Royals return with plenty of questions to answer
By BOB DUTTON
The Kansas City Star
CHICAGO | The grind resumes tonight for the Royals, here on this city’s South Side, where they have won just 18 times in 69 games against the White Sox since the start of the 2001 season.
Where better to start pondering questions that must be answered over the season’s 66 remaining games?
“This team is moving in the right direction,” offered outfielder José Guillen, whose unvarnished assessments often made him a focal point before the All-Star break.
“At times, we look like, ‘OK, this is a great team.’ But there are also times when we look like we don’t deserve to be in the big leagues.”
The Royals are 43-53 as they head into their post-break schedule, which begins with a run of 28 games before they play a team that currently possesses a losing record. It figures to be a severe test.
“We’re not where we want to be by a long shot,” general manager Dayton Moore said, “but our baseball team continues to improve. Our offense is getting better. Our starting pitching needs to recapture some of the form that it had earlier in the first half of the season. I think that will happen.”
The offense, particularly the young bats that serve as its fulcrum, is one of five issues requiring answers before the regular season concludes Sept. 28 at Minnesota. Let’s start there:
Issue one: Is youth ready to start serving?
It has been a breakthrough first half for David DeJesus, who is batting .306 while already achieving a career high with 10 homers and nearing a career high with 51 RBIs (he had 58 in 2007). He has become a steady, solid, dependable catalyst who also provides consistent defense while drawing time at all three outfield posts.
“David has been our most consistent player, obviously,” manager Trey Hillman said. “The key thing for David is he feels comfortable against right- and left-handed pitching.”
The only real question concerning DeJesus is whether he can maintain his form for another 2 1/2 months. He batted just .223 last season after the All-Star break.
The questions get sharper for other key members of the club’s youthful core. Alex Gordon is batting just .208 in his last 41 games. Billy Butler surged initially after a one-month remedial tour at Class AAA Omaha but has just three hits in his last 35 at-bats.
The Royals are also still waiting for Mark Teahen to become a consistent performer. Teahen is on pace for 17 homers after hitting just seven a year ago, but his average is down from .285 to .252.
Gordon, Butler and Teahen each need to become reliable run-producers for the lineup to take off. If one or more turn into busts, the Royals’ rebuilding job gets much harder.
It will be interesting to see whether rookie infielder Mike Aviles can continue his Michael Young impersonation for the 10 remaining weeks. That seems unlikely, but Aviles has already exceeded expectations.
“It’s going to be more of a mental grind for Mike Aviles,” Moore said. “Physically, he can play. He’s got enough bat speed. He’s got enough strength. He’s got enough quickness. He’s got enough smarts.”
Issue two: Quick bat, quicker mouth equals … what?
Guillen is on pace to finish with 49 doubles, 22 homers and 110 RBIs despite getting little help and protection from other parts of the lineup. That’s everything and more the Royals could have hoped for in signing him last December for $36 million over three years.
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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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