Royals notebook: Hillman likes idea of replay on home-run calls
By BOB DUTTON
The Kansas City Star
TORONTO | Count Royals manager Troy Hillman among the advocates for instant replay for boundary calls on home runs — to determine whether the ball is fair or whether it cleared the wall.
“I think that can be a win-win situation if everyone ends up voting for it,” he said. “I would be in favor of it because some of those calls are tough calls for umpires to make.”
Major League Baseball has tentative plans to test replays on home-run calls in the Arizona Fall League. A successful test could lead to further trial runs next year in spring training and in the World Baseball Classic.
Baseball’s general managers voted last November by a 25-5 margin to recommend the use of replay on boundary calls. Commissioner Bud Selig took no action at the time, but some recent missed calls triggered renewed interest in the issue.
There appears little support, at this time, to expand the use of replay beyond boundary calls on home runs. Hillman supports that view, too.
“Personally, I’d like to see it end there,” he said. “There’s always going to be human error that factors into umpiring ballgames. I think that’s just part of it. I’m certainly not in favor of turning it into four robots out there.”
Slammed
The two grand slams hit Thursday by the Red Sox were the ninth and 10th against the Royals since they last hit one — that by Ryan Shealy in the first inning of an 11-8 loss to Seattle on Sept. 15, 2006, at Kauffman Stadium.
Shealy’s slam was the 99th in club history. The Royals are currently on a 225-game slamless streak.
Exception to the rule
Hillman rarely wavers in his demand for a disciplined hitting approach — even as the Royals remain inconsistent in executing that demand.
Friday’s encounter with Toronto ace Roy Halladay was the exception.
“As much as we preach on-base percentage, to be patient and take it deep (into the count),” Hillman said before the game, “this guy throws strikes. So unless he is unusually wild, we need to go to the plate and be aggressive.”
That didn’t help either. The Royals managed just four singles.
“Roy can make it really tough,” Hillman said, “and he did.”
As expected, Halladay threw lots of strikes: 73 of them in 104 pitches.
Minor details
Right-hander Carlos Rosa got a victory Thursday in his second start at Class AAA Omaha when he limited Iowa to three runs and seven hits in seven innings.
The O-Royals helped Rosa with a four-run first inning en route to an 8-3 victory.
Etc.
•Mark Teahen started at first base for the second time in three games. He is zero for 15 since hitting a homer in the third inning of last Sunday’s game at Florida. He does have seven walks in the span.
•Toronto DH Matt Stairs, a former Royal, missed his second straight game because of a stiff neck.
•Third baseman Alex Gordon went zero for four with three strikeouts after entering the game with 11 hits in his previous 24 at-bats.
•Halladay got his 116th career victory, which tied him with Jimmy Key for third place on Toronto’s all-time list. Ahead are Jim Clancy with 128 and Dave Stieb with 175.
•Joey Gathright stole his 13th base in 15 attempts when he swiped second base in the fifth inning. That leaves him just one steal shy of Gordon’s club-leading total of 14 in 2007.
To reach Bob Dutton, Royals reporter for The Star, call 816-234-4352 or send e-mail to bdutton@kcstar.com
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