Daily Clips



Daily ClipsJune 2, 2017LOCALInbox: Will Gordon, KC get on track in '17?Beat reporter Jeffrey Flanagan answers fans' questionsJune 2, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan/ Royals remain targeted after slow start — by teams in contentionJune 2, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star Hunter Dozier reinstated from 60-day disabled list; Paulo Orlando out until late JulyJune 2, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star Royals’ Eric Skoglund earns second start; Karns still recoveringJune 2, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star Is an out ever better than a hit? It dependsJune 2, 2017By Lee Judge/KC Star MINORSJunis Leaves Redbirds Blue in 2-1 WinOmaha claim 6th win out of 7 in series openerJune 2, 2017Omaha Storm Chasers Dewees, pitching power Naturals to 6-5 winNorthwest Arkansas clinched first series at Frisco since July, 2015June 2, 2017Northwest Arkansas Naturals Offense Awakens in VictoryRocks Smash 14 Total Hits in WinJune 2, 2017Wilmington Blue Rocks Augusta blanks Legends 4-0June 2, 2017Lexington Legends NATIONAL18 former All-Stars to serve as Draft repsHall of Famer George Brett among dignitaries to appear at MLB Network on June 12June 2, 2017By Mark Newman/ MLB TRANSACTIONSJune 2, 2017 ?.: Will Gordon, KC get on track in '17?Beat reporter Jeffrey Flanagan answers fans' questionsJune 2, 2017By Jeffrey Flanagan/ The Royals seemingly are stuck in the mud, eight games below .500 and unable to garner any momentum.But you, Royals fans, are on top of your game. You fired off the best questions (and not everyone beat the drum about fire sales) we've had for an Inbox in years. So let's get started:"@mh4655: @FlannyMLB How do you explain the rapid decline of this team? To me it just been startling"It has been startling. Kansas City's offense has been dreadful, the bullpen has had its hiccups, and the starting rotation over the past two weeks has been wildly inconsistent. Yet they are 5 1/2 games out of first place in the American League Central. Every time you think the Royals might make one of their classic runs, they throw in a clunker. They had a chance to sweep the Indians on the road with their best pitcher on the mound on Sunday, but they got routed. Kansas City had a chance to take the series with Detroit and had a 3-0 lead with Ian Kennedy on the mound on Wednesday, but lost. The theme of the season so far."@donsummer: @FlannyMLB Do you have any hope for Hammel, Kennedy, Gordon?"Actually, I thought the life on Kennedy's four-seam fastball returned on Wednesday night, so I think he's close to being himself again. Jason Hammel made an adjustment with his setup that worked in New York, and worked for four innings on Monday, so I think he's close. The Alex Gordon situation is the most puzzling on the team right now. Manager Ned Yost and general manager Dayton Moore haven't told me this yet, but they have to be close to thinking Gordon is a platoon player now. Gordon is a four-time Gold Glove Award winner, and defense matters to Moore and Yost, so that's what is keeping him in the lineup. But it's painful to watch Gordon at the plate right now."@ModeratelySuper: @FlannyMLB If we're going to do a complete rebuild, does it make sense to listen to offers for Salvy and Duffy, too?"This won't be a complete rebuild. Not a chance. And I'm not sure why fans on Twitter are so anxious to blow up this team and start over -- the guess here is that some fans don't remember the agony of 28 years of hopelessness before the Royals turned it around in 2013. They are not going to trade Danny Duffy or Salvador Perez."@teriadams80: @FlannyMLB Can everyone go one day NOT talking trade and focus on positive team attributes?"Most of the fire sale noise on Twitter is just snark. If Kansas City is 10 or 15 games out in late July, sure, Moore will deal some of his pending free agents. But for attendance reasons, new television contract reasons (the current FOX deal expires after 2019), clubhouse atmosphere reasons, Moore isn't interested in gutting the team and living through 100-loss seasons."@justinmarkbro: @FlannyMLB How long will it take for everyone to begin correctly pronouncing Bonifacio?"I asked Jorge Bonifacio the other day and he said his brother, Emilio, doesn't even pronounce it right: It's Boney-facio."@GOAT029: @FlannyMLB I don't see steady innings for Soler unless Cain is traded and A1 moves to CF, what's the plan to get him in the lineup w/out removing Boni?"Great question. Not sure I see the logic in having Jorge Soler ride the bench here. He has options. He has been replaced as the starting right fielder (although Yost won't admit it) and he didn't even start against a left-hander on Wednesday. The Royals would be better off, and so would Soler, if he got regular at-bats at Triple-A and someone like Terrance Gore was on the roster now as a late-inning weapon on the bases."