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A division cannot be won for a team in April, but it can certainly be lost. Such is the case for the 2014 Pittsburgh Pirates, who fell to 9-14 and 7.5 games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers. 

After letting starting pitcher A.J. Burnett find another home in free agency prior to the 2014 season, the Pirates knew they would have to find another arm to round out their rotation. 

Gerrit Cole is the only starting pitcher in Pittsburgh’s rotation who has a winning record, currently sitting at 2-1 on the season. 

While Edinson Volquez has exceeded expectations so far in 2014 pitching to an earned-run average of 1.93 in four starts, the rest of the rotation has struggled. 

Francisco Liriano, who was the ace in the rotation last season, has gone 0-3 with a 4.22 ERA in his first five starts in 2014. Charlie Morton has been even worse going 0-3 with a 4.35 ERA in five starts. 

In all, the Pirates starting rotation has amassed only three victories on the season. However, that is also due in large part to the almost nonexistent offense. 

The Pirates are batting .229 as a team this season, as batters throughout the order simply aren’t getting the job done. Pittsburgh has been limited to just four runs scored in its last three games losing all three and six out of its last seven overall. 

This would not be such a big story if the Pirates were losing against teams outside of their division.  Instead, they are falling further and further behind as every single game they have played so far has come against a member of the National League Central division. 

The Pirates will travel to St. Louis to play the Cardinals, who most people expect to win the division again in 2014. The Cardinals currently sit in second place with a record of 12-11. 

Pittsburgh has to find a way to shut down the dangerous Cardinals this weekend to avoid falling completely out of the race early on. 

Andrew McCutchen has come out of his slump picking up eight hits in his last four games and raising his average to .299 on the season. Still, the Pirates need production from a lot more players than just McCutchen himself. 

Two of the best young pitchers in the game will square off Friday night as Gerrit Cole will face St. Louis’s Shelby Miller in the first game of the weekend series. 

Cole can really make a statement tonight if he goes out and pitches well, as he could set the tone for the rest of the starters in the series. 

Liriano will be given a chance to get on the right track Saturday afternoon against Tyler Lyons before Volquez and the Pirates have to deal with Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright in the final game. 

The pitching has not been awful, but with the lack of production on offense, the pitching will have to be nearly flawless to win games. 

If the Pirates don’t start hitting soon (as in tonight) and the Cardinals come away with a series win, the Pirates will find themselves in an even deeper hole. They cannot afford to let that happen, and a turnaround will have to start tonight in St. Louis. 

*Statistics Courtesy of Baseball-Reference

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After a stellar 2013 season in which they went 94-68 and won the National League Wild Card Game, the Pittsburgh Pirates appear to be on track for another great season in 2014. 

Backed by the big bats of Andrew McCutchen, Pedro Alvarez and Russell Martin, the Pirates have a dangerous lineup that can power their way to the top of the standings throughout the season. 

Pittsburgh came back from a 4-0 deficit to defeat the Chicago Cubs Thursday, improving their overall record to 6-3 on the young season. 

The most amazing thing about their hot start is that the Pirates own a team batting average of just .234 through the first nine games.  However, it has been timely hitting that has saved Pittsburgh early on in the season, as we saw on Thursday.   

On Opening Day, the Pirates and Cubs were scoreless until the bottom of the 10th inning, when second baseman Neil Walker blasted a walk-off solo home run to give Pittsburgh its first victory of the season. 

With that, the pitching has been stellar so far with a team earned run average of only 3.17. 

Despite the injury to starting pitcher Jeff Locke and the questionable effectiveness of players coming off injury-plagued 2013 seasons in Wandy Rodriguez and Edinson Volquez, the Pirates’ pitching staff is keeping their team in games. 

Among the stars in the rotation is Gerrit Cole, who opened eyes with his impressive 2013 rookie season in which he went 10-7 with a 3.22 ERA.  Cole improved to 2-0 on the season after he struck out 10 batters and allowed three earned runs in 6.0 innings Thursday. 

