Tonight we continue an exciting new venture for Kings of Kauffman and its podcast, the Royalman Report.

Jeff Logan of the Kansas City Baseball Historical Society joins forces with us to form the Kansas City Baseball Vault on Kansas City’s ESPN 1510 AM from 6-7 p.m. every Thursday night. Listeners can tune into traditional radio or streaming live on 1510.com.

We have a huge show this week, packed with guests.

First, Mayor Sly James will talk with us about pulling off the 2012 MLB All-Star Game in Kansas City, what it means for KC and everything involved with it.

We’ll also talk with Curt Nelson, the director of the Royals Hall of Fame. He’s the man who retrieved Mark Trumbo‘s rooftop shot in the Home Run Derby and also hosted thousands of guests during All-Star Weekend.

Nelson actually called our third guest, George Toma, to let him know that he’d been elected into the Royals Hall of Fame. We’ve talked with Mr. Toma before and it’s our pleasure to do so again.

Finally, we’ll speak with the voice of Kauffman Stadium, Mike McCartney about his role in making the All-Star Game a success.

Follow the Kansas City Baseball Vault on Twitter and Facebook for future programming updates. Also follow Kings of Kauffman for article updates, discussion and other information.

July 10, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; American League infielder Robinson Cano (right) of the New York Yankees shakes hands with Billy Butler (left) of the Kansas City Royals before the 2012 MLB All Star Game at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken/USA TODAY Sports via US PRESSWIRE

Trenni Kusnierek hinted at it in her very good article earlier today, but I’d like to expand on it a little bit. We all know now that at the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game Robinson Cano was booed by Royals fans for reneging on his word to put a Royal on the Home Run Derby team. Predictably, the media and fans around the country called Royals fans classless and rude while never understanding the extent of the story—most thought the booing came from Billy Butler’s absence rather than Cano’s lie.

It was nice to see some more well informed journalists point out the national media and fans’ error in blame by making a case that it is more treacherous to be dishonest than to vocalize your displeasure with that dishonesty. But I’d like to point out why the sense of outrage took place, and it’s something that Royals fans are all too familiar with.

Kusnierek points out in her article that if the situation were different perception would be different. If a Royals player had done the same thing to a Philadelphia or New York player in Philidelphia or New York, those fans would have destroyed that Royals player, and the national media wouldn’t have said a word about it. The message the national media and fans were really sending to the Royals faithful with their backlash is “know your place.”

It’s perfectly fine for Phillies fans to be passionate for their team. It’s a crime for the Royals faithful to do the same. Why? Because we’re suppose to be the doormats. Doormats do not speak out about being walked out. They do not protest their role as a cleaner of the feet of the social elite. They do their jobs quietly.

At its essence, this is a conflict about the power structure of Major League Baseball, one that seems to hold the major markets up and the small markets in a position to serve them dutifully. A small part of me wants Kansas City fans to be seen as the bad guys in this drama. It says we no longer accept the role of irrelevant in the baseball culture. To me, those boos voiced the frustration of a culture that continually validates inequity. To me, those Royals fans stand as revolutionaries in a rebellion against all the systemic injustices that helped create 27 years of misery.

One of the standard bearers of this system is dishonesty. Major League Baseball has enacted policies and practices that run contrary to the pronounced goal of an equal playing field and a spirit of honest competition. When Cano voiced his desire to put Butler in the Home Run Derby, he was doing something that felt like a genuine gesture of good will. Going back on that statement amounted to a slap in the face from the rich kid whose dad paid his way through Harvard to the kid working nights to put himself through a state school.

I read people questioning, Did Cano deserve to be booed? My question is what would it say about the Royals nation had they remained silent, suppliant? I’m not sure if Cano is a good dude or not. He may be; he may not be. There’s really no way I can know that.. Everyone in the media seems to think he is because he smiles a lot. I’d smile a lot too if I was a millionaire playing baseball for a living. But he does stand as a representative of the New York Yankees who represent all the worst qualities of Major League Baseball. To simply let him lie to the Royals fan base with no consequences would have been to simply accept a place as a second-class organization meant to serve the interests of the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. To that I say, boo away, boo more often, and take the frustration even further.

This video demonstrates his abilities nicely:

In 1987, Bo hit 22 homers. In 1988, he hit 25.

Bo knows baseball.

At the break in 1989, he had 21 already. He’d stolen 23 bases. Fans made him the top vote-getter. He was a phenom.

As if the legend wasn’t big enough, he built on it by his performance in the game. In the first inning, the National League had already scored twice and had runners on second and third with two outs. Pedro Guerrero hit a flair to left-center, but Bo tracked it down to end the inning.

