Apr 6, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Kansas City Royals right fielder Jeff Francoeur (21) doubles during the fifth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Jeff Francoeur isn’t burning through American League pitchers at the moment, but he’s certainly doing enough to turn his critics snide remarks into more of questions of disbelief.

For instance, opening day, Frenchy went 2-for-4, which caught a few Royals fans by surprise considering his rather dull spring training numbers.

But, the most surprising thing with Francoeur’s numbers, for the moment, is the way he’s getting them. As of late, Frenchy has actually shown decent restraint on pitches out of his hitting zone. Granted, he’s always going to be the lumber-jack style, free swinging hitter at the plate, but for now, he’s showing a decent approach.

It’s not even that Francoeur is being any more or less selective I should say on unhittable pitches, but once Frenchy decides to swing and actually makes contact, the ball is jumping off his bat. Frenchy’s swing is a combination of relaxation, smooth and destructive explosiveness all in one.

Take his at-bats in the series against Minnesota. That double he ripped to left center to hit hard. I mean so hard the outfielder completely turned his back to the infield in order to make a dead sprint to the wall where the ball would be waiting for him. Anytime an outfielder’s numbers on the back of his jersey are clearly showing, you know the pitcher wants that pitch back. If you aren’t satisfied with that at-bat, take his home run on Wednesday night. Not only did Frenchy drop the bat-head to the ball in a hurry, but he did it with a purpose. Sure, you can gripe about the pitch being just above his shoe laces, or that it still doesn’t change that Francoeur is hitting .286 with only one walk and six strikeouts. However, you can’t complain about lack of production at this point in the season.

By no means is this enough to change the overall perception that Frenchy just isn’t meant to be an everyday player, especially for the Royals, but at least he’s producing in the moment. The Royals are 6-3 with Francoeur playing a role throughout many of those wins. My advice, enjoy it while it lasts.

A year ago, the excitement and buzz was definitely there and the young future stars were slotted into the game.

Everything was perfect, until the first-inning finally got underway. Then, everything went to hell.

Luke Hochevar served up seven earned runs on eight hits in the top of the first inning and all hope or excitement for success was sucked out of the stadium. The Royals dropped the home-opener 8-3 and went on to lose all 10 games of the first homestand as part of a 12 game skid.

No such feeling would be experienced this year.

April 08, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain (6) celebrates with his teammates after scoring to tie the game against the Minnesota Twins during the eighth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

Ervin Santana battled through an one-run, four-hit inning, but bounced back to secure his first win in a Royals jersey with eight very strong innings and seven strikeouts.

Offensively, the Royals were able to compile a few hits through out the game, but the magic really started in the eighth inning when Lorenzo Cain doubled to lead off the inning. Chris Getz was able move Cain to third with a sacrafice, setting up Alex Gordon. Gordon, who was presented with his Gold Glove prior to the game, flashed the bat in this instance by singling in Cain, to tie the game at 1-1. The momentum fully swung in favor of the Royals as Alcides Escobar pounded another double to right-field, scoring Gordon. The final nail in the coffin came when Silver Slugger Billy Butler, the hero from Sunday’s matinee with his first career grand slam, deposited a single to right-field and plating Escobar.

With both Greg Holland and Kelvin Herrera not available out of the bullpen, Aaron Crow was called to the mound in the top of the ninth and picked up a strikeout and game-ending double to secure the Royals first home-opener win since 2008.

April 08, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals left fielder Alex Gordon (4) singles in the tying run against the Minnesota Twins during the eighth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

The major differences in this year’s home opener and years past was avoiding the melt down innings. Santana showed his resilience by surrending a run in the first, while going on to display the strong starting pitching the Royals have desperately needed. Even the hitters and base runners avoided the glaring mistakes which have plagued the franchise in recent years.

While everyone knows that pennants and divisions aren’t won solely in April, this is a win that many Royals’ fans are more than happy to celebrate.

In a very competitive battle for the final bullpen role, right-hander J.C. Gutierrez was tabbed as the final piece to manager Ned Yost‘s pantry of relievers.

Feb 21, 2013; Surprise, AZ, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher J.C. Gutierrez (27) poses for a picture during photo day at the Royals Spring Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Gutierrez captured the spot over two other remaining candidates in big-league camp: righties Louis Coleman and Dan Wheeler.

Prior to the move, Yost and the Royals sent the organization’s No. 11 prospect, Donnie Joseph, back to the minors after having an electrifying spring tour, striking out 14 batters over ten innings of work and holding opposing hitters to a .083 batting average.

While some were hoping Joseph would grab the final spot, it’s apparent Yost and the Royals were looking for a right-handed pitcher to round out the bullpen.

Over the course of spring training, Gutierrez compiled 12 innings of work with 10 strikeouts, but also posted a 4.50 ERA and a .308 opponent batting average.

As for the other candidates who saw their spring training tour come to an end with the big-league team, Coleman posted 12.1 innings and eight strikeouts with a 1.46 ERA, while Wheeler tossed 11 innings of work, 14 strikeouts and a 0.82 ERA.