@JackHansonRN: @FlannyMLB What's one sleeper in the farm system that nobody's talking about that you feel will make a real impact at the major league level one day?"First baseman Samir Duenez, who is at Double-A Northwest Arkansas. He's only 20, but I was really impressed with him at Spring Training. Duenez has a sweet swing, has power and plays an above-average first base. Remember that name.Royals remain targeted after slow start — by teams in contentionJune 2, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star Sometimes Ned Yost has the same questions you have. The same concerns. The same curiosities.So it was, that on an afternoon in April, Yost, the Royals’ manager, called a collection of players into his office. The Royals were mired in a miserable opening month. They would lose nine straight games. Their offense would languish through one of the worst stretches in club history. The Royals’ manager wanted to talk about it.Specifically, he wondered whether the impending free agency of a group of core Royals was weighing heavily on the minds of those players. Were they pressing? Were they worried about the future, about a potential fire sale in the summer months?“It is human nature,” Yost conceded, “to look at things, at times, outside and wonder.”So Yost had the conversations. He asked the questions. And the Royals’ manager came away convinced. Whatever was ailing his team, whatever was causing the early struggles, had nothing to do with the future.“The answer, to a man, was no,” Yost said. “The reason they’re frustrated — ‘It’s not the fact that we’re going to be free agents next year. It’s the fact that we’re not producing at a level like we think we can to help this team win.’ ”For now, Yost remains sincere in his belief that any anxiety about the club’s uncertain future has not contributed to the Royals’ middling start. But as the club prepares to open a three-game series against the Cleveland Indians on Friday, the reverse could soon be true: If the Royals (22-30) maintain their current trajectory — last place in the American League Central, worst run differential in the league — the next six weeks could be dominated by that uncertainty, by trade speculation and talk of a potential fire sale.For now, the speculation constitutes smoke with little substantive fire. Even after an injury to starting pitcher Danny Duffy, general manager Dayton Moore has preached patience. In most years, the deadline trade market does not produce deals until after the All-Star break in July. The Royals, Moore says, have the time to let the season play out.Yet across the league, teams in contention have already started circling, sending scouts to inspect the Royals in person, looking for possible fits before the trade deadline on July 31.The interest is not unexpected. The Royals’ list of prospective free agents is deep and varied, ranging from franchise linchpins such as Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain, to intriguing arms like Jason Vargas and Mike Minor, to declining former All-Stars like shortstop Alcides Escobar. The pure quantity, if not unprecedented, has compelled opposing clubs to view the Royals with a combination of curiosity and empathy.“What you didn’t think was going to be the issue — the offense — turned out to be the issue,” one rival talent evaluator said. “They have good players. They just haven’t been playing good.“Hosmer would make anybody better. Moustakas would make anybody better. Cain would make anybody better.”The Royals, anticipating multiple personnel departures in the offseason, could use the expiring assets to replenish the club’s farm system while still attempting re-sign players such as Hosmer, Moustakas or Cain in the offseason. But the club’s position, rival club officials say, has been muddied slightly by a new collective-bargaining agreement adopted by Major League Baseball and the players’ association last offseason.Under the old rules, the Royals could have held onto a prospective free agent, delivered a ‘qualifying offer’ following the World Series and recouped a compensatory draft pick at the end of the first round. The new collective-bargaining agreement tweaked those rules. To receive a compensation pick at the end of the first round, the Royals must give a qualifying offer — which in 2017 was a one-year, $17.2 million deal — and then have that player sign elsewhere for more than $50 million.If the player signs for less than $50 million, the compensation pick comes after the second round. The change could offer incentive for teams to trade a certain kind of pending free agent: One who might be motivated to turn down a qualifying offer but not certain to sign for more than $50 million on the open market.In the industry, opinions on how much the new system could hurt the Royals are varied and mixed. So, too, are the projections on the value of the club’s pending free agents. In most ways, the trade market will be dictated by the needs of the teams in contention. Yet there are factors that cannot be predicted, such as injuries or surprise teams that find themselves with a small window to compete and motivated to add talent before the deadline.