With damn close, the worst record in all of baseball (again) a faltering bullpen/bullpen pieces (again) and inconsistent starting pitching (again) where do we go from here? The moves that are made when you are a contending team aren't nearly as important as the ones made when you're not, and GMDM has plenty of them to consider.

Butler is starting to heat up again in Omaha, who do you send down/out? Nunez should hopefully be off the DL soon, who from the staff leaves? Aviles is hitting (like I said he would) and playing pretty solid defense (which everyone said he couldn't) and the league shouldn't adjust before the break (after the break, we will really see the player Aviles is). One of the middle infielders will have to go. Trade Grudz, trade German, or DFA TPJ? We have quite possibly the least intimidating bench in the league. Changes anyone? There are definitely more questions to be answered...

If we plan on contending in the 3 years, these next few months will be interesting to see what pieces get implemented or which don't. KC bloggers let's play GM for a minute...

So where do we go next? A salvageable season is still in the cards with no one in the central stepping up to the plate. The good guys have 9 straight against Central opponents and these games could really make or break how they play till the all-star break. If they lose 6 out of 9 and are 9+ games out of first (and last place) how do you play the next couple months, trade-wise, call-ups, or other moves? We already know we cant hit and our pitching staff can't carry a .250 average forever... But if we hit another random streak and go 6 and 3 or better and move within 2 games or so do we ride it out? Can we? 

There are a lot of strong opinions on this site and that's why I love it. NYRoyal and I have had our battles and so have Retro and others. But the fact that we can come together in our seemingly hopeless-at-times rooting for our fav team makes it so much better. Lets keep the fire going for the boys in blue and pray for the best!

Yes yes yes, I know he's been called a AAAA player who will only mature into a dependable backup. But take it from someone who lives in Omaha that this kid is the real deal. I've been on here before lauding his play and I got the normal complaints -- defense and he strikes out too much. Well for a slugging percentage nearing .700 he's striking out the 7th fewest of anyone in the minor leagues with over 100 abs. He's hit 18 doubles and 6 triples already and even stole 3 bases. Hit impressively in the spring but got tenured-out with the current logjam at 2nd in KC. Numerous scouts have put his arm as slightly above average and his range at average. (Not terrible considering the human vacuum at first that is Ross Gload...) Slightly troublesome are his 3 E at short in limited action this year (and his 33 4 years ago... yikes... he's gotten progressively better each year though) but more time there would help that and he does at least look comfortable.

Bottom line -- 

Are the runs TPJ leaves at the plate and on base too much to balance the 2-3 runs he saves a week? Yes, his defense has been darn near stellar this year (he better be buying Gload dinner every night) but you will never TPJ him hit over .250, with even a larger obp, in a starting role for the rest of his career. I for (maybe) one have no problem with a rotation of Grudz and Aviles at 2nd and Callaspo (who's just as questionable defensively, if not more so, at short) and Aviles at short. The kid has a sick  stick from the right side and will not kill you defensively. 

They should have made the trade with the Dodgers for German, because there's no way he can get the playing time he needs to showcase himself with this year's team. I like Grudz but his days as a royal may very well come to an end in July. Just try your Minor League Player of the year and see how he does...

And I really don't wanna hear in 2 years how everyone saw Aviles rise to fan favorite! Nobody thought Keppinger or Gotay would be MLB contributors either and Aviles has much more talent and a much bigger stick. Can/Will his average glove keep his above-above average bat out of KC's lineup?