Daily Clips
March26, 2017
LOCAL
Kennedy stays hot; Mondesi hits walk-off
March 25, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan & Daniel Kramer/MLB.com
Royals tab Duffy for Opening Day start
March 25, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
Mondesi helps cause in second-base battle
Royals infielder delivers walk-off home run on Saturday vs. Brewers
March 25, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
Ian Kennedy remains stingy, Raul Mondesi hits walk-off homer in 1-0 victory over Brewers
March 25, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star
Royals’ pitching rotation is set: Danny Duffy will make first opening day start
March 25, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star
How Raul Mondesi can make Lorenzo Cain better
March 25, 2017By Lee Judge/KC Star
blogs/judging-the-royals/article140763253.html
NATIONAL
Danny Duffy to start Opening Day as Royals set rotation
March 25, 2017ESPN.com (via AP)
Duffy named opening day starter
March 25, 2017By Joe Bailey/Lompoc Record
MLB TRANSACTIONS
March 26, 2017 •.CBSSports.com
LOCAL
Kennedy stays hot; Mondesi hits walk-off
March 25, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan & Daniel Kramer/MLB.com
After nine-and-a-half scoreless innings, Royals second baseman Raul Mondesi finally broke the deadlock against the Brewers, delivering a walk-off solo home run off reliever Rob Scahill to seal a 1-0 Royals win on Saturday at Surprise Stadium.
Right-hander Wily Peralta, a rotation candidate for the Brewers, was strong over 5 2/3 innings, giving up three hits and no runs. He struck out three, walked two and tallied 83 pitches, as he prepares for the regular season. Saturday marked Peralta's first start in eight days, though he's maintained his throwing program with a Minor League outing and a bullpen session.
"Feels good," Peralta said. "I think just commanded the strike zone down with all of my pitches, tried to work ahead. I fell behind a couple guys, but was able to make a good pitch, a quality pitch, and it was always fine."
In a limited showing of offense, Opening Day roster bubble candidate Jesus Aguilar extended his hit streak to 10 games and is now batting .490 this spring for the Brewers. Right-hander Ian Kennedy, the Royals' No. 2 starter, threw six shutout innings, giving up three hits (two on fly balls lost by center fielder Lorenzo Cain in the sun) while walking two and striking out seven.
Kennedy threw 93 pitches, 57 for strikes, and he is still yet to allow a run in Cactus League play, having thrown 17 1/3 innings. It was Kennedy's last Cactus League appearance. He'll have another tuneup Friday in an exhibition game in Texas.
"He was sharp," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He's ready to go."
Kennedy worked around a leadoff triple in the sixth when Cain lost Travis Shaw's fly ball at the warning track. Kennedy subsequently induced a ground out and a pop out before striking out Hernan Perez to end the threat.
Brewers Up Next: Matt Garza, who is battling for a spot on the back end of the Brewers' rotation, will start against the A's at Maryvale Park at 3:05 p.m. CT. The game can be heard on an exclusive audio webcast on brewers.com. Garza has a 6.57 ERA and 2.11 WHIP through 12 1/3 innings over his first five Cactus League starts.
Royals Up Next: Right-hander Jason Hammel, the Royals' No. 3 starter, will face the Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium at 3:10 p.m. CT on MLB.TV. Left-handers Mike Minor and Travis Wood are scheduled to pitch after Hammel.
Royals tab Duffy for Opening Day start
March 25, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
Royals manager Ned Yost finally made official Saturday what everyone in Royals camp already knew -- that left-hander Danny Duffy would be his Opening Day starter on April 3 in Minnesota.
"With what Danny did last year and this spring, we feel he has earned this," Yost said. "We knew this was the direction we were going to go weeks before we even showed up at Spring Training."
It has been quite a whirlwind few days for Duffy, who returned from the World Baseball Classic on Friday donning a gold medal around his neck.
"This week hasn't sucked, man," Duffy said, smiling. "Been a lot of fun.
"Obviously, it means a lot to get this start. I've worked really hard to get to this point. I'm really honored. There's five of us capable of doing this, and the fact that they chose me means a lot. Very humbled by it."
Duffy elevated his game to ace status last season. He started the season in the bullpen before becoming the Royals' best starter. He finished 12-3 with a 3.51 ERA in 42 appearances (26 starts).
"Like I said, he's earned this," Yost said. "We've watched Danny grow and mature to this level."
Yost informed Duffy on Friday that he had been chosen to start Opening Day.
"He messed with me at first and said, 'Hey, you be ready for the third game in Minnesota, OK? We're going with [Jason] Hammel on Opening Day,'" Duffy said. "Then he told me [the truth].
"It's a huge honor. I've got to go out and make 35 starts anyway, but that they chose me for Opening Day is a huge honor. I'm looking forward to getting out there to Minnesota."
Yost also set his rotation: Duffy will be followed by Ian Kennedy, Hammel, Jason Vargas and Nathan Karns.
Kennedy will pitch in Minnesota in Game 2, then pitch the home opener April 10 against the A's.