Then he hit the second pitch from Rick Reuschel about three or four miles – okay not that far, but it was a blast to straight away center. Tony LaRussa had put him at leadoff to get the team started right away. Wade Boggs followed with a homer of his own and a memorable All-Star Game was underway. Vin Scully’s call was fantastic. “Bo Jackson says ‘Hello!’ … He almost hit that out of the state.” President Ronald Reagan was calling the first inning with Scully and suggested that Reagan could fly back to Washington on Bo’s blast.

Bo got another run home by grounding to shortstop with one out and runners on first and third, but he ran it out and kept the inning going while Ruben Sierra scored. Jackson then stole second, becoming the first player to homer and steal a base in an All-Star Game. The throw got away and he advanced to third (though he was stranded).

He singled in his third at bat but was again stranded and struck out in his final at bat (against Mark Davis in an interesting blending of Royals names).

Bo’s efforts helped lead the AL to a 5-3 win and Jackson was the first (and so far only) Royal to be the MVP of the All-Star Game.

After the break, Bo added 11 more homers and finished 1989 with 32 and looked a developing superstar. He added 28 homers in 1990, cut his strike outs and looked to be developing as a player.

Of course, the rest of the story is known by about everyone. Bo injured his hip playing in the NFL and ended up released by the Royals before the 1991 season. He only played 183 games from 1992 to 1994 and was never the same. He’s one of the biggest “what if” players in sports history.

Old memories, meet the new park. (Photo Credit: Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE)

The All-Star Game is at the K for the first time in 39 years. As a 25-year-old, I wasn’t even in existence when the Royals were last in the postseason, let alone for the All-Star Game. Therefore, I can’t even remember a big MLB event at the K. To add insult to injury, I haven’t been to a Royals game since I was roughly 10. I haven’t lived in Kansas City since I was three.

And now I don’t get to be there for the biggest event at the K in 27 years.

It’s not easy being a long-distance fan of any team. You wait patiently for the team to come to your city, if only to see all these guys you’ve heard about. You dish out money to watch the games however you can, and then MLB blacks out games seemingly based on randomly-determined boundaries at times. Other Twitter fans or bloggers attend games, are special guests, meet players, or have at least spent significant time at the home games in the past. But it’s not always like that.

In my lifetime, I think I’ve been to two games at the K. Otherwise, I’ve been to roughly 15 Royals games in Minneapolis and Atlanta. And so, I wanted to attend the All-Star Game, especially since I don’t know when the next big event will take place at the K. But life has other plans, and it doesn’t always work the way you hope.

At this time of year, however, we Royals fans get to finally cheer for something. Like booing Robinson Cano on Monday night or having what many media members called the best crowd that they’d ever seen at a Futures Game, Kansas City fans are baseball fans. They love their Chiefs and their Tigers/Jayhawks/Wildcats/others, but they’re big baseball fans. The World Series in 1985 and the general success of the teams of that era ensured that the city was inundated with baseball fans of all ages. And they’re still around. They’re still baseball fans.

The only problem is that there hasn’t been very much to cheer for.

Well, this is the time to cheer. I already drive around with Royals tags on my car and frequently wear Royals gear, but this is the time we can be even more proud. As long-distance fans, we all get the questions about why in the world we would root for the Royals. I can’t count how many times I get that when other fans realize I bleed Royal blue. But that’s the biggest challenge of all. We’re separated from our team and our stadium, but we’re still fans.

So, this goes out to all the long-distance Royals fans that couldn’t get to Kansas City for the All-Star events or that can’t get to games at the K. It’s to all of you that don’t get to see everyone in person or meet the players you watch and read about. Enjoy the All-Star Game tonight. For once, the K will be on national television. Fox is required to show a game in Kansas City. And it’s all the best playing in the stadium we love. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see the Royals themselves, but, just like the Home Run Derby, it’s the excitement of big baseball in a beautiful big park. It’s baseball in Kansas City.

Have heart, long-distance fans. This is a huge event for Kansas City. It may even rejuvenate the fan presence for games. And, most importantly, it holds us over until the next big event at the K.

Just hope we don’t have to wait another 27 years.

George Brett

In 1978, Brett was two years removed from his first batting title and the key bat in the Royals lineup. At the All-Star break, he was hitting .319/.366/.500 with just four homers, but 28 doubles. In 303 plate appearances, he’d struck out 13 times. Total.

He started the game at third base, batting second behind Rod Carew. Vida Blue was the National League starter.

The AL jumped on Blue right away. Carew led off with a triple and Brett drove him in with a double to left-center. He moved to third on a groundout and scored on a sac fly. In his second time at the plate, Carew had just tripled again off Blue and Brett hit a fly ball to deep left-center and drove him in again.

Steve Rogers faced Brett his third time up but Brett singled. A groundout concluded Brett’s day in his fourth at bat. The final line was 2-3 with a double, two RBI and a run scored. Not too bad.