The numbers drastically differ between the three right-handed pitchers, but, obviously from a small pool of work and opportunities, Yost must have seen something in Gutierrez that will translate into regular season.

With the final trimming done to the pitching the staff the bullpen will look something like this:

RHP Luke Hochevar

RHP J.C. Gutierrez

RHP Aaron Crow

RHP Kelvin Herrera

RHP Greg Holland

LHP Tim Collins

LHP Bruce Chen

It should also be noted that once lefty Danny Duffy returns from the disabled list, a spot should either open up for him in the bullpen or rotation with either Chen or righty Luis Mendoza being shuffled out of the picture.

On top of the pitching cuts, minor league catcher Max Ramirez was sent down to the minor league camp, leaving the back-up catcher position up to either Brett Hayes or George Kottaras.

Ramirez hit .318 with 2 home runs and 14 RBIs in big-league camp.

Finally, the back-up infielders have also been selected with Irving Falu being sent down to triple-A Omaha. Falu concluded his spring training by hitting .217 in 23 at-bats. Falu also spent some time away from camp as he played for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.

Utility player Elliot Johnson, who was final player in the big offseason acquisition for James Shields and Wade Davis, and veteran infielder Miguel Tejada rounded out the infielders selected for the Opening Day roster.

Johnson batted .286 with eight RBIs, while Tejada hit .367 in 30 at-bats.

One of the more interesting decisions was to option outfielder David Lough to triple-A Omaha.

Also, the Royals decided to release former big-league veterans Xavier Nady and George Sherrill.

Lough wrapped up his big league camp by hitting .455 with 20 hits in 44 at-bats. The 27-year-old outfielder notched six doubles, one triple and five RBIs. Lough was battling for the fourth outfield spot with speedster Jarrod Dyson. With the move, Dyson will retain the reserve outfielder spot, primarily due to his speed and knack for creating havoc on the base paths.

Feb 21, 2013; Surprise, AZ, USA; Kansas City Royals right fielder David Lough (7) poses for a picture during photo day at the Royals Spring Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

According to the Royals website manager Ned Yost had nothing but praise for Lough, sighting Lough’s offensive adjustments and improvements. Yost’s reasoning behind the demotion was to ensure that Lough plays every day at triple-A, but also said that the minor leaguer was very close to being ready for big-league service.

Nady was signed to a minor league deal this offseason in hopes to create depth in the outfield. A nagging hamstring sidelined the 34-year-old vet this spring, but managed to appear in 13 games and bat .346 with six RBIs.

Sherrill, 35, was on a minor league contract and recovering from Tommy John Surgery. His most recent big-league stint was in Seattle, making two relief appearances before being shelved for surgery. He did not make any appearances with the Royals this spring.

The moves leave 33 players on the roster, but that does not include pitcher Felipe Paulino and Danny Duffy. Both are still recovering from Tommy John Surgery.

Update: The Royals re-signed both Nady and Sherrill to new minor league deals on Wednesday morning. Both of their original contracts had been subject to a roster retention payment of $100,000 if they were still under contract after 11 a.m. Tuesday under Article XXB of the CBA. Baseball America has more details here. The moves end up being creative accounting exercises. And yes, pretty much every team does the same thing, before the “Glass is cheap” thoughts jump up.

Most of the positions are clear cut and dry, with little need for competition.

However, when it comes to seeing who gets penciled in to right field, we’ve reached quite a peculiar situation.

Throughout spring training, you’ve cycled a few people through the spot, with mixed results, but two players seem to be the final option.

So, it’s now decision time: Player A, or Player B?

Player A is 29 years old, batting .234 through 47 spring at-bats, with one home run, 12 strikeouts and a .280 on-base percentage.

Player B is 27 years old, carrying a .543 AVG through 35 at-bats, six doubles, a .556 OBP and .771 slugging-percentage.

Defensively, neither is spectacular, however Player A has a very impressive arm from right field, while Player B has a .980  lifetime-fielding percentage.

September 27, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Kansas City Royals right fielder David Lough (7) scores a run during the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

But, as you can see, each player is having a completely different type of spring training. Which brings me to the question, why isn’t Yost putting more faith in Lough?If you haven’t figured out who each player is yet, Player A is the profile of struggling big-league veteran Jeff Francoeur, while Player B is  David Lough, the Royals’ 20th ranked prospect.

In 2012, Lough saw his first promotion to the big leagues, finding playing time in 20 games and turning in a less-than-impressive .237 AVG, while being a career .294 hitter through his multiple stops in the minor league circuit. Lough has posted four minor league seasons with a batting average over .300.

Frenchy is obviously struggling at the plate. Following last year’s eye-gouging .235 performance at the plate, Francoeur is not showing many signs of improvement, specifically plate discipline or increased contact.

With Lough beginning to drift more from prospect status, to career-minor leaguer, why shouldn’t Lough get the nod over Frenchy when Opening Day arrives? Lough obviously isn’t an offensive liability, considering the performances the Royals are used to seeing from Francoeur. Some argue that Frenchy’s powerful arm is right field is good enough to sway favoritism, but while he may cut down a runner at the plate every now and then, his range is not the most impressive attribute of Dayton Moore’s “golden-boy.”

