Undying Royalty

Building a Solid Home

2011-10-19T12:59:00.010-05:00

Put yourself in this situation for a moment. You're needing a new home. The one you're currently living in no longer fits your needs, and it's a bit run down. You want to build something brand new, and you've been saving money to invest in something that will serve as the home of your dreams. It's the house you'll retire in, and one that you'll welcome family and friends to for years to come.

After putting your current home on the market, it's come to the point where you need to find a qualified contractor to construct your dream home. After a thorough search, you've limited the choices to a pair of candidates.

Contractor A has a solid reputation as someone whose company will get the job done quickly. He promises that you'll be able to move into your new home in about six weeks, and it's exciting for you to think about the possibility that you'll be enjoying your new home in such a short time.

Contractor B also has a sound reputation as someone whose company does a great job and comes highly-recommended. However, unlike the other choice, this guy states that it'll be about 4-5 months before construction is complete.

Before you jump at Contractor A's offer to have you into your new place in a little more than a month, you do some more research and ask friends and family whether they know anything about either of the contractors, and here's the gist of what you find.

Contractor A spends more money up front for things like high-end kitchen appliances and fancy light fixtures, but his focus is so much on getting the house built quickly that his work lacks the overall quality of Contractor B, who doesn't cut corners to save time.

You're not needing to sell your current home before you start work on the new place, so time isn't too much of an issue. So, do you still go with Contractor A? Or do you think it's worth it to be patient and allow Contractor B the time it takes to build a home for you that won't start falling apart a few years down the road?

Where am I going with this? Well, let's apply this analogy to baseball. Think of Contractor A as a Major League Baseball general manager who will come in, spend money on some pricey free agents, and have your team competing for a division title within a year. The downside, though, is that after those free agents have moved on for more money, his fix-it-quickly method has left the organization without a sustainable plan for long-term success.

Contractor B is Kansas City Royals GM Dayton Moore. He gets criticized all the time by impatient fans for having taken too much time to field a winner at the MLB level. But his plan to start by rebuilding the farm system is starting to pay off, and he's likely at the point where he'll add a "high-end kitchen appliance" in the form of a starting pitcher or two this offseason.

Moore's "process" has taken longer, but I'd choose Contractor B over Contractor A nine times out of 10. The "house" Moore's building in Kansas City has a much greater chance of sustaining success for the long-term than one built by a GM who was focused on a quick fix.

Moore, of course, is using the same approach to rebuilding the Royals organization as the one that was utilized in Atlanta. He joined the Braves organization in 1994, and worked his way up the administrative ladder until he left to become Kansas City's GM on June 8, 2006. During his time in Atlanta, the Braves won 90 or more games in 11 of 13 seasons, and the two times they failed to reach that level were during his first year -- the strike-shortened 1994 season (68-46) -- and during the 2006 season when Moore departed (79-83).

The key to Atlanta's success has always been its highly-regarded and talent-rich farm system, and the architect of that system is former Royals GM John Schuerholz. Schuerholz served as General Manager in Atlanta from 1990 to 2007, and Moore spent valuable time learning the craft from Schuerholz.

Now entering his sixth offseason in KC, Moore is attempting to build an organization in Kansas City that will be able to field a winning team for years to come -- you know, just like that solidly constructed dream home in the opening analogy.

But, just as contractors run into issues that push back the reveal of a new home, Moore's task was made more difficult by the sorry state of the Royals organization when he took the reigns from Allard Baird.

Six times in the nine seasons prior to 2006, Kansas City won fewer than 70 games. In fact, the Royals had lost 100 or more games in three of four seasons prior to Moore's hiring. Kansas City also lost 100 games during that 2006 campaign, but hasn't done so since.

Don't get me wrong. The Royals have been far from good, with their 75-87 record in 2008 being the best season under Moore's watch. But, just as Contractor B takes his time to build a quality home that will last for decades, Moore has taken his time to build a strong foundation -- the farm system that will hopefully result in the type of long-term success enjoyed in Atlanta.

Sure, Moore could have focused more of his initial energy on making the Royals a winner by 2008 or 2009. It's why people are questioning whether he's going to be able to see this restoration project through to the point where Kansas City reaches the playoffs. But I've always trusted that he was doing things the right way by taking his time to turn the Royals' farm system into one of the best in baseball.

That farm system, which Baseball America gave its highest-ever grade to prior to the 2011 season, will allow the Royals to be able to sustain a level of success for years to come. Now Moore is about to go shopping, in an attempt to find a guy like Edwin Jackson, who could bolster the Royals' 2012 rotation. The lineup and the bullpen are solid, the defense is as good as its been in decades, and Moore is putting the finishing touches on that dream home.

Trust me, or rather, trust Dayton Moore -- Contractor B. It'll be worth the wait when his work is done.

Hello...Again

2011-10-17T14:38:00.003-05:00

Hello. My name's Mike, and I run this site. Well, I ran this site, since it's been two-plus years since I've given you anything to read. I've set myself up for criticism, since I cleverly decided to name this blog Undying Royalty, and the content on it basically died. I mean, hell, my last post took place when Trey Hillman was still at the helm. Maybe that explains why I stopped writing. I was too embarrassed for having defended him as Royals manager.

In reality, though, my loyalty for the Kansas City Royals has never wavered, and I didn't give up on the organization for a second. Truth be told, real life just got in the way of my blogging.

Some of you who followed this blog from the beginning might know that I was a stay-at-home dad when it launched. When I first started Undying Royalty, my son was still at home with me. These days, he's in elementary school, which means I have too much time to know what to do with.

I'd like to say that I'm employed full-time, but I'm not. Last year at this time, I was working a contract position at the University of Minnesota, providing coverage for its women's basketball program. These days, I drink far too much coffee, watch TV, and take care of minor projects around the house. I still do some volunteer work for Gopher Athletics, but I've made the decision to rededicate some of my time to making this blog worth reading again.

Listen, I'm no Rany Jazayerli. If you're a Kansas City Royals fan and you haven't come across his blog, Rany on the Royals, you need to check it out. But I do hope to regain some of the followers I once had, and to provide another view on my favorite team. Hope you'll forgive me for my long absence.

The Sky is Not Falling!

2009-05-22T09:11:00.006-05:00

So, the Royals have lost nine of their past 12 games. Fickle Royals fans are hanging off the bandwagon, with one foot dragging on the ground, and prepared to jump ship. Message boards are filled with posts from people who are ready to write this season off. The Royals can't win this division. This team doesn't have enough offense to keep pace with Detroit. The defense sucks. KC's pitching isn't able to keep its ERA so low for the entire season.

To all the wishy-washy, non-believer Royals "fans" out there, I just have one thing to say. It's May 22nd, people!!!

Good grief. The Royals are 21-20, and in second place. I think most of us would have taken that if someone had told us that's where the Royals would find themselves toward the end of May. And, yes, the team is 3-9 in its last 12 games. But go back six more games (to include KC's six-game winning streak), and the team is 9-9 over its last 18 games. So it depends how you look at it.

I've shared my opinion on those message boards, and I'm one who truly believes that there is not going to be a team that runs away with the A.L. Central this season. Sure, right now it looks like Detroit's newfound pitching proficiency is going to allow the Tigers to pull away from the pack. But I don't think that's going to last throughout the summer.

Dontrelle Willis had a 9-point-something ERA prior to pitching a great game against Texas in his last start. And, I'll admit, even I picked him up in one of my fantasy leagues, just in case the old D-Train is back on the tracks. But something inside me tells me it won't last.

And Chicago came very close to acquiring Jake Peavy, before picking the worst possible time to lose a game 20-1, and possibly helping Peavy to realize it might not be much different in Chicago than it is in San Diego. Thank you, Minnesota!!

The Twins do look good, at least offensively. Joe Mauer has suddenly found a power surge, and Justin Morneau is putting up MVP-type numbers again. But the Twins' pitching isn't as good as most people around here (I live in the Twin Cities) seemed to think. Francisco Liriano is just not the same pitcher he was prior to his surgery, and I think Minnesota's just going to be like every other team in the division.

And Cleveland? Even though the Tribe just took two of three in Kansas City, I think the lack of pitching will continue to send the Indians in the wrong direction. And I really think Eric Wedge would have been out of a job had Cleveland lost the series at Kauffman Stadium.

What Royals fans need to keep in mind is one of the oldest sports cliches in the book. It's a marathon, not a sprint, people. It's a 162-game season, and just because the Royals are struggling in the past two weeks doesn't mean that the season is over, or that the team doesn't have a chance to make a run at the division.

It's not going to be easy, and there will be lots of bad stretches, mixed in with plenty of good stretches. This division race is going to be a fight the whole season, and those of us who are smart enough to realize that are going to be okay.

For everyone else, it's going to be a bumpy ride, with lots of bruises, as they jump off the bandwagon, only to try to chase it down and jump back on whenever the Royals hit another hot streak.

Royals Need Aviles' Bat to Come to Life

2009-04-26T15:58:00.008-05:00

Kansas City has had the pitching and defense it needs to win games this season. But the offense? It leaves much to be desired.

Prior to Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Tigers, the Royals led the American League in runs allowed, runs allowed per game, complete games, shutouts, hits allowed, earned runs allowed, WHIP, strikeouts per nine innings, fewest errors, double plays turned, and fielding percentage. Yet, three weeks into the season, Kansas City is 9-9 after today's loss to Detroit.

Every Royals fan knows that three of those losses hang on the shoulders of Kyle Farnsworth, who has not exactly lived up to the two-year, $9 million free agent deal he inked during the offseason. Farnsworth's inability to hold leads has stirred the ire of Kansas City's faithful from coast-to-coast, and hopefully, manager Trey Hillman has finally realized (or has been told) that Farnsworth is not the guy to call upon late in close games.

But, more than anything, it's Kansas City's lack of offense early this season that has led to the .500 record. The Royals entered today's game ranked first only in triples, thanks to Coco Crisp's league-leading total of three. But K.C. ranks last, or next-to-last, in the following categories: runs scored, runs per game, at bats, hits, stolen bases, and batting average.

It's certainly not fair to focus on one player for the Royals' offensive woes, as one player could not make much of a dent in the team's deficiencies, but Mike Aviles' struggles sure come to mind when thinking about the team's lack of offense.

One year after taking the American League by storm, Kansas City's shortstop is having a nightmarish "sophomore" season. In 2008, Aviles batted .325/.354/.480 in 102 games after a late-May call-up from Omaha, with 136 hits, 68 runs scored, 51 runs batted in, 27 doubles, four triples, and 10 home runs. Aviles had 39 multiple-hit games, coming up with more than one hit an impressive 38.2 percent of the time.

And this year? Aviles entered this afternoon's game batting an ugly .169/.180/.203, with only two multi-hit games, four RBI, three runs scored, two doubles, and no home runs. He had collected one hit in his past 20 at bats.

This scares Royals fans, as they've seen this act before. Angel Berroa was the A.L. Rookie of the Year in 2003, and was never the same. Tony Pena Jr.? Well, he's Tony Pena Jr. In order to be successful this season, the Royals need to have a productive bat from Aviles.

Because, if Aviles can't be close to the player he was in 2008, when he was named the Royals' Player of the Year and finished fourth in the A.L. Rookie of the Year balloting, then it's either TPJ or Willie Bloomquist at shortstop, and I don't think there are many K.C. fans out there that want that.

But there might be a light at the end of this tunnel...er, slump. With the Royals trailing the Tigers, 3-1, in the bottom of the ninth today, Aviles came to the plate having just one single in his past 23 at bats. Although I really wish there had been a runner on base at the time, Aviles hit his first home run of 2009 into the Tigers' bullpen, cutting the lead to 3-2.

Now that is the Mike Aviles the Royals have been missing. Enough with this Angel Berroa/TPJ impersonation. We want the 2008 version of Aviles back. Hopefully, Aviles' final plate appearance this afternoon is the first sign of life in a desperately-missed bat in the Royals' lineup.

Fire Hillman? Seriously?!

2009-04-19T19:55:00.002-05:00

Saying the Royals should fire Trey Hillman right now is blowing these two early season losses -- the season-opener and today's game -- completely out of proportion. It's such a Chiefs mentality.

In the NFL, if a coach blows two games, it'd be an eighth of the schedule. But seeing how MLB plays 162 games, two losses is just 1/81st of the schedule. So it's definitely not as drastic, and all the "fire Trey!!!!!" types should take a step back from their keyboards and come back tomorrow.

Yes, I'm pissed that Trey brought Kyle Farnsworth into the game. Read my post in the game thread on royalboard.com. I (Royal_in_MN) predicted the end as soon as I saw him enter the game. There is NO WAY that Farnsworth should have been anywhere near the mound in the ninth inning of a tie game.

But do I want Trey Hillman to lose his job for it? Quite simply, no. Farnsworth is a seasoned veteran, and Hillman had to think that he could get some guys out. I mean, I'm sure the thought of another disastrous finish crossed Hillman's mind, but he went on a hunch that Farnsworth wouldn't do a repeat.

Of course, Hillman's hunch was wrong, and it sucks for us that he thought Farnsworth was an option in that situation. I think Kyle Farnsworth needs to be "demoted" strictly to the sixth or seventh innings in games that are not close (3+ run differential), until he can put together a lengthy stretch of worthwhile performances that prove he deserves another chance to work the eighth (NOT the ninth).

But even I don't think Farnsworth should be "dumped," which is what many of those same "fire Hillman" types are advocating. To dump Farnsworth is like eating $9 million, and I seriously don't think the Royals are in a position to be able to do that.

And firing Hillman at this point of the season would probably do no good for such a young team. Going back to the NFL vs. MLB analogy, losing the two games I mentioned is not even equal to playing one miserable quarter in a football game. Would you seriously fire a coach for having one bad quarter early in the season?!

I hope your answer is no.

Zack Greinke = Filthy Good

2009-04-18T21:57:00.003-05:00

Did you watch tonight's game? Did you see what Zack Greinke did to one of the highest-scoring offenses in Major League Baseball? On the heels of Friday's 12-3 spanking of the Rangers in Arlington, Greinke made Josh Hamilton, Hank Blalock, Marlon Byrd, Michael Young and the rest of the Texas lineup look like a bunch of school kids during a complete-game 2-0 shutout victory. It was absolute greatness in Royal Blue.

Greinke needed 111 pitches to finish his first career complete-game shutout, and he struck out 10 while walking none. He dazzled fans, and kept Texas batters guessing, by throwing 61 mile per hour curveballs, followed by 94 mph fastballs on the outside corner. For Royals fans, it was fun to watch, and that's not even the big story about this performance.

Greinke (3-0) entered the game against the Rangers having thrown 11 consecutive shutout innings in 2009, and 25 straight scoreless frames dating back to 2008. Add the nine zeros from tonight, and Greinke unofficially broke Kevin Appier's record for consecutive scoreless innings* by a K.C. pitcher, reaching 34 in a row.

*According to Ryan Lefebvre, he was told by a member of Kansas City's media relations staff that the Royals would create a new category for scoreless innings over two seasons. So Appier's single-season mark of 33 innings will still stand (for now?), while Greinke now holds the record for a streak covering more than one season.

It's early, but Greinke is working on an amazing streak. Are there any Royals fans out there who questioned whether signing Greinke to a $38 million contract extension was worthwhile? I seriously doubt it. But if there were any, they sure must be quiet now. Greinke's stuff is just plain filthy.

Latest KC Giveaway: 1st Two Home Games

2009-04-11T21:39:00.002-05:00

Patience. I keep trying to remind myself that it's crazy to get bent out of shape for losing the first two home games of the season. After all, the old cliche -- that this is a marathon, and not a sprint -- is so true in baseball. It's a long season, and there are still 157 regular season games left.

So it seems a little ridiculous for me to get mad about a pair of losses to the New York Yankees, but I'm simmering.

Like many Royals fans, I'm mad because Sidney Ponson and Horacio Ramirez started the first two games at the beautifully-renovated Kauffman Stadium. In my mind, that was like handing New York the first two games on a platter. Would Luke Hochevar and Brian Bannister have done better? We can only guess at what might have happened, but it probably wouldn't have been any worse.

Hochevar seemed primed for his second season with the team, and he pitched well in Spring Training, with a 1-0 record and a 3.86 ERA in 16.1 innings. The former first overall pick of the Royals should be in the rotation this season.

Bannister did not pitch well in Spring Training, and was coming off a rough 2008 season. It's understandable that he's starting the season in Omaha, but it makes Kansas City fans roll their eyes when they see Horacio Ramirez get rocked for six runs in less than five innings, and then think back to the Bannister we all grew to appreciate in 2007.

I understand the reason Ponson started the home opener. He had a clause in the Minor League contract he signed that gave him an out with the Royals if he didn't make Kansas City's roster by May 1. That clause is no longer a factor, so I say give him one more start at the Major League level, and if he doesn't pitch well enough for the Royals to win, he should be sent to Omaha. By doing that, Ponson could get some regular starts, work out his kinks, and prove whether or not he deserves another chance.

And I didn't think the team's offense would be something that I'd be mad about at this point, but it's been non-existent. Sure, the team has faced some of the better starters in the American League in the five games to date, but I didn't envision the possibility of scoring just eight runs through five games. That's dismal, and I hope Kevin Seitzer can get some of these guys turned around in a hurry.

Kansas City has three solid starters at the top of its rotation, and hopefully Gil Meche can put a stop to this short two-game tailspin tomorrow afternoon. I'm tired of simmering inside.

What a Start for Royals' Pitching

2009-04-09T16:45:00.002-05:00

Sure, it's only three games into a 162-game schedule, but what an amazing start to the 2009 season it's been for Kansas City's top three starters -- Gil Meche, Zack Greinke, and Kyle Davies.

Only one of the three -- Greinke -- recorded a win, but the Royals took two out of three games versus the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field, and it was primarily due to the work of the Royals' starters. The trio of right-handers combined to pitch 20 innings, allowing just 13 hits and one run (earned), while striking out 21 and walking only five.

Royals fans will not forget Meche's start. He went seven innings, scattering seven hits, and striking out six Chicago batters with no walks. It was a fabulous Opening Day start for Meche, but it will be remembered for the wrong reason, as manager Trey Hillman decided to pitch Kyle Farnsworth with Kansas City holding a 2-1 lead in the eighth. Farnsworth, of course, got two outs before making the mistake of leaving a fastball up in the zone to Jim Thome, who blasted a three-run homer to center to help the White Sox win, 4-2.

Then came Greinke, who allowed the Royals to avoid an 0-2 start by going six innings and holding the White Sox to three hits and no runs, while striking out seven during an eventual 2-0 win in the middle game of the series.

In the rubber game of the series, Kansas City fans saw what they hope to see on a consistent basis this season -- a very effective #3 starter in Kyle Davies. The 25-year old baffled White Sox hitters for seven innings by surrendering just three hits, striking out eight, and walking just two in a no decision. He departed with the game tied, 0-0, and newly-acquired centerfielder Coco Crisp delivered the win to reliever Ron Mahay by hitting a two-run homer to right in the top of the ninth inning. The Royals wound up winning, 2-1.

It's not too often that a team can score a total of six runs in a three-game series, yet come away with two wins. If not for Farnsworth's (or Hillman's) gaffe, the Royals would have won three games with only that much run support. That is promising, to say the least, and I haven't even mentioned the two perfect innings that Juan Cruz threw in support of Greinke, or Ron Mahay's scoreless eighth frame today, or the back-to-back saves that Joakim Soria recorded.

I wrote earlier this spring about the importance of Kyle Davies this season. Meche and Greinke are known commodities. The two of them make up what many people feel are one of the top 1-2 combinations in the American League. But, if Davies can consistently put together solid outings like he did this afternoon, Kansas City will remain right in the thick of the race for the A.L. Central crown.

Meche Pitches Gem...Farnsworth Blows It

2009-04-07T17:37:00.002-05:00

Opening Day, Take Two, after Monday's snowy postponement. Gil Meche is on the hill for the Kansas City Royals, and he has his "A" game with him today. He looks like he's in midseason form, going seven strong innings, scattering seven hits (six of which were singles), striking out six, and walking none. You honestly cannot ask for much better of a season-opening performance from a starting pitcher than what Meche gave the Royals on Tuesday against the White Sox. Meche departed after the seventh inning with a 2-1 lead, ready to hand it off to what many consider one of the best bullpens in the American League Central.

In comes Kyle Farnsworth, who signed as a free agent for $9 million during the offseason. Nasty fastball. Biting slider, but he has the tendency to leave it hanging sometimes. A tough pitcher to bunt against, but Chicago's Josh Fields manages to surprise everyone by squaring up and dropping a perfect bunt down the third baseline to open the White Sox's eighth frame. Dewayne Wise attempts to move Fields up with a bunt, but can't get it done before flying out to center. But Chris Getz comes up with a bloop single to right to move Fields to third.

Farnsworth looks solid in striking out Carlos Quentin, but manager Trey Hillman makes the mistake of leaving him in the game to face Jim Thome, who blasts a three-run home run to center field, and the Sox hold the Royals scoreless in the ninth to win the game, 4-2.

I'm pissed that Meche didn't get a win for such an outstanding 2009 debut on the mound, and I'm mystified why Trey Hillman didn't bring in Ron Mahay to set up a lefty-lefty matchup against Thome. But there were lots of positives in the game, too. Like Alex Gordon's 418-foot blast to straightaway center to put the Royals on the board early. And the fact that the team seemed to be better at working the counts. But the Royals are 0-1, when they should be 1-0, and Trey Hillman and Kyle Farnsworth have already used their one mulligan, in my book.

$20 Sunflower Seeds, and Mark Teahen

2009-03-02T14:37:00.008-06:00

I've been meaning to write about this for months now, but since it's Spring Training and I've been looking for something different to post, I figured I'd share a funny story about my favorite personal baseball memory of 2008.

It was September 9, and my youngest brother Evan had scored some incredible front-row seats -- basically right on top of Kansas City's dugout -- for the Royals-Twins game at the Metrodome. The tickets were my birthday present from Evan and his wife, and you really can't give a die-hard Royals fan like myself a better gift than that.

The seats were amazing! I mean, we could lean forward, and look down at the Royals' players milling about in the dugout. Attending the game were myself, Evan, and two of our friends -- Mike and Scott -- and our first comments when we all got to our seats were something about being worried whether we could safely drink beer and sit in such close-range line-drive territory. Yes, we were in a potentially dangerous spot, and all of us had seen people nailed by shots off bats before.

Needless to say, though, the threat of being clocked by a foul ball didn't stop us from indulging in a beer or three...or four. Let's just say we were feeling pretty good, and I wasn't even too bothered by the fact that Kansas City was on its way to a 7-2 loss that night in an awful game for Brian Bannister.

Ryan Shealy was playing first base for the Royals, and between Scott and myself, we collected a total of five baseballs from Shealy as he walked back to the dugout in between innings! I kept the one I got, and Scott gave the rest away to the little kids who quickly learned of his generosity. But that isn't even my favorite part of the evening.

Late in the game, and still feeling good from the close-to-excessive beverages we drank, Evan decided it'd be funny to take something and "accidentally" drop it onto the steps of the dugout below. We weren't dumb -- though, that can be argued -- and so we started thinking about things that a person wouldn't usually drop on purpose.

The first suggestion was to take his credit cards and most of his cash out of his wallet, and drop that, but he didn't like that idea. So then it moved to a discussion about cash, and we wanted to see whether the Royals would give it back, or if we could perhaps get something else back in exchange. But the idea was still that we were going to try to make it seem like it had been an "accidental drop."

So, after coming to the conclusion that a $20 bill was the right amount, Evan did the deed, and casually dropped the money. It slowly fell to a spot on the steps, right by the Gatorade, the gum, and the sunflower seeds. We watched for what seemed like ages -- probably about 30 seconds -- before an unidentified member of the Royals finally snuck up, grabbed the bill, folded it in half the long way, and teased us by holding it out and running off to the end of the dugout.

Just like that, we thought our experiment had ended with a disappointing result. But Mark Teahen, who was playing third base that night, came over before he went out to the field, grabbed a bag of ranch-flavored sunflower seeds, and tossed them up to me. Winner, winner, chicken dinner! Sure, it was a small bag of what were now $20 sunflower seeds, but it was something, and Evan laughed at it. It was a fun story to tell friends and family.

A few weeks later, in the final regular season game of the year at the Metrodome, the Royals were back in town. Before the game, I went down to a spot above the Royals' dugout during batting practice and got some autographs on the ball I had gotten from Shealy earlier that month.

