Will Smith opens the series for the Royals tonight at Camden Yards against the Orioles. Photo Credit: Kelvin Kuo-US PRESSWIRE

When Last We Saw …

These two teams haven’t seen each other since May 25-27 when they met at Orioles Park at Camden Yards. KC was coming off losing two-of-three in New York against the Yankees but after taking the series in Baltimore finished the trip beating the Indians twice in Cleveland on that nine game road trip.

Season Series …

KC trails the season series 3-2 but did win two of the previous three at Baltimore in May. The season series began in May with O’s coming to town taking the series winning both games.

Royals fans won’t forget the 15-inning game with Jonathan Broxton blowing the save and Nate Adcock saving the ‘pen. The next day Kansas City built a 3-0 lead that Luke Hochevar and crew couldn’t hold onto losing 5-3.

In the first game at Baltimore the birds knocked Bruce Chen out with a five run fifth en route to a 8-2 victory. Jason Hammel handcuffed KC in six innings no allowing a run on five hits while striking out seven. DH Chris Davis went 2-for-4 driving in three runs, J.J. Hardy and Adam Jones drove in two runs each.

Game two of the series saw the Orioles again jump out to a lead of 3-0 but the Royals scored the game’s final four runs. Humberto Quintero of all players put KC ahead driving in Eric Hosmer with a double to the left. Hosmer extended the lead in the eighth driving in Mike Moustakas on a single, also to note Greg Holland picked up the win with Broxton the save.

The final game of the series was back and forth with the teams exchanging the lead. Hochevar took the no-decision going 4 2/3 innings striking out six. Jeff Francoeur gave the Royals the lead with a solo homerun and Quintero added an insurance run with another double that scored Alcides Escobar.

5/16 – Orioles 4 @ Royals 3 F/15
5/17 – Orioles 3 @ Royals 5
5/25 – Royals 2 @ Orioles 8
5/26 – Royals 4 @ Orioles 3
5/27 – Royals 4 @ Orioles 2

Probable Pitching Match-Ups (All Times Central):

Thursday, 6:05 pm – Will Smith (2-4, 6.00)  v. Wei-Yin Chen (10-6, 3.46)
- Smith will be seeing Baltimore for the first time in his career on Thursday night in his eighth MLB start.
- While 1-4 in his last five starts he’s gone 5+ four times, the lone win game at the Angels in which might be his best start going seven innings allowing one run on two hits.
- Chen took a no-decision in his May 27^th start against KC after going six innings and allowing two runs. He’s won his last two starts against Oakland and at Tampa Bay.
Friday, 6:05 pm – Luke Hochevar (7-9, 5.04) v. Miguel Gonzalez (3-2, 3.80)
- Hochevar is 0-1 with a ND this season against the O’s this season.
- In the start at Baltimore he threw 109 pitches striking out six, allowing seven hits.
- Gonzalez will be making his first career start against KC and has alternated wins/losses during his last five starts with the last being a win over Tampa Bay which he went seven innings.
Saturday, 6:05 pm – Luis Mendoza (5-8, 4.36) v. Chris Tillman (5-1, 2.38)
- Mendoza comes in as probably the Royals most consistent starter being 2-4 in his last six starts going back to July 4.
- His last two starts saw him go 7.1 innings both starts which he’s 1-1 (beat Cleveland and lost at Chicago).
- Tillman since losing his long game of 2012 has won four straight starts. Wins have come at Cleveland, Tampa Bay, at New York and Seattle, against the Mariners he went seven innings.
Sunday, 12:35 pm – Bruce Chen (8-9, 5.51) v. Tommy Hunter (4-7, 5.55)
- Chen suffered his fifth loss of the season on May 25 in Baltimore when he allowed six runs on seven hits going only four innings.
- In his career he’s 2-2 against the O’s in five career starts but has only thrown 25.2 innings.
- Hunter has losses in three of his last four starts with a no-decision at New York. On May 16 he also got a ND against the Royals at the K which he went seven innings.

Many of the challenges the Royals have faced this year can be attributed to the multitude of injuries that have plagued the team.  The Royals experienced more serious injuries in Spring Training than during all of 2011, and we are only now beginning to see a sliver of light at the end of the tunnel.

