Nomo added to bullpen after Tupman optioned to Omaha
By BOB DUTTON
The Kansas City Star
MINNEAPOLIS | Veteran right-hander Hideo Nomo completed his long-shot odyssey to return to the big leagues Saturday morning when the Royals bought his contract from short-season Idaho Falls.
The club made the move after determining Nomo, 39, was sufficiently recovered from a strained right groin that derailed his roster bid late in spring training.
“I’d like to pitch in as many games as possible,” he said, “and I’d like to help this team make the playoffs.”
The roster spot became available after the Royals optioned rookie catcher Matt Tupman to Class AAA Omaha. Tupman became expendable when Miguel Olivo returned from a four-game suspension stemming from an on-field fight last September while a member of the Florida Marlins.
Nomo was in uniform for Saturday’s 6-4 loss to the Twins and will serve as a reliever for the first time in his professional career.
“There is no difference (from starting),” he said. “You have to retire the side. You have to get the hitters out. Your job is to keep the other team from scoring.”
Nomo is baseball’s all-time leader in numerous career pitching categories among Japanese-born players. He is 123-109 with a 4.21 ERA in 320 games over 11 seasons with six different clubs. He has two career no-hitters and was twice a league strikeout champion.
But Nomo hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2005, when he went 5-8 with a 7.24 ERA in 19 starts for Tampa Bay. He underwent elbow surgery in 2006 and didn’t pitch last year before trying to resurrect his career this winter in Venezuela.
New-look lineup
Manager Trey Hillman shook up his lineup Saturday after offering the same look through the first four games. One change was Olivo’s return to active status; he started at catcher over John Buck.
But Hillman also flipped Alex Gordon and Mark Teahen in the batting order. Teahen moved to third, while Gordon dropped to sixth. Gordon was three for 18 in the first four games; Teahen was five for 15.
“I wanted to take a little pressure off Gordy,” Hillman said. “I think he’s trying to do a little too much. I might switch them back a week later.”
Gordon responded with two singles. Hillman also inserted Alberto Callaspo at shortstop over slumping Tony Peña Jr., who had just one hit in 15 at-bats. Callaspo contributed an RBI triple.
“I’m not overly concerned about (Peña’s slump),” Hillman said. “It’s just I felt Callaspo against (Twins starter Livan) Hernandez was a little better matchup for today’s game.”
Errorless streak ends
The Royals’ seasonlong errorless streak ended at 43 innings when reliever Ron Mahay threw wildly to first on Matt Tolbert’s bunt in the seventh.
The throw beat Tolbert but pulled Ross Gload off first base. The Royals were the last team to commit an error.
Etc.
•Mahay and Yasuhiko Yabuta each worked scoreless outings in their season debuts. Mahay retired four of five hitters; Yabuta worked a one-two-three eighth.
•Nomo was issued No. 91, the same number he wore in spring training. He is the first player in club history to wear that number in the regular season. The number is his first big-league number, No. 16 with the Dodgers, turned upside down.
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