SURPRISE, Ariz. Preparations for the most-anticipated Royals season in well, too long to remember officially start Tuesday when pitchers and catchers gather here at the clubs year-round complex for their first required workout.Fact is, nearly everyone is already here.Only three of the camps 36 pitchers and catchers failed to attend last weeks optional sessions, which included conditioning mound work designed to build arm strength in gradual doses.Full-squad workouts dont start until Saturday but, similarly, most of the 21 infielders and outfielders are already engaged in voluntary drills on one of the complexs two main practice fields while pitchers and catchers crowd the adjacent bullpen mounds.It happens, manager Ned Yost said. Its the feeling of excitement within the organization and from within individual players its, Hey, we can hardly wait to get started.When youre getting your brains beat in every year, you can wait for that to happen. But when you start getting that inner confidence as an organization, guys can hardly wait to get here. You see the numbers. This is typical for what I expected.Even so, there is much to be decided in the 47 days before the Royals open the season April 6 in Anaheim against Albert Pujols and the new-look Angels.The rotationEverything starts here.Yost is looking for two starters to fill out a unit that, barring injuries, will include Luke Hochevar, Jonathan Sanchez and Bruce Chen. There are at least five candidates and perhaps 10 or more for those two available slots.Felipe Paulino and Danny Duffy are the incumbents, but the Royals are committed to taking a long look at Aaron Crow and Mike Montgomery. The same goes for Luis Mendoza, who resurrected his career last season at Class AAA Omaha.Paulino has looked outstanding in these early bullpens, Yost said. Im very pleased with the adjustments that hes making. If Montgomery has a spring like Crow did last year, its going to be real interesting to figure out what were going to do.Weve got to keep our eye on Mendoza. I dont want to lose him. He actually figured it out the year before about halfway through. He finished up real strong, and then took it into last year. Its not a fluke.Versatile lefty Everett Teaford heads a list of secondary candidates that also includes Nate Adcock, Vin Mazzaro, Zach Miner and Sean OSullivan. Its also possible (though unlikely) that someone like Will Smith or Chris Dwyer forces his way into the picture.How the rotation shakes out will have an impact on The bullpenStart with the certainties: closer Joakim Soria and closer alternatives Jonathan Broxton and Greg Holland. Its hard to see how, barring injuries, any of those three fail to make the club, regardless of how they perform in spring training.Now add two near-locks: Jose Mihares and Louis Coleman.Mihares was signed to be the situational lefty and is out of options. He would have to be really bad, while alternatives emerged, not to make the club. Coleman has options, which means he could pitch his way off the club in a competitive camp.That seems unlikely, though.Then it gets really tight, particularly if the Royals choose to keep four non-pitching reserves which is the only way, barring injuries, that speedy Jarrod Dyson is likely to make the club. (And the Royals, at this point, want to keep Dyson.)Four non-pitching reserves mean a seven-man bullpen.Paulino is out of options, which means he is nearly certain to break camp as a power reliever if he fails to hold onto a job in the rotation. Crow could also return to the bullpen or to the minors if he doesnt reverse last seasons late fade.Its not a free ride for anybody, Yost said, but I anticipate him being the guy he was in the first half of last season.Yosts preference is for at least two lefty relievers, which puts Tim Collins in position to hold a job if he demonstrates improved command. If not, Teaford could fill that role alongside Mijares.So, too, could former Park Hill South standout Tommy Hottovy, although that would force a move to add him to the 40-man roster. Thats a big handicap because the Royals, like most clubs, favor retaining inventory early in the season when competition is tight.Mendoza is also a long-relief candidate if he fails to make the rotation largely, again, because hes out of options. Blake Wood, Kelvin Herrera and Jeremy Jeffress are also in the mix but, because they have options remaining, face longer odds.Our goal and our intent, Yost said, is to take the very best pitching staff with us, a staff that we think is our best chance to win every day. The problem at this time of year is there are roster considerations. They do come into play.Were going to have to balance that out as intelligently as we can to ensure we give ourselves that full opportunity to compete from day one. Its going to be real interesting to see how it competes out. Second baseThis shapes up, barring injuries, as the camps only non-pitching competitive battle and it wont be much of a battle if Johnny Giavotella comes close to matching his minor-league offensive numbers.If Giavotella doesnt hit or show the potential to hit, say, .270 with lots of doubles then his defensive shortcomings will force the Royals to seek alternatives.Chris Getz started 97 games last season at second and offers solid defense, base-stealing speed but almost no pop. He had just nine extra-base hits last season in 429 plate appearances.The Royals re-acquired shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt, by signing him as a free agent in December, to fill their need for a utility infielder. Betancourt isnt likely to play much at short Alcides Escobar started 156 games in 2011 but he could wind up at second.Betancourt could (become the starting second baseman), general manager Dayton Moore said, but I dont think it will be on opening day. Giavotella would really have to struggle.The early line suggests Betancourt will back up either Giavotella or Getz with the other returning to Omaha. Dont be surprised, if Giavotella struggles, if the job remains in flux throughout the summer.Second base is not a concern for me, Yost said. I think were well-covered there with Gio and Getzie.The futureThe full-go shift to homegrown talent began last season when 12 players, including nine drafted or initially signed by the Royals, made their big-league debut.The influx figures to slow this season, but much attention will be paid this spring to gauging the next waves development.If were doing our job correctly, Moore said, we should always have two or three players (from the farm system) who are competing for roster spots out of spring training.This springs top candidates are Montgomery, Herrera and Smith although some club officials say Giavotella effectively falls into that group.The Royals will particularly watch outfielder Wil Myers, along with pitchers Chris Dwyer and Noel Arguelles, in the camps early days. All three are likely to be shipped out once the minor-league teams begin full-squad workouts.The Star cited Myers, still just 21, last fall as the clubs top prospect despite a disappointing and injury-plagued season at Class AA Northwest Arkansas. Royals officials want to see the guy who rebounded with a strong performance in the Arizona Fall League.Dwyer also struggled last season at Northwest Arkansas, largely because of command issues, while Arguelles was limited to 104 innings at Class A Wilmington after undergoing shoulder surgery in August 2010.

