May 8, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) and right fielder Brandon Barnes (2) celebrate defeating the Los Angeles Angels in the ninth inning at Minute Maid Park. The Astros won 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Campbell-USA TODAY Sports

Kansas City concludes its six-game road trip in Houston after two series on the west coast through Anaheim and Oakland. The Royals will face the newest American League team in the Astros so we thought it be appropriate to chat with Climbing Tal’s Hill senior editor Greg Thurston.

Kings of Kauffman – How have fans adjusted to new play-by-play voice Robert Ford who use to host the pre and post game on Royals flagship?

Climbing Tal’s Hill – I can’t speak for all fans but I think Ford has done a good job. His delivery is smooth and accurate but he has a few “go to” terms that he repeats too often. I think he will get better with experience and we at CTH like him because he was kind enough to come on our podcast.

KOK – Houston not only is making the jump to the AL but to one of the tougher divisions how are fans adjusting?

CTH – Fans were not at all happy about the move and some have gone as far as boycotting the team. The transition has been tough for both the team and the fans.

KOK – Follow-up to question two, were fans in favor/liking being in the AL long term?

CTH – Short answer: no. But after kicking and screaming in the beginning, I have actually come around. It gives us a chance to see a lot of great teams and players that we didn’t get to see in the National League.

KOK – Who are the starters this coming week and Royals fans should look at?

CTH – Left-hander Dallas Keuchel gets the start on Monday. Keuchel has bounced between AAA and the majors a couple of times this season but has pitched well in his last two starts. Bud Norris is slated to start Tuesday. Norris left his last start with back spasms so it’s hard to say what we should expect from him. If he can’t get deep into the game look for Paul Clemens or Jose Cisnero to work in long relief. Jordan Lyles goes on Wednesday. Since being called up, Lyles has had three decent starts and one bad one. The Astros will be looking for him to get past the fifth inning, something he has yet to do this season.

KOK – Series predictions?

CTH – I’m going to predict the Royals will win games one and three with Guthrie and Shields on the mound. The Astros should be able to take the middle game against Wade Davis.

Here’s the other part of the Q&A at Climbing Tal’s Hill

Pitching Match-ups and game times –

Monday: Jeremy Guthrie v. (5-1, 2.82) v. Dallas Keuchel (0-1, 4.82), 7:05 pm/FSKC & 610 Sports
Tuesday:  Wade Davis (3-3, 5.98) v. Bud Norris (4-4, 4.32), 7:05 pm/FSKC & 610 Sports
Wednesday:  James Shields (2-4, 2.45) v. Jordan Lyles (1-1, 6.63), 7:05 pm/FSKC & 610 Sports

With that in mind, FanSided’s Astros site, Climbing Tal’s Hill, is making the rounds, saying hello, and getting acquainted with American League teams. We offered a few answers to help their fans learn more about the Kansas City Royals, and asked a few questions of our own. Helping out is CTH editor Greg Thurston.

Houston’s an interesting team because they went full rebuild last season, loading up on prospects and young, cheap players. They’re also a team that’s not opposed to new ideas, hiring baseball writers for front office jobs and embracing statistical analysis.

The Royals will take on the Astros for the first time as AL foes on May 20 in Houston. Here’s some background before that matchup:

September 02, 2012; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow before a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

ME: The Astros brought in a guy in Jeffrey Luhnow who isn’t afraid of the stats, but also has a scouting background, then he went and got two baseball writers to join him in Mike Fast and Kevin Goldstein. How’s the fanbase accepting that? Is there a difference among the more casual fans vs those who hang on every bit of info they can find?

GT: There is definitely a big split among the two types of fans. While many of the casual fans have fallen by the wayside, the majority of the hard-core followers have embraced Luhnow as the savior of the franchise. The former regime had been pinching pennies for years in the areas of the draft and player development. Fast and Goldstein are a couple of the more interesting (and some might say risky) hires that Luhnow has made. He also brought in Sig Mejdal from St. Louis as the “Director of Decision Sciences”. The new G.M. is unquestionably an outside of the box thinker and it will be interesting to see how successful his approach turns out to be. If it works we could see a lot of teams adopting more of a “new school” philosophy. If it doesn’t we may see Astros fans jumping from the upper deck at Minute Maid Park.

