MLB FanHouse

The Dugout: Out of the Cellar

B. Thompson Stroud — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 23:10:00 EST

Filed under: Royals, AL Central, Kansas City, The Dugout

For those of you who have followed the Dugout from its infancy in the middle of a Progressive Boink article to its years of thankless cursing on WordUpThome.com and on to our announcement of our selling-out to Fanhouse in our sold-out engagement at Varsity Letters, you know two things to be true.

You know that the Royals would never climb out of last place, no matter how many dead bodies turned up in the fountains.

You also know that arguably our most popular character hasn't made the trip over to Fanhouse with the rest, partially because of how absurd he is in premise and execution and partially because of how we'd need to start over with his backstory and explain everything for those people who click a Dugout, check which team is featured, and leave a completely unrelated comment about how we should cheer for that team/fire that team's manager/visit their website.

Tonight, after the jump, two truths about The Dugout are destroyed and reborn. It's what you've been waiting for. Cheer for the Royals. And fire Trey Hillman.

The Dugout

	Canary: tweet tweet /perches on branch
	Online Host A faint noise from deep beneath the Earth's surface begins to grow louder...
	THOOM THOOM THOOM
	Canary: tweet?
	Online Host Suddenly, from a crack in the Earth spills a glorious blue energy!
	Canary: /tries to fly away
	BlueEnergy: WHOOOOOSHHHH /engulfs canary /moves through the air silently
	Canary: tweet tweet /flies away
	Online Host Welcome to the Kansas City Royals Chatroom!
	TreyHillMix: Boys... God, it's so great to see you all here today.
	IrishFisherman: /crosses arms, happily nods head
	TreyHillMix: The Kansas City Royals have been a laughing stock for years, now. "The worst team in baseball," they'd say. "My son's little league team could be them," they'd say.
	TreyHillMix: And damn, we were bad. Weren't we?
	GreinkeDinks: we brought the letter "S" to a t-ball game
	TreyHillMix: But now... things are different! Up isn't "up" anymore! Down isn't "down!" It's all shaken up!
	TreyHillMix: Our young talent is putting together wins! Our fans are starting to see that the rebuilding process has reaped skyscrapers!
	TreyHillMix: ... And when we showed up to the National League with tanks, we found those dirt-farming sefs with nothing but rickshaws and chandlers tools!
	TreyHillMix: We took 13 wins... and now we're NOT IN LAST PLACE ANYMORE!!! YEARRRRGGGGHHH /Howard Dean yell
	ShakeYabuta: /pops cork
	Gilgameche: ANYTHING IS POSSIBLEEEEEEE /weeps openly
	DontMatter2DeJesus: this...this feels so great! I just want to... I just want to keep winning ball games!
	TreyHillMix: We can DO THAT now! We're only 5 1/2 out of third! And nobody's mathematically eliminated yet... miracles can happen!
	GreinkeDinks: Finally it feels great to be a millionaire!
	Gilgameche: Let's all buy fur coats!
	TreyHillMix: Drink up, boys, the salad days of our lives are just beginning! /smiles proudly
	Online Host Meanwhile, somewhere far away...
	DarkFigure: /recoils in pain g a a a a a a a h t h i s c a n n o t b e e e e
	DarkFigure: /summons dark energies t h i s c a n n o t b e a l l o w e d
	DarkFigure: w a t c h m y m o n s t e r g r o w w w
	Online Host The dark energies have caused the steroids in a dark-hearted player's blood to react and grow.
	GuillenYourCar: /clutches fist
	GuillenYourCar: mumbles under breath hijo de puta.... /thrashes nearby folding chair
	IrishFisherman: What in... Jose, you all right?
	GuillenYourCar: Coaches... don't need to be all up in our ... business! /thrashes additional chair
	Gilgameche: Jose! Calm down, bro!
	IrishFisherman: Jose, if you're talking about me, then you need to shut up!
	GuillenYourCar: I was talking about... all of you! And I don't appreciate you tel l i n g m e to s h u t u p /throws chair across room
	GuillenYourCar: /sharpens spikes
	TreyHillMix: ..The hell is going on?? Come here, both of you!
	DontMatter2DeJesus: please, I was setting up those chairs for a meeting :(
	DarkFigure: y e s s s s s s d i v i d e d y o u s h a l l f a l l l
	DarkFigure: h e e h e e h e e h a h a l a s t p l a c e y e s s s s s s s /wiggles fingers menacingly
	Online Host Meanwhile, in the peaceful suburb of Redwood City, California...
	boy: C'mon Joey, pitch th' ball! M'ghost runners are dyin' 'a starvation!
	Joey: i'm pitchin', i'm pitchin'!! Hold yer horses!
	boy: /holds bat like Frank White
	Joey: /winds up like Jeff Montgomery /throws ball at head
	boy: /hits the dirt Joey! Y'cotton pickin'... !!!
	Joey: You were crowdin'! I was protectin' th' inside a th' plate!
	boy: That's not what that means!! I'm tellin' m'Paw! /runs toward house PAW!! PAWWW!!!!
	Online Host From inside the house emerges "Paw," holding a glass of lemonade in one hand and the opened screen door in the other.
	Paw: What is it, boy?
	boy: It's Joe! He brush'd me back! Knock'd m'stick in th' dirt!
	Joey: He was crowdin' th' plate! I jus' did what th' Rocket would do!
	Paw: /places hand on boy's shoulder Son, is this true?
	boy: aww hornswoggle... mebbe a little.. but, but, Joey was-!
	Paw: Baseball is a precious game, boy. Win or lose it is your integrity that you take away. Pain is temporary; pride, forever.
	Paw: Keep your head down and your grip choked. Keep your eye on the ball.
	Paw: The next swing could be your big one. Don't you forget that. The next swing could be your big one.
	Paw: Don't lose your pride, it'll protect you. And keep your innocence for as long as... for as long as...
	Online Host In the distance, the low rumbling of a motorcycle can be heard...
	BlueEnergy: /rides in on the winds
	Paw: For as long! as you can. /looks to the skies