One of the players who signed for me was Mark Teahen, and I chatted with him for a minute, quickly recounting the story and asking him whether he knew who it was who ended up with my brother's $20. He laughed at the account, and claimed that he had no idea who got the money. My guess is that it was a batboy or something, but we'll never know for sure.

But, as Teahen moved back out to the field for more pregame drills, he tossed me another bag of ranch-flavored sunflower seeds and smiled. I think he knows the answer to my question.

KC's Future 3B: Moustakas or Gordon?

2009-02-24T16:42:00.013-06:00

Baseball America's annual list of the Top 100 Prospects was released today, and the Kansas City Royals have two players among the publication's Top 25. Kansas City is one of five organizations with two prospects among the Top 25, while Baltimore and Florida are tied for the lead with three each.

Third baseman Mike Moustakas (pictured), Kansas City's top overall selection in the 2007 draft, is ranked 13th on the list. And last year's top pick for the Royals, first baseman Eric Hosmer, is listed 24th. Both players are projected to make their Major League Baseball debuts during the 2010 season, which presents an interesting question for Royals fans.

With Kansas City's top draft pick in 2006, Alex Gordon, currently manning third base, exactly where does "Moose" fit into the Royals' plans? Is Moustakas the future starter at the hot corner for KC, or will he be utilized in another role?

Moustakas has already gone through one position shift. He was drafted as a shortstop, and was the 18th-ranked prospect by Baseball America in 2008. But about midway through last season, he was moved to third base, and he played 59 games there.

Even so, many people predict that Moustakas would be a natural fit in a corner outfield spot, with his strong arm and raw power at the plate. But if that's where the Royals envision him, wouldn't it have made more sense to have moved him there right away, rather than have him work to become a third baseman?

Playing for Burlington, Moustakas got off to a slow start in his first full season in the Minors, but wound up becoming the first teenager since 1992 to lead the Midwest League in home runs (22). He played in 126 games at Burlington, finishing the season with a line of .272/.337/.468 with 25 doubles, three triples, 77 runs scored, 71 runs batted in, 43 walks, and 86 strikeouts in 496 at bats.

After the All-Star break, Moustakas batted .321/.392/.557 with 13 home runs, helping Burlington win the Midwest League Championship Series for the first time since 1999. It also marked the first time since 1999 that a full-season affiliate of the Royals had won a league title.

Moving Moustakas to third base makes you wonder if Kansas City sees Alex Gordon as the long-term answer there, or whether there are plans in place to move Gordon. The logical move would be for Gordon to shift to first base. That is, until you remember that the hope is to have Hosmer playing there within a couple seasons, and Mike Jacobs is only signed for one year. So the move needs to be to a corner outfield spot, but which player is moved, Moustakas or Gordon?

It's an issue that needs to be addressed, and maybe it already has been in closed-door meetings involving the Royals' front office staff. But, then again, it's a nice problem to have.

Mike Moustakas Photo Credit: Chrish Wish

Can the Royals Draw 2,000,000 Fans?

2009-02-23T16:39:00.012-06:00

On the field for the Kansas City Royals, things certainly look promising for 2009. Players like Alex Gordon, Zack Greinke, Billy Butler, Coco Crisp, Gil Meche, Joakim Soria, and Jose Guillen have Kansas City fans excited about the possibility that this team could challenge for its first division crown since 1985.

But away from the baseball field, times are tough due to a financial crisis that has crippled the U.S. economy. It's one of the most difficult economic periods in a generation. The newly-elected government is attempting to figure out how to stimulate the economy, and just today, President Obama promised to cut the U.S. defecit in half by the end of his first term. Any stimulus package isn't going to have a short-term effect, and it could be years before improvements are felt.

In the meantime, businesses continue to close their doors left-and-right, banks are still struggling to stay afloat, the unemployment rate could reach levels that haven't been seen in decades, and families are being forced to cut back on discretionary spending in order to simply pay the monthly bills and avoid foreclosure on their homes.

So, tell me, when the Royals start to win games like we're all hoping they will, are people still going to have the extra money needed to attend a Royals' game? And even if Kansas City remains in contention for the American League Central Division title in August or September, will Kauffman Stadium's seats once again be filled like they were in the glory days of the late 1970's and early 1980's? Those are difficult questions to ponder, with unclear, and potentially scary, answers.

Here are some amazing signs of the times. The other day, I heard one of the hosts on XM Radio's MLB Home Plate mention that there are apparently still tickets remaining for what he said are the first nine games of the season for the New York Yankees.

Normally, this might not seem like such a big deal. But New York, which regularly attracts sellout crowds to its games, is moving into a state-of-the-art, $1.5 billion Yankee Stadium this season. If ever a series of early-season games in the Bronx should be sold out, you'd think this would be it. But, apparently, not in this economy.

During the same conversation, the host suggested that it might not be long before Boston's MLB-record consecutive sellout streak at Fenway Park, which currently stands at 468 games, will come to an end due to the financial strain on U.S. citizens. If you follow the game of Major League Baseball, you know that's an astounding thought, especially for a team with two World Titles in the past five years.

So, when faced with possibilities like that, will a small-market organization like Kansas City be able to actually increase its attendance in the coming years?

A few weeks ago, also on XM, Royals general manager Dayton Moore was asked about attendance figures in relation to Kansas City's ability to increase its payroll. Moore said that, in order for the Royals to be able to increase their payroll to $80-85 million in any season, Kansas City would need between 2 million and 2.4 million fans to pass through the turnstiles at The K.

To put that in perspective, in their 40 years of existence, the Royals have had just 11 seasons in which they've drawn in excess of two million fans. The last time it happened was during the 1991 season, which capped a seven-year streak of two million or more through the gates. The largest total ever is the 2,477,700 who came out to watch the Royals during 1989. But, since 1995, the highest attendance figure for Kansas City is the 1,779,895 fans it drew during the 2003 season.

Last year, Kansas City's total attendance was 1,578,922, for an average of 19,493 per game. In order to reach the 2,000,000 figure, average attendance would have to jump more than 5,000 fans per game, to at least 24,691 per game. Can that honestly happen in this day and age?

According to an annual cost analysis study conducted by Team Marketing Report during April 2008, there were only five teams in Major League Baseball with a more affordable FCI, or Fan Cost Index*, than the Royals.

Yet, the same report said the following: "The Kansas City Royals, a regular at the bottom of the FCI, jumped up a few spots thanks to a 21.1 percent increase on tickets, going from $14.48 to $17.54. The Royals' FCI concurrently went up 22.5 percent to $151.16."

*The Fan Cost Index comprises the prices of two (2) adult average-price tickets, two (2) child average-price tickets, two (2) small draft beers, four (4) small soft drinks, four (4) regular-size hot dogs, parking for one (1) car, two (2) game programs, and two (2) least-expensive, adult-size adjustable caps.

So, it's true that the Royals remain a bargain in terms of the cost for a family to attend a game, and the thing about that report is that it didn't factor in such savings as Dodge Buck Night, and all-you-can-eat seats, or other promotions that Kansas City runs on a regular basis in order to increase attendance. But the fact of the matter is, with another hike in ticket prices set for 2009, can the average family really afford to attend more than a handful of games?

It's not fun to think what could happen to organizations like the Royals, or other teams located in smaller markets, if the economy continues on its downward spiral.

It's not a stretch of the imagination to think that more than one team could run into such financial difficulties that it is forced to shut down, or relocate. And it's certainly not beyond the realm of possibility that teams like Kansas City might have to drastically cut their payrolls, and return to a strict reliance on players who come up through their farm systems.

Many MLB teams have already taken steps to reduce payroll for 2009. In fact, Kansas City is one of a very select number of organizations who have actually increased payroll this season. The Royals are set to pay a team-record total of around $74 million to their players this season, which is a reported $4 million over the team's budget. In order to offset that cost, I'm guessing the front office is factoring in an attendance increase.

Optimism surrounding this year's team is at its highest point in recent memory, and these Royals should win lots of games. But the big question is whether Kansas City can once again reach that elusive total of 2 million fans.

I guess we won't know the answer to that question until it happens, but it sure would be nice to read about the two millionth fan passing through the turnstiles at Kauffman Stadium this season.

Kauffman Stadium Photo Credit: AllPosters.com

My Dislikes: Yanks, Red Sox, and Redbirds

2009-02-20T10:09:00.016-06:00

This topic is almost sure to draw criticism from at least two of my younger brothers, who root for teams that I'm going to discuss in this post. But I'm really just fishing for some comments from readers in general, and a little increased activity on my site after months of being stagnant.

I'm wondering which team(s), or fans of a particular team, you most dislike, and why? Everyone is more than welcome to share their thoughts and opinions. Yes, even fans of the teams discussed in this post, or others. And, if you hate the Royals, for whatever reason, I'd sure love to know why.

For me, there are just three teams that stand out above the rest when it comes to a dislike for particular franchises, and surprisingly, none of them are in the American League Central (although the White Sox were close).

Among fans of small market teams, I think there's a natural tendency to dislike teams that have overwhelmingly large payrolls. Obviously, the New York Yankees top that list, with the Boston Red Sox a close second.

When Gil Meche signed as a free agent with the Royals in December of 2006, his five-year, $55 million contract equaled former Royal Mike Sweeney's deal for the largest in Kansas City's history. Zack Greinke's recent four-year, $38 million package now ranks as the second-largest in terms of overall dollar value. But those pale in comparison to what the Yankees have been able to do.

This offseason, New York signed C.C. Sabathia to a seven-year, $161 million deal, then added A.J. Burnett for five years and $82.5 million, and still had enough in the coiffers to ink Mark Teixeira to an eight-year contract for $180 million. And, keep in mind that Alex Rodriguez signed on the dotted line for 10 years and $275 million prior to the 2008 campaign. That's sick, and it's a primary reason behind my hatred of the Yankees, which happens to be my brother Brian's favorite team.

The Red Sox didn't make any major splashes in the free agent market this winter, and Boston owner John Henry has even been calling for a salary cap after the Yankees' recent spending spree. But, even with a lower projected payroll for 2009, Boston still ranked second in 2008 by distributing $147.1 million in salary to its players.

By contrast, Kansas City is getting set to increase its 2009 payroll to an all-time high of somewhere around $74 million -- yes, that's about half of what Boston spent last year, and a third of the $222.5 million the Yankees dealt out in 2008.

In my opinion, the ability to spend money like that creates an arrogance and an "East Coast is best" mentality that just oozes from fans of either of those two organizations. They often scoff at the notion that teams like Kansas City should even be able to be on the same field as their teams.

It's a cockiness and bully mentality that is fed by the fat wallets of their team owners, who have endless cash to spend thanks to lucrative television deals with YES (Yankees) and NESN (Red Sox), as well as top-grossing merchandise and licensing profits due to the enormous population located along the East Coast.

And it just drives me crazy, when listening to MLB Home Plate on XM Radio, to hear seemingly endless talk about either of those teams. Man, it'd sure be nice if I could hear something more than just the occasional brief mention of the Royals. I think, as much as anything, this stokes the hatred I feel for the Yankees and the Red Sox. Well, that, and the fact that Reggie Jackson acted like an ass when I asked him for an autograph at the College World Series a few years ago.

Granted, with 26 World Championships and a rich history -- wow, that word fits so well -- fans of the Bronx Bombers have obvious reasons to gloat. Red Sox Nation seems to always be competing with, but chasing, its rivals from New York. Sorry, Boston, but seven titles will always keep you in that chasing mode -- not that seven titles is anything to turn your nose up at.

With that in mind, though, and knowing that the Yankees are about to make their 2009 debut in a sparkling new $1.5 billion Yankee Stadium, it really makes you wonder if venerable old Fenway Park's days are numbered.

Okay, okay...enough about the East Coast. I think my disdain is quite evident.

For most Royals fans, you simply have to look across the state of Missouri to find another rather obvious choice -- those Deadbirds...er, Redbirds, of St. Louis. Even though they play in the National League, I think, more than any other team, I feel a sense of satisfaction when the Royals beat the St. Louis Cardinals.

My brother Matt (NOT pictured...thank God) is a die-hard fan of the Cards -- even though I have a picture of him from elementary school wearing his Royals jacket -- and he will assuredly be e-mailing me after reading this post. We go back and forth all the time, although there is a prevailing brotherly respect to our debates, which probably wouldn't exist if either of us was talking smack about our teams to just any other fan.

Obviously, I love to bring up the 1985 World Series anytime Royals-Cardinals is discussed. Of course, he automatically claims that series should have an asterisk by it due to Don Denkinger's call during Game 6. But I always respond to that by saying that if the Cardinals really deserved that World Championship, then they should have been able to come back and be more competetive in Game 7. And we all know that Kansas City then went on to kick the crap out of St. Louis by a score of 11-0, and celebrated the organization's greatest triumph.

The thing that I really dislike about many Cardinals fans, though, is their sense of arrogance. I can deal with my brother's pride in the Cardinals, but if you talk to an everyday fan of the Redbirds, they'll probably claim that they're the best fans in baseball, and that they're also the most knowledgeable crowd in the game.

For the most part, I think those claims by St. Louis fans are in comparison to fans of the other team in the Show Me State, which is why it bugs me. Cardinals versus Cubs is probably always going to be more of a rivalry to fans in the Gateway City, but I think their second love is to hate the Royals.

So, I truly enjoyed it last year when the Royals went to St. Louis and swept all three games at Busch Stadium. God, it would have been so fun to have been wearing all of my Royals gear, and sitting among the throng of red-clad St. Louisans as the young Royals won by scores of 2-1, 3-2, and 4-1. Imagine how cool it would've been to have been waving a broom back and forth as Joakim Soria recorded his third save in three days to finish the sweep! And, of course, Kansas City won last year's series against the Cards, four games to two, so Matt owed me some beers in our annual friendly wager.

There is no arguing the fact that Cardinals fans are loyal, and Busch Stadium is almost always full. But would those fans keep coming out to the ballpark if they had had to suffer through what Royals fans have had to put up with for the past decade-and-a-half? I don't think so. In fact, I think Busch Stadium would be about as empty as Kauffman Stadium has been in recent years if the tables were turned.

St. Louis fans I run into (like this guy) always love to bring up the Royals' struggles over the past 15-20 years. I'm just waiting for the day when the Cardinals head into a similar tailspin that lasts at least a few years, so I can make a comment or two about the dwindling attendance at Cardinals games, and about how mismanaged that franchise is. Kansas City's change in ownership, and Allard Baird, gave Cardinals fans great joy and satisfaction for years and years.

I want to feel arrogant and cocky again. I want to be able to respond with confidence to comments made by fans on the East Coast or across the state. I'm hoping Dayton Moore and David Glass are successful in restoring that sense of pride in being a fan of the Kansas City Royals.

Kyle Davies is Key for Royals in 2009

2009-02-18T17:05:00.008-06:00

I'm shelving the dream of Orlando Hudson-to-the-Royals for now, as it seems more and more likely that David Glass has really put a stop to Kansas City's offseason spending. I know, it's easy for me to sit here at the computer and figure out ways to spend Glass's money, but it just seems like adding Hudson, even at a "bargain" cost somewhere between $4 and 5 million, is not likely to happen. Dammit.

So, let's take a look at a player who's already in the fold for the 2009 season: right-handed starting pitcher Kyle Davies. I think the performance of Davies in Kansas City's rotation this season will go a long way toward determining whether this is a great season -- with the potential to reach the playoffs -- or simply another slight improvement for the franchise.

Davies is coming off a 2008 season in which he recorded career-best totals for wins (9), ERA (4.06), ERA+ (105), and WHIP (1.45) after being called up from Class AAA Omaha in late May. He finished with a record of 9-7, making 21 starts, and allowing 121 hits in 113 innings pitched.

In his second season working with Royals pitching coach Bob McClure, the 25-year old Davies finished with 71 strikeouts and 43 walks for a K/BB ratio of 1.65, the best of his career. And his 4.06 ERA was lower than the league average (4.27) for the first time in his four-year career at the Major League level.

Davies seemed to put things together late in the 2008 season, as he combined to go 4-1 with a 2.27 ERA in five September starts. In those games, he allowed just 22 hits in 31.2 innings, holding batters to a line of .198/.246/.270 with 24 strikeouts and just seven walks. His WHIP was a solid 0.92 during that span, and he surrendered just one home run.

I'm sure there are those who will try to attribute Davies' impressive September numbers to the fact that many teams utilize players called up from the Minor Leagues late in the season. But if he can start the 2009 season with the type of confident mindset he honed during those late-season starts, Davies could be the type of #3 starter the Royals have been hoping for.

Davies was originally drafted by the Atlanta Braves with the 29th pick (135th overall) in the 4th Round of the 2001 amateur draft.* A native of Stockbridge, Ga., Davies was acquired by Kansas City in a deal that sent closer Octavio Dotel to Atlanta at the trade deadline on July 31, 2007.

*The Royals had selected catcher John Draper with the ninth pick in that same round. In five Minor League seasons, none higher than Class AA, Draper batted .245/.311/.323 with just 12 home runs and 226 strikeouts in 1,357 at bats. With the fourth pick of the fifth round that year, just five spots before the Royals selected, the Phillies drafted a guy named Ryan Howard out of Missouri State. Thanks, Allard.

Davies always showed promise as a Minor Leaguer, combining to go 18-6 with a 2.97 ERA during 2004-07 in Atlanta's farm system prior to the trade to the Royals. Overall, in eight Minor League seasons (including time in Omaha during 2008), Davies owns a mark of 42-22 with a 2.86 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. In 595 innings pitched, he has allowed just 498 hits, while fanning 576 batters and walking just 215.

But he's had his struggles facing Major League batters. In parts of three seasons with Atlanta, Davies was 14-21 with a 6.15 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP.

Nevertheless, Kansas City general manager Dayton Moore knew what he was getting in Davies, and figured it was worth the risk -- and a little criticism from some Royals fans -- despite Davies' failure to stick around for long in the Major Leagues.

"He's a young pitcher who's trying to establish himself," Moore said after the trade. "I don't pay much attention to young pitchers' statistics. If you did, John Smoltz and Tommy Glavine never would have gotten off the ground."

Since coming to Kansas City, Davies' numbers have improved somewhat, resulting in a combined record of 12-14 over the past two years with a 4.86 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP.

That doesn't seem like much of a jump, but it's his numbers during most of the 2008 season that have Royals fans hoping for something great from the guy who spent this offseason doing construction work for his father's company.

He began last season at Class AAA Omaha, where he posted an impressive record of 6-2 with a 2.03 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. After his recall to the Royals, Davies got off to a sizzling start by going 3-0 with a 1.46 ERA over his first four starts in Kansas City.

He then ran into a rough stretch of three starts -- versus San Francisco, St. Louis, and Baltimore -- in which he went 0-1 with an 11.57 ERA. Take away those three games last season, and Davies was 9-6 with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP.

Let me repeat that for everyone. Other than three straight bad outings between June 22 and July 3 last season, Kyle Davies had a 3.20 earned run average for the rest of the season, totaling 101.1 innings pitched.

That's not a bad sample size, and those are the kind of numbers that can hush the naysayers who think that Davies only pitched well in September last season. They're also the kind of numbers that could make him a very effective No. 3 starter for the Royals.

If Davies can continue to improve, and Kansas City gets the type of performances it expects from its top two starting pitchers -- Gil Meche and Zack Greinke -- then I'd argue this team can compete for the American League Central crown in 2009.

Kyle Davies Photo Credit: Gail Burton/AP

True Love: Valentine's Day and Baseball

2009-02-14T09:55:00.014-06:00

It's Valentine's Day, and I awoke this morning to a nice exchange of cards, kisses, and candy with my wife. Yes, love is in the air, and I'm fortunate to have a strong marriage, with lots to smile about.

But, with apologies to St. Valentine, and to my wife, something else has made my smile even more radiant today, and it stems from my other love -- the Kansas City Royals.

Yes, pitchers and catchers report, and baseballs were in the air! What a wonderful thought that is. And, for the Royals, most of the rest of the team is already in camp in Surprise, Ariz.

So, it's time to start preparing to play ball, and to find reasons for optimism no matter what team you follow. It's time for Bob Dutton's V-logs, and for daily (or weekly) trips to In-N-Out for Sam Mellinger as he posts entertaining updates on his Ball Star blog. Best of all, I won't have to wait a week between stories about the Royals on the Kansas City Star's web site, or on Rany Jazayerli's blog.

For the first time in years, the Royals will have depth at most positions. Sure, there are still question marks, primarily on the right side of the infield and in the bullpen. But the backups should be known quantities rather than career Minor Leaguers who cause Kansas City fans to roll their eyes and have serious doubts about the team's potential.

Without a doubt in my mind, Dayton Moore's plan is beginning to pay dividends. When I listen to XM Radio's MLB channel, in those rare moments when they talk about the Royals instead of the Yankees, Red Sox, or some other East Coast team, I hear mostly positive comments. Some are even predicting that Kansas City could be a sleeper pick to be 2009's version of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Sure, that could be stretching things a bit, but it sure is fun to think of the possibilities. And before Moore took over as General Manager for the Royals, no one in their right mind would have been able to make such a preseason prediction.

There's even talk circulating today, based on a report in Buster Olney's blog, that Kansas City is considering ways to be able to fit free agent second baseman Orlando Hudson into the payroll. Now that, my friends, would put the Kansas City Royals on the map.

The downside to that signing is that it would cost the Royals their second-round pick in this year's draft. But if it takes Kansas City from being a sleeper pick to contend in the A.L. Central, to all of a sudden being considered a leading candidate for the division crown, then it's certainly worth trying to make it a reality, isn't it?

The payroll is already being stretched at a time when many teams are trying to make cuts due to the depressed economy. Moore has said that, in order for the Royals to extend their payroll to the $80-85 million range, the team needs to be able to draw between 2 million and 2.4 million fans to Kauffman Stadium.

The renovations, designed to create the feel of a new stadium, should already be reason enough for increased attendance figures in 2009. So why would it not make sense to take a bit of a gamble, and sign a guy like Hudson in order to put together a team that is truly capable of making a run for the playoffs. I mean, you have to spend money to make money, right?

With Hudson at second base, the Royals' defense would improve dramatically. Hudson won Gold Gloves for his defense as Toronto's second baseman in 2005, and for Arizona in both 2006 and 2007. Offensively, the 31-year old Hudson has batted .282/.346/.433 during his seven-year career, while averaging 26 doubles, six triples, 10 home runs, 60 runs scored, and 53 runs batted in per season. And his OPS+ the past three seasons has been 102, 106, and 108.

Today is the official start to what can be a dream season for the Royals. In my mind, every Royals' season begins as what could be a dream season, but most people seem to think that Kansas City's best chances to reach the playoffs will come in 2010 or later. But why not now? Most of the pieces seem to be in place. Is Hudson among the final pieces to a playoff puzzle the Royals haven't been able to solve since 1985?

It's fun to dream, isn't it?

Orlando Hudson Photo Credit: Washington Times

Contrary to Rumors, I'm Still Alive...

2008-07-18T14:45:00.007-05:00

Wow, May 22 was my previous post on here, and I can't apologize enough for the lack of attention this blog has received over the past two months.

Have I given up hope in the Kansas City Royals? Nope. That's why I called this site Undying Royalty. Although some might have started to speculate about whether I was still a fan of the team, my loyalty remains in tact. I've just been keeping things to myself for awhile.

Have I still been keeping up with the team? Yes, I purchased MLB Extra Innings prior to the start of the season -- a fantastic purchase, I might add, although my one complaint is that I can't watch the pregame segments, or Royals Live after the game -- and I'd wager that I've watched at least as many, if not more, games than the average Royals fan.

Is the start of summer to blame? Partially. After I posted on May 22, I spent the next two weeks vacationing, the first at my in-laws in North Dakota, and the second fishing with my high school buddies at my parents' cabin. But that doesn't give me any reason to have failed to write a darn thing the past six weeks, and I'm sorry for that.

I will admit that I was pretty down on the team after that miserable stretch of the season in Boston and Toronto, which carried on into the 12-game losing streak. But Trey Hillman might have caught wind of my previous post, because Jimmy Gobble hasn't pitched in a game the Royals have won since he wrecked the team's chances to steal a win at Fenway Park on May 22*.

*My use of a Pozterisk here is to make everyone aware that Gobble hasn't let me down, going 0-2 with a 10.80 ERA in 14 appearances, beginning May 22. He has worked 13.1 innings, allowing 18 hits, 16 runs (all earned), while walking 11 and striking out just seven. Taking a closer look at his numbers, he has surrendered a horrendous line of .316/.435/.614, with four home runs allowed, two wild pitches, one hit batsman, and has been allowed to throw 283 pitches, only 157 of which have been for strikes. Now, could someone please remind me, why the hell is he still on the Royals' active roster?!

