Hochevar looking forward to special day

Luke Hochevar will take the ball for KC’s home opener on Friday (3:10 start, the parking lots open at 9:00 and the gates open at noon.)  He told the local media today that the opener is a special day, whether its Opening Day or in this case, a week later.  According to Hoch, if the flyover and pageantry don’t give you goosebumps, “you may not have a pulse.”

Hochevar and the rest of KC’s starting staff want to step up this year.  He says that the staff has great camaraderie – noting that the pitchers have been sitting together in the dugout and talking baseball when it is not their day to be the starter.  He talked of the importance of bringing back Bruce Chen as the staff’s leader and the great ability of young lefty Danny Duffy.

The former first overall pick was asked if he “figured it out” during his strong second half in 2011.  Hochevar stated that baseball is a game of constant adjustments.  He believes that players never figure out the game entirely as other players are always working on changes of their own.  Hochevar is focusing on what he can control by taking it one pitch at a time and executing quality pitches.