KansasCity.com

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Four areas to watch as Royals start spring training

Royals camp already buzzing before official workouts start Tuesday, and there are four key issues needing answers.

By BOB DUTTON

The Kansas City Star

Key Royals spring training dates

Monday

Pitchers and catchers report

Tuesday

Pitchers and catchers first workout

Friday

Full squad reports

Saturday

First full-squad-workout

March 4

First spring game, vs. Texas at Surprise Stadium

April 1

Break camp after last spring game in Arizona (vs. Seattle in Peoria)

April 6

Season opener at Los Angeles

April 13

Home opener vs. Cleveland

Royals exhibition schedule

Date

Opponent

Location*

Time**

March 4

at Texas

Surprise

1:05 p.m.

March 5

Texas

Surprise

2:05 p.m.

March 6

San Diego

Surprise

2:05 p.m.

March 6

at Cleveland

Goodyear

2:05 p.m.

March 7

Chicago Cubs

Surprise

2:05 p.m.

March 8

at Colorado

Scottsdale

2:10p.m.

March 9

at Cincinnati (SS)

Goodyear

2:05 p.m.

March 10

Colorado

Surprise

2:05 p.m.

March 11

at Oakland

Phoenix

3:05 p.m.

March 12

San Francisco

Surprise

3:05 p.m.

March 13

Cincinnati

Surprise

3:05 p.m.

March 14

at Seattle

Peoria

9:05 p.m.

March 15

at Los Angeles Dodgers

Glendale

3:05 p.m.

March 16

Milwaukee (SS)

Surprise

3:05 p.m.

March 17

at San Diego

Peoria

9:05 p.m.

