Baseball - Royals Newcomers To Play In Spring Train

The Royals finished the 2006 season with a bang. They made a clean sweep of the three games they played against the American League champion Tigers at Detroit.

After having two weeks of pitchers fielding practice, relay throws, batting practice, bullpens, running the bases, the Royals are all set to start the Spring Training session with a game against the Angels at Tempe.

Buddy Bell, Royals’ manager, said that the players were looking forward to the Spring Training schedule and were waiting to play on a regular field. He further added that he was waiting for the games to start so that everyone could see why he, Bell, is so excited about the younger players.

In the offseason, Royals acquired Brian Bannister through a Winter Meetings trade from the Mets and Joakim Soria from the Padres through a Rule 5 Draft pick. Both Bannister and Soria are scheduled to pitch two innings against the Angels. Bell said that though he had not seen both the players in a competitive setting, just by watching them practice and he knows that they would be competitive and perform well.

Both Bannister and Soria are potential candidates for the fifth spot in the rotation. Bannister, who lives in Paradise Valley, said that he is excited about pitching in his hometown in front of friends and family. Bannister’s father, Floyd Bannister, pitched for the Royals in the 1988-89 season. Bannister does not anticipate problems in pitching two innings as he has thrown 60 pitches in the bullpen.

Alex Gordon was in the Double-A Texas League and he led the slugging percentage with .588. He was selected as the league's Player of the Year. Gordon is scheduled to start at third base against the Angels, while Mark Teahen will move to right field. Teahen was last year’s third baseman.