The notion is out there that Moore is looking to find a platoon-partner for Frenchy, preferably a left-handed hitter, which Lough provides. Unfortunately for Lough, his fate will come down to whether the Royals feel if Jarrod Dyson is up to the challenge as the fourth outfielder.

I wouldn’t hold your breath that Lough makes the Opening Day roster, but it would definitely be refreshing to see someone besides Francoeur whiffing at every off-speed pitch at his shoelaces.

September 24, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Luke Hochevar (44) walks off the field after being relieved during the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

For some, the surprise is not the fact that Hochevar was no longer a candidate for the starting rotation, but that he would instead be taking a role in the bullpen for the Royals.During spring training, Hochevar was carrying around a 1-0 record with a 6.75 ERA. The rest of his statline is certainly anything but spectacular: six earned runs against, including surrending two home runs and giving up six walks to round out the former Opening Day starter’s spring numbers.His time in Kansas City has not been filled with the stellar seasons which fans have to come to expect from salary-eater. Hochevar’s career numbers show a 38-59 record and an ERA north of five (5.39).

Royals’ manager Ned Yost said he hasn’t determined what role Hochevar will fill, whether it is early inning-mop up duty or a late-inning hold role.

While in the starting rotation, Hochevar had tendencies to work himself into jams, via ineffective control or mistakes up in the hitter’s zone. Specifically, the former Tennessee star had a habit of serving up painful home runs to some of the American League’s top bombers. To his name, Hochevar has surrendered 95 home runs while in big league service.

If Hochevar is to make the Opening Day roster, he will be due $4.56 million, according to Baseball-Reference.com.

The Royals were sending a few players to the spring fling and the guys, who I felt needed the most work in camp, stayed in Surprise under the watchful eye of the Royals’ coaching staff.

However, then Yankees’ first baseman Mark Teixeira went down with an injured wrist. The news that followed made me cringe slightly.

Mar 6, 2013; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Team USA infielder Eric Hosmer (35) reacts to contact during the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

With Team USA picking up the Royals’ young first baseman Eric Hosmer, I immediately felt this was going to spell trouble for Hosmer and the Royals down the road. But, considering Kansas City sent a total of nine players, two of which are minor leaguers, I was skeptic whether or not the Classic would benefit a few of the younger participating players.

My biggest concern is obviously Hosmer. The first baseman is coming off a ridiculously poor season and needed all the time he could get in camp, working with new hitting coach Jack Maloof. When Hosmer left camp to join up with Team USA, he was hitting .391, with a .462 on-base percentage and .696 slugging percentage. These were the solid numbers Hosmer needed to back up his offseason changes, however, since the start of the Classic, Hosmer’s numbers have quickly dropped off (.231/.231/.308) through only 13 at-bats. Hosmer did come through in Sunday’s game against Canada with a bases-loaded double, but other than that shining moment, it’s been a dismal showing for him. Offensively, Hosmer wasn’t the only one who had a slow Classic offensively.

Catcher Salvador Perez, one of the bright spots for the Royals’ lineup last season, split time behind the plate for Venezuela with Miguel Montero. In Perez’s limited plate appearances, Perez hit .200/.200/.400, but keep in mind, this sample is the product of only five at-bats. However, Salvador and Venezuela made an early exit from the tournament, allowing the young back-stop to return back to the Royals’ and the pitching staff. His time with the staff will dictate how fast the team gets out of the gate. Hopefully, a good working relationship with Perez and the new arrivals, James Shields and Wade Davis, along with the rest of the crew from last year will translate to a fast start and strong bond as the season progresses.

The most impressive, and newest, Royals performance may go to the seasoned veteran of Miguel Tejada. The 15-year vet is currently hitting .500 for the Dominican Republic, with a .571 OBP and .667 SLG. Again, Tejada’s performance only comes from six at-bats, but prior to making his way to the tournament Tejada was still hitting .294 for the Royals in camp.

As for the rest of the Royals playing in the Classic, there has been little to be displeased with. A trio of Royals pitchers has already made appearances: Tim Collins (USA) picked up a third of an inning with a strikeout, Luis Mendoza (Mexico) hurled two innings with three strikeouts and Kelvin Herrera (Dominican Republic) pitched a third of an inning while surrendering two hits.

Irving Falu (Puerto Rico) is hitting .250 but leading his nation’s team in at-bats with 12.

The final two players sent to the tournament from the Royals farm systems, Atahualpa Severino is sporting a 13.50 ERA through two-thirds of an innings work for the Dominican Republic while outfielder Paulo Orlando carried a .167 AVG during Brazil’s short stint in the tournament.

The World Baseball Classic is a great competition, which will benefit Major League Baseball for many years to come. Unfortunately, for the Royals it may have been poor timing to send some of the team’s brightest stars to the Classic with so much riding on this season. When the season unfolds, fans will truly see whether or not the Classic helped or hindered the franchise’s chance at a playoff-birth.

General Manager Dayton Moore shipped away four blooming prospects, including Minor Leauge Baseball’s top prospect last season and the Royals’ top pitching prospect, for the pitching services of James Shields and Wade Davis.

