatever that means;
Like pitchers choose when to allow them and when to not?). The 6'6”
righty gets lots of leverage off the mound and can put a fastball in
on hitters before they realize it. A 30th
round pick in 2011 out of high school, he threw a no-hitter in his
very first HS start as a freshman in 2008.
That's
it, for now. More photos to come, soon. Also, be sure to tune in to Kings of Kauffman
for lots more Royals major and minor league updates, covered by
better writers than me. Of course, they've been kind enough to take
me in this year, so many of my updates will be on their site.