Photos link to player info. (Photo Credit: Getty Images) WordUpThome.com

The Dugout: Out of the Cellar originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 06 Jul 2008 23:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jose Guillen is the Latest Player to Battle Somebody Not Their Own Size

Mullet — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:20:00 EST

Filed under: Royals, AL Central, MLB Gossip, Kansas City

Are all of these major league ballplayers going crazy from the heat or something? First Shawn Chacon goes nuts on Ed Wade, then Manny Ramirez shoves a traveling secretary to the ground. Now, some seemingly innocuous complaining had the potential to turn into another full scale brawl on Saturday night. In the blue corner: Jose Guillen. In the other blue corner: Royals pitching coach Bob McClure.

Guillen was sitting at a table by his locker when he toppled over a chair and made a comment in Spanish. After a teammate attempted to calm him down, Guillen appeared to get more agitated, tossed over another chair and said, "Coaches don't need to be all up in our ... business."

McClure, who was sitting at his locker, turned around and said, "Jose, if you're talking about me, then you need to shut ... up." Guillen then knocked over another chair, yelled at McClure and confronted the coach.

Guillen told McClure he wasn't talking about him and wasn't being disrespectful toward the coach. Guillen added he didn't appreciate McClure telling him to be quiet.

No punches were thrown, so it turns out to be like one of those married couple fights where you start arguing over something dumb like leaving the stove on, and then you get separated and then you work things out and you wonder what the heck you were fighting about in the first place. I guess people will invent things to fight about when their ballclub is ten games under .500, and when one of those people is Jose Guillen ... generally not the calmest person in the world (not that there's anything wrong with that).

Jose Guillen is the Latest Player to Battle Somebody Not Their Own Size originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Dugout: Torment

B. Thompson Stroud — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:27:00 EST

Filed under: Royals, AL Central, Kansas City, The Dugout

A few days ago, our Baseball is Boring Buddy Tom Fornelli (Dugout SN: StLunaticsRapFornelli) reported on Alberto Callaspo's collapse-o in Kansas City. It turns out he was busted for DUI and put on the disabled list for "evaluation and treatment of an undisclosed medical condition," the Major League Baseball equivalent of Hollywood's "severe exhaustion," which basically just means that he's an adult acting like a stupid idiot and is an eff-up. The worst thing is that it happens as the Royals climb out of the cellar for the first time since... well God, are any of us old enough to remember that?

What we bring you today is the police report of the DUI bust, which, as you may have guessed, did not go as planned. It didn't involve Alberto Callaspo going over to, say, Bono's house and getting busted for gay drug bongo sex and having his wife leave him for, oh, let's say Matthew Sweet or anything, but I mean I guess it's fairly interesting.

After the jump, the dark story behind Alberto's Last Gasp-o... and a look at the sinister forces that could be lurking in the shadows to keep the Royals down.