The 2012 injury story began with a backup catcher in a noncompetitive situation.  While Manuel Pina wasn’t expected to contribute much to the Royals in 2012 (little did they know they could have used him to open the season after Salvador Perez went down), but on February 22 he torn his meniscus and this injury was the beginning of a long line of devastating setbacks the team has suffered to its roster.

Joakim Soria spoiled Royals fans for several years. (Credit: Jesse Johnson-US PRESSWIRE)

On March 13, Salvador Perez twisted his knee resulting in an almost identical injury to Manuel Pina, causing the Royals to lose 2 of their top 3 catchers for the first half of the season.  This roster hole forced the team to pick up Humberto Quintero, Mr. “Catch and Throw,” in a trade with Houston.  “Q” as he was frequently called by teammates was heralded as a great defensive player, although I never personally witnessed any evidence of this, and at bat he performed as you would expect a veteran bench player to perform.  (Lousy.)  So the Royals endured the first half of the season with little to no production from behind the plate.  Fortunately, Salvador returned to the lineup in June, and all is right with the world again.  Well, at least in the catching world.

I was sitting in the stands in Surprise, Arizona on March 18 when Joakim Soria was on the mound and felt a “tug” in his elbow.  He hadn’t pitched well that day and there was an uneasiness in the stands among Royals fans that something was definitely wrong.  We later learned that tug was a warning bell that Soria was going to require Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career, and forced the Royals to use Jonathan “roller coaster” Broxton as their closer.  As many people have accurately said, for the most part Broxton is getting the job done, but few players have caused fans (including me) more angst than he has.  Soria definitely spoiled us.

But Joakim isn’t the only Royals pitcher to go under the knife.  Not that any of us would have been excited to see Blake Wood in Kansas City this year, but he is out for the season with a case of the Tommy John illness.  As is Felipe Paulino – just as he was beginning to prove that possibly all of his potential and “stuff” might translate into solid performances and wins.  It’s sad when your rotation is so weak that you miss Felipe Paulino.  But I miss him, I really really do.

The Royals anxiously await Danny Duffy's recovery from Tommy John surgery (Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE)

It brings a tear to my eye as I remember Danny Duffy exiting the game after throwing only 13 pitches on Mother’s Day.  I think every educated baseball fan immediately knew this meant another key contributor was lost for this season, and possibly beyond.  If you’re wondering, yes, Tommy John strikes again.  Is it contagious?

Not that I’m thrilled to see Yuniesky Betancourt in the lineup, and I’m not enamored with Chris Getz either, but when the team is thin at a few positions like second base, you don’t want to see anyone on your roster sitting in the trainer’s room.  Escobar has experienced nagging ankle problems, and Getz has been working through a variety of ailments including bruised ribs and a lower leg lateral strain that have sent both of them up and down so many times that it’s been a guessing game about who will play second base each day.

The Royals started the year strong, winning 2 out of 3 from the heavily favored Angels.  Then on April 10, while winning the 3^rd of their first 5 games of the year, Lorenzo Cain bumped into the Centerfield wall while chasing down a fly ball and suffered what was initially called a “slight pull of the left groin.”  This slight pull turned into a torn hip flexor and an on-again, off-again stay on the disabled list that has kept him out of the Royals lineup ever since.

Salvador Perez blocks the plate, and all is right with the world again. (Credit: John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE)

The good news is the Royals appear to be healing up.  As mentioned earlier, Salvador Perez has already made an impact in the short time he’s been back on the team, and most Lorenzo Cain is on the verge of making his first appearance in KC this year.

Unfortunately, the team’s pitching woes won’t be corrected anytime soon, but if Danny Duffy, Felipe Paulino, Joakim Soria, and John Lamb (a Top 20 prospect who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2011) needed to sit out a year, it’s much better that it happen this year rather than next.  (Although, I suppose we don’t know for certain when any of them will return.)  In 2013 we expect Wil Myers and Jake Odorizzi to be in KC, Eric Hosmer’s sophomore slump to be in the rear view mirror, we’ll have Salvador and Lorenzo for the entire season, and the Royals front office will be laser focused on adding a prime arm or two to the rotation through trades or free agency.  Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the serious injury bug doesn’t visit the Royals again next year.

