It has been an interesting ride thus far for Kansas City Royals left fielder Alex Gordon.
When the Royals drafted Alex Jonathan Gordon in the first round of the 2005 MLB Draft, much was expected out of the former University of Nebraska star. Gordon didn’t disappoint during his first season down in AA Wichita, putting up ridiculous numbers with the Wichita Wranglers: 130 games, 486 AB, 111 runs, .324 BA, 29 HR, 101 RBI, 22 SB, 72 BB, .588 SLG.
Gordon continued his impressive stint in the KC farm system before making his major league debut on Opening Day 2007 against Curt Schilling and the Boston Red Sox. Unfortunately for Gordon, he struck out against the future Hall of Famer with the bases loaded. For the next four years, he was never able to recover. Read more... (382 words, 2 images, estimated 1:32 mins reading time)
If you ever wanted to learn the most affective way to bruise a young major league pitcher’s ego, just take notes from Ned Yost.
The Kansas City Royals manager isn’t the most popular guy in town right now, one day removed from his ball club’s merciless 19-1 beatdown at the hands of the Cleveland Indians. But people aren’t criticizing Yost for the shellacking his team took, they are upset about the fact that he left relief pitcher Vin Mazzaro out to dry for a 10-run inning during the game. That was just the fourth inning. To follow it up, the 24-year-old Mazzaro had to come back out onto the mound where he would give up four more. Read more... (317 words, estimated 1:16 mins reading time)
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Vin Mazzaro Gives Up 14 Runs in Royals’ Loss
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I’ve never been one to rain on a professional athlete’s parade, but I have to let the loose the torrential downpour on Mike Sweeney.
Now, this isn’t easy for me since I’ve been a huge Sweeney fan throughout his entire career, but he’s committed the ultimate sin as a professional athlete: He signed a one-day contract.
I fully understand the intent of wanting to end your career exactly where it began, but the truth of the matter is, no matter what the record books say, Sweeney ended his career as a bench warmer for the Philadelphia Phillies. That’s not to say that Sweeney can’t still be a productive player (he actually received several offers from teams to play this season), but he just because you sign a piece of paper doesn’t mean that you actually retire as a Royal. Read more... (297 words, estimated 1:11 mins reading time)
The Royals made big news more for who they let go rather than who they acquired. The team traded Zach Greinke away with Betancourt for 4 players. It is a huge loss for the Royals bullpen, which has suffered from strength anemia for years. The Royals picked up Melky Cabrera and Jeff Francis, but both of these players are risky options at best. They picked up Jeff Francouer, but he has been an up and down player for every team he has been on thus far. The Royals didn’t make any moves that will move them out of the MLB basement and in fact, they may have guaranteed that they stay there with the loss of Greinke. Read more... (489 words, 1 image, estimated 1:57 mins reading time)
I am really trying to make sense of the Brave pick ups at the trade deadline. They traded with the Royals for Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth giving the Royals pitcher Jesse Chavez, outfielder Gregor Blanco, and minor league pitcher Tim Collins. The Atlanta players traded away don’t bother me, it’s what the Braves got back. What exactly did they get anyway??
Farnswsorth maybe I get, a little. He is 34 years old. For 2010 with the Royals, he has come into 37 games in relief. He has pitched a total of 44 innings for 2010. His ER A for 2010 is 2.42 and he is 3-0 in the wins/losses column. He has 12 ER, 2HR, 12 BB, and 36 K’s. So, as a middle reliever, he may be very useful down the stretch as long as he stays healthy. Read more... (403 words, 1 image, estimated 1:37 mins reading time)
Regardless of how many no-hitters get thrown before the year is out, don’t try telling the Kansas City Royals that this is the Year of the Pitcher.
While Matt Garza was throwing his gem last night, the Royals sent their 2009 Cy Young Award winner Zach Greinke to the mound against the Minnesota Twins. The good news was that Greinke struck out seven. The bad news was that he also got pounded for eight runs in four innings.
photo credit: andyphelan45
Don’t try to tell the Kansas City Royals that it’s the Year of the Pitcher.
The bullpen threw gasoline on the fire, and the final tally was a whopping 19-1 trouncing by the Twins. Only a ninth-inning run prevented it from being the most lopsided shutout in three decade of Royals baseball. Read more... (373 words, 2 images, estimated 1:30 mins reading time)
Washington Nationals prospect Steve Strasburg has absolutely been living up to the hype in the minor leagues thus far this season. However, his success also has overshadowed another amazing start by a possible future star: Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas.
As a top high school prospect, the California native was selected second overall by Kansas City in the June 2007 amateur draft. His brief cameo in Rookie ball that year revealed little, and his two first full seasons as a minor league were a mixture of promise and mild disappointment. Besides, Alex Gordon looked to be a fixture at third base for years to come at the major league level Read more... (350 words, 2 images, estimated 1:24 mins reading time)
Outrageous. Energetic. Gregarious. Competitive. These are just some of the words that could be used to describe one of the best personalities to ever take to the rubber.
Jose Lima, the man who coined the term “Lima Time” to describe his intense brand of pitching, unexpectedly passed away this past Sunday while asleep in his bed in his Pasadena home. Although the exact cause of death has yet to be determined, on-scene paramedics believed that the 37-year-old died of a heart attack.
Sadly, Lima was present at Dodger Stadium on Friday where was given a rousing ovation when introduced that night. On Sunday, the crowd observed a moment of silence before the first pitch, the flags just beyond center field were at half mast and a video tribute to Lima was played in the sixth inning. Read more... (325 words, estimated 1:18 mins reading time)
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Baseball Loses One of Its Best Personalities
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It took longer than he would have liked (and much longer than the baseball world could have ever anticipated), but Zack Greinke finally has a win under his belt for the 2010 season.
The 2009 American League Cy Young winner had perviously gone winless over his first seven starts before pulling one out last Thursday against the Cleveland Indians. Greinke went six innings, surrendering 3 earned runs on 8 hits and two walks in a 6-4 victory over the Tribe.
Although the critics have had a field day with Greinke’s early struggles, it’s important to remember one thing about the Kansas City ace: he plays for Kansas City. That’s not to say that some of his starts were less than stellar. His poor five inning performance where he gave up six hits and four runs against the Minnesota Twins was rather forgettable. And the start against the Texas Rangers before getting his first win was at best, shaky. Read more... (352 words, 1 image, estimated 1:24 mins reading time)