Whew, okay, I feel better.

So, no, I haven't fallen ill, died, or mysteriously vanished from the face of the Earth. My blood still runs Royal blue, and I have just as much disdain for the St. Louis Cardinals. Speaking of which, I have absolutely no idea why I didn't take full advantage of the Royals' dominance over that other team from the Show Me State. Who's your daddy, Redbirds? That's right, look to the other side of the state, and give Trey Hillman's boys the respect they earned.

Tonight, the second half of the season begins, and it will be interesting to see how well the Royals can work through a very tough stretch of games against teams with winning records at the All-Star break. At 10 games under the .500 mark, there are at least five games I can think of that should have fallen into the win column in the first half, and a record of 48-48 at the break would have made things much more intriguing. Not that things won't be worth following as is, though.

I'll be extremely interested to see what kind of moves Dayton Moore makes in the next two weeks, and I think those transactions will depend largely on how well the team fares to start the second half. If the Royals come out of the gates hot, and win several games against Chicago, Detroit, and Tampa Bay, then I could see Kansas City become buyers in this market. But I'd estimate the chances of winning six to eight of those 10 games is fairly minimal.

What's more likely to happen is that, because of this challenging stretch in the schedule, the Royals will be aggressively looking to make some moves to bolster the team's future. Mark Grudzielanek's days in a Kansas City uniform are likely coming to an end, and players like Ron Mahay and even guys like Zack Greinke, Billy Butler, David DeJesus, Mark Teahen, and Esteban German are likely to be involved in private trade discussions between Moore and other teams. I can only hope that Jimmy Gobble's name comes up, as well, but my prayers are rarely answered.

Yes, I'll be watching, and hopefully, I will once again be writing on a regular basis. Thanks for putting up with my extended leave of absence.

I Hope Trey Hillman Learned His Lesson...

2008-05-22T15:00:00.003-05:00

The bases are loaded. The Royals trail the Red Sox, 7-3, because Jimmy Gobble had just walked a batter, and then allowed Dustin Pedroia to crush a double off the Green Monster. Gobble then intentionally walked Manny Ramirez to load the bases with two outs. Time for a right-hander -- like Ramon Ramirez, maybe -- to come in and face right-handed batter Mike Lowell, wouldn't you think?

I'm standing in my living room, in front of the TV, pacing back and forth and saying to myself, "Don't let Gobble face another right-handed batter...don't let Gobble face another right-handed batter..."

So, what does Royals manager Trey Hillman decide to do? You got it -- he leaves Jimmy Freakin' Gobble in there to face Lowell with the bases packed.

To better understand my frustration with this decision, here are some facts about Jimmy Gobble. Entering today's game, left-handers were just 2-for-22 (.091) against him this year, with eight strikeouts and a .312 OPS. But right-handed batters?, they were batting .389/.455/.556 with three doubles and a .500 BAbip. For his career, batters have a .343 average against Gobble with the bases loaded.

I swear on my life, I mumbled to myself, "The score will be at least 9-3 after this at bat." Then I corrected my thought by thinking that it might just be 8-3, because the chances of Gobble walking Lowell were just as bad.

The result? Lowell blasts one over the Green Monster for the second grand slam the Royals allowed in the game, and all of a sudden it was 11-3.

And the moral of this story...er, I mean, rant? Never, EVER, EVERRRRRR allow Jimmy Gobble to face right-handed batters again! Ever!! He should be a lefty-lefty specialist, and that's it.

I don't like Jimmy Gobble! I'm not commenting on Jimmy Gobble the human being, because I would bet that he's one of the nicest guys on the team. He just seems like he'd be a good friend, and a great person. But Jimmy Gobble the baseball player? I'd pick countless other relievers to use -- against a right-handed batter -- before I'd choose to go with the "Gobbstopper" in that situation.

I hope Trey Hillman learned a lesson from this, and uses Gobble ONLY as a lefty specialist.

This Day-Night Thing With Bannister Is Odd

2008-05-18T11:15:00.006-05:00

If you're a Kansas City Royals fan, and you've been reading Royals-related blogs this week, then you might have already read about right-handed pitcher Brian Bannister and his bizarre stat splits between his performances during day games, and those at night.

I believe it was initially pointed out in the reader comments section on Joe Posnanski's blog, and then written about by Rany Jazayerli on his Rany on the Royals site.

For those who haven't seen this yet, Brian Bannister's stats during day games and night games are as follows:

Bannister in the Daytime (2008): 4-0, 0.62 ERA, 29 IP, 12 hits, 3 R (2 ER), 0 HR (no extra-base hits), 7 BB, 18 SO, 1 CG, .126 BAA, .320 OPS, -10 OPS+, .156 BABIP

Bannister at Night (2008): 0-5, 8.13 ERA, 27.2 IP, 40 hits, 25 R (25 ER), 6 HR (14 extra-base hits), 7 BB, 16 SO, 0 CG, .325 BAA, .914 OPS, 147 OPS+, .337 BABIP

Well, Mr. Bannister pitched again last night for the Royals, and wouldn't you know, he lost. Bannister worked 6.1 innings against the Florida Marlins, allowing seven hits, six earned runs, and one home run, while walking two and striking out five.

The odd thing was, when the game started, it was still light outside, and Bannister was faring pretty well until that daylight faded. Through six innings, he had limited Florida to a pair of runs on just four hits. That was, until the seventh inning -- yes, when it was dark -- and the Marlins struck for four runs on three hits, including the decisive three-run blast by pinch-hitter Wes Helms.

And, the good news out of this? Bannister's next scheduled outing comes Thursday at Fenway Park against the defending World Champion Boston Red Sox and Daisuke Matsuzaka.

And, you're probably wondering, how is there any good news in that? Well, first pitch is slated for 12:35 p.m. CT.

Brian Bannister Photo Credit: Wilfredo Lee/AP

Am I Just Dreaming, Or Could This Happen?

2008-05-13T22:28:00.003-05:00

If you haven't read Jim Caple's feature on Japanese pitching sensation Yu Darvish, you should. And, if you're like me, it might cause you to dream of something that probably will never happen -- Darvish finding his way to Kansas City -- but since his former manager, Trey Hillman, currently manages the Royals, it's fun to think about.

Darvish is a 21-year old megastar in his fourth season as a member of the Hoikkado Nippon Ham Fighters, the team Hillman led to the 2006 and 2007 Japan Series, winning the title in 2006. This season, the 6-foot-5 Darvish is 5-1 with a 1.46 ERA, and he is far and away the top pitcher in Japanese baseball.

Normally, a player such as Darvish would have to play nine seasons in Japan before he would be eligible to sign as a free agent with a team in Major League Baseball. But corporations that own teams in Japan -- in this case, Nippon Ham -- can ask for a posting fee, which would allow an MLB team to have discussions with a player like Darvish before his nine years is up.

It's how Daisuke Matsuzaka wound up a member of the Boston Red Sox. Boston paid a posting fee of $50 million, and then signed Dice-K to a $52 million contract prior to the start of the 2007 season. It's still speculation, but Caple guesses that the fee to speak with Darvish could reach $75 million.

So, here's where my dreaming gets crazy. I actually sat back and wondered whether David Glass, who has deep, deep pockets, would actually ever try to make a huge splash by paying what it takes to get a pitcher like Darvish. I wondered whether the owners of Nippon Ham, who had a wonderful relationship with Trey Hillman, would allow the Royals to be the team with the shot to get Darvish. And I also daydreamed about the possibility of the free-spirited Darvish refusing to talk with any team but one managed by Hillman.

Yes, I know, I'm a crazy Royals fan, and those thoughts are absurd. But it's fun to think about. Read the article, and you'll be dreaming about Darvish wearing Powder Blue, too.

No Offense, But Royals' Offense Stinks

2008-05-07T07:01:00.002-05:00

This is starting to get a little ridiculous. This Kansas City offense is bad, plain and simple, and if it wasn't for some great pitching to start the season, the Royals's 14-18 record would be noticeably worse.

Kansas City has scored three runs or less in 17 of 32 games this season, and its record in those games is 4-13. But the sad fact that is that Royals pitchers have held opponents to five runs or less in 13 of those 17 games. So the team has been benefitting from solid pitching, but the offense isn't holding up its end of the deal.

Heading into today's series finale against the Angels, the Royals rank last, or next-to-last, in the American League in the following categories: runs scored (110, 14th), doubles (49, 13th), home runs (16, 13th), walks (85, 13th), on-base percentage (.308, 13th), and slugging percentage (.350, 14th).

Here are some more ugly numbers to digest:

--Kansas City is batting just .237/.305/.321 in games at Kauffman Stadium
--In the Royals' 14 wins, the team has batted .279/.341/.414 with 63 runs scored (4.5 per game), 45 walks, 90 strikeouts, four sacrifice hits, 13 stolen bases in 20 attempts, and has grounded into just four double plays. But in the team's 18 losses, it is batting just .229/.279/.298 with 47 runs scored (2.6 per game), 40 walks, 110 strikeouts, only one sacrifice hit, just three stolen bases in nine attempts, and has grounded into 17 double plays.
--Royals substitutes are batting .182/.217/.182 with zero extra-base hits, and pinch hitters are hitting just .222/.222/.222
--Through 32 games, Kansas City has yet to have a batter lead off a game by drawing a walk
--Kansas City cleanup hitters have combined to produce a miserable line of .192/.261/.296 with four doubles, three home runs, and 24 strikeouts
--Without factoring in sacrifice hits or sacrifice flies, Royals players have accumulated 168 at bats against the first pitch in the count, which is 24 more at bats than in any other situation
--Kansas City hitters are batting .128/.146/.149 when facing an 0-2 count, and are a combined .177/.248/.246 in two-strike situations
--With the bases loaded, KC players are batting just .167/.154/.167 with no extra-base hits
--Oddly, Kansas City has an impressive line of .571/.607/.857 with a runner on third base, but those numbers fall to just .158/.200/.184 in the same situation with two outs
--With two outs and runners in scoring position, Royals batters are hitting just .229/.321/.288

Something needs to be done, and I'm thinking that Rany Jazayerli hit the nail on the head when he proposed that hitting coach Mike Barnett needs to be replaced. I don't like to see a guy lose his job, and I'm sure Barnett is a solid hitting instructor, but whatever he's been doing lately hasn't been sinking in, and it's time for a change.

Losing a Series to Texas is Embarrassing

2008-05-01T20:01:00.004-05:00

I haven't written anything for awhile now, but can you really blame me? The Royals have lost 10 of their last 13 games, and today they wasted another solid pitching performance by Zack Greinke to drop a 2-1 decision to Sidney Ponson and the Texas Rangers. Yes, I repeat, Kansas City was held to one run by Sidney Ponson, and the loss allowed the team with the worst record in baseball to take two of three games in the series.

I'm embarrassed to call myself a Royals fan right now. If you take a look at the banner of this blog -- yes, the thing at the top of the main page -- this is one of those days where I need to commiserate.

This team's offense is horrid. Just plain awful. Kansas City ranks last in the American League for runs scored with 101. That's an average of 3.61 runs per game. Guys like Greinke just have to be frustrated. He should be 5-0 right now. And, when the Royals do break out and score a bunch of runs, like the nine they scored in Wednesday night's loss to the Rangers, the pitching falters.

Kansas City opened the season with the pitching staff looking like it was going to be pretty darn solid. But it was a small sample size, and we all should have known it wouldn't last. I feel foolish for having been excited about the team's two-point-something earned run average at one point. Now, pretty much all the team's ERA's except for those of Greinke (1.47), Ron Mahay (2.03), and the Three Amigos -- Joakim Soria (0.00), Ramon Ramirez (0.71), and Leo Nunez (2.38) -- have swelled to greater than 4.00.

The thing is, though, even at 12-16 the Royals aren't buried in the standings. Thanks to the 6-2 start to the season, Kansas City finished April at 12-15, and they're currently three games out of first place. But if they continue to stink things up by losing series to teams the realistically should beat, there will be much more grumbling coming from this Royals fan.

Royals Erupt for 6-Run 8th, Beat Jays 8-4

2008-04-25T22:10:00.003-05:00

Finally, signs of life in the Royals' offense.

Kansas City averted what would have been a disappointing blown save by Leo Nunez, and scored six times in the bottom of the eighth inning to snap a seven-game losing streak with an 8-4 win against the Toronto Blue Jays Friday night at Kauffman Stadium.

The Royals led 2-1 when Nunez took the mound for the top of the eighth, with Zack Greinke in line for his fourth win of the year, but the Blue Jays scored three times -- the first runs of the year allowed by Nunez -- to take a 4-2 lead.

But Kansas City rallied with its biggest single-inning scoring output of the year by scoring six runs on five hits, two walks, and two Toronto errors in the fateful eighth frame. Catcher John Buck's second double of the night drove in the winning run.

Despite the blown save, Nunez (2-0) got credit for the victory due to Kansas City's offensive explosion in the eighth. Greinke took a no decision after limiting Toronto to five hits and one earned run in seven innings. He struck out four and walked one, and the lone run scored on a solo home run to right center by Blue Jays first baseman Lyle Overbay in the seventh.

Every Royals player with a plate appearance in the game had at least one hit, led by two hits apiece by Buck and center fielder David DeJesus. Buck and first baseman Ross Gload each scored a pair of runs, with Gload hustling for a crucial leadoff double, and then scoring the game's first run in the fifth inning.

Closer Joakim Soria came in and worked a scoreless ninth in a non-save situation to preserve the win and snap Kansas City's winless streak.

The Royals and Blue Jays play game two of the weekend series Saturday at 6:10, with Kansas City rookie right-hander Luke Hochevar (0-1, 11.57) facing Toronto right-hander Shaun Marcum (2-1, 3.42).

Ross Gload Photo Credit: Reuters Pictures

Back in the Cellar, Again

2008-04-25T00:10:00.003-05:00

I'm really an optimist. But after 20-plus miserable years of watching their favorite baseball team, I'd have to guess that most Kansas City Royals fans are pessimists by this point, and someone told me once that "a pessimist is simply an optimist with experience." Well, I have to admit that there must be some measure of pessimism brewing inside me, because I knew that I'd be writing these words at some point this season...

The Kansas City Royals have fallen into fifth place in the American League Central Division.

After dropping both games of a doubleheader versus Cleveland Thursday night, by scores of 9-6 and 2-0, the Royals have now lost seven straight games to fall to 9-13 on the season. The Detroit Tigers, who started the season with a record of 2-10, are now a half game ahead of KC with a mark of 10-13. Even with the six runs scored in the first game of the twinbill tonight, the Royals have scored just 18 runs during the losing streak.

So, Kansas City's promising start to the 2008 season has turned into a pumpkin, and the team finds itself in a familiar spot in the A.L. Central -- looking up at the rest of the division from last place.

I don't like it at all. This offense was supposed to be improved, and all this losing brings out my inner pessimist. I guess that just speaks to my level of experience watching this organization. Ugh...

U-G-L-Y

2008-04-22T23:27:00.002-05:00

I had to force myself to stay away from the computer for awhile after tonight's game, because that was just a sorry effort on the part of the Kansas City Royals. Pathetic. Awful. Anemic. Horrendous. And definitely, embarrassing.

For the past week, the Royals have looked an awful lot like last year's team, with very little offensive punch, and spotty pitching. What happened to the new attitude? Where's the team that opened with three wins in Detroit, and was on such a roll until heading to the West Coast last week?

Here are some thoughts:

--Something has to be wrong -- physically -- with Gil Meche. I mean, he gave me a glimmer of hope when he avoided trouble to escape with a 3-2 win against the Angels last Wednesday, but he was back to looking very hittable tonight. His ball was up in the zone, which resulted in only one ground ball out, and seven fly ball outs. He allowed two home runs, including the grand slam to Casey Blake in the fateful fourth inning. Meche is certainly not C.C. Sabathia. But I guess it helps me deal with his 8.00 ERA by realizing that even the best pitchers can get off to dreadful starts. Then again, I guess the Royals (and a temperature of 69 degrees at first pitch) were just the tonic that Sabathia needed to get his season back on track, and Meche can't face the Royals.

--My patience with Jose Guillen is starting to wear thin. The guy went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts in the game tonight, and I see absolutely no emotion from him. Does he care that he's sucking? He just strikes out, and then casually strolls back to the dugout like it's no big deal. I want to see some fire in this guy! I want to know that he's pissed off that he just earned the Golden Sombrero. WTF, Jose?

--I think it's time to move Mark Teahen back to sixth or seventh in the order again. Since Teahen was moved up to third in the lineup, he's batting .254 (15-for-59) with 15 strikeouts and just two runs batted in.

--Yasuhiko Yabuta is obviously struggling with the transition to using the larger baseball (the ball used in Japan is slightly smaller), and I'm not sure how his contract works, but if it's possible to let him go figure things out in Omaha for awhile, that might not be a bad thing to do. Yabuta has appeared in seven games, allowing 11 hits and eight earned runs in 7.1 innings pitched, striking out four, but walking seven and compiling a 9.82 ERA.

--Jimmy Gobble needs to solely remain a lefty specialist out of the bullpen. He is most effective in that role, and performances like tonight's -- allowing three hits, three earned runs, walking two, and striking out two in two-thirds of an inning -- are commonplace when he is asked to face more than just a left-handed batter or two. He had good numbers last year for one reason, and that's because he was primarily expected to come in and retire lefties.

I'm hoping this five-game losing streak can be halted soon, before the Royals once again find themselved buried in the standings at the end of April. Such a promising start to the season has quickly become another frustrating first month of the season.

I am fairly patient, and tend to maintain a positive outlook, for the most part. I've read people's comments on some of the Royals message boards, and there are already people wondering if this season is over. There's even a poll which asks whether the Royals will get back to .500 this season. Even with tonight's horrid performance, that seems a little absurd, given that Kansas City is just two games below .500 at this point.

The ball will be in Brett Tomko's hands Wednesday night. Maybe one of these days the offense will bust out and score more than six runs to give the pitchers a little breathing room. I don't know if my heart can stand too many more 15-1 embarrassments.

Blue Review: Week Three

2008-04-21T10:36:00.002-05:00

Overall Record: 9-10 (Tie 2nd in A.L. Central)
Record in Week Two: 2-5 (1-1 at SEA, 1-1 at LAA, 0-3 at OAK)
Home: 0-0
Away: 2-5
Current Streak: Lost 4
Upcoming Games: vs. CLE (3), vs. TOR (3)

60-60-42: It was an ugly week of baseball for the Royals. A 2-5 West Coast road trip, that ended with a three-game sweep at Oakland, to drop Kansas City under .500 for the first time this season. Yuck. But my brother, Matt -- the Cardinals fan -- made me feel better by sharing a theory about Major League Baseball that he heard from a friend. This idea has probably been widely discussed, but it made me feel a little better about the bad week for the Royals. He said that, basically, every MLB team wins 60 games, and loses 60 games during the course of a season, and it's those other 42 games that determine how successful a season is. So, if you think about it that way, Kansas City's 9-10 mark at this early stage of the season doesn't seem bad at all. Sure, it would have been nice to have won two of three games in Oakland and headed into this week at 11-8, but it wasn't meant to be. I just hope the games last week weren't part of the "other 42."

Invisible Offense: During the seven-game road trip through Seattle, Los Angeles and Oakland last week, Kansas City's offense combined for just 25 runs (3.57 RPG) and struck out 45 times, while drawing just 19 walks. The team's OBP was just .319, and once they reached base, the Royals were just 3-for-8 in stolen base attempts.

Pitching Falters: Kansas City got off to a great start this season due, in large part, because of solid numbers from its pitchers. Through the first 12 games of the season, Kansas City owned a team ERA of 2.58, had held opponents to a .234 batting average, and allowed just 92 hits and 32 runs (31 earned runs) in 108 innings pitched, while striking out 78 and walking 31. But in the seven games last week, the Royals had a team ERA of 6.83, with opponents hitting .315, and they allowed 76 hits and 45 runs (44 earned runs) in 58 innings, striking out 46 and walking 27.

Guillen Showing Signs of Life: Jose Guillen, who was signed as a free agent during the offseason to help bolster the Royals' offense, headed into last week with a meager averages of .122/.157/.163 and just two doubles through the first 12 games. But the trip through three cities he used to call home seems to have sparked some life into hit bat, as he batted .269/.296/.577 with five doubles and his first home run in a Kansas City uniform last week.

Teahen Struggling: Left fielder Mark Teahen got off to a great start to the season, batting .343/.452/.571 with four runs scored, three doubles, one triple, one home run, three runs batted in, seven walks, and six strikeouts through the first 10 games. But over the past nine games, Teahen has batted just .200/.282/.229 with two runs scored, one double, four walks, and eight strikeouts.

It's a Good Thing I Fell Asleep

2008-04-19T09:12:00.004-05:00

I bought the MLB Extra Innings package this year, since we finally have digital cable and are able to get those channels. It's great to be able to once again sit down and watch all the Kansas City Royals games, although I'm not so sure my wife is going to think it's so great as the season progresses.

Last night, I was on the couch, bag of chips and a can of pop on hand, watching the Royals battle the A's. I saw Oakland score the four runs in the bottom of the sixth, breaking open what had been a pitchers duel between Brian Bannister and Chad Gaudin. I don't remember much after that; I fell asleep.

This morning, I woke up and checked the box score and saw that it's probably a good thing I didn't see the end of this game, as Kansas City's Japanese duo of Yasuhiko Yabuta and Hideo Nomo got lit up for eight runs in the eighth inning, and the Royals lost by a score of 13-2. There goes Kansas City's impressive bullpen ERA, I guess.

You really have to respect a veteran like Nomo, who's had incredible success in this game, both in Japan, and here in the United States. But I think it's time that the Royals end this experiment. Nomo has pitched in three games for KC this season, allowing 10 hits, nine runs, three home runs, and four walks, while striking out three in 4.1 innings pitched. His ERA is 18.69. His WHIP is 3.23. Teams are batting .455 against him.

It would have made for an amazing comeback story if Nomo had been able to put up decent numbers like he had in Spring Training. But these are no longer exhibition games where pitchers are facing lots of minor league prospects mixed in with the veterans, and I think we've witnessed the end of Nomo's distinguished career. And maybe it's a good thing I slept through it.

Hideo Nomo Photo Credit: Orlin Wagner/AP

Meche Wins, as KC Squeaks By Angels

2008-04-17T00:19:00.007-05:00

It sure wasn't easy, but Gil Meche earned his first win of the season Wednesday night in Anaheim, as the Kansas City Royals scored three runs early and then held on for a 3-2 victory against the Los Angeles Angels.

Meche, who entered the game with a record of 0-2 and a 7.13 earned run average, scattered six hits over six innings, and worked his way out of trouble several times. He struck out two, walked three, and lowered his ERA to 6.08.

Four Royals relievers combined to hold Los Angeles (9-7) to a pair of hits over the final three innings, and Joakim Soria struck out two batters in a 1-2-3 ninth inning to record his fifth save in five opportunities this season.

Kansas City (9-6) didn't waste any time in getting the offense on track, as the Royals jumped on Angels starter Jered Weaver (1-3) for two runs on five hits in the opening frame.

Center fielder Joey Gathright led off the game with a bunt single, but was then picked off first base. However, consecutive singles by second baseman Mark Grudzielanek, left fielder Mark Teahen, and designated hitter Billy Butler all followed, with Butler's hit to right-center scoring Grudzielanek. Third baseman Alex Gordon then drove in Teahen with a two-out single to right.

The Royals scored what turned out to be the winning run in the second inning when Gathright led off with a single to left, stole second base, and then scored when the Angels' Weaver dropped the throw from first baseman Casey Kotchman on a grounder by Grudzielanek.

In the fourth, Los Angeles (9-7) cut the lead to 3-2 with a two-out rally against Meche. Designated hitter Garrett Anderson singled, moved to third on a double to right-center by center fielder Torii Hunter, and then Kotchman's single to left-center scored both runners.

Meche dodged bullets in the fifth and sixth innings, working out of jams with two runners on base each time. In the fifth, the Angels had runners at second and third with only one out, but Meche snagged a grounder back to the mound and caught the runner at third in a rundown, before ending the inning by getting right fielder Vladimir Guerrero on a grounder to Grudzielanek.

