How Bobby Witt Jr. has added another dimension to his Kansas City Royals role
On April 20 at Kauffman Stadium, you might recall, the Royals suffered their eighth straight loss after a 12th-inning grand slam by Baltimore. The deflating defeat, narrated by an intermittent cascade of boos, rendered their record the worst in baseball at 7-16 and suddenly a half-game lousier than the idle New York Mets.
If you didn’t know that in the moment, Bobby Witt Jr. made sure to bring it up several times as he spoke with reporters after the game. Most memorably when he was asked by The Star’s Jaylon Thompson about the booing.
Unpleasant as it had been to hear that from the home crowd, Witt seemed to appreciate the question. In baseball parlance, you could even say he turned on the pitch. But while remaining typically even-keeled, he also was unusually blunt and even emotional.
“If you’re the worst team in baseball, you might deserve to get booed every once in a while,” he said. “It should motivate us to get better.”
Coincidental as it might be, the Royals had won 10 of their last 14 entering their game against Cleveland on Thursday afternoon.
Perhaps also recovering from a World Baseball Classic hangover, the span has at least started the Royals back toward something else Witt suggested that night even as it appeared quite in doubt: “We’re an amazing team.”
Now, no doubt Witt himself gaining momentum, the turnaround of the bullpen and the drastically improved hitting with runners in scoring position that’s led to this resurgence is less about any Witt-icisms than players engaging the everyday grind.
And it’s not like he was snarling out fire and brimstone, which could only be so effective when it comes to baseball.
Subtle as the shift might be, though, his words that night reflect what Royals leadership sees as the awakening of another phase of the 25-year-old star’s development:
A sense of himself as an emerging leader. And someone who at times should extend that influence beyond the plenty-substantial example of his work ethic and attitude.
Because one way or another, teammates are looking toward him.
Whether it’s in how he carries himself, what he conveys to the media or what he says in meetings, right fielder Jac Caglianone said.
Reminiscent of the old E.F. Hutton commercial and much as it is with veteran Salvador Perez, Caglianone said, “When Bobby starts talking, everybody’s quiet, everybody’s focused on what he’s saying. He’s one of the best in the league for a reason.”
The unassuming Witt seldom wishes to speak about himself and downplays that, saying he’s not making a concerted effort to do so. But Witt, who long has made himself very accessible to the media, also acknowledged that “sometimes you’ve got to say some things if you need to.”
Not that he’s merely got to be delivering uncomfortable messages.
The other night after rallying for an 11-9 victory over the Angels in 10 innings, for instance, Witt expressed something else more colorfully and memorably than he might have in past answers that tended to be humility-driven generics.
“It’s momentum, and it’s everything. That’s why no one should ever give up on us …” he told reporters after the game. “Because of how relentless we are. And just how we know who we are.”
To say nothing of how Witt continues to learn more about who he is and can be.
Simply even in day-to-day conversations, manager Matt Quatraro said, “I think he’s just more confident in himself and who he is and how other people view him.”
What otherwise might be viewed as an aspect of maturation or the spirit moving him also happens to be unfurling early in a season in which the Royals had stressed the need for their young-ish core to seize control of the team.
When I asked general manager J.J. Picollo in January about the club’s realization late last season that it needed more veteran leadership, he said he had spent considerable time pondering those dynamics in the offseason.
And that it was time for the nucleus of the future, particularly Witt, Vinnie Pasquantino and Maikel Garcia, to generate that command in conjunction with Perez and others.
“When you are getting into Year 3, 4 and 5 in the major leagues, at some point it’s your time,” Picollo said then. “Right now, Bobby, Vinnie, Maikel, it’s your time.”
Not that anyone wants Witt to be anything but himself. Or that it’s suddenly all about his vocal stylings.
It’s just that he’s got so much to offer, especially in terms of the diligence, unwavering process and stress on mental performance that animate his superb talents.
Controlling the controllables, as Witt likes to say.
That’s part of what he pointed to on April 20, saying he’d wake up the next morning, start his routine anew and prepare as best he could.
Somewhat challengingly but not sounding like a scold, he added, “I think everyone in here can do that, too.”
Add in Witt’s remarkably high baseball IQ, and no wonder the Royals want him to impart as much of all that as possible in whatever ways he can.
And no wonder Witt at least subconsciously is increasing that range.
“Just what’s coming out of his mouth is different than what we may have heard two or three years ago …” Picollo said. “He’s a humble guy, which I think is great, and he’s never going to lose that.
“But I think there’s also a large portion of our team that wants to turn to him, and they want to hear what he has to say. And he’s more willing to say it.”
As yet another way he can contribute ... and grow himself in the process.