Royals owner John Sherman helped Indians ‘think differently’
The talks started last year during spring training. Kansas City Royals chairman and CEO John Sherman and former team owner David Glass had discussions about the transfer of ownership when Sherman still held a minority ownership stake in the Cleveland Indians and served as a partner to Indians chairman and CEO Paul Dolan.
Those initial conversations started the ball rolling towards its conclusion in November with Major League Baseball’s owners approving Sherman as the new Royals owner.
Both Indians manager Terry Francona and president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti lauded Sherman as a great addition to Royals leadership on Tuesday during the MLB Cactus League Media Day in Scottsdale.
“I kind of thought he was mad at me last year because he wasn’t coming around,” Francona said. “I was like, ‘Did I say something to him? Did I (tick) him off?’ Then you find out later that he wasn’t really supposed to be around because this was in the works.
“He is really good. He’s very astute. He asks good questions. I can’t sit and say we’re best friends, but my interactions with him were extremely enjoyable. I think the Royals are better off for him being involved with the team.”
What stood out to Francona, who has managed in three organizations in his 19-year career, was that Sherman always seemed to be taking notes and asking smart questions about what they were doing organizationally without ever being overbearing.
“I really enjoyed getting the opportunity to know John and to learn from him,” Antonetti said. “He’s an extremely accomplished and bright businessman. He has great values and has led his life that way, a very philanthropic person. He was a great addition to our franchise in the time that he was here.”
Antonetti characterized Sherman as a “thought partner” for Dolan when they faced significant issues or decisions, including baseball decisions such as trades.
“He’s such a curious person and he’s a lifelong learner, so he always sought to understand why we did things, how we did things to really understand is there potentially a better way or is there potentially a different way to look at a problem and develop a creative solution” Antonetti said.
“Again, he has a very thoughtful, curious mind that really added a lot to the conversations we had and helped us think about some things a little bit differently.”
Sherman spent most of this week at Royals camp in Arizona.
The Royals opened Cactus League play on Friday, and rain postponed their game against the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday in Tempe, Arizona. The two teams will play a split squad at the Angels facility on March 6.
High velocity
Right-handed relief pitcher Josh Staumont impressed Royals manager Mike Matheny along with everyone else in the ballpark by powering multiple 102 mph fastballs by hitters with an free and easy delivery in the sixth inning of Friday’s Cactus League opener against the Texas Rangers.
Staumont, a 26-year-old former second-round draft pick, tossed a 1-2-3 inning and recorded three strikeouts. Matheny liked the fact that Staumont, who has battled walks and command issues, felt confident enough to air it out.
“I think he can let it go and still control the plate, but he doesn’t have to control as much of it,” Matheny said on Saturday. “For me the guys with that extra horsepower, those are rare creatures on this planet that can do what he just did yesterday.”
Less is more
One lesson starting pitcher Brad Keller took from his first full season as a starting pitcher in the majors was to take his foot off the gas for a longer period in the offseason. The Royals shut Keller down for the year as a precaution after he pitched a career-high 165 1/3 innings in 2019.
“Last year, I think I came out of the gates too hot and almost too ready, and then I ended up hitting a few snags along the way,” Keller said. “I think pacing ourselves and really having the endurance to be able to do it (was important).”
This year, Keller didn’t start his training program until the first week of November instead of getting anxious to start a week or two after the end of the regular season.