Gathright and Teahen each had three hits for the Royals, with Teahen's double to center in the ninth inning coming just inches shy of a home run. Grudzielanek and Gordon both had two hits, while catcher Miguel Olivo and right fielder Jose Guillen both had doubles.

The teams will wrap up the short two-game series Thursday night at 9:05 p.m., with Kansas City right-hander Brett Tomko (1-1, 2.08) facing Angels' righty Jon Garland (1-2, 5.50).

Miguel Olivo/Joakim Soria Photo Credit: Chris Carlson/AP

Royals Need Improvement from Meche

2008-04-16T09:33:00.011-05:00

The Kansas City Royals have gotten off to a solid start to the 2008 season, winning eight of their first 14 games, and moving back and forth between first and second place in the American Legaue Central standings. But the team's ace, Gil Meche, has yet to contribute to that success.

Through his first three starts, Meche is 0-2 with an elevated 7.13 earned run average. His control has been off, as evidenced by 10 bases on balls issued in just 17.2 innings pitched, and he just seems to be struggling to throw breaking balls for strikes.

I was thinking I could simply look up the stats from Meche's first three starts of 2007, compare them to the numbers from his first three starts of 2008, and it would reveal an obvious reason for his stuggles, but his numbers are pretty consistent to what he had done to this point last year.

Through three games in 2007, Meche had thrown 296 pitches (187 for strikes), had allowed three home runs, and opponents were hitting .288/.329/.438 against him. Through three games this year, Meche has thrown 294 pitches (183 for strikes), has allowed three home runs, and opponents are batting .275/.367/.493 against him.

Those are fairly similar numbers for what is a drastic difference in ERA from one season to the next. I was particularly amazed at the similarities in his pitch totals, and the numbers that were thrown for strikes, because the biggest difference in 2007 and 2008 for Meche is in bases on balls. Last year at this point, Meche had surrendered four walks, but this year's total is 10, which also explains the difference in OBP.

Since Meche's control has been iffy, he might simply be throwing more balls over the middle of the plate so far this season. Those balls are getting hit hard, as nine of the 19 hits he's allowed this year have gone for extra bases, compared to just five of 21 at this point last year.

Meche also hasn't been helped by a continuing lack of run support when he's on the mound. In 2007, the Royals scored an average of just 3.84 runs per game when Meche pitched, which ranked last in the A.L. and was the fourth-worst average in all of baseball.

Kansas City added free agent slugger Jose Guillen to the middle of its lineup during the offseason, which many hoped would bolster the Royals' offensive woes. But Guillen enters tonight's game with a .158 batting average and has yet to hit a home run in a Royals uniform.

Guillen isn't the only player to blame for Meche's lack of run support, but his support this season has been even worse than last year's, at just 2.79 runs per game. I believe that much of that has to do with the fact that, as the Royals' ace, Meche is often matched up against opposing teams' aces. It's not simply a matter of bad luck, as some people seem to think.

Whatever the issue has been through three games, Kansas City fans are hoping that Meche can figure things out, tighten up his control, and find the form that helped him finish last season with nine wins and a 3.67 ERA.

Meche gets his fourth start of the season tonight in Anaheim against a tough Angels lineup. I'm hoping we see the return of last year's consistency on display once again. The Royals need their ace to be just that.

Gil Meche Photo Credit: Paul Battaglia/AP

Greinke's Complete-Game Gem Tops M's

2008-04-14T23:53:00.009-05:00

Zack Greinke limited the Seattle Mariners to five hits and one run in a complete-game 5-1 victory Monday night, helping the Kansas City Royals move back into first place in the American League Central standings with a record of 8-5.

Greinke, who improved to 3-0 with a 0.75 earned run average, needed just 107 pitches to record his third career complete game. It marked back-to-back complete games for the Royals, after Brian Bannister threw a complete-game, three-hitter in a 5-1 win against Minnesota on Sunday at Kauffman Stadium.

The Royals grabbed an early 3-0 lead for Greinke in the second inning, when first baseman Billy Butler led off with his first home run of the season, a solo shot into the bullpen in left field. Right fielder Jose Guillen followed with a double to the gap in right-center, and scored on a one-out home run to center by designated hitter Miguel Olivo, who was 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.

Guillen and Tony Pena, who have both been mired in long hitting slumps, each went 2-for-4 in the game, hopefully showing signs of breaking out offensively.

Seattle (6-8) scored its lone run in the bottom of the third inning, after Greinke issued a leadoff walk to Brad Wilkerson. It was Greinke's only walk, but Wilkerson later scored on a fielder's choice grounder to first base by Ichiro Suzuki.

Kansas City scored a run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly to center by David DeJesus, who was playing in a game for the first time since Opening Day, and added its final run on an RBI single to center by catcher John Buck in the eighth inning.

The Mariners threatened in the bottom of the eighth, but left fielder Mark Teahen leaped at the wall to rob what would have been a two-run home run by Seattle's Yuniesky Betancourt, and end the inning.

For most of the night, though, Greinke was keeping the ball down in the zone and forcing the Mariners to ground out. Royals second baseman Mark Grudzielanek seemed to handle a majority of the ground balls, as he recorded 10 assists and two putouts in the game, finishing just two assists shy of a record-setting assist total for a second baseman.

The Royals and Mariners conclude their brief two-game series Tuesday afternoon at 5:40 p.m. The Royals will send left-hander John Bale (0-2, 5.84) to the hill, while Seattle will counter with righty Miguel Batista (0-2, 6.00).

Zack Greinke Photo Credit: Kevin P. Casey/AP

Things Could Be Worse for Guillen

2008-04-14T16:18:00.009-05:00

Just when I thought things couldn't get much worse for Jose Guillen, I found this article about David Ortiz, written by ESPN's Jerry Crasnick.

Ortiz, the four-time All-Star selection of the Boston Red Sox, the guy with the nickname "Big Papi," is in a dreadful slump to start the 2008 season. Yes, pretty close to matching Guillen's troubles at the plate. Ortiz is just 3-for-43 for a line of .070/.231/.140 with one home run, six runs scored, and three runs batted in. So, the Big Papi has essentially become the Big Pop Up.

Guillen, as any true Kansas City Royals fan would know, is batting just .122/.157/.163 with six hits (two doubles) in 49 at bats, five runs batted in, and three runs scored. All you have to do is take a look at the results of the poll on this site to see the level of KC fans' frustration with Guillen so far this year. He batted cleanup for the first 10 games of the season, and then switched places with designated hitter Billy Butler and has been batting fifth the past two games.

Something has to break this slump for Guillen, and I'm hoping it's this week's West Coast road swing through three of his former stomping grounds. The Royals open with a pair of games at Seattle, where Guillen played in 2007, then travel to Los Angeles for two games against an Angels team he played for in 2004, and end the trip with three games in Oakland, where he spent part of his 2003 season.

You have to figure that Guillen might want to show the Mariners' brass that they made a mistake by not signing him to a contract extension when they had a chance this offseason. He's even more likely to be out for blood when he faces Mike Scioscia's Angels. Guillen's time in Anaheim ended in an ugly manner, when he was suspended by Scioscia for making some critical comments about the manager, and he's been very open about the importance he places on the games any time he faces the Angels, or Scioscia, the rest of his career.

And, if nothing else, hopefully some warmer temperatures on the West Coast will bring Guillen's bat out of the freezer. Something needs to click, though, because writing a comparison to the Big Pop Up is getting pretty desperate. I'm banking on a big week from the Royals' new free agent slugger.

Jose Guillen Photo Credit: Duane Burleson/AP

Blue Review: Week Two

2008-04-13T21:04:00.003-05:00

Overall Record: 7-5 (2nd in A.L. Central)
Record This Week: 3-3 (2-1 vs. NYY, 1-2 vs. MIN)
Home: 3-3
Away: 0-0
Current Streak: Win 1
Upcoming Games: at SEA (2), at LAA (2), at OAK (3)

Twins Trouble: I doubt there are many Royals fans who would have scoffed at a 7-5 record two weeks into the 2008 season. But there are probably very few, if any, who would have foreseen seven wins in 12 games, but only a mark of 2-4 against the Minnesota Twins. Most people would have looked at the schedule and predicted a tough time against the Tigers and the Yankees, but the Royals are a combined 5-1 against those teams.

Westward Bound: The Royals packed up after their 5-1 win against the Twins on Sunday, and flew to Seattle for the first of a tough seven-game road trip this week. Kansas City opens with two games against the Mariners, then heads to Los Angeles for a pair of games with the Angels, before wrapping up the trip with three games in Oakland. After Sunday's games, the surprising A's lead the A.L. West with a mark of 8-5, followed by the Angels at 7-6, and the Mariners at 6-7.

Home Sweet Home: Alex Gordon must like the new Crown Vision board at Kauffman Stadium, as the second-year third baseman had a productive week at the plate. In six games against the Yankees and Twins, Gordon batted .409/.458/.682 with six runs scored, three doubles, and a home run. For the season, Gordon's totals are .333/.360/.604 with 10 runs scored, seven runs batted in, four doubles, and three home runs.

The Bee Gees: Kansas City has several players whose last names begin with the letter B, and a bunch more whose surname starts with the letter G, who are making important contributions to the 2008 team. The B's include Billy Butler, Brian Bannister, John Buck, and John Bale, while the G's are Alex Gordon, Joey Gathright, Ross Gload, Mark Grudzielanek, Jose Guillen, Zack Greinke, and Jimmy Gobble. Throw in Gil Meche, and that's a lot of B's and G's.

Lights Out: Starting right-handed pitchers Brian Bannister and Zack Greinke have been lights out to begin the season. Bannister is 3-0 with a 0.86 ERA and just 10 hits allowed in 21.0 innings pitched. He has struck out a team-high 13 batters, while walking just five, and recorded the Royals' first complete game of the season in Sunday's 5-1 win against the Twins. Greinke, who will make his third start of the year Monday night in Seattle, is 2-0 with a 0.60 ERA, having allowed just 12 hits and one earned run in 15.0 innings.

Butler's Streak: Billy Butler enters this week with a 12-game hitting streak, which is tied for the longest streak in Major League Baseball. Butler is batting .368/.500/.421 with one double, one run scored, and one RBI in Kansas City's six home games, but is even better on the road, with a line of .400/.400/.520, three doubles, three RBI, and one run scored.

Time to Hit, Jose: I'm sure this was not the type of first impression Jose Guillen was hoping to make in his initial games as a member of the Royals at Kauffman Stadium, but Guillen collected just two hits in 25 at bats this week. Just as the Royals were patient with Alex Gordon during his slumping first half last year, the team is continuing to leave Guillen in the lineup despite his horrendous line of .122/.157/.163. Maybe a return to Seattle, Los Angeles, and Oakland this week will wake him from this offensive slumber. Royals fans can only hope.

Three Amigos Still Untouchable: The bullpen trio of Joakim Soria, Leo Nunez, and Ramon Ramirez -- which I have started to refer to as the Three Amigos -- still has a combined 0.00 ERA in 14.1 innings pitched. Soria has four saves, allowing two hits in 5.0 innings, while striking out seven, walking none, and holding opponents to a .125 batting average. Nunez has two holds, allowing just two hits in 5.2 innings for a .111 batting average against, has struck out seven, and walked just two. Ramirez has given up four hits in 3.2 innings, striking out five, and issuing no walks.

Powder Blues Look Good: I'm in agreement with most fans who really love the fact that the Royals brought back the powder blue jerseys, as I think they look great, and they are reminiscent of some of the best times in Kansas City baseball history. I just wish they would have been daring enough to go all the way, and wear powder blue pants, as well. There's something about the white pants with the powder blue top that just doesn't seem quite right. Maybe it's that it sort of looks like a softball jersey to me, but I'm sure I'll get used to it over time. One thing is for certain, though, and that's that I definitely prefer the powder blues to the black mantra that was given a try for a few years. And I love the return of the blue cleats, too. Nice.

Join the Fun, Gil: Royals ace Gil Meche has been struggling to start the 2008 season. Meche enters this week with a record of 0-2 in three starts, with a 7.13 ERA. He's allowed 19 hits and 14 earned runs in 17.2 innings, and leads the team with 16 strikeouts, but has given up 10 walks. Both of Meche's losses came against the Minnesota Twins, in matchups against Twins starter Livan Hernandez. Meche is scheduled to make his fourth start of the season on Wednesday against the Angels.

Tomko Looking Sharp: One of the biggest questions heading into the 2008 season was about who would fill the final two spots in the rotation, and how well they would fare. One of those spots was filled by right-hander Brett Tomko, who has pitched very well in his first appearances in a Royals uniform. Tomko has made two starts, pitching a combined 11 innings and allowing 12 hits and just two earned runs. He took the loss in Saturday's 2-0 setback versus the Twins, despite pitching well enough to win most nights. For the year, the 35-year old righty is 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA, six strikeouts, and three walks.

Hillman Among the Best: Trey Hillman's 7-5 record through 12 games ranks third among all-time Royals managers in their first full season on the job. In other words, that's not factoring in the first 12 games of managers who took over mid-season. Only Tony Pena's magical 11-1 start in 2003, and Jack McKeon's 9-3 record to start the 1973 season are better than Hillman's start. Following Hillman, there are a total of eight managers -- Bob Boone (1995), John Wathan (1988), Billy Gardner (1987), Dick Howser (1982), Jim Frey (1980), Bob Lemon (1971), Charlie Metro (1970), and Joe Gordon (1969) -- who were 6-6, while Tony Muser (1988) and Whitey Herzog (1976) were 5-12. Buddy Bell began his first full season (2006) with a record of 2-10, while Hal McRae was 1-11 to start the 1992 season.

Bannister's Complete Game Tops Twins

2008-04-13T18:59:00.006-05:00

Facing a three-game losing streak, the Kansas City Royals turned to Brian Bannister, and for the third time this season, the right-handed starting pitcher was dazzling.

Bannister improved his record to 3-0, and lowered his earned run average to a microscopic 0.86, by pitching a complete-game, three-hitter in a 5-1 win against the Minnesota Twins. His effort was basically a shutout, as Minnesota's lone run was unearned after right fielder Jose Guillen dropped a routine fly ball in the first inning. He struck out three, walked one, and helped the Royals improve to 7-5.

Third baseman Alex Gordon led Kansas City's offense by going 2-for-3 with a double, his third home run of the season, three runs scored, and a stolen base. Center fielder Joey Gathright was the only other Royals player with two hits, while designated hitter Miguel Olivo had an RBI double in three at bats. First baseman Billy Butler raised his batting average to .386 with an RBI single and three walks in four plate appearances.

The Royals will now be tested by a seven-game West Coast road swing, which starts Monday at 9:10 p.m. with the first of two games in Seattle. Zack Greinke (2-0, 0.60) will start for the Royals, while Jarrod Washburn (1-1, 3.00) will take the hill for the Mariners (6-7).

Brian Bannister Photo Credit: Charlie Riedel/AP

Royals' Offense Needs a Jump Start

2008-04-13T10:23:00.006-05:00

I went to a Storyhill concert last night with my wife -- I bought the tickets in January, and it was my Valentine's gift to her -- so I wasn't able to watch the Royals' 2-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins, but it doesn't seem like I really missed much.

Kansas City was shut out by the Twins for the second straight game, dropping its record to 6-5, and extending a streak of 26 consecutive innings in which the Royals have failed to score a run. Ouch.

For the first time in several years, the Royals have a solid pitching staff -- both rotation and bullpen -- that seems capable of having a successful season. Through 11 games, Kansas City's 12 pitchers have combined for a 2.82 earned run average to lead the American League. The Royals also lead the league with five saves, two shutouts, 89 hits allowed, and just 31 runs against.

Those figures are certainly the biggest reason behind Kansas City's 6-2 start to the season, but the offense has faltered in the last three games, resulting in the team's first three-game losing streak of the year.

Kansas City's offense ranks dead-last in the A.L. for home runs (4), bases on balls (24), and on-base percentage (.304), while ranking next-to-last in runs scored (33) and slugging percentage (.347).

New manager Trey Hillman has been tinkering with the lineup, trying to find the right combination, but nothing has seemed to work. Right fielder Jose Guillen, who signed a three-year, $36 million contract during the offseason in hopes of bolstering the middle of the Royals' lineup, is the target of many fans' ire.

Guillen, who hit 23 home runs and drove in 99 runs last year for Seattle, is batting just .133 with five RBI, three runs scored, and two doubles. His OPS is a miserable .348, and his OPS+ is -5.

It's difficult to have numbers much worse than Guillen's, but shortstop Tony Pena owns them. After opening the season with a game-winning RBI bloop-single to beat the Tigers in 11 innings, Pena has failed to record a hit. Entering today's game, he is batting .037/.071/.037 with eight strikeouts in 27 at bats.

This is not meant to be a rant about how bad Jose Guillen is. I understand that he has a history of slow starts in April, and that his numbers will eventually rise. You can't keep a player of his caliber out of the lineup, but I just hope that hitting coach Mike Barnett can help Guillen figure things out before he digs himself too big of a hole. Even if Guillen bats .300 over his next 20 at bats, his average would still be just .184, so it will take some consistent hitting to bolster his average.

On a positive note, several Royals players are off to solid starts. Designated hitter Billy Butler (.372), first baseman Ross Gload (.333), left fielder Mark Teahen (.316), and third baseman Alex Gordon (.311) all have plus-.300 averages and have played in all 11 games, while second baseman Mark Grudzielanek is batting .343 over nine games.

Teahen's numbers are most impressive in that group, as he's compiled a line of .316/.435/.526 with three doubles, a triple, and a home run for a 160 OPS+. But Gordon, who leads the team with six RBI, is tied for 28th-best in the A.L in that category.

The Royals will attempt to break out of their offensive funk when they play host to the Twins in the final game of their three-game series today at 1:10 p.m. Hopefully, the offense finds its way to the ballpark.

Mark Teahen Photo Credit: Duane Burleson/AP

Twins Shut Out Royals, 5-0

2008-04-11T22:13:00.003-05:00

Livan Hernandez must have the Royals' number. For the second time in a week, Hernandez earned a victory against Kansas City, as he pitched seven shutout innings to help the Minnesota Twins post a 5-0 win Friday night at Kauffman Stadium.

Hernandez (3-0), who was signed as a free agent during the offseason, allowed seven hits and struck out three to become one of the first pitchers in Major League Baseball with three victories this season. In two wins against the Royals, Hernandez has given up 14 hits and just four earned runs in 14 innings, while striking out five and walking just one batter.

For the Royals (6-4), Gil Meche's early-season struggles continued. Kansas City's staff ace fell to 0-2 with an ugly 7.13 ERA after surrendering five earned runs on five hits in six innings. Meche struck out six Minnesota batters, but was hurt by the four walks he issued.

The Twins (5-5) scored four runs in the second inning, two of which came on a line-drive double to left by Carlos Gomez that got over the head of Royals left fielder Mark Teahen. Minnesota first baseman Justin Morneau closed out the scoring in the top of the third inning, hitting his third home run of the year into the Royals' bullpen.

For Kansas City, third baseman Alex Gordon was the only Royals player with multiple hits, as he went 2-for-4 with a double. Every Kansas City starter had a hit, except for right fielder Jose Guillen, who was 0-for-4 and had his slumping average fall to .146 to start the year.

The Royals had a rally going in the bottom of the fifth, as shortstop Alberto Callaspo, center fielder Joey Gathright, and Teahen all singled to load the bases. But Guillen struck out swinging, and designated hitter Billy Butler grounded out to shortstop to end the threat.

The teams play the middle game of the series Saturday at 6:10 p.m. Right-hander Brett Tomko (1-0, 1.29) will throw for the Royals against the Twins' Boof Bonser (0-2, 4.15).

Royals Drop 6-1 Decision to Yankees

2008-04-10T20:39:00.003-05:00

Andy Pettitte limited the Kansas City Royals to five hits and one run over 6 2/3 innings to help the New York Yankees salvage the final game of a three-game series with a 6-1 win Thursday night at Kauffman Stadium.

Pettitte, who evened his 2008 record at 1-1, handed off a 4-1 lead to the strength of the Yankees' bullpen -- right-handers Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera -- who finished the job for New York (5-5).

The loss snapped Kansas City's second three-game winning streak of the season, as it fell to 6-3. The Royals remain in first place in the American League Central standings, one-half game ahead of the Chicago White Sox.

John Bale (0-2) took the loss for the Royals, going six innings and allowing four earned runs on eight hits, while striking out three and walking one. Hideo Nomo made his first Major League appearance since 2005, coming out of the bullpen for the Royals, and struggled through scoreless seventh and eighth innings until giving up back-to-back ninth-inning solo home runs to Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada.

Offensively for Kansas City, left fielder Mark Teahen was 3-for-4 and scored the Royals' lone run in the first inning on an RBI double by Jose Guillen.

Kansas City continues its homestand on Friday night when they play host to the Minnesota Twins at 7:10 p.m. Royals right-hander Gil Meche (0-1) takes the mound against Livan Hernandez (2-0) in a rematch of last Saturday's game at the Metrodome, which Minnesota won by a score of 6-4.

Greinke Rules in the Rain, Royals Are 6-2

2008-04-09T22:22:00.005-05:00

Zack Greinke is picking up right where he left off in 2007. On Wednesday night at soggy Kauffman Stadium, the 24-year old right-hander held the New York Yankees to six hits in eight shutout innings to lead the Kansas City Royals to a 4-0 victory.

After spending much of last season working out of the bullpen, Greinke ended the year by making seven starts between August 24 and September 26. In those games, he was 2-2 with a 1.85 ERA, allowing 30 hits in 34 innings pitched, while striking out 31 and walking just 10.

This season, Greinke is off to a 2-0 start with a 0.60 ERA. He's held the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees -- the two highest-paid lineups in baseball, injuries or not -- to 12 hits in 15 innings, walking four and fanning five.

With the win, Kansas City improves to 6-2, its best start since opening the season 9-0 in 2003. The Yankees fell to 4-5 on the year, and lost a three-game series to the Royals for the first time since being swept in Kansas City from May 31 to June 2, 2005.

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning, when catcher John Buck led off with a mammoth home run to center field, his first of the year. Buck was the only Royals player with two hits in the game, but seven KC batters collected hits in the game.

After Buck's homer made the score 1-0, second baseman Mark Grudzielanek drew a one-out walk, moved up to second on one of three walks issued to left fielder Mark Teahen, and scored on a single to right center by right fielder Jose Guillen.

Kansas City added two more runs in the sixth inning when third baseman Alex Gordon walked, and then scored on a double to left by first baseman Ross Gload. Shortstop Tony Pena then drove in the final run of the night on a fielder's choice ground ball to shortstop.

The Royals will attempt to win their fourth-straight game when they face the Yankees in the final game of the series on Thursday night at 7:10 p.m. Left-hander John Bale (0-1, 5.68) will start for Kansas City against New York's Andy Pettitte (0-1, 5.40).

Zack Greinke Photo Credit: Reuters Pictures

Kansas City's 'Three Amigos'

2008-04-08T23:32:00.016-05:00

I've been amazed by the work out of Kansas City's bullpen this season, but a trio of Latin players -- Ramon Ramirez, Leo Nunez, and Joakim Soria -- have made the greatest impression on me.

Combined, the three have worked 12.0 innings, allowing only five hits, and no runs, while striking out 17 and walking just two. Ramirez and Nunez are both hard-throwing right-handers with fastballs in the mid to upper-90s, while Soria serves as the Royals' closer, and is tied for the Major League lead with four saves in four opportunities so far this season.

Ramirez, who was acquired in a trade with the Colorado Rockies late in Spring Training, has made three appearances for the Royals, pitching 2.1 innings and allowing two hits with four strikeouts. He was Colorado's 2006 Rookie of the Year by going 4-3 with a 3.46 ERA in 61 appearances before injuries hampered his 2007 season. He struck out Alex Rodriguez during Tuesday's 5-2 win against the Yankees.

Nunez has been back and forth between Omaha the last few years, and has worked both as a starter and in the bullpen, but might have finally found his niche. Last year, Nunez started six games for Kansas City, finishing the season with a record of 2-4, a 3.92 ERA, and 37 strikeouts against just 10 walks. This season, he's appeared in four games, working 4.2 innings and yielding just one hit, while fanning six and walking two.

Soria was acquired as a Rule 5 draft pick from the San Diego organization prior to the 2007 season. He has the potential to pitch in the Royals' rotation, as he throws four pitches effectively, and has great control, but he started closing games for Kansas City when Octavio Dotel was injured last year, and he's very reliable in that role. This season, he has pitched 5.0 innings over the course of five games, posting the four saves, while striking out seven batters with no walks.