The Dugout

	Online Host Welcome to the Sewers Beneath University of Missouri-Kansas City Chatroom!
	LadyCop: /shines flashlight Hello? Is anyone down here?
	LadyCop: This is Officer Lady Cop of the Local City Police Force, responding to a drunken disturbance, I just want to see where you are... /wades through rat water
	LadyCop: Uh uh I ain't walkin through no rat water
	Online Host LadyCop has heard a noise!
	LadyCop: What was that?? Who is down here? /shines flashlight along wall
	LadyCop: /scans darkness /catches a pair of reflective eyes /scans darkness
	LadyCop: /darts back to eyes
	FitterAppier: GYAAAAH
	Online Host FitterAppier has lept from the darkness, teeth bared.
	LadyCop: oh snap /billy club
	FitterAppier: /collapses into lifeless heap in rat water
	LadyCop: /points gun You are under arrest on one count of attempted assault of an officer of the law and two counts of making a black woman almost have to take off her earrings~!
	FitterAppier: food... need... food...
	LadyCop: what you need is my foot up yo ass, get up /kicks Kevin Appier
	FitterAppier: so... hungry... he, he, he made me live here... brought me back just to ... just to make me live in the depths... forever...
	LadyCop: son I am 50% Harriet Winslow and 50% pissed off right now, did I ask you for your life story /brandishes billy club
	FitterAppier: please... .food...
	LadyCop: /looks around, flashes flashlight into darkness I tell you what
	LadyCop: You seen a man running around down here, acting a damn fool?
	FitterAppier: /nods head, bites fingertips
	LadyCop: You show me where he is and I've got a Charleston Chew with your name on it
	LadyCop: But don't try any of your vermin funny business because I am still loco enough to choke the hell out of you with it.
	FitterAppier: y-yes, follow ... follow me... /scampers off into sewers
	LadyCop: /follows
	Online Host Sometime later... LadyCop has been wandering the sewers for what seems like hours.
	FitterAppier: there! /points
	LadyCop: what in the-
	Online Host CallaspoDancer and a large, hideous monster are performing strange rituals around a hobo fire.
	LadyCop: excuse me are you down here with Sidney Ponson /flashes light because I am seriously not prepared for that right now
	CallaspoDancer: ay baby what you doin
	LadyCop: put your hands where I can see 'em /points pistol
	CallaspoDancer: come on baby how you gon play me like that we jus down here havin a lil bit a fun you know
	LadyCop: you been drinking?
	CallaspoDancer: i juss had one of drank hey baby now come on give us a smile you ain gotta point that thang at a brotha
	LadyCop: I think you're HIspanic
	CallaspoDancer: pishhhh i dont even remember
	LadyCop: One drink? All you had is one drink? There is a flipped over vehicle full of Zima bottles on top of the manhole I climbed down to find you
	CallaspoDancer: ey that ain even mines
	LadyCop: You been beating your wife? You had a little wife beating tonight?
	CallaspoDancer: probly, ay look i just wanna play baseball an do my voodoot ritual is that so crazy, come on baby /takes step forward
	LadyCop: FREEZE /wiggles gun I SAID FREEZE RIGHT NOW
	CallaspoDancer: koa sinbo, Lady Cop. koa simbo... Callaspo!
	LadyCop: I SAID FREEZE
	Online Host The monster strikes!
	Lizard: HISSSSSSS
	LadyCop: AAAAAAAH AAAAAAH
	Online Host Meanwhile, somewhere far away...
	DarkFigure: h e h e h e h e h e h e h h h h h h
	DarkFigure: y o u w i l l n e v e r r i s s e h e r o
	DarkFigure: y o u w i l l n e v e r r i s s s s s s e w h e n j u d a s h a n g e d h i m s s e l f t h e r e w a s
	DarkFigure: a s t o r m....

Photos link to player info. (Photo Credit: Getty Images) WordUpThome.com

The Dugout: Torment originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:27:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alberto Callaspo Had a Bad Weekend

Tom Fornelli — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:48:00 EST

Filed under: Royals, AL Central, MLB Gossip, MLB Police Blotter, MLB Rumors, Kansas City

The Royals are playing their best baseball of the season right now, as they feasted on National League competition, and had won 11 of 12 before dropping their last two games against the Cardinals. So there's plenty of reason to celebrate in Kansas City right now, because for the first time in years, Royals fans have been able to watch a team that actually resembles a Major League team.

Unfortunately, the celebration made it's way to members of the team this last weekend when second baseman Alberto Callaspo was busted for a DUI on Friday night after the Royals sixth straight win. On Saturday, Callaspo was placed on the disabled list for undisclosed reasons.

"Alberto is going on the disabled list for evaluation and treatment of an undisclosed medical condition," manager Trey Hillman said. He declined to elaborate.

"I've already given the statement," he said.

Yeah, I can't read minds or anything, but I'd be willing to wager that the undisclosed medical condition that Hillman was referring to was Alberto's DUI. In the interest of being purely speculative, maybe this incident isn't anything new for Callaspo, it's just the first time he's been caught and the Royals want to help him out.

I mean, there have been plenty of baseball players and managers (Hello, Mr. LaRussa!) who have been pulled over for DUI's, yet I don't know many of them who've been placed on the disabled list.

Of course, it's also entirely possible that this is an isolated occurrence for Callaspo and the Royals are just sending a message to the rest of the team to keep this from happening. We don't need any more Josh Hancock incidents. Whatever it is, this is the right move by the Royals, and one that other teams could learn from.

Alberto Callaspo Had a Bad Weekend originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On Deck: L.A. Showdown!!!

Mullet — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Los Angeles, White Sox, Royals, Angels, Cubs, Cardinals, Dodgers, Anaheim, Kansas City, St. Louis

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.

L.A. Angels of Anaheim (48-33) at L.A. Dodgers of L.A. (38-42) - 4:10 PM ET

The final day of interleague play, or as ESPN has needlessly re-branded it: "AL/NL SHOWDOWN!" (like it's a western gunfight or something) will feature a good pitching matchup between John Lackey (5-1, 1.65) and Derek Lowe (5-7, 4.05). Of course, it can't be better than the one between Chad Billingsley and Jered Weaver last night, where Weaver combined with Jose Arredondo for eight innings of no-hit baseball, but lost. After coming back from an early season injury, Lackey really hasn't had a bad outing all season. So if anyone can continue the no-hit parade for the Dodgers, it's Lackey.

St. Louis Cardinals (46-36) at Kansas City Royals (37-44) - 2:10 PM ET

Nobody is more sad to see interleague AL/NL SHOWDOWN!!! end than the Kansas City Royals, who are 13-4 against the National League this year. Should you feel sorry for them? Absolutely not. The Royals had a shot to move to the National League in 1997 and declined. Thus, they remain in the A.L. to miss the playoffs some more and wonder what might have happened if they switched leagues.

