Mailbag: Give Guiel a shot in left field
01/16/2006
Aaron Guiel is a great fielder, has power and a good batting eye. Why isn't he the clear leader for the left-field job? -- Jason H., Bremerton, Wash.
Emil Brown, who banged 17 home runs and knocked in 86 runs, is moving from right field to make room for Reggie Sanders. Based on his breakout season, Brown has to be considered the leader. However, Guiel's 30 homers and 95 RBIs for Triple-A Omaha should put him in the picture. Guiel also hit .345 in his last 25 games for the Royals after a late-season callup. Guiel has been a consistently good fielder while Brown was erratic with 12 errors. Chip Ambres, who has speed and a bat with some pop, also will get consideration although a backup job is seen as his niche for now.
Since the Royals lack a base-stealing threat, why not give Adrian Brown a chance? -- Troy C., Lemars, Iowa
This probably slipped past you but Adrian Brown, who had 33 stolen bases last year for Omaha, has signed as a Minor League free agent with the Rangers.
Are there any Royals prospects down on the farm who might develop into impact players next season? -- Chris D., Maybrook, N.Y.
Most of the youngsters surfaced last season with the Royals. Catcher Matt Tupman, who hit .263 at Double-A Wichita, could find his way to Kansas City. A left-handed batter, he's not a power hitter but his swing is conducive to going the other way. Right-handed pitcher Brian Bass, 12-8 in 27 starts for Wichita, did well in the Arizona Fall League. He walked no one and struck out 16 in 24 1/3 innings. There's a slim chance that shortstop Angel Sanchez, who hit .313 for Class A High Desert and is gaining strength and size, could show up at some point. Sanchez has always been good defensively, with a strong arm and soft hands with the ability to turn the double play well.
Why are the Royals so impressed with Andres Blanco at second base over Donnie Murphy and Ruben Gotay? -- Brandt R., Richmond, Mo.
It's primarily on the basis of his slick defense. Blanco has moved along very quickly at shortstop and second base. On offense, the Royals like his survival skills, i.e., the ability to play the short game. Blanco had a knee injury last season and finished with a .263 average in 54 games for Omaha and three other Minor League clubs, then hit .215 in 26 games for Kansas City. In 36 games in the Venezuelan League this winter, he batted just .208. However, the Royals consider him a better fielder than Murphy or Gotay. All three are expected to be in the Minors this year while Mark Grudzielanek plays second base.
Is it possible for Alex Gordon to move to second base like Jeff Kent or Edgardo Alfonzo? -- Joseph J., Kansas City, Mo.
Gordon, KC's top draft pick and a third baseman at the University of Nebraska, is scheduled to open the season at that position -- probably at Wichita. Despite considerable athletic ability, the club sees him right now as a corner player in the infield or outfield. He did well at first base in the Arizona Fall League and the word is he could play well in left field as well.
Whatever happened to Mike Tonis? -- Kyle S., Independence, Mo.
Once one of the Royals' top catching prospects, Tonis was sidetracked by injuries and poor hitting (.228 for Wichita in 2004). He was disappointing in a brief 2004 Major League stint when the club ran out of catchers in Philadelphia. Tonis tried pitching last year but had to undergo Tommy John surgery and is currently in injury rehabilitation.
Other than his replacement being a friend of Buddy Bell, what is the reasoning behind the dismissal of bench coach Bob Schaefer? -- Grant H., Kansas City, Mo.
There was nothing mysterious about it. Schaefer and Bell worked well together but Billy Doran was Bell's old pal, the first coach brought in by the new manager. Schaefer is happily employed as a special assistant to Braves general manager John Schuerholz so it's worked out well for both parties.
Source: http://royals.mlb.com/
Aaron Guiel is a great fielder, has power and a good batting eye. Why isn't he the clear leader for the left-field job? -- Jason H., Bremerton, Wash.
Emil Brown, who banged 17 home runs and knocked in 86 runs, is moving from right field to make room for Reggie Sanders. Based on his breakout season, Brown has to be considered the leader. However, Guiel's 30 homers and 95 RBIs for Triple-A Omaha should put him in the picture. Guiel also hit .345 in his last 25 games for the Royals after a late-season callup. Guiel has been a consistently good fielder while Brown was erratic with 12 errors. Chip Ambres, who has speed and a bat with some pop, also will get consideration although a backup job is seen as his niche for now.
Since the Royals lack a base-stealing threat, why not give Adrian Brown a chance? -- Troy C., Lemars, Iowa
This probably slipped past you but Adrian Brown, who had 33 stolen bases last year for Omaha, has signed as a Minor League free agent with the Rangers.
Are there any Royals prospects down on the farm who might develop into impact players next season? -- Chris D., Maybrook, N.Y.
Most of the youngsters surfaced last season with the Royals. Catcher Matt Tupman, who hit .263 at Double-A Wichita, could find his way to Kansas City. A left-handed batter, he's not a power hitter but his swing is conducive to going the other way. Right-handed pitcher Brian Bass, 12-8 in 27 starts for Wichita, did well in the Arizona Fall League. He walked no one and struck out 16 in 24 1/3 innings. There's a slim chance that shortstop Angel Sanchez, who hit .313 for Class A High Desert and is gaining strength and size, could show up at some point. Sanchez has always been good defensively, with a strong arm and soft hands with the ability to turn the double play well.
Why are the Royals so impressed with Andres Blanco at second base over Donnie Murphy and Ruben Gotay? -- Brandt R., Richmond, Mo.
It's primarily on the basis of his slick defense. Blanco has moved along very quickly at shortstop and second base. On offense, the Royals like his survival skills, i.e., the ability to play the short game. Blanco had a knee injury last season and finished with a .263 average in 54 games for Omaha and three other Minor League clubs, then hit .215 in 26 games for Kansas City. In 36 games in the Venezuelan League this winter, he batted just .208. However, the Royals consider him a better fielder than Murphy or Gotay. All three are expected to be in the Minors this year while Mark Grudzielanek plays second base.
Is it possible for Alex Gordon to move to second base like Jeff Kent or Edgardo Alfonzo? -- Joseph J., Kansas City, Mo.
Gordon, KC's top draft pick and a third baseman at the University of Nebraska, is scheduled to open the season at that position -- probably at Wichita. Despite considerable athletic ability, the club sees him right now as a corner player in the infield or outfield. He did well at first base in the Arizona Fall League and the word is he could play well in left field as well.
Whatever happened to Mike Tonis? -- Kyle S., Independence, Mo.
Once one of the Royals' top catching prospects, Tonis was sidetracked by injuries and poor hitting (.228 for Wichita in 2004). He was disappointing in a brief 2004 Major League stint when the club ran out of catchers in Philadelphia. Tonis tried pitching last year but had to undergo Tommy John surgery and is currently in injury rehabilitation.
Other than his replacement being a friend of Buddy Bell, what is the reasoning behind the dismissal of bench coach Bob Schaefer? -- Grant H., Kansas City, Mo.
There was nothing mysterious about it. Schaefer and Bell worked well together but Billy Doran was Bell's old pal, the first coach brought in by the new manager. Schaefer is happily employed as a special assistant to Braves general manager John Schuerholz so it's worked out well for both parties.
Source: http://royals.mlb.com/
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