Kansas City Royals: Who’s Hot, Who’s Not for Week One

Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

To paraphrase Mugatu from the Zoolander movie, those Kansas City Royals are so hot right now. They Royals have certainly started the season in as good a manner as one could hope, going 6-0 and joining the Detroit Tigers as the final teams in the ranks of the undefeated. The good times of 2014, when the Royals proved to be the class of the American League, certainly do not appear to be ending any time soon.

In fact, the only way that the Royals could be any hotter right now would be if they literally spontaneously combusted. With a three game series against the Minnesota Twins before welcoming Billy Butler and the Oakland A’s to Kauffman Stadium, the winning streak may continue for a bit longer.

This incarnation of the Kansas City Royals has seemingly done everything well. The defense has been just as strong as expected. The pitching staff and bullpen have been exactly as advertised. The offense has actually had power(?!) which had been in very short supply over the past two seasons.

As hot as the Kansas City Royals have been to start the season, there have to be players who have stood out. Likewise, there are players who have struggled through the first week, despite the Royals torrid start to the season. With that being the case, we will look at the three hottest and three coldest players over the past week, beginning with the hot list.

There are quite a few candidates for the hot list this week, so this committee of one had quite the task on his hands. If there is someone else you would have chosen, let us know in the comments!

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Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

2. Lorenzo Cain

Lorenzo Cain truly broke through last season, posting a .301/.339/.412 batting line, stealing 28 bases and tracking down virtually anything within a five zip code radius. The fact that Cain was not eligible for a Gold Glove award, just because of his splitting his time between center and right.

Through the first week, Cain picked up where he left off. He continued his stellar defensive play, tracking down virtually anything hit near center field. That breakthrough at the plate has also carried over, as Cain has posted a .417/.517/.625 batting line, swatting two doubles and a home run.

Perhaps even more impressively, Lorenzo Cain has displayed a much better batting eye. While the Kansas City Royals as a whole have displayed an uncharacteristic proclivity towards the base on balls thus far this year, Cain has been markedly better in that department. After drawing only 28 walks last season, he already has three in 2015.

It is just that one week, but Cain appears to be taking that next step in his development. If this is a sign of things to come, the Kansas City Royals may have found their next extension target.

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Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

1. Salvador Perez

The second half of last season was a struggle for Salvador Perez. Dealing with a myriad of minor injuries, a slight concussion and the fatigue of playing 146 games behind the plate, it is certainly no wonder that his offensive production dropped off during the season half of the year.

It is amazing what a difference an offseason of rest can make. Since Opening Day, Perez has been on a truly torrid pace, producing a .417/.440/.833 batting line. Perez has also been a major part of the Kansas City Royals sudden power surge this season, hitting three home runs in his first six games.

The Royals needed someone to step up, not only in the lineup, but in terms of leadership this season. Salvador Perez has certainly done both. He helped diffuse the situation between Yordano Ventura and Mike Trout yesterday, and responded to the fracas by parking another home run. Defensively, Perez has been stellar, gunning out all three players that tried to steal in this past week.

All Perez really needed was a bit of rest. Hopefully, he will be able to get enough this season and lead the Kansas City Royals back to the playoffs.

And now, to the cold list.

Next: To be fair, he is injured

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3. Omar Infante

To be fair to Omar Infante, he is dealing with a bone spur in his elbow that will require offseason surgery. In the interim, he is attempting to play through the discomfort, making his way out on to the field in each of the first six games this season. Infante also has a four game hitting streak currently, so there are signs that he is breaking out of his malaise.

However, that four game hitting streak is not exactly the stuff of legends. In fact, Infante has exactly one hit in each of the last four games, getting his first extra base hit of the season yesterday. For the year, Infante has a .174/.174/.217 batting line with only that one double. Is this a bad week, or a sign of something more?

Defensively, it is apparent that Omar Infante’s elbow is bothering him. While he may not have had the strongest arm at second, Infante’s throws just do not look close to the same as last year. Hopefully, through rest and the occasional cortisone shot, he will be able to play through this injury, but it may be time to see more of Christian Colon at second.

Infante’s tenure with the Kansas City Royals has been riddled by an assortment of ailments, with the bone spur being the latest. Hopefully, he’ll be able to play through the pain.

Next: Speaking of injured players

Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

2. Alex Gordon

Through seven games last season, Alex Gordon got off to a slow start, producing a .231/.276/.308 batting line with two doubles. Compared to this season, that effort looks almost Ruthian, as Gordon currently has a .077/.333/.077 batting line, striking out five times in 18 plate appearances. On the positive side, Gordon has been getting on base, walking twice and being hit by a pitch three times.

Of course, this slow start may well be due to the offseason surgery that Gordon had on his wrist. In an effort to get him rest for that wrist, he has already missed two games, supplanted by the triples machine known as Paulo Orlando. Is this a matter of the wrist continuing to bother Gordon, or just a slow start to the season?

For as well as Orlando has played, the Kansas City Royals certainly have to hope that it is the latter. Not only is Gordon a prime cog in their lineup, but his defense in left is truly unmatched. If that wrist is continuing to act up and cause Gordon to miss any length of time, the Royals could be in trouble.

Hopefully, Alex Gordon will work his way out of his slump and the wrist will continue to improve as time goes by. Otherwise, the Royals may suddenly find themselves with an unexpected problem in the lineup.

Next: At least he didn't walk anyone

Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

1. Danny Duffy

In a season filled with breakout campaigns for the Kansas City Royals, Danny Duffy’s 2014 season may have been the most impressive. Finally healthy after Tommy John surgery, Duffy posted a 2.53 ERA and a 1.112 WHiP between the rotation and the bullpen, belying his 9-12 record.

Naturally, it was expected that Duffy would take that next step, and along with Yordano Ventura, help front the Royals rotation this season. While Ventura has lived up to his part of the bargain, at least through the first week, Duffy has not. In his only start of the week, Duffy allowed five runs on eight hits over five innings. On the plus side, Duffy did strike out five batters as well.

Of course, it is only Danny Duffy’s first start of the season. Anyone can have a bad outing or two, and the Royals did win the game. However, Duffy is expected to help lead the Royals and to make up for some of the innings lost with the departure of James Shields. Five inning outings just will not do that.

Slated for two starts this week, Duffy will have a chance to prove that last week was just a bad start. Hopefully, he can prove that there is nothing to worry about.

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