“You just don’t know what the climate is going to be like in the game,” Moore said earlier this month.Players such as Hosmer, Moustakas and Cain — proven talents with playoff experience — would likely be coveted by teams with needs at their respective positions. The Washington Nationals could be positioned to target outfield help after a season-ending knee injury to Adam Eaton. The Boston Red Sox, stacked at most positions, could be in need of a third baseman.The Royals, however, would be motivated to add premium talent to their system in return — something more valuable than could be secured with a compensation pick after the first or second round. And should they opt to sell, their most valuable asset may not be one of their pending free agents at all, but rather reliever Kelvin Herrera, who is making $5.325 million this season and has one more season of salary arbitration before he would become a free agent after the 2018 season.The market for relievers has spiked in recent years, after the postseason success of the Royals in 2014 and 2015 and the dominating performance of Cleveland’s Andrew Miller last October. Herrera could be the most attractive reliever on the market, his track record of postseason success, his extra year of control and the demand for his services inflating his value before the deadline. Likewise, opposing scouts see Minor, a former starter who has developed into a reliable reliever, as an intriguing potential target. After San Diego’s Brad Hand, Minor could be among the best left-handed relief options on the market. Vargas, meanwhile, could be attractive for a club that needs a reinforcement near the back end of their starting rotation.For now, nearly two months before the deadline, the Royals’ clubhouse has been void of speculation. Across the last three seasons, only one blockbuster deadline deal was executed before even the All-Star break. That came on July 4, 2014, when the Chicago Cubs sent pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to the Oakland A’s for a package that included shortstop Addison Russell. That was a rare early deal. That anniversary of that date is still more than a month away. So on most days, there is little need to think about the future.“These talks have kind of been brewing the last couple years,” Hosmer said, during the early days of spring training. “It’s something we don’t pay attention to.”The philosophy remains unchanged. But reality does not. As the month of June begins, the Royals charge forward into an uncertain future. They remain just six games out of first place, on the cusp of contention, yet sitting in a precarious position. Less than two years after claiming a franchise’s second World Series championship, a collection of friends and teammates could be split apart.“It’s our entire core, for the most part,” Yost said. “It is a unique situation. You just don’t worry about it. You don’t think about it. I’m sure they do at at times. But I don’t think it’s anything that’s affected them.”Hunter Dozier reinstated from 60-day disabled list; Paulo Orlando out until late JulyJune 2, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star The Royals reinstated top prospect Hunter Dozier from the 60-day disabled list on Thursday and optioned him to Class AAA Omaha. Dozier, who sustained a strained oblique muscle near the end of spring training, was already playing for Omaha on a rehab assignment.To make room on the 40-man roster for Dozier, the club placed outfielder Paulo Orlando on the 60-day disabled list. Orlando, who began the season as the Royals’ starting right fielder, suffered a fractured left tibia after fouling a ball off his shin on May 12. Orlando cannot be reinstated to the roster before July 31, though he can begin a rehab assignment before that date.Dozier, 25, has played five games on his rehab assignment, including three for Class A Wilmington and two at Omaha. He is 5 for 16 with two doubles, two walks and eight strikeouts since returning. A first-round pick in 2013, Dozier made his major-league debut last September. He opened the 2017 season as one of the top position prospects in the Royals’ system.Royals’ Eric Skoglund earns second start; Karns still recoveringJune 2, 2017By Rustin Dodd/KC Star Just moments after throwing 6 1/3 scoreless innings in his major-league debut on Tuesday, left-hander Eric Skoglund learned he would receive a second start on Sunday against the Cleveland Indians at Kauffman Stadium.The Royals announced the decision on Wednesday. Manager Ned Yost offered a brief message along with the assignment.“I told him today: ‘You did an awesome job last night. But don’t expect it to be as easy as it was last night every time you step out there, alright? You made it look easy. But just make sure you understand, it’s not that easy. It was a magical night for you.’ ”With a day off Thursday, the club will start Jason Vargas on Friday in the series opener against Cleveland and bring back Jason Hammel on regular rest on Saturday.Ian Kennedy will return on regular rest on Monday in a series opener against the Houston Astros. But with Danny Duffy and Nathan Karns both on the disabled list, the club will need to find a fifth starter for Tuesday’s game against Houston.Karns, whose disabled-list stint was retroactive to May 21, has experienced lingering discomfort in his right arm, which has slowed his rehab process, Yost said. He could depart on a rehab assignment next week, which would represent the next step in his recovery. But for now, the Royals are being cautious.“He’s feeling better,” Yost said. “But still, a little lingering ... the trainers like to get everything out before we start progressing forward pretty heavily. And he still feels it a little tiny bit when he’s playing catch.”Is an out ever better than a hit? It dependsJune 2, 2017By Lee Judge/KC Star Few things in life are certain except death, taxes and getting a hit is better than making an out.I can’t help you with the first two, but let’s talk about hits and outs.Let’s say you’re a middle-of-the-order hitter who doesn’t run well. You come to the plate for your first at-bat with two out, nobody on. You decide to ambush a first-pitch fastball and hit a single.This looks good in the scorebook, but might not do much to help your team win.Since you don’t run well, you aren’t stealing second base and it might take two more — even three more — two-out hits to move you all the way around the bases to score a run and the odds of that happening aren’t good.Now move on to your next at-bat, but this time the game is tied and there are runners in scoring position.This time you’re not getting a first-pitch fastball down the pipe; this time you’re more likely to see sliders, curves and change-ups.But because you went for the first-pitch-fastball single in your first at-bat, you have yet to see any of those secondary pitches – and now, with runners in scoring position and the game on the line, the pitcher has an advantage.Now, maybe that two-out, nobody-on single doesn’t look like such a good deal.How an out now can turn into a home run laterBack on May 21, the Royals played the Minnesota Twins; Phil Hughes was the Twins’ starting pitcher. In the top of the second inning, Brandon Moss faced Hughes with one out and nobody on.Moss took a first-pitch fastball for a called strike one; Moss then went on to see six more pitches from Hughes and eventually hit a fly ball to center field.Moss made an out, but the at-bat was not a failure.Moss had faced Hughes before, but the quality of a pitcher’s stuff changes every time he takes the mound. Moss wanted to see what Hughes had that day.So Moss got to see Hughes’ fastball and change-up, but he also learned something important; even though the at-bat lasted seven pitches, Hughes never threw Moss a cutter or curve.So when Moss came to the plate in the fourth inning, he eliminated those two pitches from his thinking; he went from worrying about four pitches to dealing with two — fastball and change-up.On the second pitch of his second at-bat, Brandon Moss got the change-up he was looking for and hit a home run; a home run he might not have hit if he hadn’t seen seven pitches in his first at-bat.The moral of the story is not that hitters should try to make an out while seeing a lot of pitches; hitters are always trying to get a hit.But attacking the first pitch of a fairly meaningless first at-bat might be a mistake; sometimes you might want to take a pitch or two and once you get to two strikes, battle your backside off.What you learn in that first at bat might lead to a big hit the next time you come to the plate.It worked for Brandon Moss.Why Minor pitched instead of SoriaOn Tuesday, the Royals had a 1-0 lead when Mike Minor was asked to pitch the eighth inning. Theoretically, Joakim Soria should have been available, but after the game Ned Yost said if they’d used Joakim it would have been the fourth time in five days, so he wanted to avoid that.Why a new ball was put in play after a strikeoutIn that Detroit series, Alex Avila struck out and Salvador Perez threw the ball around the infield, but he bounced his throw to Mike Moustakas. After the ball made its trip around the horn it went back to the mound, but someone — either the Tigers bench or one of the umpires — asked for a new ball.Bouncing a ball on a throw down to second base or when going around the infield scuffs it and if someone doesn’t ask for a new ball, the pitcher will have an advantage. Veteran catchers will sometimes try to help their pitcher by bouncing a throw.Now here’s the rule of thumb for pitchers: it’s wrong to scuff a ball yourself, but if someone hands you a scuffed ball, it ain’t wrong to throw it.Which Royals pitchers are giving up stolen bases?A while back I said Royals pitchers need to do a better job of holding runners and giving Salvador Perez a chance to throw out runners. In retrospect, that statement was overly broad. Most of the Royals pitchers have done