Pirates’ ace Francisco Liriano looks like he is out to prove that his 16-win 2013 season was no fluke.  In 12.0 innings pitched in 2014, Liriano has pitched to a 3.00 ERA while striking out 14 batters. 

In Volquez‘s first start, he held the St. Louis Cardinals to only one run over 5.1 innings, and manager Clint Hurdle was extremely pleased with his performance. 

According to Tom Singer of MLB.com, Hurdle was asked about Volquez‘s performance after the game, saying: “He had an outstanding start. Will he have that start every time? Probably not. But just to get to that point, where he knows he can do it again … just more positive reinforcement on what he has already bought into.”

For now, the back end of Pittsburgh’s rotation is holding up, and that is extremely important for the success of the Pirates going forward. 

Pittsburgh’s quick 6-3 start is the franchise’s best through its first nine games since the 2003 season in which they also went 6-3 but finished the season with an overall record of 75-87.  However, that does not mean much with the amount of talent they have this season, as it is hard to see them slowing down. 

*Statistics Courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates were dealt a blow Monday when Tom Singer of MLB.com reported that pitching prospect Jameson Taillon opted to have Tommy John surgery on his injured throwing arm.

A 22-year-old righty, Taillon was ranked as the second-best prospect in the Pirates’ organization overall according to Baseball America. 

The Pirates have three reliable starters right now in Francisco Liriano, Gerrit Cole and Charlie Morton, but it was likely that Taillon would earn the chance to start a few games toward the middle or end of the season in that No. 4 or 5 spot. 

Tom Singer caught up with general manager Neal Huntington, and his reaction was as follows: “We’re looking at this as a long-term recovery process, for Jameson to be successful and to have the great Major League career we expect him to have.”

For now, however, the organization will have to weigh its options going forward in 2014. 

Once starting pitcher Jeff Locke returns from injury, the Pirates will have an established fourth starting pitcher their rotation. 

Currently, the No. 4 starter is Wandy Rodriguez, who looks to be healthy right now following an injury-plagued 2013 season in which he pitched in only 12 games for Pittsburgh. Still, it is uncertain whether Rodriguez will remain healthy or be nearly as effective as he was earlier in his career.

Their fifth pitcher is Edinson Volquez, who was also injured for a majority of the 2013 season, pitching in only six games for the Los Angeles Dodgers.  So, the Pirates are expected to call on a few prospects to make spot starts this season.   

Now that the option of eventually calling up Taillon this season is off the table, expect the Pirates to almost certainly give reliever Stolmy Pimentel a shot at some point this season as a starter. 

The 24-year-old from the Dominican Republic was lights-out in his one appearance so far this season, striking out four batters in 4.0 scoreless innings.  Pimentel is built to be a starting pitcher in the major leagues, and it is only a matter of time before he is given the opportunity to start for the Pirates in 2014. 

Another viable option for the Pirates this season is reliever Jeanmar Gomez, who came up as a starter with the Cleveland Indians, earning the victory in his major league debut in 2010 when he threw 7.0 scoreless innings against the Detroit Tigers. 

Gomez started eight games for the Pirates in 2013, allowing 12 runs in 34.1 innings pitched.  He went 1-0 in those eight starts, but the Pirates went 8-0 in them.  He demonstrated the ability to keep his team in games, which is what the Pirates need at the bottom of their rotation if Rodriguez or Volquez are either ineffective or injured again. 

If they need another spot starter to choose from, the Pirates have Brandon Cumpton in their farm system.  Cumpton pitched in six games and started five of them for the Pirates last season, going 2-1 overall with a 2.05 ERA. 

According to Baseball America, Cumpton was the No. 11 prospect in the Pirates’ organization after the 2013 season.  He has proven that he can be a major league starter, and he gives the Pirates added depth if they need to dig deeper into the organization to find a spot starter in 2014. 

While the Taillon injury negatively affects the Pirates, the damage will be minimal if the Pirates get great efforts from their young and talented pitchers. 

Taillon has his whole career ahead of him, so he would be wise in being careful not to rush a comeback to prevent a greater injury. 