August 05, 2011; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost (left) with general manager Dayton Moore (right) before a game against the Detroit Tigers at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

Moore traded away some major pieces to the farm, but for the most part, the farm system is still intact and developing. However, it will be Moore’s and his player evaluation staff to patch the holes left by the departure of Wil Myers, Jake Odorizzi, Mike Montgomery and Patrick Leonard (but mainly Myers and Odorizzi).

The Royals will hope to restock the pantry through the draft, starting with a very important pick at No. 8. Now, the Royals can go a few ways with this. There is an abundance of talent in this class, possibly not as deep as recent drafts, but certainly a variety of options.

When you look at the big league roster as a whole, you see lots of young talent. There will be very few needs from an age perspective seeing as the oldest every day player will be Jeff Francoeur at 29 years old. However, the key loss in the Shields-Davis trade was obviously Myers, a young, 22-year-old slugging outfielder with one of the highest ceilings on a prosect from a hitting perspective. This leads me to the first scenario for the Royals.

Sitting at No. 8 gives the Royals the advantage of gaining legit talent ahead of just about everyone else. Some names which continue to cover the boards in connections to the Royals:

        Austin Wilson-Jr.-Stanford-OF

       Wilson is a big strong kid, 6-5, 245 pounds, who some describe as raw but exploding with potential. In 2012, Wilson hit .285, with 10 home runs, all while driving in 54 RBI. This season will dictate whether he’s seen as that top 10 type prospect, or if his stock will plummet. It should be noted that through 11 games this season, Wilson only has three plate appearances with two strikeouts

       Dominic Smith-Sr. (HS)-California HS-1B/OF

       Smith is one of those guys who has still yet to lockdown his premier position. Some say the 6-1. 200-pound lefty, lacks the defensive skills to play outfield,  but has the bat to supply power from either position. He excels at making consistent hard contact and while his defensive skills may need to be refined, scouts say he has a very strong arm to field the position.

        Clint Frazier-Sr. (HS)-Loganville HS-OF

         Frazier may not be catching headlines like some of his classmates, but after watching only a few seconds of his HR Derby tape, you see why his name is legit mention in the first round. The 6-1 righty has lightning quick hands (think Bryce Harper fast) and can really extend his arms for some major pop. He’s young, talented and committed to Georgia, so this pick may come with a bit of a risk factor.

         Trey Ball-Sr. (HS)-New Castle HS-LHP/OF

         Ball definitely benefits from being a left-hander, gaining attention as an outfielder and standout pitcher. His arm speed was clocked at 93 MPH on the hill, but his 6-6 frame and athleticism indicates he could show some flash as an outfielder. His bat is described as smooth and strong, with power and strength to come as he matures. Ball could definitely be groomed to be a major league pitcher, as well.

         Phillip Ervin-Jr.-Samford-OF

         Ervin is my dark horse at No. 8 in the outfield group. The 5-10, 200-pound outfielder collected MVP honors over the summer in the Cape Cod League, hitting .323 with 10 home runs and 11 stolen bases. At Samford, Ervin is on an offensive tear, hitting .340 with six home runs and 12 RBI. Last season, he batted .327 with 10 home runs and 52 RBI.

The Royals can definitely afford to go after a big bat and outfield impact with the pick, but there will be plenty of pitchers for Moore to choose from, if he so chooses. Most of the arms the Royals should be interested in are already at the college level, but a few high school pitchers will certainly catch the eye of the Royals.

           Mark Appel-Sr.-Sanford-RHP

           Appel was selected last year by the Pirates, but chose not to sign and return to Sanford for one more season. The righty is projected to go ahead of the Royals, but still carries a risk to sign, which could turn off some teams ahead of KC. Appel is 2-1 this season for the Cardinals and has a sub-1.20 ERA to start the season. He’s by far the most advanced and big league-ready arm in the draft.

          Jonathan Crawford-Jr.-Florida-RHP

          Crawford has some critics who doubt he will have the ability to make it as a big league starter. Crawford currently only uses two pitches, a mid-90s fastball and sweeping slider, and pitches from a funky delivery which some say uses too much effort and will causes problems later down the road. However, the kid went 6-2, with a 3.13 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 72 innings of work.

          Jordan Sheffield-Sr. (HS)-Tullahoma HS-RHP

          The big knock against Sheffield is his size. At 6-3, 195-pounds, some say his frame is too small for a big time work horse in the pros, but his strong arm and use of secondary and third pitches could make him a steal. He has a standing commitment to Vanderbilt, but being taken in the top 10 would be a hard thing to pass up over a college career. Rumors swirled that Sheffield peaked  out in the upper-90s over summer.

          Robert Kaminsky-Sr. (HS)-St. Joseph Regional HS-LHP

          Kaminsky measures in at 6-foot, 190 pounds, but already has the measures of an advanced arm when it comes to his pitching ability. The lefty sits mid-to-low 90s on his fastball, with a healthy back up of off-speed pitches. Many agree he is legitimate first-round talent, but not sure where he exactly falls. The Royals may want to take a gamble on Kaminsky at No. 8 for his advanced potential.