a good job when holding runners and preventing stolen bases.So which Royals pitchers are giving them up?Jason Hammel has allowed nine steals with one caught stealing, Chris Young has allowed seven steals with one caught stealing and Nathan Karns has allowed six steals with one caught stealing.All three pitchers are right-handed; all three pitchers are tall.It takes these guys a while to unwind all those long levers and get the ball on its way to home plate.The rest of the Royals pitchers have actually been very good at preventing the steal; they have a combined nine steals with 10 base runners caught. Lefty Jason Vargas is pitching Friday night and he’s given up one steal with two base runners thrown out.Indians vs. Royals at 7:15 Friday night.Enjoy the game.MINORSJunis Leaves Redbirds Blue in 2-1 WinOmaha claim 6th win out of 7 in series openerJune 2, 2017Omaha Storm Chasers Six dominant innings from Jake Junis and home runs by Garin Cecchini and Raul Mondesi propelled the Storm Chasers past Memphis 2-1 on Thursday night at AutoZone Park.Junis, who had thrown 7 shutout frames in his previous start, allowed a solo home run to Rangel Ravelo in the bottom of the 1st inning, giving Memphis an early 1-0 lead.Cecchini, however, tied the game against his old club by hitting a towering home run of his own to right field in the top of the 2nd against Redbirds starter Josh Zeid.Mondesi, who entered the game with a 17-game hitting streak, promptly extended it to 18 with a solo homer of his own in the top of the 3rd. His line drive just cleared the right field fence, giving Omaha a 2-1 lead and accounting for the final run of the night.Both offenses struggled to mound threats from there; Zeid (L, 2-2) pitched 6 strong frames, allowing just 2 runs on 4 hits, with 2 strikeouts and 2 walks.But Junis (W, 2-2) was even better. He allowed only 1 run on 3 hits, with 9 strikeouts and no walks. Only one other Redbirds runner reached scoring position against him after Ravelo's 1st inning blast.The bullpens matched each other with 3 scoreless innings the rest of the way. Zach Phillips and Mark Montgomery held Omaha off the board, while Al Albuquerque and Scott Alexander worked a flawless 7th and 8th inning for the Chasers.Malcom Culver (S, 4) struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the 9th before yielding back to back singles to Ravelo and Luke Voit. But with the tying and go-ahead runs on base, he induced a soft groundout to shortstop from Carson Kelly, as the Storm Chasers (28-24) held on for their 6th win in their last 7 games.The Chasers continue the series in Memphis tomorrow night. RHP Luke Farrell (5-2, 4.97) will oppose RHP Jack Flaherty, who will make his first Triple-A start. First pitch will be at 7:05.Dewees, pitching power Naturals to 6-5 winNorthwest Arkansas clinched first series at Frisco since July, 2015June 2, 2017Northwest Arkansas Naturals Donnie Dewees cleared the bases with a sixth inning grand slam during a five-run frame to lead the Naturals to a 6-5 win in the rubber match on Thursday night at Dr. Pepper Ballpark over the Frisco RoughRiders. The series victory marked the first since July, 2015 when Northwest Arkansas took two out of three in the metroplex.Trailing 3-1 entering the 6th inning, Northwest Arkansas (27-24) loaded the bases against newly inserted reliever, David Ledbetter , using a wild pitch on a strike-three and back-to-back base hits by Mauricio Ramos and Alfredo Escalera . Dewees, who had not homered since May 1, belted a 2-2 pitch down the left-field line and snuck it over the 10-foot wall for a grand slam, putting the Naturals in front, 5-3.Luis Villegas belted a single off the left-field wall to jar Ledbetter from the game and Elier Hernandez capped off the five-run inning with a sacrifice fly to put the Naturals ahead 6-5.Zach Lovvorn (3-3, 4.88) notched his third victory on the season and his first since April 23 working 5.2 innings in his 10th start of the season. The right-hander worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the 1st inning, allowing just one run and settled in following the frame. Lovvorn retired the next eight batters and 11 of the next 12 before a two-out, two-run single skipped into left in the sixth inning to end his night.Lovvorn's finished 5.2 innings, allowed four runs - three earned - on five hits and punched out six, the most since his nine strikeout performance on May 5.Pedro Fernandez worked 1.1 innings, allowed an unearned run on two hits and struck out one before handing the ball to Sam Selman who notched the final six outs for his fourth save of the season.Northwest Arkansas tied the score at 1-1 in the fifth inning. Dewees led the inning off with a double, his 10th of the season, moved to third after a single to right by Villegas. Two batters later, Hernandez delivered a single to right to plate Dewees from third to tie the score.The Naturals ended the night with 12 hits and hit 4-for-13 with men in scoring position. Dewees led the offensive attached with