In 1983, Brett again got the start at third base after starting the year off on a tear. He had missed three weeks in June, but his .364/.447/.701 line with 14 homers was enough to get the votes. He’d been back in action for about a week before the All-Star break, just in time to take part.

Brett came up in the first with the bases loaded after a single, walk and error put Carew, Fred Lynn and Jim Rice on base. Brett hit a sacrifice fly to get Carew home. In the third inning, Brett followed a Rice homer off Atlee Hammaker with a triple. He scored on a single by Dave Winfield.

He fouled out and struck out his next two times up, but doubled of Lee Smith in his last at bat and scored. The day ended with Brett going 2-4 with a double, triple, two runs scored and the RBI sac fly.

Neither game earned Brett MVP honors, but he was a key figure in both games. Brett never won an All-Star MVP award. That would go to another Royal…

Kauffman Stadium and the Kansas City Royals take center stage this weekend and here is a quick guide for you the visitors. Photo Credit: Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

Outside of fan fest we hope that you get a chance to check out our fine city which includes going to the Power & Light District downtown, check out the college basketball experience. See the Plaza and Westport in addition to checking out any of the fine places to eat.

Sunday you’ll want to check out the futures game where you can check out the best young talent in the game and stay for the celebrity softball game following. Monday is the annual AL/NL workout day at the K before the homerun derby.

On Tuesday night, baseball looks to Kansas City and it’s our time to shine. If you’re going to the 2012 MLB All-Star Game, here’s a quick primer on Kauffman Stadium. Gone is the grass that used to be around the fountains in the outfield. After renovations, outfield seating had been expanded to include more great seats.

If you want familiarize yourself with the franchise’s history (which I strongly suggest that you do) visit the Royals Hall of Fame located in leftfield. After the tour in rightfield we’ve got Rivals, a sportsbar that you can cool down with food and drinks.

Mike McCarthy is the silky smooth voice of Kauffman Stadium and you’ll be hearing him all night long. Before hearing anything you’ll probably notice crown vision in centerfield aka the big crown video board. It’s one of the biggest video boards in the country and can be seen no matter where you are (unless you’re in the outfield experience somewhere which is a tad harder)

Between innings we’ve got a few things that might not be done in other ballparks so they might be KC-centric. Our in-game race features the hot dog derby where three contestants start from the RF bullpen and end in front of the Royals/AL dugout dressed as Ketchup, Mustard and Relish.

Sluggerrr and his mascot buddies will also be at the K for the All-Star Game. Photo Credit: John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE

Over the last five seasons or so more teams have added in-stadium cheerleaders if you will and we’re no different. We call our ladies the K Crew and they will hopefully be leading you to root on the AL, sing the 7^th inning stretch plus will be around the stadium should you have any questions.

Sluggerrr will be another friendly face as he plays host to his other mascot friends over the weekend. We like out lion and consider him the king of the jungle when it comes to others in MLB, so be on the lookout for him being active from interacting or shooting off t-shirts/hot dogs.

A second in-game feature occurs after the top of the sixth inning when Garth Brooks “Friends in Low Places” plays, featuring a video of Brooks in a Royals jersey. Many KC fans will sway and sing along. If you don’t know the words they are displayed on screen. Honestly, the song might be a bit tired but many seem to still enjoy it when it plays at the stadium.

I highly suggest that during the game you take advantage of the concourses and walk around the stadium to check out the view from behind the fountains in the outfield. The K is known for its outfield fountain display and you should check out the view if you’ve never been to our beautiful stadium.

While walking around you’ll notice that we’ve got a little bit of everything in terms of food selection. Of course the stadium had the ballpark essentials and being KC we’ve got BBQ covered. However, if you want other options we’ve got that covered with out of market food. May we suggest that you enjoy a local brew of Boulevard from right here in Kansas City.

Another food option is the .390 Bar & Grill located on the lodge level of the K which is an AC option should you decide to get out of the heat. 390 is a celebrated number for us as our HOF’r George Brett came close to Ted Williams 400 batting average. One last thing to experience in the stadium is the outfield experience which has several kid friendly things, such as the little K, carousal, face painting and a few other options.

Following the game, another tradition features the song “Kansas City”. When the Royals win at Kauffman Stadium (which hasn’t been as often as we want), you’ll hear the Beatles Kansas City playing the team off. On the flipside, after a loss Wilbert Harrison’s slower version is played.

I think that covers pretty much everything that a first-time visitor will be experiencing at Kauffman Stadium. We hope that you like the experience and find our fans to be courteous and welcoming. Hopefully, we’ll see you back in October soon (one of these years) for a playoff series against our Boys in Blue.

Bret Saberhagen. Incidentally, this was my favorite Topps card design growing up.

