The Kansas City Star from Kansas City, Missouri • 24

j-csv fi" 4 mr -y c- ry 'Vr- 1 -vVtf £: V--W -1-'" V- -vVVe- 4-r B3 TUESDAY V-' -r lROYALs jfTWHITE SOX BUCK: workouts 1 'arms race -Refievers Doug Wtechter John Balt and Oscar VMarrail arc making progrtwin theirracpwry from physical Mtbaeks a hutiptn Assion Monday as the naxt step Inhls recovery ton a blister on mkkaaflngar rasulted from an Ingrown nai Bate and VMarraai arascteduled far their first Mlpen eastern today since suffering their setbacks Bale underwent surgery March 3 to remove a hyperactive thyrekt VUtarreal has been battling a sore etoK -Is GAME SUMMARY This wi do just fine ih three weeks time The Royals roughed up Bartolo Colon and Mark -Buehrie In JT-7 victory our the Chicago White in Glendale Aril MarkTeahen end MitchMaier hit homers in a 15-hit attack Alberto CaRaspagdrove in three runs while Teahen and David DeJesus each had two RBIs as the Royds scored 11 runs for the second straight game Royals starter Gil Meche worked solid innings before hitting a wan in a four-run fourth In ad he gave up four runs and four hit in innings A parade of five reiievers dosedout the Victory liked Gifs outing a until he started jacking around a little bit with change-ups in counts he wouldn't typically throw them la manager Hey Hillman said The Royals 11-6-2 scored In seven of nine innings in the Anal meeting between the two division rivals before they open the regular season against each other April 6 in Chicaga It was the Royals' first visit to Cameiback Ranch the new facility that houses the White Sox and Dodgers The Royals scored four runs in Vi innings against Colon and four more in 3i Innings against Buehrie They built a 7-1 lead before the Sox knocked out Meche FROM a "because I felt better Cm die field When I went to play In the game my body stift I was loose and flexible I felt Feeling better translate to playing better Not until new hitting coach Kevin Seitter tweaked his swing alter joining the staff in mid-October Buck REGULAR GUYS Outfielder Jto Guillen is back in camp after his wife Yamei gave birth last week to the couple's first child a son named Derek Guillen resumed workouts Monday in Surprise and is scheduled to make today's trip to Tucson for a game against Cotorada made regular offseason trips from his home i Salt Lake City to get individual attention at Seltzer's Mac-N-Seitz batting facility Early returns couldn't be more encouraging Buck has been die Royals' POSITION BATTLES Mark Teahen is still fuming that St Maryt his aima mater wasn't selected for the NCAA Tournament and he seems to be taking it out on opposing pitchers Teahen went two for two with a walk in Monday's victory after going three for four with a double and two homers in Sunday's 11-3 victory over the Giants So is he channeling his anger? "Yeah but they (font need to snub St MaryV Teahen said 1 can find other stuff to be ticked about best player this with a A07 with a 500 Royal backup catcher John Buck has seen results at tha plate after working with naw hitting coach Kevin Seltzer Per- the is how I support So I tried to keep centage and an JBS2 percentage after Monday's victory over the White Sox at Cameiback Ranch "Last Seitzer said think he got into trouble because he was worrying about charing pitches And when a 1 Go to KansasOtycein for spring training updates as well as Bob Dutton's vlog and the Ball Star blog Even so Meche pronounced himself pleased overall by his 59-pitch effort started off weA he said three innings I was pretty pleased After that ifs just a matter of keep building The fourth inning I almost hit two guys in the head so you could tell I was dragging a little STAT WRAP The Royals finished 3-0-1 this spring against American League Central opponents They swept two games from the White Sox and had a victory and a tie against the Indians The TWins and Tigers train in Florida ling with it But did I want to be on die road playing baseball whilemy wife was in the hospital? Heck no" Weight training provided a respite Better nutrition aided the weight training which tar- I went to a sub shop with recalled "and Buck jjuy is worrying about chasing usually late on fastballs gefeed toning and flexibility than added strength rather than: "Last year you could see it" Dejesus said was like something was always on his mind But now you see him more MEDICAL UPDATES Right-hander Julio Pjmentel one of the organization top pitching prospects is expected to miss at least six weeks maybe a lot more because of ligament damage and a broken bone spur in his right elboML PimenteL 23 suffered the injury Friday white making a pitch to Hank Blalock An MRi exam revealed the damage Saturday and prompted club officials to seek a second opinion regarding treatment The affected bone spur is near the ulnar collateral ligament in Pimentel's elbow The follow-up exam win seek to determine whether the ligament will heal when the boni spur mends If not