Chicago Cubs (34-46) at Chicago White Sox (44-35) - 8:05 PM ET

At 35th and Shields, they'll be ballin' after dark for the final time in 2008, and Ozzie Guillen's White Sox will be hoping to sweep the Cubs at home after they were swept at Guillen's favorite park in all the land: Wrigley Field. Two home sweeps shouldn't be a big surprise ... the Sox are 26-11 at home, while the Cubs are 33-10 at home. And as it's the last interleague game of the year, it's also the last time you'll hear the phrase: "AL/NL SHOWDOWN!!!"

Everyone else:

Rockies at Tigers 1:05 ET
Reds at Indians 1:05 ET
Braves at Blue Jays 1:07 ET
Yankees at Mets 1:10 ET
Diamondbacks at Marlins 1:10 ET
Rays at Pirates 1:35 ET
Orioles at Nationals 1:35 ET
Red Sox at Astros 2:05 ET
Brewers at Twins 2:10 ET
Giants at Athletics 4:05 ET
Mariners at Padres 4:05 ET
Phillies at Rangers 6:05 ET

On Deck: L.A. Showdown!!! originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Case for the Royals Signing Barry Bonds

Josh Alper — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:50:00 EST

Filed under: Royals, AL Central, MLB Gossip, Kansas City

We've heard that Barry Bonds doesn't want to play for an independent league team but would he be willing to sign with the Kansas City Royals? The difference may seem negligible at times but these Royals are a little different. It's been under just about everyone's radar but they've won 10 of 11 games and are kinda, sorta still breathing in the AL Central race.

Their pitching staff has shown surprising friskiness through the good stretch but they don't score enough runs. Signing Bonds would make a huge impact says Joe Posnanski.

If you plug in fairly conservative Barry numbers in the Royals lineup - say .450 and .550, which is still down from last year - the Royals lineup that was scoring 4.91 runs per game is suddenly scoring 5.34 runs. As many readers pointed out, that really is a huge, huge difference.

Indeed it is a big difference. Posnanski's entire argument is long but well worth reading. He mentions all the negatives about signing Bonds, including the circus that would result but comes down firmly in support. As the signing of Jose Guillen makes clear, the Royals aren't adverse to players with baggage and the Royals could benefit from a bit of a circus. More fans, more money and more pressure to find out about the mettle of their young players.

How likely is it? I wouldn't bet the mortgage. Royals owner David Glass has always been one of Bud Selig's staunchest allies and there is clearly a wink-wink, nod-nod deal going on to keep Bonds out of baseball this season and beyond. There's also a chance Bonds wouldn't want to come to K.C. but if he's sincere, unlikely but play along, about his desire to play it's a really good spot for him.

If he came to the Royals, played the good soldier and helped the team into a pennant race, it would do a lot for his image. There would still be those that despised him, of course, but other steroid tainted players still get the chance to play and haven't suffered nearly as much as Bonds. No one has run away with the AL Central, the Royals shouldn't ignore a chance to play a role in how the division plays out.

A Case for the Royals Signing Barry Bonds originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Who Knew There Was Bad Blood Between the Royals and Rockies?

Josh Alper — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:20:00 EST

Filed under: Denver, Royals, Rockies, Kansas City

One of the complaints about interleague baseball is that, with a few exceptions, the games are between teams with no historical rivalry which means less games between teams that do have such background to their meetings. On the surface this week's series between the Royals and the Rockies would fit the bill unless the thought of Clint Hurdle managing against the team he played against boils your potatoes.

Leave it to those two rapscallions, Ramon Ramirez and Yorvit Torrealba, to gin up some controversy where none existed. The Denver Post reports that the two players had a conversation before Ramirez walked Torrealba on four pitches in the ninth inning, a couple of which appeared to be in the general direction of the catcher's head and back.

Ramirez insisted afterward that the ball was wet from perspiration, saying "it slipped." Torrealba wasn't buying it. He said he was prepared for Ramirez to throw at him, though he wouldn't reveal why. "Ask him. It's all good," Torrealba said. "Every time I talk about stuff, I get fined or suspended."

Ramirez was traded by Colorado before the season and some Rockies said that he told them he was going to do some drilling when the two teams met. He pitched Monday and in the eighth inning on Tuesday without incident, however. We'll see if the two teams continue bucking for inclusion in our next edition of Old Boss, New Boss this evening.

Who Knew There Was Bad Blood Between the Royals and Rockies? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More Wood for the Anti-Maple Bat Fire

Josh Alper — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 08:45:00 EST

Filed under: Royals, MLB Gossip, Kansas City

On Tuesday afternoon, after a meeting of a player-management safety committee, Major League Baseball announced they will start testing maple bats. The bats, popular with hitters, have a propensity to shatter and create an injury risk. Tom Fornelli addressed the concerns yesterday and I agree with his closing words, "It's better that baseball do it now and force it's players to deal with it rather than waiting for someone to get seriously hurt first."

