Cougars excited about Year 2 with Royals

The Kane County Cougars hosted their first sellout of the year Friday night in Geneva, as fans filled the Super Suite at Elfstrom Stadium and had the chance to meet Kansas City Royals minor league executives, Cougars coaches, and a 2011 Midwest League All-Star.

With two sets of stadium lights turned on, the field below looked like it was ready to go — at least that’s how it seemed from the warm confines of the banquet room.

And even if the field, and the Cougar players, are still a couple of months away from the first pitch, the members of the Royals’ management are already looking forward to April and beyond.

“We’re expecting another great season here,” Scott Sharp, Kansas City Royals Director of Minor League Operations, said. “Last year went really well, and we liked the way our relationship with Kane County grew. We’re excited about our second year here.”

Last year saw the Cougars improve steadily throughout the season and earn a trip to the MWL playoffs. One of the key reasons for that success was Orland Park native Greg Billo, who led the league with a 1.90 ERA.

Billo will advance to the next level in the Royals’ system, and pitch for the Wilmington Blue Rocks of the Carolina League.

“I definitely got spoiled being able to pitch this close to home last year, not too many players have that opportunity,” Billo said. “It’s been nice to go up a level each year. Hopefully, I can continue to do that.”

Though Billo will be far from home, he’ll be close to a few familiar faces. Not only will he be joined by several former Kane County teammates, but also by Vance Wilson, who will be managing Wilmington after successfully filling that role for the Cougars last season.

“Vance cares a lot about the game, and it’s fun to play for him,” Billo said.

Taking over the managerial duties will be Brian Buchanan, a 1994 draft pick of the New York Yankees, who spent 15 years in pro ball, including stints with the Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, a year with Japan’s Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, and every level of minor league ball.

“I’ve been there and can understand what players are experiencing,” Buchanan said. “I’ve had long stretches in the minors, I know the frustrations, been up, been down, and run the gamut. All of that helps me relate to what my players are going through.”

A major part of Buchanan’s job, as it is for every single A manager, will be to balance player development with the desire to win.

“Winning and losing are part of the learning experience, if they do their job on the field they’re going to win,” Buchanan said. “The key thing for me is to get the players to play the game the right way. It’s my job to see they develop properly, and move up.”

Balancing the two is made easier by the high quality of players the Royals’ system has been producing over the past several years. That success has earned the organization high praise from Baseball America, and should begin to pay dividends at the major league level.

“Our scouting system does a great job, and it’s fun to be able to manage such good players,” Buchanan said.

Though final decisions and team assignments won’t be made until spring training, this year’s crop of Cougars to watch should include three pitchers with college experience: Aaron Brooks, a ninth round draft pick in 2011, who finished with a 6-2 record at Idaho Falls last season, Matt Murray, who posted a 3.40 ERA and fanned 58 while walking just 10 in 54 innings at Burlington (Appalachian League) in 2011, and Kellen Moen, a righty out of Oregon University who struggled a bit in his first season.

“We expect the college players to move through our system a little faster than the high school guys,” J.J Picollo, Kansas City Royals Assistant General Manager of Scouting and Player Development, said. “They’re players who should compete and do well here.”

Fans of minor league baseball in the area may be wondering about seeing outfielder Bubba Starling in a Cougars uniform this season. Starling, the fifth overall pick in last June’s amateur player draft, was considered by many as the top high school prospect in the nation. He signed a contract with the Royals that included a 7.5 million dollar bonus.

“(Starling) will certainly pass through here at some point, it’s just a matter of when.” Picollo said.

Mike Antonio, a shortstop who hit 11 home runs in 239 at bats last at Idaho Falls and Burlington, and his teammate, 18-year old outfielder Jorge Bonifacio, are expected to provide some offensive punch for the Cougars this season.

“Offensively, we’re going to be in pretty good shape here,” Picollo said.

Some familiar faces should also be back with the Cougars, including shortstop Orlando Caxito, and pitchers Jason Adam and Yordano Ventura.

The good news for Cougars fans is that even if a player or two jumps to the next level or ends up being held back, the quality of the Royals’ farm system should guarantee that another solid team will take the field for the April 9 home opener.

“I expect that we’ll always have a good team here,” Picollo said. “Our pitching staff here is made up of the best from our three rookie ball teams, and that pitching will always keep us competitive all the time.”