How Royals prepared for annual fantasy football draft

This story was excerpted from Anne Rogers’ Royals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

KANSAS CITY -- About 10 minutes before batting practice was scheduled to begin on Tuesday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium, a group of Royals hitters and pitchers gathered around the cage on the field.

Bullpen catcher Allan de San Miguel grabbed a bat and stepped inside.

A lot was on the line for those watching. This was how the Royals’ fantasy football league was picking the order of its draft. Twelve balls were marked, one for each player in the league. The player whose ball de San Miguel hit the farthest would get to choose where they pick first in next week’s fantasy draft, scheduled for Wednesday night before an off-day in Seattle.

“No pressure,” said de San Miguel, an Australian native in his second season as a strategist/bullpen coach. He last played in early 2020 for the Melbourne Aces of the Australian Baseball League, which wrapped up a 15-year playing career for the 35-year-old.

“I hadn’t swung a bat in a couple of years since the last time I played,” he continued. “Vinnie approached me about four or five days ago and asked me if I would do it. I said, ‘Of course.’ It’s for the guys, for fantasy football. There were a lot of snap hooks. Wasn’t my best effort.”

The Royals took a different approach to determine this year’s draft order under first-year commissioner Vinnie Pasquantino. He heard from Royals starter Jordan Lyles that the Orioles determined their order this way last year and thought it sounded fun.

“It’s a position I don’t take lightly,” Pasquantino said about being commissioner for the first time. “First time doing it, took it over this year. Really wanted to do it. I want to create a dynasty here with the Royals. A legacy of good fantasy football.”

Pasquantino asked Major League field coordinator Vance Wilson if he could add 10-15 minutes into the schedule before batting practice on Tuesday, and Wilson obliged, marking the balls for the group before Pasquantino, who is sidelined the rest of the season after shoulder surgery, made his way onto the field.

Of course, the Royals first baseman heard from his teammates about his tardiness.

“Well, I was busy,” Pasquantino said. “There were business meetings going on. Obviously. … First year as commish, I’m learning. I’ve been trying to get stuff settled since a month ago, and I got told to slow down. Then it came up quick on me because I was trying to give everybody some space. But we’re working it out.”

After de San Miguel finished his round -- thrown by batting practice pitcher Miguel Garcia -- Royals players went around the field looking for the marked balls. de San Miguel pulled nearly all of the balls he put in play to the left-field corner. Reliever Tucker Davidson had the farthest one.

“It’s always the new guy who gets the first pick,” Pasquantino said. “Well, I don’t know what pick he’ll have. He gets to decide where he picks first.”

Zack Greinke -- who is known for his fantasy football antics -- Jordan Lyles, and Royals replay coordinator Bill Duplissea had tough luck when de San Miguel only got a piece of their balls -- Greinke’s only went a few feet, and Duplissea’s went straight up into the cage for last place.

“Everyone was cheering for Greinke’s ball,” de San Miguel said. “Everyone was happy, especially [Taylor Clarke]. He came up and thanked me. … I feel bad for Dupe because I hit his ball straight up into the cage. He got like the last pick, definitely did not go the farthest. Of all people, I wanted to make sure I hit Dupe’s well, but I didn’t. That was the worst part.”

As for de San Miguel? Well, he didn’t have a stake in the game.

“I have no idea about NFL football,” de san Miguel said. “I’m Australian.”