Royals’ left-hander Mike Minor getting into fine-tuning stage of spring training
Kansas City Royals left-hander Mike Minor isn’t too worried about the idea that Tommy Pham has his number. For one thing, he won’t see Pham during the regular season. For another, Minor’s spring training approach has big-picture written all over it.
He heads into each outing with specific objectives geared towards the regular season.
Pham, the San Diego Padres outfielder, did the only real damage against Minor on Monday as the Royals rallied for a 9-9 tie in a Cactus League game at Surprise Stadium in Arizona. It was the Royals’ third tie in their last four spring training games.
“I threw some good pitches, dialed in a couple pitches I was working on, but made some bad ones to Tommy and he made me pay,” Minor said. “But overall, I’ll take it. Faced a lot of lefties, righties, mixed it in. Threw some changeup to the lefties. The slider was the big thing I was trying to work on. At the end I threw a couple good ones.”
Minor gave up three runs, all on a pair of homers by Pham, in five innings. Minor struck out four, walked one and gave up five hits.
With the season opener a week from Thursday, Minor said he’s primarily looking to get his workload built up over the last stretch of camp and then fine-tuning some things.
“Throwing quality pitches, throwing quality pitches when I’m behind in the count, being able to to throw the changeup, slider, curve — offspeed pitches — with a 2-0 count, 3-1 count,” Minor said of what he’s looking for. “Then just being able locate the fastball to both sides, whether it’s a lefty or righty. I guess the last bit is throwing the backdoor sliders, the front-door changeups.”
Hunter Dozier crushed a home run estimated to have traveled more than 440 feet. First baseman Nick Pratto went 2 for 2 and hit his fourth homer of the spring.
Outfielder Michael A. Taylor went 2 for 3 and scored a run. Second baseman Nicky Lopez lined a bases-loaded two-run single in the second inning to drive in the Royals’ first runs of the day.
“Minor was good, efficient,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “I thought he mixed everything in really well. I just like how the ball is coming out for him. He’s been doing a nice job all spring, and he’s ready to go.”
Alberto at the ready
Infielder Hanser Alberto came into camp on an under-the-radar minor-league deal, but he has shown off one of the hottest bats of any hitter in Royals camp this spring.
Alberto went 1 for 3 with a run scored. He’s batting .409 this spring and has the ability to play anywhere on the infield if needed.
Early in his career in the majors with the Texas Rangers, Alberto filled a utility role. However, the last two seasons with the Baltimore Orioles he played regularly and his bat came alive with consistent at-bats.
He started 181 games for the Orioles in the past two seasons, including 52 games in last year’s 60-game season. He batted .299 with a .322 on-base percentage and a .413 slugging percentage from 2019-20. He batted .394 against left-handed pitching the past two seasons.
Alberto’s versatility could make him valuable in a variety of roles this season.
“It’s different when you play every day,” Alberto said. “When you’ve got the chance to play every day, your mindset is way different. But when you know your role, like a utility guy, your mindset is different but you’re always ready. I go to the stadium, get ready every day like if I am playing that day. … Learning through the years, I’ve been in that role before. Now, I’ve got more experience. I think it will be easier for me.”
”B” game action
The Royals and Texas Rangers played a “B” game Monday morning on Nolan Ryan Field on the Rangers side of the Surprise training complex.
Royals right-hander Jon Heasley pitched three scoreless innings without allowing a hit. He walked two and struck out two in the outing. Reliever Wade Davis also tossed a scoreless frame with a pair of strikeouts.
Catcher M.J. Melendez went 2 for 2 and belted a home run. Emmanuel Rivera doubled for the Royals.
Top prospect Bobby Witt Jr. played shortstop in that game. He went 0 for 2 at the plate and committed a fielding error.
