Staying relaxed and allowing himself ‘grace’ works well for KC Royals’ Hunter Dozier
.jpg "Kansas City Royals’ Hunter Dozier slaps hands with hitting coach Mike Tosar as they celebrate a win over the Tampa Bay Rays during a baseball game Sunday, July 24, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)")
Eventually it always comes back to third base for Kansas City Royals infielder/outfielder Hunter Dozier.
It just doesn’t always stay there.
Dozier has become the interchangeable piece, defensively, that helps the Royals fit multiple youngsters into the lineup at once and switch lineups from one night to the next.
Dozier and Whit Merrifield have been asked to be stabilizing figures, even as their own positions have been subject to change on a regular basis.
In Sunday’s series finale against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium, Dozier made just his third start of the season at third base, which is still the position where he’s logged the majority of his playing time in the majors (1,610 1/3 innings entering Sunday’s game).
“I’m prepared for it,” Dozier said shortly after taking grounders from a variety of depths and directions and making throws across the diamond before Sunday’s game. “Nothing really surprises me anymore. So if they need me to play third, I’ll go over and play third again.”
It’s easy to forget that Dozier’s first games in the majors came as an outfielder in 2016.
It wasn’t until 2018 that he played the corner infield positions, first base and third base. Then he stepped into the regular role at third base after the Royals traded Mike Moustakas.
“I’ve kind of done it my whole career, more so last year and this year, but I think they know I’m good to do whatever,” Dozier said of playing multiple positions. “They need me to play third, first, left, right, whatever, I’ll go out there and do my best at it. But I just think mentally I’m prepared for whatever they need me to do.”
This season, Dozier started 35 games at first base, 21 in right field, 18 as the designated hitter and four in left field.
If there’s a big difference to Dozier’s approach to bouncing around from one position to another from day to day, it’s not the physical aspect. At least not according to the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Texas native.
“I think the biggest thing is just mentally,” Dozier said. “For instance, I haven’t played third a lot this year, by any means. But I think I’ve realized I haven’t played there a lot, and maybe don’t be so hard on myself if I do make a mistake over there. Just realize I haven’t played there at all this year.
“So have a little grace for myself, maybe.”
It’s not uncommon for players, particularly younger inexperienced players, to let any shortcomings in the field turn into distractions that snowball into more miscues in the field or carry over into their at-bats.
Playing free and easy has been something Dozier has striven for as he’s settled into his role as one of the Royals’ jack-of-all-trades. He said having fun, playing relaxed, giving himself a break from his internal scrutiny allows him to perform better.
“I would get so worked up,” Dozier said. “I want to be perfect over there. But realizing, hey, my job is to move around a lot. I might not feel as comfortable as I used to over there. Whatever the position is, if I just give my best effort over there then whatever happens, happens. … I put a lot of pressure on myself because I want to be perfect at everything I do, but in reality this game is a game of failure.”
A few hours after taking those grounders pregame from coach John Mabry, Dozier made the plays hit his direction at third base, including a backhand play headed towards the foul line to end the Yankees’ three-run fifth inning and preserve a one-run lead for the Royals.
In the eight inning after the Royals had given up the lead, Dozier started the team’s comeback when he hit a solo homer and snapped a 19-inning scoreless streak by Yankees relief pitcher Ron Marinaccio. The right-hander hadn’t allowed a hit to the previous 56 batters he faced, the third-longest streak in the majors since 1974 according to STATS.
With rookie first baseman and highly-regarded prospects Vinnie Pasquantino and Nick Pratto both in the majors at the same time, first base should be spoken for on a daily basis.
On Sunday, Pratto started in left field for the first time in the majors.
The corner outfield spots are also positions where the Royals figure to have multiple options to rotate in and out, including Kyle Isbel, Dozier, Pratto and rookie catcher MJ Melendez now that Salvador Perez has returned from the injured list. Outfielder Edward Olivares is currently on the IL, but will also factor into that equation when he returns.
“He’s been comfortable with that since Day 1 that I’ve met him,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said of Dozier. “I remember asking him in an offseason, ‘What’s your favorite position? Tell me, if you could be anywhere?’ And he goes, ‘I really like bouncing around.’ I’d never heard that before. Normally, a guy will say this is a spot that I want to be or I really struggle at that.
“He goes, ‘I think it just keeps me athletic,’ is how he phrased it. So that was something that really stuck out. We’ve just kind of -- because we need it at times like this -- keep him active and keep him tuned up all over the place, which allows him the opportunity to be in the lineup. That’s what he wants to do. He just wants to play.”
