KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Zack Greinke, who gave up three two-run
homers in one inning Sunday in a loss to Detroit, has been dropped
from the Kansas City Royals' rotation and will work out of the
bullpen.
Greinke, who left the club in spring training 2005 and received
treatment for social anxiety, is 1-4 with a 5.71 ERA in seven
starts. Opponents are hitting .338 against him.
"I just hope he can regain some confidence," Royals manager
Buddy Bell said Tuesday. "He's hard to read. He's pitched away
from contact at time and pitched behind in the count. Sometimes, I
can tell he's just not as comfortable as he needs to be. That is
basically why we're doing it."
Greinke was the sixth overall pick in the 2002 draft and he made
his major league debut in 2004 at age 20. He led the American
League with 17 losses in 2005.
"I personally feel like he's going to end up starting at some
point," Bell said. "Whether that's this year, next year or
whenever, I don't know that. I think he's got too much ability, too
many pitches that he can throw for strikes for him not to be in the
rotation. I think you're always going to be tempted to put him in
the rotation because of his stuff, but right now we just think it's
best for him and the team that he's in the bullpen."
Bell said he did not believe putting Greinke in the bullpen
would hinder his development.
"He needs to be up here," Bell said. "There's not a whole lot
more he can do down there. In saying that, we talk about all the
pitches he can throw with command. There's a part of me that says
maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to go down and throw innings,
but right now I think it's better he learn up here and get the
experience up here."
While Bell did not say who would take Greinke's spot in the
rotation, the Royals have two right-handers, Scott Elarton and Luke
Hudson, who are coming off shoulder injuries and have been
rehabbing in the minors. Both are close to coming off the disabled
list. Elarton threw 105 pitches Monday for Class AA Wichita in his
fifth minor league rehab start.
"We're still evaluating our options with Scotty and Luke,"
Bell said. "There is a chance more than likely one will come off
for sure. We're just not sure right now if both of them are going
to."