As you can see, the player scouting and evaluation department for the Royals has a bit of a task on their hands. There’s plenty of talent out in the draft this year, some which may make a late push to the top of the boards as the season progresses.

The hardest part with evaluating baseball talent is the shear amount of talent in the United States. With so many rounds and picks, it can be a gargantuan task finding the talent to fill all the picks. As June approaches, the Royals will make it clear their intentions on who will fill the No. 8 spot on the big board.

Feb 21, 2013; Surprise, AZ, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher James Shields (33) poses for a picture during photo day at the Royals Spring Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

However, what if someone told you that the trade almost turned into a missed opportunity? According to Ken Rosenthalof Fox Sports, the Royals were almost too late with their decision.The Rays were in talks with multiple teams about James Shields. The Royals figured the Detroit Tigers were in on the discussions, but instead, it turned out that the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks were at the negotiating table with Tampa Bay. Moore and the Royals had a choice, and it wouldn’t be a cheap one from a talent perspective.

Working late into the night and early morning, Moore and his assistants crammed into a small conference room at their hotel. Moore went to a white board, listed and ranked the organizations top prospects and finally, laid out the price named by the Rays. Four quick swipes from the eraser in Moore’s hand, and the names of Wil Myers, Jake Odorizzi, Mike Montgomery and Patrick Leonard were all removed from the group. Moore looked to his assistants and explained that while the price was high, the return was valuable and essential. The deal was struck and the Royals had beaten the Diamondbacks and Rangers to the punch. The next day Arizona signed Brandon McCarthy to two years and the Rangers moved on in search of help elsewhere. The Royals had landed two extremely important pieces to their future, Shields and Wade Davis, a strong reliever with starting experience.

If that deal wouldn’t have happened, the Royals spring training would have a much different look, feel and buzz surrounding it. Instead of the buzz of Shields and Davis working alongside of Ervin Santana, and Jeremy Guthrie, we’d be seeing of Odorizzi was ready to make the jump into the rotation. There would also be the discussion of where Bruce Chen, Luke Hochevar and Luis Mendoza fit in the rotation. Out in right field, it’d be Wil Myers alongside of Jeff Francoeur shagging fly balls and preparing to make the full-time jump to the big leagues.

Who knows if the Royals would have shopped around for a suitor to take Myers in exchange for a top-of-the-rotation guy ready to turn the Royals’ woes around. Hell, maybe Moore could have found another team willing to take Myers, while leaving Odorizzi intact with the organization. But, with all that aside, Moore stepped up to the table, grabbed the dice and laid down the big money. With as many years that have passed in Kansas City where fans complain about the passiveness GMs have assumed in the area, Moore silenced those critics while feeding ammunition to his personal critics, for now. The man took a risk, but when the Royals are nipping at the heels of the Tigers, the gallery of critics will sound more like the front pew in church.

According to the Kansas City Royal’s website, speedster Jarrod Dyson, the owner of the “That’s what speed do,” tagline last year, is taking a new approach this season to capitalize on his top tool. Much like the famous character Wesley Snipes played in Major League,  “Willie Mays Hayes” had an issue with putting the ball in the air, effectively reducing his chance to reach base and cause havoc to opponents’ catchers.

July 14, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals center fielder Jarrod Dyson (1) connects for a single in the third inning of the game against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Normally a reserve outfield, Dyson saw an increase in action last season while Lorenzo Cain had a bought with injuries. In his time, Dyson swiped 30 bases in 35 attempts. However, he only carried a .260 batting average through 330 plate-appearances, tacking on 30 total walks, for a .328 on base-percentage.

Cue the swing and plate-approach tune up; Dyson now steps into the box with a refined approach to keep the ball out of the air. Well, not completely out of the air. Dyson is now focusing on attacking pitches he can rope into the gaps for extra bases, or adding pressure on infielders by beating out ground balls.

Dyson attributes the change in his swing to pulling his hands closer to the body, which helps to keep a hitter from casting, or creating a loop, with the bat head. In turn, this allows Dyson to have a more direct route to the ball, without needing to dip his shoulders and upper body to speed up his swing in order to be on time to a fastball, or off balance for off speed pitches.

You also may note a change in his approach landing when screaming into second base. Ordinarily, we see Dyson fly into second head first, often time, overshooting the base and barely clinging to safety by the tip of his spikes, or near misses of the baseball flying past his earflap after a tough hop. This change in part, was just precaution of safety, to keep Dyson on the base paths and not the disabled list.

If all of Dyson’s changes work, the reserve outfielder could be catalyst for chaos on the base paths at an alarming rate, which according to manager Ned Yost, is what fans pay good money to come to the ballpark and watch. Who knows, if Dyson is able to contribute more offensively with both the bat and his feet, the Royals may be inching closer towards a division title, because as we all came to find out, “That’s what speed do.”

June 14, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals center fielder Jarrod Dyson (1) slides safely into home as Milwaukee Brewers catcher Martin Maldonado (12) can

For first baseman Eric Hosmer, the latter was the culprit in his case. The physically gifted first baseman exploded on to the radar in 2011, slugging 19 home runs, while driving in 78 RBIs (.298 AVG/.465 SLG/.799 OPS). Unfortunately, he followed that season up with a 14 home run and 60 RBI-season (.232/.359/.663). In need of results and change this season, Hosmer invested in his future with what hopes to be substantial life-style changes this offseason.