Saberhagen set the tone early, starting for the American League All-Stars and going three shutout innings in a game that didn’t see a score until the top of the 13^th.

1987 was Saberhagen’s first All-Star game as he started to build an impressive resume as a young starter for the Royals. He’d already won the Cy Young Award in 1985 and followed that up with a World Series MVP award as well. He’d add another All-Star appearance in 1990, another Cy Young Award in 1989 (as well as a Gold Glove) and threw a no-hitter in 1991.

In  the first half of 1987, Saberhagen pitched 149.2 innings, including 11 complete games (3 shutouts) in 18 starts. His ERA stood at 2.47 by the time the All-Star Game came around. With a 15-3 record, he was worthy of the starting spot in the exhibition.

Eric Davis lead off against Saberhagen with a groundout to short. Ryne Sandberg grounded out as well, this time to third. The only hit Saberhagen gave up was to Andre Dawson who doubled down the left field line, but was stranded after another groundout, this time by Mike Schmidt.

Not bad.

In the second inning, Will Clark led off with a pop out to first and Daryl Strawberry and Gary Carter both grounded out, Strawberry to second, Carter to shortstop.

By this point, Saberhagen and National League starter Mike Scott were going inning for inning and Saberhagen stepped to the mound with the game still scoreless. Ozzie Smith lined out to left and Scott was pulled for pinch-hitter Tony Gwynn who grounded out to short. Eric Davis grounded out for a second time against Saberhagen to end the inning and end Saberhagen’s outing.

The final line was three innings, one hit and seven ground outs.

Saberhagen’s final numbers looked fine, but he had rough patches the rest of the 1987 season. His first start after the break was rough. He made it through 3.1 innings against Cleveland on July 20, giving up six runs and he had more rough starts in the second half (2^nd half stats), finishing with a 3.36 ERA in 257 innings. He still had four complete games in the second half and added a shutout.

So I started looking back, year by year, at old All-Star games to see how the Royals have done in the past and I came up with ten notable performances. Five of those stand out as very good, but here, I want to glance at five that were solid, though maybe lacking in impact of the game or in Royals history. The All-Star Game is where some stars shine brighter and it’s always great to see your team’s representative(s) doing well on that stage.

1972 – Cookie Rojas

Rojas was coming off of an All-Star year in 1971 where he’d hit .300 and appeared in his first All-Star Game as a Royal. In 1972, he was a reserve and entered the game in the top of the eighth inning. Pinch-hitting for Rod Carew and with Carlton Fisk on first, Rojas homered to left to put the American League up 3-2.

He looked primed to be named the MVP of the game, but Wilbur Wood came in for the bottom of the ninth and gave up a tying run and the National League won in the bottom of the tenth.

Rojas went on to play in two more All-Star Games in 1973 and 1974 in the latter stages of his baseball career.

1990 – Bret Saberhagen

Bret Saberhagen.

Saberhagen was coming off of a Cy Young season in 1989 and made the All-Star team in 1990 with a 2.98 ERA in 121 innings.

He threw two perfect innings, facing Chris Sabo, Mike Scioscia and Barry Bonds in the first inning, striking out Scioscia. In his second inning of work, Saberhagen got flyouts from Shawon Dunston, Lenny Dykstra and Ryne Sandberg. In the following inning, Julio Franco drove in two to break a 0-0 tie and Saberhagen ended up being the pitcher of record and the first Royal to be named the winner of an All-Star Game.

The honor came with a price – Saberhagen made only three more starts in 1990 due to ligament damage in his right elbow. He made his first post-ASG start on July 15 but didn’t resurface until September.

1986 – Frank White

Frank White.

In 1986, the All-Star Game was in the Astrodome, and for the second time ever, featured a Royals manager as Dick Howser led the American League squad after winning the World Series in 1985.

George Brett was selected as a reserve, but due to injury didn’t play in the game.

That left White as the only Royal to represent the World Champion Royals. Earlier in the game, Lou Whitaker, the starting second baseman for the AL, had homered off of Dwight Gooden. White replaced him in the seventh inning and hit a homer of his own off of Mike Scott. White got another at bat in the ninth but flied out against Mike Krukow.

White was an All-Star five times, but 1986 was his final selection. The home run was his only hit as an All-Star in seven at bats.

2009 – Zack Greinke

Zack Greinke in the 2009 All-Star Game. Photo Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

2009 was a special year. The Royals started out 18-11 and were three games up in the AL Central in early May. While that success eventually faded, Zack Greinke made every fifth day an event.

Greinke started the year by giving up just four earned runs in his first 60 innings pitched en route to one of the best pitching seasons in Royals history. As the All-Star Game approached, it looked like Greinke could be the game’s starter in St. Louis but Roy Halladay started instead.

Nonetheless, when Greinke’s turn came up, he flashed the same brilliance he’d shown in the regular season.

