CLEVELAND | Rookie catcher Salvador Perez didnt play Sunday in the series final against the Indians after starting 15 of the 17 previous games since arriving from Class AAA Omaha. This is how it figures to be for Perez over the next several years: Days off will be rare. Hes like (shortstop Alcides) Escobar for me, manager Ned Yost said. Hes hard to take out of the lineup. So, yes, hell play 140 games (a year) because one, hes young; two, hes very athletic; and three, I think hes very durable. I had a real hard time not playing him today because he does a lot of things right. Starting 140 games is ironman territory for a catcher. Only two catchers reached that threshold over last five years: Jason Kendall in 2006 with Oakland, and 2008 with Milwaukee; and Russell Martin in 2007 with the Dodgers. It also means the Royals, in putting together their 2012 roster, will likely seek a low-cost backup. They currently control Brayan Peña, who is making $660,000, through arbitration; veteran Matt Treanor, who is making $850,000, is a pending free agent. Its been a remarkably rapid ascent for Perez, a 21-year-old who had not played above Class A until this year. He was cited last week as a Texas League All-Star after spending most of this season at Class AA Northwest Arkansas. Hes going to be an American League all-star before too long, Yost said. No doubt. This kid hasnt been overmatched yet. Weve seen Moose (Mike Moustakas) overmatched. Weve seen Esky overmatched. But we havent seen this kid overmatched. Yost views any offense from Perez, who is batting .263, as a bonus. It is Perezs defensive skills that stamp him as a high-end talent. I dont worry about a ball being in the dirt, Yost said. I dont care who is throwing it. Some of the blocks hes made since hes been here have been spectacular. There are some issues with his game-calling because hes young. Yost paused and began snapping his fingers. But he picks up like that, he said. I mean, he really picks up quickly. He really understands what were trying to do.Dutch master Reliever Greg Holland stranded another runner after replacing Bruce Chen with one out and a runner on first base in the eighth inning. That means Holland has now prevented 26 of 27 inherited runners from scoring a 96.3-percent success rate that leads the majors. Holland nearly had a slip-up prior to the game, though, when he donned the Royals regular gray road jersey instead of their Sunday blue top. He sat on the bench, prior to heading with the relief corps to the bullpen, blissfully unaware of the mistake. He laughed about it afterward. Nobody said anything, Holland said. I usually like to pick the other guys up when theyre wearing the wrong thing. The funny thing is I saw Skip (Yost) coming back into dugout, and he was smiling but he never made eye contact with me. That triggered something. No one was looking at me at all. Then I looked down and said, `Oh, shoot. We usually go out (to the bullpen) at 55 (minutes past the hour). It was already 52, so I had to hustle back in. I dont know what I was thinking.Duffy countdown Rookie lefty Danny Duffy is now up to 136 innings this season after working 5 1/3 in Saturdays 8-7 loss to the Indians. That puts him on pace for two or three more starts before he reaches the clubs arbitrary season limit of 150 innings. That is already a career-high total. Duffy pitched 126 2/3 innings in 2009 but only 62 1/3 last season when limited by injuries and personal issues. The general view within the industry is any jump of more than 40 innings over a previous high increases the risk of injury particularly in young pitchers.Head count Outfielder Jerad Head, a Topekan who played at Washburn, made his major-league debut after the Indians purchased his contract prior to the game from Class AAA Columbus. Head, 28, started in left field, batted ninth and got a squib single in his first at-bat. He finished at one for three. He was batting .284 in 114 games at Columbus with 24 homers and 70 RBIs. The Indians cleared space for Head by optioning pitcher Nick Hagadone to Columbus and shifting outfielder Michael Brantley from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list. Brantley is out for the season because of a wrist injury. Cleveland signed Head as a non-drafted free agent in August 2005.Looking back It was 18 years ago Monday Aug. 29, 1993 that George Brett stole his 200th career base and became the first player in franchise history to reach 200 homers and 200 steals in a career. Bretts steal came in the third inning of a 5-4 victory over Boston at Kauffman Stadium. He finished his career with 317 homers and 201 steals and remains the only member of the franchises 200-200 club.Etc.•Chen lowered his ERA to 3.94, which is his lowest mark entering September in six years. He had a 3.75 ERA through August in 2005 while pitching for Baltimore. •Chens five-game winning streak is a career best. He has a 2.81 ERA in that span. He is 21-12 in 42 starts since joining the Royals rotation on May 30, 2010. No other Royals pitcher has more than nine victories in that span.•Mike Moustakas is batting .487 in his 11-game hitting streak (19 for 39) while raising his average from .182 to .232.•Billy Butler went three for five and is batting .406 in his last 16 games.•Alex Gordon pushed his average back over .300 (to .301) by going three for five. He is batting.325 over his last 59 games.

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ROYALS NOTEBOOK

Salvador Perez `hard to take out of the lineup,’ Yost says

By BOB DUTTON

The Kansas City Star

More News

CLEVELAND | Rookie catcher Salvador Perez didn’t play Sunday in the series final against the Indians after starting 15 of the 17 previous games since arriving from Class AAA Omaha.

