Competition tightens for Royals’ ‘dynamite bullpen’

The Royals’ signing of Chris Young tightens the competition for the remaining spots in a bullpen considered the best in baseball.

Young is slated for middle and long relief behind the five-man starting rotation of Yordano Ventura, Jeremy Guthrie, Jason Vargas, Edinson Volquez and Danny Duffy.

Add the four certainties of relievers Jason Frasor, Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland, stir in a lefty like Brandon Finnegan, see if Luke Hochevar is recovered from surgery and factor in impressive Rule 5 pickup in Jandel Gustave … and there may be one spot available.

“When we break camp, we’re going to have a dynamite bullpen, whoever is in it,” said manager Ned Yost. “The Chris Young signing fills a pretty big hole, because we didn’t have a bonafide guy who could pick up innings if something happens.

“Young can pick up innings six through eight if you need a day where guys have been used quite a bit. He can be a pretty dynamic piece to the bullpen. Or you get in a tied ballgame, and you use your main guys, and you get to the 11th inning, and he’s the last line of defense to go as far as you can.”

Those with the most realistic chances for the one or two available bullpen spots, depending on the condition of lefty Tim Collins’ elbow, include lefties Brian Flynn, Franklin Morales and Joe Paterson and right handers Louis Coleman, Casey Coleman, Yohan Pino and Joe Blanton.

Un-bee-lievable delays

Sunday’s game began 10 minutes late because of a swarm of bees between first base and home plate. The swarm formed on the microphone mounted on the screen behind the plate, and the bees sent fans scurrying from their seats and Angels players ducking into the dugout.

The game was delayed again 9 minutes, 22 seconds before the bottom of the fourth while a beekeeper in a hazmat uniform, finally disposed of the bees, though Royals manager Ned Yost didn’t approve of the way the insects were treated.

“I’ve seen it before,” Yost said of bees at a ballpark, “but I’ve never seen mass bee genocide like that, though.

“All you have to do is get some smoke. … Trust me, I’m from the country. I live in the country. You take some smoke out there because the queen is in there somewhere, and you get a Shop-Vac and suck ’em all in and take ’em out to the parking lot and let them go. … They’re just honey bees, man. There’s a decline in honey bees. We need ’em.

“It was sad to see, but they had to do what they had to do.”

Colon botches chances

Christian Colon had a tough day at second base on Sunday. Colon, starting again for injured Omar Infante, made two errors and botched a double-play opportunity in the Royals’ 6-4 victory over the Angels.

In the first inning, Colon kicked a ground ball hit by Erick Aybar that led to two unearned runs allowed by Edinson Volquez. In the third, he booted a made-to-order double play, but at least recovered in time to get the force at second. And in the fifth, he mishandled a ground ball hit by slow-footed Albert Pujols, but still rushed his throw that pulled Eric Hosmer off the bag for an error.

Infante to DH on Wednesday

Infante received an injection for the spur that has caused inflammation in his right elbow and after a couple of days of rest, he will resume hitting Tuesday and likely appear as a designated hitter in one of the two split-squad games on Wednesday.

This story was originally published March 8, 2015 at 8:02 PM with the headline "Competition tightens for Royals’ ‘dynamite bullpen’."