Brett picks Gathright as best of the spring
SURPRISE, Ariz.| Who is having the best spring training for the Royals?
George Brett hardly hesitated with his response.
“Joey Gathright,” Brett said. “He’s doing all the things we need him to be doing. He’s hitting down on the ball, and when he puts the ball on the ground, or he lines it somewhere, he’s tough for opponents to deal with.
“Oh, and he’s the best bunter on the team, period. Keep an eye on him this year.”
Gathright happened to hear the praise from the Hall of Famer as he headed for the batting cage.
“I’ve never heard (Brett) say that about me,” Gathright said, smiling. “It’s nice to hear.”
Gathright isn’t about to claim he’s having that great a spring training. He’s not really stopping to notice.
“I don’t know that it feels all that different,” he said. “I’m just busy working.”
Gathright is hitting .316 with a team-high eight steals and a tied for a team high with 11 runs scored.
“He’s playing faster,” Paul Splittorff said. “I haven’t seen that speed before.”
Gathright gives the Royals something any run-starved offense needs — pressure on the defense because of that speed.
“I’m just trying to be around the bases as much as I can,” Gathright said. “Whatever it takes to get on base and be around it.
“I’m trying to pattern my game after Juan Pierre. I’m trying to become the best bunter I can be and really use that as a weapon. I think I’m getting better at it, but I know I can still improve quite a bit.”
For now, Gathright figures to be an extra weapon lurking from the bench, though there are some observers who think the Royals could be better served by having Gathright in left and moving Mark Teahen to first.
Getting better
If there’s one area that Brett believes the Royals may improve the most in 2008, it’s situational hitting.
“It’s not great yet, but it’s better,” he said. “I’ve seen more guys emphasize it in their approach.”
No gawking
After David DeJesus cracked a homer during batting practice Thursday, he, like most hitters do, observed his feat for perhaps a second too long.
“Don’t watch it, David,” manager Trey Hillman said. “Don’t watch.”
In other words, get back to work.
Old days
Former Royal catcher John Wathan was chatting with Splittorff about Wathan’s major shoulder surgery last fall.
“That’s from trying to throw out all those runners you let get on first base,” Wathan cracked.
“Actually, I thought I did pretty well just keeping them at first,” Splittorff said.
To reach Jeffrey Flanagan call 816-234-4492 and leave a message or send e-mail to jflanagan@kcstar.com