ME: Part of the rebuild involved turning about any big leaguer into a prospect. That’s a tough process to go through as a fan. How patient with the fanbase be?

GT: True. Bud Norris is about the only veteran player left on the team and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him dealt any day now. Again, the fanbase is pretty much split on this one. There are those who claim to have sworn off the team forever. The rest of us are trying to project a strong facade while deep down inside we are worried that the once successful franchise may have already turned into the Pittsburgh Pirates of the last 20 years.

ME: With that rebuild going on, who are your top five Astros prospects right now?

Feb 21, 2013; Kissimmee, FL, USA; Houston Astros outfielder George Springer during photo day at Osceola County Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

GT: That list is going to vary depending upon who you ask. You asked me, so here’s the official Greg Thurston list of Astros top 5 prospects.

1. George Springer – The Astros first round pick in 2011 is a five tool centerfielder out of the University of Connecticut. Springer finished 2012 at AA and will most likely be headed back there to start the 2013 season. His ascent through the ranks is likely to accelerate and a September callup isn’t out of the question.

2. Jonathan Singleton – If you asked me a couple of months ago I probably would have ranked Singleton number one. The 21-year old first baseman is currently serving a 50-game suspension for marijuana and I’m a little worried that this sort of thing could become a lingering issue. If the youngster is able to learn from his mistake and put it behind him he has a bright future as a left-handed power hitter who can also hit for a high average and defend his position.

3. Carlos Correa – The sky is the limit for the first overall pick in the 2012 draft. The 18-year old shortstop out of Puerto Rico stands 6′ 4″ and weighs 190 pounds. Obviously he is still a few years away from the big leagues, and given his size he could develop into a third baseman before arriving in H-town.

4. Lance McCullers Jr. – McCullers was the 41st player selected in the 2012 draft. Luhnow did a tremendous job by signing both Correa and McCullers and still having enough money to get a couple of outstanding prospects later in the draft. The son of a former big league pitcher, McCullers is only 19 and was a man among boys in high school in the Tampa area.

5. Delino DeShields Jr. – Another son of a former big leaguer, DeShields racked up more than 100 stolen bases in the minors last season. The 20-year old second baseman will start the season at High-A.

ME: Switching leagues doesn’t happen that often. How do you see the Astros responding this year and over the next few years?

GT: It looks like it’s going to be another long season for Astros fans. Although the roster appears to have more talent than last year, I think the league change will prove to be a difficult transition. New manager Bo Porter seems like the type of guy who is going to demand his players give their best at all times. I think Porter will quickly weed out any bad seeds and the team will be able to turn the corner and show some improvement in the win column in 2014.

ME: What timeframe is the organization looking at to get back into playoff conversations?

GT: With three of those top five prospects still a few years away from the majors it looks like it could be a while. But if they all pan out and ownership decides to spend some money on free agents the ‘Stros could become contenders as early as 2016.

And as the Royals fade into oblivion yet again, there are rumors (aren’t there always?) that Dayton Moore is in talks with just about every team, about every player, as the trade deadline approaches. Of course, with those rumors always comes the caveat that the Royals need to be compelled to trade any of their players.

Yeah, because as this roster is currently constructed, contention is imminent, and trading players would negatively affect the future.

Aside from the obvious reasons to not hang on to a mostly untalented roster, there’s a stiff breeze blowing from the south from a franchise that’s wide-open for trading business, and looks intent on sending everything packing that’s not bolted firmly to the floor.

Jeff Luhnow took over the Houston Astros’ GM position in December – leaving the Cardinals organization and being a major player in their rising success over the past few years – and immediately became the (new) jewel of the saber-community eye. He interviewed Keith Law. He hired Mike Fast.* He immediately started unloading his over-valued, over-priced players nearing the end of their contracts.