March 18

Cleveland

Surprise

3:05 p.m.

March 19

Open date

March 20

Los Angeles Angels

Surprise

3:05 p.m.

March 21

Oakland

Surprise

3:05 p.m.

March 22

at Chicago White Sox

Glendale

3:05 p.m.

March 22

at Los Angeles Angels (SS)

Tempe

3:05 p.m.

March 23

Los Angeles Dodgers

Surprise

3:05 p.m.

March 24

at Arizona

Scottsdale

9:10 p.m.

March 25

Milwaukee (SS)

Surprise

3:05 p.m.

March 26

at San Francisco

Scottsdale

3:05 p.m.

March 27

at Milwaukee

Maryvale

3:05 p.m.

March 28

Texas

Surprise

8:05 p.m.

March 29

at Los Angeles Angels

Tempe

3:05 p.m.

March 30

Chicago White Sox

Surprise

8:05 p.m.

March 31

Arizona (SS)

Surprise

3:05 p.m.

April 1

at Seattle

Peoria

3:05 p.m.

April 2

Open date

April 3

at San Diego

San Diego

9:05 p.m.

April 4

at San Diego

Lake Elsinore, Calif.

4:05 p.m.

* all locations in Arizona unless specified; all times Central but subject to change. (SS) indicates opponent is a split-squad team.

More News

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Preparations for the most-anticipated Royals season in … well, too long to remember … officially start Tuesday when pitchers and catchers gather here at the club’s year-round complex for their first required workout.

Fact is, nearly everyone is already here.

Only three of the camp’s 36 pitchers and catchers failed to attend last week’s optional sessions, which included conditioning mound work designed to build arm strength in gradual doses.

Full-squad workouts don’t start until Saturday but, similarly, most of the 21 infielders and outfielders are already engaged in voluntary drills on one of the complex’s two main practice fields while pitchers and catchers crowd the adjacent bullpen mounds.

“It happens,” manager Ned Yost said. “It’s the feeling of excitement within the organization and from within individual players — it’s, ‘Hey, we can hardly wait to get started.’

“When you’re getting your brains beat in every year, you can wait for that to happen. But when you start getting that inner confidence as an organization, guys can hardly wait to get here. You see the numbers. This is typical for what I expected.”

Even so, there is much to be decided in the 47 days before the Royals open the season April 6 in Anaheim against Albert Pujols and the new-look Angels.

The rotation

Everything starts here.

Yost is looking for two starters to fill out a unit that, barring injuries, will include Luke Hochevar, Jonathan Sanchez and Bruce Chen. There are at least five candidates and perhaps 10 or more for those two available slots.

Felipe Paulino and Danny Duffy are the incumbents, but the Royals are committed to taking a long look at Aaron Crow and Mike Montgomery. The same goes for Luis Mendoza, who resurrected his career last season at Class AAA Omaha.

“Paulino has looked outstanding in these early bullpens,” Yost said. “I’m very pleased with the adjustments that he’s making. If Montgomery has a spring like Crow did last year, it’s going to be real interesting to figure out what we’re going to do.

“We’ve got to keep our eye on Mendoza. I don’t want to lose him. He actually figured it out the year before about halfway through. He finished up real strong, and then took it into last year. It’s not a fluke.”

Versatile lefty Everett Teaford heads a list of secondary candidates that also includes Nate Adcock, Vin Mazzaro, Zach Miner and Sean O’Sullivan. It’s also possible (though unlikely) that someone like Will Smith or Chris Dwyer forces his way into the picture.

How the rotation shakes out will have an impact on …

The bullpen

Start with the certainties: closer Joakim Soria and closer alternatives Jonathan Broxton and Greg Holland. It’s hard to see how, barring injuries, any of those three fail to make the club, regardless of how they perform in spring training.

Now add two near-locks: Jose Mihares and Louis Coleman.