three hits, two extra-base hits, and four RBI with two runs scored. Hernandez finished 2-for-4 with two RBI on the night. Arteaga and Villegas both added two hits to the offensive cause.The club continues the six-game road trip with a three-game series in Midland, Texas, beginning in on Friday night. Left-hander, Emilio Ogando (3-2, 2.28) will take the mound for his sixth start of the season against right-hander, Brett Graves (1-1, 3.18) countering for the RockHounds.Join the Voice of the Naturals, Benjamin Kelly, with a 6:40 p.m. pregame show, leading up to the 7:00 p.m. first pitch on AM-1590, the Ticket-2.Offense Awakens in VictoryRocks Smash 14 Total Hits in WinJune 2, 2017Wilmington Blue Rocks An offensive surge powered the Wilmington Blue Rocks (27-26) to a 9-6 win over the Winston-Salem Dash (18-36) Thursday night at BB&T Ballpark. Both Anderson Miller and Roman Collins knocked in a pair of runs, while Nicky Lopez paced the offense with three hits. The 14-hit performance featured five doubles, two triples from D.J. Burt , and seven singles from nine different Blue Rock batters.The Blue Rocks jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. Burt's first triple sent Lopez home for the game's first run, and Burt would score on Miller's single a batter later. The Dash would flex their muscles in the second inning after Johan Cruz and Danny Mendick belted solo home runs to tie the game 2-2. The Rocks responded by scoring two runs in the third inning on a Chris DeVito RBI double and a sacrifice fly from Collins to make it 4-2. The Dash would cut the lead to 4-3 in the fourth inning after J.J. Franco doubled home a run. In the fifth frame, Wilmington scored a pair of runs in the inning. The first run came in on a throwing error that scored Brandon Downes and a run-scoring single from Collins to increase their lead to 6-3. In the home half of the inning, the Dash answered by scoring two runs of their own to make it 6-5, highlighted by Louis Silverio's two-out RBI double. The Rocks extended their lead 7-5 on an RBI groundout from Burt in the sixth before adding two more in the eighth inning. In the frame, the Blue Crew tacked on a run on a passed ball before Miller roped a double to make it a 9-5 contest. Winston-Salem would tally one more run in the eighth after another run-scoring double from Franco to give the game the final score of 9-6.Wilmington starter Scott Blewett left the game with the lead but did not pick up the win, lasting four and two-third innings while surrendering five earned runs on six hits. Jacob Bodner (1-0) recorded the win and did not give up a hit in his two and one-third innings of work. Richard Lovelady earned his fourth save of the year and struck out the side in the ninth inning.The third game of the series between Wilmington and Winston-Salem is scheduled for Friday, June 2 at BB&T Ballpark. LHP Colin Rodgers (1-2, 3.72 ERA) gets the start for the Rocks while RHP Aaron McRee (1-6, 4.89 ERA) takes the hill for the Dash. First pitch is slated for 7:00pm. Fans can listen to the game as Matt Janus will have the call on 89.7 WGLS-FM.PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:Wilmington's 14-hit performance mark the 19th time the team has tallied double digit hits during the season. The Blue Rocks recorded the feat 13 times in the month of May, and six times in April. However, the Rocks are only 11-8 in games they record double-digit hits Of the 19 times the offense has recorded more than ten hits, they have scored more than ten runs only five times. In the other fourteen games, Wilmington had never scored more than seven runs until tonight.D.J. Burt had a career night, smacking two triples while scoring two runs and driving one in during a game in which he totaled six bases. The last time a Blue Rock batter hit two triples in a game was nearly a month ago, when Elier Hernandez accomplished the achievement back on May 2 against Salem. Thursday's performance marked the second time this season Burt has had multiple extra-base hits in a game. The first occurred against Potomac on May 17 when he tallied two doubles. On that date, Burt was hitting .198. After tonight's contest, Burt has bumped his average to .225. In his last ten games, Burt has hit .317 with four extra-base hits, including all three triples he has hit on the season.Richard Lovelady had another dominating performance in his relief appearance. The southpaw struck out the side in the ninth to pick up his team-leading fourth save. Batters have gone down swinging 21 times against Lovelady, who has pitched only 20 innings this season. In addition, he has not allowed an earned-run in over a month, and has not walked a batter since May 7.THEY SAID IT: JAMIE QUIRK"Absolutely. (On it being good that offense gets early momentum). Nicky (Lopez) comes ready to play every day. He has a desire to beat the other team. He's a catalyst, he makes things happen, he gets on base, he starts innings, he's always doing something. His baseball IQ awareness is phenomenal. That's just the feel for the game (on Lopez going first to third on hit and run). He knows he's running, he sees the ball on the ground and he kept going. That's just a feel for the game. I had nothing to do with that play. Next thing I know, he's at third and then he's gone. That's just a feel for the game, I want to make something happen.""