KC Royals News: Michael Lorenzen could be back, Drew Waters, Omaha

Unwilling to let the July trade deadline pass without trying to improve his starting rotation, and facing stiff competition for an MLB Playoffs spot, KC Royals general manager J.J. Picollo traded promising relief pitcher Walter Pennington to Texas for right-hander Michael Lorenzen the day before the deadline passed.

The deal paid immediate dividends to the Royals — Lorenzen, 5-6 with a 3.81 ERA for the Rangers, was 2-0 with a 1.99 ERA for the Royals before taking the mound Aug. 27 for his fifth Kansas City start. But that's when his moving of the rotation needle came to an abrupt halt.

Pitching with an early 2-0 lead in the second inning at Cleveland, Lorenzen went down with a hamstring injury that put him on the Injured List the next day. He's been there ever since, but his return could be imminent. Lorenzen, fresh off a couple of minor league injury rehab assignments across which he gave up four runs, walked three, and struck out six in six innings, pitched in a weekend simulated game at Kauffman Stadium. MLB.com Royals beat writer Anne Rogers reported he "felt good"; she suggested he could be back to pitch against Washington this week.

Drew Waters snares nice International League award

Expectations were high for outfielder Drew Waters when the Royals acquired him from Atlanta two summers ago. But after several trips from Triple-A Omaha to Kansas City since then, Waters hasn't met those expectations — in 137 big league games, he's hit only .229 with 13 homers and 51 RBI, including .188 with one run driven in in seven games this season.

Those numbers probably help explain why the Royals, who've suffered all season from weak outfield bats, haven't called him up to join their chase for the MLB Playoffs.

Waters, though, is doing quite nicely at Omaha — so nicely, in fact, that the International League just named him its Player of the Week.

And justifiably so. From Sept. 17-Sept. 23, Waters hit .565 (13-for-23), slugged 1.067, had five RBI, and hit two home runs, four doubles, and a triple. He's slashing .290/.379/.494 with 13 homers and 61 RBI. He's also stolen 20 bases.

And speaking of Omaha...

Waters and the Storm Chasers just finished the winningest season in Triple-A franchise history; a road victory over Louisville last week gave them their record-breaking 87th win, and they concluded the regular season Sunday with an International League-best 89-59 record.

But the Chasers have more work to do before they scatter for baseball's winter.

They have a championship to play for. Omaha opens the best-of-three International League Championship Series against Columbus tonight. With the Storm Chasers hosting, Games 1 and 2, and a third if necessary, are scheduled for 6:35 p.m. CDT tonight, Wednesday night, and Thursday evening.

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