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Category: Professional

Royals sign three pitchers to one-year contracts

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The Kansas City Royals announced today that the club has agreed to terms on one-year Major League contracts with right-handed pitchers Luke Hochevar and Felipe Paulino, and left-handed pitcher Jonathan Sanchez for the 2012 season, avoiding arbitration with all three.  Consistent with club policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.  Outfielder Alex Gordon is the Royals lone remaining arbitration-eligible player.

The 28-year-old Hochevar compiled an 11-11 record with a 4.68 ERA in 31 starts in 2011.  He set career bests in wins, starts, innings (198.0), strikeouts (128) and quality starts (16).  The Royals Opening Day starter last season was 6-3 with a 3.52 ERA in 12 starts following the All-Star break, holding opponents to a .222 average which ranked sixth in the American League among starters.  The first-overall selection in the 2006 June Free Agent Draft resides in Knoxville, Tenn., with his wife, Ashley, and daughter, Laney.

Paulino, 28, joined the Royals on May 26, 2011 in a trade with the Colorado Rockies for cash considerations.  He was 4-6 with a 4.11 ERA in 21 games (20 starts) for Kansas City following the deal, striking out 119 in 124.2 innings.  He struck out 8.59 hitters per nine innings as a Royal, which ranks as the fifth-best in franchise history among hurlers with at least 120 innings.  Paulino followed up his 2011 campaign by being selected as a member of the MLB All-Star team that toured Taiwan in early November, starting the third game of the five-game exhibition series.  Paulino initially signed with the Houston Astros as a non-drafted free agent on July 2, 2001.  Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, he now resides in Pearland, Texas, with his wife, Paola, and daughter, Victoria.

Sanchez, 29, was acquired from San Francisco with left-handed pitcher Ryan Verdugo on November 7, 2011 in exchange for outfielder Melky Cabrera.  He has posted a 3.75 ERA over his last three seasons with the Giants in 85 games (81 starts).  In 2011, Sanchez was 4-7 with a 4.26 ERA in 19 starts before missing the final month and a half with a left ankle sprain.  He posted a breakout 2010 campaign for the World Series champions, going 13-9 with a 3.07 ERA, tossing 5.0 shutout innings in Game 162 vs. San Diego as the Giants clinched the N.L. West.  The 6-foot-2, 198-pounder is 38-46 with a 4.26 ERA in 174 career outings, including 118 starts.  He tossed the 13th no-hitter in Giants history on July 10, 2009 vs. San Diego.  Sanchez has posted 736 strikeouts in 708.0 innings, a rate of 9.355 strikeouts per nine innings which ranks as the third-best in baseball (min. 700 IP) since 2006, trailing the Giants’ Tim Lincecum (9.87) and the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw (9.360), who have won three of the last four National League Cy Young Awards.  Sanchez was born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, and now resides in Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico.  He has one son, Christian.

— Royals Media Relations —

Kansas City signs infielder Getz to one-year contract

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The Kansas City Royals announced Monday that the club has agreed to terms on a one-year Major League contract with infielder Chris Getz for the 2012 season, avoiding arbitration.  Consistent with club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

The Royals now have five remaining arbitration-eligible players: pitchers Luke Hochevar, Felipe Paulino and Jonathan Sanchez; and outfielders Alex Gordon and Mitch Maier.

The 28-year-old batted .255 (97-for-380) with six doubles, 26 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 118 games for the Royals in 2011.  He was acquired by Kansas City in a trade with the Chicago White Sox on November 6, 2009.

— Royals Media Relations —

Royals sign catcher Brayan Pena to one-year contract

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The Kansas City Royals announced Monday that the club has agreed to terms on a one-year Major League contract with catcher Brayan Pena for the 2012 season, avoiding arbitration.  Consistent with club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

The Royals now have six remaining arbitration-eligible players: pitchers Luke Hochevar, Felipe Paulino and Jonathan Sanchez; infielder Chris Getz, and outfielders Alex Gordon and Mitch Maier.