Mondesi helps cause in second-base battle
Royals infielder delivers walk-off home run on Saturday vs. Brewers
March 25, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
Royals' infielder Raul Mondesi certainly didn't hurt his chances Saturday of cracking the 25-man roster after ripping his third home run of the spring, a towering, walk-off shot to center field in the Royals' 1-0 win over the Brewers in the 10th inning.
Mondesi, who is hitting .372 in Cactus League play, belted a 3-2 fastball with one out from right-hander Rob Scahill.
"It was 3-2 and I was looking fastball," Mondesi said. "Just tried to put a good swing on it."
Mondesi wasn't sure he got enough of it to carry the 400-foot sign in center field.
"I didn't know because center is a long way," Mondesi said. "But the wind was blowing out. That helped."
Mondesi continues to impress as he battles Cheslor Cuthbert, Whit Merrifield and Christian Colon for the starting second-base job.
"All I can do is keep playing hard," Mondesi said. "It's not a decision I make so I have to keep playing my best and we'll see."
Ian Kennedy remains stingy, Raul Mondesi hits walk-off homer in 1-0 victory over Brewers
March 25, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star
Ian Kennedy is ready. Raul Mondesi is still making his case.
Kennedy threw six scoreless innings and Mondesi drilled a walk-off homer in the 10th inning as the Royals defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 1-0 on Saturday afternoon at Surprise Stadium.
On a windy day in Arizona, Mondesi came up with one out in the bottom of the 10th. He hammered a 93 mph fastball that landed in the grass berm beyond the center-field wall.
“I never was thinking home run,” Mondesi said. “But we’ll take it. We got the win. That’s all that matters.”
Mondesi is now batting .372 with three homers this spring. He has another week to make his case for inclusion on the 25-man roster.
“It just shows you the kid can impact a game in a lot of ways,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “And power is one of them.”
Before Mondesi delivered the victory, the afternoon belonged to Kennedy, who continued his splendid spring. In six innings on Saturday, he allowed just three hits and struck out seven. In his last two spring starts, he’s combined to record 12 scoreless innings while striking out 14. He will make one final tune-up start against the Texas Rangers on Friday in Arlington, Texas, before opening his season against the Minnesota Twins on April 5.
“He’s ready,” Yost said. “He got up to 93 pitches in six innings.”
The Arms
Chris Young continued his transition to the bullpen by throwing a scoreless inning in the seventh. Left-hander Mike Minor, who has a 0.82 ERA this spring, added another scoreless frame in the eighth. Peter Moylan kept the Brewers in check in the ninth, while Eric Stout came on for a scoreless 10th.
The Regular Guys
Was this a preview of the Opening Day lineup? For the first time, the Royals featured a lineup of nearly all regulars. Alex Gordon led off. Third baseman Mike Moustakas batted second. Lorenzo Cain batted third, while Eric Hosmer hit cleanup.
The fifth, sixth and seventh spots belonged to Salvador Perez, Brandon Moss and Jorge Soler, respectively. Shortstop Alcides Escobar batted eighth, while second baseman Christian Colon drew the start at second base.
The Young Guys
While Mondesi connected on the biggest hit of the day, Cheslor Cuthbert also recorded a single while replacing Hosmer at first base.
Royals’ pitching rotation is set: Danny Duffy will make first opening day start
March 25, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star
It was the sort of ruse that might have worked had it been more believable. But this was a particularly hard sell. On Friday, Royals manager Ned Yost found starting pitcher Danny Duffy and delivered a small piece of news. It concerned his pitching schedule.
“You’ll be ready for the third game in Minnesota,” Yost said.
Duffy looked back at his manager, digested the words, and nodded his head slightly. “All right, cool,” he responded. A moment later, Yost offered the punch line.
“We’re playing with you,” Yost said. “You’re the opening day starter.”
Duffy nodded again, though it’s safe to assume that he quite never believed his manager. The Royals had planned since before spring training to have Duffy, 28, make his first opening day start on April 3 in Minnesota. He pitched on Friday afternoon, which put him on schedule to be on regular rest a week from next Monday. The official announcement from Yost finally came on Saturday morning.
“We knew exactly which way we were going to go before spring training even started,” Yost said. “But you got to go through the process, make sure everything pans out.”
As he unveiled Duffy as the opening day starter, Yost also set his starting rotation. As expected, right-hander Ian Kennedy will follow Duffy, while newcomer Jason Hammel will slot into the third spot. Left-hander Jason Vargas and right-hander Nathan Karns will round out the rotation.
With a day off following opening day, Duffy will return on regular rest for the fifth game of the season, taking the mound April 8 against the Astros in Houston. Karns will make his debut in the series finale in Houston. Kennedy is scheduled to start the Royals’ home opener against the Oakland A’s on April 10 at Kauffman Stadium.
For Duffy, the assignment represents another career milestone after a breakout performance in 2016. After posting a 12-3 record and 3.51 ERA last season, he signed a five-year, $65 million contract extension in January. This month, he represented the United States at the World Baseball Classic and helped the country win gold for the first time.
