SURPRISE, Ariz. _ Royals pitcher Chris Young spent his offseason at home in Texas juggling two distinct jobs, two activities you might associate with a baseball player approaching his 38th birthday.
The first was rehab, eight weeks of rest and recovery after offseason surgery to repair a tear in his abdominal muscles. The second was considerably more fun.
After returning to Dallas, Young took over coaching duties on his daughter's third-grade basketball team. There were practices to organize and games to attend, and there were the usual scraped knees and lessons to impart. Geno Auriemma, he is not. But for Young, a former Division I basketball player at Princeton, the experience offered memories of his days in a YMCA league back home in Texas.
"It was a blast," Young said, "spending time with my daughter, getting that time with her."
When he wasn't recovering from injury or manning the sideline, Young often found himself in the backyard, playing basketball with his two younger sons. All three endeavors were welcome.
The surgery and rehab were necessary to allow Young to be healthy and ready for his 13th season in the big leagues. The dad moments helped him put a frustrating 12th year in perspective.
After delivering a sterling supporting role in the Royals' 2015 World Series championship, Young's encore was largely panned. He posted a 6.19 ERA and allowed 28 homers in 882/3 innings last season. He began the year in the starting rotation before a run of dismal results and a forearm strain forced him to the disabled list _ and then the bullpen.
Young is a harsh self critic, armed with the thoughtful mind of an Ivy league graduate and the competitiveness of a fighter. But as he evaluated himself last season, he struggled to find an answer. When the season began, his velocity was higher than usual. But the life was drained from his fastball. His walk rate also jumped from 3.1 per nine innings to 4.4.
"I wasn't pleased with last year," Young said. "It wasn't fun for me. I felt like I let the team down in a lot of ways. I'm motivated and I've worked hard, and I think the results will show that."
The Royals believe a full offseason could be beneficial for Young, who sketches out a specific plan each winter and follows a meticulous daily routine. At the least, it offered time to decompress.
In 2015, Young signed with the Royals during spring training, began the year in the bullpen, and finished as a postseason hero, registering a clutch relief performance during a Game 1 victory and starting Game 4 in New York. The championship offered the greatest moment of his professional career. But for Young, it also meant a shorter offseason _ and less rest for his aging body.
Whether a full offseason will mean improved results remains to be seen, but Young is confident he can channel his performance from 2015, becoming a productive member of the pitching staff again.
"That's my expectation," Young said.
He will open camp in a three-man battle for the Royals' final rotation spot, competing with offseason acquisitions Nathan Karns and left-hander Travis Wood. But barring a tremendous performance this spring, he could slot in as the Royals' long reliever. In some ways, it's the same role that Young filled entering the 2015 season.
"He primarily came in here to compete in the bullpen," Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. "He'd never done that before. And we know how that worked out in 2015."
For one season, the marriage worked out magnificently for both club and player. Two years later, Young is motivated to prove he can become the same versatile weapon. He is set to make $5.75 million in 2017, the second season of a two-year deal that includes a mutual option for 2018. With the possibility of free agency looming, and his 38th birthday in May, the opening months of this season could present a crucial stretch.
Which returns us to the question of health. In the days after last season, Young underwent an MRI that revealed a muscle tear in his abdominal muscles and groin area. The injury was the result of years of wear and tear, Young said, and he did not feel it when he pitched. But it did offer tightness and pain in the days between starts.
A specialist recommended surgery. The rehab schedule was short, so Young agreed. The procedure set up an offseason routine. For months, he juggled recovery and his usual offseason program with the demands of his family. For Young, it was a productive offseason on both ends.
"My boys don't play on teams yet," Young said. "But just being in the backyard, playing with them. It was a good offseason."