Feb 21, 2013; Surprise, AZ, USA; Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer (35) poses for a picture during photo day at the Royals Spring Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

We’ve already heard about right fielder Jeff Francoeur revamping his offseason diet, training regime and work ethic, but now it’s Hosmer’s time to pull a changeup. According to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN, Hosmer built an offseason home in his home state of Florida, which included a home gym and new batting cage to hone his swing. Hosmer made it a point to video-tape his hitting sessions, while staying in close contact with the Royals’ new hitting coach Jack Maloof for his input. Specifically, Hosmer has been working on improving the way he handles curveballs and offspeed pitches in the batting cage this spring

On top of his financial investment, Hosmer adopted a new health plan, as well as a new strength and conditioning program, monitored closely by the Royals head strength and conditioning coordinator Ryan Stoneberg. The results included 10 pounds of muscle tacked on to Hosmer’s lanky frame.

Hosmer hopes to keep this weight on, but the constant conditioning and workload early on in spring training, plus the 162-game grind of the regular season could trim that weight off of Hosmer’s frame quickly.

Jul 5, 2012; Toronto, ON, Canada; Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer (35) bats against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre. The Royals beat the Blue Jays 9-6. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

When I look at the improvements Hosmer has made a commitment to making, I see a guy who doesn’t recognize last year as a fluke, but learning opportunity that natural ability will not carry the young first baseman to stardom. Instead, Hosmer is making the moves of a veteran with a decade of experience under his belt. Hopefully with the help of Hosmer’s physical training, plus the combination of the mental aspect, the Royals cornerstone player of the future (and by that I mean the “now”) will bounce back in his junior season as one of the premier offensive threats and defensive studs that he was selected to be.

Since general manager Dayton Moore took over, the number that everyone discussed was 2013: the year where all of the Royals fans’ woes would dissipate, and the baseball heavens would part and the gods themselves would reach down and pluck the Royals from disparity to the peak of baseball lore that is the World Series.

Well fans, everyone check your calendars, watches or smart phones: it’s time. The waves of prospects, which were promised to Kansas City fans by Moore and his team of talent evaluators, are beginning to arrive, if they haven’t already. Some fans are still bitter about the loss of the former No. 1 overall prospect Wil Myers. However, there is no need to hit the panic button, yet, since we still have some tremendous athletes in the system and some big time arms waiting in the shadows. However, those guys have little impact on the “now.”

No, the “now” rests solely on the shoulders of three young stars-in-the-waiting and a group of veterans desperate for postseason relevancy. Those young stars are without a doubt first baseman Eric Hosmer, third baseman Mike Moustakas and catcher Salvador Perez. If the Royals even hope to be in the hunt come October, the team can ill afford to field a lineup while missing anyone of these stars for any duration of time. If at any point we find two of the three stars out of the lineup for a prolonged stretch, that window of opportunity Moore has worked for, could close faster than Michael Jordan’s baseball dream.

September 05, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (13) connects for a double in the sixth inning of the game against the Texas Rangers at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Unfortunately, two of the three players, Moustakas and Perez, are no strangers to injuries over the past few seasons. Perez obviously put together a stellar second-half of the season in 2012 after bouncing back from a successful knee surgery (.301 BA/.471 SLG/.798 OPS). But not only did Perez inflict some serious damage, with what looks to be a freshly chopped log in those massive hands of his, the young catcher flashed some serious leather: Ivan Rodriguez-type leather. Perez threw out 42 percent of base-threats while picking off five runners, which happened to be a Royals record. The catch? He did this all in just 74 games. Take that for what it is, but that’s still ridiculous scary numbers. Perez is the real deal, as long as his body holds up under the stress of his 6-foot-3, 245-pound frame.

Moustakas, who battled minor lower-half injuries, was still able to play in 149 games, but his numbers reflected his youth (.242/.412/.708). The youthful third baseman did show some serious flashes of power, belting 20 home runs over the season, while tallying 79 RBIs. The fans got a healthy dosage of Moustakas’ highlight-reel style of defensive play. Moose has a cannon attached to his right shoulder, as well as, the instincts inside the baseline when charging down a tight roping bunt. Moustakas needs to desperately cut down his strikeouts (124) and really focus on putting the ball in play more frequently with consistent and hard contact.

Now, it’s time to address the elephant in the room. Every Royals fan is aware of one of the biggest offensive letdowns of the season. Hosmer (.232/.304/.663), who has been tabbed as a “can’t miss” prospect, had a proverbial swing and a miss type season in 2012. And by swing and a miss, I mean he swung and missed, a lot. The Florida native had a dismal season racking up 95 strikeouts at the plate and while also, only connecting on 14 home runs and 60 RBIs. At times, it was really hard to watch Hosmer struggle. With as sweet of a swing that the tall and wirery first baseman has, the numbers just weren’t there. When he has a chance to forget about the past season, and enjoy the moment of this season, I have a feeling the young stud will really ‘wow’ his critics from last year and his numbers are sure to surge come July.