surgery win be required Pimentel represented the Royals at last yeaTs All-Star Futures Game at Yankee Stadium and pitched a scoreless inning for the World teem in a 3-0 victory Ha was 7-1 3 with a SJ8 ERA in 28 starts last season at Class AA Northwest Arkansas sometimes he talks too much" Losing his starting job stung Still does But wp saw Albert Pujols sitting there We sat down and had a sandwich with Albeit and started to talk 8 little hitting He has tire same exact theory (as Seitzer) That guy he's got a pretty good idea on how to hit That helped me to sell out on it and believe in it more When I went back fat my afternoon workout with Seitzer Kevin looked at me and said it' It now becomes a matter of maintenance of consistency want him to just stay in the middle of the Seitzer said short (in his swing) and stay really The positive reinforcement this spring has Buck convinced ready at age 28 to begin Tm sticking with shortening my he said positive results definitely helps me to Things are better at home too His Wife is fine The kids are healthy Still a handfuL But healthy teething right Buck smiled teething compared to where we were? You just brush that off Kofwrin (2V MM (1) UntonOi (D Chugo WMf So2 lOe KmB Cy 7 Chcwo WMt Set Com (IX RKtondi 0) I Fkm (0 St Gofdon (Hi MwTO NX Hiar (JV Mm (4)1 HWr Oy ST SM Crtepa a Ok NtdaWHI Mrata FrnMMrth ETC And when late on fast-balls your swing looks long and slow" Left reset: Buck batted 224 last season in 109 games His power tumbled to nine homers after hitting a dub-high 18 in 2007 He that lost his starting Job in September to Mjguel Olivo and still remains as the backup Thafs me bad professional year but it was overshadowed for Buck by events in his personal life His wife Brooke gave birth to twin boys in May in a difficult delivery that placed her life in jeopardy along with that of one child had my wife in the hospital" Buck recalled "I had one of my boys Brody literally on a lifeline with oxygen didn't want to bring it upu I was having a bad season and I didn't want to make it sound like an excuse lb me that would have been a loser's excuse So I kept that private now that it's over can look back and say that was Buck got a three-day bereavement leave in May before rejoining the dub He was batting 251 at the time and he managed his anxiety for a while Soon though his production plummeted He managed just eight hits in August in 69 at-bats care about my family more than the he i SV VA 1 1 1 1 2 I 1 A Mart? CMcaavWIWiSei Colon 0-1 lushrit Egbert It was 14 years ago today March 17 1995 that the Royals lost thetr first lady Muriel Kauffman who died at age 79 HBP- by Wrt (Vtarto) WF MmbBUMpbw: Home Me NucMndK Fnt AngM Cmov Second Mta Coton: Ttirt 4joa NOTABLES I Reliever Kyle Farnsworth posted his second straight scoreless appearance He also had two strikeouts in his only inning which boosted his spring total to nine In six innings I Victor Marte made his spring debut in closing out the victory I Bob Dutton bduttontestarjCom Bud: refuses to view himself as a backup and manager They Hillman continues to promise regular duty made commitment to (Olivo) for a certain amount of Hillman said as said many times that mean we're planning to sit John Buck on the bench and not use Buck expects to get sufficient opportunities think I'm still going to get 300-some he said if I do well those at-bats Buck's work with Seitzer really clicked after a chance meeting with Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols the National League's reigning Most Valuable Player while grabbing a sandwich during one of those offseason visits to Kansas City Royals (RHP Kyie Davies) vs Rockies (RHP Ubakto Jimenez) at 34)5 pun in Tucsoa Arlz "They've got a little mild fe-rr and the teeth and the teeth are popping niev but rval bright Wjien I was sitting in the dugout I found myself just liKtkfng down half of the time just so my eyes start ver through ifs the good parents' stuff) the stuff you should be going through while you're playing and having To reach Bob Duttoa Royals reporter for The Star send e-fnaJJtobduttonfccstarcom I ROYALS PITCM EX Ml MiCNI ON TH NEW CAMCLBACK RANCH WNBRI TUX LACK OF MOTSCrtVI COVCX NMMT MAKS IT THI HOnVST VCNUt IN THC CACTUS LIAOUf COUNTDOWN TO OPENING DAYf20 DAYS basebal news Astros Pudge work on deal Sources say the catcher and Houston art dosing In on ono-yoar contract OTHER NEWS I HAMMY HURTS: Manny Ramirez's hamstring injury will keep him out Of spring training games for at least a week 'WeYe just going to lay low tfN we get rid of this Dodgers manager Joe Tone said Monday Ramirez aggravated his sore left hamstring Sunday while playing the outfield for the first time this spring I HAMELS HAS ELBOW ISSUER World Series MVP Cole Hamels left training camp Monday and flew to Philadelphia to have his left elbow examined had a little bit of a persistent soreness In his elbow Wt do not betteve Ifs Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr