Notes: Royals stand in support of O'Neil
02/27/2006
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- All geared up for Buck O'Neil to be elected to the Hall of Fame, there was disappointment in the Royals' clubhouse on Monday. O'Neil didn't make it while 17 others did.
"You've got to be kidding me," said Royals captain Mike Sweeney. "I guess Buck will have to live to be 100 to get elected."
Although O'Neil, 94, was not elected by a committee of 12 historians, the Royals expressed admiration for their former scout and Kansas City icon.
"I don't know if there is enough ink in your pen. He put the Negro League Baseball Museum on the map. He's had a tremendous amount of influence on the impact of that league on baseball and America," Royals general manager Allard Baird said before the vote was announced.
"Just with his presence, he makes you feel good and makes everyone around him feel special. He's one of the few people who's a Hall of Famer before he's elected, just from the way he's treated nationally."
Election, however, will have to wait for him.
"No one has promoted baseball like he's done his whole entire life. He's just been a great ambassador for the game. ... And he's passionate about the game," said Hall of Fame player George Brett.
"I think he has a right to be a little bit bitter, but there's no bitterness in him. That's what makes him such a great ambassador, because he realizes he didn't have the opportunities that some of us white people had, but there's no bitterness in him at all. You know what? He's met the President, he's danced with [Hillary Clinton] and there's no place he'd rather be than right here."
Sweeney, who figured O'Neil was a lock, said: "Buck O'Neil is an ambassador for the game and he's probably the greatest living encyclopedia in the game today. To hear this man tell stories, it's fascinating, like nothing I've ever experienced before. ... He's like listening to a good priest at church. You can listen to him forever."
Greinke report: Pitcher Zack Greinke, who left camp on Saturday, was reported to be at his Orlando, Fla., home but club officials still weren't revealing the reasons for his departure.
"I'm not going to go through a checklist of things, out of respect for Zack and his family, right now. It's not drugs, he wasn't kicked out of camp or anything like that, but I'm not going to keep going through a checklist of things," Baird said.
"It's a personal matter and so, to me, it's personal."
Manager Buddy Bell, who intended to talk to Greinke later Monday, had nothing to add.
Meantime, the Royals are preparing to fill Greinke's spot in the rotation.
Showcase in stadium: Although intrasquad games usually are played on the back lots, the Royals will take over Surprise Stadium for a 1 p.m. MT game on Tuesday.
There will be some front-line pitching candidates going, with Denny Bautista and J.P. Howell leading things off, but there will be little skirmishing by the regular position players.
"I don't like to use those guys in things like this," Bell said.
Short list: Reliever Elmer Dessens would be only the fifth Mexican-born player to appear in a game for the Royals.
Others, according to the club, have been outfielder Jorge Orta (1984-87), infielder German Barranca (1979-80), and pitchers Dennys Reyes (2004) and Aurelio Lopez (1974).
Source: http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- All geared up for Buck O'Neil to be elected to the Hall of Fame, there was disappointment in the Royals' clubhouse on Monday. O'Neil didn't make it while 17 others did.
"You've got to be kidding me," said Royals captain Mike Sweeney. "I guess Buck will have to live to be 100 to get elected."
Although O'Neil, 94, was not elected by a committee of 12 historians, the Royals expressed admiration for their former scout and Kansas City icon.
"I don't know if there is enough ink in your pen. He put the Negro League Baseball Museum on the map. He's had a tremendous amount of influence on the impact of that league on baseball and America," Royals general manager Allard Baird said before the vote was announced.
"Just with his presence, he makes you feel good and makes everyone around him feel special. He's one of the few people who's a Hall of Famer before he's elected, just from the way he's treated nationally."
Election, however, will have to wait for him.
"No one has promoted baseball like he's done his whole entire life. He's just been a great ambassador for the game. ... And he's passionate about the game," said Hall of Fame player George Brett.
"I think he has a right to be a little bit bitter, but there's no bitterness in him. That's what makes him such a great ambassador, because he realizes he didn't have the opportunities that some of us white people had, but there's no bitterness in him at all. You know what? He's met the President, he's danced with [Hillary Clinton] and there's no place he'd rather be than right here."
Sweeney, who figured O'Neil was a lock, said: "Buck O'Neil is an ambassador for the game and he's probably the greatest living encyclopedia in the game today. To hear this man tell stories, it's fascinating, like nothing I've ever experienced before. ... He's like listening to a good priest at church. You can listen to him forever."
Greinke report: Pitcher Zack Greinke, who left camp on Saturday, was reported to be at his Orlando, Fla., home but club officials still weren't revealing the reasons for his departure.
"I'm not going to go through a checklist of things, out of respect for Zack and his family, right now. It's not drugs, he wasn't kicked out of camp or anything like that, but I'm not going to keep going through a checklist of things," Baird said.
"It's a personal matter and so, to me, it's personal."
Manager Buddy Bell, who intended to talk to Greinke later Monday, had nothing to add.
Meantime, the Royals are preparing to fill Greinke's spot in the rotation.
Showcase in stadium: Although intrasquad games usually are played on the back lots, the Royals will take over Surprise Stadium for a 1 p.m. MT game on Tuesday.
There will be some front-line pitching candidates going, with Denny Bautista and J.P. Howell leading things off, but there will be little skirmishing by the regular position players.
"I don't like to use those guys in things like this," Bell said.
Short list: Reliever Elmer Dessens would be only the fifth Mexican-born player to appear in a game for the Royals.
Others, according to the club, have been outfielder Jorge Orta (1984-87), infielder German Barranca (1979-80), and pitchers Dennys Reyes (2004) and Aurelio Lopez (1974).
Source: http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/
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