If things do not go as planned with the spot starters by the time the All-Star break comes, the Pirates may want to consider looking outside of the organization and finding a pitcher they can trade for. 

If that is the case, there may be members of the organization that regret letting reliable starter (health-wise) A.J. Burnett walk in free agency after the 2013 season. 

Nevertheless, it is still early in the season, and right now the Pirates are playing smart, sound baseball that they hope to carry on with throughout the season. 

*Statistics courtesy of Baseball Reference

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When the Pittsburgh Pirates acquired pitching prospect Stolmy Pimentel via a trade with the Boston Red Sox in 2012, they felt they were getting a special talent. 

At 6’3″ and 230 pounds, the 24-year-old from the Dominican Republic stands tall on the mound, and he is not afraid to go right after batters in any opposing lineup. 

Pimentel made his major league debut in 2013 with the Pirates, making five appearances out of the bullpen and striking out an impressive nine batters in 9.1 innings pitched. 

According to Baseball America, Pimentel was ranked 16th among the Pirates top prospects after last season. 

Pimentel made the Opening Day roster with Pittsburgh this spring, and he is already making an impact out of the bullpen. 

On Wednesday evening during the top of the 13th inning in a game against the Chicago Cubs, manager Clint Hurdle made a call to the bullpen, and in to pitch came the righty with electric stuff. 

Pimentel was sensational, pitching 4.0 innings of two-hit baseball to keep the game tied.  He earned his first major league win when Tony Sanchez hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the 16th inning. 

With a blazing four-seam fastball, a 2-seam fastball with good movement, a slider and a devastating splitter, Pimentel should provide a huge boost to Pittsburgh’s bullpen in 2014.  However, the Pirates organization has much greater expectations for this kid in the future. 

Tom Singer of MLB.com reports that Hurdle is very high on Pimentel, saying “We see a guy with a three-, four-pitch mix who can get through the lineup three times.  He’ll be a potential starter moving forward.”

While it will be fun to see just how great of a factor he will be out of the bullpen this season, it is not too early to look forward to Pimentel‘s future as a starter in Pittsburgh’s rotation. 

Barring any major injury, Pimentel can eventually be a top starter behind ace and potential Cy Young Award candidate Gerrit Cole. 

The ceiling is very high for this young man, and while he will likely be in the starting rotation at the start of the 2015-16 season, he may not have to wait that long for his first major league start. 

If the Pirates ever need a spot starter, it would be no surprise to see Pimentel make his first start on any given day this season. 

Pimentel has the potential to be a top starter in the major leagues as early as next season.  For now, however, the Pirates are more than happy with the efforts he can contribute out of the bullpen in 2014 as they look to make it back to the playoffs for the second straight season. 

*Statistics Courtesy of Baseball Reference and Baseball America

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It took two extra-inning games, but the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Chicago Cubs twice in their first three games of the 2014 regular season. 

Backed by tremendous pitching and two very timely hits, the Pirates were able to get off to a nice 2-1 start to the season, as they now play host to the St. Louis Cardinals this weekend. 

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle must be pleased with the way his team has played so far.  However, there is no time to take their foot off the gas, as Pittsburgh can put itself in very good position in the National League Central division if it performs well this month. 

Without factoring in the three games the Pirates already played against their division rival Cubs to start the season, the Pirates will play an NL Central opponent 23 more times this month. 

Pittsburgh’s pitching has been lights-out through three games this season, and if it can continue that trend and compile wins routinely, the Pirates can put themselves ahead of everyone by the end of the first month.

The only time the Pirates will play a team in a different division in April is at the very end of the month when they visit Baltimore to play the Orioles on April 29 and April 30. 

Last season, the Pirates finished just three games behind St. Louis in the division.  They would go on to lose to the Cardinals in the division series that fall. 

The Pirates performed decently last April, finishing the first month of baseball with a 15-12 record.  A few more victories in close ballgames could have earned them the division title over the Cardinals. 

While an average April certainly didn’t make or break the Pirates’ season in 2013, performing well can have different implications this season due to the fact that they play 26 out of 28 games against opponents in their division. 