*An admitted Royals fan. Poor guy.

And as this season’s trade deadline is nearing, the Astros have traded their closer (ahem), their first baseman, their third baseman, and their best starting pitcher. What each deal brought in return doesn’t matter as much as the reasons for doing so.

The Astros are a bad team, and holding on to players who a) can easily be replaced by a minor leaguer (Chris Johnson) b) serve little purpose on a losing ball club (Brett Myers) or c) just aren’t that good anymore past their recognizable name, would be a huge mistake (Carlos Lee). Huge.

Granted, where the Astros are in their process of rebuilding is (presumably, at least in narrative) different than where the Royals currently are in theirs. But the correlation between each of those causes for trades with Houston and Luhnow serves as a stark reminder of the missteps so far with Dayton Moore during his regime, and ones that hopefully he’s not repeating as the clock ends the deadline tomorrow.

A)   Jeff Francoeur, Yuniesky Betancourt: two players currently on the roster that can, and most assuredly would, be more than adequately replaced by younger, cheaper players currently in Triple-A. Of course, at this point, another team would have to want either of these players, and there’s little reason to think any objective mind would care to have Francoeur wounded-giraffing his way around their outfield and swinging at everything that moves at the plate, or Betancourt Betancourting everywhere.

B)   Jonathan Broxton, or, Joakim Soria redux: the “closer” is a largely overrated role on a pitching staff anyway, but especially one on a regime that has yet to finish a season less than 10 games under .500. There’s no place for Broxton on this team anymore, given how bad that been over the past month-plus, and now would be the ideal time to find out if Aaron Crow, Greg Holland, Tim Collins, or Kelvin Herrera can step in to fill the role in order to prepare for next season.

C)   Jeff Francoeur, again: this one is just too easy.  Francoeur at this point in his career is quite possibly the worst everyday player in baseball. His negative 1.7 fWAR is the lowest in the major leagues, and there’s no amount of contrived leadership or naked batting practice that can make up for that. The contract offered to Francoeur was a mistake then, and remains a beacon for the reason teams should never pay for a player coming off a career year, before his positional market establishes. Dayton Moore beat the market to the punch when he signed Francoeur to his 2 year, $13MM deal, and the market punched back with a right-hook from hell.

If the Royals really wanted to be daring they would take this opportunity of over-valued relievers, and float the idea of a Broxton-plus package that consisted of both he and one of the other very cheap, and very young, bullpen arms.

Losing Holland, Collins, Herrera, or Crow could be a tough pill to swallow simply from a salary stand point, but there’s few other players currently on the roster that the Royals could flip in exchange for actual talent, and not have it be a major setback to the overall goal.

No matter the case, whether the Royals choose to be daring or practical as the final hours of the deadline approach, they cannot afford to stand-pat. Patience in The Process has been preached each year at this time, and because of that, moves that could have made a dramatic impact on the roster haven’t been done.

For this season, one in which more questions were raised than answers given, it would be nice if the Royals took a page out of the Houston playbook and made a concerted effort to trade everyone that doesn’t look to figure into the 2013 roster plans.

The Good

Well, um, there’s…well there’s…and there’s…

Billy Butler was named AL Player of the Week? Yeah, I guess that works. In his last 21 games Butler has been – well he’s been Billy Butler.

If it weren’t for Butler (.378/.440/.561 in his last 21 games) and Alex Gordon (.352/.406/.473 in his last 21 games) there would be little reason to watch the Royals on a nightly basis. Heck, probably even a weekly basis.

The Bad

Where’s a good place to start? The Royals have lost 21 of their last 27 games and the optimizing that was brewing at the start of June, has quickly faded back to the normal KC-fan despondence. The Twins, whom all Royals fans got pleasure in (finally) being able to mock to start the season, have climbed ahead of the Royals in the standings by slugging their way to victories despite missing Justin Morneau and Trevor Plouffe for a handful of games.

