Don’t look for catcher Miguel Olivo to surrender playing time, at least initially, when John Buck rejoins the Royals from the disabled list. Olivo took advantage of regular playing time in June to produce one of the best months of his career — batting .295 with club-leading totals of eight homers and 17 RBIs. His .692 slugging percentage was the highest among any American League player with at least 30 at-bats. It’s no surprise, considering the Royals’ run-starved attack, he was selected earlier this week as the club’s player of the month. “I’m hitting the ball well,” Olivo said, “because I’m not thinking too much. That’s what I was doing earlier in the year. I was always worrying about when I was going to get a breaking ball and whether I was going to strike out.” The strikeouts are still there. Olivo whiffed 25 times last month in 80 plate appearances. That makes 63 strikeouts in 194 plate appearances — or nearly one-third of the time. “It’s pretty amazing that he’s gotten his batting average up to where he has,” manager Trey Hillman said. “He is getting better pitch recognition rather than just trying to guess what pitch (the pitcher) is going to throw.”Olivo is batting .258 after going hitless in three at-bats Thursday in a 4-1 loss to the White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. But he has a club-leading 12 homers with 32 RBIs. Buck roughly split time with Olivo before suffering a herniated disk on May 30. Buck is expected to return within a week. What happens then? “It’s tough to sit a guy down who is leading the team in home runs,” Hillman said, “especially considering how inefficient we are in scoring runs. To take that guy and put him on the bench doesn’t make a lot of sense.”Memento for Buehrle Chicago pitcher Mark Buehrle saved the ball by throwing it out of play when he retired Mark Teahen on a grounder to second base in the eighth inning. And no wonder. Teahen had two hits earlier in the game and, before that out, was 22 for 49 in his career against Buehrle. “I asked him if he would sign the ball,” said Buehrle, who has the same agent as Teahen. “I finally got him out.” Teahen will likely comply — at some point. Not Thursday. “It’s not the best night for jokes,” he said. “I didn’t even see him save the ball. I was ticked off that I got out. But from the dugout, he was showing me the ball (after the inning) and asking me if I would sign it.”Tracking Gordon Rehabbing third baseman Alex Gordon played five innings at third base Wednesday night in his last rehab game at Surprise in the Arizona Rookie League. Gordon walked in all three of his plate appearances.•Outfielder Coco Crisp was transferred to the 60-day disabled list to open a space on the 40-man roster. He underwent season-ending surgery June 24 to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder.Etc.•The attendance of 17,964 boosted the Royals past 1 million for the season. They have drawn 1,017,012 for 43 home dates — and average of 23,651 a game. •Chicago closer Bobby Jenks has 21 career saves against the Royals. That’s his highest total against any opponent.

Posted on Thu, Jul. 02, 2009 11:31 PM

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Royals notebook: Olivo ticketed for regular duty even after Buck returns

By BOB DUTTON

The Kansas City Star

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Don’t look for catcher Miguel Olivo to surrender playing time, at least initially, when John Buck rejoins the Royals from the disabled list.

Olivo took advantage of regular playing time in June to produce one of the best months of his career — batting .295 with club-leading totals of eight homers and 17 RBIs. His .692 slugging percentage was the highest among any American League player with at least 30 at-bats.

It’s no surprise, considering the Royals’ run-starved attack, he was selected earlier this week as the club’s player of the month.

“I’m hitting the ball well,” Olivo said, “because I’m not thinking too much. That’s what I was doing earlier in the year. I was always worrying about when I was going to get a breaking ball and whether I was going to strike out.”

The strikeouts are still there.

Olivo whiffed 25 times last month in 80 plate appearances. That makes 63 strikeouts in 194 plate appearances — or nearly one-third of the time.

“It’s pretty amazing that he’s gotten his batting average up to where he has,” manager Trey Hillman said. “He is getting better pitch recognition rather than just trying to guess what pitch (the pitcher) is going to throw.”

Olivo is batting .258 after going hitless in three at-bats Thursday in a 4-1 loss to the White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. But he has a club-leading 12 homers with 32 RBIs.

Buck roughly split time with Olivo before suffering a herniated disk on May 30. Buck is expected to return within a week. What happens then?

“It’s tough to sit a guy down who is leading the team in home runs,” Hillman said, “especially considering how inefficient we are in scoring runs. To take that guy and put him on the bench doesn’t make a lot of sense.”

Memento for Buehrle

Chicago pitcher Mark Buehrle saved the ball by throwing it out of play when he retired Mark Teahen on a grounder to second base in the eighth inning.

And no wonder. Teahen had two hits earlier in the game and, before that out, was 22 for 49 in his career against Buehrle.

“I asked him if he would sign the ball,” said Buehrle, who has the same agent as Teahen. “I finally got him out.”

Teahen will likely comply — at some point. Not Thursday.

“It’s not the best night for jokes,” he said. “I didn’t even see him save the ball. I was ticked off that I got out. But from the dugout, he was showing me the ball (after the inning) and asking me if I would sign it.”

Tracking Gordon

Rehabbing third baseman Alex Gordon played five innings at third base Wednesday night in his last rehab game at Surprise in the Arizona Rookie League. Gordon walked in all three of his plate appearances.

•Outfielder Coco Crisp was transferred to the 60-day disabled list to open a space on the 40-man roster. He underwent season-ending surgery June 24 to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder.

Etc.

•The attendance of 17,964 boosted the Royals past 1 million for the season. They have drawn 1,017,012 for 43 home dates — and average of 23,651 a game.

•Chicago closer Bobby Jenks has 21 career saves against the Royals. That’s his highest total against any opponent.

Posted on Thu, Jul. 02, 2009 11:31 PM

Buzz Up

Comment (0)

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