Tony Pena was easy to recognize at the recent winter meetings. He was the man who couldn’t stop smiling.
While the Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Anaheim Angels and Philadelphia Phillies have dominated recent headlines, the Kansas City manager said he believes no team has made more good moves than his Royals.
General manager Allard Baird, who never has had the resources to compete for a high-profile free agent, has upgraded Pena’s pitching staff significantly. That weakness was exposed after the All-Star break a year ago when the surprising Royals slid from first place to third in the American League Central.
“We’ve made some moves that were huge,” Pena said. “Re-signing Brian Anderson, that was huge. Adding Scott Sullivan, that was huge. I am so happy with so many of the things we have done. I wish the season started tomorrow.”
Preaching belief and togetherness, the perpetually optimistic Pena seemingly willed the Royals to an 83-79 record in 2003. It earned manager-of-the-year honors for Pena and ended a run of eight consecutive losing seasons for a once-proud franchise that has not been to the playoffs since 1985.
It was no surprise the Royals scored runs. The lineup included three proven run-producers in Mike Sweeney, Carlos Beltran and Raul Ibanez and received above-average production from shortstop Angel Berroa, who was named the AL’s rookie of the year. But the pitching staff was a work in progress, constantly changing.
A group of young starters and rookie closer Mike MacDougal fueled the strong start, but injuries to Runelvys Hernandez (elbow surgery), Miguel Asencio (shoulder) and Jeremy Affeldt (recurring blisters) put a strain on a thin bullpen. Baird imported veterans Curtis Leskanic, Graeme Lloyd and Al Levine in midseason deals, but Pena’s staff still lacked depth.
For the season, the Royals’ bullpen was 26-29 with a 5.55 earned-run average, the highest in the AL. Relievers allowed opponents a .292 batting average and an .826 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage). No Kansas City reliever who appeared in more than 40 games had an ERA lower than MacDougal’s 4.08.
“I don’t know what we would have done without MacDougal,” Pena said. “But getting a lead to him wasn’t easy for us. That’s why I’m so excited about the things we have done.”
Baird has added experience to his young roster in every area. Anderson and Kevin Appier, both acquired late last season, agreed to free-agent contracts. They join a rotation that will include left-hander Darrell May and two starters from a group topped by rookies Zack Greinke, Jimmy Gobble, Kyle Snyder, Chris George, Affeldt and Asencio.
“Our starters won’t have to carry as heavy of a load with the bullpen we will have,” Pena said. “That could be a big difference.”
Sullivan, a workhorse during eight seasons in Cincinnati, was stolen away from the Central rival White Sox. The Sox had traded for him last season, sending third baseman Tim Hummel to the Reds, and tried to re-sign him. But Sullivan got a better offer from Baird, who gave him a two-year, $5 million contract.
Kansas City also re-signed Jason Grimsley, who was third in the AL with 76 appearances last year. Affeldt could become a key member of the bullpen if he does not regain his spot in the starting rotation.
Baird still is shopping for a hitter to replace Ibanez, who left to sign a three-year deal in Seattle. But he re-signed third baseman Joe Randa and has upgraded behind the plate by signing Benito Santiago to replace Brent Mayne. He also raided the White Sox roster to sign utility infielder Tony Graffanino, whom Jerry Reinsdorf often called his favorite player.
For Royals fans, the good news is the infusion of experience is not an indication of a barren farm system. Baird wants to give Pena a chance to reach the playoffs in 2004 but has more kids coming. Kansas City is talking to the agents for free agents Raul Mondesi and Juan Gonzalez but could allow David DeJesus and Alexis Gomez to compete for the Ibanez opening.
The Royals also can look forward to a harvest of talent in next year’s draft. They will receive compensation for losing Ibanez and Michael Tucker (signed by San Francisco), giving them potentially five picks in the first 60 next June.
“This is going to be a good team now, but we’ll still be a good place for kids to play,” Pena said. “We’re going to have it both ways–veterans and kids.”
With Minnesota losing the heart of its bullpen (Eddie Guardado and LaTroy Hawkins) and the White Sox losing all of their free agents, the Royals have put themselves in position to end their playoff drought.
Worth a look: Now that he’s a free agent, reliever Danys Baez is creating interest in the market. The Indians badly overpaid when they signed him to a four-year, $14.5 million contract, but he’s an intriguing package.
The Cleveland castoff could help just about any team as a setup man, if not a closer. He throws in the mid-90s and he’s still young–26 if you believe his reported birth date. He could be a godsend for the White Sox, who are ridiculously thin from the right side of the bullpen.
Baez was the best of the 58 players not tendered a contract on Dec. 20. The Indians cut him loose only because they’re obligated to pay rehabbing closer Bob Wickman $5 million.
Whispers: Kevin Millwood, who agreed to arbitration with the Phillies, regrets turning down a four-year extension last summer. He could have received a three-year deal after the season, but agent Scott Boras convinced him teams would be lining up for him once he became a free agent. Oops. . . . Vladimir Guerrero remains interested in signing in Florida even though Baltimore is his best offer by far. . . . While the Cardinals have improved their pitching, they continue to look for a left fielder who can replace the departed Fernando Vina as leadoff hitter. So Taguchi is currently in line to be the left fielder, with Albert Pujols moving to first base. . . . If the White Sox do give a spot in the rotation to Scott Schoeneweis, that leaves one job for a group that includes Dan Wright (likely to move to the bullpen), Neal Cotts, Jon Rauch, Enemencio Pacheco and Felix Diaz.
The Rangers are excited about right-hander Josh Rupe, whom they got from the White Sox in the Carl Everett trade. He made great strides last year in the Sox’s system, improving his mechanics. . . . The Dodgers, Yankees, Angels and Orioles are possibilities for Rafael Palmeiro. . . . Having lost Jason Giambi and Miguel Tejada to free agency over the last three years, the Athletics’ priority is to sign Eric Chavez to a contract extension. . . . Hard to see how Atlanta is going to win another division title given the ongoing talent drain. The Braves need bullpen help but lost out on efforts to sign Tim Worrell and Arthur Rhodes, who went to Philadelphia and Oakland, respectively. . . . Some believe the Twins will trade outfielder Jacque Jones, giving GM Terry Ryan more resources to pursue a closer from a list including Ugueth Urbina and Braden Looper.
