Yabuta's hold on job shaky
By BOB DUTTON
The Kansas City Star
ARLINGTON, Texas | Yasuhiko Yabuta’s hold on a bullpen job appears in jeopardy as lefty John Bale moves closer to returning from the disabled list.
Royals manager Trey Hillman shows no inclination to disrupt his rotation, which suggests Bale will return to duty as a reliever. If so, someone in the bullpen has to go.
That points to Yabuta, who has yielded 12 runs, 19 hits and nine walks in 13 innings over nine appearances. The other possibility is Joel Peralta, who has options, but Hillman left little doubt as to his preference.
“Peralta is better,” Hillman said. “He is. I have no reservations in saying that. Right now, he’s better in consistency of throwing strikes. And in consistency of fastball command and secondary pitches, he’s better there, too.”
The Royals shelled out $6 million last winter to lure Yabuta from Japan for a two-year deal with an option for 2010. He was viewed, at the time, as a replacement for departed David Riske as the bullpen’s primary right-handed setup reliever.
Yabuta, 34, excelled in that role over the three previous seasons by accumulating 86 holds for the Chibe Lotte Marines. The Royals have yet to see that form. Yabuta has allowed runs in five of his last six appearances, and his nine walks are just one shy of his total last season in 62 2/3 innings in Japan.
“The walks concern me more,” Hillman said, “than his missed location (within the strike zone).”
No move is imminent.
Bale is scheduled to test his fatigued shoulder by throwing a live batting practice before tonight’s game in Cleveland. He is likely to throw another session before returning from the disabled list.
Hillman said Bale probably wouldn’t need a minor-league rehab assignment if he returns as a reliever. Bale opened the season in the rotation and went 0-3 in three starts while allowing 13 runs and 25 hits in 15 1/3 innings.
“I like John Bale being on this staff,” Hillman said. “If it ends up being three lefties and four righties in the bullpen, I think everybody is OK with that.”
Hillman also likes Luke Hochevar and Brett Tomko, for now anyway, at the back of his rotation. Hochevar, 1-1, beat the Blue Jays in his last start for his first big-league victory and pitches the series opener tonight against the Indians.
“I think he is ready to stay consistent in the rotation,” Hillman said. “Given the fact that he’s the only sinkerballer in the rotation, that’s kind of nice.”
Tomko, 1-3, is a different matter; he has allowed 16 runs in 14 1/3 innings in his last three starts.
“I still believe in him,” Hillman said, “and I have every intention of giving him a couple of more starts. We’ll see how he does in his next start and go from there.”
Deal completed
The Royals accepted $50,000 from San Diego in lieu of a player to complete the March 26 trade that sent outfielder Justin Huber to the Padres.
Huber has had limited duty with the Padres. He entered Thursday’s game at Philadelphia with five hits in 22 at-bats for a .227 average in 12 games. He had one homer and three RBIs.
One-run losses
The Atlanta Braves are on pace to eclipse one of the Royals’ more dubious records: The worst record in one-run games since the start of division play in 1969.
The Braves carry an 0-9 record in one-run games into tonight’s game against the Reds in Atlanta. Research by Gerry Fraley of The Sporting News found the 1999 Royals own the worst mark in the postdivision era at 11-32, a .256 winning percentage, on the way to a 64-97 finish.
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