Royal Reflections Podcast #1 with Frank Rogers

Decided to give podcasting a try. I'd love to get your feedback on this first episode in which I interviewed life-long Royals fan Frank Rogers from Lee's Summit, Missouri as a part of the Royal Reflections "How I Became a Royals Fan" series. Frank and I had a good discussion about the Royals organization and Frank offered some good insight into the Royals' organizational philosophy, Zack Greinke, and various other things. And I really enjoyed the stories he shared about a couple of the players he has met over the years.

If you'd like to follow Frank on Twitter, here is a link that will enable you to do so: @Fdr630. And if you'd like to follow Royal Reflections on Twitters, here's a link for that as well: @royalreflection. I don't "tweet" during every game, but when I'm able to, I really enjoy watching the game and having a conversation about the Royals with fans on Twitter.

Turning a corner, here are a couple of photos that will make more sense to you after you've listened to the podcast:



And now, for the podcast:

If you'd like to be interviewed for a future episode, please drop me an email and let me know.

Greinke Nearly Unhittable; Another Complete Game

Game Date: April 24, 2009
Detroit @ Kansas City 
Royals 6, Tigers 1 / Box Score
WP: Greinke (4-0), LP: Porcello (1-2)
KC Home Runs: Teahen (2), Callaspo (1) 
Royals Record: 9-7 / Record in April: 9-7

Zack Greinke pitched his second consecutive complete game tonight and he should have had his second consecutive shutout, but an error wiped out that and his 38 inning scoreless inning streak. He still hasn’t given up an earned run this season. He’s hitting his spots; hit fastball is moving; and he looks completely focused. After the game, Royals fans could be heard shouting, “Cy Young.” Look out American League.

From the K Tonight

Nick Padley (@kb0pin on Twitter) took this photo at the game tonight. Thanks for letting me post it here Nick.


Just got permission from Bruce Reyes-Chow (@breyeschow on Twitter) to publish this photo he took at the K tonight. Thanks Bruce.

Game #15

Game Date: April 23, 2009
Kansas City @ Cleveland
Indians 5, Royals 2 / Box Score
WP: Lewis (2-2), LP: Meche (1-1), SV: Wood (3)
KC Home Runs: None
Royals Record: 8-7 / Record in April: 8-7

What a disaster. First, Trey Hillman leaves Gil Meche in too long. Then Alberto Callaspo boots a ball. Then Hillman brings in Mahay to face Grady Sizemore (a lefty—something Jimmy Gobble excelled at in the past) and he gives up a three-run bomb. It was a horribly mismanaged game by Hillman. The Farnsworth debacle coupled with Hillman’s poor decisions early this season have cost the Royals as many as five games.

Game #14

Game Date: April 22, 2009
Kansas City @ Cleveland
Royals 2, Indians 0 / Box Score
WP: Bannister (1-0), LP: Lee (1-3), SV: Soria (5)
KC Home Runs: None
Royals Record: 8-6 / Record in April: 8-6

Six impressive innings in his first outing of the season by Brian Bannister and timely hitting by Willie Bloomquist and David DeJesus gave the Royals the win. Jamey Wright did a great job to bridge the gap between Bannister and Joakim Soria, pitching two scoreless innings before Soria finally got into a game and picked up the save.

Game #13

Game Date: April 21, 2009
Kansas City @ Cleveland
Indians 8, Royals 7 / Box Score
WP: Laffey (1-0), LP: Ponson (0-2), SV: Wood (2)
KC Home Runs: DeJesus (2)
Royals Record: 7-6 / Record in April: 7-6

Poor pitching by both Sidney Ponson and Juan Cruz put the Royals in a hole, but they nearly dug out of it when they scored six runs in the final two innings. They fell one run short. The Royals grounded into double plays in six successive innings at one point.

Royals’ Features

There are several good feature articles spread across the web about players in the Royals organization. Here are links to them if you are interested:

• Jacobs takes a swing at poverty
• Third baseman Metcalf welcomes fresh start
• Royals catcher searches for home
• Bullpen a safe place for Royals’ Rosa

Bannister Recalled from Omaha

As expected, Brian Bannister will be pitching for Kansas City in April. The Royals put Doug Waechter on the 15-day DL and recalled Bannister with the intention of giving him the start on Wednesday night in Cleveland. He’ll be taking Horacio Ramirez’s spot in the rotation. Who didn’t see that one coming—at least the part about Ramirez being replaced in the rotation before April was over?

The question is, does Banny deserve the spot or should Luke Hochevar have been recalled instead? Bannister has been sharp in his last couple of starts in Omaha. He’s 0-1 with a 3.46 ERA. But Luke Hochevar is 3-0 with a 1.89 ERA and he clearly outpitched Bannister in Spring Training. The Royals obviously see something in Banny that they like so he gets the nod. Hochevar’s time will come.

