Another day of Spring Training behind us, another day closer to 162 games of .420 baseball!! This is Kansas City!!
Interestingly, Kerry Robinson considers himself something of a living example of the dynamics of Spring Training baseball:
Robinson, a non-roster invitee, helped his chances Friday with an infield single that drove in the tying run in the fifth and a run-producing triple in the seventh to put the Royals ahead for good in a 7-6 triumph over the Rangers.Yes. Yes indeed. Sorta a metaphor for life in way isn't it? Thats my credo for this blog by the way, "even if you do good, it doesn't mean you are going to make the team either".Robinson knows a .175 batting average in March could get him released or sent back to the Minors. He also realizes a .330 batting average may not be enough for the Royals to put him on their Major League roster for the April 3 opener.
"Even if you do good, it doesn't mean you are going to make the team either," Robinson said. "I pretty much proved that last year with the Mets. I had a really good spring and the last day they decided to release me.
Not surprisingly Buddisimo Bell has lots of good things to say about Kerry, but isn't sure what the future holds:
"He's got a chance," manager Buddy Bell said of Robinson. "He gives us a little bit of dimension that we don't have -- speed. He's going to get some playing time. It's not going to be an easy decision, that's for sure."Robinson, 32, has played in the Majors with the Devil Rays, Reds, Cardinals and Padres. He has a .267 average and 35 career steals. He hit .328 with 13 steals in 19 attempts in 58 games last season with Richmond, the Braves' Triple-A affiliate.
I'm shocked the Bell's gonna have a hard time making a decision.
To be fair, Robinson's exactly the kind of player we should all root for, marginal, vaguely local, superficially polite etc etc. The problem is, dude's been given his shot, becoming a semi-regular with the Cardinals from 2001-3. He's had 707 Major League plate appearances at this point, cranking out a pretty pedestrian .267/.305/.338 line. He's made a little bit of money -- probably about $1.1 million total or so -- and has by all accounts been given every opportunity to prove himself.
Of course, I fully expect Chip Ambres to not respond appropriately to Buddisimo's post-game scold at some point and Kerry to be awarded a roster spot. Without faith, man would have no reason to continue to live.
In other news... Mark Teahen's Miracle Run at 10 Homers is gaining momentum, with a little help from George Brett:
That's something that's been lacking for Teahen, a left-handed batter who still slashes many balls into left field. He had seven homers in 447 at-bats last season. "In my mind, he hasn't gotten the most out of his ability," Brett said. "He's a strong kid, a real strong kid. And we were just trying to get him to pull the ball a little today."Here's a Royals Review 2006 Promise: I'll be unironically and whole-heartedly rooting for Mark Teahen this season, keeping snideness to a minimum. Plus, like everyone else on this roster, his names hard as hell to spell, that Teahen/Teahan thing gets me everytime. Just like Affeldt, Greinke, Runelyvs, and of course, Grudz and Minky...Yeah, Teahen knows. He knows. He's certainly heard it enough.
"This power thing has always been with me," Teahen said. "My senior year in high school, I was a leadoff hitter who always bunted to get on. In college, I started hitting more doubles and everything else. It's just a progression, and I know how far I've come from when I originally signed."
Things will change, he's sure.
By the way, best of luck to Mark in the semi-pointless World Baseball Classic. I know he'll represent Canada well.