So long, Humberto. (Photo Credit: Brett Davis-US PRESSWIRE)

The Royals calmed some angry voices today by announcing that they have designated catcher Humberto Quintero for assignment. Yes, that .232/.257/.341 line couldn’t save him, and his defense was, well, not all it was cracked up to be, to put it lightly. With “Savior” Salvador Perez back in Royal blue, the team was comfortable letting one of its three catchers go. As Brayan Pena is a team staple at this point, Quintero exited stage right.

So, we all got what we wanted and hoped for, and now the team has an opening, to be filled by outfielder Jason Bourgeois. Bourgeois spent some time in Kansas City earlier in the year and brings in a .294/.323/.357 line from his MLB time last season and a .214/.267/.286 line from 15 plate appearances with the Royals earlier this year. While at Omaha, Bourgeois hit .205/.262/.269 in 168 plate appearances. It’s not as if he’s a home run king or likely to help much beyond what the Royals already have in the lineup, but he’s a warm body that can fill space.

On the other side of the ball, the Royals also optioned 31-year old left-handed pitcher Francisley Bueno to Omaha in exchange for lefty Everett Teaford, who will see his second stint in Kansas City this year as the pitching merry-go-round continues to whirl. Bueno only pitched two innings in his time as a Royal, allowing one run and three hits. Earlier in the season, Teaford threw 11 innings, allowed seven runs and two home runs, walked seven, and struck out four. However, he blazed through lineups in Omaha, pitching 24 innings and allowing four total runs with eight walks and 25 strikeouts. It seems like it’s time for Teaford to return to Kansas City, as AAA batters are offering little challenge.

Basically, the Royals made two logical moves on one day. Quintero wasn’t helping anything and the team doesn’t need three catchers on its 25-man roster. It’s always good to have five outfielders if necessary, even if Bourgeois doesn’t add much to the team.

Still, that raises an interesting question. If Bourgeois is in Kansas City, why couldn’t Wil Myers be there instead? Neither Jarrod Dyson nor Mitch Maier pose much of a threat to taking his playing time, but it’s possible the Royals are waiting for a corner outfield spot to open. Nonetheless, this could be the precursor to a change that sees Myers wearing Royal blue. Because he’s not currently on the 40-man roster, a player would have to be removed, and that could well be Quintero. Once Quintero is off the roster, there will be a hole in the 40-man and the Royals don’t have to worry about removing another player they might actually want to keep. Enter Wil Myers.

Keep an eye on the announcements in the near future. We may see Myers in Kansas City before we know it.

May 07, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Brayan Pena (middle) is congratulated by teammates after scoring in the seventh inning of the game against the Boston Red Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

So, I’m randomly walking through LAX in March, catching a connecting flight to Las Vegas for a friend’s bachelor party. Yes, it was wild. Yes, it was fun. No, it wasn’t like The Hangover. While walking, I do the stupid thing and try to read Royals news on my cellphone, risking a collision in the process. All of a sudden, I hear my brother start yelling.

“Hey, Salvy! It’s Salvy Perez. Hey man, feel better! We’re all hoping for a speedy recovery!”

Rolling through the terminal at LAX was Salvador Perez. He was in a wheelchair after having injured his knee. He was smiling like he always does and waving at us. In my mind, he was happy to see Royals fans way out in the wild west. In my mind, he wanted to grab a drink with us, but he had to catch a plane *delusional*.

Since that injury, Royals fans have waited and waited and waited for Salvy to return. Since that day at LAX, it feels like we’ve had the bachelor party, the wedding, the honeymoon, and three kids. That’s how long this wait for Salvy’s return has felt. And now that he’s back, I’m glowing.

But I’m also worried. One of the pillars of strength during our dark Salvy-less days was Brayan Pena. More than ever, we’ve gotten an up-close look at his electric personality and charm. I root like crazy for Pena because he writes cheesy tweets about pulling together and overcoming obstacles, stuff you find on really bad motivational posters. But he’s so sincere and genuine that I can’t help but love even the most cheddar-filled tweets, stuff like “A Great LEADER is not the one who speaks the Loudest,but the One who Speaks the most Sense. I believe in my TEAMMATES, We all SHOULD.“ From him, it doesn’t sound so phony, so cheesy.

