Clubhouse Conversation

Sam Selman

Sam Selman was selected by the Royals in the 2nd round of the 2012 draft out of Vanderbilt University and wasted no time in showing why, as the 6-3 lefty immediately won Pioneer League Pitcher of the Year. The Austin, Texas native originally began his career with KC as a starter but in 2014, has been moved to the bullpen with even greater success. In fact, Selman was one of six Royals recently named to the 2014 Arizona Fall League. Sam recently joined Dave O to talk about pitching in the College World Series, his times at various Royals minor league stops, his thoughts on pitching out of the bullpen, a potential future career in professional golf and lots more! (Photo Courtesy John Owen/Northwest Arkansas Naturals)

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Ali Williams

Ali Williams is just wrapping up a successful 2014 campaign with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and for his efforts, has been named as one of six Royals to play in the Arizona Fall League. A 6-2 right hander, Kansas City selected Williams out of Charleston Southern in the 34th round of the 2011 draft as a closer with high upside. Williams recently joined Dave O to talk about his unlikely road to professional baseball, his excitement about being named to the AFL, collecting basketball cards, crammed living arrangements and much more! *** NOTE *** You’ll be in stiches by the end. (Photo Courtesy Northwest Arkansas Naturals)

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Jose Santiago

Jose Santiago pitched for Kansas City from 1997-2001 and in total, spent parts of eight years at the major league level (Royals, Phillies, Indians and Mets). A 6-3 right hander, Santiago appeared in 105 games out of the Royals bullpen, finishing 13-12 with a 4.31 ERA and 4 saves in 152.1 IP. Santiago recently joined Dave O to talk about how Kansas City discovered him out of Puerto Rico, his tremendous memories of the Royals minor league system (with some GREAT stories), how much he loved pitching in Kansas City and much more! (Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals)

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Kevin Kuntz

Kevin Kuntz is the son of Kansas City Royals first base coach Rusty Kuntz and currently serves as an infielder for KC’s Class A affiliate (the Lexington Legends). A former John Trombold Gold Glove winner as a KU Jayhawk, Kuntz was selected in the 28th round of the 2013 draft, and recently joined Dave O to talk about growing up with Rusty around MLB clubhouses, his love for ping pong, playing at KU, getting a professional save this spring and tons more! (Photo Courtesy Burlington Royals)

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Jeff Grotewold

Jeff Grotewold played for the Royals during the 1995 season when he hit .278/.422/.389 in 46 at bats. However, Grotewold is most remembered for setting a major league record during the 1992 season with Philadelphia, when the C/1B/OF hit three pinch hit home runs in three consecutive days for the Phillies at San Francisco. Grotewold recently joined Dave O to talk about the magical three days in San Francisco, his time with the Royals organization, being a replacement player and tons more! (Photo Courtesy Jeff Grotewold)

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Marten Gasparini

Marten Gasparini was the first European baseball player to sign a contract in excess of $1 million dollars when the Royals inked him to such a deal in 2013 (for $1.3 million). A shortstop that Baseball America called “quite possibly Europe’s best prospect ever,” Gasparini hails from Northern Italy and the Italian Baseball Academy, with numerous international competition under his belt. The 17 year old switch hitting shortstop currently plays for the Burlington Royals and recently joined Dave O to talk about TRUE Italian food (not the Americanized version), the cool gift he purchased for his family with his signing bonus, being a Royals fan himself, where the Royals see him position wise and gobs more! (Photo Courtesy Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball)

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Mike Armstrong

Mike Armstrong pitched for the Royals in 1982 and 1983, compiling a 15-12 record with a 3.51 ERA in 110 games. Armstrong is remembered both as a very dependable reliever and also, as the pitcher who notched the victory in the infamous “Pine Tar Game.” Overall, the 6-3 right hander spent parts of eight years at the major league level for the Padres, Royals, Yankees and Indians. Armstrong recently joined Dave O to talk about how dangerously close his career was to being over in the minor leagues, how much he LOVED pitching in Kansas City, Pine Tar game memories, his friendship with Dan Quisenberry, frustrations upon being traded to the Yankees and lots more! (Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals)

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Luke Hudson

Luke Hudson pitched for the Royals from 2006-2007, compiling a 7-7 KC mark. Overall, the 6-3 righty pitched parts of five years at the major league level, both with KC and Cincinnati, before shoulder injuries tragically cut his career short (he finished 17-18 with a 5.11 ERA). Hudson is most remembered by Royals fans for his stretch during the 2006 season in which he was twice Royals Pitcher of the Month and finished 6-3 with a 4.79 ERA as a starter. Luke recently joined Dave O to talk about a number of topics, including how Sean Casey once stopped the Reds team bus to rib Cubs fans in a bar, his respect for Dayton Moore (both as a GM and family man), being a good hitting pitcher, all the shoulder issues and much more! (Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals)

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J.C. Sulbaran

J.C. Sulbaran was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 30th round of the 2008 June Amateur Draft out of American Heritage High School in Plantation, Florida. Sulbaran, a high school teammate of Eric Hosmer, came over to the Royals with Donnie Joseph in exchange for Jonathan Broxton in July of 2012. J.C.has spent the last two years between Wilmington and Northwest Arkansas, where he currently anchors the rotation with a 3.13 ERA for the Naturals in 20 starts and 112 innings. The 24 year old right hander recently joined Dave O to discuss how Eric Hosmer predicted his trade to KC the day before it happened, pitching in the World Baseball Classic for his home country of The Netherlands, the evolution of his curveball in 2014 and much more! (Photo Courtesy John Owen/Northwest Arkansas Naturals)

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Whit Merrifield

Whit Merrifield was a 9th round selection of the Royals in 2010 and is a former College World Series champion at South Carolina. In fact, Merrifield drove in the winning run for the Gamecocks, making him an instant legend. Whit signed with the Royals shortly after and has played parts of five seasons at the minor league level, appearing at every position but catcher. Merrifield is currently hitting .401/.505/.906 for Omaha and recently joined Dave O to talk about that college World Series at bat, moment by moment, being surprised at his Royals selection, what positions he’s most comfortable, a woman being held hostage next door to his apartment in Burlington!!??!! and much more! (Photo Courtesy John Owen/Northwest Arkansas Naturals)

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