Game Date: March 21, 2008
Royals 8, Mariners 3 / Box Score
Royals Spring Training Record: 12-10
The Royals played a little long ball yesterday against Erik Bedard and the Mariners. Alex Gordon went deep in the first inning and Jose Guillen hit a two-run home rune in the third.
Gil Meche did everything we've come to expect from him: ''Gil did a good job,'' Kansas City manager Trey Hillman said. ''He controlled the ball, threw all his pitches for strikes, worked ahead in the count. Pretty much everything you want to see." Meche pitched into the seventh inning (89 pitches total) and gave up just two runs. I see now that they plan to start him one more time before Opening Day. He'll go into that start with a 3-1 record and a 2.70 ERA.
How can you not be impressed with the play of Alberto Callaspo since Grudzielanek went down? Callaspo was 2-for-5 yesterday with an RBI and he raised his average to .360. Mark Teahen is in the groove, he was 2-for-3 with an RBI to bring his average to .327. And Matt Tupman continues to have an outstanding spring (he was 2-for-3 and currently has a .353 average) but he has no shot at making the roster unless John Buck or Miguel Olivo goes does before Opening Day.
Our bullpen has struggled this spring, but they were adequate yesterday. Ron Mahay pitched two thirds of scoreless ball. So did Yasuhiko Yabuta. Unfortunately they both still have an ERA over 7.00. Let's hope they got the kinks worked out. Joakim Soria gave up another run yesterday and his ERA is a rather unimpressive 5.79.
Brian Bannister will go against the Padres this afternoon in Surprise.
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