I live in Kansas City and am an avid follower of the Royals and Luke.
He was originally a starter for the royals and was drafted to be that, however, as good as Hoch was at times...he would always have an inning where he just fell apart. In the 2013 season they put him in the bullpen....that's where he really flourished.
Dave Eiland the pitching coach and one of the best in the buisness really helped Hoch a lot.
In 2013 Hoch became one of the best bullpen pitchers in the league and was one of if not in the top 3 best setup men in all of baseball (we could argue this but I'd rather not). However, he developed symptoms of Tommy John, had the surgery and has since rehabbed and is playing again. Last night was his 3rd night back and again has looked good in his role. The only downside is that when he went down Wade Davis stepped in and legitimately became the best setup man in baseball.
It doesn't take away the fact that Luke has done very well in his redefined role and will continue to be a key player in this exceptional scrappy little Royals team. A lot of fans here like and appreciate Luke and we'll continue to enjoy his presence.
Hope this helps you guys out a little.