The thought that the Royals might lose him soon makes me very nervous. I know he’s just a backup catcher, but it’s clear that he means a lot to this team, even in a backup role. Other players talk about him like an older brother. The Royals have made it clear that their backup will catch a significant number of games for the rest of the season as they remain conservative with Salvy’s recovery. The Royals backup catcher will get playing time this year, and the worry among many bloggers and fans is that they’ll choose to keep Humberto Quintero to justify trading for him in the first place.

Here’s why they should not—besides the fact that Pena’s an awesome clubhouse guy and fan favorite I mean. If we look at it strictly from a player comparison standpoint, the question comes down to which gap is bigger. The gap between Quintero’s superior and Pena’s inferior defensive abilities? Or the gab between Pena’s superior and Quintero’s inferior offensive abilities?

This gets at a larger question of what the backup catcher’s function is. Traditionalist thinking is that the backup catcher is a defensive player, meant to call a good game, throw out baserunners, and hit .220—Henry Blanco is a terrific example of this player. Why this became the understood narrative, isn’t completely clear to me, but I’d guess it’s because guys like Blanco made good careers doing this and so an archetype was crafted. This archetype is powerful in the minds of decision makers, especially those who view baseball in its traditionalist sense like Ned Yost often does. Certainly, having a guy who can handle a pitching staff is important, and that pressure only adds to the narrative that a backup must be a defensive guy. Also, the imbalance of capable major league hitters to capable major league fielders plays a role in constructing this notion that backups are defensive players.

Pena doesn’t fit that mold. He’s not the world’s worst defensive catcher, but he’s not Yodier Molina. Fielding metrics are pretty unreliable, especially for catchers, so I’d say he’s probably average in the field, maybe slightly below based strictly on the eye test. But really, Quintero’s not much better. Pena’s thrown out 33 percent of base stealers in his career. How does that compare to Quintero? It’s actually exactly the same. Quintero’s thrown out 33 percent of base stealers as well. Yet, Quintero has a great reputation as a “catch-and-throw” guy. Overall, they have about the same fielding percentage too.

I’m not suggesting that Pena isn’t inferior defensively; I think he is. I’m suggesting that the difference isn’t tremendous. In terms of handling the pitching staff, their CERA (catching earned run average) is nearly identical for 2012 (4.02 for Pena, 4.13 for Quintero). So, clearly Quintero doesn’t have some sort of special connection to the pitching staff that Pena does not.

Though Quintero isn’t leaps ahead of Pena defensively, Pena is significantly better than Quintero offensively. Here are their slash lines for their careers: Pena (.253/.291/.357), Quintero (.234/.267/.323). Across the board, Pena’s numbers are 14-34 points higher. I’m no scientist, but I believe that’s called statistically significant. Quintero has had a little power surge this season, but the small sample size and the large set of data previous suggested that it wouldn’t last, and he has cooled to Arctic levels since starting hot.

The real question should be what value does Quintero have? The real answer is very little to none. That’s no knock on him as a guy or a player. He seems like a pretty good dude. We rented him for three months and needed him to be what he is, a stopgap. We overpaid in prospects for him, but that ship’s already sailed and sunk. This is more a criticism of how Yost and Dayton Moore see Quintero, with value goggles. They gave up real value to get him in a desperate situation and now they may believe he’s actually worth what they gave up. He is not.

I like that metaphor. Imagine that the Royals are drunk and it’s last call. They’re looking to get a little somethin’ somethin’. Quintero looks pretty good because they’re desperate and hammered. The problem is they already have a significant other in Pena. If they choose to make a commitment to Quintero, they’re only going to wake up to the realization that they had the right gal, made a huge mistake letting her go to get with Quintero, and now it burns when they pee … metaphorically.

In a season that’s seen a complete 0-fer during the first homestand as part of a 12 game losing streak and countless injuries to key players,  the Royals are a mere five games back in the AL Central.

