SURPRISE, Ariz. _ Kansas City Royals manager Mike Matheny officially addressed his club for the first time on Monday, but he started formulating his message to the players months ago.
In a way, he started communicating the message before the first team meeting started.
Matheny, a former big leaguer who became an author and motivational speaker after his playing career ended, devoted a large chunk of his time after being hired as manager to meet with and get to know players.
He took the feedback and what he learned about them and used that to craft the message he delivered on the first day the team assembled in Arizona. He coupled that with a book on leadership he asked players to read.
"His passion to get to know the guys and getting to know the people and what makes us tick, it was pretty cool to have a manager do that," veteran pitcher and closer Ian Kennedy said. "I don't think I've ever had a manager, other than being at the field, take time to do that. We have a lot of the same values and morals so he can understand my problems with having six kids."
Kennedy and Matheny sat down twice during the offseason. Once during an event, the other when Matheny met Kennedy for breakfast to introduce himself and pick his closer's brain.
The breakfast extended for an hour and a half, but it could easily have gone longer if daddy duties hadn't pulled Kennedy away.
While Kennedy didn't directly convey Matheny's words to the team, he said the idea coming into this season is that if players like himself told their new manager that they're sick and tired of losing, then it's time for them to learn to do all the things successful teams do.
Those teams, Kennedy explained, do the little things. That means moving runners over, not walking the first batter of an inning. And it shows up time and time again in those teams that compete for wild card spots or division titles.
"I think the main thing is we need to clean some things up as a team," Kennedy said. "Overall, it was awesome to have him talk and how fired up he was about us and to take this job."
As far as the book Matheny recommended, "Legacy: 15 lessons in leadership" by James Kerr about the New Zealand national rugby team known as the "All Blacks," Kennedy said he listened to the audio book version while driving to spring training.
Pitcher Danny Duffy reference the book over the weekend while speaking to reporters about his personal motivations.
It struck a chord with Kennedy as well.
"Taking care of the small things ends up being big things later on and turning into wins and turning into championships eventually," Kennedy said. "It's a process. It's not just going to happen overnight. You've got take care of the small things. The team concept. They all have to do with Legacy the book."
Veteran outfielder Alex Gordon, the elder statesman of the club entering his 14th major-league season at age 36, admitted it was a bit weird having someone other than former manager Ned Yost address the team to start the year.
"It was definitely different," Gordon said. "Nothing against Matheny, but I've been just locked into Ned for so long and so many memories that it's a little different. I think if you're going to pick a guy to replace him, there's no better guy than Matheny as far as his attitude, his approach, his energy. He's been great this whole offseason."
Gordon also praised the "Legacy" book as a great read for anyone who sees themselves in a leadership role or wanting to know lessons learned and shared by other successful leaders. He was receptive to both the book and Matheny's message to the team.
"It was a good message," Gordon said. "We'll keep it in house for the most part, but it was just about believing in us, knowing that we can win and win now. Stop trying to rebuild or whatever we were trying to do the last couple years. We're here to compete. We're here to make the playoffs. That's our goal. If we don't believe it in here, it's not going to happen."
One part of the team meeting Matheny did share was that he singled out Gordon, who contemplated retirement last year, for being back for his 14th season. As if on cue, teammates gave Gordon an ovation in the clubhouse.
"It was special," Gordon said. "He didn't need to do that, but it meant a lot to me. ... I didn't even realize it was 14 seasons, but when he said it, it kind of put things into perspective how long I've been coming here to one team. I've been lucky. I've been fortunate to be able to come to this organization for as long as I have, this model organization. I'm definitely very blessed and very fortunate to be here."
