Kansas City Royals Enjoying the Improved Mike Moustakas

If, at the beginning of the year, one was to ask you for the location of Mike Moustakas‘ first fourteen hits according to field, chances are that you would have imagined most went to right. Of course, there may have been a hit or two to center, but as a dead pull hitter for most of his career, right field would have been the safe bet. After all, nothing in his career would have indicated otherwise.

Yet, that has not been the case for the Kansas City Royals third baseman. Inserted into the second spot, in part, to force him to use the entire field, Moustakas has delivered thus far. In addition to hitting his first opposite field home run of his major league career earlier this season, Moustakas has delivered all but two of those hits center or left. Yes, this is really Mike Moustakas driving the ball to the opposite field.

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It has gotten to the point where, two weeks into the season, teams are going away from the shift on Mike Moustakas. Last night, the Oakland A’s abandoned the shift, allowing Moustakas to send a ground ball base hit to right, exactly where the shifted second baseman would have been. Already, that opposite field approach is paying dividends.

While we are only two weeks into the season, we are seeing a completely different Moustakas for the Kansas City Royals. Perhaps this is due to that controversial move to put Moustakas in the second spot in the lineup, or extra work that he put in during the offseason, but we may be starting to see the player that the Royals had envisioned. Not only is Moustakas hitting for power, but he is, and more importantly, hitting.

With the Royals emphasis on improving their offense this offseason, and the acquisitions of Alex Rios and Kendrys Morales to improve the overall team power, this incarnation of Mike Moustakas may be the biggest improvement. The Royals lineup now have a true power threat throughout the lineup, with Morales and Perez both flexing their home run muscles as well.

The Kansas City Royals needed to add a power dimension to their lineup. As it turns out, Mike Moustakas has managed to not only be that player, but has become a complete hitter through the first two weeks of the season. It is a joy to watch.

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