I realize it's only the second week of the season, but if Kansas City is going to have the type of season all Royals fans dream of, this trio needs a name. And, so, rather than trying to figure out a nickname for each of them, I figured I'd just come up with something for all three of them. I'm kind of taking a page out of the Minnesota Twins' book -- a few of their infielders were nicknamed The Pirhanas by Ozzie Guillen, and it really stuck. Minnesota even made a TV commercial in 2007, which centered around the Pirhanas theme.

And, so, from this point on, I will refer to Ramirez, Nunez, and Soria as The Three Amigos, and hope that none of them get traded anytime soon, which is what wound up being the downfall of the Twins' Pirhanas.

So, the next time the bullpen gates open at Kauffman Stadium, and a member of The Three Amigos strides out to the mound, I'm hoping to see some "Three Amigos" signs being held by Royals fans. Minnesota's Pirhanas are long gone. Kansas City's Three Amigos have only just begun.

Ramirez, Nunez, and Soria Photo Credit: Kansas City Royals/MLB

Royals Top Yanks, 5-2, in Home Opener

2008-04-08T22:21:00.006-05:00

Six Royals players collected two hits each, and right-hander Brian Bannister (2-0) held the New York Yankees to five hits over five innings, as Kansas City won its home opener, 5-2, on Tuesday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium.

The win, in front of a crowd of 37,296 on a cold and damp day in Kansas City, improved the Royals' record to 5-2, while New York fell to 4-4.

Center fielder Joey Gathright had an outstanding day, going 2-for-4 at the plate, stealing three bases, and scoring twice for the Royals. The speedy Gathright, who is taking advantage of extra playing time while starting center fielder David DeJesus recovers from a sprained ankle, now has five stolen bases this season to tie for the lead in the American League.

Gathright led off the bottom of the first inning by reaching on a single to center field, stole second, moved over to third on a grounder to shortstop by Mark Grudzielanek, and scored on a double to center by left fielder Mark Teahen.

Bannister, who struggled with his control in the chilly weather, gave up two second-inning runs to the Yankees, but that was it. He walked four, but struck out six Yankees, including three whiffs of 2007 A.L. MVP Alex Rodriguez, who struck out four times in four at bats on Tuesday.

With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth, Gathright used his speed to put the Royals ahead to stay. He singled to left field to lead off the inning, stole second base, then stole third base, and scored on a single to right by Grudzielanek.

Kansas City stretched its lead to 5-2 in the fifth, when designated hitter Billy Butler reached on a single, third baseman Alex Gordon doubled to center, and both runners scored on a single to center by first baseman Ross Gload.

Bannister handed the 5-2 lead to the bullpen, and it didn't let him down, as Ron Mahay (1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 K), Ramon Ramirez (0.2 IP, 1 K), Leo Nunez (1.0 IP, 2 K), and Joakim Soria combined to hold New York scoreless on just two hits over the final four innings. Kansas City pitchers combined to strike out 11 Yankees, and Soria earned his fourth save of the season by working a perfect ninth.

Gathright, Grudzielanek, Teahen, Butler, Gordon, and Gload were the six Royals players with two hits apiece, with both of Teahen's hits going for doubles.

The teams return to action Wednesday night at 7:10 p.m., with Kansas City's Zack Greinke (1-0) opposing the Yankees' Ian Kennedy (0-1).

Brian Bannister Photo Credit: G. Newman Lowrance/Getty Images

Blue Review: Week One

2008-04-07T10:06:00.011-05:00

This will be something I intend to do once a week on an ongoing basis, and will usually post either Sunday night, or Monday morning, depending on my schedule.

Overall Record: 4-2
Record This Week: 4-2 (3-0 at DET, 1-2 at MIN)
Home: 0-0
Away: 4-2
Current Streak: Win 1
Upcoming Games: vs. NYY (3), vs. MIN (3)

A Good Start: I'll take a 4-2 week anytime. I guess I just didn't imagine the Royals would be 4-2 by going 3-0 in Detroit and 1-2 in Minnesota. It was a little disappointing for Kansas City to stub its toe against the Twins, but I think Sunday's 3-1 win was very important for the psyche of the team, as 4-2 just seems so much better than having to return to face the Yankees at 3-3 with a three-game losing streak.

A.L. Central Upside Down: For most people outside of Kansas City and Chicago, the American League Central looks like it's standing on its head. Preseason predictions fairly consistently had Detroit winning, with Cleveland second, and then a three-way scramble between Kansas City, Chicago, and Minnesota. But, after the first week of play, the Royals (4-2) and White Sox (4-2) are tied for first, with Cleveland (3-3) third, Minnesota (3-4) fourth, and Detroit (0-6) in dead last, and wondering how the heck this horrid start to the 2008 season is happening after it raised its payroll to $138 million during the offseason. Think the Tigers are wishing they hadn't traded Jair Jurrjens and Andrew Miller yet.

Gordon Gets Aggressive: During the Detroit series, the Kansas City Star's Bob Dutton pointed out that Alex Gordon was taking a more aggressive approach at the plate. Gordon, who struck out five times in the first two games against the Tigers, hasn't struck out since. His aggressiveness at the plate hasn't helped his OBP (.269) or his OPS (.807), as his line for the week reads .269/.269/.538, but he's making more contact. It'd be great to see him take more walks, and I think he will, but a six-RBI week with a double and a pair of two-run home runs should be fine with any Royals fan.

More OBP, Please: For having stressed the importance of OBP prior to this season, as pointed out in another piece written by Bob Dutton, I'm sure Trey Hillman would like to see a drastic improvement in Kansas City's team OBP of .284 during the opening week. The Royals rank last in the American League in that category, as well as ranking last after drawing just eight bases on balls last week.

This Butler Can Rake: As they say, Billy Butler can flat-out rake. Butler went 10-for-25 at the plate during the first week with three doubles, three runs batted in, and a line of .400/.400/.520. Butler's OPS+ was 153, matching that of second baseman Mark Grudzielanek, who had a .400/.455/.450 week with a double and a team-best five runs scored in 20 at bats. But infielder Alberto Callaspo's OPS+ was 169 after he ripped a double and a triple in nine at bats over the weekend in Minnesota.

Defense, or Offense?: Tony Pena was the hero on Opening Day, after he blooped an RBI single into center field to help the Royals beat the Tigers, 5-4, in 11 innings. But Pena hasn't reached base since, and owns pathetically dismal averages of .056/.056/.056 with six strikouts. With Callaspo's offensive abilities, and the fact that he's much more selective at the plate than Pena, it makes you wonder how long the Royals' front office and coaches are going to put up with Pena's lack of offense in order to get a bit more defense. Callaspo looked more than able defensively against the Twins, by the way.

Mound Presence: Kansas City's pitching was outstanding, as the Royals lead the A.L. in team ERA (2.67), wins (4), saves (3), shutouts (1), and runs allowed (16).

Soria Slams the Door: Joakim Soria would be hard-pressed to have many weeks more successful than his first of 2008. The second-year closer made four appearances, and registered three saves. He struck out the side in the ninth in two games this week and totaled seven, while allowing just two hits in 4.0 innings pitched.

Stat Twins?: Despite the fact that right-hander Brett Tomko made a relief appearance in Detroit, in addition to his start on Sunday in Minnesota, he and fellow righty Zack Greinke have almost identical stat lines. Both pitchers are 1-0, with a 1.29 ERA, have made one start, worked 7.0 innings, surrendered a solo home run for their lone earned run, and have walked two batters. The only differences are that Tomko has allowed seven hits to Greinke's six, and that Tomko has struck out five versus Greinke's three, plus Greinke has one wild pitch.

We Know He's Studying: It's so fun to watch Brian Bannister pitch. He's so smart, and I sit and wonder what he's thinking as he faces each batter. He completely baffled Detroit in his first start of the season, yielding just two hits over seven innings and striking out four. His next assignment will be just as challenging, as he faces the New York Yankees' potent lineup during Tuesday afternoon's Home Opener. I'm sure Bannister has worn out the DVD of New York's hitters in preparing for tomorrow's game.

A Loss for Me, But a Win for KC

2008-04-06T17:25:00.009-05:00

For the second straight day, I was fortunate enough to get to go wtach the Royals and the Twins play baseball at the Metrodome. However, I almost didn't get to see Kansas City's 3-1 win this afternoon.

On my way to the game, I was driving on Portland Avenue in downtown Minneapolis, within eyesight of the Dome, when I was struck broadside by a car in the middle of an intersection. This wasn't just a little fender-bender, folks, this was the driver's side of my wife's 1999 Honda Civic getting hit squarely between the axels. The collision spun my car in a cirlce on the rainy streets, with the accelerator going full-bore, and I wound up coming to a stop across the sidewalk on the right side of Portland Ave.

Luckily, neither myself nor the driver of the other car was severely injured, although my whole left side feels like tenderized beef, and I'm sure I'll be feeling the effects of the impact for the next few days.

I had been headed to meet my youngest brother, Evan, at Hubert's -- a bar and restaurant across the street from the Metrodome. Instead, he came to the scene, and provided a dry car for me to sit in as I arranged to have mine towed to a body shop close to our house.

I'm still unsure who's fault the accident was, but Minnesota is a no-fault state for insurance purposes, so I'm not sure it really matters in a case where there weren't any severe injuries. It just seems to me that, if I had been the one running a red light, with all the traffic in that area at that time of day, I would have been struck by several vehicles.

The accident happened about 11:45 a.m., and Evan and I were finally able to enter the Metrodome -- yes, of course, we still went to the game -- in the middle of the second inning, right after the Royals had jumped out to a 2-0 lead.

It was the third straight game against the Twins in which the Royals jumped out to a 2-0 advantage. However, unlike the previous two days where Kansas City's early lead vanished as part of Twins' wins, this time Kansas City was able to thwart a Minnesota rally.

Right-hander Brett Tomko (1-0) had to work hard for the victory, throwing 92 pitches in five innings, but he allowed just five singles and a double, while striking out three and walking just one to earn his first victory as a member of the Royals.

Offensively, designated hitter Billy Butler went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, while third baseman Alex Gordon was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs batted in, and second baseman Alberto Callaspo also went 2-for-4 with a double.

Joakim Soria entered the game in the bottom of the ninth and struck out Justin Morneau, Delmon Young, and Jason Kubel to earn his third save in three opportunities. His strikeout of Morneau, who had crushed an upper-deck home run earlier in the game, was impressive. Soria threw three straight pitches right by the slugger, the last of which was a 68-mile per hour curveball.

Kansas City's victory allowed the Royals to salvage a 4-2 road trip to start the season, and to remain in first place atop the American League Central standings. The Royals now return to Kansas City for their home opener against the New York Yankees on Tuesday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium. Brian Bannister (1-0) will pitch for KC, while Phil Hughes (0-0) will toe the mound for New York. First pitch is slated for 3:10 p.m.

Joakim Soria Photo Credit: Paul Battaglia/AP

Royals Blow Another Lead in Minnesota

2008-04-05T17:00:00.005-05:00

I went to the Metrodome today, hoping to see the Royals rebound from last night's 4-3 setback to the Twins. But for the second-straight game, a solid early start for the Royals was spoiled by a Minnesota comeback, and the Twins clinched the series with a 6-4 victory.

Justin Morneau's towering three-run home run to right center in the bottom of the fourth inning erased a 2-0 Kansas City lead, and turned what was looking like a solid effort from Gil Meche (0-1) into a Royal mess.

Meche didn't allow a ball to leave the infield through the first three innings, but Twins second baseman Matt Tolbert led off the bottom of the fourth with a single up the middle, and then catcher Joe Mauer coaxed a walk before Morneau absolutely crushed his first homer of the season for a 3-2 lead.

Minnesota added three more runs against Meche in the bottom of the sixth. Tolbert reached on an infield single, and Mauer laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Tolbert to second.

Instead of trying to set up a double play by intentionally walking Morneau, who had doubled last night and hit the three-run blast in his previous at bat, the Royals chose to pitch to him, and he ripped an RBI double into the gap in right. Jason Kubel followed with an RBI single to right, and DH Craig Monroe finished the Twins' scoring with an RBI double for a 6-2 lead.

Kansas City tried to rally in the top of the seventh, with right fielder Jose Guillen and third baseman Alex Gordon each singling and then scoring on a double to right-center by catcher Miguel Olivo to cut the lead to 6-4.

The Royals then had two men on base in the eighth, too, but designated hitter Billy Butler grounded to shortstop to end the threat. Gordon and first baseman Ross Gload each finished with two hits for Kansas City.

The teams will wrap up the three-game series Sunday at 1:10 p.m., with right-hander Brett Tomko making his first start for the Royals. The Twins will counter with righty Boof Bonser (0-1).

Winning Each Series is the Key

2008-04-05T08:53:00.004-05:00

This might seem like one of those no-brainer statements that make you utter, "Well, duh" to yourself, but the focus of the Kansas City Royals heading into each series this season simply needs to be on winning that series.

The more times the Royals are able to take two-of-three, or three-of-four, the better. Obviously, winning at a .667 (or .750) clip will keep Kansas City at or near the top of the American League Central standings all season long.

By losing, 4-3, to the Minnesota Twins last night at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, though, they've made that a difficult task to accomplish in only their second series of the year. The Royals hope to get their foot out of the bucket today when right-hander Gil Meche takes the bump at 1:10 p.m.

Meche (0-0) pitched a decent game in Detroit during Monday's Opening Day. It certainly wasn't his "A" game, but it was good enough to give the Royals a chance to eventually rally against the Tigers and win the game, 5-4, on a bloop single to center by Tony Pena. Meche went six innings, allowing eight hits and three earned runs, while striking out five and walking four.

The Twins counter with their newly-acquired ace, Livan Hernandez (1-0), who helped Minnesota post a 3-2 victory against the Angels on Opening Day at the Dome. It sure makes for a good pitching matchup, which unfortunately won't be on TV (at least not in the Twin Cities). So I talked my wife into letting me head out to the game today, and I'll be there tomorrow, as well.

I'm hoping Meche and the Royals can put themselves back in position to win this series with a strong outing today, and I'm also hoping to see a few lineup changes. Catcher Miguel Olivo is back from his four-game suspension to start the season, and will make his first appearance in a Royals uniform this afternoon. I'd also like to see Alberto Callaspo get an opportunity to play shortstop, as Pena has struggled out the gates to an .067/.067/.067 line.

We'll see what happens, but today's game is crucial. To be 4-1 after today would seem so much better than to fall back to 3-2. After beginning the year with such promise by sweeping Detroit, it would be a real disappointment to lose this series against the Twins.

Let's go, Royals!

Twins Squeeze Out 4-3 Win Over Royals

2008-04-04T21:54:00.019-05:00

All good things must come to an end, and what was good for the Kansas City Royals in a three-game sweep at Detroit to open the season came to an end on Friday in Minnesota, as the Twins eked out a 4-3 win.

Minnesota (2-3) trailed 3-1 after two innings, but tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the third inning, and then scored what proved to be the winning run by beating the Royals at their own game -- small ball -- when third baseman Mike Lamb scampered home on a suicide squeeze bunt by shortstop Adam Everett in the bottom of the fourth.

The Royals (3-1) jumped on top quickly by scoring twice in the first frame. Center fielder Joey Gathright led off the game with a drag bunt past Twins pitcher Scott Baker (1-0), stole second base, moved over to third on an infield hit by second baseman Mark Grudzielanek, and scored on a fielder's choice by right fielder Jose Guillen. Grudzielanek then scored on an RBI single by designated hitter Billy Butler.

Royals starter John Bale (0-1) surrendered three straight singles to open the Twins' half of the first inning, but limited Minnesota to one run by getting first baseman Justin Morneau to ground into a double play.

Left fielder Mark Teahen then opened the second inning with a double to the right field corner, and later scored on an RBI single to left field by catcher John Buck to give Kansas City a 3-1 lead.

But Bale made a costly mistake in the bottom of the third, which wound up being costly. With one out, Twins catcher Joe Mauer hit a bouncing ball toward second base, which Bale attempted to snag, but it hit off his glove and Mauer wound up with an infield single. Had Bale let the ball go, it likely would have been fielded by Royals shortstop Tony Pena for the second out of the inning.

But right fielder Michael Cuddyer followed with a single, and then Morneau doubled to score Mauer. Left fielder Delmon Young's RBI fielder's choice then tied the game.

Bale pitched well in spots, going 6.1 innings and allowing 10 hits and four earned runs, but took the loss in his first Major League start since 2003. Royals' relievers Jimmy Gobble and Ramon Ramirez held the Twins scoreless, with Gobble striking out Mauer, Jason Kubel, and Morneau in succession, to give the Royals a chance at the end.

But Minnesota closer Joe Nathan recorded his second save in as many chances this season by working around a two-out single by Butler, and striking out Teahen looking to end the game.

Offensively for the Royals, Grudzielanek and Butler each had two hits in four at bats. Through four games, Grudzielanek is batting .500/.556/.563 with eight hits in 16 at bats and a team-high five runs scored.

With the loss, there are no remaining undefeated teams in MLB, as the Royals entered the game as the lone remaining team to hold that distinction. Kansas City remains atop the American League Central standings, though, one-half game ahead of Cleveland (2-1).

The teams play Saturday at 1:10 p.m., with Royals ace Gil Meche (0-0) set to square off against Twins ace Livan Hernandez (1-0).

Mark Grudzielanek Photo Credit: Tom Olmscheid/AP

One Hurdle Cleared, and On to the Next

2008-04-03T19:57:00.011-05:00

Okay, the Royals have cleared the first hurdle of the 2008 season, opening eyes all over the country by going to Detroit and completely dousing what most probably figured would be the first of many fireworks displays by the Tigers' new star-studded $138 million lineup.

In three games in Detroit, Kansas City's pitching sizzled, while the Tigers' offense fizzled. And now, the Royals head off to Minnesota to face the Twins this weekend as the lone undefeated team in Major League Baseball. Am I dreaming? Please, someone pinch me.

Yes, I realize that it's just three games into a grueling 162-game regular season. And, yes, I realize that Detroit played its first three games without speedy center fielder Curtis Granderson. Even today, the Tigers' newest megastar, third baseman Miguel Cabrera, was a late scratch from the lineup due to a sore quadriceps.

But whatever. As my old high school buddies would say, "Excuses are like asses. Everyone has one, and they all stink."

The Royals were without starting center fielder and leadoff man David DeJesus for the vast majority of this series, too, as well as having to play all three games with just 24 players due to the four-game suspension of catcher Miguel Olivo to begin the season.

So, I'm finding that it's really difficult to curb my enthusiasm, when I feel like bragging about my Boys in Blue to every person I see. The only thing that's kept me from going overboard and calling my brothers to rub it in about KC's great start is that I'm awfully superstitious, and I don't want to jinx the team. So, I'm enjoying it, and keeping it in perspective, as again, it's only three games.

But it's not often that I get to hear more than a very brief comment about the Royals on ESPN's Baseball Tonight. Last night, though, Peter Gammons was raving about Brian Bannister and Billy Butler and KC for several minutes! It's amazing what a few wins against one of the favorites to reach the World Series will do. I can't wait to watch ESPN again tonight.

Nevertheless, all of this excitement about a great start to the season will be diminished if the Royals arrive at the Metrodome this weekend and leave with a series loss.

I'm anxious to see how the back end of Kansas City's rotation will fare -- Royals' ace Gil Meche is slated to pitch Saturday, but lefty John Bale will be on the mound for Friday's game, and right-hander Brett Tomko will work on Sunday. I'm also curious to see whether new manager Trey Hillman seems to have the ability to keep the team focused when it's on the road, and playing well after such an emotional high in the Motor City.

The Twins (1-3) are coming off a four-game home series versus ex-teammate Torii Hunter and the Los Angeles Angels. Minnesota played well in three of the games, winning the season-opener by a score of 3-2, before losing by scores of 9-1, 1-0, and 5-4.

Minnesota is a team the Royals should be able to be very competitive with, and I'm hoping to see Kansas City win this series, especially since I'll be at Sunday's game -- Section 228, Row 1, Seats 9-10 -- with my brother, Evan, a Twins fan.

It would be amazing for the Royals to return to Kansas City for the home-opener against the Yankees with a record of 6-0 or 5-1 on the season-opening road trip. But it would be equally disappointing to lose two of three to the Twins, and lose the momentum that was gained with the impressive wins in Detroit.

My brand-new Royals shirt and hat are ready to go. I'll be wearing them during all three games this weekend -- watching the first two on television, and then screaming my lungs out at the final game of the series at the Dome. I'm hoping this successful start continues, so please, Royals, don't let me down.

Trey Hillman Photo Credit: Robin Buckson/Detroit News

How Sweep It Is! KC Cleans Up in Detroit

2008-04-03T14:06:00.007-05:00

When the Detroit Tigers signed Miguel Cabrera to come to the Motor City during the offseason, I'd imagine there were some Tigers fans who glanced at the 2008 schedule and made a mental note to remember to bring a broom to today's game against the Kansas City Royals.

Well, brooms were needed today, but they were in the hands of Royals fans, as Kansas City completed an improbable three-game sweep of the mighty Tigers with a 4-1 victory at Comerica Park.

It marks just the fourth time in franchise history (1972, 1977, 1979, 2003) that the Royals have been 3-0 to start a season, and it is the first season-opening road sweep since Kansas City swept the Tigers in Detroit to kick off the 1977 campaign.

Pitching was once again the key for the Royals. One day after Brian Bannister's dominating effort against Detroit, right-hander Zack Greinke (1-0) turned in another outstanding pitching performance by going seven innings and allowing just six hits and one earned run, while striking out three and walking two. The Tigers' lone run came on a solo home run by third baseman Brandon Inge in the seventh inning.

Offensively, Kansas City received a two-run home run to left center by third baseman Alex Gordon in the fourth inning, and a solo home run to right by left fielder Mark Teahen. Right fielder Jose Guillen drove in the Royals' other run with a single to left in the seventh to score center fielder Joey Gathright. Gordon, Teahen, Mark Grudzielanek, and Ross Gload all finished with two hits.

For the series, Gordon had three hits, but two of them were two-run home runs that played big roles in the Royals' first and third wins against the Tigers. Grudzielanek also had a great series, going 6-for-12 with four runs scored. Facing one of the top lineups in all of baseball, Royals pitchers combined for a 1.55 ERA with 24 strikeouts and just nine walks in 29 innings pitched.

Ramon Ramirez pitched the eighth for the Royals, allowing two hits, but striking out two batters -- 2007 American League batting champion Magglio Ordonez with one out, and Tigers catcher Ivan Rodriguez with a runner on third base to end the frame. Royals closer Joakim Soria recorded his second save of the season by working a hitless ninth inning.

Kansas City now travels to Minnesota for the three-game series against the Twins this weekend. Lefty John Bale will make his first start of the season for the Royals, and will face Twins right-hander Scott Baker (0-0). First pitch at the Metrodome is set for Friday at 7:10 p.m. CT.

Alex Gordon Photo Credit: Duane Burleson/AP

Bannister Baffles Tigers, KC Improves to 2-0

2008-04-02T13:56:00.011-05:00

If Wednesday's game against Detroit was a test for Brian Bannister, he wrecked the bell curve for the rest of the class.

Bannister (1-0) passed his first test of the season by completely mastering the Tigers' powerful lineup to help the Kansas City Royals improve to 2-0 on the young season with a 4-0 shutout victory at Comerica Park. The second-year right-hander pitched seven innings, yielding just two singles to Edgar Renteria, while striking out four and walking none.

Kansas City also was struggling offensively against Tigers' starter Kenny Rogers, but a series of doubles by Mark Grudzielanek, Jose Guillen, and Billy Butler plated two runs in the sixth to stake the Royals to a 2-0 lead. Butler's double would have been a home run in most ballparks, as he drove the ball more than 410 feet to center field.

In the eighth, the Royals stretched the lead to 4-0. Joey Gathright led off the inning by doubling down the left field line, followed by a walk issued to Grudzielanek. Gathright then scored on an infield single by Butler, and Grudzielanek scampered home to score on an RBI single to center by Mark Teahen.

Gathright and Butler each went 2-for-4 with a double, with Butler driving in a pair of runs, and Grudzielanek scoring twice for the Royals, who are off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2003.

Leo Nunez took over for Bannister and surrendered a one-out walk, before getting out of the frame by getting Ivan Rodriguez to ground into a 6-4-3 double play.