Compare that to last season when the Pirates played a Central division opponent just 13 times out of 27 games total in April. 

Pirates ace Francisco Liriano showed that his stellar 2013 season was no fluke when he pitched six shutout innings on Opening Day against the Cubs.  As a whole, the pitching staff has allowed just six earned runs in 35.0 innings pitched. 

Despite struggling to score runs throughout the opening series, the pitching held down the fort for the Pirates, and that is why they are 2-1 on the season. 

The Cardinals have a team of returning veterans and young, dominant pitchers such as Michael Wacha, Joe Kelly and Shelby Miller. 

The Cincinnati Reds will likely be in the playoff race for a majority of the season, although their team likely will not match up with Pittsburgh and St. Louis. 

Even the Milwaukee Brewers have come out of the gates hot, showing their ability to swing the bat and hit the long ball, as catcher Jonathan Lucroy and center fielder Carlos Gomez have had good starts to their seasons. 

With all that being said, the Pirates have to start getting the job done on offense and hope for consistency in their pitching staff to pull ahead in April. 

While there is still plenty of baseball left to play after April, having a losing record can put the Pirates quickly in a hole.  They do not want to be playing catch-up as the dog days of summer kick in, and they will not have to worry about that as long as they get the job done this month. 

So, gaining distance between the other teams in their division early on this season can take some weight off of the shoulders of the men on the Pirates’ pitching staff, which could also lead to the Pirates’ first NL Central division title ever. 

Statistics Courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Prior to the integration of a third division in each league, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies rivalry was widely considered one of the best in baseball. When Pittsburgh moved to the National League Central Division in 1994, that rivalry began to diminish, as the two teams did not play each other as often. 

Now, it is looking like that rivalry may be heating up again.

In an exhibition game Sunday afternoon between these two teams, five batters were hit by pitches. The bean-ball war began in the third inning, when Pirates’ second baseman Neil Walker was plunked. In the bottom half of the inning, Phillies slugger John Mayberry Jr. was hit by pitch. 

In the fifth inning, Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon was brought in from the bullpen, and that was when things got heated.  After a two-out single off the bat of Walker, Papelbon’s first pitch was a high and tight fastball to reigning most valuable player Andrew McCutchen.

McCutchen shook it off, got back in the box and hit his second single of the game. However, things were far from over, as Pirates reliever Bryan Morris nailed the first batter of the next inning on his first pitch. 

According to a report from Ben Walker of the Associated Press, veteran umpire Tom Hallion turned to both benches and said managers Clint Hurdle and Ryne Sandberg, “Are you done now?” 

While spring training games do not matter in the standings, athletes are still competitors, and there is nothing better than watching two rivals play each other. 

However, there is no reason to be throwing pitches at each other, as there is serious risk to injury there.  In three meetings this spring, Pittsburgh pitchers have plunked eight Philadelphia batters. 

Often when two teams feud, the best batter is typically the target to be thrown at. That was the case yesterday for both Neil Walker and Andrew McCutchen, both of whom are integral pieces to the lineup.   

This spring, McCutchen is batting .560 in 25 at-bats, as he is showing no signs of slowing down following his MVP season in 2013. That is why the Pirates must be very careful in how they pitch to other teams. 

Any sort of prolonged injury could be detrimental to the Pirates’ lineup, as McCutchen is the main driving force in front of power-hitting third baseman Pedro Alvarez. While it is great to see his teammates protecting him by retaliating against opposing hitters, it is also adding more fuel to the fire. 

Rivalries are good for sports, but there was no excuse for what occurred in this game, especially considering the fact that the game had no meaning in the standings. Players still play with passion regardless of the time of year, but they must handle their emotions differently from how they did Sunday. 

It will be interesting to see how commissioner Bud Selig will handle this situation going forward. Either suspensions or fines should be given, as throwing at a batter in spring training is just as dangerous as doing so in the regular season, especially when pitchers are buzzing fastballs by batters’ heads. 

The Pirates and Phillies will face each other three more times before the regular season begins. On March 22, the Pirates will be the host while Philadelphia will play host in the last two games of spring training. 