Especially since we no longer have to wait for someone to get hurt. Last night in Kansas City, home plate umpire Brian O'Nora got hit in the head by a piece of Miguel Olivo's maple bat. Blood poured out and O'Nora had to leave the game and head to the hospital. Royals manager Trey Hillman sounds like he's ready to see maple go the way of the spitball.

"They are very, very dangerous. I'm surprised that this is the first incident we've seen. It could have been worse, a lot worse. It looked a lot worse than it was. There was a lot of blood. My understanding is that he is OK."

O'Nora does seem to be OK but if anti-maple enthusiasts were looking for a smoking gun, they've got one. Olivo might be willing to testify on their behalf. He switched to an ash bat after the second inning incident and singled home a run in his next at-bat.

More Wood for the Anti-Maple Bat Fire originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 08:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gil Meche Isn't Going Anywhere

Tom Fornelli — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 13:08:00 EST

Filed under: Royals, AL Central, MLB Rumors, Kansas City

Kansas City Royals starter Gil Meche hasn't exactly been living up to that $11 million price tag of his this season. Meche is 3-8 with an ERA of 5.54, a WHIP of 1.47, and nearly halfway to matching last season's walk total of 62 already.

So when a pitcher costs a lot, is struggling, and plays for a small budget team who is in last place, the rumors start to swirl that he may soon be on the move. This is the case for Meche as teams like the Cubs are interested in his services, but Gil and Dayton Moore want you to know that it's not going to happen.

Right-hander Gil Meche just laughs at those rumors circulating regarding a possible trade sending him to the Chicago Cubs.

"How's that going to happen?" he asked.

Meche has a no-trade clause in his contract and said he hasn't been asked to waive it. Furthermore, he has no interest in doing so.

General manager Dayton Moore declined to comment on the rumor, but club officials privately dismissed it. One said, "If we're going to make a run at this thing in 2010, how are we going to do it without Gil Meche?"

Meche had a chance to be a member of the Cubs before joining the Royals, as they were one of the teams bidding for his services before last season, but he chose Kansas City. It doesn't look like a year and a half of losing has done anything to help change his mind.

Still, if you ever thought you'd hear a general manager question how a team could win without Gil Meche, well, you must be his mother or something.

Gil Meche Isn't Going Anywhere originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 13:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Despite Smarts, Brian Bannister Is Struggling

Eamonn Brennan — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:38:00 EST

Filed under: Royals, AL Central, Kansas City

Much has been made of Brian Bannister's baseball smarts. Unlike most players, Bannister has showed off an impressive understanding of underlying sabermetric stats, and has admitted to putting them to use on the mound. Bannister isn't a physically gifted pitcher, so it was something of a blogger geekfest to see him pitch so well in 2007 with nothing more than Pitch f/x, a middling fastball, and BABIP.

Unfortunately, 2008 is not fitting the script. At all. Banny's early 2008 numbers are lagging way behind his 2007 stats, and his most recent start (against the red-hot Yankees) was a five-runs-in-three-and-a-half innings disaster.

Sample size, as Bannister would surely note, is one thing. Having a freakishly unsustainable 2007 BABIP is another. As Rob Neyer notes today, Bannister is an interesting guy, but he's far more so when he's not actually on the mound.

Because, you know, he kinda sucks. Get it?

Despite Smarts, Brian Bannister Is Struggling originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Kansas City Royals Are Not Impressed With Joba Chamberlain, Lose Anyway

Josh Alper — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:59:00 EST

Filed under: New York, Yankees, Royals, Kansas City

Joba Chamberlain certainly did a better job against the Royals on Sunday than in his first start against Toronto. He cut his walks to one, struck out five and made only one big mistake. He hung a slider to Jose Guillen who deposited it into the seats but, otherwise, he did a pretty nice job.

Nothing to make you renounce your god and worship at the altar of Joba, perhaps, but pretty good stuff and it must make the Yankees breathe a bit easier. Don't expect to hear any praise coming from the opposition, though. The Royals, who know a thing or two about being shut down by good or even mediocre pitching, were not impressed.

David DeJesus : "Nothing like we haven't faced before, Just a guy throwing hard."

Mark Teahen: "More or less the same as he was as a reliever...Nothing special."

Hard to know what to make of this news. On the one hand, the Royals have been shut down by the likes of Kevin Slowey, Sidney Ponson and Steve Trachsel this season so if Chamberlain doesn't impress them, it's hard to feel too chuffed about his future.

While you might like to hear "I contemplated retirement rather than getting back into the box against that guy," it's important to remember that Chamberlain is still putting it all together as a starter. Rushes to judgment are a New York specialty but some restraint is well-advised for Joba's near future.

The Kansas City Royals Are Not Impressed With Joba Chamberlain, Lose Anyway originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Johnny Damon Shaves 'Stache, Gets Even Hotter at the Plate

Josh Alper — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 18:05:00 EST

Filed under: New York, Yankees, Royals, Kansas City

The other day Johnny Damon gave full credit for his recent hot streak to the moustache he grew in solidarity with Jason Giambi. After an 0-for-5 against the Royals on Friday night, though, Damon pulled out the Mach 3 and went after the follicles with a vengeance. It was the right move.

