And maybe some of you do,  I will be giving those that do not like me or feel that I am "childish" ect a real break while I prepare to take very important Medical School Board Exams.  I do not know when, or If, I will return.  This will probably make most of you happy which is unfortunate.  All I can say is thank you to all that have helped me have a truer appreciation and love for royals baseball.  During this potential break I will heed the advice of some of you(Warden, GoBabies, ect) to perhaps grasp a better understanding of what is expected and appropriate.  While I feel I know a great deal about situational baseball as well as in game situations, this has proven to be a stength that needs to be backed up with stats that I am not familiar with.  While I will be memorizing pharmaceuticals and microbiology I dont know if now is the best time for me to be learning about FIP, BABIP, fangraphs and more.  For those I have offended I truly apologize.  I am a very passionate person and royals fan.  I feel that it is a good thing while I also realize that it has gotten me into plenty of trouble on here.  Hopefully and god willing when I get these tests behind me or get to a point of comfort I can learn the stats and numbers that you passionate fans discuss.  Deep down I respect each and every one of you and thank you all for making me a bigger royals fan than ever!  I will continue to read and support this team because that is what I love as do you all.  I sincerely wish you all the best in all walks and lets hope the royals will maybe draw a few more walks in the future. :)

Ok guys Ill keep this pretty short.  In the last 34 innings the Royals have managed four runs and, more disheartening, onw win.  Injuries have run rampant on this team and have begun to really show.  I went to the K yesterday and was frankly embarrassed by the effort, or lack thereof.  The term "anemic" on offense is an understatement. So which lineup gives the good guys the best chance to win right now?  Injured players do not count in this question.  Sadly enough this is my lineup:

Crisp

DDJ

Butler

Guillen

Jacobs

Callaspo

Mark "I swing at balls over my head" Teahen

Insert either catcher here (they both suck but Olivo maybe gets a slight nod here)

Willie Baseball

What do you guys think?  What is your lineup right now?

Before I begin I want to explain that my comments are for the sake of discussion and not my opinions of this Royals team.  I believe in this team and this post is simply to play the devil's advocate and perhaps re-instill some of the fading hope in our season.

So: Why is this team any different?

1) This team has been priding themselves on solid pitching and scoring just enough to win ballgames.

Meche has been below average.  Whether he is hurt or his conditioning isnt where it needs to be is irrelevant.  Below Average for a supposed #1, even though we all know he is not.  Greinke has been spectacular, moving on.  Kyle Davies has continued to be enigmatic.  He has problems early in games and has outings that have been tough to watch regarding command, etc.  Sidney Ponson has been Sidney Ponson which shouldnt be good enough to be on the roster.  As for Ho-Ram, terrible starter but ok in the pen.  Bannister has pitched well but is now possibly injured.  Hochevar, even though he has only made one start, was freaking terrible.

2) This team's bullpen came out of the gates pretty strong but since....

Soria is hurt, nuff said.  Mahay hasnt been the guy from last year and was unwatchable last night.  Tejeda has shown his talent and potential but has been giving up run(s) every outing lately.  Ho-Ram, see above.  Jamie Wright has been good but has struggled recently IMO due to pitching too many innings. Farnsworth started the year terribly costing us 2 of the first 9 games.  He has been better since but hasnt been used in situations that require a sack, yeah that sack.  Cruz has been pretty good.

3) A look at hitting....

Mark Teahen and Callaspo came out of the gates en fuego but have since cooled off, esp Teahen.  I didnt want to believe it but early on I thought to myself, "Is it a good thing that Teahen and a career back up are carrying the team?"  And the answer has been yes.  DDJ, absolutely terrible up until last night.  John Buck and Miguel Olivo have proven to below average catchers on both O and D.  Aviles has been having a real tough go as of late.  Some say unlucky, others say holes in the swing.  I think both.  Jose Guillen is in the lineup for offense yet hasnt provided much outside of 2 HR game.  Gordon is Hurt.  Coco Crisp has been a nice addition.  Butler started off slow but is on fire now, thank god he has picked it up.  Willie B has been a nice surprise but is not an everyday player IMO.  Mike Jacobs has been K'ing too much and has many opportunites to move runners and has FAILED along with a bunch of others.  He has some jacks and some RBIs but Im yet to see alot of game changing at bats.  There have been some though.  Mitch Maier prays for walks cause he cant hit.

4) Defense.

Jose Guillen is the biggest outfield liability in baseball.  He has a great arm but you have to catch and/or get to the ball to use it.  Buck and Olivo have had games where they couldnt block a ball.  Pitchers have made inexcusable errors.  Other than that the Defense has been ok.  Teams make errors.

There are some aspects Ive left out for the sake of time and please comment on what i have missed.  Again, this is a post playing devil's advocate to generate discussion and IS NOT MY OPINION of the Royals.  So guys despite these issues and the 6 game losing streak we re still tied with first in the Divison. As Royals fans we all know it can be worse.  A win tonight would be phenomenal.

OK GUYS, WHY IS THIS TEAM DIFFERENT?  Thoughts and Opinions Please and lets get this team back on the right track! 

