A Morning Misstep
In a situation that many can relate to, Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen found himself removed from Thursday's starting lineup against the Minnesota Twins for a simple, yet frustrating reason: he overslept.
Jensen was originally slated to start behind the plate, providing a scheduled rest day for veteran catcher Salvador Perez. However, after failing to wake up to his alarm, Jensen arrived late, leaving manager Matt Quatraro with no choice but to adjust the lineup and insert Perez back into the catching position.
Management's Perspective
Following the Royals' 5-1 defeat, Quatraro addressed the situation, characterizing it as an isolated incident for the 22-year-old.
«Carter had an oversight,» Quatraro explained. «Overslept. Wasn’t here on time, and we made the decision to scratch him from the lineup.»
The manager was quick to defend the young player's character, noting, «He’s a stand-up guy, a really hard worker, a great kid. He feels terrible. He’s accountable to it. It’s not something that has been a pattern or any of that kind of stuff. Nobody feels worse than he does, and I think he’ll admit to that. And we’ll move on.»
Taking Responsibility
Jensen eventually made an appearance in the game, entering as the catcher in the top of the ninth inning. Speaking with reporters after the contest, he did not shy away from the mistake.
«No running from it,» Jensen stated. «Just didn’t wake up to my alarm. Slept through it. Don’t really have an excuse, nor should I. It sucks. Happens. I felt like I let my teammates down, coaches down. Just learn from it and know it won’t happen again.»
Teammates Weigh In
Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino noted that the team’s initial reaction was concern for Jensen's wellbeing before realizing the nature of the delay. Pasquantino emphasized that the team supports the young player but acknowledged the seriousness of the error.
«Once you find out he’s OK, it’s like, alright, it’s a growing moment. He’s really young. There are some things that cannot happen, and that’s one of them,» Pasquantino said. «He’s going to have to wear it on the chin, same way anybody would have to. It can’t happen. And hopefully, it doesn’t happen again.»
He further added, «We’re here for him, though. It’s not like anybody’s mad at him. But you got to learn from mistakes like that, and maybe get another alarm clock or something.»
Pasquantino also praised Salvador Perez for his professionalism in adapting to the sudden change in duties just 90 minutes before the first pitch.
Moving Forward
Regarding his strategy to ensure punctuality in the future, Jensen joked that he would be increasing his alarm count significantly.
«There’s a lot to learn from it. Making sure if I don’t set one alarm, maybe set three, four, as many as possible,» Jensen remarked. «Moving forward, that’s what I’m going to do. Set a million alarms. Make sure I’m up. It stinks, though.»
With a home series against the Milwaukee Brewers set to begin on Friday, the Royals will likely look to get Jensen back into the starting rotation.