The 30-year-old batted .248 (55-for-222) with 11 doubles, three home runs and 24 RBI in 72 games for the Royals in 2011.  Pena set career highs in games played, at bats, hits, doubles and RBI.  He was acquired by Kansas City in a waiver claim from the Atlanta Braves on May 30, 2008.

— Royals Media Relations —

Royals sign 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff

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Third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff and the Kansas City Royals have agreed to terms on a minor league contract that includes an invitation to spring training.

The team announced the deal Saturday. Terms were not disclosed.

Kouzmanoff hit .235 with seven homers and 33 RBIs in 73 games for Oakland and Colorado last season. He’s a career .255 hitter over six seasons that included stops in Cleveland and San Diego.

The veteran led all National League third baseman in 2009 with a .990 fielding percentage, and averaged nearly 19 homers per season from 2007-10, when he played regularly.

He’ll have a chance to compete for a utility job backing up Mike Moustakas at third base.

— Associated Press —

Chiefs sign guard Darryl Harris

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The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Tuesday that the club has signed G Darryl Harris.

Harris (6-4, 300) entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Chiefs in 2009 and spent all 16 games of both the 2010 and 2011 seasons on the Chiefs practice squad. He appeared in one game and was inactive in two contests in 2009.

The Clarksdale, Miss. native played in 35 games (22 starts) at Mississippi, working at all five offensive line positions for the Rebels.

— Chiefs Media Relations —

Chiefs officially introduce Crennel as new head coach

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The Kansas City Chiefs made Romeo Crennel the permanent head coach on Monday after he led the floundering team to a pair of wins late in the season.

Crennel had been the interim coach and the leading candidate to replace Todd Haley, who was fired last month. He was scheduled to be introduced at an afternoon news conference.

“We are very excited to name Romeo the new head coach of the Chiefs,” Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt said in a prepared statement. “In 30 years as a coach in the National Football League, Romeo has established an outstanding track record of success, and we believe his experience and proven ability make him the best person to help us reach our goal of consistently competing for championships.”

Crennel, the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns, had been serving as defensive coordinator when general manager Scott Pioli made him the interim coach. He quickly united a disjointed locker room and instantly endeared himself to fans in Kansas City, leading a team that had been ransacked by injuries over Green Bay, the Packers’ only loss this season.

Crennel’s lone defeat came in overtime against Oakland, which knocked the Chiefs (7-9) from playoff contention. But he rallied his team to a season-ending victory over the Broncos, after which players spontaneously began to chant his name in the locker room in Denver.

“Romeo’s vast experience and intelligence have helped him achieve success at the highest level,” Pioli said. “The way in which he creates accountability and respect amongst the team creates a very productive work environment and will be critical in continuing to develop our young core of players.”

Crennel was considered the front-runner to get the full-time job not only because of his work over the final three weeks of the season, but because of his calm demeanor and strong ties to Pioli, whom he worked with during his days running the New England Patriots defense.

“I have a deep appreciation for the vision that Clark Hunt has and his commitment to building a championship-caliber team,” Crennel said. “I believe in the types of players that we are trying to win with and the identity we are trying to create.”

Pioli also spoke to former Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher, Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin and former Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio before settling on the in-house candidate.

“It is a rare opportunity to be a part of an organization like the Kansas City Chiefs with its storied history and passionate fans,” Crennel said, “and I am eager to get to work and bring this franchise and our fans the success they deserve.”

Crennel went 24-40 during four years in Cleveland, though the record is somewhat misleading.

He took over a suffering franchise short on talent and went 6-10 and 4-12 in his first two seasons, missing the playoffs each year. But his breakthrough came in 2007, when the Browns went 10-6 and fell just short of the playoffs, earning Crennel a two-year contract extension.

After falling back to 4-12, though, the affable Crennel was summarily fired.

He figures to have a much better chance of success in Kansas City, where Pioli has locked up several young players to long-term deals and continues to overhaul an aging roster.

The Chiefs should be the favorites to win the wide-open AFC West next year. They nearly claimed a second straight division crown despite losing several star players to season-ending injuries.