He only threw one inning, and it’s difficult to judge an All-Star Game performance on just one inning, but he started out by inducing a weak foul out from Raul Ibanez to third on the first pitch then striking out David Wright on a 1-2 pitch (looking) and finishing off a perfect inning by getting Shane Victorino on a 1-2 pitch on his own for a second strikeout.

Greinke of course went on to win the AL Cy Young Award after 229.1 innings with a 2.16 ERA.

1995 – Kevin Appier

Kevin Appier.

Despite being one of the best pitchers in the 1990s, this was Kevin Appier’s only All-Star selection. Despite surpassing a 100 ERA+ every year from 1990 to 1997, and being the best candidate for the 1993 Cy Young Award, Appier never got the recognition he deserved.

In 1995, he made his one shot count.

Appier had a 3.04 ERA in 121 innings going into the All-Star Game and came into the game after Randy Johnson started for the AL and dominated. In the third inning, he retired Barry Larkin, struck out Vinnie Castilla and finished off Craig Biggio, then continued into the fourth, mowing down Lenny Dykstra, Tony Gwynn and Barry Bonds. That’s four Hall of Famers (or deserving Hall of Famers) and two of the best of the early 90s in that group, and Appier cut them all down in order.

Every batter but Castilla grounded out, in Appier’s impressive showing.

Appier faded a bit as the season wore on, finishing with 201.1 innings and a 3.89 ERA, but he was still one of the best starters that year.

These are performances worth pointing out, but I’ve decided on five performances by Royals in the All-Star Game that stand out even better.

Tonight we continue an exciting new venture for Kings of Kauffman and its podcast, the Royalman Report.

Jeff Logan of the Kansas City Baseball Historical Society joins forces with us to form the Kansas City Baseball Vault on Kansas City’s ESPN 1510 AM from 6-7 p.m. every Thursday night. Listeners can tune into traditional radio or streaming live on 1510.com.

There is a ton of stuff going on in Kansas City right now and for obvious reasons. The 2012 MLB All-Star Game is just around the corner and Kansas City is the center of it all.

Tonight, we’ll talk to Bob Kendrick, the president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum about events at the museum for All-Star weekend (including the Baseball Prospectus/Royalman Report event on July 8). Bob is always a joy to talk to and he should share a story or two about the Monarchs while we have him on.

We’ll also talk with Bud Daley, the A’s All-Star in 1960 when the game was held at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City.

Finally, we’ll have some audio from the media tour of FanFest at the Kansas City Convention Center from earlier on Thursday morning that features Hall of Famer and 13 time All-Star George Brett.

Just like last week, we plan to have a trivia question and a giveaway, so be sure to listen in. Last week, listeners won free ticket packages to go see the Kansas City T-Bones. You like winning things, right? That trivia question can happen any time, so you have to listen to be ready.

Follow the Kansas City Baseball Vault on Twitter and Facebook for future programming updates. Also follow Kings of Kauffman for article updates, discussion and other information.

Let me explain.  A South Carolina resident who visits Kansas City and orders Pulled Pork with mustard BBQ sauce, hash, and Brunswick Stew (South Carolina & Georgia specialties) will be disappointed at almost any restaurant.  A Kansas City tourist visiting Texas’ BBQ Mecca in Lockhart who orders hickory smoked ribs will no doubt think Texans have no idea how to make barbeque.  A Texan looking for tender mesquite smoked brisket and pinto beans in Memphis will come up empty handed.  Someone from Memphis looking for dry rub…  well, you get the picture.  BBQ means different things to different people and you need to understand the specialty of each area if you want the best experience during your visit.

A few of the All Stars of Kansas City BBQ

There is a variety of great BBQ in Kansas City and no doubt you can find a few local restaurants that can smoke brisket with the best of the Texas Que joints, there are a few places with noteworthy pulled pork, and you might find some dry rub someplace, but I recommend you try a different approach.  When in Rome, do as the Romans.  If you’re in Kansas City for an All Star visit, let go of your BBQ inhibitions and indulge in the local specialty.  You absolutely must try the ribs.

Your first stop has to be the original Arthur Bryants at 17^th and Brooklyn just a few blocks from the Negro Leagues Museum, one of John Madden’s favorite haunts, and the restaurant Calvin Trillin of the New Yorker famously called, “possibly the single best restaurant in the world.”  The sandwiches of beef or ham or sausage are magnificent huge stacks of smoky meat, but don’t be swayed.  The big thick long or short end ribs are the stuff that dreams are made of.  So get in line, grab a plate, and be ready to order through the window while you watch the king-of-all-ribs chopped and wrapped in old school butcher paper.  Be sure to get a side of fresh cut fries.  And don’t forget to try the oh-so-vinegary original sauce, which is a bit of an acquired taste, but a must have for all visitors. No other restaurant has contributed more to the BBQ legacy of Kansas City than this one.

