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MINNEAPOLIS | Outfielder Bubba Starling was one of three Royals prospects cited last Saturday for underage drinking at a random alcohol checkpoint following the college football game between Arizona State and Southern California in Tempe, Ariz.
The other two players were not identified. None tested over the legal limit.
“Our players put themselves in a bad spot,” said J.J. Picollo, the Royals’ assistant general manager for scouting and player development. “They made a poor decision in having a beer under age.
“It’s something most teenagers deal with, but we’re disappointed that they put themselves in this position.”
Starling, 19, was a multi-sport standout at Gardner-Edgerton High School prior to his selection as the fifth overall pick in the June draft. He chose the Royals over a football scholarship to Nebraska by agreeing to a club-record $7.5 million signing bonus just prior to the Aug. 15 deadline.
Five players were in the vehicle stopped at the DUI check point following Arizona State’s 43-22 victory at Sun Devil Stadium. One was of legal drinking age, and the other, the driver, registered a 0.00 reading on the breath test.
“The players involved, which included Bubba Starling,” general manager Dayton Moore said in a statement, “put themselves in jeopardy by having a drink and not being of legal age. It was not a good decision on their part.”
All five are currently taking part in the Instructional League, which runs through Oct. 21 throughout the Phoenix area. Club officials learned of the incident just prior to Tuesday’s 7-4 loss to the Twins at Target Field.
Picollo said no major disciplinary action is anticipated.
“We’ll deal with it internally,” Picollo said, “but they did show some sense of responsibility in having someone who wasn’t drinking do the driving. We try to educate our kids from the time they sign until they get to the big leagues in what it means to be a professional athlete and how to represent the organization.”
Chen discussions
The Royals spent the final day of the regular season discussing a possible deal to trade veteran left-hander Bruce Chen to the Boston Red Sox.
Talks between the two clubs, first reported by Fox Sports, continued throughout the afternoon before, effectively, halting when Chen started Wednesday night against the Twins in the season finale.
The Royals sought two prospects in return, including one projectable lower-level player. They set a stiff price because they are in line for a compensatory pick between the first and second rounds in next year’s draft if Chen departs as a free agent.
That price proved too high for the Red Sox, who could not have used Chen beyond a potential playoff game Thursday at Tampa Bay to determine the American League's wild-card entry. He would not have been eligible to pitch in postseason.
Chen, 34, entered Wednesday at 12-8 with a 3.98 ERA in 24 starts.
Knapp hired
Former Detroit pitching coach Rick Knapp is joining the Royals as the organization’s minor-league pitching coordinator. He replaces Mark Davis, who expressed a desire to return to working with a specific team.
“We respect that,” Picollo said. “There are a lot of demands on that position, and it was wearing on Mark. Once he let us know, we surveyed what’s available to replace him. Rick Knapp was the leading guy from the word 'go,' and we moved on it fairly quickly.”
Knapp, 49, is already working with the organization’s prospects in the Instructional League. He spent roughly 2 ½ seasons as the Tigers’ pitching coach prior to his dismissal on July 3.
His new job returns him to a familiar role: Knapp served as Minnesota’s minor-league pitching coordinator from 1997 until his hiring by Detroit after the 2008 season.
“His track record is really good,” Picollo said. “On Tuesday, everybody with the Twins’ front office was commending our hire.”
Picollo said Davis will remain in the organization as the pitching coach at one of the short-season affiliates. The Royals aren’t expected to finalize their 2012 minor-league staff prior to mid-October.
Negotiations pending
The Royals enter the offseason with three pending free agents and seven possible arbitration cases among players on their 40-man roster.
The free agents are catcher Jason Kendall and left-handed pitchers Bruce Chen and Jeff Francis. Club officials show interest in retaining Chen and Francis.
The arbitration possibilities are right-handed pitchers Luke Hochevar and Felipe Paulino, catcher Brayan Peña, second baseman Chris Getz, and outfielders Melky Cabrera, Alex Gordon and Mitch Maier.
The Royals must also decide whether to exercise a $6 million option to retain closer Joakim Soria or opt for the $750,000 buyout clause. If they take the buyout, which is unlikely, they could still retain Soria by offering arbitration.
Winter plans
Tentative plans are in place for seven players from the 40-man roster to play winter ball in the Caribbean. Three will be teammates at Escogido in the Dominican Republic: second baseman Johnny Giavotella, catcher Brayan Peña and pitcher Everett Teaford.
Outfielder David Lough is slated to play for Aguilas in the Dominican, while three players have tentative assignments to Venezuela: outfielder Lorenzo Cain to Magallanes, pitcher Jesse Chaves to La Guaira and outfielder Jarrod Dyson to Caracas.
Looking back
It was 35 years ago Thursday – Sept. 29, 1976 – that Larry Gura pitched a four-hit complete game in a 4-0 victory at Oakland that enabled the Royals to clinch their first division title.
Amos Otis had an RBI double and a homer in the victory, which gave the Royals a 3 ½ game lead over the A’s. It was the Royals’ only victory in their final eight games.