Tight end Tony Moeaki, All-Pro running back Jamaal Charles and Pro Bowl safety Eric Berry were lost to knee injuries by the second week of the season. Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Cassel joined them on injured reserve in Week 10 after he hurt his throwing hand in a game against Denver.

That left the team in the hands of journeyman Tyler Palko. The Chiefs claimed quarterback Kyle Orton off waivers from Denver, but he hurt his hand on the first pass he attempted against Chicago, and did not return until the final three weeks of the regular season.

By that time, Haley had been fired and Crennel had been given the reins.

“Throughout the year, we were all over a little bit. We came to a common ground over the last three weeks,” said fullback Le’Ron McClain, who is a free agent but has said he hopes to return to the team next season. “We started doing good when Romeo stepped in.”

Fisher reportedly spoke briefly with the Chiefs about the head coaching job, but he’s expected to decide between St. Louis and Miami. Philbin also was linked to the job, and Del Rio’s agent, Phil DePicciotto, had conversations with the Chiefs about the former Jaguars coach taking over.

Crennel will likely have to hire a defensive coordinator to replace himself, and also could be in the market for a new offensive coordinator.

The Chiefs struggled to move the ball under longtime assistant Bill Muir, who was in his first season as a coordinator. Muir has been contemplating retirement.

“Trying to put a staff together is a tough deal, because maybe the guys you want aren’t available, so you have to look other places. You end up trying to do the best you can, getting the best guys you get,” Crennel said. “You have to adapt and adjust as you go along.”

— Associated Press —

Royals announce Minor League coaching staffs for 2012

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The Kansas City Royals have announced the minor league coaching staffs for the 2012 season.  The Royals also named their minor league coordinators for next season.

Affiliate staffs:

The leader of the defending Pacific Coast League champion Omaha Storm Chasers remains intact, as 2011 Mike Coolbaugh award winner Mike Jirschele returns to his managerial post for a 10th-consecutive season.  The Wisconsin native also managed the club from 1995-1997 and is a four-time winner of the Dick Howser Award (1992, 1994, 2005 and 2011).  Doug Henry will tutor the pitchers at Omaha for the third straight season while Tommy Gregg will serve his fourth season as the hitting coach.  Dave Iannicca and Joey Greany will serve as the trainer and strength and conditioning coach, respectively.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals return Brian Poldberg at the helm for the fifth straight season.  Poldberg has led the Naturals to the playoffs in each of his four seasons and was named an All-Star in 2010 and 2011.  Poldberg’s staff will include 2011 All-Star pitching coach Larry Carter, who enters his 15th season in the Royals organization and 11th at the Double-A level, and 2010-11 Texas League All-Star Terry Bradshaw, who will tutor the hitters at Double-A for the third consecutive year.  Masa Koyanagi and George Timke will work as the trainer and strength and conditioning coach, respectively.

Vance Wilson will jump a level and serve as the manager of the Class-A Advanced Wilmington Blue Rocks in 2012 after leading the Kane County Cougars to the playoffs last season in his debut season as a skipper.  Steve Luebber will remain as the pitching coach while former big league outfielder Damon Hollins will be the hitting coach.  Trainer James Stone and strength and conditioning coach Adam Vish round out Wilson’s staff.

The Royals will begin their second season with the Kane County (Ill.) Cougars as the club’s Midwest League (A) affiliate.  Kane County will be managed by Brian Buchanan, who skippered Idaho Falls in 2010 and 2011.  Jim Brower returns as the Cougars pitching coach. Julio Bruno, the hitting coach for Surprise in 2011, will serve in that same capacity on Buchanan’s staff.  Mark Keiser and David Kathmann will serve as the trainer and strength and conditioning coach, respectively.

Omar Ramirez, who was the hitting coach for Idaho Falls in 2011, will be on the bench as the manager of the Chukars in 2012.  Jerry Nyman will serve as the Chukars pitching coach for the second straight campaign.  Justin Gemoll will tutor the hitters at Idaho Falls after filling the same role in 2011 at Wilmington (A-Advanced).  Nathan Dine joins the Royals organization as the strength and conditioning coach.  The Chukars trainer has yet to be announced.