Another very popular heavy-weight of Kansas City BBQ is Oklahoma Joes, located in the sweetest smelling gas station on earth at 47^th and Mission Rd.  Named after the smoker the owners used in the American Royal BBQ competitions over 20 years ago, their ribs are the equal of Arthur Bryants and a proud representative of a KC tradition.  Be prepared to wait in a long line, I promise you won’t be the only fans checking out Oklahoma Joes during All Star week.

If you are unable to travel far from the stadium during your All Star visit, consider checking out LC’s BBQ at 5800 Blue Parkway.  With a 93% approval rating on Roadfood.com and 91% on Urbanspoon.com, this place is a little off the beaten path, but well worth the trouble to hunt it down.  With mismatched tables and styrofoam boxes for plates, LC’s defines the expression “greasy spoon.”  Their spoons may be greasy, but their BBQ pit is a little bit of heaven.

If you’re looking for something a little more upscale, you’ll want to try Fiorella’s Jack Stack BBQ at any of four locations complete with table clothes and actual waiters rather than a serving counter.  How many BBQ joints have you visited that are highly rated by Zagat’s?  In addition to the awesome ribs, you must try the delicious cheesy corn bake, and my favorite hickory pit beans.  Just be sure you’re prepared for a little sticker shock when the bill arrives, Jack Stack is a tiny bit pricier than it’s downscale cousins in KC.

It would be virtually impossible to name all the great BBQ ribs in Kansas City in one short article, but I’ll at least mention a few of my honorable mention locations:  Gate’s BBQ (my Dad’s personal favorite), BB’s Lawnside BBQ (check out the made from scratch raisin and vanilla bread pudding drizzled with sweet bourbon sauce – yummy!), Rosedale BBQ (my son’s favorite BBQ sauce), and Danny Edwards Boulevard BBQ (the successor to the legendary Jake’s Eat It and Beat It BBQ).  One thing I can tell you for certain, no matter which one you choose, you’re sure to have an All Star BBQ experience.

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Any time Jonathan Sanchez has taken the mound this year it has been a guaranteed frustrating outing, and today was no different.

Sanchez walked six batters in just 4 1/3 innings of work while allowing 10 hits and 6 runs today, all earned. In a month that set up prime for the Royals to make a run at the AL Central lead, Sanchez has thrown 21 innings and given up 27 hits, 18 walks, 16 earned runs, and struck out just 14. Ouch.

A stretch of stats that’s normally reserved for the Mac Suzuki’s or, gulp, Luke Hochevar’s* of the world, Sanchez’s lack of production and perceived lack of desire or care has turned him into public enemy No. 1. With good reason. Each passing day that Melky Cabrera continues to perform above expectations, the once-justifiable trade turns more and more into a disappointing laugher. A laugher, in which the only real “win” for the Royals at this point, would appear to be a release of the left-hander.

*I know, he’s pitched better of late. His career numbers are still pretty ugly.

But that can’t quite happen, really.

One glaring weakness of the Royals roster is the starting rotation, and while a replacement in Everett Teaford, Nate Adcock, Vin Mazzaro, or others, might seem to be a viable alternative to the struggling Sanchez at this point, all of those arms will be needed to help out a struggling bullpen that’s being asked to take on a load that no other bullpen in baseball is being asked to do. For the time being, the best option for the Royals may be to wait and hope that Sanchez can turn things around.

Of course, that sentence changes, if they announce a move of Sanchez sometime soon.

Tomorrow the Royals send Bruce Chen to the mound in hopes of splitting the series against the Twins. The bright side after the doubleheader loss is that the Royals have still guaranteed themselves a winning month of at least no worse that 14-12. Rad flags still surround this team, like being outscored this month despite a favorable win-loss record, but back-to-back winning months is something to be proud of.

Also tomorrow the All Star Game rosters will be announced. Alcides Escobar, Billy Butler, and Mike Moustakas all have the numbers to justify their selection at their positions, so it’ll be fun to see if more than the requisite bullpen arm, charity selection, is taken from the Royals.

Jim Nash finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1966 for the Kansas City A’s with a 12-1 record and a 2.06 ERA. He was gracious enough to talk to us about his career and journey to the big leagues on the latest episode of the Vault.

Turns out, a chance discussion with manager Al Dark may have helped him get noticed during spring training and earned him a shot at the majors that year. He covers it in detail on the show.

We also talked to Aaron and Chance from Biking for Baseball – a group who travels by bike across the country and is visiting every big league stadium this season. Between games, they team up with Big Brothers Big Sisters to share baseball with children all over the country. They’re a fun group and doing good things.