It’s a tough place to be as a fan because on one hand, the Royals are on a four game winning streak – but it’s only a four game winning streak. They’re not far removed from a dreadful series against Pittsburgh where they’d gotten swept.

On the other hand, a lot of things are going right at the moment. The Royals had a laughable looking matchup to open the Brewers series, but Alex Gordon seemed to pick that series to wake up and Luis Mendoza somehow outdueled Zack Greinke. The next night, the Royals literally walked off with a win, as Mike Moustakas earned* a free pass to force the winning run home.

*The key pitch in that at bat to me was the second ball, a 1-0 curve in the dirt. I recall Lee Warren and others suggesting that Moose in Triple A loved to go after that pitch. It was definitely thrown as a chase pitch and Moose ignored it.

Then things started getting really weird.

June 14, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals center fielder

Thursday night, the Royals were struggling at the plate as has been usual when a 2-1 lead turned into a 2-2 tie then a 3-2 deficit. Going into the bottom of the ninth, Mitch Maier was set to lead off in the five hole (after a Jeff Francoeur ejection) and struck out. Fortunately for him, the ball went all the way back to the backstop and he made it to first easily, then moved over on a groundout. After an Alcides Escobar strikeout, Jarrod Dyson worked a walk to bring up pinch-hitting Brayan Pena. You’ve probably seen the play already, as Pena slapped a single down the left field line to score Maier easily as Dyson settled on third. Apparently, the first baseman wasn’t covering and Pena alertly made a turn towards second base, drawing a throw from the shortstop. Dyson, ever the opportunist, was drifting off third already and broke home. Rickie Weeks fumbled the catch, then rushed his throw and Dyson slid in safe for a crazy score-from-first-on-a-single win.

It got weirder.

Vin Mazzaro shut out the Cardinals for six innings. Vin Mazzaro. “Worst relief outing ever” Vin Mazzaro. Roman Colon, a weird selection to promote to Kansas City, almost blew the game but the bullpen stopped the bleeding. Then, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Tyler Greene stole second, advanced to third on throw that hit him and rolled into shallow left-center and turned home after Chris Getz made a wide throw to third. A perfect throw by Moustakas and a great block by Humberto Quintero got the out on a 2-6-4-5-2 putout at home.

This latest run of wackiness has inspired some hope.

The Royals are six games under .500 with Bruce Chen going tonight. Luke Hochevar has looked a lot better. Luis Mendoza isn’t the gasoline can I expected him to be. The bullpen is among the best in baseball. Alex Gordon has reached base in every game since being put back in the leadoff spot (and the last game he started there in the lineup and didn’t reach was in the third game of the year). Eric Hosmer is hitting .289/.365/.511 and has struck out just four times in June.

Not to mention that Salvador Perez should be back by the end of the month. Lorenzo Cain should return at some point as he tries out another rehab assignment. Wil Myers is still raking  and, according to MLB Trade Rumors, the specter of the Super Two deadline may be gone, so if the Royals feel he’s ready, he could make it up to the big leagues soon, as could Jake Odorizzi. Felipe Paulino, who’s looked great, will return as well.

I wouldn’t say there’s a lot going right, because so much already went wrong, but the Royals didn’t let the big losing streak bury them to start the year, they’ve scrapped their way out of slumps, they’ve gotten some tough starting pitching lately and they’re looking like a team on the rise. They’ve won in such strange ways the last few days that it has Rany scratching his head.

Then again, the last time they won four in a row, they turned around and lost seven of their next nine games, so let’s not start printing up playoff tickets just yet.

What interests me is the swings of being a fan during a season like this. Immense hope and optimism coming in – Our Time – gets dashed right away after a losing streak. Key players slump. Injuries continue to pile up. It starts to feel like any other Royals season but perhaps worse because for the first time in a while, there were bigger expectations.

Then a four game winning streak and everyone’s excited again.

It makes me wonder what will happen if the Royals get to .500 or within a game of first place. The decisions we complained about when the Royals were staving off the Twins for last would be that much more important, or they’d feel that way at least. A bad at bat feels more devastating. A pitcher left in too long inspires more rage than before. The swings could be crazy.

