February is the worst month of the year, the Super Bowl never has my favorite team in it, so it's basically just a day for me to eat too much and get depressed, mostly due to the commercials about kids dying. It's always the worst weather of the year for those of us in the Midwest. College basketball in February is pretty dull, it's like the calm before the March Madness storm that we all love. Even though we know if your favorite team is not Kentucky, Virginia, Duke, or Wisconsin you're just hoping for a good showing in the NCAA tourney, or you're praying to beat office pool aficionado "Chad" in your work place bracket challenge. Binge watching TV shows on Netflix only gets you so far. Seriously, how many times can Hank Moody make the same mistake in "Californication" before his friends and family just give up on him? Unless you're getting hired to be an NFL scout, you shouldn't be watching the combine. The one February constant that brings hope and the promise of warmth, hot dogs, nine dollar domestics, and girls in sundresses is the beginning of spring training!
The Kansas City Royals have officially reported to Surprise, Arizona to start the 2015 season. Usually the beginning of spring training for us Royals fans is full of false hope, at least it had been for the previous 29 seasons. This year the Royals enter the spring as the reigning AL Champions, and now possess a fan-base expecting, yes expecting, a return to the post-season. Spring training is a six week process to get everyone ready for a six month marathon, to find answers to the questions that remain after free agency, to give younger prospects shots to shine against everyday players, and to build team chemistry. Here are a few things I am keeping an eye on this spring.
Bullpen
The Kansas City Royals rode their bullpen to the World Series. Greg Holland and Wade Davis put up historically great seasons. Kelvin Herrera is a fire-throwing 7th inning guy, the acquisition of Jason Frasor late last season proved to be important as well. Even a guy who pitched in the College World Series in June of 2014, Brandon Finnegan, played a major role as a strong lefty out of the pen down the stretch run.
This season Ned Yost has the core of the bullpen back, Holland, Davis, Herrera, and Frasor are ready to re-claim their roles from 2014. Rule 5 flame-thrower Jandel Gustave is slotted for a bullpen spot as well as the Royals hope to strike gold in the same way they did with Joakim Soria. Luke Hochevar is working his way back from Tommy John surgery 11 months ago. He's throwing off the mound and hopes to be ready by opening day. Hochevar was one of the best 8th inning guys in 2013 when he posted a 1.92 ERA, 82 Ks, and an opponent average of .169 in 70 1/3 innings. Hochevar, even if ready by opening day, would probably not pitch in back to back games for at least the early part of the season. Even in a limited role, Hochevar is a massive addition to an already dominant bullpen.
Here is where things get interesting, the Royals have a decision to make with Finnegan, do they continue to develop him out of the pen, or start stretching him out as a starter? I fully expect Finnegan to start the season in the minors as a starter, you don't use first-round draft picks on middle relief. Tim Collins had a hiccup in 2014, but has shown he is capable of being an effective left-handed reliever. I expect him to take the seventh spot in the bullpen to start the season.
A lot has been made of the Royals possibly going with an eight man bullpen, this could change if Hochevar starts the season in Omaha, but the idea itself makes sense in terms of the restrictions Hochevar will most likely have as well as the Royals willingness, or lack thereof, to throw Gustave in high-leverage situations. Who will emerge as that hypothetical 8th man? I think it comes down to Mike Mariot and Louis Coleman, and I think Coleman wins the spot. In 2013 Coleman had good numbers for KC out of the pen: 32 Ks, opponents hit .186, and only 6 walks in 29 2/3rd innings. Last season in 34 innings Coleman posted only 24 Ks, opponents his .291, and he walked 18. Mariot made his Major League debut last year and allowed opponents to hit .298 while walking 12 in only 25 innings. Coleman is more deceptive pitcher and the KC coaching staff knows he can be successful. I feel he'll get the first shot at filling the eighth spot in the rotation, if KC goes in that direction.
Duffy and Ventura
The five starting pitchers for KC isn't going to be question. If the Royals avoid injury, and I admit is a huge 'if", the starters will be Ventura, Duffy, Volquez, Vargas, and Guthrie, in no particular order... though I like my order. This spring training I will be watching to see if Duffy 100% healthy, he left a game in Yankee stadium after 1 pitch in August, was slow to come back, and was pretty much non-existent in the playoffs. Is that shoulder 100%, after all of the Kyle Zimmer shoulder issues that lasted throughout the summer and fall of 2014, I'd hate to see Duffy have the same fate. There is good reason for concern with Duffy, he has had Tommy John and he's never thrown even 150 innings in one season. Getting him ready for a full-season is paramount to Kansas City's success in 2015. One positive skill that Duffy has honed is he became a pitcher last year, and not just a thrower, He posted his lowest K per 9 ever, but also his lowest walks per 9. Duffy has learned to let KC's great defense do the work for him, while at the same time, lowered the amount of stressful pitches he had to throw. For KC to make it back to the playoffs, Duffy is going to have to be a mainstay in rotation, no one wants to see anymore Aaron Brooks or (gasp!) Joe Blanton.
Ventura is a guy that everyone in baseball got to see shine in the World Series. Ventura threw 183 regular-season innings last year, the most in his career, and added 25 innings in the post-season. For someone who had never approached 140 innings in calendar year that is impressive. This spring will be Ventura's first chance to show he can be the ace. He's already the early favorite to start Opening Day for the Royals, but is he ready to be THAT guy? He's only 23 with one full season under his belt, Royals fans hope he his up for the task, mainly because who else is capable? I worry too about Ventura's longevity, he's awfully small and seemingly puts his entire being into each pitch. Maybe, I just worry too much.
Mike Moustakas
I am just really excited about spring because I know Moustakas will put up ridiculous numbers. He loves March in Arizona. The last 2 springs he's hitting a combined .409 with 9 HRs, 34 RBIs, 16 BB, and slugging over .700. Then it just all comes to a screeching halt when when April rolls around. This article is about spring training though, so I hope he puts up those ridiculous numbers again. Maybe this spring though, he will get some of his hits to the opposite field, just a thought.
Salvador Perez
Perez had a terrible offensive 2nd half last year, mostly because his approach at the plate got worse as the season wore on. It could have been because he was getting 1 day off every two weeks, who knows? This spring, it would be great to see Perez take his time at the plate, get in hitter's counts, and attack balls actually inside the strike zone. The season ended with Perez swinging at pitches out of the strike zone, because he wanted to be the hero. It didn't help he had the game winning hit vs Oakland on a ball low and outside that he somehow pulled past Josh Donaldson at 3rd. Hopefully this off-season allow Sal some time to refine his hitting process. The Royals need Salvador to be a guy who can drive in 75 or more runs.
Alex Gordon
Alex just needs to get healthy this spring from wrist surgery. He's a veteran, the reps for him are more about timing than anything at this point of his career. Wrist and hand injuries are always scary for hitters, they often lead to decreased power numbers in many players, and the Royals don't have the luxury of having power in the first place. Just get healthy, that's all that matters.
The Royals are entering the spring of 2015 in a much different fashion than previous years. The roster doesn't have many spots up for grabs. This spring will be more about refining skills for many veterans and the younger players getting a trial run in hopes to be one of the first to be called on when KC needs a body during the summer. It may be -8 degrees this morning where I live, but at least spring has finally started somewhere. Royals fans everywhere are hoping today starts another eight and a half month journey to the World Series. After all isn't that half the fun of spring training, hope?