Joakim Soria struck out the side in the ninth to close out the victory for KC, which will attempt to sweep Detroit on Thursday when right-hander Zack Greinke makes his first start of the season by facing Tigers' righty Jeremy Bonderman. First pitch is slated for 12:05 p.m. Central.

Brian Bannister Photo Credit: Tony Dejak/AP

And That, Folks, is Why You Play the Game

2008-03-31T16:07:00.008-05:00

I don't have a clue what the Las Vegas odds were that Kansas City would go into a sold-out Comerica Park on Opening Day, and pull out a victory when facing Tigers' ace Justin Verlander and a lineup stacked with talent top to bottom, but I'm sure they were long odds.

Nevertheless, the feisty Royals cost quite a few gamblers some money on Monday after they fought their way back from a 3-0 deficit to post a 5-4 win in 11 innings against Detroit in Trey Hillman's Major League Baseball managerial debut.

With two outs in the top of the 11th, Tony Pena blooped a single into shallow center field, which scored catcher John Buck with the winning run. It was Pena's lone hit in five at bats, and helped to make up for his three strikeouts at the plate.

The Royals were held in check through five innings by Verlander, who struck out six and allowed just four hits. But in the sixth inning, Royals third baseman Alex Gordon crushed a one-out offering from Verlander for a 394-foot two-run blast to cut the lead to 3-2. One inning later, Kansas City scored twice again to knock Verlander out of the game and take a 4-3 lead.

The Tigers' Carlos Guillen tied the game by hammering a solo home run to right field off of Brett Tomko in the bottom of the eighth. But right-hander Leo Nunez (1-0) looked very impressive by working two hitless innings and fanning three to earn the victory. It was the Royals' second-straight Opening Day win after topping Boston 7-1 last year.

Joakim Soria allowed a leadoff double in the bottom of the 11th, and had to work around a runner on third base with one out. But he got a huge strikeout of Edgar Renteria, and then was helped by some great glovework by Gordon on Placido Polanco's hard-hit grounder to third to earn his first save.

I like the Royals' fighting spirit, which is something the Detroit announcers kept bringing up. This team showed no signs of surrendering, which would have been easy to do against one of the top teams in baseball and being down 3-0.

But that, folks, is why you play the game, and the Royals are off to a good start to their 2008 season. Many bettors, however, aren't feeling so giddy about this Royals' win.

Note: Craig Brown of Royals Authority does such a great job with his coverage of Kansas City baseball, and if you haven't seen it yet, he took the time to compile the results of feedback to several questions about the 2008 season, which was provided by fans and bloggers alike, including yours truly. To check out his post, entitled Your Shot Has Been Called, click here. Thanks for the work, Craig.

Tony Pena Photo Credit: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

This Type of Disrespect Has to Stop

2008-03-30T22:54:00.011-05:00

I live in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, so obviously, things are very Minnesota-centric here in the middle of Twins Territory, as they claim.

But I was very excited to open my door Sunday morning, and pick up my copy of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, for I knew that it would contain a special American League Central preview section entitled "Grand Central."

So, I sat back on the couch, with ESPN anchors mumbling about something-or-other in the background, and dug through the paper, looking for the special section. When I finally found it, I opened it up and saw this picture (right) not exactly gracing the cover.

At first, I was angry because it looked like they had completely forgotten about the Kansas City Royals in this cute little piece of art by Tom Richmond. Then I took a second look, and saw the miniature Royals player cowering in the background, red-faced, boney-elbowed, biting his nails, and sweating as he peered up at the larger-than-life versions of Jim Thome, C.C. Sabathia, and (I'm assuming) Miguel Cabrera.

Are you effing kidding me?! The only thing that could have made this drawing worse would have been if Richmond had drawn the Twins player the same size as the three muscular-looking guys from Chicago, Cleveland, and Detroit.

Well, now I'm already perturbed at the Star-Tribune, and that was before I opened the pages of the preview section, and saw ranking after ranking that listed the Royals fifth in the division! On every ranking that had anything to do with the players on the field, Kansas City was ranked last. Every single one.

So, I'm going to take the liberty to share these rankings with you, as well as to provide you with some commentary, which I think will be a little more fair, as Jim Souhan, La Velle E. Neal III, Patrick Reusse, and Joe Christensen mostly seem to be blind to the fact that the Royals are on the rise, and are no longer an automatic fifth-place filler for the rankings. You can see that I linked their names to their e-mail addresses, so that Kansas City fans can send them a message (in good taste) to let them know that we disagree with their assessments.

A.L. Central Lineups (by Souhan): 1. Tigers, 2. White Sox, 3. Indians, 4. Twins, 5. Royals. Souhan's Comments About KC: Stop me if you've heard this one before: still a work in progress. Billy Butler and Alex Gordon could be fun to watch at the plate, though.

Okay, it's impossible to argue against the Tigers in first. If this was a list of the best lineups in Major League Baseball, Detroit would more than likely be ranked first. But the White Sox in second? I guess I can see how the Royals are ranked fifth in this category to start the season, but as the year progresses, I think there will be more people who tend to think of the Royals' lineup as being more than simply Gordon and Butler.

The Hearts of the Orders (by Souhan): 1. Tigers, 2. White Sox, 3. Twins, 4. Indians, 5. Royals. Souhan's Comments About KC: Signing Jose Guillen helps, but Billy Butler, Alex Gordon and Mark Teahen need to be the big sticks.

Again, I can see how the Royals are fifth, following a season in which they hit a mere 102 home runs. But I think the heart of Kansas City's lineup -- with Gordon third, followed by Guillen, Butler, and Teahen -- will prove to be more formidable than people think. I like having Butler bat behind Guillen, which will force teams to pitch to the Royals' new slugger, and Guillen will allow Gordon to see some better pitches, too. This group? I'd say better than expected this season.

A.L. Central Rotations (by Neal): 1. Indians, 2. Tigers, 3. White Sox, 4. Twins, 5. Royals. Neal's Comments About KC: Kansas City paid right-hander Gil Meche $55 million for five seasons last year - admittedly overpaying to get an innings-eater - and got nine victories out of him in 2007. If the Royals are going to get out of the division basement this season, righthanders Brian Bannister and Zack Greinke need to develop behind Meche. The rest of the rotation is in flux, but Minnesota players and fans will be relieved to learn Twins killer Jorge De La Rosa was designated for assignment last week.

I have to question the Tigers at No. 2 here. Yes, they have Verlander, and Bonderman, but Kenny Rogers is ancient and his arm is going to just drop out of its socket one of these days, and I have serious doubts whether Dontrelle Willis can return to his old form, or whether he's in for an eye-opening season facing much stronger teams in the American League than he ever did in Florida. I also have to question how in the heck Mr. Neal can seriously rank the Twins' young and inexperienced staff (other than Livan Hernandez) ahead of KC's trio of Meche, Bannister, and Greinke. I seriously don't think Scott Baker and Boof Bonser are everything they're cracked up to be, even with Baker's "almost" no-hitter against the Royals last season -- that is, until Mike Sweeney came off the bench to break it up.

A.L. Central Bullpens (by Neal): 1. Indians, 2. Twins, 3. Tigers, 4. White Sox, 5. Royals. Neal's Comments About KC: Joakim Soria is a talented closer. Jimmy Gobble is a good lefty, and righthander Joel Peralta was effective last season. Not a pushover here, but the group lacks name recognition and a track record.

Let's see, Zumaya is out until midseason, Fernando Rodney battled shoulder soreness in spring training, and Todd Jones will turn 40 years old in April, yet the Tigers are ranked third? I honestly think that pitching could cause the Tigers to finish not first, but second, in the division. Neal does get one thing correct, though, and that's that Soria is a talented closer. I'm hoping he can get to 30 saves this season, and I think this "no-name" bullpen (minus Peralta, who starts the year in Omaha) of Kansas City's is, once again, stronger than the folks at the Star-Tribune give it credit for.

A.L. Central Managers (by Reusse): 1. Jim Leyland, Tigers, 2. Ron Gardenhire, Twins, 3. Eric Wedge, Indians, 4. Ozzie Guillen, White Sox, 5. Trey Hillman, Royals. Reusse's Comments About KC: First season. Might be another Wedge - not much humor and obsessive about the job. He was successful in Japan. Then again, so was Bobby Valentine.

It's hard to make a case for a first-year manager with no previous MLB managing experience to be anywhere but fifth on this list. But I would lay a fair wager on Hillman not being listed last in this category again in 2009. Reusse is correct about Hillman being obsessive about his job, as most good managers are. Teams will come to discover just how obsessive he is when the Royals are showing vast improvement in their fundamentals -- running the bases and manufacturing runs -- but I've also sensed that Hillman has a lighter side that his players enjoy, and I think he'll do well in his first year at the helm.

A.L. Central General Managers (by Christensen): 1. Mark Shapiro, Indians, 2. Dave Dombrowski, Tigers, 3. Kenny Williams, White Sox, 4. Bill Smith, Twins, 5. Dayton Moore, Royals. Christensen's Comments About KC: Insiders generally believe Moore has put Kansas City on the right track since taking over in 2006. He gave Gil Meche a controversial five-year, $55 million contract last season. That deal looks OK now, but the three-year, $36 million investment in Jose Guillen is a head-scratcher.

Are you kidding me? Maybe I'm wearing Dayton Moore glasses that don't allow me to see his flaws, but I would list him at least third on this list. He's in the midst of taking what had been among the worst franchises in baseball for the first part of this decade, and is in the process of getting things turned around. Very few general managers would have been up to that challenge. He's also rebuilding the team's farm system, and has once again made Kansas City a presence in Latin America. It's still early in Moore's tenure, but how anyone could use Gil Meche as an example of a bad free agent signing is beyond me. And Bill Smith is a first-year GM. Delmon Young, Mike Lamb, Livan Hernandez, and other free agents Minnesota acquired in the offseason haven't done squat yet.

A.L. Central Owners (by Christensen): 1. Mike Ilitch, Tigers, 2. Larry Dolan, Indians, 3. Jerry Reinsdorf, White Sox, 4. Carl Pohlad, Twins, 5. David Glass, Royals. Christensen's Comments About KC: A former CEO of Wal-Mart, Glass bought the Royals for $96 million in 2000, and last April, Forbes magazine estimated the team's value at $282 million. Yet, Glass has very little on-field success to show for it. The Royals did bump the payroll from $47 million to $67 million from 2006 to '07, so Glass is starting to reinvest some of his profits in the team.

I don't really know what to write here, other than it really says something when an owner as villified as Pohlad is in Minnesota can be ranked ahead of Glass. It must just be Christensen's way of kissing up to the organization he covers on a daily basis. Glass would certainly have ranked near the bottom of this list for all of MLB a few years ago, but I really think that Dayton Moore has helped to change his views on how to effectively operate a Major League Baseball team.

Preseason Rankings (by Christensen): 1. Indians, 2. Tigers, 3. Twins, 4. White Sox, 5. Royals. Christensen's Comments About KC: This is definitely a team to watch with designated hitter Billy Butler and third baseman Alex Gordon poised to blossom as second-year big-leaguers. New manager Trey Hillman spent the past five years in Japan, guiding the Nippon Ham Fighters, and his focus on fundamentals drew comparisons to Tom Kelly this spring. If the pitching staff comes together behind Gil Meche, Brian Bannister, Zack Greinke and prospect Luke Hochevar, the Royals could bypass the White Sox and Twins. And if that happens, it might not be a one-year fad.

Wow, this Joe Christensen guy just might know what he's talking about, despite the fact that he still ranked the Royals fifth after writing that. I completely agree that the Royals could pass up the White Sox and the Twins, but I'll take that one step further, and predict that the Royals will win the three-way battle with Chicago and Minnesota for third place in the standings. In the end, Kansas City will continue to make strides, finishing the season with a record of 78-84 in a black-and-blue division thanks to having to play Detroit and Cleveland for almost 40 combined games.

A.L. Central Farm Systems (by Neal): 1. Twins, 2. Indians, 3. Royals, 4. Tigers, 5. White Sox. Neal's Comments About KC: You are already seeing the promise that third baseman Alex Gordon and DH-first baseman Billy Butler have. They are no longer considered prospects, but shortstop Mike Moustakas and righthanders Luke Hochevar and Daniel Cortes have scouts raving. The problem is that there's a dropoff after this trio of top-end talent. Not good for a team that's the caboose of the A.L. Central.

Well, he sure is off about that final comment, but at least there was finally a ranking that didn't list the Royals dead last. Considering the sorry state of the Royals' farm system near the end of the Allard Baird era, it's an amazing achievement to have changed the perception enough in two years to already rank third in this category. The system will get even stronger this June, when the next group of draft picks selected by Dayton Moore and his staff enter the fold.

A.L. Central Baseball Towns (by Reusse): 1. Detroit, 2. Kansas City, 3. Cleveland, 4. Minnesota, 5. Chicago. Reusse's Comments About KC: This is a town with both the heritage of the Kansas City Monarchs of Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Royals of George Brett. Give K.C. just a hint of success and Kauffman Stadium (undergoing a $200 million face lift) will be full again.

Reusse has this one right. Detroit might be considered his top baseball town this season, but when the Royals start winning again on a regular basis, there are no better fans in this division than those wearing Blue on hot summer nights in Kansas City. Royals fans are starving for a winner, and it's on its way, folks. I can feel the electricity in the air, smell the concessions at the K, and hear the roar of the crowd as great KC baseball is returning in the very near future. It will be fun watching all of the young talent on this team grow stronger together.

Come Back in Two Years (by Reusse): Patrick Reusse takes a sneak peak at the A.L. Central ballparks in 2010, when the $200 million remodeling of Kansas City's stadium will be complete, and the Twins' new facility will be open in downtown Minneapolis. 1. Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, 2. (Unnamed Stadium), Minnesota, 3. Comerica Park, Detroit, 4. Progressive Field, Cleveland, 5. U.S. Cellular Park, Chicago. Reusses's Comments About KC: Still a great ballpark, and it's only going to get better with the face lift scheduled for completion in 2009.

It's amazing to me that the Minneapolis paper could do a category like this, which seems perfectly set up to be able to claim the Twins' future ballpark as No. 1, but Reusse takes a jab at his own readers by stating that Kauffman will still be the best ballpark in the A.L. Central despite the brand-new digs being built here in the Twin Cities. This just proves to all the naysayers and critics of the renovations at the K that people around the division, and the league, really respect the beautiful stadium Royals fans get to appreciate 81 times per summer -- and for a future All-Star Game, too.

That was it for the rankings, and I guess it's not too surprising to expect anything else from an opposing team's home newspaper. But the fact is that the Royals are getting better, and it upsets me to see a full-page picture of the Royals being portrayed as timid, scared, frightened, awestruck, or however you might describe the cover of the Star-Tribune's A.L. Central preview section.

It's just that I'm tired of crap like that, and it has to stop. This isn't 2002-06 anymore.

This gets written about fairly frequently on message boards and blogs like mine, but it's time for members of the media to take notice of the baseball resurgence that's taking place in Kansas City. The Royals could at least have been standing next to the dude from the Twins in that drawing, and I would have had the White Sox similar to the Royals and Twins. After all, most pundits seem to think that it will be a two-team race in the A.L. Central.

The season begins today. I think it will be better than many people believe -- at least those who work in the sports department at the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. It's time for these young Royals players to stand up for themselves, take pride in their fundamentals, and play the game the way Trey Hillman expects them to.

The challenge of facing what might be the toughest division in baseball this season will be daunting, but there is plenty of talent on this team, and I've always been one to believe that the first step to winning is believing that you will. Royals players have talked about the change in attitude that has been present in camp this spring -- that the team now walks onto the field expecting to win. It needs to start today in Detroit, against what is probably the toughest lineup in baseball.

Yes, another season of Kansas City baseball is here again, and this year, Royals fans have a team they can really be excited about. Enjoy Opening Day, Royals fans!

Kaegel's Description of Guillen is Interesting

2008-03-29T09:42:00.007-05:00

I was reading the lead story, written by Dick Kaegel of MLB.com, on the Royals' official website this morning. And, just a few paragraphs into it, there was some wording used in reference to Jose Guillen that caught my attention.

Kaegel wrote: "One guy who is expected to hit home runs, though, is Jose Guillen who signed at considerable expense (three years for $36 million) to put juice into what has been a run-parched attack. He's averaged 26-plus homers and almost 94 RBIs in his past four full seasons."

Did you catch it? He said that Guillen would "put juice" into the attack. Now, in all probability, Kaegel didn't even realize that using the word juice to describe what Guillen will add to the Royals lineup was questionable. But isn't that a poor choice of words to employ when describing someone who's facing a possible suspension for allegedly purchasing PEDs? You almost have to wonder whether that was an intentionally subliminal jab taken at Guillen by an old-school writer like Kaegel.

Personally, I enjoy reading Kaegel's stories about the Royals. I think he does a fine job with his writing, and he's probably been crafting stories for as long as I've been alive -- I'm 38 years old, by the way. I think it would be challenging covering a baseball team over the course of a 162-game season, and trying to avoid having your storylines become stale or redundant.

But this description of Guillen was something that I felt needed to be brought to the attention of Royals fans in the blogosphere, to see whether I'm the only one who seemed to have noticed Kaegel's interesting choice of words. Did others feel it's as obvious and direct as it seems to me?

I'd love to have some feedback from readers to see if you agree. Was this simply a slip up, or do you think Kaegel knew full well what he was doing, and snickered, or sat back with a smirk on his face after typing that little statement? Writers who have lasted as long in the business as Kaegel has are clever, and by even wondering if it was intentional, I'm giving him the credit he deserves for being an intelligent and witty wordsmith.

But did this cross the line?

Jose Guillen Photo Credit: Getty Images

Huber is Lightning Rod for Royals Fans

2008-03-26T22:33:00.013-05:00

Justin Huber is no longer a member of the Kansas City Royals organization, and many Royals fans are not happy, not happy at all.

In fact, as I'm writing this -- which, by the way, is not a rant about today's decision to part ways with Huber, but rather an examination of the issues behind the anger and frustration -- they're sitting in front of their computers, sipping on a can of Foster's*, and writing red-faced rants about how Dayton Moore is not the great general manager many of us (myself included) believe him to be.

They're angry about how this is yet another example of fizzled trades in which potential Royals stars are shipped off to other teams in exchange for the proverbial PTBNL -- that's Player to be Named Later for all you non-sports types who somehow got lost here, or for those who have had far too much Foster's prior to reading this.

*Huber is Australian, which is why I thought it would be humorous to create the image of angry fans sipping a can of the lager as they compose their rants. But, my brother traveled to the Land Down Under in college, and he reported to me that Australians actually don't drink Foster's at all. It's not even in the bars there, and I know my youngest brother well enough to trust he did an exhaustive study of a majority of the bars on that continent during his one month studying abroad. The company's slogan, "Foster's. Australian for Beer," is simply an American marketing campaign to sell a beer in the United States. Oh, and this is my second-ever Pozterisk.

So, what is it that has caused Justin Huber to be such a lightning rod among Royals fans? There are some very ardent Huber supporters out there, like Jeff of Royally Speaking, who will now be sponsoring the Baseball Reference page of a member of the San Diego Padres until February 28, 2009. In all fairness, Jeff's "rant" about Huber was incredibly under control, which surprised me when I saw that he had sponsored Huber's page.

I expected to check out his blog tonight and see a 5,000-word manifesto about how Dayton Moore sucks. Instead, he simply provided a quote from Moore about why he decided to trade Huber, and then took the liberty to disagree with Moore, calling the quote, "B.S...".

Here's the history. Huber was acquired by the Royals in a trade with the New York Mets on July 30, 2004. Kansas City sent utility player Jose Bautista to the Mets that day, and New York turned around and immediately traded Bautista to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

These days, Bautista is entering his second season as the Pirates' starting third baseman. But he only spent a month with the Royals after having his contract purchased from Tampa Bay, so remarkably, I haven't been able to find many rants about that move. Oh, and Crossing the Clemente, a "Pittsburgh Pirates blog celebrating the heroes of PNC Park," is the sponsor of Bautista's Baseball Reference page.

Back to Huber, who had been a catcher in the Mets organization. However, the day before the trade, he tore cartilage in his left knee. Then-general manager Allard Baird still went through with the trade, but Huber had surgery August 23 to repair the damage, and the Royals converted him to a first baseman in the process. He struggled to play first base, was tried in left field, and didn't fare much better, and the Royals haven't known exactly what to do with him since.

Offensively, Huber has some impressive credentials. He's represented Australia in international play, has been to numerous Minor League all-star games, and has batted .289/.369/.495 with 150 doubles, 12 triples, and 107 home runs during his seven seasons in the minors. The 2005 season was his finest, as he won the Texas League batting title (.343) for Class AA Wichita, and also played in Omaha (AAA), finishing the year with a combined line of .326/.417/.560, with 28 doubles, 23 homers, and 97 RBI.

But he has not been able to carry those numbers over to the Major League level. During that 2005 season, he played in 25 games for the Royals, getting his most extensive opportunity to make an impression. But he batted just .218/.271/.256 in 78 at bats, with only three doubles and 20 strikeouts.

The past two seasons, he's had a mere 20 at bats in a Royals uniform -- one of the biggest points of contention for those angry Foster's drinkers writing the rants -- but he's managed just three hits for a .150 average.

This spring, Huber was out of options, which meant the writing was on the wall. He needed to make the Royals' roster, or it was likely he'd be traded, and he did everything he could to try to make the team. Despite limited playing time, and playing him only in left field, Huber was impressive. He batted .346/.400/.615 in 26 at bats, with six runs scored, five doubles, a triple, and seven runs batted in.

He had finally caught the attention of a team in Major League Baseball, it just happened to be one other than the Kansas City Royals, and he was traded to the Padres for the aforementioned PTBNL.

It's understandable that people are upset with Kansas City for holding up Huber's career. The Royals spent the past few years playing Emil Brown, and giving Huber scant opportunity to make an impression. But I think the Royals' front office looked at Huber's Minor League numbers, versus the numbers he accumulated in his MLB at bats, and just determined that he didn't fit into their future.

It didn't help matters that Huber's defense in left field this spring was butcher-esque -- is that a word? -- perhaps even worse than Emil Brown's horrendous defense, if that's possible. Chalk that up to tough Arizona skies, and windy weather conditions during Spring Training. But I've noticed that the Padres' website has him listed as a first baseman again, which is where he should have been with the Royals if not for the likes of Ryan Shealy, Ross Gload, Billy Butler, and even Mark Teahen standing in his way at that position.

In the end, it just seems like Huber's three-plus years as a member of the Royals organization were wasted, which is where most of the anger stems from. But I trust Dayton Moore, his staff, the scouts, and all the other baseball people around him to make the right decision.

If Huber winds up as one of the top first basemen (or outfielders) in the National League someday, so be it. Dayton Moore isn't going to get every move right over his career. As someone astutely pointed out on a message board tonight, the best GMs are going to make mistakes, but they're going to make far more great decisions, and that's what I fully expect Moore to do.

For now, I think I'll just tip back a Foster's (actually, a Sierra Mist Free), do an "Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!" cheer in honor of the newest member of the San Diego Padres, and enjoy the fact that the Royals are continuing to move in the right direction, even without Justin Huber.

Justin Huber Photo Credit: Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images

Introducing, Trey's Triggermen

2008-03-25T16:56:00.005-05:00

Most of you would have a hard time believing this, but your's truly is about to embark on my very first season -- yes, I said first -- of fantasy baseball. There. I said it, and it feels good. I admitted the fact that I am a complete fantasy baseball virgin. Not even an almost, as in, "I started to play a season, but withdrew before the season ended." No, this is my first-ever foray as a baseball GM.

I'm going to be taking part in a Yahoo! Sports league called Reversible Nines, with 19 other die-hard Kansas City Royals fanatics like myself. My team? Trey's Triggermen, of course, named after the Royals' fearless new manager, Trey Hillman. My team came into being last Thursday night, in a draft that I was so psyched and ready for. I was incredibly anxious to take part in the draft, and to be able to select my players, round-by-round, and put together an unbelievable lineup. My team would be unstoppable.

Then, Java ruined my night.

About 45 minutes before the draft, I started trying to click on the draft application button in order to open the window that would allow me to make my selections, and watch as all the other managers made theirs. I clicked. Nothing appeared but a window with the Yahoo! Fantasy Baseball '08 banner, and a few question marks. Click again. Nothing.

So I ran a test to see if my computer needed updated software in order to have the draft application work. The test said I needed the most recent Java Plug-In, and directed me to the Java website. Once there, however, it ran a test to see if I had the correct version, and informed me that I was all set. Great!

