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KC Royals: Yordano Ventura Needs To Grow Up

John Viril
John Viril

KCKingdom

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Yordano Ventura (center) talks with Chicago White Sox – Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

KC Royals ace Yordano Ventura got sucked into his third bench clearing altercation this season on Thursday night. Ventura triggered a brawl, and five ejections, by screaming at Chicago’s Adam Eaton after fielding a tapper to the mound.

In almost an anti-climax, the Kansas City Royals beat the White Sox 3-2 in 13 innings.

Before the 7th inning blowup, Yordano Ventura had hit Jose Abreu and White Sox starter Chris Sale had hit Mike Moustakas. However, neither incident seemed intentional.

Yet, I believe the hit-by-pitches made both teams a bit touchy. You can see video of the incident below:

So far, the Kansas City Royals have won two out of the three games in which benches cleared. In terms of series, they’ve swept the Angels, won two of three vs. Oakland, and won a tight game against the White Sox.

By my count, that makes the KC Royals 6-1 in “chippy” series. The only problem is how long can the Royals keep it up? Will regular tension burn off their energy and wear them down by the end of the season? Or will it energize them?

Click below to see what the players had to say after the game:

Next: What Yordano Ventura and Adam Eaton Had to Say

Apr 23, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija (left) fights with Kansas City Royals players in the seventh inning at U.S Cellular Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Yordano Ventura told ESPN.com reporter Doug Padilla after the game:

"“[Eaton] said something to me. I responded back to him,” he said. “It wasn’t my intention, but maybe he interpreted it from the way I fielded the ball. But it was a hard comebacker, kind of put me off-balance, at which point I took those steps that incited him and he responded back, clearly emotional. If there wasn’t the yelling between us, it would have resolved much more favorably, and not the way that it did.”"

The video seems to back up this version of events. Chicago starter Jeff Samardzija escalated things by bull-rushing KC Royals coach Mike Jirschele, causing Lorenzo Cain and Edinson Volquez to stand up for their coach.

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Unlike most bench clearing incidents, people threw actual punches. In the end, five players got ejected: Lorenzo Cain, Edinson Volquez, and Yordano Ventura from the Kansas City Royals, and Jeff Samardzija and Chris Sale of the White Sox.

Samardzija was the clear instigator of actual punching, when he tackled Mike Jirschele. Even Ned Yost ended up in the pile.

White Sox outfielder Adam Eaton took the high road after the game, telling Padilla:

"“What happened, two competitive teams scratching for the same goal,” Eaton said. “Ventura is a heck of a competitor. I respect the heck out of him and everyone behind him. I’m a competitor as well. Sometimes boys will be boys, and I think that was a situation where we had some excitement.” “They are a young group of guys who go about their business in an exciting and aggressive way,” Eaton said of the Royals’ recent run-ins. “And that’s why we have the utmost respect for them. They’ve earned everything they’ve gotten and now they want to keep it. You don’t expect anything less. With the other beef with other teams, I’m not sure.”"

Oakland’s Brett Lawrie should take notes. Eaton is smart enough to cool off a bad situation rather than whine about it for days afterward.

Though, these incidents are probably good for the KC Royals TV ratings. I can’t help but wonder if something is going to explode between these two teams over then next three days as they complete their four-game series.

I’m sure that will cause same kind of fans that watch hockey for the fights to tune in.

But that leads to a problem:

Next: Yordano Ventura Is Getting A Reputation

Apr 12, 2015; Anaheim, CA, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (13) separates starting pitcher Yordano Ventura (30) and Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) as they exchange words after Trout scored a run in the sixth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

As ESPN.com’s Kristina Karhl suggested, Yordano Ventura is putting a target on his back. After three bench-clearing incidents against the Angels, A’s, and now the White Sox involving Ventura, he’s developing a reputation around the league.

ESPN.com’s David Shoenfield put it succinctly in a tweet:

Opponents will now try to bait Ventura, hoping he will blow up and remove himself, or some of this teammates, from the game. These kind of tactics will continue until Yordano Ventura learns to calm himself down when provoked.

Ventura himself is aware of the problem, telling Christina Karhl in reference to his growing reputation:

"“Yeah, I’ve thought about that, and some of my actions are certainly putting me in a less-than-favorable light, as well as the team,” Ventura said. “That’s important to me, and I need to work on it and be better.”"

Yordano Ventura needs to learn to say “scoreboard” or “standings” in response to players trying to get his goat rather than blowing up. Until he can keep taunts from taking away his focus, Ventura will fall short of his ace potential.

Manager Ned Yost needs to tell Ventura that he needs to avoid such confrontations for the next few months. If retaliation is necessary in a bean ball war, one of the relief staff can take care of the chore. Not Ventura.

That’s not to say that Ventura’s emotion is a bad thing. He cares. He just needs to channel that edge into sharpening his mental clarity and energy on the mound rather than getting sucked into brawls.

The KC Royals, and Yordano Ventura, need someone to take up the mantle of departed team leader James Shields in the clubhouse. Until then, you can expect ugly incidents to continue to dog the Kansas City Royals.

Next: Brett Lawrie Whines About KC Royals Fans

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John Viril

John Viril

Like a lot of people, I am still fixated on the sports teams I followed in my youth. I grew up in Kansas City and naturally became a fan of the Chiefs and Royals. Of course, that means I haven't seen a playoff win in 20 years. Here's to breaking the drought in 2014!