Damon went 6-for-6 this afternoon at Yankee Stadium, the last of which was a single in the bottom of the ninth that sent the Yanks home 12-11 winners. He's the third Yankee in history to get six hits in a game and nearly 74 years to the day that the immortal Myril Hoag did it on June 6, 1934. Apparently, rumors of the 'stache's power were greatly exaggerated, although the still bushy-lipped Giambi homered earlier in the proceedings.

Damon's heroics ended a wild day at the stadium. The two teams combined for 31 hits and six homers and the Yankees came back from four runs down twice in the constest. Jose Guillen had perhaps the best days of his career, homering twice and throwing out two runners at the plate. His second homer, a grand slam, came off Andy Pettitte and broke a 6-6 tie in the seventh. Your guess is as good as mine why Joe Girardi left Pettitte in the game to face Guillen with the bases loaded but it nearly sent the Yanks to a second straight loss.

Johnny Damon Shaves 'Stache, Gets Even Hotter at the Plate originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 07 Jun 2008 18:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Major League Light Will Shine on Angel Berroa Once Again

Mullet — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: Los Angeles, Royals, Dodgers, AL Central, NL West, Kansas City, MLB Transactions

We recently passed the one-year anniversary of Angel Berroa's last game played in the major leagues. How did the Royals celebrate? By finally finding a team willing to not only trade for him, but provide him with a chance to get back to the major leagues, as Berroa is now a proud member of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the low low price of Juan Rivera ... an A-ball .241 hitting shortstop.

"It's a fresh start for Angel," general manager Dayton Moore said. "We felt as an organization that we needed to get him a fresh start." (...)

"I'm as proud to be associated with Angel Berroa as any player I've known," Moore said. "We all know his struggles. But he continued to go about his business every day by working hard and having fun."

The Dodgers needed a shortstop with Rafael Furcal injured, and were looking for one on the cheap. They don't come much cheaper than the 30-year-old Berroa did, who has actually hit close to .300 during his recent time in the minor leagues. That the 2003 Rookie of the Year even has recent time in the minor leagues, and close to a year of it at that, shows you how far Berroa has fallen (that ... and the fact that he was traded for an A-baller who can't crack .250). And you just found out how desperate the Dodgers were for a shortstop with some major league experience.

The Major League Light Will Shine on Angel Berroa Once Again originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 07 Jun 2008 07:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baseball Is Boring: Indians-Royals Live Blog

B. Thompson Stroud — Sat, 31 May 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cleveland, Indians, Royals, AL Central, MLB Live Blogging, Kansas City, The Dugout

Baseball is America's pastime, but had our forefathers enjoyed the modern conveniences of clocks, ball pumps, or haste, this pastime may well have been basketball or football. Instead, they had wood, leather, and a rudderless disposition. Baseball is Boring is a series of live blogs for folks who need irony and self-awareness to get through a game.

From the Wikipedia article for "beard" - "A beard is the hair that grows on a human's chin, cheeks, neck, and the area above the upper lip (the opposite is a clean-shaven face). Typically, only post-pubescent males are able to grow beards. When differentiating between upper and lower facial hair, a beard specifically refers to the facial hair on the lower part of a man's chin."

The question here is, "how much lower part of a man's chin can one man have?" Peralta might as well cut his chest hair into a straight line and pretend it's his jawline. Sorry Jhonny, I want to look like Brad Pitt as much as the next guy, but when your head is shaped like a ripe melon a thin line of scruff isn't going to differentiate your neck fat from your head fat.

THE ESSENTIALS
The Indians (25-29) start C.C. Sabathia (3-6, 4.74 ERA)
The Royals (21-34) start Kyle Davies (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

ANALYSIS
If I learned nothing else from southern Virginia high school history class it's that Indians are a Fighting Type. They generally have a high attack, and are notable for being the only type that can inflict super-effective damage on Normal-Type Pokémon. I'm struggling to see the Royals as anything other than a "normal type." Cleveland's attack started off low but has gained a level or two in the past week, while Kansas City has lost 161 of their last 162 games and can have super-effective damage inflicted on them by pretty much anybody. If Cleveland brings any Pokémon whatsoever they should win this game. Let's just hope they can get out of the damn balls.

PREDICTION
Indians over Royals, 32-0.

QUICK NOTE ABOUT THIS LIVE BLOG
From here forth, my banal and worthless commentary can be read in the box below. It updates much like a one-way instant messenger conversation does, which means you do not need to keep refreshing the page. Feel free to comment in the box at the bottom -- if your sentiment is funny or poorly-informed enough, I may just post it in the blog. Enjoy!

Baseball Is Boring: Indians-Royals Live Blog originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 31 May 2008 19:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tony Pena Will Not Be Benched

Tom Fornelli — Tue, 27 May 2008 14:23:00 EST

Filed under: Royals, AL Central, MLB Rumors, Kansas City

This is the closest Tony's bat has come to making contact with anything this season

When you consider that the Kansas City Royals have scored the least amount of runs of any team in the Majors with 181, and that none of the regulars are currently hitting over .300 on the season, it's pretty easy to see that this team has trouble scoring runs. All of which makes it a lot easier to understand the team's current 8-game losing streak that's dropped them into a tie with the Detroit Tigers for last place in the AL Central.