The rebirth of this Pennsylvania rivalry would be great for baseball, and we will see how things play out throughout the season. However, putting other players in danger should not be tolerated or condoned by anyone in the world of sports. 

*Statistics Courtesy of Associated Press

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year, as spring training is in full swing and young prospects are getting their chances to wow managers in an effort to make the 2014 Opening Day roster for their teams. 

For Pittsburgh Pirates‘ manager Clint Hurdle, there will be many difficult decisions to make when it comes time for the final cuts.  Here is a look at the top performers for the Pirates so far this spring. 

Andrew McCutchen

After winning the 2013 National League Most Valuable Player award, center fielder Andrew McCutchen has gotten right back at it in spring training. 

Arguably the best center fielder in the National League, the Pirates need McCutchen to perform if they want to contend for another playoff spot in 2014. 

This spring, McCutchen is batting .526 with two home runs in 19 at bats. While it is still early, he seems to be primed for another huge season for the Pirates in 2014. 

Daniel Schlereth

In 94 career games, Daniel Schlereth has pitched to a 4.35 ERA with a 1.57 WHIP. He hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2012, but Schlereth is making his case to earn a spot in the bullpen this spring. 

Schlereth has made five appearances this spring for the Pirates, striking out four batters in five innings pitched and having yet to allow a run. 

This is a drastic improvement from his 2013 spring training with the Baltimore Orioles, when he let up eight earned runs in seven innings pitched. 

Every team needs a solid bullpen to succeed, and Schlereth is making a strong impression on Hurdle as the beginning of the regular season nears. If he continues to do well, there is no reason to believe Schlereth won’t be given another shot in the major leagues this season.

Chris Dickerson

Formally a bench player for the Baltimore Orioles, Chris Dickerson batted just .238 in 58 games in 2013. 

This spring, he has been very effective with the bat, earning an average of .429 in 21 at-bats. In six major league seasons, Dickerson has played in 314 games. So, he has plenty of experience as a bench player at the major league level. 

The Pirates would love for Dickerson to continue to produce into the regular season, as it would give the team added depth in the outfield. He has shown the ability to play both corner outfield positions, which is a great benefit to the organization, as he could fill in for left fielder Starling Marte or right fielder Jose Tabata whenever they need rest. 

Look for Dickerson to stay sharp, as he has a real shot at being a viable option for the Pirates in the outfield in 2014. 

Adam Wilk

In 2011, lefty Adam Wilk made his major league debut with the Detroit Tigers.  Over the next two seasons, he would go on to make eight appearances for Detroit, owning an ERA of 6.66. 

This spring, Wilk has looked sharp on the mound, and while a spot in the rotation isn’t likely, the Pirates could use Wilk in the bullpen. 

Wilk has pitched seven innings this spring, with an ERA of 1.29 and a WHIP of only 0.86. He also picked up a save in his only attempt at one this spring, as he has displayed an ability to get batters out. 

Perhaps Wilk was simply called up too early in 2011, but now he seems primed to push for a roster spot. 

Pittsburgh’s bullpen has looked impressive early on, and if Wilk continues to succeed, he deserves a spot on the roster. He can possibly serve as a lefty specialist out of the bullpen in 2014. 

The trend of up-and-coming prospects is carrying in the Pirates organization this spring, as we have seen the emergence of bright young players, as well as the continued development of superstars such as McCutchen. 

It is easy to see that the Pirates are a complete team, and they look like a legitimate contender again this season in the National League Central Division. 

*Statistics Courtesy of MLB.com

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On January 17, Blair Kerkhoff of The Kansas City Star reported that the Royals avoided arbitration with first baseman Eric Hosmer by agreeing with him on a one-year deal worth $3.6 million.  

Although he is not a free agent until 2018, now might be the time for Kansas City to offer Hosmer a contract extension.  

The 24-year-old first baseman has been one of the cornerstones of the up-and-coming Royals team. His Gold-Glove defense and ability to come up with timely hits were key factors that played into Kansas City’s 86-76 record in 2013.  

