Meche, Crow Solid in Royals' Loss to Milwaukee
Team sluggish in day game after night game
Tuesday in Surprise, Arizona, the Royals looked exactly like a team playing a day game after a night game. They were, falling to Milwaukee 2-0.
The pitchers, offense and defense did enough wrong to lose in front of nearly 6,000 fans on a sun drenched day at the home complex.
On the plus side, Gil Meche was extended to a spring-high four innings, allowing two runs, but only one earned. Meche worked out of a jam in the third, surrendering just one run after consecutive base hits by Joe Inglett and Carlos Gomez started the inning.
He limited the damage by striking out Prince Fielder then retiring Casey McGehee on a fly ball to right.
"I was pretty pleased to get it past Fielder," Meche told Metro Sports after the game while icing his shoulder.
Meche added he's been on the "same page" with new starting catcher Jason Kendall who, for now, has the power to call all of the pitches.
"It really wouldn't be a benefit to shake him off. He likes me to pound the ball inside. I always thought I needed to do that." (Kendall's been getting regular work as the No. 2 hitter in the lineup. But I expect him to bat in the 9 hole when the season begins)
The Brewers added a bonus run in the top of the fourth, triggered by Alberto Callaspo's error at third base. Offensively, Callaspo continued his Cactus League tear, going 2-for-4, upping his spring average to .385 (10-for-26).
Overall, Meche was pleased with his outing. "I'm not as loose as I want to be, as I should be. My shoulder's a little stiff. My back's fine. My elbow's good. My breaking ball's been better. I have three starts left to build on (before the regular season)."
The Royals were delighted with the work of rookie right-hander Aaron Crow. He threw 2.2 innings of scoreless baseball, allowing three hits while striking out three.
"Crow was great," Trey Hillman said. "The ball explodes out of his hand. His ball does so many things..."
Tuesday, the Royals reduced the roster in big league camp to 49 players by re-assigning four to the minor league camp. That includes RHP Carlos Rosa who appeared in seven games as a September 2009 call-up.
This spring, the Royals weren't terribly unhappy with the results. He only allowed two runs in two innings in two appearances. But Hillman told me he needs to work on his change-up. Mechanically, he's been slowly everything down when he makes that pitch, in other words: telling the batter what's coming.
Obviously, the key is to make every pitch look the same till it leaves your hand.
Wednesday, the Royals pitching rotation will include Luke Hochevar and Joakim Soria in a home game against the Padres in Surprise. Thursday is an off day, for everyone but the minor leaguers.