After parting with our guests, we argued over Wil Myers, Jake Odorizzi, talked about All Star candidates and Royalman ranted about Jonathan Sanchez.

We’ll be back next week with more discussion of Kansas City baseball, past, present and future on ESPN 1510 Thursday at 6 p.m. CST.

You can catch up on old episodes of the Kansas City Baseball Vault here on Kings of Kauffman. Episodes of the Royalman Report are available on the site as well.

Follow the Kansas City Baseball Vault on Twitter and Facebook for future programming updates. Also follow Kings of Kauffman for article updates, discussion and other information.

Tonight we continue an exciting new venture for Kings of Kauffman and its podcast, the Royalman Report.

Jeff Logan of the Kansas City Baseball Historical Society joins forces with us to form the Kansas City Baseball Vault on Kansas City’s ESPN 1510 AM from 6-7 p.m. every Thursday night. Listeners can tune into traditional radio or streaming live on 1510.com.

Jim Nash pitched for the A’s for four years (two in Kansas City) and put up a 2.95 ERA during that time, finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1966. He’ll talk with us about his time in Kansas City and his career as well as some pitching philosophy.

We’re also going to talk with Adam Kremers and Chase Higgins from Biking for Baseball, a program that combines the love of cross country bicycling, baseball and mentoring within communities. It’s a very interesting project that you can learn more about here.

We’ll also talk a bit about the All-Star Game, the Royals latest series and more.

Just like last week, we plan to have a trivia question and a giveaway, so be sure to listen in. Last week, listeners won free ticket packages to go see the Kansas City T-Bones. You like winning things, right? That trivia question can happen any time, so you have to listen to be ready.

Follow the Kansas City Baseball Vault on Twitter and Facebook for future programming updates. Also follow Kings of Kauffman for article updates, discussion and other information.

All-star picks can be a point of great contention and, in my case, are often embarrassing. This is because I make a lot of my picks based on my gut reaction mixed with a sprinkling of statistical success and often, my picks don’t make a lot of sense. But I’ve decided that I’m not worried about ridicule this year and I’m going to go into this selection process cold and allow you to make the journey with me.* I’m filling out my ballot as I write this. I’m not Buster Olney. I don’t care. Let’s do it. (more…)

For the most part, it has been since the close of the 2011 and the moves of the offseason that has many chomping at the bit. Add in the fact that ESPN will be showing the game to a national audience although that reason is most likely to show off the Angels free agent signings. For Royals fans though, 9 p.m. Friday is Our Time!

Bruce Chen will toe the rubber and lead Kansas City in game one of 162 games this season where hope reigns eternal. Having the team be relevant past the ASG is what we want as long suffering fans and this might finally be the season that we’ve got hope going into September…and dare I say, October.

Waiting for the late night opening pitch will be tough especially since most of the league will have played already. As colleagues on Kings of Kauffman have written, this feels a lot like Christmas Eve waiting to open your presents. The home opener will be similar. If your team opens on the road, it’s like getting two presents.

We can talk about how the team will do later and for the most part it’s how we’ve spent the offseason. Chen versus Jered Weaver looks like a mismatch on paper, but anything can happen between the lines on the first day.

One game won’t make your season, but with high expectations for once, the team with the youngest Opening Day roster just has me chomping at the bit. I don’t need to tell Royals fans that optimism has been lacking since 1985. We had a strike shortened season in 1994 and the 2003 season with a lot of losing bookending all of this.

Tonight at Angels Stadium is Opening Day in my mind because it’s when OUR Kansas City Royals take the field and begin the climb to make us proud. Find your blue, wear it proud, have friends over or go somewhere to watch the game tomorrow night because 2012 is OUR TIME and I’m beyond excited for tonight!

Stay current on all the Kings of Kauffman content and news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or by way of our RSS feed and follow Mike Vamosi on Twitter to be notified each time he posts a story.

In addition, Major League Baseball and the Royals will conduct All-Star Gnome Ticket Hunts in Kansas City and four other cities. The All-Star Gnome Ticket Hunt provides fans an opportunity to locate and keep an All-Star Gnome and win a voucher that can be redeemed for tickets to both MLB All-Star FanFest and Taco Bell All-Star Sunday as well as free registrations into the All-Star Game Charity 5K & Fun Run presented by Nike.

MLB All-Star Week at Kauffman Stadium includes the 83^rd MLB All-Star Game (July 10), Gatorade All-Star Workout Day (July 9) featuring the State Farm Home Run Derby, and Taco Bell All-Star Sunday (July 8), including the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game and the Taco Bell All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game. Also taking place on Sunday is the All-Star Game Charity 5K & Fun Run presented by Nike, a charity run/walk on a baseball-themed route, which will benefit three cancer organizations. MLB All-Star FanFest (July 6-10) will be held at the Kansas City Convention Center.

