Bautista will try to heat up winter ball
11/18/2005
KANSAS CITY -- Right-hander Denny Bautista begins his comeback in earnest this winter in the Dominican Republic.
Bautista, who began last season in the Royals rotation, was stopped by shoulder tendinitis after just seven starts. He didn't pitch in the Majors again, but will resume his rehabilitation with Estrellas.
"He could have pitched in September but there was no reason to," general manager Allard Baird said.
Bautista will pitch in the early stages of the Dominican League.
"We'll shut him down at the end to make sure he's ready for Spring Training," Baird said. "If he doesn't make the rotation, he'll be considered for the bullpen."
Bautista is one of nine players the Royals expect to have in winter ball.
Pitchers Danny Tamayo and Juan Cedeno will be with Licey in the Dominican League. Tamayo was 9-8 with a 5.28 ERA last summer for Triple-A Omaha. Cedeno, a left-hander who came from the Red Sox in the Tony Graffanino deal, was 0-2 with a 7.20 ERA as a reliever for Double-A Wichita.
"We'd like Cedeno to start," Baird said. "He does have two above-average pitches at times. He's a young kid with a power arm at 95 [mph]."
Pitcher Joel Peralta, claimed on waivers from the Angels, will be with Gigantes. He was 1-0 with a 3.89 ERA in 28 games as an Angels rookie. For Triple-A Salt Lake, Peralta was 4-1 with 10 saves and a 2.70 ERA.
Infielder Andres Blanco, who got a trial at second base with the Royals, will play shortstop for Zulia Aguilas in the Venezuelan League. The Royals want Blanco to concentrate on swinging at pitches within the zone.
"He's done it before," said Shaun McGinn, senior director of Minor League operations. "But he's got to understand a walk has great value, especially with him not being a guy who can change a game with one swing."
The Royals will have four players in the Puerto Rican League -- second baseman Ruben Gotay and first baseman Miguel Vega at Carolina; shortstop Angel Sanchez at Manati, and infielder Irving Falu at Mayaguez.
Gotay won the Royals' second-base job in Spring Training but hit just .227 and finished the season with Wichita. That's a concern although not the primary one.
"It's all about defense for him," McGinn said. "The big thing is understanding hitters and where to play in certain situations."
Sanchez, one of the Royals' best prospects, hit .313 for Class A High Desert, accumulating 183 hits.
"He's added muscle and swings the bat with more authority and it showed," McGinn said. "He led the Minor Leagues in hits."
Vega, 20, is a right-handed hitter with power. In 2004, he banged 10 home runs in 56 games in the Arizona League.
"He's still young. The big thing is getting him to recognize pitches and learn the strike zone," McGinn said.
Falu, a versatile infielder, batted .254 for Class A Burlington and needs to gain strength. Just 26 of his 117 hits went for extra bases.
Source: http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/
KANSAS CITY -- Right-hander Denny Bautista begins his comeback in earnest this winter in the Dominican Republic.
Bautista, who began last season in the Royals rotation, was stopped by shoulder tendinitis after just seven starts. He didn't pitch in the Majors again, but will resume his rehabilitation with Estrellas.
"He could have pitched in September but there was no reason to," general manager Allard Baird said.
Bautista will pitch in the early stages of the Dominican League.
"We'll shut him down at the end to make sure he's ready for Spring Training," Baird said. "If he doesn't make the rotation, he'll be considered for the bullpen."
Bautista is one of nine players the Royals expect to have in winter ball.
Pitchers Danny Tamayo and Juan Cedeno will be with Licey in the Dominican League. Tamayo was 9-8 with a 5.28 ERA last summer for Triple-A Omaha. Cedeno, a left-hander who came from the Red Sox in the Tony Graffanino deal, was 0-2 with a 7.20 ERA as a reliever for Double-A Wichita.
"We'd like Cedeno to start," Baird said. "He does have two above-average pitches at times. He's a young kid with a power arm at 95 [mph]."
Pitcher Joel Peralta, claimed on waivers from the Angels, will be with Gigantes. He was 1-0 with a 3.89 ERA in 28 games as an Angels rookie. For Triple-A Salt Lake, Peralta was 4-1 with 10 saves and a 2.70 ERA.
Infielder Andres Blanco, who got a trial at second base with the Royals, will play shortstop for Zulia Aguilas in the Venezuelan League. The Royals want Blanco to concentrate on swinging at pitches within the zone.
"He's done it before," said Shaun McGinn, senior director of Minor League operations. "But he's got to understand a walk has great value, especially with him not being a guy who can change a game with one swing."
The Royals will have four players in the Puerto Rican League -- second baseman Ruben Gotay and first baseman Miguel Vega at Carolina; shortstop Angel Sanchez at Manati, and infielder Irving Falu at Mayaguez.
Gotay won the Royals' second-base job in Spring Training but hit just .227 and finished the season with Wichita. That's a concern although not the primary one.
"It's all about defense for him," McGinn said. "The big thing is understanding hitters and where to play in certain situations."
Sanchez, one of the Royals' best prospects, hit .313 for Class A High Desert, accumulating 183 hits.
"He's added muscle and swings the bat with more authority and it showed," McGinn said. "He led the Minor Leagues in hits."
Vega, 20, is a right-handed hitter with power. In 2004, he banged 10 home runs in 56 games in the Arizona League.
"He's still young. The big thing is getting him to recognize pitches and learn the strike zone," McGinn said.
Falu, a versatile infielder, batted .254 for Class A Burlington and needs to gain strength. Just 26 of his 117 hits went for extra bases.
Source: http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/
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