The Reviews Are In

Horrific. Nauseating. Repulsive. These are the words once used to describe audience reaction to my performance as the leading man (thanks a lot Mom – it still hurts) in a Norman Elementary School second grade production of “Come Back Little Sheba.” Hey, I’ll admit my interpretation of recovering alcoholic Doc Delaney may not have been as rich and nuanced as Bert Lancaster’s in the 1952 screen version. But I was only seven years old. And in my defense, I’d never actually seen any alcoholic “recover” before (no Mom, I won’t forget the case of Beefeaters next week when I visit you at the nursing home).

Speaking of horrific, how bout them Royals? Hey, I know the old adage is true. The game becomes much easier, the further you are away from the field. And sitting on my sofa in Tampa is pretty far away from Kaufman Stadium. But these Royals are getting as painful to follow as those epic Buddy Bell led teams, an era I prefer to keep stuffed down, buried deep in my subconscious, along with my theatrical reviews.

Anyway, good thing we have Trey Hillman, “…exactly what our organization needs at this point in time”, according to Dayton Moore. No really, I’m not making this up. Royals management has often been described as delusional. Hard to argue otherwise, given that ludicrous statement.

I have a lot of optimism for the Royals future (so what else is new?). We have some talent in the minors, and some key pieces already in place. There is little doubt that Hillman is on his way out. If not soon, definitely by the end of the season. Perhaps what Moore really means is that the Royals organization needs a sacrificial lamb. Why make the sacrifice any sooner than necessary? That will only make the wolves hungry for more, and we all know who’s next on that list.

The fans want to see some trades of veterans for prospects. If nothing else, room must be made for Ka’aihue and Maier (once Ankiel is mended) to get a substantial amount of consistent playing time. This year should be devoted to thoughts of the future. Otherwise, it will be another total loss.