Here’s something to consider . . . the Royals signed Ramirez for $1.8 million this season and they signed Kyle Farnsworth for $9 million for two seasons. Instead they could have kept Jimmy Gobble (using him as a situational lefty) and put Bannister or Hochevar in the rotation instead of in Omaha—saving somewhere around $4.5 million this season while getting more production.

More Pictures from the K

Shawn sent me some photos from his family outing at the K during the Yankee series. Pictured below is Shawn, his wife Terri, and their two children: Tristan and Emma. Thanks Shawn, I love to see families having fun at the ballpark.

If you have similar photos, feel free to send them to me.

Game #12

Game Date: April 19, 2009
Kansas City @ Texas
Rangers 6, Royals 5 / Box Score
WP: Francisco (1-0), LP: Farnsworth (0-3)
KC Home Runs: DeJesus (1), Jacobs (4)
Royals Record: 7-5 / Record in April: 7-5

Lots of blame to go around for this loss. An odd combination of usage by Hillman of Juan Cruz, Ron Mahay, and Kyle Farnsworth. An error by Mike Jacobs late in the game. Not having a good fielding first baseman on the bench to replace Jacobs late in the game. On and on it goes. But the Royals still win the series. On to Cleveland.

Pictures from the K

A friend named Dawn sent me a few photos she took at the K during the Yankee series. Unfortunately, she's a fan of the evil Yankees and she slipped in a photo of Derek Jeter. I am not going to post it here, as you might imagine. But she was even pretty sneaky when taking photos of the ballpark. In the second photo, Jeter's image is on the jumbo tron. Just ignore it.

Game #11

Game Date: April 18, 2009 
Kansas City @ Texas
Royals 2, Rangers 0 / Box Score
WP: Greinke (3-0), LP: Millwood (1-1)
KC Home Runs: Olivo (1)
Royals Record: 7-4 / Record in April: 7-4

Complete domination by Greinke tonight. So much fun to watch. He has now pitched 34 consecutive scoreless innings going back to last season—a new Royals record.

Game #10

Game Date: April 17, 2009 
Kansas City @ Texas
Royals 12, Rangers 3 / Box Score
WP: Meche (1-0), LP: Harrison (0-2)
KC Home Runs: Teahen (1), Crisp (2), Jacobs (3)
Royals Record: 6-4 / Record in April: 6-4

Alex Gordon to Have Hip Surgery

Alex Gordon will have hip surgery tomorrow in Colorado. He has a tear in the labral cartilage in his right hip. The Royals have placed him on the 15-day DL for now.

I’m assuming that Mark Teahen will take over third base in Gordon’s absence and he’ll be fine there. But that means that either Alberto Callaspo or Willie Bloomquist will play second and they can’t replace Teahen’s bat at that position.

Just nine games into the season and we’ve already lost Jose Guillen and Alex Gordon for at least two weeks each. That’s not good.

Poor Hitting and Great Pitching to Begin Season

Nine games into the season, the Royals have won two out of three series. Surprisingly, the season is off to the type of start that many Royals fans were hoping for and expecting.

The offense is short on power, especially with Jose Guillen being out of the lineup. We knew that. The Royals’ seven home runs in the first nine games puts them tied for eleventh in the American League. Take the back up catcher out of the equation and the Royals would have just four home runs. David DeJesus, Mike Aviles, Mark Teahen, Billy Butler, Miguel Olivo, Jose and Guillen are still looking for their first home run of the season.

The Royals are also tied for last in the AL with RBI and runs scored. They are dead last in OBP.

But what the Royals lack in power and ability to score runs, the pitching has made up for—especially the starting pitching. Gil Meche has a 3.21 ERA after two starts. Zack Greinke hasn’t given up a single run in his two starts. Kyle Davies is at 2.13. Sidney Ponson has been adequate with a 4.50 ERA. Horacio Ramirez has been the only problem with a 11.57 ERA.

Out of the pen, Juan Cruz, Jamey Wright, Robinson Tejeda, and Doug Waechter have not allowed a single earned run. Ron Mahay has struggled but I expect him to turn things around. Kyle Farnsworth has been a disaster with a 16.20 ERA in 3.1 IP. And Joakim Soria hasn’t quite been himself, but he still has a 2.25 ERA with four saves.

Overall, the Royals are second in American League with a 3.26 ERA. And second with BAA of .237.

John Buck has been a pleasant surprise and if he continues to be hot, he’ll probably see quite a few ABs—either as the catcher or DH.

Beyond Farnsworth, the disappointments have been Alex Gordon (hitting just .095), Teahen (0 HR, 2 RBI), and Butler (just 4-for-26, 0 HR and 1 RBI). You could also throw in Aviles (0 HR, 2 RBI, .235 AVG). Nine games into the season is too early to panic, or to even come to any real conclusions, but getting off to such a slow start can’t help their confidence.

The Royals are off today. They open a new series in Texas tomorrow night.