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?