Look, it’s been hard enough on Royals fans for the past few decades. Having as many young prospects and promising talent dangled in front our faces can be hard to process at times when it appears the team has fallen into a rut. But, I challenge all true fans in blue to be patient, but have great expectations of these three young men. The franchise has already confirmed its faith in the stars of the future, as should all. When all three shining stars play to their potential, this Royals’ lineup will be one wicked challenge for American League pitchers for years to come.

While some vets choose to find a place to get a quick workout in off the tee or take some extra groundballs on a vacant  infield before hitting the showers, many rush to the clubhouse to exchange their baseball spikes for a pair of golf spikes. I’m sure it’s not unordinary either for a manager to relieve himself early from a split-squad game only to make the short drive to the local course for his 3:30 p.m. tee-time.

Seeing as golf and baseball go hand-in-hand when it comes to spring training, and even during the regular season on off-days for pitchers with ailing backs (insert Josh Beckett joke here), it’s only appropriate to play-through a few holes of golf with a bag filled with clubs made up Royals’ pitchers vying for spot in the rotation or bullpen for 2013.

August 22, 2012; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher James Shields (33) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Driver: RHP James Shields

This selection is one of the obvious choices when one takes into mind the role of a driver. Usually the first club out of the bag, the long-bomber has two jobs: be juiced with power and take that golf ball for a long, long ride. Shields has filled both of those roles time and time again with his former team. The young ace has record six straight seasons of 200 innings or more and becoming known for registering the heat for all nine innings, while limiting his walks to 60 or below in five of those six seasons. He’s also no stranger to the power-arm role, delivering back-to-back seasons in 2011 and 2012 of 200-plus strikeouts (225 and 223 respectively). If Shields can continue to prove he’s a consistent 200-inning, 180-plus strikeout kind of guy, this trade alone could save Moore’s reputation in KC.

3-Wood: RHP Ervin Santana

Some years you can’t help but want to give this guy a giant fist bump, or some years it seems like he just needs a hug to ease the pain. When you leaf through his numbers over the last nine seasons, you see some numbers that jump off the page from a healthy stand point. Unfortunately, you also catch a glimpse of some misfortune when it comes to the injury bug. However, when healthy, Santana is going to provide the support for Shields the Royals need in-order for this No. 1-2 combination to elevate the franchise out of futility and well past mediocre. 2008 showed the flashes of power and command, compiling 219 innings on the mound with 214 strikeouts to only 47 walks. Just like any golfers 3-wood, you need the power to get down the fairway, but the control to stay out of the hazards. Santana’s issue has been command over the past few seasons with his walks being closer to the 80s, rather than the 50s.

3-Hybrid: RHP Wade Davis

The game of golf has changed and lately, you find many golfers carrying the flexibility of the hybrids as opposed to the stiff and rigid play of the irons. Well, as the second key piece to the Shields-Will Myers swap, Davis provides that flexibility in a big way. Even though all reports for now say Davis will be holding down a spot in the rotation, his versatility over the past few seasons shows why he was a big acquisition in exchange for Myers and Co. Last year with the Rays, Davis appeared in 54 games to punch out 87 hitters in a little over 70 innings of work out of the bullpen. During 2010-2011, Davis went a combined 23-20 as a starter, something which the Royals would welcome with open arms seeing as consistency has not been a staple of the starting rotation as of late. At the end of the day, Davis is going to play a big role in the rotation, and if need be for short-handed reasons or glaring need; Davis will fill a bullpen spot quite nicely.

4-Hybrid: LHP Danny Duffy

We know this much with the young Duffy:  he’s got some big league “stuff.” Yost and the Royals are unsure of where Duffy fits in at the moment. He’s still nursing himself back to health after Tommy John Surgery, but showed his excitement for his return to the mound, even if it was only for the chance to throw 15-20 rust-shaking fastballs. Rumors have swirled that Duffy’s return would actually call for him to patrol the bullpen, until a spot in the rotation opened up, if even one ever actually does. However, because of his youth and promise, the Royals are going to make it a point to keep him around and involved until he’s ready to fully assume hold of a coveted spot in the rotation.

5-Iron: RHP Felipe Paulino

While Duffy’s role is in limbo right, Paulino’s may be easier to figure out. The righty showed signs early on last season that he was going to have a quality contribution to the rotation. However, much like Duffy, injuries tanked his season. Through seven starts he posted a 1.67 ERA with a 3-1 record. Apparently, the Royals saw enough flash of ability to ink him to a $1.75 million contract for the 2013 season. This leads me to believe that the Royals see him as a candidate to break camp with the team, however, a crowded rotation could designate Paulino for bullpen duty. With the pedigree of a starter, Paulino will likely eat up innings in long relief. Few golfers would venture to pull their 5-Iron out when asked to pick their favorite club, which is why Paulino fits this duty just fine. He may not be a front-runner for the next poster-figure of the Royals, there will be plenty of opportunities for him to prove his worth.

