So while Hillman will never become enslaved to the world of statistics, he never takes his eye off one stat that tends to measure plate discipline — on-base percentage.
As you can imagine, watching his hitters this season has Hillman desperately trying to keep his composure.
“I have to bite my tongue all the time,” Hillman said with a slight smile. “And believe me, I want to snap sometimes. But what stops me from snapping is that I know that these guys all care.
“They want to improve at it (OBP). They want to get better.”
Entering Wednesday’s game, the Royals had drawn just 53 walks this season. Only one team in all of baseball — surprisingly, the Minnesota Twins — had drawn fewer (42).
That, more than anything else, is why the Royals haven’t been scoring and haven’t been winning.
Hillman, though, is careful not to get too preachy.
“I want guys to be aggressive up there,” he said. “You can’t take that away from a hitter. And you can’t be walking around with a red-hot poker every time a mistake is made.
“But then again, you don’t want your players cutting loose on 2-0 or 3-0 pitches just for the sake of it. I can control it, and I can put the take sign on.”
Some of Hillman’s overall messages are getting through. Overall, the team is playing good defense, and the pitching, though shaky lately, has been better.
“Defense is an easier and quicker fix,” Hillman said. “With hitting and discipline at the plate, it takes time. It’s really a process.”
The Royals haven’t been disciplined at the plate for quite some time. Last year’s team had an on-base percentage of only .311 and subsequently averaged a paltry 4.36 runs per game.
This year’s team also has a .311 OBP and is averaging an embarrassing 3.20 runs per game.
Boom-boom Brazell
Former Royal Craig Brazell, who was designated for assignment by the Royals last fall, is leading the Pacific League of Japanese baseball with 10 home runs.
Brazell signed a one-year deal for a little more than $900,000 with the Seibu Lions in December.
Brazell hit a combined 39 homers with a .315 average while splitting time between Wichita and Omaha last season.
Wise guys
All these endless mock drafts are entertaining, but let’s cut to the chase: Who do the boys in Vegas think the Chiefs will draft in the first round?
Here are the odds from www.bodoglife.com: Branden Albert 8/5; Matt Ryan 7/4; Ryan Clady 7/2; Glenn Dorsey 4/1.
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