Jeff Francoeur Leads Amazing Royals to 4th Straight Win; Aaron Hicks, Joe Mauer Power Twins

Players of the Day for Sunday, March 24, 2013

Grapefruit League

Mauer: 6RBI

Minnesota pummeled the Blue Jays, 14-5, as Joe Mauer socked a first-inning, three-run homer and Aaron Hicks went 4-for-4 and scored three runs, raising his batting average to .350.

Hicks: 4-4, 3R

Mauer, who won the AL batting tittle in 2006, 2008 and 2009, is certain to be the Twins' starting catcher once again, while Hicks, who spent last season at AA New Britain, appears to be headed to the center field job vacated by departed Ben Revere, who moved over to the Phillies in the NL.

Mauer added a double to finish 2-for-3 with six RBI and is batting an even .400 in eight Spring training games.

Cactus League

Kansas City just keeps rolling along with a .778 winning percentage atop the Cactus League standings.

Jeff Francoeur

The Royals, perennial cellar-dwellers of the AL Central division, have been nothing short of spectacular this Spring, though one can only wonder how long the aura of invincibility will last once the games actually count.

Kansas City dumped the White Sox, 8-2, for their fourth straight win, improving their record to an outstanding 21-6, 3 1/2 games better than their nearest competition, the Seattle Mariners.

Jeff Francoeur delivered a pair of doubles in four at-bats, driving in two runs to spearhead the Royals' attack. A seven-year veteran, Francoeur, who spent five seasons in the National League with Atlanta and the Mets, starts his third season as a Royal. Starter Jeremy Guthrie took the win, throwing six innings, allowing two runs on six hits while fanning eight.