As he returned to the Royals clubhouse on Friday morning, he hung his gold medal from a hook in his locker. A few hours later, he received the news. Next Monday, he will start opposite Minnesota’s Ervin Santana at Target Field.
“This week hasn’t sucked, man,” Duffy said. “It’s been a lot of fun.”
As Duffy moved about the clubhouse on Saturday morning, he wore jeans and a dark “Waffle House” T-shirt. As he spoke to a group of reporters, he called the assignment a “huge honor,” though he noted that it was just one of “35 starts.”
“We have faith in his abilities,” Yost said.
Duffy will become the Royals’ seventh different opening day starter in eight years. Only James Shields held the role for consecutive seasons. The list also includes Zack Greinke (2010), Luke Hochevar (2011) and Bruce Chen (2012). Yordano Ventura made one Opening Day start in 2015 before giving way to Edinson Volquez last season.
For the Royals, the decision was elementary, even if the announcement was delayed for most of camp. After beginning last year in the bullpen, Duffy emerged as a front-line starter in 2016, his sixth major-league season. In addition to the gaudy record and 3.51 ERA in a career-high 179 2/3 innings, Duffy put up the best peripheral numbers of his career. He struck out 188 batters, besting his previous career high by 75; he cut his walk rate to just 2.1 per nine innings.
For moments, Duffy was one of the most dominant starters in baseball, striking out a franchise-record 16 batters during a victory over Tampa Bay in early August. He also notched the first complete game of his career, conquering the pitch efficiency issues that dogged him early in his career. Now he will attempt to build on his 2016 with more innings and greater consistency.
“He’s come a long way,” Yost said.
A former third-round pick in 2007, Duffy made his major-league debut on May 18, 2011. He underwent Tommy John surgery a year later, an elbow injury limiting him to just 11 starts in 2012 and 2013. Once back to full health, Duffy posted a 2.53 ERA in 149 1/3 innings as the Royals returned to the playoffs in 2014. A cracked rib robbed him of the opportunity to join the postseason rotation.
In 2015, Duffy posted a 4.08 ERA in 136 2/3 innings, a step back that included a late-season shift to the bullpen. But a series of adjustments in 2016 would put his career back on track. He began throwing a slider. He started working solely out of the stretch. He continued to incorporate a deceptive slide-step.
The results were masterful and emboldened the Royals to invest in Duffy for the future. The performance will now lead to his first opening day start.
“Obviously, it means a lot,” Duffy said. “This is my first one. I’ve worked really hard to get to this point. I’m definitely honored. There’s five of us that are capable of doing that, and the fact that they chose me says a lot. I’m very humbled by it.”
How Raul Mondesi can make Lorenzo Cain better
March 25, 2017By Lee Judge/KC Star
blogs/judging-the-royals/article140763253.html
On Friday the Royals played the Mariners and at one point center fielder Lorenzo Cain came sprinting in to catch a flare just behind the infield.
There was a scary moment when it looked like Cain might collide with second baseman Raul Mondesi, but Cain called for the ball and Mondesi peeled out of the way.
Later, Cain was in the clubhouse getting ready to leave and the media was in the clubhouse getting ready to interview Salvador Perez. It was Salvy’s first game back since Drew Butera ran into him at the World Baseball Classic and Salvy was going to talk about how he felt
Ducking the media is considered bad form, so Cain was polite and asked if anyone needed a quote from him. Just then Salvy appeared and the small crowd of reporters deserted Cain to talk to Perez.
I said that was cold and Cain pretended to be hurt: That’s how it is? Salvy comes in the room and you don’t wanna talk to me anymore?
Which I thought was pretty funny, so I said I’d ask Cain a question just so he wouldn’t feel rejected. I then asked a pretty bad question, which eventually led to a very good answer.
“On a scale of 1 to 10, how difficult was that catch?”
Cain looked up at the ceiling, considered for a moment and then said: “I’d give it an 8.”
I then asked how close he came to colliding with Mondesi. Cain said he was focused on the ball and wasn’t sure; how close did it look? I said pretty close and then asked if he had to be aware of Mondesi’s range going back on balls and Cain said yes.
Cain then added that if the two middle infielders have great range going back on flares just beyond the infield, he can play deeper and cut off more doubles.
The effect players have on one another is rarely examined; we get caught up in individual statistics and forget those statistics are influenced by a player’s teammates.
At this point in time the job is still open, but if Raul Mondesi is the Royals second baseman, he makes Lorenzo Cain better.
It looks like Duffy vs. Santana on Opening Day
Ned Yost announced on Saturday morning that Danny Duffy is his opening day starting pitcher, but you probably figured that out already. As I’ve written and will no doubt write again, if you want to know who’s pitching on opening day, count backwards in five-day increments.
Starting pitchers pitch every five days, so if the Duffy and the Twins’ Ervin Santana are the opening day pitchers on April 3, they’ll probably pitch on Wednesday, March 29 and Friday, March 24.
And both Duffy and Santana pitched on Friday, March 24.
Hosmer’s return
Team USA won the World Baseball Classic on Wednesday night and Friday morning Eric Hosmer pulled into the player’s parking lot.