Kansas City Royals – Page 20 – North Platte Post Archive

Royals Young Ace Yordano Ventura gets $23M, 5-Year Contract

Posted on April 4, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Young ace Yordano Ventura and the Kansas City Royals have reached a five-year contract worth $23 million.

The AL champions announced they had a deal Saturday, two days before they open the season.

The 23-year-old Ventura dazzled as a rookie last season, going 14-10 with a 3.20 ERA.

The hard-throwing righty pitched seven shutout innings against San Francisco to win Game 6 of the World Series. The Giants won the title the next day.

Ventura was 1-0 with a 3.20 ERA in five postseason appearances, including four starts.

The contract runs through 2019, and includes club options for the following two seasons.

Royals Release Veteran Infielder Rafael Furcal

Posted on March 31, 2015

Rafael Furcal with the Los Angeles Dodgers

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals have released three-time All-Star shortstop Rafael Furcal, two weeks after he signed a minor league deal.

Furcal didn’t appear in a Cactus League game as he recovered from a hamstring injury sustained in winter ball. Tuesday’s move doesn’t affect the Royals’ big league roster as Furcal was not invited to camp.

The 37-year-old Furcal played nine games last year with Miami after missing all of the 2013 season following elbow reconstruction surgery.

Arrowhead, Kauffman Stadiums’ Food Service Fires Manager

Posted on March 27, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A food safety manager at Kauffman and Arrowhead stadiums in Kansas City says he was fired after complaining about dirty conditions.

Jon Costa shared with ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” a letter that he said came from his former employer, Aramark. The March 17 letter said Costa was being fired “for cause” for several reasons, including that he violated the company’s media policy by taking his concerns public.

ESPN says Costa’s complaints prompted a Nov. 3 inspection that found violations at 20 out of 26 food stands. The stadiums later passed a follow-up inspection.

Aramark said in a written statement that it considers personnel matters confidential. It added that food safety is “a top priority.” Costa’s attorney, Ryan McClelland, didn’t immediately return phone or email messages from The Associated Press.

Yordano Ventura to Start Royals’ Opener against White Sox

Posted on March 25, 2015

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Yordano Ventura has been picked to pitch on opening day for the AL champion Kansas City Royals against the Chicago White Sox.

The 23-year-old right-hander went 14-10 with a 3.20 ERA as a rookie last season and tossed seven scoreless innings to beat San Francisco in Game 6 of the World Series.

The announcement was made by Royals manager Ned Yost on Wednesday.

James Shields, the team’s No. 1 starter last year, signed with San Diego in the offseason.

Yost says left-hander Danny Duffy and right-hander Edinson Volquez will follow the hard-throwing Ventura in the rotation during the season-opening series against the White Sox at Kauffman Stadium.

Duffy was 9-12 with a 2.53 ERA last season. Kansas City signed Volquez to a two-year contract in December after he went 13-7 with a 3.04 ERA last season for Pittsburgh.

Yost says lefty Jason Vargas and right-hander Jeremy Guthrie will round out the rotation in that order.

Royals Demote Pitcher Brandon Finnegan

Posted on March 22, 2015

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — The Kanas City Royals have optioned Brandon Finnegan, who became the first player to play in the College World Series and the World Series the same year, to Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Sunday.

The Royals’ first-round pick out of TCU last year, will be used as a starter in the minors after pitching out of the Kansas City bullpen last September and in the postseason.

The left-hander yielded a two-run walkoff homer to Courtney Hawkins in a 6-4 loss Saturday to the White Sox. He had an 8.53 ERA in four spring training appearances.

Manager Ned Yost said Finnegan has the stuff to be” a quality major league pitcher, but I won’t pigeonhole him as a starter or reliever.”

Rockies Reliever Betancourt Hit in Jaw by Liner

Posted on March 19, 2015

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Rockies reliever Rafael Betancourt was struck in the jaw by a line drive and walked off with a bruise Thursday in Colorado’s 13-2 win over the Kansas City Royals.

The 39-year-old Betancourt was hit in the sixth inning by Brett Eibner’s liner. He was checked by a trainer before leaving the mound.

Betancourt made his fourth spring appearance for the Rockies. He was their closer in 2012-13 before needing Tommy John surgery, was out of the majors last season and is a non-roster invite this year.

Nolan Arenado hit two homers and drove in five runs. Matt McBride also homered for Colorado.

Rockies starter Jordan Lyles pitched four perfect innings. Royals starter Jason Vargas was tagged for nine runs and nine hits, including three home runs, in 1 2-3 innings.

Kendrys Morales homered for the Royals.

Royals’ Collins has Season-Ending Tommy John Surgery

Posted on March 12, 2015

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Kansas City Royals left-hander Tim Collins has undergone season-ending Tommy John surgery.

Kansas City said Thursday the 25-year-old was operated on a day earlier by Dr. James Andrews.

Collins made his spring training debut against Texas on March 4 and left after two outs. A MRI revealed ligament damage.

He topped AL relievers with 93 strikeouts in 2012, but a left flexor strain last April put him on the disabled list for a month. He went 0-3 with a 3.86 ERA in 22 regular-season games and had a 3.18 ERA in four postseason games, including three World Series appearances.

Collins out, Brian Flynn, Franklin Morales and Brandon Finnegan are the leading left-handed relief candidates.

Royals Sign RHP Chris Young to Incentive-Laden 1-Year Deal

Posted on March 7, 2015March 8, 2015

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — The Royals added depth to their starting rotation Saturday by signing veteran right-hander Chris Young to an incentive-laden, one-year contract.

Young will make $675,000 in base salary, but he’s eligible for $1 million in roster bonuses based on active days on the roster. He is also eligible for $1.975 million in bonuses for innings pitched, and $2.35 million in bonuses for games pitched.

The 35-year-old Young was 12-9 with a 3.65 ERA for the Mariners last season. He was voted the American League’s comeback player of the year after missing most of the previous season because of surgery to correct a nerve issue in his neck and shoulder.

The Royals’ five-man starting rotation is largely set with Yordano Ventura, Edinson Volquez, Danny Duffy, Jeremy Guthrie and Jason Vargas.

Royals’ Collins has Ligament Damage; Infante to get MRI Exam

Posted on March 6, 2015

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Royals reliever Tim Collins will seek a second opinion after an MRI exam revealed ligament damage in his left elbow, while second baseman Omar Infante was headed for his own MRI because of continued soreness in his right elbow.

Collins, who left his spring training debut Wednesday, will be evaluated again in about two weeks. The Royals will decide then whether he needs Tommy John surgery.

Collins was competing to be the situational left-hander in the Kansas City bullpen.

Infante has been dealing with elbow soreness since last season. He was expected to start the Royals’ game against Cleveland on Friday at designated hitter, but will instead have tests to try to determine the nature and severity of his injury.

Hosmer, Morales, Rios Power Royals to 13-2 Win over Rangers

Posted on March 4, 2015

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Eric Hosmer joined Royals newcomers Kendrys Morales and Alex Rios in hitting consecutive first-inning homers, and AL champion Kansas City routed the Texas Rangers 13-2 on Wednesday in the spring training opener for both teams.

Hosmer hit a three-run shot off Rangers starter Colby Lewis that landed on the grassy berm beyond the centerfield fence. Morales followed with a shot to right field and Rios went deep to left, giving Kansas City a 6-0 lead before Lewis had recorded an out.

Lewis retired the next three batters after the homer binge, but the veteran still needed 36 pitches to get through his only inning against the Rangers’ campus co-tenants.

Fellow starter Yovani Gallardo fared little better, allowing four runs on six hits over 1 2-3 innings in his Texas debut.