Moustakas Looks Like a Natural at the Plate
Thursday, March 20, 2008 at 04:49AM MAJOR BLOGS - 03.20.08 - www.majorblogs.net - Peoria, AZ Midwest League fans have been treated to the likes of Justin Upton, Cameron Maybin, Jay Bruce and Travis Snider in recent years and they will witness another can't miss prospect this season in Mike Moustakas, the second overall pick of the Kansas City Royals in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft. The 19-year-old will be assigned to the Burlington Bees next month. A high school legend, "The Moose" debuted on MLN's Ones2Watch last summer even before he signed his professional contract. At Chatsworth High School in California, Moustakas set state records for home runs hit in a single-season and a career.
On Sunday, the Seattle Mariners low-A ball hurlers found out what the fuss was all about. Moustakas ripped two home runs, singled and hit a sacrifice fly in a spring game against the Mariners low Single-A squad. The 6-foot, 195 pounder displayed a beautiful swing is quick to the ball, and he appears to be far ahead of the growth curve for a teenager with 41 career professional at-bats.
"I have been having a lot of fun," says Moustakas. "Spring training is a blast for me. I would much rather be doing this than anything else. You can’t really beat it."
There's been speculation about whether "Moose" will stay at shortstop for the long-term, but the Royals are committed to playing him there this season. He's been working with rover coach Mark Harris this spring on his footwork and his lateral movements. Moustakas is a fine athlete with a strong arm so it's well worth the effort for the Royals to see if he can stick there. Not to mention there aren't many left-handed hitting, big-league shortstops with 30-home run power.
"Hopefully in the end that’s where (shortstop) I end up," says Moustakas. "If they move me anywhere else, I will be happy just to be on the field."
Baked Swedes - Hope in Twins Territory
Sunday, March 16, 2008 at 11:28PM MAJOR BLOGS - 03.16.08 - www.majorblogs.net - Fort Myers, FLA - It is Sunday. They start filing into the pews at about 9:00 am for the other Sunday religion in March: Spring Training. This is Hammond Stadium at the Lee County Sports Complex. It is Twins territory, where expat Minnesotans of Fort Myers, and the frozen faithful, from Minneapolis to St. Paul, come to do baseball old school. The EZ-up tents rise in the parking lot. Plumes of...