Greinke begins season as Royals No.3 starter

Thirteen months after he left the Royals' camp to deal with social anxiety, Zack Greinke is back in the Kansas City Royals' starting rotation. Greinke will be the Royals' No. 3 starter and will pitch in their opening series against theRed Sox, manager Buddy Bell said after Greinke's five-inning stint Sunday. "He doesn't need to do any more than he is doing now," Bell said. "I just hope he stays this way and he's encouraged by all this." Greinke allowed four hits and three runs, two of those unearned, against the Brewers. He struck out seven and has a 3.32 ERA in five spring appearances. "I'm pitching good right now, but the key is who is going to be the best during the season," he said.

Greinke abruptly left the Royals' 2006 camp in February and returned to his home in Orlando, Fla. When he did return, he spent much of the season with Double-A Wichita. Consider the immensely talented right-hander a third-year starting pitcher sleeper candidate in deeper leagues on Draft Day. The Royals won't come close to .500, but Greinke could prove useful when the match ups are right.
Source: CBS SportsLine.com

Greinke: Contending For Rotation Spot

Contending for a spot in the Royals rotation, Zack Greinke had his best outing of the spring on Wednesday, striking out six and walking none over four shutout innings vs. the Rockies. Few Kansas City starters have Greinke's upside, even with his 2006 sabbatical. After all, not many 20-year-olds rack up a 1.16 WHIP and a 100/26 K/BB ratio in the Majors, which Greinke did as a rookie in 2004. Sure, it will probably take some time for him to regain such advanced strike-zone command, but he'll likely be good enough to make a rotation that sported baseball's worst ERA last year (5.65).
Source: MLB.com