...I hope the new analyst has a good sense of humor because we do try to have a lot of fun with the broadcast. I hope it’s somebody whom enjoys coming to work everyday with the humble attitude that we are broadcasters and the reason people watch is because of the players. We have certain opinions and perspectives but we’re not smarter than anybody on the field. The viewers watch because they love the Royals and the game of baseball, not because of the announcers. I believe that’s something an announcer needs to come to grips with as soon as possible.

I was going to write a simple plug for Tim Smith's hitting lessons, but it turned into a nice little feature on him, including his story of the day he was traded to the Royals.

I uploaded a boatload of Royals photos last night, including lots of new guys like Tim Collins and Jeremy Jeffress (and Frenchy and Melky, yay?). This is just a reminder that anyone is welcome to use them for blog posts or whatever, as long as proper attribution is given. This page has all the tags I've used, so you can search by player name.

The Royals PR/media guys tweeted these small bits of good news. Not a ton of other good news out there today.

(The team Bannister pitches for now is in Tokyo, which was affected.)

If Rob Neyer was this generation's Bill James, who will be the next Neyer?

Frenchy doesn't read blogs.... and other revelations.

Sharing is caring, and I care about the Royals' fans and blogging community. So basically I want to share every Royals photo I have, which I painstakingly tagged and organized for your use. Enjoy?

Keith Law was kind enough to help me dig in to the mystery of the empty seats at Arizona Fall League games. It's kind of a shame that so many great prospects are all in one place, but go mostly unnoticed by fans in the area.

Informal poll question: Have you ever been to an AFL game? What was your experience like?

Self-share, but only because I was afraid this little tale would get buried:

"Rupe also gave me one of my moments of realization that baseball players are people with an exhausting schedule, and I should keep that in mind when I think/write/converse about them. One day, the team had just returned from a long road trip. Everyone looked awful before the game. Rupe said they had flown in from wherever at 3 that morning, and finally arrived in Omaha at around 2 in the afternoon, just in time to go straight to the ballpark. He smiled weakly at the cloudless sky and wondered if somehow, some way, someone could arrange a rainout so the guys could get some rest."

Another shameless self-share, in case you missed it on Twitter and whatnot. In short - I met GMDM. It didn't go well. I used words in a blog post to kick myself.

ORoyals players of the month, in various categories from 'Highest OBP' to....well, less legitimate categories. Any other categories you'd like to see me post a leaderboard in?

I'm having a contest...I want to find photographic evidence of a Kyle Farnsworth fan. Check out the link for the rules (there aren't very many), and have your cameras at the ready.

(Sorry for the self-Fanshot, but...my stupid blog doesn't have comments, and there are comments here so I can address any questions or concerns.)

Linking to myself, because I talked to Ryan LeFebvre about the Ryan LeFebvre Drinking Game, at the Lincoln stop of the Royals Caravan.

Some of you recently noticed me mentioning a 'revolution' on Twitter. In short, I want to change Minor League Baseball so that its players get a humane wage and a bit more health coverage. This fanshot links to a post that sort of introduces people to the problem MiLB players face.

Note - Shealy was kind enough to suffer through a 3-day long game of phone tag to talk to me, just because I asked. He really is good people. Also, sorry about the wonky formatting on the post.
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"[The Royals] did what they felt was necessary, what they felt was going to help them win," Shealy said. "With that said, I know that, if I was given the opportunity, that I could produce at that level, too. [Moore] did whatever he thought was best for the team, which he should do, but in my heart I know that if given the chance I could perform."

The video, if it hasn't been forcibly removed from the Interwebz yet, is at my blog.

Kyle Farnsworth didn't make his scheduled appearance in Omaha last night, and no one knows why. The Rookies have come up with some theories.

(P.S. Maybe I made that photo illustration. Maybe I didn't.)

Chuck Knoblockhead over at The Rookies took a look at whether Home Run Derby participants are "cursed" in the 2nd half.

Chuck Knoblockhead of The Rookies takes a look at the so-called Home Run Derby Curse, and whether players who make it far in the Derby are more or less likely to suffer in the 2nd half than those who are knocked out in the first round.

Yes, he has been called up again, according to Mrs. Disco. Anyone else heard this yet?