Encouragement

I don't want to jinx our guys, but I am really encouraged by the Royals' play lately. Many would say that a 10-9 record against the national league was just OK. However, I think that the Royals put together a good streak, especially in pulling out that last win over the Brewers to get that 10-9 record was just good baseball. We need something to cling to. A positive note to add confidence and build team unity. That road trip did that. We were able to pull off some great things. Of course we should have had an extra win in St. Louis, and we didn't show up the first two games of the Milwaukee series. However, look at what it has done to this team. We have gone into Anaheim and taken the first TWO games from the Angels. This is the WEST LEADING Angels. The team with the American League BEST home record. A team on FIRE. And the Royals stroll in with some confidence and have a good solid game on Monday, and just a good old fashion butt-kicking 12 to 4 win on Tuesday. Even if we lose the last game (which I truly think we could sweep (knock-on-wood)), we have to have some confidence in playing such good ball. Putting forth good effort. We still may not get a lot of credit from sports analysts, and aren't going to contend for the wild-card or division, but we are headed in the right direction and this is just one fan hoping that this is a sign of the bright future of the organization.

Royal Blue, signing out...

Do Dreams Come True?

Rumbling along•
Life with Peter Angelos, Part 1: True story: The Orioles' entirebaseball-operations department first heard about Angelos' decision tohire Andy MacPhail when they read Buster Olney's story on ESPN.com.Seriously.

Life with Peter Angelos, Part 2: Obviously, MacPhail never would havetaken this job if Angelos hadn't promised him he'd have nearly fullautonomy. But one baseball official who has known Angelos for years told Rumblings: "I still question whether he'll let Andy do what'snecessary. Andy will do a great job there if Peter lets him do hisjob. But Peter is Peter. So I doubt it." But another baseball man whohas worked with Angelos says, "I know everyone is skeptical that he'llreally relinquish the reins. But I honestly think he's had enough. Ithink the losing finally got to him."

Life with Peter Angelos, Part 3: One friend of Joe Girardi toldRumblings this week: "If Joe were to ask me whether he should takethis job, I'd tell him he's nuts. I just can't see him working forPeter Angelos. I'd tell him to wait for a better job."Girardi's buddies in the game say the one job he'd be interested inbesides the Yankees, Mets and Cubs would surprise you. It's theRoyals, if Buddy Bell ever gets fired, because of Girardi's respectfor GM Dayton Moore.

This is the important part, b/c one HAS to believe Bell will be fired for his ineptitudes after this season (or sooner if he's smart) and go after a young gun in Girardi now! ESPECIALLY SINCE HE JUST TURNED DOWN THE ORIOLES JOB!!

For those that are fans of Girardi and the Royals, but not fans of firing the manager midseason, let's pose this scenario. It is widely known that Girardi is being prepped for the Yankee job (along with others currently in the organization), which fine, except that Torre's tenure will probably end this season. If Girardi is DM's guy (which there is NO indication that he is), why not gauge his interest now in the job, and if there is a good feeling, hire Girardi now. Think of a bidding war for the managerial rights b/t the Yankees and the Royals. Money almost always wins.

Get him cheap now and get the ball moving on getting those who are on board for Girardi this season and then really start something special next.

Uh oh.

This article SPELLS BAD NEWS!! for chiefs fans.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=2910089


If you're going to bring up assists as a primary reason not to run, how do you leave out Mark Teahen? For shizzle's sake, Josh Hamilton has missed 3 years being high and then almost a month THIS season and still is talked about? That's ridiculous. Mark Teahen BEATS OUT everyone in assists in 2007 but Michael Cuddyer... WHO ALSO ISN"T ON THAT LIST? WHY THE FRIG DO PEOPLE HATE ON THE ROYALS?! IS IT BAD FOR BUSINESS? IF THERE WAS AN ALTERNATIVE TO espn, I'D BOYCOTT THAT WHOLE DAMN WEBSITE.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=2909515&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos1

Let's hope Sports Illustrated comes on strong....

Everyone freak out. for the second straight start in a row, JP Howell has pitched dominantly into the 7th inning... I guess the PRESSURE COOKER of KC really got to him. Maybe he just feels at home with the alligators?

Finally!

A good article written by Jason Whitlock. www.kansascity.com - Carl Vs. LJ: Battle Royale... fairly intelligent writing and he has good points.

JP Howell

No one freak out. This was likely an aberration from a guy wanting to really stick it to his former team for trading him from one dead-end team to another... or maybe he's really angry b/c we are beginning our upside and TB continues to flounder.

Either way, there is nothing to suggest that this guy will continually do this. His minor league numbers are average at best (like Joey's). He'll have his good games, and he'll have his awful ones. He's had a few call-ups and always been a mediocre pitcher at best. Give him time. There is no reason why he won't be shit and sent back down in the next few months.

New Streak

The Royals are if anything, very streaky. This team can ride the good wave and then ride the naughty wave. What's surprising is the unlikely heroes who bailed them out of naughty streak.

Bannister has pitched relatively well all summer, giving up 3-5 runs per outing, which gave him a 4+ ERA. I will take that from a National League pitcher, who up until last night, probably couldn't strike a toddler out. He'd be just as likely to walk him.

He has pitched amazingly well for the amount of hits and walks he has given up. Well, it's a small sample size, and against a pretty bad team (though not too shabby offensively), but Bannister showed he has the capabilities to go into the later innings and spot his ball. Two hits (1 homer), is a pretty good outing that if he can repeat, will help steer flailing pitchers like Jorge back on track.

Semi-allaying fears that he couldn't do it, Dotel got his first save last night (albeit, walking the first two batters), but he managed to work out of the jam. I believe this is the right move for the Royals, and I believe it was the right move even if Soria was still healthy. Soria now has experience as a closer, but since we are paying Dotel 5 million to close and since Soria is still so new to the league, it seems smart for a team starved in wins to give the job to the most capable, and experienced, person. I don't know Moore's plans, Soria was a starter, it doesn't appear he'll ever be used that way, but he can be a very good reliever in a struggling bullpen.

What's surprising, is that hitting coach Mike Barnett has kept his job up this point. With the stars of this team incapable of hitting (Dejesus, Sweeney, Gordon, Grudz) it's amazing. HItting coaches are usually the first to go. Maybe Moore is just riding this wave until next year when all but McClure will be fired.