Over 159 games last season, Hosmer batted .302 with 17 home runs and 79 runs batted in. His 188 hits ranked second among all American League first basemen, trailing only the great Miguel Cabrera.  

So, now may be the right time for Kansas City to lock up a key player to the future of the club by extending his contract before the end of the season.  

The Royals have continued to improve on offense over the past few seasons with the emergence of prospects such as Hosmer, third baseman Mike Moustakas, catcher Salvador Perez and outfielder Lorenzo Cain. Veteran Billy Butler has also continued to put up All-Star seasons, and this lineup is set up to contend for years to come.  

With the signing of second baseman Omar Infante during the offseason, the Royals have a complete lineup.

However, without Hosmer the lineup will suffer, and that is why the organization should look into extending his contract immediately.  

Hosmer will be eligible for arbitration again at the end of 2014, but offering him a contract now that would carry him through arbitration and a few seasons past free agency would be beneficial for both sides. That may be tough considering his agent is Scott Boras, who is notorious for pushing the limits for his players in free agency.  

The answer for the Royals is to be even more aggressive in pursuing a new contract for Hosmer, as he has all the makings of becoming the face of the franchise.  

Of course, we have seen plenty of long-term deals prove to be huge mistakes over the last ten years, but extending a young star’s contract like this one would be extremely smart for the Royals.

One thing is for sure: Kansas City is ready to compete this season, due in large part to Hosmer‘s bat in the middle of the lineup.  If the Royals do not extend his contract, he will receive huge offers in free agency in a few years (barring any sort of catastrophic injury).  

So, while 2014 is the time for Kansas City to contend for a playoff spot, now is the time for them to lock in their brightest young player.  

*Statistics Courtesy of Baseball Reference 

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With the second pick in the 2008 MLB amateur draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected third baseman Pedro Alvarez.  As the Pirates have done so often in the last decade, they picked a gem, and Alvarez has a huge pull on the success of Pittsburgh in 2014.  

In 2013, Alvarez contributed greatly to the Pirates team that made the playoffs for the first time since 1992.  In 152 games, he batted only .233 but blasted 36 home runs and drove in 100 runs for Pittsburgh.  

This season, it is vital to the Pirates’ chances that Alvarez continues to drive runners home with his great bat.  

We can expect reigning National League Most Valuable Player Andrew McCutchen to continue to get on base seemingly with ease in 2014.  McCutchen had a career-best .404 on-base percentage in 2013, which was key to the 94 wins Pittsburgh compiled.  

However, Alvarez’s ability to drive both McCutchen and others in was probably the most important force for the Pirates.  While he only batted .233 on the season, his average was 10 points higher at .243 with runners in scoring position.  It is important that he works to bring both averages up in 2014 for the Pirates to make the playoffs and possibly even win their division.  

Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Alvarez said his mentality going into the season is, “Just take on the game as it comes with the intention of trying to learn a little bit more every day, in everything that is the game of baseball, and continue to grow.”

Alvarez led his team in both home runs and runs batted in in 2013, so it is easy to see why he is so important to Pittsburgh’s offense in 2014.  

While Francisco Liriano and Gerrit Cole will lead the Pirates’ rotation in 2014, there are questions to be answered regarding the other three starters, so the Pirates will likely need all the offense they can get, even if those other three pitchers have above-average seasons.  

Alvarez will likely bat fourth in the lineup for Pittsburgh again in 2014, and it is key that he retains his power at the plate.  The Pirates really cannot afford a down year in home runs for Alvarez, unless of course he brings his average up drastically.  

Still, power is his greatest asset, and without it the Pirates will struggle to match their win total from last year or even to get back to the playoffs.  

Starling Marte and Neil Walker will likely join McCutchen in batting ahead of Alvarez in the lineup.  All three men are more than capable of having high on-base percentages, so Alvarez will have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs again in 2014.  

Another major area that Alvarez must improve on is fielding, as his 27 errors were the most among third basemen in baseball last season.  The Pirates cannot afford to be giving teams extra outs in 2014, since the bottom of the rotation will already have to be at its best to match the season this organization had last year.  