Mihares was signed to be the situational lefty and is out of options. He would have to be really bad, while alternatives emerged, not to make the club. Coleman has options, which means he could pitch his way off the club in a competitive camp.

That seems unlikely, though.

Then it gets really tight, particularly if the Royals choose to keep four non-pitching reserves — which is the only way, barring injuries, that speedy Jarrod Dyson is likely to make the club. (And the Royals, at this point, want to keep Dyson.)

Four non-pitching reserves mean a seven-man bullpen.

Paulino is out of options, which means he is nearly certain to break camp as a power reliever if he fails to hold onto a job in the rotation. Crow could also return to the bullpen — or to the minors if he doesn’t reverse last season’s late fade.

“It’s not a free ride for anybody,” Yost said, “but I anticipate him being the guy he was in the first half of last season.”

Yost’s preference is for at least two lefty relievers, which puts Tim Collins in position to hold a job if he demonstrates improved command. If not, Teaford could fill that role alongside Mijares.

So, too, could former Park Hill South standout Tommy Hottovy, although that would force a move to add him to the 40-man roster. That’s a big handicap because the Royals, like most clubs, favor retaining inventory early in the season when competition is tight.

Mendoza is also a long-relief candidate if he fails to make the rotation largely, again, because he’s out of options. Blake Wood, Kelvin Herrera and Jeremy Jeffress are also in the mix but, because they have options remaining, face longer odds.

“Our goal and our intent,” Yost said, “is to take the very best pitching staff with us, a staff that we think is our best chance to win every day. The problem at this time of year is there are roster considerations. They do come into play.

“We’re going to have to balance that out as intelligently as we can to ensure we give ourselves that full opportunity to compete from day one. It’s going to be real interesting to see how it competes out.”

Second base

This shapes up, barring injuries, as the camp’s only non-pitching competitive battle — and it won’t be much of a battle if Johnny Giavotella comes close to matching his minor-league offensive numbers.

If Giavotella doesn’t hit — or show the potential to hit, say, .270 with lots of doubles — then his defensive shortcomings will force the Royals to seek alternatives.

Chris Getz started 97 games last season at second and offers solid defense, base-stealing speed but almost no pop. He had just nine extra-base hits last season in 429 plate appearances.

The Royals re-acquired shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt, by signing him as a free agent in December, to fill their need for a utility infielder. Betancourt isn’t likely to play much at short — Alcides Escobar started 156 games in 2011 — but he could wind up at second.

“Betancourt could (become the starting second baseman),” general manager Dayton Moore said, “but I don’t think it will be on opening day. Giavotella would really have to struggle.”

The early line suggests Betancourt will back up either Giavotella or Getz with the other returning to Omaha. Don’t be surprised, if Giavotella struggles, if the job remains in flux throughout the summer.

“Second base is not a concern for me,” Yost said. “I think we’re well-covered there with Gio and Getzie.”

The future

The full-go shift to homegrown talent began last season when 12 players, including nine drafted or initially signed by the Royals, made their big-league debut.

The influx figures to slow this season, but much attention will be paid this spring to gauging the next wave’s development.

“If we’re doing our job correctly,” Moore said, “we should always have two or three players (from the farm system) who are competing for roster spots out of spring training.”

This spring’s top candidates are Montgomery, Herrera and Smith — although some club officials say Giavotella effectively falls into that group.

The Royals will particularly watch outfielder Wil Myers, along with pitchers Chris Dwyer and Noel Arguelles, in the camp’s early days. All three are likely to be shipped out once the minor-league teams begin full-squad workouts.

The Star cited Myers, still just 21, last fall as the club’s top prospect despite a disappointing and injury-plagued season at Class AA Northwest Arkansas. Royals officials want to see the guy who rebounded with a strong performance in the Arizona Fall League.

Dwyer also struggled last season at Northwest Arkansas, largely because of command issues, while Arguelles was limited to 104 innings at Class A Wilmington after undergoing shoulder surgery in August 2010.