Now, when a whole team is struggling offensively, it's tough to find that one guy that's sucking like no other. Fortunately for Royals fans, shortstop Tony Pena has made himself a very easy target, though his manager Trey Hillman has no plans on taking him out of the lineup anytime soon.

"I think it goes back to this," manager Trey Hillman said. "If the guys who are supposed to be hitting will just hit, then he's not the issue. The issue is the other guys in the lineup who are hitting one through six on any given day."

Very astute observation, Mr. Hillman, but I don't think it's going to do much to appease Royals fans. After all, Tony is hitting .162/.184/.204 on the season. If you added Tony's average to his anemic OPS of .388, he'd still rank 4,583rd in the American League. What makes matters worse is that while Pena has struck out 30 times this season, he's only been able to finagle four walks.

In other words, he's just as overmatched at the plate as Britney Spears would be in a debate about black holes with Stephen Hawking.

The real problem Hillman has is the fact he has nobody he can replace Pena with. The calls for Alberto Callaspo are growing louder in Kansas City, but even though Callaspo has had more success at the plate (.266/.347/.313) his defense at short leaves a lot to be desired. Especially when compared to Pena's glove.

When a team has as much trouble scoring runs as the Royals do right now, they can't really afford to sacrifice any defense because they can't make up for the runs it will cost them.

Tony Pena Will Not Be Benched originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 27 May 2008 14:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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George Brett Is Ready for a Division Title

Tom Fornelli — Tue, 20 May 2008 14:40:00 EST

Filed under: Royals, AL Central, Kansas City

Over the last few seasons since Dayton Moore took over the general manager's job in Kansas City, I've been a pretty big fan of what the Royals are doing as an organization. Yes, they overpaid for some free agents like Gil Meche and Jose Guillen, but in order to convince free agents to come to Kansas City, you have to pay them more than they're worth. That's what happens when you routinely finish in last place in your division.

Of course, finishing in last does have some benefits as well, as it gives a team a lot of high draft picks, and the Royals have used them to find players like Alex Gordon. The Royals aren't tearing things up by any means this season, as they're currently 21-23, but they're only 2.5 games behind the White Sox for the division lead.

All of which has gotten Royals legend George Brett to start talking about a division title.

"Why couldn't they contend?" Brett said. "In our division, I think they can. No one is head-and-shoulders above anyone else."

"If you live in Kansas City right now," he said, "and you're not excited, then you're not a baseball fan."

Yeah! Get excited Royals fans!

As odd as it may sound to hear Brett or anybody involved with the Royals talking about a division title this season, what George said is right. The AL Central is wide open this year as nobody has really stepped up and taken control of the division. The White Sox may be on top right now, but it's not like they don't have problems that could cost them in the long run, and the same can be said for Cleveland, Minnesota, and Detroit.

I don't think it's going to happen this season, unless the Royals offense starts hitting anyway, but at this point they're just as likely as anybody else to pull it off. They're basically only a five-game win streak away from climbing to the top.

George Brett Is Ready for a Division Title originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 20 May 2008 14:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joakim Soria Got Paid

Tom Fornelli — Mon, 19 May 2008 12:39:00 EST

Filed under: Royals, AL Central, Kansas City, MLB Transactions

I wasn't around this weekend, so I never had a chance to get to it here, but the Royals and Joakim Soria came to terms on Saturday night for a contract extension. It was a pretty nice birthday present for the Royals closer, as he turned 24 on Sunday, and had a lot of extra spending money to celebrate it.

Soria's deal has three years guaranteed through 2011, but there are also three option years that could put a fat bump in his checking account. The way the deal is structured, Soria stands to make $1 million in 2009, $3 million in 2010, and $4 million in 2011. Still, the deal could get a lot more lucratice for Joakim.

"It's a good deal for Joakim, it's a good deal for the club," [Joakim's agent Oscar] Suarez said. "It's a vesting option [for 2012] and if he does the things I think he can do, it'll vest automatically and the last two years are a straight club option."

According to Suarez, the maximum Soria could receive would be $32,350,000 as a starter or $30,750,000 as a closer. That, of course, is if Soria vests in 2012 and the club picks up the options.

That's a pretty nice chunk of change. I mean, it's not blogger money, but it's good money none the less.

This deal is also good news for a lot of the Royals other young talent, because the signing shows that the Royals are willing to invest money in their young talent for once, instead of just watching it walk away when it's starting to reach it's peak.

Joakim Soria Got Paid originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 19 May 2008 12:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brian Bannister Loves the BABIP

Will Brinson — Fri, 16 May 2008 11:45:00 EST

Filed under: Royals, AL Central, MLB Media Watch, Kansas City, MLB Biz

For those of you that don't know, Joe Posnanski of the KC Star does these "Banny Logs" on his personal blog, where he chronicles each of Royals pitcher Brian Bannister's starts. Joe -- and everyone else -- is infatuated with Bannister for a few reasons.

First, he's a good pitcher. Second, he's smart as hell. He combines both of those to be a rare breed of baseball player -- one who truly cares about the pajama/basement Sabermetric numbers, and a guy whose mental approach to the chess-like game of pitching is similar to that of Greg Maddux. That's not a direct comparison, but it's certainly valid. Anyway, Joe mentions a hilariously awesome text message exchange after the game.