MLB ALL-STAR FANFEST

MLB All-Star FanFest will transform the Kansas City Convention Center/Bartle Hall into the largest interactive baseball theme park in the world. MLB All-Star FanFest opens on Friday, July 6, and runs through Tuesday, July 10, and provides an unrivaled experience for fans of all ages. Visitors will experience more than 400,000 square feet of baseball fun, with attractions including exhibits from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, batting cages, clinics, free autograph sessions with former Royals, MLB legends and Hall of Famers, memorabilia and much more.

All MLB All-Star FanFest attractions are free with the price of admission, and the only additional costs are for concessions and memorabilia. Tickets are $30 for adults and $25 for children ages 12 and under (children two and under are admitted free), senior citizens and military personnel.

Tickets for MLB All-Star FanFest are sold on a timed-entry basis, providing fans the ability to reserve the day and time of their choice. MLB is also offering several discount options:

• MLB All-Star FanFest Family Pack – $5 off each ticket purchased in packages of four to seven
• Family Value Packs – Four tickets, four Pepsis, four hot dogs all for $110
• ‘Buy One Get One Free Friday’ – Buy one full price ticket on Friday, July 6 and get the second ticket free
• ‘Two for Tuesday’ – Buy two full price tickets for Tuesday, July 10 and get two additional tickets free

TACO BELL ALL-STAR SUNDAY

Fans also will be able to purchase tickets to Taco Bell All-Star Sunday. Single game tickets to Taco Bell All-Star Sunday range from $50 to $175 and include one single admission ticket to MLB All-Star FanFest.

Taco Bell All-Star Sunday includes the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game and the Taco Bell All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game, followed by a spectacular fireworks show to cap off the evening. The SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game showcases many of the top Minor League prospects and has featured Kansas City’s Alex Gordon (2006), Eric Hosmer (2010) and Mike Moustakas (2010). Players who have competed in both the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game and the MLB All-Star Game include Prince Fielder, Zack Greinke, Josh Hamilton, Felix Hernandez, Troy Tulowitzki and Justin Verlander.

The 2012 Taco Bell All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game will feature stars from film, music, television and entertainment teaming up with Hall of Famers and former Kansas City stars immediately following the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game. Past celebrity participants have included Jon Hamm, Jimmy Kimmel, George Lopez, Chris Rock, Jordin Sparks and Kate Upton. The game has also featured a collection of Hall of Famers including Ernie Banks, Rollie Fingers, Goose Gossage, George Brett, Rickey Henderson, Paul Molitor, Ozzie Smith and Dave Winfield.

ALL-STAR GNOME TICKET HUNT

To celebrate MLB All-Star FanFest and Taco Bell All-Star Sunday tickets going on sale, MLB is excited to announce the All-Star Gnome Ticket Hunt which will take place in five cities throughout March. Starting in Kansas City, the All-Star Gnome Ticket Hunt will allow fans to search for an All-Star Gnome and win a prize package.

The Kansas City All-Star Gnome Ticket Hunt will begin at approximately Noon CT on Saturday, March 3,when a series of All-Star Gnome location clues will be released through the All-Star Game Twitter account (@AllStarGame) and the Royals Twitter account (@Royals).

The first eligible fan that finds an All-Star Gnome will get to keep the commemorative product and will also receive a voucher for four tickets to MLB All-Star FanFest, four tickets to Taco Bell All-Star Sunday and four free registrations into the All-Star Game Charity 5K & Fun Run presented by Nike.

The Kansas City All-Star Gnome Ticket Hunt will be open to Missouri and Kansas residents 18 years of age or older. The clues for Kansas City will begin posting at approximately Noon local time on March 3.

Additional All-Star Gnome Ticket Hunts (which are open to residents of the respective states) will be held in the following cities on the following dates:

• Greater Omaha, Nebraska, Saturday, March 10
• Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, March 11
• Wichita, Kansas, Sunday, March 18
• Surprise, Arizona, Tuesday, March 20

For the Omaha, Des Moines and Wichita promotions, clues will be posted starting at approximately 10 a.m. local time on the respective dates. In Surprise, clues will be posted starting at approximately 11 a.m. local time on March 20.

For more MLB All-Star Week information, please visit AllStarGame.com and the All-Star Game Twitter account (@AllStarGame).

Outfielders Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays and Matt Kemp from the Los Angeles Dodgers led their respective leagues in balloting for Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game as conducted by members of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance and announced today.

Bautista, who has an American League-leading 1.133 OPS to go along with his 24 home runs, was named on 50 ballots, not including one ballot that placed him at third base.  Bautista was joined in the outfield by Curtis Granderson of the New York Yankees, who received 48 votes, and Jacoby Ellsbury of the Boston Red Sox, who tallied 23 votes.

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