Back when the Royals hosted the Yankees this season, I talked with Ricky Keeler over on our Yankees site Yanks Go Yard, asking him just what it’s like being a fan when you know your team is going to be in the hunt all year. At the time, he warned me to take every game one at a time, that the wins feel like something’s still lurking and every loss feels like the end of the world.

Maybe it’s heightened in a New York atmosphere, but it feels like that’s how it is already in Kansas City. We win four in a row and many still say “yeah, but they’re still the Royals”. There’s always a big, scary losing streak waiting around the corner, ready to jump out.

Until then, it’s been a fun week and I hope to see the fun continue.

In a move that wasn’t well-received then and still doesn’t look like a good trade, the Royals brought in Humberto Quintero and Jason Bourgeois from the Astros for left-handed pitcher Kevin Chapman, a 2010 fourth round pick, and a player to be named later. That player was named as outfielder D’Andre Toney this afternoon.

At the time, the PTBNL was noted as a big key to the deal.

Part of the rules of baseball transactions are that a player who was drafted last June can’t be traded right away, but has to be added later as the PTBNL.  That’s just one of the quirks of the system.

The fear was that some big bonus prospect might be involved – someone like Jack Lopez, Kyle Smith or Bryan Brickhouse.

In that sense, Toney – a 14th rounder – isn’t a huge loss for the organization in a vacuum. He rocked the Arizona Rookie League to the tune of a 1.018 OPS with 22 extra base hits in 43 games. He’s got talent and tools, but not everyone thinks he’s much of an impact guy. At 5’10″  and 170 pounds, he might not add much power and he’s only played at the rookie level.

While neither Chapman nor Toney will break he Royals organization, their loss wasn’t in a vacuum – it was for two other players, neither of whom have done all that much. Quintero has had some doubles and has kept the catcher spot warm while Salvador Perez recovers from knee surgery, but that’s really it. Bourgeois is struggling at Triple A and was a career minor leaguer before last year anyway. Many feel that the Royals could have had either or both of Quintero and Bourgeois off the waiver wire at the end of spring training (and might not have been worth the time even then). Instead, they traded two prospects with some level of room to develop for two players who were borderline acquisitions. As Rany Jazayerli said today “a bad trade got worse”.Hopefully, Dayton Moore doesn’t get in the habit of making those sorts of transactions going forward.

Enter Humberto Quintero.

Oh boy, Humberto. (Screengrab via Reddit)

Sure, it looked like typical clubhouse hazing, but some are upset. You see, Bruce Chen is Asian ethnically (though he was born in Panama), and Quintero’s actions were to creep up behind Chen and harken back to school yard hijinks by pulling his eyes into a squint with his fingers.

On the national stage, even.

Chen has since responded and, Chen being Chen, has handled the incident with humor and grace to downplay a situation that otherwise could have been awkward for Fox, the Royals, and the players involved.

I am proud to be of asian descent and I love the way my eyes look!I think it makes me look sexy.I am not offended by Quinteros actions

— Bruce Chen (@ChenMusic) June 10, 2012

He later added that Quintero was pointing out one of his best features.

I don’t think Quintero meant any offense towards Chen and he’s been considered somewhat of a prankster anyway (he used to have the nickname Barney Rubble in San Diego and had a Fred Flintstone poster over his locker during spring training). Baseball players are around each other and on the road for most of the year, and often they have downtime to come up with all sorts of inside jokes and to goof around. This seems derived from that but it happened to show up during a national broadcast.

The Royals likely aren’t going to bring this up anymore save for some statement that Quintero feels regret for the gesture and that it was a dugout joke.

Should he get off that easily? How much does intent matter in these kinds of situations?

It’s an issue that goes beyond just sports. My take is that, yes, it’s offensive just as it would be if Quintero came up behind anyone he didn’t know who happened to be Asian and did the same thing. He shouldn’t be off the hook and even if Chen doesn’t take offense, others have. Any discipline will be doled out in-house and we might not ever hear about the reaction of the front office.

Bruce Chen will look to snap the Royals two-game losing streak in the series opener at Baltimore. Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

When these teams met last Wednesday and Thursday at Kauffman Stadium, it was KC who was the hotter team having gone 4-1 on a roadtrip on the southside of Chicago and Arlington. Baltimore has been one of the early surprises of the season leading the AL East.