Tommy Shields joins the Kansas City system as the manager with Burlington (R) in the Appalachian League.  Shields spent the last seven seasons as the Atlanta Braves minor league infield coordinator.  Carlos Martinez will be the pitching coach after working in the same position for Surprise in 2011.  Jon Williams will work with the hitters.  Trainer Adrian Ramon and strength and conditioning coach Richard White both join the Royals organization and round out Shields’ staff.  Ramon comes to the Royals from Florida Gulf Coast University.

The Royals rookie league squad in Surprise, Ariz., will be managed by Darryl Kennedy for the third straight season.  Kennedy’s staff will include Mark Davis, who returns as a pitching coach for Surprise after a season as the minor league pitching coordinator; pitching coach/rehab coach Carlos Reyes, who joined the Royals in 2008; hitting coaches Andre David and Nelson Liriano; coach and former Royals postseason hero Willie Aikens; trainer Saburo Hagihara; and strength and conditioning coach Luis Perez, who also serves the club as the Latin American strength and conditioning coordinator.

Victor Baez will work his fifth year as the Dominican Academy field coordinator.  Under the direction of manager Jose Mejia, the remainder of the staff includes Rafael Roque (pitching); Abraham Nunez (hitting); Ramon Martinez (infield); Onil Joseph (outfield); Sergio de Luna (coach); Martin Berroa (trainer); Raymundo Sido (trainer); and Jose Rosario (strength and conditioning coach).

Coordinators and Roving positions:

Tony Tijerina enters his sixth year with KC and his second as minor league field coordinator.

Bill Fischer, a former Major League Pitching Coach with the Reds, Red Sox and Rays, will work his 65th year in professional baseball in 2012 as Senior Pitching Advisor.   Fischer, who re-joined the organization in 2007, also worked with the club from 1975-1978 and in 1984.

2012 will be Jack Maloof’s fifth season with the Royals as a special assistant to player development and minor league hitting coordinator.

Rusty Kuntz, after serving in 2008-2009 and for the final four months of 2010 on the Royals Major League staff as first base coach, will work his second season as special assistant to general manager/player development.

Rick Knapp, who served as the Major League pitching coach of the Detroit Tigers the last three seasons, joins the Royals as the minor league pitching coordinator.

Glenn Hubbard, a 10-year Major League veteran and a coach for the Atlanta Braves for 21 seasons, returns for his second year as the club’s infield coordinator.

John Wathan returns for his 40th season in baseball, his 36th with the Royals, as a special assistant to player development/scouting.

Chris DeLucia will serve his third season as the minor league medical coordinator in 2012.

Sean McQueeney joins the Royals organization as minor league rehab coordinator and physical therapist.  He was most recently with the Seattle Mariners organization.

Tony Medina is the Latin America medical coordinator after working the last eight years as a trainer at various levels.

Garrett Sherrill returns to the Royals after two seasons with the San Francisco Giants and will serve as the minor league strength and conditioning coordinator, taking over for Ryan Stoneberg who was promoted to the Major League position.

Luis Perez, as mentioned above, will serve as the Latin America strength and conditioning coordinator in addition to working for Surprise.

Nick Leto and Will Simon return as the manager of Arizona operations and minor league equipment manager, respectively.

Alvin Cuevas returns for his fifth season as manager of Dominican operations.

— Royals Media Relations —

Chiefs’ Johnson, Hali earn NFL All-Pro honors

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Chiefs linebackers Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali were each awarded NFL All-Pro honors by the Associated Press Friday afternoon.

Johnson was selected to the AP All-Pro Team for the first time of his career, earning first-team honors alongside San Francisco inside linebackers Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman. Hali appeared as a second-team selection at outside linebacker.

