David Huff’s long-shot bid to join bullpen takes a hit in Royals’ loss to Cubs
From the start, the deck seemed stacked against left-hander David Huff in his bid to join the Royals to start the season.
There appears to be just one opening in the bullpen, and a number of candidates in the mix. Huff, who had offseason surgery to remove bone spurs and loose bodies from his arm, started the spring poorly before rebounding with five scoreless innings.
Unfortunately, he struggled Sunday in the Royals’ 5-2 loss to the Cubs at Sloan Park. Huff allowed two inherited runners to score in the fifth inning before serving up a two-run homer to Jorge Soler.
Starter Ian Kennedy was inconsistent for the first four innings, with six strikeouts that doubled his spring total entering the game. But he threw 83 pitches and gave up three runs in four-plus innings.
Kennedy opened the game with a four-pitch walk and allowed base runners in four of the five innings he worked. The Cubs had four hits, walked twice and one hit batsman against Kennedy.
“That’s what I did today, I fell behind,” Kennedy said. “First-pitch strikes weren’t there. I was falling (behind) like 1-0 or 2-0 on guys, and trying to throw two strikes out of every three pitches. ... I put myself in holes.”
With the Royals ahead 2-1, Kennedy gave up a single and then hit a batter to start the fifth inning when manager Ned Yost called on Huff. It was a tough spot for Huff, who allowed a single to Jason Heyward that tied the game.
Anthony Rizzo’s one-out sacrifice fly gave Chicago the lead. Soler then lined a 1-1 pitch from Huff on to the berm in left-center field for a 5-2 Cubs lead.
Huff, a 31-year-old who signed a minor-league contract in January and was a non-roster invitee to spring training, saw his Cactus League ERA climb to 5.40. He’s given up 13 hits in 10 innings with just three strikeouts.
Once the Indians minor-league player of the year, Huff pitched most of last season in the Dodgers’ system after stops with the Yankees and Giants. Earlier this spring, he seemed to opened to beginning the season at Class AAA Omaha. That may be his fate.
“If I’m down there in Omaha, I want to put myself in a good spot to where if something happens (to a Royals pitcher), I can at least be considered,” Huff said last week.
The regulars
Right fielder Paulo Orlando singled, stole a base and scored a run in the fourth inning on a double by center fielder Reymond Fuentes. Third baseman Mike Moustakas and shortstop Alcides Escobar both were zero for three.
The arms
Wade Davis had his fifth scoreless outing, allowing a hit and throwing a mere 10 pitches. In five spring innings, Davis has given up three hits. Luke Hochevar allowed just a walk in the seventh inning. He also also has yet to allow a run this spring. Ross Ohlendorf didn’t allow a hit in the eighth inning.
Position battles
Catcher Tony Cruz, who is competing for the back up job with Drew Butera, had a pair of hits. Second baseman Omar Infante was 1 for 4.
Up next
The Royals are off Monday, but will play the Dodgers at 8:10 p.m. on Tuesday in Surprise, Ariz. Chris Young is the scheduled starter for the Royals.
Pete Grathoff: 816-234-4330, @pgrathoff
Sunday’s summary
Cubs 5, Royals 2
TableStyle: SP-basebattersCCI Template: SP-basebatters
Kansas City AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg. | |
A.Escobar ss | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .172 |
D.Coleman pr-ss | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .176 |
Moustakas 3b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .387 |
Barmes 3b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .261 |
Infante dh | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .261 |
Calixte pr-dh | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .294 |
Orlando rf | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .243 |
A.Fukofuka rf | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
Fuentes cf | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .367 |
B.Downes cf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
Mondesi 2b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .321 |
W.Merrifield 2b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .321 |
Butera 1b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .185 |
C.Decker 1b | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .308 |
T.Cruz c | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .148 |
Gore lf | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .154 |
L.Moon lf | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .600 |
Totals 35 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
TableStyle: SP-basebattersCCI Template: SP-basebatters
Chi. Cubs AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg. | |
Fowler cf | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .222 |
H.Rondon p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Guzman 1b | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .400 |
Heyward rf-cf | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .207 |
V.Caratini c | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.00 |
Bryant 3b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .226 |
Richard p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Patton p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
M.Parra p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Rizzo 1b | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .280 |
Watkins pr-3b | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Soler lf | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .138 |
Strop p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
J.Baez ss | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .200 |
A.Russell ss | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .276 |
Negron 2b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .231 |
D.Ross c | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .278 |
Almora cf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .200 |
Kawasaki 2b | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .370 |
J.Andreoli rf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .323 |
Lester p | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
J.Perez ph-lf | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .133 |
Totals 29 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 7 |
TableStyle: SP-basebyinningsCCI Template: SP-basebyinnings
Kansas City | 000 | 110 | 000 | — | 2 | 8 | 0 |
Chi. Cubs | 001 | 040 | 00x | — | 5 | 7 | 2 |
E: Lester (2), Rizzo (1). DP: Kansas City 1. LOB: Kansas City 8, Chi. Cubs 6. 2B: Fuentes (3). 3B: Fowler (2). HR: Soler (3). SB: Orlando (1), Fuentes (2). SF: Heyward, Rizzo.
TableStyle: SP-basepitchersCCI Template: SP-basepitchers
Kansas City | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
Kennedy L,0-1 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 4.85 |
Huff | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5.40 |
W.Davis | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Hochevar | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 |
Ohlendorf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6.00 |
TableStyle: SP-basepitchersCCI Template: SP-basepitchers
Chi. Cubs | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
Lester W,1-0 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5.14 |
Strop | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
H.Rondon | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 17.36 |
Richard | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
Patton | 1/3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 |
M.Parra S,1 | 2/3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
Blown Save: Huff (1). Holds: Strop (2), Rondon (1), Richard (1), Patton (2). HBP: by Kennedy (Fowler). WP: Kennedy. Umpires: Home, Jim Joyce; First, Bill Miller; Second, Dan Bellino; Third, Tom Woodring. Time: 2:33. Att.: 15,523.
AP-WF-08-31-14 0338GMT
This story was originally published March 20, 2016 at 5:48 PM with the headline "David Huff’s long-shot bid to join bullpen takes a hit in Royals’ loss to Cubs."