This is how it figures to be for Perez over the next several years: Days off will be rare.

“He’s like (shortstop Alcides) Escobar for me,” manager Ned Yost said. “He’s hard to take out of the lineup. So, yes, he’ll play 140 games (a year) because one, he’s young; two, he’s very athletic; and three, I think he’s very durable.

“I had a real hard time not playing him today because he does a lot of things right.”

Starting 140 games is ironman territory for a catcher. Only two catchers reached that threshold over last five years: Jason Kendall in 2006 with Oakland, and 2008 with Milwaukee; and Russell Martin in 2007 with the Dodgers.

It also means the Royals, in putting together their 2012 roster, will likely seek a low-cost backup. They currently control Brayan Peña, who is making $660,000, through arbitration; veteran Matt Treanor, who is making $850,000, is a pending free agent.

It’s been a remarkably rapid ascent for Perez, a 21-year-old who had not played above Class A until this year. He was cited last week as a Texas League All-Star after spending most of this season at Class AA Northwest Arkansas.

“He’s going to be an American League all-star before too long,” Yost said. “No doubt. This kid hasn’t been overmatched yet. We’ve seen Moose (Mike Moustakas) overmatched. We’ve seen Esky overmatched. But we haven’t seen this kid overmatched.”

Yost views any offense from Perez, who is batting .263, as a bonus. It is Perez’s defensive skills that stamp him as a high-end talent.

“I don’t worry about a ball being in the dirt,” Yost said. “I don’t care who is throwing it. Some of the blocks he’s made since he’s been here have been spectacular. There are some issues with his game-calling because he’s young.”

Yost paused and began snapping his fingers.

“But he picks up like that,” he said. “I mean, he really picks up quickly. He really understands what we’re trying to do.”

Dutch master

Reliever Greg Holland stranded another runner after replacing Bruce Chen with one out and a runner on first base in the eighth inning. That means Holland has now prevented 26 of 27 inherited runners from scoring — a 96.3-percent success rate that leads the majors.

Holland nearly had a slip-up prior to the game, though, when he donned the Royals’ regular gray road jersey instead of their Sunday blue top. He sat on the bench, prior to heading with the relief corps to the bullpen, blissfully unaware of the mistake.

He laughed about it afterward.

“Nobody said anything,” Holland said. “I usually like to pick the other guys up when they’re wearing the wrong thing. The funny thing is I saw Skip (Yost) coming back into dugout, and he was smiling but he never made eye contact with me.

“That triggered something. No one was looking at me at all. Then I looked down and said, `Oh, shoot.’ We usually go out (to the bullpen) at 55 (minutes past the hour). It was already 52, so I had to hustle back in. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

Duffy countdown

Rookie lefty Danny Duffy is now up to 136 innings this season after working 5 1/3 in Saturday’s 8-7 loss to the Indians. That puts him on pace for two or three more starts before he reaches the club’s arbitrary season limit of 150 innings.

That is already a career-high total.

Duffy pitched 126 2/3 innings in 2009 but only 62 1/3 last season when limited by injuries and personal issues.

The general view within the industry is any jump of more than 40 innings over a previous high increases the risk of injury – particularly in young pitchers.

Head count

Outfielder Jerad Head, a Topekan who played at Washburn, made his major-league debut after the Indians purchased his contract prior to the game from Class AAA Columbus.

Head, 28, started in left field, batted ninth and got a squib single in his first at-bat. He finished at one for three. He was batting .284 in 114 games at Columbus with 24 homers and 70 RBIs.

The Indians cleared space for Head by optioning pitcher Nick Hagadone to Columbus and shifting outfielder Michael Brantley from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list. Brantley is out for the season because of a wrist injury.

Cleveland signed Head as a non-drafted free agent in August 2005.

Looking back

It was 18 years ago Monday — Aug. 29, 1993 — that George Brett stole his 200th career base and became the first player in franchise history to reach 200 homers and 200 steals in a career.

Brett’s steal came in the third inning of a 5-4 victory over Boston at Kauffman Stadium. He finished his career with 317 homers and 201 steals and remains the only member of the franchise’s 200-200 club.

Etc.

•Chen lowered his ERA to 3.94, which is his lowest mark entering September in six years. He had a 3.75 ERA through August in 2005 while pitching for Baltimore.

•Chen’s five-game winning streak is a career best. He has a 2.81 ERA in that span. He is 21-12 in 42 starts since joining the Royals’ rotation on May 30, 2010. No other Royals pitcher has more than nine victories in that span.

•Mike Moustakas is batting .487 in his 11-game hitting streak (19 for 39) while raising his average from .182 to .232.

•Billy Butler went three for five and is batting .406 in his last 16 games.

•Alex Gordon pushed his average back over .300 (to .301) by going three for five. He is batting.325 over his last 59 games.