Both players were 16-game starters for the Chiefs during the 2011 season. Johnson set a new franchise single-season tackle record with 179 tackles and played in nearly every defensive snap. Hali posted a career-high 83 tackles and led the team in sacks (12.0) for the fifth time in his six NFL seasons.

Johnson and Hali finished first and second in a vote of their teammates for the Derrick Thomas MVP Award and are both heading to Hawaii later this month for the Pro Bowl. Thomas was the last Chiefs linebacker to earn AP All-Pro honors (second-team in 1996).

— Chiefs Media Relations —

Cardinals announce coaching staff changes

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Following Thursday’s announcement that Pitching Coach Dave Duncan is taking a leave of absence, the St. Louis Cardinals announced today that Derek Lilliquist will serve as Pitching Coach and Dyer Miller has been named Bullpen Coach.

Lilliquist, 45, was the Cardinals Bullpen Coach last season, and he took on the team’s Pitching Coach duties last August when Duncan asked for a leave of absence to attend to his wife Jeanine as she underwent surgery   Lilliquist has been a member of the Cardinals organization since 2002, working at the minor league level and also with pitchers rehabilitating injuries at the team’s Jupiter, Fla. complex.

Miller, 65, has been a member of the Cardinals organization dating back to 1985 when he had a two-year stint coaching in the minors at Arkansas (AA) and Louisville (AA).  He rejoined the organization in 1995, most recently serving as Minor League Pitching Coordinator.   Miller, who pitched for seven seasons in the majors, had prior Major League coaching experience in 1987 and 1988 with the Chicago White Sox.

The Cardinals also announced today that Brent Strom has been named Minor League Pitching Coordinator following Miller’s promotion to the Major League staff and that Jamie Pogue has been named Bullpen Catcher for the Major League club.  Strom has been a member of the Cardinals organization since 2008, serving as Minor League Pitching Instructor.  The Canadian-born Pogue was a catcher in the Cardinals farm system from 2000-02 and he was a non-roster invitee to big league camp in the spring of 2002.

— Cardinals Media Relations —

Royals’ Butler named Hutch Award winner

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The Fred Hutchinson Center Research Center has announced that Royals designated hitter Billy Butler will receive the 47th annual Hutch Award®.  The award is given each year to a Major League Baseball player who best exemplifies the honor, courage and dedication of baseball great Fred Hutchinson, both on and off the field.

Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. will give the keynote address at the Hutch Award Luncheon and presentation on Wednesday, February 1 at Safeco Field in Seattle, Fred Hutchinson’s hometown.  The event raises funds to benefit early cancer detection research at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Butler put together a solid season as the club’s full-time designated hitter in 2011, batting .291 with 19 home runs and a career-best 95 RBI.  He also recorded 44 doubles, becoming the first Royal to post three consecutive seasons with 40 or more doubles.  Butler, 25, is one of 10 players in Major League Baseball since the start of 2009 with at least 500 hits, 200 runs, 50 home runs and a greater than .300 average.

Off the field, Butler is known for his selfless attitude and desire to help others.  In 2008, Butler and his wife, Katie, started the Hit-It-A-Ton program to help feed disadvantaged families in the Kansas City area.  Through the program, $250 is donated for each home run Butler hits with an additional $125 for each double.  Hit-It-A-Ton has raised in excess of $250,000, providing more than 1,000 tons of food through two food banks and a community kitchen run by Kansas City’s Bishop Sullivan Center.

When Butler comes to Seattle to receive his Hutch Award, he will visit cancer research labs at the Hutchinson Center as well as the Hutch School, a unique K – 12 accredited education program that serves young cancer patients and school-age family members of patients.
The Hutch Award recipient is selected annually through a vote of all surviving former awardees. A total of 46 players have been honored since 1965, when Mickey Mantle accepted the inaugural award. Butler becomes the fourth Royal to win the award, joining George Brett (1980), Dennis Leonard (1986) and Mike Sweeney (2007).  Former Royal Mark Teahen also won the award following the 2009 season but was a member of the Chicago White Sox at the time of his award acceptance.

— Royals Media Relations —

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