It was going to be nearly impossible for the Storm Chasers to match the incredible month of May they had recently in which they won 23 games, the most in a single month since 2005. However, they followed it up with a very respectable June, going 15-11 and securing a playoff spot for the first time in ten years. The month saw a fairly significant drop-off in offensive production, as they finished 14th in the International League with a .249 batting average, and 18th with a .317 on-base percentage. On the mound, the Storm Chasers still saw above-average production, finishing 7th in the league with a 4.55 ERA. As a unit, they walked the fifth-least amount of batters in June, but strike out the third fewest. Let’s take a look at the top performers of the month swinging the bat and spinning the ball.
Hitter of the Month
John Rave
June stats: 25 G, .316/.385/.643, 1.028 OPS
9 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 14 RBI, 11 BB, 23 K, 3 SB
It may have been a down month for the offense overall, but it certainly wasn’t a down month for Rave. He belted seven home runs and held a ridiculous .636 SLG. This is even more impressive when you consider that he’s never had more than 16 home runs in an entire season in his minor league career. He will certainly pass that number as he already has 14 this season and we haven’t even reached the All-Star break. This won’t be the first time I’ve talked about the boost Rave could provide the Royals’ outfield (just check out this week’s weekly recap), and it probably won’t be the last. The Royals would have to make a move on the 40-man roster to make it happen, but man, I would love to see him get an opportunity in Kansas City. He has a very solid 11.6 BB% and respectable 21.6 K%. There isn’t much more he could do to prove he is ready to take the next step.
Pitcher of the Month
Anthony Veneziano
June stats: 21.1 IP, 1-1 record, 3.38 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 15 K, 8 BB, .173 OBA
I honestly wasn’t aware of how good of a month Veneziano was having until I looked at the complete stats. He was moved back into a starting role in June, often pitching 4-5 innings at a time. If it wasn’t for a rough start on June 30th where he gave up five earned runs in four innings, this month would’ve looked even more impressive. He did a great job limiting baserunners, allowing less than one per inning. He has had decent results in just a handful of innings pitched at the big-league level, and it makes one wonder if he may be a decent option for long-relief out of the Royals’ bullpen (though they don’t need long-relief very often). It may take an injury or two for him to get the opportunity, especially with the Royals looking to add to the bullpen at the trade deadline.