(Jacob) Bodner has been great all year. (On eating innings in relief.) That was a situation I wanted to stop the bleeding. We had the lead, and I have all the confidence in the world in Bodner the way he's been throwing all year. He came in and did it again with a mid-90's fastball, a strike thrower and challenging. He just gets after it.""It's getting that time (near the All-Star Break) and he's had a great first half. He's throwing strikes, and I've only seen him throw strikes. The report on him was he would miss the strike zone and would have to work too hard and we haven't seen that this year. He's just pounding the zone and he's in a very good place right now.""It's very important (to win the series against the Dash). The most important thing right now is tomorrow's game, which is what we say all the time. I thought (Thursday's win) was very important. We are playing a team with a rough record and the (Dash) beat us last night. We lost our last game prior and we haven't lost two in a row a long time. We needed to get back on the winning track (Thursday). This road trip is big, but no bigger than tomorrow's game, you have to go there first."Nicky Lopez, Shortstop"We played good ball in May and it's great to start off June on a good note. We just have to pick up some wins, string them together and get some streaks going.""I was. (Thinking on going first to third on hit and run) I got a good jump and right when I looked over I saw the third baseman had it and I was just stepping on second and I was just trying to time it as perfect as possible. Luckily, they tried to make a play on me and we were able to score another run.""Anyway I can get on base, whether it's the first pitch of the game or throughout the game, it gives us a better chance of scoring. I know my teammates are going to drive me in. D.J (Burt) does a great job, (Anderson) Miller, (Chris) DeVito now and (Brandon) Downes coming back is a huge piece. Just getting on base is key. I don't look at it as how can I be aggressive or anything like that. It's how can I get on base?""Back in Creighton, I batted second or third (on when aggressiveness transpired at the plate) so I was more sacrifice bunting, hit and runs. Kind of what D.J. (Burt) is doing. Coming into the Royals organization, they wanted me to leadoff and I've led off before so I feel comfortable at the lead off position and that's just my main thing. How can I get on base and get my teammates to pick me up?""I think so. (Leading off fits skill sets) I am an aggressive hitter. I like to hunt the fastball and I'm getting fastballs early in the game. So, when I can hunt the fastball and put a good swing on it, my chances of success is much higher."Augusta blanks Legends 4-0June 2, 2017Lexington Legends Augusta starter Garrett Williams and three relievers teamed up on a four-hit shutout as the GreenJackets blanked the Lexington Legends 4-0 Thursday night at Whitaker Bank Ballpark. Skyler Ewing put the GreenJackets in front with a leadoff homer in the top of the second inning.The score was still 1-0 in the sixth when Kelvin Beltre doubled with one out and Ewing was hit by a pitch. Jose Vizcaino Jr. singled, loading the bases, and Jacob Heyward doubled to left field, scoring Beltre and Ewing.The GreenJackets scored their final run in the ninth inning when Hayward doubled, moved to third on a two-out single by Brandon Van Horn and scored on a single by Ashford Fulmer.Williams (2-0) pitched six and one-third innings and got the win. He allowed four hits, walked two batters and struck out nine. His earned run average for 19 and one-third innings pitched this season is 0.93.Legends starter Geoffrey Bramblett (2-1) allowed one run, the homer by Ewing, in five innings pitched, but took the loss.Game two of the four-game series will be played Friday night. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. Travis Eckert (2-3) will start for the Legends. Domenic Mazza (2-4), who pitched a perfect game against the Legends April 25 at Whitaker Bank Ballpark, will start for Augusta.NATIONAL18 former All-Stars to serve as Draft repsHall of Famer George Brett among dignitaries to appear at MLB Network on June 12June 2, 2017By Mark Newman/ Hall of Famer George Brett and 17 other former All-Stars will be among 54 baseball dignitaries representing the 30 Major League clubs at MLB Network's Studio 42 when the three-day MLB Draft gets underway on June 12.There's a bestselling author (Rick Ankiel) and the author of a perfect game (Dallas Braden). There's the pitcher who ended the Curse of the Bambino (Keith Foulke). There are two former Rookie of the Year Award winners in Ron Kittle and Gary