On the heels of my purchase of MLB 2k9 for the XBOX 360, I have been racking my brain, trying to find ways to squeeze this game like a sponge full of enjoyment juice.

Okay, similes have never been my strong suit.

One idea I had (as I alluded to in the Royals gameday thread earlier) was to create a team comprised entirely of 2003/2004 Royals players. You might ask, why would anyone choose to revisit one of the most horrifying, depressing times to be a Royals fan? Well, you might also ask why would one spend $59.99 for a baseball game with a 6.8 rating on IGN. The answer is clear: I'M CRAZY! And a glutton for punishment.

(Aren't those requirements for being a Royals fan?)

This FanPost will serve as a Season One update thread. Through trades and free agent signings, I have been able to essencially recreate a team from those two years. You'd be surprised at how many ex-Royals are now free agent road kill!

Without further adu, YOUR 2009 KANSAS CITY ROYALS!

LINEUP

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SS Angel Berroa

CF Carlos Beltran

1B Mike Sweeney

LF Raul Ibanez

C Mike DiFelice

RF David DeJesus

DH Matt Stairs

2B Jose Bautista (it literally took me 45 minutes to find a 2B from these years who is still active and in 2k9. I'm really stretching here).

3B Mark Teahen

(BENCH: John Buck, Billy Butler [stretching it, I know...] Paul Phillips and Tony Graffanino, who I had to edit into the game from the filler 2B Cleveland had)

STARTING PITCHERS

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SP Runelvys Hernandez

SP Zach Greinke

SP Jamie Wright

SP D.J. Carrassco

SP Kyle Snyder

RELIEF PITCHERS

CLOSER Mike MacDougal

RP Shawn Camp

RP Jeremy Affeldt

RP Jimmy Gobble

RP Dennys Reyes

RP Denny Bautista

I realize having Buck, Teahen AND Beltran is kind of like having your cake and eating it too, but dammit, it was hard enough finding people from this era still in the majors. I will be updating this with a comment soon about the first game of the season.

PLAY BALL! (I really have way too much free time on my hands...)

On the heels of another 0-4 night from Billy Butler, one has to wonder exactly how much a terrible baserunner/project at 1B is hurting this Royals team.

In Omaha, Ryan Shealy is hitting .369 in 65 AB. While Davies has gotten a chance to prove his September was no fluke, Shealy hasn't had that same honor, demoted since the beginning of the year.

"Killa" Kila Ki'iahue leads Omaha in HR with 3, but his average is only .192. He has drawn an incredible 17 BB, though.

Coming into this season, some Royals anaylsts said the three most important cogs to this team were the youthful core of Gordon, Aviles and Butler. All three have been complete trainwrecks at the plate (Gordon in limited time, as he is injured now).

How long do we wait out the storm? When do we start expecting things from Billy Butler?

So, I get off work at midnight, eager to see Greinke's game tonight on MLB.tv when I get home.

(Forget for a second the fact that I feel dooped about MLB.tv anyway. Yes, I know I should have read the fine print, but why would they advertise at KAUFFMAN STADIUM that you can FOLLOW THE ROYALS LIVE with an elaborate video package? Meh. I'm sure I'm not the only person.)

What am I greeted with just before Zack's second K, interrupting it?

Why, this.

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I know there is a fountain out there, but Jesus H. Christ, this has been an issue since the RSTN days. Can we figure out a way to keep the camera's from getting fountain residue on them?

(Currently on the 4th inning of blurry CF cam. For someone who sees things this way without his contacts in, I can tell you being reminded of what it looks like is NOT fun.)

(ITS STILL REAL TO ME DAMMIT ALERT)

Just got back from my first experience at "The New K". Very, very impressed to say the least. Even though they told me I was the first person to order a helmet sundae (they didn't even have a sundae button on their register!), and they did it wrong twice before getting it right the third time.

One thing that caught my eye (or ear, in this case) was the use of WWE entrance themes throughout the entire game. When the Royals got a run across, they played Matt Hardy's "Live for the Moment" song. During a pitching change, they played "Aint No Make Believe," John Morrison's theme. They also played music from Batista, Christy Hemme, RAW, PPV themes (countless PPV themes, including obscure ones like "Big Time" from WM21).

Don't get me wrong, I think it is awesome, but it was surreal hearing wrestling music used so often. Did they hire someone within the WWE to run the production at Royals games? Is the song selection guy just a huge wrestling fan? It really made tonight a special experience, and I'd like to know if anyone knows why.

FYI, my favorite song used: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2kVfnAY77I&fmt=18

FYI 2: If you don't go to the MLB 2K Sports Zone in the Outfield, you're crazy. That was a blast.

Want Herm Edwards back?

Eric Mangini is out as head coach of the New York Jets, 1050 ESPN Radio and various other New York media outlets are reporting.

Mangini and the Jets missed out on the playoffs after losing to Miami on Sunday. The Jets lost four of their last five games.

The Jets are scheduled for a 10 a.m. ET news conference. Mangini is not expected to attend.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3797442

"Mitch May-er"... I think I've heard that 12 times in the last two weeks. FSN, ESPN, MLB.com; all guilty of screwing up Mitch's name.

"Joe-Kim" Soria is another common one. How many games below/above .500 do we need to be before people start pronouncing our player's names correctly?

God help us if Kila Kaaihue is ever called up to the big leagues.

I guess Jason Smith has nothing to worry about, though.

I was so frustrated listening to yesterdays game when Hillman left Davies in until he coughed up the lead, and THEN took him out. This seems like it has been happening all year. I came to the following conclusion:

Dayton Moore leaves pitchers in until they run completely out of gas (most times coughing up the lead), or until they have 120 pitches.

He never takes people out after 5-6 mediocre innings. He ALWAYS has to trot them out for the 7th to get shelled.

Is anyone else as perturbed at Trey's pitching management this year as I am?