So I restarted my computer, and went back to the Yahoo! Fantasy Baseball site. I tried again. It failed again. Same blank window. Same message telling me that I need the latest Java Plug-In. Ugh!

I deduced that it must be something with my Firewall and security software, so I temporarily shut off the firewall. Still nothing. This was really starting to irk me. And it's about 10 minutes until the draft is slated to start. The pressure was mounting by the second, and I was stressed out and ready to hurl something at my computer screen.

I shot off a couple frantic messages to Antonio, the league's commissioner, but he really couldn't be expected to help me 10 minutes before the draft, with all the other things he had going on that night. I can't blame him. It was my fault for not having checked out the Yahoo! draft site well before the night of the event.

The only thing that made me feel even remotely comfortable was that I had taken the time to pre-rank my player list, using ESPN.com's fantasy expert recommendations. But I had only done a little over 200 players, and this is a 20-team league with 25-man rosters, meaning the draft would involve 500 players. So, after those initial 200 players were exhausted, who knows what I'd end up with.

To his credit, Antonio updated me through the first few rounds to let me know who I was getting with my selections, but I was just so angry at this snafu, and the fact that I wasn't clever enough to figure it out and join the rest of my new league online for my first-ever fantasy baseball draft.

Well, I bet you're wondering, how did Trey's Triggermen fare? All in all, not too bad for having been on autodraft all night long. I had the second pick, and it was a snake format, so I'd have to wait for it to go all the way down to the 20th pick, and then all the way back to me. But that meant that, every other round, I'd get two picks within four spots of each other. Here is the initial draft for the 2008 Triggermen:

Round 1: (2nd Pick) Hanley Ramirez (FLA), SS; Round 2: (39) C.C. Sabathia (CLE), SP; Round 3: (42) Aramis Ramirez (CHC), 3B; Round 4: (79) Aaron Harang (CIN), SP; Round 5: (82) John Smoltz (ATL), SP; Round 6: (119) Fausto Carmona (CLE), SP; Round 7: (122) Adrian Beltre (SEA), 3B; Round 8: (159) Ryan Garko (CLE), 1B; Round 9: (162) Ian Snell (PIT), SP; Round 10: (199) Jeff Kent (LAD), 2B; Round 11: (202) Zack Greinke (KC), SP, RP; Round 12: (239) Michael Bourn (HOU), CF; Round 13: (242) Ramon Hernandez (BAL), C; Round 14: (279) Greg Maddux (SD), SP; Round 15: (282) Joey Votto (CIN), 1B, OF; Round 16: (319) Moises Alou (NYM), OF; Round 17: (322) Jon Rauch (WAS), RP; Round 18: (359) Juan Cruz (ARI), RP; Round 19: (362) Edinson Volquez (CIN), SP; Round 20: (399) Ryan Doumit (PIT), C, OF; Round 21: (402) Jacque Jones (DET), CF; Round 22: (439) Philip Humber (MIN), P; Round 23: (442) Juan Lara (CLE), RP; Round 24: (479) Brandon Backe (HOU), SP; and Round 25: (482) Marlon Byrd (TEX), CF

I've already made some changes to my roster, which was top-heavy with pitchers. Three players -- Humber, Lara, and Byrd -- are no longer members of the Triggermen, while Carlos Gomez, Marco Scutaro, and Cla Meredith have been added.

I'm also in the process of adding Skip Schumaker, even though he's a member of the St. Louis Cardinals, and that goes against every fundamental bone in my body. However, I was desperate for a corner outfielder with a bit of power, and it came down to Schumaker or Carlos Quentin, and Schumaker's spring numbers -- 21 G, 24-for-64, .375/.412/.563, 15 R, 10 RBI, four doubles, one triple, two home runs, and three stolen bases -- made the decision easy. I'm also working like crazy to swing a trade or two.

I want to be the Dayton Moore of Reversible Nines, scouring the waiver wires and free agent market for undervalued or unnoticed talent that can be a surprise help to my lineup. Scutaro is likely going to have to start the year for me at second base, since Jeff Kent has a bad hamstring that has kept him from playing at all this spring. But Scutaro was a great choice, because he'll start the season in the Blue Jays' starting lineup after Scott Rolen broke his finger.

Yes, this is my first venture into the world of fantasy baseball, but I plan to learn the intricacies of the game quickly, and try to beat other team's managers to the punch. The fact that I'm coming off my first fantasy football championship (in my third year in my league) gives me hope, and confidence. But, just like I'll do with the 2008 Royals, I think I'll try to keep my confidence in check for awhile and see how the start of the season goes.

But come 2010, in my third year in the league (at least, I hope so), I'll be expecting a championship, baby! As long as Java doesn't mess with my draft again.

Check Out Sam Mellinger's Blog

2008-03-18T12:09:00.003-05:00

Life can get crazy sometimes. I'm not trying to make excuses, but I do want to apologize for the way this site has been neglected recently. I'm a stay-at-home dad, it was my son's fourth birthday early this month, and my wife is in California for work as I write this, so blogging has unfortunately fallen by the wayside for a bit.

But I promise that, once the season gets started, I'll try to get back into a routine where something new is posted much more frequently. I don't know if I can promise every day, with summer vacations and weekend trips to the lake cabin, but I'll do my best to update this site on a regular basis. I appreciate having readers who regularly return to see what I've written. Thank you.

Today, I figured I needed to log on and write something to generate more views for my friend -- I think I can call him that -- Kansas City Star sportswriter Sam Mellinger, and his blog, Ball Star. In the next three days, Ball Star is going to be featuring a Roundtable series, with Royals-related questions answered by yours truly, as well as five other Kansas City Royals bloggers.

The others are: Craig Brown of Royals Authority, Will McDonald of Royals Review, Dave Sanford of Royals Corner, Anthony Tao of In Dayton We Trust, and Lee Warren of Royal Reflections.

I think it will be an interesting look at the perceptions of various Royals bloggers, with some interesting questions and scenarios being addressed, as well as our spot-on predictions for the 2008 Royals.

Sam Mellinger has been doing a great job with Ball Star, and I check it out daily to get some funny insights into happenings during Spring Training in Surprise, and for the types of stories and interviews you might not see in the newspaper itself. He's had some great interviews with some big names in the blogosphere (Link 1 / Link 2), has traveled to Florida and told us how he thinks that state sucks (I think he was kidding), and he posts daily links to other interesting things taking place in the game we all love -- baseball.

Check out the Roundtable, and leave some comments to let Sam know you appreciate the Star's efforts to give us more than just the typical game recaps and notes. Ball Star, it's worth a look if you haven't found your way there yet.

Shealy and Teahen Displaying Power

2008-03-10T17:50:00.004-05:00

Sorry for the lengthy delay since my last post, but it has nothing to do with the rumor that Undying Royalty has lost its loyalty. Yes, an embarrassing 13-1 loss to the Cubs on national TV was ugly, but it's just a Spring Training game, and the Royals' record on March 30 will be 0-0.

Without a doubt, though, one of the best things happening in Surprise, Ariz., this spring is the play of first baseman Ryan Shealy, who hit his third home run in today's 15-6 win against the Giants, and left fielder Mark Teahen, who clubbed his second round-tripper.

Shealy has played in just six games this spring, due to the fact that he was battling the flu bug for at least a week. But he went 1-for-3 in the win against the Giants to raise his average to .286 (4-for-14) with the three homers and five runs batted in.

Teahen, who hit a team-leading 18 home runs in 2006 before dropping to seven last year, also went 1-for-3 against San Francisco, and is batting .269 (7-for-26) with six runs scored and nine runs batted in.

The Royals were last in the American League with 102 home runs in 2007, so the hope is that both Shealy and Teahen can return to their 2006 form. It's still early in Spring Training, but signs are encouraging that they could add some extra punch back to the Royals' lineup.

Grudzielanek Keys Middle Infield for KC

2008-03-06T15:09:00.008-06:00

This is the fourth installment of a position-by-position look at the 2008 Kansas City Royals. Previous stories: C, 3B, SS

Mark Grudzielanek is set to play in his first spring game of 2008 during Friday's Cactus League contest against the Colorado Rockies, but no, the veteran second baseman hasn't been injured. Rather, first-year manager Trey Hillman has taken a new approach with Grudzielanek and fellow veteran Jose Guillen, allowing them the freedom to set their own timetable for when they're ready to play.

Hillman's decision pleases Grudzielanek, who earned a Gold Glove for his stellar defensive play in 2006, but was hampered by two knee operations in 2007. He has made comments this spring that hint at the fact that he was pushed to play too soon in the spring under former manager Buddy Bell.

"I love it. I'm glad we're on the same page," he said, in a story written by the Kansas City's Star's Bob Dutton. "We talked, and came up with a plan to make sure I get myself right and feel strong."

Even with the knee surgeries last year, Grudzielanek still managed to bat .302/.346/.426 with 137 hits, 70 runs scored, 32 doubles, three triples, six home runs, 51 runs batted in, and a 100 OPS+. Despite those numbers, and his solid defense, he still seems to draw criticism from many fans, who feel the Royals would be better off with someone other than the 37-year old Grudzielanek.

To give you an idea of the kind of player Grudzielanek has been over the course of his career, here is a comparison of two second basemen's career totals, also when they were 37-years old:

Player A was batting .257/.293/.389 with 1847 hits in 2107 games, 858 runs scored, 371 doubles, 56 triples, 156 home runs, 829 runs batted in, and an 86 OPS+ in 16 seasons.

Player B was batting .281/.335/.358 with 1949 hits in 1769 games, 913 runs scored, 278 doubles, 47 triples, 54 home runs, 550 runs batted in, and a 95 OPS+ in 14 seasons.

So, who are those players? Well, Player A has his number retired and proudly displayed on the base of the Kauffman Stadium scoreboard -- yes, it's Royals Hall of Famer Frank White. Player B is former Dodgers, Yankees, White Sox, and A's second baseman Steve Sax.

Did I fool you by making you think one of those players was Grudz? Well, here are the numbers for the yet-to-be-mentioned Player C -- Mark Grudzielanek. For those critics out there, Grudzielanek has batted .289/.331/.395 with 1911 hits in 1686 games, 900 runs scored, 367 doubles, 36 triples, 87 home runs, 605 runs batted in, and a 90 OPS+ in 13 seasons.

**By the way, Ryan Shealy just hit a game-winning home run against the Diamondbacks as I'm sitting here writing this, and so I couldn't resist joining the new trend, and adding my first-ever Pozterisk.

It's obvious that Grudzielanek is nearing the end of an outstanding career, but it's also still quite obvious that he's a very dependable defensive second baseman, who puts up solid offensive numbers. In my opinion, he should remain the Royals' starter at second base until an injury once again prevents him from playing, he's traded, or his contract expires.

This season, though, Grudzielanek will be challenged by Alberto Callaspo, who was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a trade for pitcher Billy Buckner during the offseason. Callaspo was Arizona's Minor League Player of the Year in 2006, and he comes to the Royals with an impressive baseball resume.

In six seasons, Callaspo hit .317/.370/.437 with 151 doubles and 353 RBI. What might be most impressive about Callaspo, though, is the fact that he's very disciplined at the plate, with just 141 strikeouts in 2897 plate appearances.

Callaspo is definitely considered the heir apparent to Grudzielanek at second base, but when that change takes place is still up in the air. Callaspo is batting .222/.222/.444 with a double and a home run in seven spring games so far this spring. But a season spent learning from a player like Grudzielanek certainly can't hurt his development.

Mark Grudzielanek Photo Credit: Ed Zurga/AP

Royals Looking to Run in 2008

2008-03-04T22:37:00.012-06:00

In the past four seasons, Kansas City basestealers have been poor at their craft, ranking toward the bottom of the American League in stolen bases.

Last year, the Royals combined for 78 steals to tie with the Chicago White Sox for 10th in the A.L. Third baseman Alex Gordon was Kansas City's top threat to swipe a base, finishing his rookie season with 14 stolen bases in 18 attempts.

As a team, Kansas City's total last year was actually an increase over the previous three seasons. During 2006, the Royals tied for eighth in the A.L. with 65 stolen bases, while the 2005 Royals established a franchise-record low total of only 53, and they had 67 thefts during 2004. So it's been four years since Kansas City has reached triple-digits for stolen bases, something that has been accomplished 32 times in the organization's 39-year history.

First-year Royals manager Trey Hillman isn't going to stand for another meager season running the bases, and if Kansas City's first six Cactus League games are an indication, the Royals will be doing everything they can to become more aggressive on the basepaths once again.

Through those six games, the Royals have stolen 12 bases, with outfielder Joey Gathright leading the way with an MLB-best six steals in six attempts.

Gathright, long considered one of the game's fastest players, has struggled to steal bases at the Major League level. In four seasons with Tampa Bay (2004-06) and Kansas City (2006-present), Gathright has stolen 57 bases in 80 attempts, despite the fact that he was 196-for-256 in six Minor League seasons.

Gathright recently stated that he'd like to steal 30 bases for the Royals in 2008, a goal which seems very attainable if he can continue swiping bases like he has during Spring Training.

Kansas City hasn't had a legitimate threat on the basepaths since Carlos Beltran was traded during the 2004 season. Beltran had just 14 steals for the Royals that season, but he stole a team-leading 41 bases in 2003, when Kansas City finished 3rd in the A.L. with 120 steals.

In addition to Gathright and Gordon, left fielder Mark Teahen (13), infielder Esteban German (11), and center fielder David DeJesus (10) all reached double-digit steal totals in 2007. Teahen is considered one of the Royals' top baserunners, and has the potential to reach 20+ steals.

Due to the Royals' lack of power -- KC ranked last in the A.L. in home runs and slugging percentage in 2007 -- the team is going to have to figure out other ways to manufacture runs in 2008. Hillman would like to see his team be more aggressive running the bases, as well as more adept at advancing runners via sacrifice hits.

With Gathright, Gordon, and Teahen leading the way, an exciting Kansas City team might steal its way into the hearts of Royals fans in 2008.

Joey Gathright Photo Credit: Charlie Riedel/AP

Problems Arising With Miguel Olivo?

2008-03-03T10:04:00.006-06:00

If you've seen today's Kansas City Star, you might have read the story about Miguel Olivo. The free agent catcher was signed December 27 by the Royals to come in and compete with John Buck for playing time.

Evidently, that was not what was communicated to Olivo via his agent, Martin Arburua, who had conversations with five or six teams, including the Tigers, after he was non-tendered by the Marlins during the offseason. But, in the end, he wound up coming to Kansas City because he thought he was going to have a good shot at being the Royals' primary catcher.

It was apparently a miscommunication, though, as shortly after pitchers and catchers reported to camp in Surprise, Ariz., new Royals manager Trey Hillman made it clear that Buck was Kansas City's No. 1 man behind the plate.

Olivo shrugged it off, saying that's not what he had been told, but that he would compete for his job and continue to work toward being the Royals' primary catcher.

"We'll work it out," Olivo said at the time. "In my mind, I'm the starting catcher because that's the way I've been my whole career."

Now, two weeks into Spring Training, today's story by Sam Mellinger appears in the Star, and it really doesn't sound like Olivo is content, despite the fact that he claims he's not angry, or bitter with his situation.

"If I'd have known it was going to be like that, the second catcher on the team, I would've (done) something else," Olivo said.

He came to Kansas City thinking that he was going to be the starter, and he could have been in an organization like Detroit's, so do you really think he'll continue to be happy if he's playing catcher twice a week, and DHing or playing left field other days?

For their part, Hillman and Kansas City general manager Dayton Moore have both stated that they never told Arburua anything about Olivo's playing time, or certainly not that he would be the starter. And both Hillman and Moore have also said that, just like with every position in Spring Training, Olivo and Buck are competing for playing time.

In front of the cameras and microphones, things have seemed fine. Olivo is a veteran, and he says that he'll deal with the situation, since there's really nothing he can do about it other than compete hard to earn the job. But you really have to wonder whether Olivo's blood is boiling deep down inside, and that he's regretting having signed with the Royals.

If so, I don't think this will be a healthy marriage in the long run, and it might be wise for the Royals to shop around for a team looking for a decent catcher, and see what kind of return they could get for Olivo when he's eligible to be traded on June 16. He batted .237 with 16 home runs and 60 runs batted in with the Marlins in 2007, and he's got a good arm and decent speed.

The Royals could always go with Matt Tupman as the backup to Buck, and unlike Olivo, Tupman would probably be thrilled at the aspect of making Kansas City's 25-man roster.

Tupman had an impressive offseason, playing in the Dominican Winter League for Tigres del Licey. The 28-year old Tupman batted .293 with 12 RBI during the regular season, and earned the chance to start for his team in the Caribbean Series. He helped his team win the championship with a 5-1 record by batting .353 in those games.

And, who knows, maybe Olivo will be the one to emerge as the starter. But Kansas City needs players who want to be on the team, no matter what their role is. And if John Buck is going to be starting again for the Royals in 2008, it might not be beneficial to have Olivo stewing on the bench.

Don't Mess With Texas?

2008-03-02T19:42:00.008-06:00

I know it's just Spring Training, and these games don't matter. But geez, do you think the Royals could actually catch a break one of these days and win a game against the Rangers? Texas is pretty much a consensus pick to finish as an "also ran" in the American League West, so three straight losses against it is kind of embarrassing, don't you agree?

You know, there are signs all over the state of Texas that say, Don't Mess With Texas, and apparently the Royals need to heed that warning.

With Sunday's 8-7 loss to the Rangers, Kansas City fell to 1-3 in Cactus League play, with all three setbacks coming at the hands of the team with which it shares their Surprise, Ariz., training facility. Texas has outscored the Royals, 29-15, in the three games, and KC also allowed nine runs in its lone win (against San Diego), so Royals pitchers are allowing 9.5 runs per game. Ouch.

Sunday's defeat was made even more disappointing by the fact that the Royals held a 7-5 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth inning. But Joel Peralta surrendered three hits in a third of an inning, including a two-run homer to tie the score, and the Rangers rallied for the win.

But it's Spring Training, and you have to hope that the Royals are learning from their early mistakes. Despite the fact that it seems way too soon to start looking at stats, with only four Spring Training games played, here's a look at some of the notables from the first week of camp:

The Good
--Right-handed pitcher Luke Hochevar has to be at the top of the list of pleasant surprises. On Sunday, he made his second appearance of the spring, and once again pitched brilliantly. He's pitched a total of four innings, allowing just one hit, while striking out a pair of batters and walking none. It's too early in camp to get too excited, but if Hochevar continues to pitch this well, he could earn a spot in the rotation, or at least make the Royals' roster as a member of the bullpen to start the season.

--Kyle Davies also fared well, making his spring debut on Sunday. The right-hander, who was acquired in the Octavio Dotel trade last year, went three innings and gave up three hits and one earned run.

--I haven't written about this yet -- my son's fourth birthday was Saturday, so that kept me busy this weekend -- but Gil Meche had a decent debut, as well. Meche said after the game that he wasn't pleased with his curveball, but he allowed two hits and fanned a batter in his two innings of work.

--CF David DeJesus must have gotten sick and tired of reading all the comments from people who say they want to trade him, because he's off to a great start, with four hits (including a double) in five at bats, three runs batted in, and four walks in three games.

--Justin Huber is 3-for-4, with all of his hits going for doubles, and a pair of RBI in his quest to find a roster spot. His play in left field has been as one might expect when asked to move from first base to left field early in camp. If the Royals aren't smart enough to give him a shot, then hopefully he continues to put up impressive offensive numbers, so that he could at least attract decent trade value.

--LF Mark Teahen is batting .300 (3-for-10) with a double, three runs scored, and has drawn four walks for an OBP of .500.

--Ross Gload has played in three games, batting .444/.444/.778 with four hits (one home run), and three runs batted in. No wonder Trey Hillman said he likes his swing.

--Damon Hollins has about zero chance of making the Royals' roster, but he's been playing right field until Jose Guillen sees some action. Hollins, who hit 15 home runs for Tampa Bay two seasons ago, is 3-for-7 (.429) with two doubles, two runs scored, and a pair of stolen bases.

--Third baseman Alex Gordon is batting .375 with three RBI. He's away from camp until Tuesday, attending his grandfather's funeral in Nebraska.

The Bad
--Honestly, Brian Bannister was rusty, not bad, but he allowed seven hits and four runs (three earned) in his three-inning debut on Sunday. I really don't expect him to be on this list next week.

--Kansas City has eight pitchers with double-digit ERAs.

The Ugly
--Esteban German committed a costly error in the first inning of the first Spring Training game, and has not made up for it at the plate. In four games, German is batting .091/.091/.182, with one hit in 11 at bats.

--OF Mitch Maier is 0-for-7 in three games.

--Julio Pimentel has a 36.00 ERA after allowing four hits and five runs (four earned) in his one inning of work so far.

Money Doesn't Always Equal World Titles

2008-02-29T17:01:00.011-06:00

I often see posts on message boards and blogs, bemoaning or ridiculing the fact that the Kansas City Royals are a small-market organization. They make statements about how there's no possible way the Royals can realistically compete for a World Championship with a payroll that has ranked among the bottom-third in baseball since the strike season of 1994.

Basically, many of their messages could be summed up this way: "The Royals can't pay their players as well as the Yankees, or the Red Sox -- or now the Tigers -- so they might as well just throw in the white towel and give up before they embarrass themselves."

Of course, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the idea. Posts like this make me want to reach through the computer screen and ring the writers' necks. It's such a defeatist mentality, and I'm so glad these people have absolutely nothing to do with running the Royals.

According to USA Today's Salaries Database, during 1988-94, Kansas City's payroll was among the top half in baseball, ranking anywhere from first in 1990 ($23,873,745) to 13th in 1988 ($11,558,873). And it was among the top 10 in all of those years except for that 1988 season.

But during that strike season in 1994, the landscape in baseball changed. The Royals, who had the fourth-highest payroll in baseball ($40,481,334) for the second-straight year in 1994, emerged the next season with a $27.6 million payroll that had plummeted to 21st among Major League teams. Kansas City has not ranked higher than 21st in payroll since, and has been next-to-last three times.

However, does the Royals' drop in payroll necessarily prevent them from making the playoffs, or advancing to their third World Series? Does a Top 5 payroll always lead to postseason success, or even a trip to the postseason, for that matter? Are those fans who make negative posts about payroll correct to think there's no hope for teams like the Royals?

That answer is no, and the proof is in teams like the 2007 Colorado Rockies, or the 2003 World Champion Florida Marlins, both of which had payrolls ranked 25th among the 30 teams. The Marlins captured their second world title by defeating the team with the highest payroll in all of professional sports -- the Yankees, of course.

In fact, in the 13 years since play resumed following the strike, eight of 26 World Series teams have had payrolls that ranked outside the Top 10, with four of those teams winning a title, and half (13 of 26) of the teams have been ranked sixth or lower, resulting in six world championships.

For an even more dramatic example, there have been 104 teams qualify for the playoffs since 1995 -- four teams in each league for the past 13 years. Of those teams, a total of 42 -- or 40.4 percent -- have had payrolls among the bottom two-thirds, while 66 playoff teams (63.5 percent) have not been among the Top 5 for payroll expenditures.

In two of the past three World Series, both participants were not found among the Top 10 for payroll. In 2005, it was the White Sox (13th) defeating Houston (12th), while the 2006 World Series saw St. Louis (11th) topple Detroit (14th). So, payroll is not the end-all means of achieving postseason success.

All of this goes to show how tremendously important a deep and talented farm system is, and that's something Royals' GM Dayton Moore has been focusing on since the day he was hired. Moore has been working to stockpile Kansas City's minor league affiliates with pitching prospects like Luke Hochevar, Tyler Lumsden, Julio Pimentel, Carlos Rosa, and Matt Mitchell, either through trades or via the draft.

At the same time, Moore has gotten the green light from Royals owner David Glass to increase the team's payroll, and aggressively pursue players such as current starting pitcher Gil Meche or right fielder Jose Guillen, both of whom signed multi-year, multi-million dollar contracts. Kansas City also made enticing offers to outfielders Torii Hunter and Andruw Jones, as well as Japanese pitcher Hiroki Kuroda, during the 2007 offseason. So the Royals are moving up the ladder in terms of money spent on players' salaries, and could possibly move out of the bottom third in payroll for the first time since 1994 this year.

Teams that are able to combine a healthy farm system with a middle-of-the-pack payroll have fared well in recent years, as noted above. It doesn't always take a Top 5 payroll to make the playoffs, or to win the World Series. I'm certainly not making an argument that teams that spend more money don't fare well, because they obviously have had incredible success. But teams that don't have huge payrolls aren't always left standing on the outside, looking in.