Earlier this afternoon I was driving and heard someone on 610 discussing trading Alex Gordon.  GobbleforCyYoung might be excited to here this (assuming of course we get the key to the city back), but to me this seems totally absurd to think this could help the ballclub.  Look, Gordon does strikeout alot and his BA hasnt been what we all wouldve hoped and expected but he did make big strides at the end of last year.  Also, he is a defensive stopper at 3rd.  I think Alex Gordon, if healthy, would be a wonderful bonus when he returns.  Furthermore, with all the success with the Royals right now Gordon can take his time and return when HE feels his body is ready as opposed to him being rushed back to try and save the season if we had gotten off to a slow start.  I think the post recently about what do with five players with four positions is a great problem to have.  Perhaps it scares some of you because having that many options is not something Royals fans have been used to in the recent past.  Jayson Stark recently commented that there is still alot of value for an Alex Gordon around baseball.  I continue to hear things like "the Royals are going to have to go get another bat if they want to win the Central".  Maybe, just maybe Gordon, returning healthy can be that bat without having to make a trade.  I dont think it would at all reasonable to trade Gordon. Period.  Bottom Line.  His potential is too big and the organization has invested too much to think we couldnt use this guy.  Again, I havent been thrilled about his production but I think he is too valuable of an asset to jump to conclusions that the team is good enough to make a move like that.  What do guys think about Gordon being traded?  I found it ridiculous to even be discussed.  Your thoughts and opinions guys.  NY, Retro, DevilFingers, Esteban, and even Gobble give me some stats and numbers as to why or why not this was ridiculous what i heard on the radio!

I feel that its time to discuss the arguments(no less than a week ago) about Wilie Bloomquist.  Look, I realize he has been on fire lately and you naysayers are probably saying to yourself, "well he ll cool off cause there is no way to sustain it".  Well for those of you that think that you might be right.  However, as of now I would say he was the catalyst that a hungry royals team needed this weekend against a twins team that really needed to take at least two of three.  He hit for average, he hit for power, he didnt make stupid baserunning mistakes, he stole some bases, and maybe most importantly he can play wherever you need him outside of pitcher and catcher(for now hahaha).  But seriously, I dont think he should start everyday.  I dont think he is wonderful at any position.  What is he?  SOLID anywhere and everywhere Trey needs him.  We all know he loves versatility and that is Wille Bloomquist right now.  Hillman expects his players to make the plays they re supposed to and everything else is a bonus.  The majority of you fine gentlemen were begging and pleading to play Mitch Maier instead of Bloomy because "Maier plays better defense and neither one of them can hit".  Really?  Im a human being by somewhat living in the moment but anyone who said Maier should play before Bloomquist should feel pretty ignorant right now.  I would say that Bloomquist's D has been well above average recently and we all know what he has done at the plate.  For now I say you leave the hot hand in the lineup right now and find some way to have Maier swat flies in the dugout(or in Omaha) instead of at the plate.  If Maier draws a walk, to me its like a ground ruled double whereas Bloomquist actually has quality at bats.  Something this team needs when the likes of Olivo, Maier, and so on are in the lineup.  Your thoughts and opinions guys!  By the way, how does first place sound?!?

Miguel Olivo has started more games than John Buck.  Look, Buck is not my ideal major league catcher but, more importantly, neither is Olivo.  As of now, Olivo has started 12 to Buck's 10.  Pretty even.  I get that Olivo-Grienke connection (for the love of God dont change it).  I also get that its a grueling season and having two capable catchers is important.  However, until last night I felt that Miguel Olivo was incapable of having an above avg major league at bat.  Also, Buck is in a slump now but is because the staff was too stupid to keep a hot bat in the lineup?  Buck has also been labeled  as a "game manager" and Olivo gets the love with the power and the ability to throw out base stealers.  Alot of you know more info than me but I am not on the Olivo "coming around" bandwagon.  I would start Buck, as of now, every night it was legit to start an "everyday" catcher.  What are your thoughts?  Who would you start?  Why should I believe that Olivo is swinging a hot bat and it will continue?  What do you gents feel about the catcher position from all aspects?

What would be the ideal lineup for our Kansas City Royals?  I think most would disagree with where Teahen hits in the lineup, but he's smashing the ball.  Buck's killing it right now but still hasnt really moved up in the order.  Which bat do have in the order without Guillen?  Who is your starting everyday outfield without Guillen? ( Even though I know hes coming back soon).  Are you guys glad that DeJesus stayed put in the order despite a slow start?  Im all ears guys and excited about tonights game.  Your "Perfect" Royal's Lineups Please! 

Do any of you gents know when we ll get back Alex Gordon and Jose Guillen?  I think the royals, for now, could be better without them.  I know it sounds crazy but we all know Guilen's disdain for playing in "cold" weather.  Also, Gordon just didnt look right at the plate and it carried over IMO over to his defense.  I guess my point is there could be a bright side to this.  I mean did anyone really expect Guillen to hit above .200 anyway until mid may?  And Gordon has the potential eventually to be very productive on both offense and defense so his health is key, not only for this year, but for the distant future.  I feel with the pitching thus far that they have a great chance to weather this storm and maybe even benefit.  Your thoughts and opinions?  And again its great to be on here.  Im like a kid at Christmas!

Hello everyone! I am new to the royals review but am a huge fan that was told about this website.  Here recently I have noticed articles and comments about Brayan Pena and him possibly being the odd man out before Jose Guillen's injury.  Can someone please explain exactly why Tony Pena Jr still has a spot on this roster.  Hillman has shown he prefers players with flexibility that can contribute to the team in a number of ways.  For those of you who give Pena Jr. the title of a "Defensive Specialist" I would like you to know that means Offensively Inadequate" which is exactly what he brings to the table.  I could travel to space before he finished his swing.  No one wants to see the Royals win more than me but I am yet to figure this one out.  There has been so much buzz about who's being sent down and his name is not anywhere on the radar.  Your comments and opinions please everyone!