10
Wednesday, August 18, 1976
University Daily Kansan
Injuries don't stop Royal pennant march
First it was pitcher Steve Busby's shoulder. He was lost for the year.
Then pitcher Doug Bird had a mysterious pain in his shoulder, too.
And this was just the beginning of the Kansas City Royals' injury problems.
Shortstop Fred Patek and second baseman Frank White suffered leg injuries. The Royals were forced to move All-Star George George Brett to short for a few rams.
Rookie outfield sensation Toni Poquette was badly hurt when he cracked a checkbone running head-first into the left-field wall. He was out for nearly a month.
Hal McRae, the American League's leading hitter with a .352 average, tried stealing a base in a lapsed 6-1 Royals' victory and in typical Mac fashion tried so hard that when diving into second he suffered a severe thigh pull.
But that's not all. Cookie Rojas suffered an injured back and Split Spiller severely jammed his middle finger and won't pitch to Sept. 1.
Add a few minor injuries to Amos Otis, Buck Martinez, Bob Stinson and you have enough problems to have Royal manager Herz Hergoss lose all of his Blown blond bib.
Then there was that unexpected season-long slump by first baseman John Maybury. And Frank White wasn't hitting the ball to play for the Royals' Academy.
Jamie Quirk
But somehow, somewhere, the Royals have managed to stay in first place. They've had all the chances in the world to fold and break under the pressure. But so far they haven't and still hold a good lead over the second-place Oakland A's.
What's been the big secret? Herzog, whose done a remarkable job in his first full year as Kansas City's manager, isn't even sure he knows. Everytime another injury occurs, he doesn't believe it was concerned that it was the one blow that could damage the Royals' pennant drive.
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The speed comes from the legs of White, Patek, Otis, Al Cowens, Jim Wohlford, Poquette, Brett, Dave Nelson and McRae. On the Royals on the Royalis a threat to stab a beak.
and Mayberry still has knocked in almost 80 runs.
Even without Busy, Bird and Splittorr, the Royals' pitching staff has been effective. Second-year man Dennis Leonard is a 15-game winner; A Fitzorman has 14 victories. Steve Mingori and Mark Littell have been sensational out of the bulpen. The Rangers have been given KC pitching lift right when it needed it the most.
Although it's one of baseball broadcaster's favorite cliche, the defense up the middle has been a vital part of the Royals' success.
Sports on the mind?
The Royals have displayed a near-perfect balance of defense, speed, pitching and the timely hit to fashion the third best record in the Major Leagues.
The season has a half and a half to go on anything can still happen. However, with the problems the Royals have overcome it's not going to be like that they have passed too many obstacles so far.
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As far as hitting goes, McAse and Brett have been awesome. They have taken turns being first and second in the league in batting. Brett, currently batting 344, leads
Otis has been a consistent 265 hitter. Poquette has been an amazing 335 hitter.
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the league in hits (16), is second in triples (11), tied for second in doubles (26) and third in singles (30). It has shown people why he's the leading candidate for the Most 'Vable' player Award.
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