I just wish all those negative bloggers and message board naysayers would realize this.

Royals Payrolls Since 1988 (Rank)
2007: $67,116,500 (22nd)
2006: $47,294,000 (26th)
2005: $36,881,000 (29th)
2004: $47,609,000 (22nd)
2003: $40,518,000 (29th)
2002: $47,257,000 (22nd)
2001: $35,422,500 (27th)
2000: $23,132,500 (28th)
1999: $16,527,000 (27th)
1998: $32,912,500 (21st)
1997: $31,225,000 (23rd)
1996: $18,480,750 (29th)
1995: $27,608,834 (21st)
1994: $40,481,334 (4th)
1993: $40,102,666 (4th)
1992: $33,643,834 (8th)
1991: $28,722,662 (7th)
1990: $23,873,745 (1st)
1989: $15,427,162 (9th)
1988: $11,558,873 (13th)

Playoff Teams Since 1988 (Payroll Rank)
2007
AL - BOS (2nd)*, CLE (23rd)**, NYY (1st), LAA (4th)
NL - COL (25th), ARI (26th)**, CHC (8th), PHI (13th)
2006
AL - DET (14th), OAK (21st)**, NYY (1st), MIN (19th)
NL - STL (11th)*, NYM (5th)**, LAD (6th), SD (17th)
2005
AL - CWS (13th)*, LAA (4th)**, NYY (1st), BOS (2nd)
NL - HOU (12th), STL (6th)**, ATL (10th), SD (16th)
2004
AL - BOS (2nd)*, NYY (1st)**, LAA (3rd), MIN (19th)
NL - STL (9th), HOU (12th)**, LAD (6th), ATL (8th)
2003
AL - NYY (1st), BOS (6th)**, MIN (18th), OAK (23rd)
NL - FLA (25th)*, CHC (11th)**, ATL (3rd), SF (9th)
2002
AL - LAA (15th)*, MIN (27th)**, NYY (1st), OAK (28th)
NL - SF (10th), STL (13th)**, ARI (4th), ATL (7th)
2001
AL - NYY (1st), SEA (11th)**, CLE (5th), OAK (29th)
NL - ARI (8th)*, ATL (6th)**, STL (9th), HOU (17th)
2000
AL - NYY (1st)*, SEA (15th)**, OAK (25th), CWS (26th)
NL - NYM (6th), STL (11th)**, ATL (4th), SF (17th)
1999
AL - NYY (1st)*, BOS (5th)**, TEX (2nd), CLE (4th)
NL - ATL (3rd), NYM (6th)**, ARI (9th), HOU (11th)
1998
AL - NYY (2nd)*, CLE (4th)**, TEX (5th), BOS (8th)
NL - SD (14th), ATL (3rd)**, CHC (10th), HOU (15th)
1997
AL - CLE (4th), BAL (2nd)**, NYY (1st), SEA (15th)
NL - FLA (7th)*, ATL (5th)**, SF (21st), HOU (22nd)
1996
AL - NYY (1st)*, BAL (2nd)**, CLE (4th), TEX (10th)
NL - ATL (3rd), STL (9th)**, LAD (12th), SD (18th)
1995
AL - CLE (9th), SEA (11th)**, NYY (2nd), BOS (19th)
NL - ATL (3rd)*, CIN (6th)**, COL (15th), LAD (17th)
1994: Postseason cancelled due to MLB Players Strike
1993
AL - TOR (1st)*, CWS (13th)**
NL - PHI (20th), ATL (7th)**
1992
AL - TOR (3rd)*, OAK (5th)**
NL - ATL (11th), PIT (12th)**
1991
AL - MIN (16th)*, TOR (9th)**
NL - ATL (20th), PIT (14th)**
1990
AL - OAK (10th)*, BOS (6th)**
NL - CIN (20th), PIT (16th)**
1989
AL - OAK (12th)*, BOS (4th)**
NL - SF (13th), CHC (20th)**
1988
AL - OAK (14th), BOS (3rd)**
NL - LAD (5th)*, NYM (4th)**
*Won World Series; **Lost in League Championship Series

Gordon Living Up to Brett Comparisons

2008-02-28T17:07:00.019-06:00

The comparison to George Brett is going to follow Alex Gordon for his entire career, or at least for as long as he's wearing a Royals uniform and playing third base -- the same position that Brett, a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, roamed when he played for Kansas City from 1973 through 1993.

A second-round selection in the 1971 amateur draft, Brett quietly made his Kansas City debut by batting eighth and going 1-for-4 with a strikeout in a 3-1 win over the White Sox at Comiskey Park on August 2, 1973. He was a 19-year old prospect, who played in just 13 games that summer, batting .125/.125/.175 with two doubles and two runs scored.

I dare say there was not a soul who could have predicted the type of career Brett would have following that meager introduction to Major League Baseball. But he made enough of an impression in Spring Training prior to the start of the 1974 season to earn a roster spot, made his first start at third base on May 4, and wound up in the starting lineup 128 times that season. He never looked back, he just kept impressing people on his way to three American League Batting Titles, 13 All-Star Game selections, and the 1980 A.L. Most Valuable Player Award.

Gordon's arrival in Kansas City, on the other hand, was like offering a bucket of water to a family who hadn't enjoyed anything to drink for weeks, or months -- he was met with open arms and hailed as the next savior of Royals baseball. Kansas City had enjoyed one winning season in 13 years, so it strengthened the fans' desire to have a player of his ilk in the lineup, and quickly.

He arrived following consecutive seasons in which he had earned the top awards for the level he was playing, and I'm sure there are Royals fans out there who included his name in their bedtime prayers.

In 2005, as a junior at the University of Nebraska, Gordon hit .372/.518/.715 with 22 doubles, 19 home runs, 79 runs scored, and 66 RBI in 72 games. He led the Huskers to the College World Series, was named the ABCA National Player of the Year, and also received the Golden Spikes Award, the Dick Howser Trophy, and the Brooks Wallace Award.

Drafted by the Royals with the second overall pick of the 2005 amateur draft, Gordon's first full Minor League season was 2006 with Class AA Wichita. He played in 130 games for the Wranglers, batting .325/.427/.588 with 39 doubles, 29 home runs, 111 runs scored, and 101 RBI to earn recognition as Baseball America's Minor League Player of the Year. In doing so, he became the first player to win collegiate player of the year one year, and then minor league player of the year in his first professional season.

If you didn't understand already, now you know why the bucket of water analogy makes sense. Royals fans were thirsty for a winner, and....ah, I'm sure you figured it out. The Royals were bad, and he was good.

Despite questions about whether or not he'd make the Royals' roster out of Spring Training last year, Gordon left no room for doubt with a sizzling spring, earning the starting third base position, and forcing previous third baseman Mark Teahen to move to right field.

But after one full season in which Gordon played 151 games for Kansas City, does the comparison to Hall of Famer Brett still hold water? Sorry, couldn't resist. In short, yes it does. In fact, Gordon's numbers compare very favorably to Brett's at the same point in his career. I'll drop the last game of the 2007 season for Gordon, in order to examine the first 150 games of each player's career.

After 150 games in the Major Leagues, Brett's numbers looked like this: .270/.298/.346, 511 AB, 54 R, 138 H, 23 2B, 5 3B, 2 HR, 49 RBI, 23 BB, 4 IBB, and 45 SO. These figures include those 13 games after he was called up in the summer of 1973, the 133 games of his rookie season of 1974, and the first four games of 1975. He finished third in A.L. Rookie of the Year voting in 1974.

If you factor out Brett's horrendous start during August and September 1973, and just look at his first 150 games as an everyday player, his totals are as follows: .284/.319/.365, 518 AB, 57 R, 147 H, 24 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 54 RBI, 28 BB, 4 IBB, and 43 SO.

In Gordon's first 150 games, he hit .248/.315/.413 with 540 AB, 60 R, 134 H, 36 2B, 4 3B, 15 HR, 60 RBI, 41 BB, 4 IBB, and 136 SO. Obviously, he needs to pare down that last number, and hit at a higher average, but his second half of the season last year was much more indicative of what he seems capable of.

Through 53 games, Gordon was batting .173/.285/.281 with three home runs, eight RBI, and 55 strikeouts. From that point on, he hit .285/.330/.478 with 102 hits, 27 doubles, 12 home runs, 52 RBI, and 82 strikeouts in 98 games.

Pressure is something that Alex Gordon is always going to have to deal with. A third baseman with his talent is not going to be able to escape the shadow of George Brett, especially when Brett makes comments like he did last year, saying Gordon is "much better than I was at (23). Much better."

Gordon has a long, long way to go before he can even come close to touching any of Brett's Royals records. Brett amassed 3154 hits, 665 doubles, 317 home runs, 1595 runs batted in, 1583 runs scored, batted .305/.369/.487 over his 21-year career -- and he chased a .400 average before winning his second batting title with a .390 average in 1980. Those are amazing figures, which earned Brett his plaque in Cooperstown.

But, at least for the first part of his career, Gordon has withstood all the pressure of the constant comparisons to No. 5, and is delivering just what Royals fans have wanted for so long -- a fresh glass of water.

Hochevar Impresses in 6-1 Loss to Rangers

2008-02-27T17:11:00.010-06:00

Wednesday's 6-1 loss to the Texas Rangers in the Cactus League opener for both teams wasn't exactly the kind of result most Royals fans were hoping for. In fact, Kansas City's offense looked an awful lot like last year's version -- little punch, and a lack of runs, which included stranding guys in scoring position.

But it might be exactly what Trey Hillman needed to help get across his message that the Royals need to work diligently on fundamentals in order to manufacture runs. And, before people start complaining about this or that, let's remind ourselves that this was the first game of Spring Training, for crying out loud. These games truly mean nothing, so here is a look at some of the bright spots.

Without a doubt, the most positive thing to come out of this game was the sparkling performance of right-handed pitcher Luke Hochevar. The top overall pick in the 2006 draft, Hochevar is coming off a 2007 season in which his Minor League numbers weren't overly impressive. He was a combined 4-9 with a 4.86 ERA for Wichita and Omaha last year, but those results might be skewed because of the fact that he was working on strengthening his weaknesses.

Hochevar enters this spring with an outside chance at earning a spot in Kansas City's rotation, but is probably more likely to start the year as a starting pitcher in Omaha. He's also been talked about, though, as a possibility in the Royals' bullpen, where he could be eased into a rotation slot -- sort of like Kansas City did with Zack Greinke last year.

Against the Rangers, the 6-foot-5, 24-year old former University of Tennessee standout threw two perfect innings, facing six batters and not allowing a ball out of the infield, yielding four ground balls, one line-drive, and a pop-up.

It's far too early to be raving about anything, especially after the first Cactus League game of the year, but Royals fans have been hoping that Hochevar will start to display some of the dominance that led him to be drafted not once, but twice, by the Dodgers. He turned down both chances to sign with Los Angeles, before the Royals took him with their first selection in 2006.

Offensively, six Kansas City players had one hit apiece, including a promising ground-rule double for left fielder Justin Huber, and an RBI single for shortstop Tony Pena. Third baseman Alex Gordon and first baseman Billy Butler also collected singles.

Butler, who's attempting to earn the starting first base job, played flawless defense before being replaced in the lineup. Ryan Shealy, Butler's primary competition at first base, was 0-for-4 as the designated hitter.

So, it's one game down, and way too many to go. But seeing Hochevar throw the way he did makes this loss almost feel like a win.

Are Royals on Verge of Next Winning Era?

2008-02-26T16:37:00.022-06:00

Today, I was looking back at past Royals seasons on Baseball Reference -- an incredible site for any stat-heads out there like myself. So, I was doing some research about the point where Kansas City's success of the 1970s and 1980s began, and I found my eyes drawn to a pair of seasons -- 1974 and 1975.

Now, this is not to say that I think the Royals' good fortune between 1975 and 1985 was definitively kick-started in 1974. I'm sure there will be someone who takes the time to write me to point out that it all actually began in 1973, or 1972, with the acquisition of such-and-such a player. That's not my point. What's interesting, though, is that Kansas City's losing season in 1974 seems to have some similarities to last year's losing campaign.

In 1974, the Royals had, by all accounts, a disappointing year. The team went 8-11 in April, before heating up over the next several months to the point it was 10 games over .500 on August 25. But then Kansas City took a nosedive in the standings by losing 27 of its final 36 games to finish in fifth place in the American League Western Division at 77-85.

Last year's team also got off to a slow start, and stood at 19-35 at the end of May. But the Royals responded by going a combined 41-39 in June, July, and August to improve to 60-74 heading into the final month of the season. However, just like in 1974, the team struggled mightily in September by going 9-19 to end the year in fifth place in the A.L. Central at 69-93.

Offensively, believe it or not, the 2007 Royals had better numbers in many statistical categories than their 1974 counterparts. Here is a comparison of some key team stats (1974's total vs. 2007's total): at bats (5,582 vs. 5,534), runs scored (667 vs. 706), hits (1,448 vs. 1,447), batting average (.259 vs. .261), doubles (232 vs. 300), triples (42 vs. 46), home runs (89 vs. 102), and runs batted in (623 vs. 660). Strikingly similar numbers, wouldn't you agree?

The key differences were that the 1974 team struck out 301 fewer times, while drawing 122 more walks, and stealing almost twice as many bases (146 to 78).

And then there was the pitching, where the 1974 staff of Steve Busby (22-14, 3.39), Paul Splittorff (13-19, 4.10), Al Fitzmorris (13-6, 2.79), Bruce Dal Canton (8-10, 3.13), and Nelson Briles (5-7, 4.02) was much deeper than the 2007 staff. Beyond Gil Meche (9-13, 3.67) and Brian Bannister (12-9, 3.87), last year's starting pitching was a crazy mix of washed up veterans and unproven youngsters -- that is, until Zack Greinke rejoined the rotation late in the year.

Of course, today's game is much different than it was in 1974, but stay with me here. The 1975 season, in which the Royals rebounded to go 91-71 and finish second in the A.L. West, was the start of an incredible 11-year stretch where Kansas City was a combined 179 games above .500 in regular season play. And I think the 2008 Royals could be on the brink of making a similar leap back to playing winning baseball.

With a young and talented team, whose average age was about 28 years old -- just like the 2008 Royals -- Kansas City made a drastic turnaround in 1975 under the guidance of new manager Whitey Herzog, who took over for Jack McKeon after a 50-46 start. Herzog led the Royals to a 41-26 record to reach that final mark of 91-71.

So, the $64,000 question is, can new manager Trey Hillman also guide the 2008 Royals to a winning record, and begin another successful chapter in Kansas City's baseball history?

Here's a look at the Royals' 1975 Opening Day starting lineup versus the Royals' projected 2008 starting lineup* (with the players' previous year stats in parenthesis):

1. Freddie Patek, SS, 30 years old/entering 8th MLB season
(.225/.324/.298, 72 R, 121 H, 18 2B/6 3B/3 HR, 38 RBI, 33-48 SB, 77 BB, 69 SO, 77 OPS+)
1. David DeJesus, CF, 28 years old/entering 5th MLB season
(.260/.351/.372, 101 R, 157 H, 29 2B, 9 3B, 7 HR, 58 RBI, 10-14 SB, 64 BB, 83 SO, 89 OPS+)

2. Amos Otis, CF, 27 years old/entering 7th MLB season
(.284/.348/.438, 87 R, 157 H, 31 2B, 9 3B, 12 HR, 73 RBI, 18-23 SB, 58 BB, 67 SO, 121 OPS+)
2. Mark Grudzielanek, 2B, 37 years old/entering 14th MLB season
(.302/.346/.426, 70 R, 137 H, 32 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 51 RBI, 1-3 SB, 23 BB, 60 SO, 100 OPS+)

3. John Mayberry, 1B, 26 years old/entering 6th MLB season
(.234/.358/.424, 63 R, 100 H, 13 2B, 1 3B, 22 HR, 69 RBI, 4-6 SB, 77 BB, 72 SO, 120 OPS+)
3. Mark Teahen, LF, 26 years old/entering 4th MLB season
(.285/.353/.410, 78 R, 155 H, 31 2B, 8 3B, 7 HR, 60 RBI, 13-18 SB, 55 BB, 127 SO, 98 OPS+)

4. Hal McRae, LF, 29 years old/entering 6th MLB season
(.310/.375/.475, 71 R, 167 H, 36 2B, 4 3B, 15 HR, 88 RBI, 11-19 SB, 54 BB, 68 SO, 139 OPS+)
4. Jose Guillen, RF, 31 years old/entering 12th MLB season
(.290/.353/.460, 84 R, 172 H, 28 2B, 2 3B, 23 HR, 99 RBI, 5-6 SB, 41 BB, 118 SO, 116 OPS+)

5. Harmon Killebrew, DH, 38 years old/entering 21st and final MLB season
(.222/.312/.360, 28 R, 74 H, 7 2B, 0 3B, 13 HR, 54 RBI, 0-0 SB, 45 BB, 61 SO, 90 OPS+)
5. Alex Gordon, 3B, 24 years old/entering 2nd MLB season
(.247/.314/.411, 60 R, 134 H, 36 2B, 4 3B, 15 HR, 60 RBI, 14-18 SB, 41 BB, 137 SO, 87 OPS+)

6. George Brett, 3B, 21 years old/entering 2nd MLB season
(.282/.313/.363, 49 R, 129 H, 21 2B, 5 3B, 2 HR, 47 RBI, 8-13 SB, 21 BB, 38 SO, 91 OPS+)
6. Billy Butler, 1B or DH, 21 years old/entering 2nd MLB season
(.292/.347/.447, 38 R, 96 H, 23 2B, 2 3B, 8 HR, 52 RBI, 0-0 SB, 27 BB, 55 SO, 105 OPS+)

7. Vada Pinson, RF, 36 years old/entering 18th and final MLB season
(.276/.312/.374, 46 R, 112 H, 18 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 41 RBI, 21-26 SB, 21 BB, 45 SO, 93 OPS+)
7. Ryan Shealy, DH or 1B, 28 years old/entering 3rd MLB season
(.267/.332/.402, 53 R, 105 H, 21 2B, 0 3B, 11 HR, 62 RBI, 0-1 SB, 35 BB, 109 SO, 88 OPS+) **

8. Cookie Rojas, 2B, 36 years old/entering 14th MLB season
(.271/.309/.339, 52 R, 147 H, 17 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 60 RBI, 8-12 SB, 30 BB, 43 SO, 83 OPS+)
8. John Buck, C, 27 years old/entering 5th MLB season
(.222/.308/.429, 41 R, 77 H, 18 2B, 0 3B, 18 HR, 48 RBI, 0-1 SB, 36 BB, 92 SO, 90 OPS+)

9. Fran Healy, C, 28 years old/entering 5th MLB season
(.252/.343/.375, 59 R, 112 H, 24 2B, 2 3B, 9 HR, 53 RBI, 16-24 SB, 62 BB, 73 SO, 103 OPS+)
9. Tony Pena, SS, 27 years old/entering 2nd MLB season
(.267/.284/.356, 58 R, 136 H, 25 2B, 7 3B, 2 HR, 47 RBI, 5-11 SB, 10 BB, 78 SO, 66 OPS+)

SP: Steve Busby, RHP, 25 years old/entering 3rd MLB season
(22-14/3.39/198 SO, 38 GS, 20 CG, 3 SHO, 292.3 IP, 284 H, 118 R, 110 ER, 92 BB, 112 ERA+)
SP: Gil Meche, RHP, 29 years old/entering 8th MLB season
(9-13/3.67/156 SO, 34 GS, 1 CG, 0 SHO, 216.0 IP, 218 H, 98 R, 88 ER, 62 BB, 128 ERA+)
*2008 projected lineup does not factor Jose Guillen's pending 15-day suspension
**Ryan Shealy's 2007 numbers are projections for a 120-game season

Granted, it's very difficult to compare and contrast two teams that are more than 30 years apart. But looking at the lineups for both teams, and factoring in the energetic and motivational managing style of Hillman, it's easy to wonder whether Kansas City is about to put an end to the frustration and turmoil that has surrounded the organization for the past decade-plus.

It could turn out that 2008 is actually this era's 1974. But it never hurts to dream, and anything is possible.

Pena Needs to Show Improvement at Plate

2008-02-25T10:31:00.013-06:00

This is the third installment of a position-by-position look at the 2008 Kansas City Royals.

When Tony Pena, Jr., was acquired by the Royals last March 23, about 10 days before the start of the 2007 season, the news was met with excitement for some, and exasperation for others.

The excitement stemmed from the prospect of someone new and different at shortstop for the Royals. Many Kansas City fans had long since grown weary of the steadily-declining numbers produced by former American League Rookie of the Year Angel Berroa, and felt it was time for a change.

Berroa earned his rookie honor by going .287/.338/.451 with 92 runs scored, 17 home runs, 73 runs batted in, and a 101 OPS+ during Kansas City's 2003 season. However, what followed are seasons of .262/.208/.385 in 2004, then .270/.305/.375 in 2005, and finally .234/.259/.333 with an OPS+ of 52 in his last season as a starter in 2006. His .259 OBP that final season was the lowest among regulars in the A.L.

In came Pena, a new name from the Atlanta Braves' organization who received praise for his defensive abilities.

"He's an above-average Major League defender, fielding and throwing," said the Royals' Rene Francisco at the time of the trade. A member of Atlanta's organization during 1993-2006, Francisco added, "Defense is what got him to the big leagues."

Offensively, Pena's skills were still very much a question mark, but he was hitting .342 in Spring Training for Atlanta, and he had just hit a three-run home run against the Mets the day before the trade.

So, compared to Berroa's downhill trend, Pena seemed to be just what the Royals needed -- a younger player, with better range, and a good pedigree as the son of former Royals manager and 18-year Major League veteran Tony Pena.

The exasperation, however, came from the fans who took a closer look at Pena's offensive numbers. And what they found was that Kansas City had just acquired a slightly-better defensive shortstop, whose numbers over seven Minor League seasons looked an awful lot like Angel Berroa's.

Over the span of his Minor League career, Pena hit .252/.282/.332, although his numbers were trending upwards and culminated in a .282/.312/.359 season for the Braves' AAA affiliate in 2006. But Berroa registered averages of .263/.305/.384 over seven Major League campaigns. Both players have incredibly bad plate discipline, with Pena having drawn a total of 102 walks over his entire Minor League career, and Berroa taking even fewer (94) bases on balls during his time with the Royals.

Pena made quite an impression in his debut with the Royals, going 2-for-3 with two triples, two runs scored, and yes, even a walk, in a 7-1 win against the eventual World Champion Red Sox at Kauffman Stadium. But he ended April with a .197 batting average, and then went a team-record 244 plate appearances between May 5 and July 27 without a single walk. His season-ending numbers were .267/.284/.356 with 58 runs scored, 47 runs batted in, and seven triples, but only 10 bases on balls. Yes, that's 10 walks -- in 536 plate appearances! Ouch.

As the 2008 season nears, a big question is whether his offensive numbers will improve, or decline like Berroa's. Though he is projected as the starting shortstop once again, it is fair to say that new manager Trey Hillman will expect a better on-base percentage from Pena.

Listed behind Pena on the team's depth chart are veteran utilityman Esteban German, and 24-year old Angel Sanchez, who missed the 2007 after undergoing surgery on his right elbow. To read more about German, take a look at what was written about him in last week's third base preview. In his most recent full season, Sanchez batted .282/.339/.352 with 105 runs scored, 57 RBI, and 24 doubles for Class AA Wichita in 2006.

So, unless another trade is in the works prior to 2008, it looks as if Tony Pena will once again be the Royals' everyday shortstop. Of course, there's always Angel Berroa, biding his time in Omaha and just waiting for another opportunity with Kansas City.

I can just imagine the exasperated sighs coming from the mouths of Royals fans everywhere.

A Long Weekend...

2008-02-24T18:26:00.004-06:00

I'm trying to establish regular readers, so going two-plus days without something new to read on this site is not something I intend to do very often. But this has been a long weekend, with scarce moments to write a lengthy new post.

My wife, Carrie, is in graduate school, so if she needs the computer to work on a paper, or do some research, it certainly trumps my reasons for being on here. I will attempt to get something -- a look at the Royals' shortstop candidates -- written, either late tonight, or sometime tomorrow morning.

Until then, take a minute to sit back, close your eyes, and envision the scene, the sounds, and the celebration, when the Royals clinch their first playoff appearance since 1985...

I tend to do that fairly often. It relaxes me...

Go Royals!