Yes, Buddy Bell was right.

Is there anything to look forward to? Heck, who knows? The quick answer would be “yes” because with each passing day the Royals are that much closer to calling up Wil Myers, but because that roster move has been inexplicably put-off for over a month now, it’s more likely that it won’t happen until September.

The Royals keep using the argument that a spot needs to be created for Myers before he can make his trek to Kansas City, but when the player he’s replacing is Jeff Francoeur, that would be like a TV network saying they just can’t find a place for the new Louis C.K. pilot because they already have ‘Whitney’ in that time slot. A change is a necessity, not a burden.

The Upcoming

The Royals next six games are against a Cleveland team that’s looking to unload some of its veteran, high-cost players, and a Texas team that’s likely to come into Kauffman Stadium and hit 27 homeruns in their three-game set.

So, a mid-summer home stand watching an (again) basement dwelling team on a massive losing stretch? That sounds super fun.

Astros - Meet Royals... (Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-US PRESSWIRE)

I grew up on a farm in Southwest Iowa, so when it came time for me to choose my loyalties, I didn’t find a team – a team found me. My dad was a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan, and took me with him on his annual pilgrimages to Busch Stadium. I realize now that he was trying to get me to be a Cardinals fan, but for whatever reason, it never stuck. Instead, on one of those hot summer nights, I noticed a man on the field during batting practice who had my first name on the back of his jersey.

The Houston Astros were in town, and that man was Nolan Ryan.

I was immediately hooked. As a little kid, that was about the coolest thing that I had ever seen. Just like that, an Astros fan was born in Iowa. After I returned home, I set my sights on turning my room into the Astrodome. My father expressed his disappointment over and over again. However, he was accommodating, and from then on we scheduled that summer trip to St. Louis around the Astros being in town.

During this same time, the Royals were at their peak, and we made it to Kansas City once a summer as well. But in spite of that trip, and the fact that the Omaha Royals were just up the road, I never really felt an alliance to the team that was closest in proximity to where I grew up.

In 1985, the Royals won the World Series and I barely noticed. In 1986, the Astros were the National League Western Division Champs and my excitement couldn’t be contained.

I was so completely into the Astros teams of the mid 80′s that when my world was rocked with the news that Nolan Ryan was going to play for the Texas Rangers, I decided to remain an Astros fan. It was a really tough decision for an 11 year old to make on his own.

The turnover in Astros players was totally approved by this fan. As Mike Scott, Dickie Thon, & Jose Cruz were replaced by Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, and Derek Bell, my loyalty was unshaken. I loved these guys even more than the previous roster. My dad even took me to the Astrodome in 1999 – the last season that the team played there. I felt like this was my team for life.

However, after I graduated from college and ended up in Kansas City, I started paying more attention to the Royals. Not necessarily by choice, but because I couldn’t escape it. The games were on TV & the Radio. I liked Denny Matthews. I could read about them in the newspaper (back when those existed). I started to learn the players’ names & went to more games every summer. I fell in love with the K. I had my wedding reception there.

At the same time, the Astros roster started turning over again. Some of the players that I was fond of left. The team hit their peak of glory in 2005, when they reached the World Series. I stressed through each of those close games, but they were beaten in four games by the White Sox. Their loss was crushing to me, but I remained loyal.

Bagwell was done after the 2005 season, and Biggio retired in 2007. My two favorite players were gone, as was the spark.

I was left with Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence, and Kaz Matsui. I liked Lance Berkman, but he was not enough to keep me hanging on. I came up with a two-year process to transition my loyalties from Houston to Kansas City. In 2008, I rooted for them both, and in 2009 I was a Royals fan. Both teams promptly finished 5th in their division. Do you believe it? While the Royals were struggling so badly year after year, they somehow gained a fan in me.