Matthews, a National League Cy Young Award winner in Randy Jones, an NL batting champion in Michael Cuddyer, and a manager of World Series and World Baseball Classic champions (Jim Leyland).Major League Baseball announced the annual list of club representatives on Thursday, and as usual, it is a star-studded gathering from the past that will man the phones and help welcome the future on the first night of selections. Commissioner Rob Manfred will announce the first-round selections, and then the club reps will do the honors the remainder of the evening.In addition to Brett, former All-Stars on the Draft floor will include Felipe Alou, Bob Boone, Ron Cey, Cuddyer, Foulke, Ralph Garr, Jeffrey Hammonds, Joel Hanrahan, Corey Hart, Orlando Hudson, Randy Jones, Ruppert Jones, Kittle, Matthews, Lloyd Moseby, Mike Sweeney and Nick Swisher. There will be a lot of story-telling and a lot of phone calls to team war rooms.Tommy Lasorda, the 89-year-old Hall of Famer who has been a club-rep fixture at this event each year for the Dodgers, will not be able to attend following surgery last Thursday to replace a pacemaker. But in his place at the club's table will be Cey, one of his on-field fixtures at third base in the '70s and '80s.The MLB Draft has a rich tradition of family legacies being selected, and famous MLB families will be well-represented on the floor. Boone, the catcher on the Phillies' 1980 World Series champions and a former manager for Kansas City and Cincinnati, is the son of All-Star Ray Boone and the father of former All-Stars Aaron and Bret Boone. Alou is the eldest of the three Alou brothers from the Dominican Republic who each spent at least 15 years in the Majors, and the father of six-time All-Star Moises Alou. Jose Molina, representing the Angels, is one of the Molina brothers from Puerto Rico, including Yadier and Bengie, who became catching fixtures and regulars in the postseason.MLB Network and will have live coverage of Day 1 of the Draft at 7 p.m. ET on June 12. MLB Network will broadcast the first 36 picks (Round 1 and Competitive Balance Round A), while will stream all 75 picks. will also provide live pick-by-pick coverage of Rounds 3-10 on Day 2, starting at 1 p.m. ET. Then, rounds 11-40 can be heard live on on June 14, beginning at noon ET.Prior to the start of the Draft, MLB Network and will air a Draft preview show, starting at 6 p.m. ET. Of course, the previewing already is well underway. Go to draft to see the Top 100 Prospects list, projected top picks from analysts Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo, the complete order of selection and more. And follow @MLBDraft on Twitter to see what Draft hopefuls, clubs and experts are saying.Amateur players who will attend the Draft will be announced at a later date.MLB TRANSACTIONSJune 2, 2017 ?. DiamondbacksZack GodleySent to MinorsArizona DiamondbacksSilvino BrachoCalled Up from MinorsBoston Red SoxRobbie RossPlaced on 10-Day DL, (Left elbow inflammation)Cleveland IndiansShawn ArmstrongSent to MinorsCleveland IndiansJosh WilsonTraded From from Rangers, Texas (for cash considerations)Cleveland IndiansCorey KluberRemoved From 10-Day DL, (Lower back strain)Cleveland IndiansCorey KluberRecalled From Minors, Rehab AssignmentColorado RockiesChris DenorfiaReleasedKansas City RoyalsPaulo OrlandoPlaced on 60-Day DL, (Fractured shin)Kansas City RoyalsHunter DozierRecalled From Minors, Rehab AssignmentKansas City RoyalsHunter DozierRemoved From 60-Day DL, (Left oblique strain)Kansas City RoyalsHunter DozierSent to MinorsKansas City RoyalsPaulo OrlandoCalled Up from MinorsLos Angeles AngelsYunel EscobarRemoved From 10-Day DL, (Strained left hamstring)Los Angeles AngelsYunel EscobarRecalled From Minors, Rehab AssignmentLos Angeles AngelsCameron MaybinPlaced on 10-Day DL, (Left oblique contusion)Los Angeles AngelsAlex MeyerRemoved From 10-Day DL, (Back spasms)Los Angeles AngelsMike MorinSent to MinorsLos Angeles DodgersGrant DaytonCalled Up from MinorsLos Angeles DodgersAdam LiberatorePlaced on 10-Day DL, (Left forearm tightness)Miami MarlinsJeff LockeRecalled From Minors, Rehab AssignmentMiami MarlinsJeff LockeRemoved From 10-Day DL, (Left biceps tendinitis)Miami MarlinsJustin NicolinoPlaced on 10-Day DL, (Left index finger contusion)Minnesota TwinsAlex WimmersPurchased From MinorsMinnesota TwinsRandy RosarioCalled Up from MinorsNew York YankeesGreg BirdSent to Minors, For RehabilitationTexas RangersHanser AlbertoSent to Minors, For RehabilitationToronto Blue JaysGlenn SparkmanSent to Minors, For RehabilitationToronto Blue JaysLeonel CamposCalled Up from MinorsToronto Blue JaysMike BolsingerDesignated for AssignmentWashington NationalsJose MarmolejosRemoved From 60-Day DL, (Strained left forearm)Washington NationalsJose MarmolejosRecalled From Minors, Rehab AssignmentWashington NationalsAdam EatonTransferred to 60-Day DL, (Torn left ACL - out for season)Washington NationalsJose MarmolejosSent to Minors ................
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