By 
SURPRISE, Ariz. — Gavin Cross had one idea as he rounded 2nd base and zeroed in on 3rd Saturday night.
Playing in his very first Cactus League video game in the Royals’ 7-6 loss to the Dodgers, Cross legged out a triple in front of an almost offered out crowd under the lights at Surprise Stadium. The Royals’ No. 1 possibility and No. 7 general Draft choice in 2015 was utilized as a Minor League replacement in the major league video game since the Royals played a split team Saturday and required replacements for both video games. Cross was signed up with by potential customers Carter Jensen (No. 10) and Peyton Wilson (No. 20) on the bench.
“It’s cool to see them, especially in a night game like this with a good crowd,” supervisor Matt Quatraro stated. “It’s probably a little extra adrenaline, which is great. You got to get used to that. You want them to experience it.”
Cross signed in at center field in the top of the 6th, and by the time he strolled to the plate in the bottom of the inning, he still hadn’t actually discovered the sensation in his legs.
“I was extremely nervous,” Cross stated. “Just trying to enjoy it and soak it all in. It took an inning and a half for my legs to feel like they were there. It was fun.”
When Cross ripped a pitch down the first-base line and into the right-field corner, he removed, at first believing he had a double. Halfway to 2nd base, he understood he might get to 3rd. He got his speed, however his legs were seeming like Jell-O. As he neared 3rd, he began to stumble, and while the head-first slide wasn’t the most beautiful he’s ever done, he made it securely.
“I looked back, almost tripped on the bag, I don’t know how I didn’t fall down,” Cross stated. “But it was good. Glad I got there. It could have looked a lot better, but the fact I got there was a good thing.”
Cross explained Saturday night’s video game like his very first college video game at Virginia Tech “but on steroids,” and he attempted to breathe his method through the nerves and feelings throughout the night. A piece of suggestions from a previous first-round Draft choice assisted, too.
“Just trying to relax and have fun,” Cross stated. “That’s what Bobby [Witt Jr.] told us all in the dugout: Just go have fun. I thought that was pretty cool. He didn’t have to do that.”
Cross shown up in Surprise for Minor League Spring Training late recently and saw live pitching for the very first time on Wednesday. He learnt he’d be readily available off the bench for Saturday’s video game on Thursday.
That required him to get his timing back fast. He found out more from his strikeout Saturday than his triple. Facing a difficult lefty in Adam Kolarek, Cross set out swinging and returned to the dugout to speak to striking coach Alec Zumwalt.
“Even though I struck out, I took a lot out of it,” Cross stated. “Just learning from your mistakes and different things that happened in the game.”
Greinke tunes up vs. Dodgers
Zack Greinke knew that Dodgers 2nd baseman Miguel Vargas — who is recovery from a hairline fracture in his best pinky finger — wasn’t going to swing throughout his at-bat in the top of the 3rd inning Saturday night, so Greinke wished to have a fast at-bat while likewise utilizing it to attempt a couple of things out.
In normal Greinke style, he dropped in a number of sluggish curveballs — 59 miles per hour and 66 miles per hour, to be precise.
Then he experimented with a max effort fastball, slinging it 92 miles per hour down the middle of the plate for strike 3.
“I won’t do that during the game,” Greinke stated with a little smile. “You got to try to throw hard to throw hard, sometimes. I was mainly just trying to build up arm strength. But then I didn’t want to take a long time. Then I was getting tired from going so fast and trying to build up arm strength. It ended up being a mess of an at-bat.”
Greinke enabled one operate on 3 hits in 3 innings with 3 strikeouts. He called his own pitches with the PitchCom gadget once again, secured to his belt.
Royals rumblings
• In the Royals’ 12-6 win over the Reds previously on Saturday, MJ Melendez led off with a homer, and Nick Pratto went 3-for-3.
• Lefty Kris Bubic is set up to pitch in his very first Cactus League video game on Monday versus the D-backs after an effective bullpen session Saturday. He’s lagged in his tossing development since of small shoulder discomfort, so that will likely put him an inning or more behind at the end of spring.
• The Royals had unique visitors in camp on Saturday, consisting of Bo Jackson, George Brett and Ned Yost. They’re here for a neighborhood sponsorship occasion and captured batting practice prior to Saturday night’s video game.
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