said VENEZUELA MOVES Offc Venezuela is headed to the semifinals of tile World Baseball Classic after beating Puerto Rico 2-0 on Monday in MiamL Puerto Rico lost for the first time In five WBC games and will face the United States tonight The loser wW be eliminated and the winner wiR advance to the semifinals this weekend In Los Angeles Monday The deal would contain $L5 million in performance bonuses based on games and plate appearances the person said There isn't anything certain yet Right now the only team I have is Puerto Rico" said Rodriguez before meeting Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic Houston needed a veteran catcher to replace Brad Aus-mus who became a free agent and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers very important for me (to be a starter) because I feel good enough to play every Rodriguez said "1 feel very good ready to play a whole He added that his play with Puerto Rico probably boosted his bid to find a i team "It helps a lot for some ers like who still don't haveajoh I think this Oatir has been a very important factor" Rodriguez 37 is a 13-time Gold Glove winner He began last season in Detroit was traded to the Yankees in July and hit 273 with seven homers and 35 RBIs in 115 games The Associated Pms All-Star catcher Ivan Rodriguez may have found a new job The Houston Astros and Ro-driguez are closing in on a $15 million one-year contract a person familiar with the talks told The Associated Press on DAWSON: Hall of Famer will mainly work during season Go to KansasCltyxom for a Len Dawson photo gallery and video interview I ii ing int erviewed" Dawson said not only asked the players to interview them but Fd tell them the questions and give them the Dawson joked 1 want to thank KMBC for giving me the chance I had no experience broadcasting That was back the days when there were three stations it was black and white televi-sioa everything on film rather than videotape and all the tiiings we have today Tieie was no such tiling as doing a remote and being able to do a satellite the HBO Dawson joined the radio team in 1984 and returned in 1985 to KMBd helping the station rank first in the local ratings "He is such a dassy guy" Godsey said "When we bring new people hi you're almost inclined to tell them fust watch Len If there is anybody on staff that has reason to have an ego or swelled head it would be Lenny Dawsoa and he is probably the opposite end of the spectrum He interviewed you can step talking i a little di? whenever you want to Ifs ferent when trying to carry a Dawson retired from the Chiefs in 1973 Nit he was so successful on from a KMBC Dawson signed a new contract that calls for him to work about 85 days a year work primarily during the Chiefs Godsey said focus on the Chiefs been working with Lenny for 10 years and I imagine as long as he lias the energy and desire to do it I would want anything other than to have him connected to this television Ddwson began his broadcasting career in 1966 three years after the Chiefs moved to Kansas City when KMBC was looking to boost its ratings and the Chiefs were Peeking television exposure He would still be in pads interviewing teammates at 530 pim after practice and then hustle down to the tcle-visjon station and anchor the 6 pun spmtscast sports directot He also dispelled any talk about tire station disbanding the sports department and outsourcing its coverage "Our plan is-to operate our sports department and provide sports coverage with Nick and Karen and with Lenny on the days he it said Godsey And drat included Monday night's sportscast for a generation that knows Dawson more for his work as a sports anchor than as a football player Tm tire Dawson said They get me mixed up with Larry Moore You haveto 'remember I retired in 1975 Only the old people remember me as a playet "But this isn't retirement I know drat IU be back here tomorrow Tsieach Randy Covtta sports reporter for The Star call 816-234-4796 or send -iTMMt0icavltzkcstarcom Channel he left for a network job i analyst with NK3 in 1977 serving as an hookup from anywhere in the world seen a lot of change changes to the Although he had no formal broadcasting training Dawson also was host of a 30-minute program leading into for NFL games through 1984 He also joined HBOk Tnside the NFL" in its second year in 1978 and spent the next 24 years as a fixture on that popular weekly program had more experience in broadcasting for an active player who retired and went to the network level Dawson said "That helped me getting people ton our staff or people who come in tn via Godsey arid there are no current plans to add another sports anchor to the Channel sports department that includes Karen Komaod and Nick Griffitlyor designate cithet one as a 1 "Monday Night telecasts and he did fourtl four three-minute shows a day for then-KMBC radio The only experience I had was be- T- i -r-r -i vr-- -rfeiTm iiy i -H i v-.