6-Iron: RHP Nathan Adcock

Manager Ned Yost has shown his loyalty to Adcock over the last few seasons, regularly calling for Adcock as one of the first arms from the pen. The big righty has displayed versatility with being able to swing from the pen to the rotation for spot starts, but has also showed consistency in relief. The nasty factor isn’t necessarily in Adcock repertoire, but being able to fill multiple roles allows him the opportunity to stick with the big league club. Adcock logged just over 60 innings of big league service with the Royals in 2011, but struggled with control at times, which had a hand in his ERA inflating to 4.62. If he eliminates allowing the big fly in relief situations, he’ll prove to be a useful arm on the active roster.

Jun 3, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Kelvin Herrera (40) delivers a pitch in the seventh inning against the Oakland Athletics at Kauffman Stadium. Kansas City won the game 2-0. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

7-Iron: RHP Kelvin Herrera

Many golfers have little problem with hitting their big clubs for distance, but we’ve reached the pivotal part in golfers game where the short game rules. The 7-Iron is a club that gives you the freedom of hitting with power, but also the control to lock-in for a crucial stroke. Herrera, who is relatively new to the big league scene, showed brilliance at time in 2012, logging over 80 innings while putting his 100-mph arm on display to blow away opposing hitters. His combination of power and pure filth, his mid- to upper-80s slider, shows why the Royals have high hopes and faith in Herrera’s ability out of the pen. The young righty has the potential and the nastiness in his pitches to blossom into a coveted closer at some point in his career.

8-Iron: LHP Everett Teaford

Honestly, either RHP Louis Coleman or Teaford could play the role of the next two clubs, simply because their ability to work through some jams and tough job assignments. Teaford, however, gives some left-handed depth in the pen dominated by righties. Teaford has consistently posted 30+ strikeouts over the past two seasons with a combined 90 innings of work at the big league level. He doesn’t dazzle you with his pitching, but he’s gritty, which is just what you need sometimes when you’re sitting a few paces off the fairway or a short stroll from the tee box to the pin. Teaford’s job could be at risk however with an abundance of starting pitchers vying for a few precious starts, and the likeliness of a couple being demoted to relief duty if they can’t scratch out a rotational spot.

9-Iron: Coleman

Afore mentioned, this really is a push between Teaford and Coleman. Coleman has been a familiar face over the past few seasons and a very recognizable delivery from the mound. His funky pitching style keeps hitters off-balance at times, but at times he failed to fool the big bats, surrendering 10 HRs in 2012 in just 50 innings of work. The plus side in his innings of work this past season was 65 strikeouts. He’s got the arm and ability to work out of jams, but too often he struggled with his control, allowing for the offensive explosions at time. Again, Coleman could be an odd-man out if the Royals choose to load their bullpen with some of the big arms which fail to make the rotation.

Pitching-Wedge: RHP Aaron Crow

The former All-Star and Mizzou star, Crow has transformed from a promising rotation prospect, to a quality set-up man for the ninth frame. Crow struggles with consistency, flashing signs of shear dominance, to spurts of struggle and futility. The young arm has posted back-to-back seasons of 65 strikeouts, but in 2012 Crow entered into eight save opportunities, but blew six of eight chances. He won’t have to struggle or worry about not breaking camp with the Royals, and will enter the season as the undisputed set-up man to the closer.

Sand-Wedge: LHP Tim Collins

When it comes to a specialty club, there isn’t another club in the whole bag that golfers despise having to resort to. However, for the Royals, Collins provides a safety blanket in tough situations. When games are tight and the pesky lefties head to the plate, it’s almost a sure thing that you’ll see the bullpen gate fly open with the 5-foot-7-inch lefty not far behind. Just this last season alone, Collins was just shy of 70 innings of work, but racked up 93 strike outs. In 2011, Collins posted 67 innings with 60 strikeouts, bringing his two-season tally to 153 punch outs through only 136.2 innings of duty. Golfers all around the world would give just about anything to have that type of proficiency when chipping out of the sand.

August 11, 2012; Baltimore, MD, USA; Kansas City Royals pitcher Tim Collins (55) pitches in the ninth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The Royals defeated the Orioles 7 – 3. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

Putter: RHP Greg Holland

For many years, Royals fans became accustomed to welcoming former closer Joakim Soria (now with the Texas Rangers) into the game for the critical save opportunities. With Soria no longer with the Royals, Holland has stepped up to the fill the role vacated. For much of last year KC relied on Jonathan Broxton (now with the Cincinnati Reds), but after being dealt midway through the season, the job was handed to Holland. In 20 chances, Holland iced 16 saves, while piling up 91 strikeouts through 67 innings of service. Barring injury, Holland will have little competition this spring for the closer role considering his success in the past season. If he can sustain his efficiency through last season, Holland will play a hand in what the Royals hope, is quite a few more wins than the Royals are accustomed to in recent times.

While none of this is exact science, you can see how a pitcher’s strength or skill set would transfer to the game of golf. Just recently, Jeff Francoeur took the time to organize a team scramble tournament, selecting Herrera, Paulino and Coleman to his team. While spring training is a time for players to readjust their minds and bodies to the everyday grind of baseball, it’s also a time for a little relaxation and team bonding.