According to the same report from Bill Brink, manager Clint Hurdle said “The consistency has got to improve because the total number of errors is not something that anybody would want.”

Expect the young third baseman to improve defensively as he works hard in spring training to gain more range and quicker hands.  

If he builds on a career year last season, Alvarez will lead Pittsburgh to another postseason appearance in October.  The offense hinges on Alvarez’s ability to come through with runners on base.  If he can do that, he will lead his club in the pursuit of greatness in 2014.

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The Kansas City Royals finished the 2013 spring training with a record of 25-7, and fans were excited to see the potential of the young guns on this team.  

By the end of the 2013 season, the Royals had a record of 86-76, and if it wasn’t for an epic 10-game winning streak from the Cleveland Indians, Kansas City would have finished right behind the Detroit Tigers for second place in the American League Central.  Furthermore, they even could have won a wild-card spot.

This season, Kansas City returns for another shot at the playoffs, and the chances are definitely greater.

After adding right fielder Norichika Aoki and the ever-so-reliable Omar Infante at second base, Kansas City’s lineup is now very dangerous.  

Aoki brings a great bat to the lineup, coming off a season with the Milwaukee Brewers in which he batted .286 in 155 games.  With Infante, the Royals are getting a guy who batted .318 in 118 games with the Detroit Tigers in 2013, and he has proven that he is a great major league player.

Add those two to a lineup that already consists of Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer and Billy Butler, and you can see why there is reason to believe 2014 will be the season the Royals breakthrough.  

Butler has been a staple in the Royals lineup ever since he came up, owning a career batting average of .298 with 118 home runs in seven seasons with Kansas City.  Butler has been so reliable for the Royals, playing all 162 games in 2013 and missing only one game in 2012.  Expect him to be extremely determined to take his team to the playoffs, as they now have a legitimate shot in 2014. 

In 138 games in 2013, young catcher Salvador Perez proved he deserved the starting catcher role, batting .292 with 13 home runs.  In 253 career games, Perez owns a .301 batting average, which is very impressive for a catcher.  

James Shields sits atop the starting rotation for Kansas City in 2014.  In 34 games started in 2013, Shields went 13-9 with a 3.15 ERA.

After Shields, the Royals have Jeremy Guthrie, who won 15 games for Kansas City in 2013.  Although his 4.04 ERA in 2013 could have people questioning his effectiveness, he continues to win ballgames, which is a huge plus for that rotation.  

The third slot in the rotation belongs to Jason Vargas, who pitched in only 24 games in 2013, piling up a record of 9-8 on the year.  The Royals signed him to a four-year, $32 million deal during the offseason because they felt he has the stuff to win ballgames for them.  A bounce-back year for Vargas will give the Royals a great shot at making the playoffs.  

Next, the Royals have 15-year veteran starter Bruce Chen, who bounced back in 2013 after a rough 2012 season.  In 15 games started and 34 games pitched overall, Chen went 9-4 with a 3.27 ERA for the Royals, helping them come just shy of the playoffs.  

The fifth spot in the rotation will likely go to Yordano Ventura, who is a top prospect for Kansas City.  In 2012, he was the starting pitcher for Team World in the MLB Futures Game on All-Star Weekend.  

In five minor league seasons, Ventura owns a strikeout-to-walk ratio of an outstanding 9.9.  His ability to strike batters out has stood out to the organization, and he is only 23 years old—he has his whole career ahead of him.  If he performs in 2014, the Royals will have a pretty stable rotation, backed by a lineup full of young, talented hitters.  

While they will have to compete with the Detroit Tigers in the NL Central, there is plenty of reason to believe the Royals will finish with a better record in 2014 than the Cleveland Indians, who surged ahead of them in the standings at the end of last season.  If all goes according to plan for the Royals, we will see them competing with Detroit for the division title in September.  

So as the 2014 season quickly approaches, the Royals are excited to get it under way and to pursue the organization’s first playoff birth in 29 years.  With added experience and a few heavy bats in the lineup, there is reason to be excited if you are a fan of the Royals.  

*Statistics Courtesy of Baseball Reference.

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