Greinke Sharp in Win

Game Date: September 3, 2007
Royals 8, Rangers 1 / Box Score
WP: Greinke (6-5), LP: Loe (6-11)
Royal Home Runs: Gload (7)
Royals Record: 62-75

So much went right with the game last night that it's difficult to pinpoint just a few areas for discussion. Zack Greinke, who was on an 80-pitch limit, finally made it through five innings to pick up a win. He had "ace-like stuff" in route to his sixth win of the season. He said he was tired, but he still felt like he had a little left. If Greinke can successfully make the transition back to the rotation, as it appears he's going to do, it'll give the Royals three tough starters (Brian Bannister and Gil Meche being the other two) going into 2008--which may give us the best rotation we've had since the 80's.

Alex Gordon continues to swing a hot bat. He was 3-for-6 with 4 RBI. He's raised his batting average to .252 and he has 14 HR and 54 RBI. His overall numbers won't generate talk about rookie of the year as so many hoped when the season started, but he was mentally tough enough to withstand a horrendous start to his major league career and he appears to have turned a corner. He still strikes out way too often (116 times) and draws too few walks (36) for a guy who is supposed to have a good understanding of the strike zone. But I suspect he'll continue to improve.

Ross Gload was 3-for-6 last night with a home run and 2 RBI. He's now hitting. 304 and I would think that he'd give Dayton Moore another option for 2008 at first base to spell relief for Billy Butler if the Royals decide to resign Mike Sweeney. Gload is only under contract through 2007, but at $625,000 (his 2007 salary), he seems like a steal. I'm guessing that Buddy Bell would agree since he called him "our best player for awhile now" after the game yesterday. I'm not sure that I would agree, but he's a good guy to have on the team.

Mark Teahen came back from the DL with a vengeance, going 3-for-5 with an RBI. Teahen's lack of power this season has been a mystery (he has just 6 HR this season in 120 games compared to 18 HR last season in just 109 games), but he continues to hit for average (.288 this season, compared to .290 last season), and his on-base percentage is similar to last season (.355 this season, compared to .357 last season). I'm not sure that a team should have a starting right fielder who is probably going to have less than 10 home runs in a season though. Let's hope he figures out the power thing during the offseason.

Tonight, Billy Buckner (0-0, 1.17) will get his first major league start. He'll go against Kevin Millwood (9-11, 5.11). Millwood is 4-3 against the Royals in his career with a 3.92 ERA.