It was like that. Banny was mostly working fastball as he does when he's successful, but his secondary pitches were generally not coming in the red-zone 84-85 mph range. Plus, it looked like Banny had a really good fastball. He got 11 swinging strikes, which is a lot for him, and most of those came on fastballs. He had his command too. I sent him a text after the game, and he wrote back to say: "Just had to let my Babip regress before I started dealing again."

Seriously, how can you not love this guy?

No. Seriously. How can you not? A major league pitcher -- arguably the ace on a major league team, depending on how you feel about Gil Meche -- totally monitors his BABIP. Most regular baseball fans don't monitor BABIP, but Bannister, he is all over that mess. The guy knows his stats; instead of some tangent about the changing world of baseball, I'm just going to sit back and enjoy it.

Via Vegas Watch

Brian Bannister Loves the BABIP originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 16 May 2008 11:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zack Greinke and John Buck Are Open to Negotiating, Is Kansas City?

Tom Fornelli — Tue, 13 May 2008 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: Royals, AL Central, MLB Gossip, Kansas City

The growing trend in baseball is for teams to sign their young players to contract extensions in hopes of locking them up before they become too expensive. While it's a smart financial move for all teams, it's generally a real good move for teams with lower payrolls. The Indians started it with Grady Sizemore a few years ago, then the Rockies followed suit with Troy Tulowitzki. This season it's been Evan Longoria and Hanley Ramirez reaping the rewards of baseball's new trend.

One smaller market team that is yet to adapt to this new philosophy is the Kansas City Royals, but that doesn't mean they don't have some young, talented players who wouldn't mind an extension.

"It's just kind of a feel thing," general manager Dayton Moore said. "Obviously, there has to be a willingness on both sides. We talk about a lot of things, but we're still very early in the process."

The Royals are loaded with young players who project as key players for years to come. Of those, the closest to free-agency are pitcher Zack Greinke and catcher John Buck. Both are on track to enter the market after the 2010 season.

Neither has been contacted by club officials about possible extensions.

For their parts in it, both Greinke and Buck would be open to talking contract, but it's not a necessity for both.

"Any player would welcome some talks because that's security you're talking about," Buck admitted. "You can root your family down. That's the plus side of it. The other side is how much money is that worth to you?"

Of course, there is a difference in the situations in Kansas City and everywhere else. Of all the players I named earlier who got a contract extension, none of them were pitchers. It's just a lot easier for a team to figure out what they're probably going to get out of a hitter in his career, where as with pitchers, it's more of a crapshoot than anything else. A pitcher can be the next Sandy Koufax one day, and then just be a guy with a bad elbow the next.

So if I'm Greinke, I wouldn't expect the Royals to be sitting down anytime soon. Not to mention that even though he's had a nice start to this season (4-1 1.80 ERA), he's still 25-36 in his career. As for Buck, I see his extension being a lot more likely.

He's not going to get a huge deal like the players before him, and he shouldn't, but if the Royals are really pleased with his bat and handling of the staff, they should keep him around. It shouldn't cost them that much money to do it, either. Still, I think the Royals would be better served trying to work out similar deals with Alex Gordon, Mark Teahen, or Billy Butler before going after Buck or Greinke.

Zack Greinke and John Buck Are Open to Negotiating, Is Kansas City? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 13 May 2008 12:29:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joakim Soria as a Starter?

Tom Fornelli — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:03:00 EST

Filed under: Royals, AL Central, MLB Gossip, Kansas City

Kansas City Royals closer Joakim Soria has been fantastic so far. I mean, ridiculously good. He's 8-for-8 in save situations, and has been damn near untouchable so far. In 13 innings of work, he's struck out 15 while allowing only one walk and three hits, all of which gives him an unbelievably low WHIP of 0.31.

He's even been garnering comparisons to a young Mariano Rivera already. Still, it's also gotten a lot of people in Kansas City wondering: what if the team moved Soria to the starting rotation? From Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star.

Soria is so good, so quick - and with seemingly no strain - that teammates and Royals officials can't help but wonder about someday moving him to the rotation. His use has become one of the perpetual talking points among Royals fans.

Royals manager Trey Hillman, not one who lacks confidence in his decisions, has even second-guessed himself when he hasn't used Soria.

The only problem the Royals have had with Soria is providing him with save chances - only eight in the first 33 games.

"I don't know if we've seen what he's capable of doing," says catcher John Buck. "Personally, I think he could be a really good starter. He has a lot of good other pitches that the league hasn't even seen. I've caught him in the bullpen. There's about three other pitches that nobody's ever seen, because he doesn't need 'em."

So would moving Soria to the starting rotation better serve the Royals? I don't know, but I do know that the Royals need more help in their starting rotation right now than they do the bullpen. I also know that Soria had always been a starter before joining the rotation, and certainly has the pitch selection necessary to start, but I'm not sure it would be the best move for the Royals right now.

Sure, closers are generally easier to find than good starters, but the dominant closers like Soria has been only come around so often. That being said, come the end of the season, if the Royals are out of contention it couldn't hurt to give Joakim a start or two just to see what he's capable of doing.

Joakim Soria as a Starter? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 08 May 2008 15:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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