The numbers say one thing about Royals right-hander Luke Hochevar ? and it isn?t good. But general manager Dayton Moore sees something else entirely.
?I love the guy?s competitiveness,? Moore said. ?I love his work ethic, and his stuff, right now, is the best it?s been. He?s really firm with his fastball. The sinker he?s throwing is a plus-plus pitch.?
That?s not a view often expressed about any pitcher who surrenders 11 runs in 5 1/3 innings in his first two starts while allowing 10 hits and five walks.
Moore is unfazed by those struggles as Hochevar heads into his third start today when the Royals continue their I-70 matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
?The results have not been good,? Moore acknowledged. ?But for me, I?m real encouraged. We?re seeing his four-seam fastball up to 94. We?re seeing his sinker at 91-93.?
Moore?s comments suggest Hochevar, if nothing else, isn?t working on a short leash after two bad outings.
?We?ve just got to keep running him out there and be positive,? Moore said. ?It takes a while. Look at Curt Schilling early on in his career. Same with John Smoltz and Tom Glavine. You can go on and on.
?Luke Hochevar is going to be a good pitcher for many years. Whether we get that guy this year, I don?t know.?
Hochevar was dominant in six starts at Class AAA Omaha before his May 10 recall to the big leagues: 5-0 with a 0.90 ERA.
?For Luke,? Moore said, ?it?s just a matter of throwing strike one and being consistent with strike one. If he throws strike one, guys are going to expand (the strike zone) and move on that sinker. They?re not going to square that up.
?That sinker is really good right now. That?s the best we?ve seen from him. I?m really encouraged by what we?re seeing right now.?
On the mend
Third baseman Alex Gordon took light swings ? air swings, no pitches ? earlier this week for the first time since undergoing surgery April 17 to repair torn cartilage in his right hip.
?I?m feeling good,? Gordon said. ?My strength is coming back. It?s kind of nice to start doing baseball stuff.?
Gordon is scheduled to have a follow-up exam next week in Vail, Colo., which should determine a firm timetable for his return to active duty.
?Reliever Joakim Soria is scheduled to throw again before today?s game after a one-day break. Soria threw the previous three days as part of his recovery from a strained right rotator cuff.
?I love the guy?s competitiveness,? Moore said. ?I love his work ethic, and his stuff, right now, is the best it?s been. He?s really firm with his fastball. The sinker he?s throwing is a plus-plus pitch.?
That?s not a view often expressed about any pitcher who surrenders 11 runs in 5 1/3 innings in his first two starts while allowing 10 hits and five walks.
Moore is unfazed by those struggles as Hochevar heads into his third start today when the Royals continue their I-70 matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
?The results have not been good,? Moore acknowledged. ?But for me, I?m real encouraged. We?re seeing his four-seam fastball up to 94. We?re seeing his sinker at 91-93.?
Moore?s comments suggest Hochevar, if nothing else, isn?t working on a short leash after two bad outings.
?We?ve just got to keep running him out there and be positive,? Moore said. ?It takes a while. Look at Curt Schilling early on in his career. Same with John Smoltz and Tom Glavine. You can go on and on.
?Luke Hochevar is going to be a good pitcher for many years. Whether we get that guy this year, I don?t know.?
Hochevar was dominant in six starts at Class AAA Omaha before his May 10 recall to the big leagues: 5-0 with a 0.90 ERA.
?For Luke,? Moore said, ?it?s just a matter of throwing strike one and being consistent with strike one. If he throws strike one, guys are going to expand (the strike zone) and move on that sinker. They?re not going to square that up.
?That sinker is really good right now. That?s the best we?ve seen from him. I?m really encouraged by what we?re seeing right now.?
On the mend
Third baseman Alex Gordon took light swings ? air swings, no pitches ? earlier this week for the first time since undergoing surgery April 17 to repair torn cartilage in his right hip.
?I?m feeling good,? Gordon said. ?My strength is coming back. It?s kind of nice to start doing baseball stuff.?
Gordon is scheduled to have a follow-up exam next week in Vail, Colo., which should determine a firm timetable for his return to active duty.
?Reliever Joakim Soria is scheduled to throw again before today?s game after a one-day break. Soria threw the previous three days as part of his recovery from a strained right rotator cuff.