Now, it could be just my curse because at the time, the Astros were the worst team in the NL & the Royals were the worst team in the AL. There are several similarities between the two teams, one key fact being that the Royals haven’t made the playoffs since they won the World Series and the Astros haven’t made it since they lost the World Series. It is not a charmed life that I’ve led.

So, now this series has become an uncomfortable one for me. It kind of feels like I’m walking down the street and I run into my old girlfriend with my new, younger girlfriend on my arm. Sure, she’s a bit rough, but she’s got a lot of potential. I feel a bit awkward, and want the best for my old girlfriend, but I can tell that she hasn’t really taken very good care of herself since we split.

I’ve been watching this series with a close eye, hoping that my new team can forgive me for being nostalgic. We had some good times together, went through a lot of ups and downs. They helped raise me. Now though, they are completely in my rear view mirror. I caught them just by coincidence during a work trip to Miami and I only recognized three names in their lineup. I felt a bit ashamed for a minute, but that quickly vanished as I buried myself into a chocolate ice cream mini-helmet.

The Astros will always hold a special place in my heart, but we are through. The Royals are my team now. I wish them well, and will root for them as long as they’re not playing the Royals from here on out. The end.

With Salvador Perez and Manny Pina going down with injuries during spring training general manager Dayton Moore made a trade to bring in a catcher on Tuesday. Kansas City acquired catcher Humberto Quintero and outfielder Jason Bourgeois for minor league pitcher Kevin Chapman plus a player to be named later.

Humberto Quintero and Jason Bourgeois on Tuesday. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-US PRESSWIRE

 Quintero, 32, spent his time in Houston primarily served as a back-up, last season he appeared in 79 games hitting two homeruns and drove in 25. During his career which started with San Diego and the last seven with the Astros his numbers are in 379 games, 15 homers and 94 RBIs.

Bourgeois, 30, was drafted in 2000 by the Texas Rangers played with the White Sox in 2008, 2009 in Milwaukee before spending the last two with Houston. Last year he played in 93 games hitting .293 with six stolen bases. During his four year MLB career his numbers in 192 games played he has a batting average of .262, two homeruns and 22 RBIs. During his 12-year minor league career he’s swiped 256 bases.

Kansas City send minor league pitcher Chapman, 24, spent 2011 in Wilmington and Northwest Arkansas by the end of the season. The Royals drafted him in 2010 out of the University of Florida. KC moved Perez and Pina to the 60-day DL to get both new players on the 40-man roster.

What are your thoughts on this trade that was made today to pick up another catcher plus an outfielder?

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I’m sure I speak for all Kansas City Royals fans when I ask that you consider this young and upcoming team this year. I respect that you currently do not like the offers that you have received by other clubs at this time and will sit out until something to your liking comes your way.

Roy Oswalt announced he'll wait on signing with a team on Thursday hopefully this helps KC's chances Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-US PRESSWIRE

 At this stage of your career it’s hard to fault you for wanting to chase a championship having fallen short in previous attempts with the Houston Astros and most recently the Philadelphia Phillies. Sure the Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals are built to win now with their current rosters, but anything can happen in the game of baseball as you well know.

The Red Sox, Rangers and Cardinals are solid options for someone in your current position, but why not the Royals? I don’t need to remind you that since 1985 the club has had minimal success, however, have you seen the parts of this roster?  Your spot in the pitching rotation is assured and you could have any of the first three spots that you desire.

I think you’d fit in well with Luke Hochevar, Bruce Chen, Jonathan Sanchez and Felipe Paulino who currently project to be the team’s first four starters. You’re known for working deep into ballgames, but should the need arise, how about this bullpen bridge that can get you the win with Greg Holland, Jonathan Broxton and all-star closer Joakim Soria to nail it down?

Since you’re coming from the National League I’m sure you’ve got some concerns about run support and how the Royals lineup could help you out in that regard. Let me introduce you to the team’s starting lineup: Alex Gordon in left, Johnny Giavotella at second, Billy Butler at DH, Eric Hosmer at first, Jeff Francoeur in right, Mike Moustakas at third, Salvador Perez behind the plate, Lorenzo Cain in center, and Alcides Escobar at short.  That’ll be up to Ned Yost and not myself, but it gives you an idea of what to expect.

