Kansas City Royals infielders Eric Hosmer (35) and Mike Moustakas (8) celebrate after defeating the Baltimore Orioles in game four of the 2014 ALCS playoff baseball game at Kauffman Stadium. Photo by Peter G. Aiken, USA TODAY Sports
Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas already knew what it was like to play championship baseball long before they led the Kansas City Royals to their improbable 8-0 playoff run to the World Series.
Moustakas was the starting shortstop as a freshman on the 2004 Chatsworth, Calif., team that went 35-0 to finish as the No. 1 team in the Super 25 high school baseball rankings. He hit 52 homers in his career at Chatsworth and was an American Family Insurance ALL-USA first-team player in 2007, his senior year. Hosmer was a first-team ALL-USA player as a senior in 2008 as American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) went 31-2 to finish as the top Super 25 team,
The Royals haven’t been to the World Series since 1985, but if they have one edge, it is in former ALL-USA baseball players, where Hosmer and Moustakas give them a 2-0 advantage against the San Francisco Giants.
Moustakas was taken as the No. 2 pick overall by the Royals in 2007. Hosmer was selected by the team as the No. 3 overall choice in 2008.
The first minor league team they played together on was the 2009 Wilmington Blue Rocks of the Class A Carolina League, coached by Brian Rupp.
Mike Moustakas hit 52 homers in four seasons at Chatsworth, Calif. Photo by Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer
“Those two did connect and maybe it had something with being a first-round pick,” Rupp said. “As you can probably tell, they both have that desire to win. Moose is a little meaner about it and Hosmer is a little quieter, but I think they connected.”
Besides their lofty draft status, they were both signed by agent Scott Boras. Each reached the majors quickly. Hosmer was 21 and considered the best first baseman prospect in the minors when he was called up to the Royals in 2011. Moustakas led the minors in homers in 2010 and was called up in 2011, when he was only 22.
Despite high expectations, both have struggled at times this season. Moustakas was sent down to AAA Omaha in May after starting the season with a .152 average. Though he finished with 15 homers, he hit only .212 in the regular season.
“Fortunately or unfortunately, we had a lot of success while he was in high school,” Chatsworth coach Tom Meusborn said. “Moose has grown up in that environment. It’s difficult for him to go through struggles where he’s not doing well and the team isn’t doing well. He takes it personal and feels he needs to put everything on his shoulders.”
Hosmer was hitting only .195 by June and though he finished the regular season hitting .270, he had only nine homers. He also spent time in Omaha, though he was sent there for rehabilitation in September after breaking his hand.
All of that was forgotten, though, in the American League Division Series. Moustakas hit the go-ahead homer in the 11th inning in Game 1. Hosmer hit a two-run homer in the 11th in Game 2 and in the series clincher, each homered in an 8-3 win. They’ve each come around at the right time. Hosmer is hitting .448 in the postseason while Moustakas had a team-leading four homers in the postseason.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Hosmer told USA TODAY Sports’ John Perrotto on Monday. “You go through all the ups and downs — and we’ve had our share of downs — then you make it this point and you just appreciate it so much. The organization had a vision and we’ve reached that vision.”
Hosmer was an ALL-USA first-team player in 2007 at American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.). Photo Michael Laughlin, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
“I think sometimes it’s good to be young,” said Todd Fitz-Gerald, Hosmer’s coach at American Heritage, now a coach at Douglas (Parkland, Fla.). “Those two have short-term memories and not a lot bothers them now. I know Mike well because he’s been over our place, like Eric. Both of those guys are very confident and have a lot of enthusiasm for the game.”
Rupp said though he now coaches in the Washington Nationals’ system, he gets a kick out of seeing what Hosmer and Moustakas have done.
“I love the guys that I have coached who are doing well,” Rupp said. “I try to follow them. It’s kind of like the proud father. You hope you have a little piece of that success.”
Meusborn said that Moustakas is modest but even in high school, possessed a “quiet arrogance” that has helped him through his struggles.
“We were telling a story last night in study hall,” Meusborn said. “We were playing Hart (Santa Clarita) in a close game. He was going to lead off the inning and I was telling him, when you get to first, I’ll take you out for a pinch runner so you can go to the bullpen and get warmed up as the closer. He said, ‘Hey coach, let me just go hit this home run and then I’ll go to the bullpen.’ First pitch, he hits a homer and then jogs down, high fives the guys in the bullpen and gets loose.”