Hosmer shows early improvement over last season

SEATTLE -- Eric Hosmer's season is off to a much better start.

A year ago, after his first 35 games, Hosmer had a .256 (31-for-121) average with four doubles, a triple, one homer and 11 RBIs.

This year, after his first 35 games, Hosmer had a .326 (46-for-141) average with 13 doubles, just one homer again but 18 RBIs.

"I feel really good at the plate," the Royals' first baseman said before Saturday night's game against the Mariners. "I'm just trying to basically be as consistent as I can with my approach. I try to walk up to the plate, no matter what the situation is, and be consistent with the timing. The more times you're consistent, the better off the offense is going to be."

Hosmer has batted third in the order 29 times and second, including Saturday night, seven times. The hits keep coming.

"Some days they're going to fall, some days they're not, and right now they're falling, which is good," Hosmer said. "But times they're not, you can't take it with you after the game. You've got to realize, it's baseball and it happens."

He's not too concerned about the statistical sheet.

"You don't worry about the numbers, if they show up, they show up," he said.

Last year, after having one homer through June 12, he hit another 16 the rest of the season.

"The reality of it is we play in a big park but, at the same time, there's room for a lot of hits, a lot of doubles, a lot of gaps. I'm not worried about the lack of home runs because I've been driving the ball. I know during the summer those balls are going to fly more as it gets hotter and we travel to some better hitters' parks," Hosmer said.

So far the Royals have played often in chilly weather, home and away.

"The beginning of the season, especially in the Central, it's going to be cold. You've just got to grind it out. You've just got to battle until the summer comes, that's when everything heats up and the ball starts flying a little more," he said.