Sure you may think that fans aren’t passionate in the Kansas City market with all the losing that takes place, but after last season we cannot wait to kick off 2012. Also we’ve got a little event coming in July know as the All-Star Game, which hasn’t been in town since the 1973 season. So, these are a handful of considerations for you and for a one or two-year contract that you might be seeking.

Let me also point out that Kauffman Stadium is very pitcher-friendly with its dimensions. In addition, road trips to Comerica Park in Detroit and Target Field in Minneapolis are on the schedule multiple times within the division. We also feel that with you on board it would counter the Tigers lineup and help KC contend in the division or the wildcard.

I hope that you have all the necessary information that you may need in considering Kansas City for your 2012 pitching destination. The fan base would really enjoy having you on this staff as the team tries to change the culture.

Sincerely,

Royals fans

We'll Always Have 1985 but what about other teams?

Fans of the Kansas City Royals know that it’s been 26 years since the franchise last played in the postseason (something that always seems to come up when we play the St. Louis Cardinals), which did result in a world championship. Granted I was only a toddler at the time, but at least I can say that the baseball team I root for has won a title.

Yes, there have been a couple other seasons-1994 strike shorten season and the 2003 Tony Pena overachievers-but it has been few and far between. While we’re loyal to the cause and the coming seasons that will hopefully end the drought, let’s look at teams who have it worse than the Royals.

First let’s assess the franchises that have longer title droughts than Kansas City in major league baseball. Of course it’s the Chicago Cubs who bear (see what I did) the weight of a 103 years and counting drought which for non-fans can be annoying or maybe that’s just me. Sure they are eternal optimists on the North side of Chicago, but with all the advantages of being a big market team should have figured out how to win a title during this period of time.

Next up are the Cleveland Indians who haven’t won a title in 63 seasons, but with the success they enjoyed last year, they may make the postseason sooner than later. Getting into the playoffs means anything can happen.  If the Indians can make the postseason, look out, because they will be a team KC competes with.

The great state of Texas has had recent brushes with a trophy with the Rangers representing the American League the last two seasons and the Astros representing the National League in 2005. Neither team could seal the deal and it appears the only title the Astros will be competing for over the next few years will be for the worst record in Major League Baseball.

Next we have club 43 of the Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres and Washington Nationals. The Brew Crew made the World Series in 1982 and if you haven’t noticed suffered several losses after last year’s postseason run. San Diego lost to the Yankees in 1998 and are in a holding pattern in my opinion from ending that drought. Washington seems to be building closer and closer to being a playoff team, but they have yet to reach a World Series.

The Seattle Mariners, who like the Nationals, have not made the World Series at all and have a 35-year drought they started off post-Kingdome life with some success early in their tenure at Safeco Field. The Pittsburgh Pirates are on year 32 of not winning a championship which must be rough with the Penguins and Steelers successes.

Baltimore Orioles are on year 28 and the Detroit Tigers haven’t celebrated in 27 years.  These are polar opposites with the O’s in the AL East and the Tigers spending money plus living in the AL Central as you all know. At least the Cubs, Indians, Pirates, Orioles and Tigers have championships to celebrate unlike the fan bases of the Rangers, Astros, Brewers, Padres, Mariners and Nationals (I don’t doubt they are still waiting in Montreal).

I hate to continue to bring up the Nationals but they haven’t made the postseason in 30 years which is the longest drought in MLB. At least both Washington and Kansas City have hope in the coming years to end their futility, because again, once you get into the playoffs anything can happen. It’s not known if commissioner Bud Selig will add wildcards which would help both the Royals and Nationals. We are closer to the start of the season and seeing if any of the mentioned teams can end these droughts that they and their fans don’t like having constant reminders of.

Thanks for visiting Kings of Kauffman.

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