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Mailbag: How's the roster shaping up?
Beat reporter Dick Kaegel answers Royals fans' questions
By Dick Kaegel / MLB.com


What is your predicted lineup, including the DH, for Opening Day?
-- Brian, Jackson, Miss.

Oh, no. That always creates controversy. Besides, every fan has a better lineup than me, the guy next door, the manager or Abner Doubleday. Lineup guessing just causes trouble.

1. David DeJesus, CF
2. Mark Grudzielanek, 2B
3. Mark Teahen, 3B
4. Mike Sweeney, DH
5. Emil Brown, LF
6. Ryan Shealy, 1B
7. Reggie Sanders, RF
8. John Buck, C
9. Angel Berroa, SS

Now how did that slip in there?

This, of course, is based on the roster as we head into the free-agent season. There is no way this will hold because there will be signings and trades and cosmic events beyond our control.

One thing about this lineup is there are only two left-handed hitters, DeJesus and Teahen. Of course, there's Joey Gathright and Shane Costa on the bench and Alex Gordon looming in the future to provide more lefty balance.

Frankly, general manager Dayton Moore is less concerned about lefty-righty lineup balance than building up his pitching staff. If the pitching isn't there, it won't make much difference who's swinging the bats and from which side.

Please don't send me your version of the lineup. Just jot it down now, store it away and see how close you are on Opening Day. That's part of the fun of this game.

I love having Moore onboard, but one move I've questioned is bringing back Grudzielanek. I'd like to see Esteban German play every day. Your thoughts?
-- Sean C., Chicago

A lot of fans were taken by German and justifiably so. He hit .326 in a part-time role (106 games, 279 at-bats) and was a superb pinch-hitter (7-for-18). German played all over the field, although second base is his best position. He's a great guy, bouncy and hard-playing.

German, who'll be 29 next season, spent most of his career in the Minors with the Athletics and the Rangers. Obviously, in their judgment, he had limitations.

Grudzielanek, on the other hand, has 12 good years of Major League service and he's still spry enough to win a Gold Glove and hit .297. He brings a lot of veteran know-how to the field and to the No. 2 spot.

Given German's success last season, you can bet teams will be paying more attention to how they pitch him in 2007. If he adjusts well, he'll push his way into more playing time.


I was thinking about the Eduardo Villacis fiasco a few years back. Is he still in baseball?
-- Brian M., Kansas City

Needing a spot starter, the Royals incomprehensively reached to the Double-A Wichita roster for Villacis, a right-hander with just five games above the Class A level. And it wasn't just any game on May 1, 2004 -- it was at Yankee Stadium filled with 54,000 fans.

Villacis gave up five runs -- Ruben Sierra hit a three-run shot -- in 3 1/3 innings of a 12-4 loss. Later that month, Villacis was claimed on waivers by the White Sox and pitched in the Minors all through the rest of 2004 and 2005. At the end of '05, he wound up with Atlantic City in the independent Atlantic League and was 4-0 with a 2.60 ERA.

The kid from Venezuela pitched four games for another Atlantic League team, Bridgeport, last June, but there the record trail ends. After that one game against the Yankees, he never pitched in the Majors again.

How is it decided whether young players in the Majors will play winter ball?
-- Jeff B., Springfield, Mo.

It's mostly on a need basis. Costa needed more at-bats so he went to the Dominican Republic. Lefty Andrew Sisco needed to rebuild his confidence so he went to Mexico. In the case of players who live in those locales, they'll play because they're popular there and can pick up some extra dough.

Since David Bell isn't expected back next year with Milwaukee, will the Royals pick him up?
-- Zac S., Liberty, Mo.

Buddy Bell would like nothing better than to manage his son, but like every player, he'd have to fit. David is a third baseman and the Royals are deep there with Teahen starting, German in reserve and Gordon on the way.

How is Scott Elarton coming along with his rehab and where does he fit into next season's plans?
-- Larry B., Big Stone City, S.D.

Elarton's doing fine, but the surgery on his right shoulder will keep him from pitching until about June 1. He should be back as a middle-of-the-rotation regular.

Will the Royals move the fences in and try to hit homers or will they keep them back and return to the glory years of depending on doubles and baserunning?
-- Scott S., Republic, Mo.

Moore says there's been no recent talk that the fences would be pulled in again, as they were between 1995 and 2003. The original dimensions, 385 feet in the alleys and 410 to center, are expected to remain. So hit 'em where they ain't, boys.

Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.