In the quick two-game series, Kansas City jumped out to the lead with the end result being Baltimore coming back late to earn the sweep. Game one went 15-innings which was highlighted in many Royals fans minds of Jonathan Broxton blowing his second save of the season and Nate Adcock surrendering a 15^th inning bomb to Adam Jones in the 4-3 Orioles win.

Game two again KC built an early lead with Humberto Quintero and Johnny Giavotella driving in the runs putting the Royals up 3-0 in the third. The O’s got two back in the next inning with Jones again hitting a homer this time of the two-run variety. Luke Hochevar who pitched well ran into trouble in the seventh inning after back-to-back singles (highlighted by Jarrod Dyson misplaying what should’ve been only a single).

J.J. Hardy who tied the game for Balitmore in game one, again came up with the big hit putting the birds in front for good. Aaron Crow who has been good in relief was unable to help Hochevar out walking Lois Esposito and Xavier Avery back-to-back loading the bases which culminated with Hardy’s hit.

Probable Pitching Match-Ups (All Times Central):     

Friday, 6:05 pm – Bruce Chen (3-4, 4.17) v. Jason Hammel (5-1, 3.12)
- Chen, enters this start having won his last three starts beating the Red Sox, at Rangers and Diamondbacks. He’s reached the seventh inning in each of these starts and averaging five strikeouts and 1.3 walks in these starts. Another thing helping is KC is giving Bruce run support scoring 4.6 runs compared to just an average of two runs in his first six starts.
- Hammel, Has been great so far this season for the AL East leaders starting 5-1 with two no-decisions. He’s 2-0 with a ND in his last three starts beating Boston and Washington while not figuring into the loss against the Yankees. In his last two starts he went five and 5 1/3 innings allowing 6.5 hits in his last two starts and 4.5 runs.
Saturday, 3:05 pm – Felipe Paulino (2-1, 1.42) v. Wei-Yin Chen (4-1, 3.35)
- Paulino, So far in three of his four starts in 2012 he’s not allowed a run, the game he did at Chicago he did suffer his lone loss. Felipe went seven innings last week against Baltimore but the Royals bullpen was unable to hold onto the lead. In four starts Paulino is averaging seven strikeouts which includes nine against the O’s last Wednesday and eight in the Bronx on Monday.
- Chen, Suffered his first defeat at Washington 9-3 in his last start for the rookie out of Taiwan. The six-runs he allowed were a season high and nearly a third of the 22 runs allowed this season. He’s been getting 4.6 runs of support in each start.
Sunday, 12:35 pm – Luke Hochevar (3-5, 6.61) v. TBD
- Hochevar, Sure I and Royals fans have had fun at the former number one pick expense but let’s give him credit as of late. In Luke’s last three starts he’s made it into the seventh inning and seen his ERA go from an even nine to its current 6.61 form. Also encouraging has been his strikeout numbers in the last three starts increasing with 5, 6 and 8 in those games.
- TBD, For now we’ll have to wait and see who Buck Showalter goes to if that is activating someone from the DL or calling up someone from the minors.

In every game, the first baseman will make several putouts.  With the exception of the few times each game that the first baseman may catch a line drive, or beat the catcher back to the base on a grounder, most of these outs are preceded by another defensive player snagging the ball and throwing it to the first baseman.  If it wasn’t for Alcides Escobar, aka #ShortStopJesus, and Mike Moustakas, aka #Moose throwing leather all over the left side of the infield, Eric Hosmer wouldn’t be credited with nearly as many putouts.

Jeff Francoeur puts fear into the hearts of opposing baserunners (Image: Peter G. Aiken-US PRESSWIRE)

For all their short comings, one thing the Royals have in good supply is strong defense.  The left side of the field is covered by Gold Glover Alex Gordon, future Gold Glove shortstop Escobar, and the most improved third baseman in baseball, Moustakas.  When Salvador Perez returns at catcher I believe he will significantly solidify our only current position of defensive weakness.  Eric Hosmer plays strong defense, and Chris Getz, Jarrod Dyson / Lorenzo Cain can hold their own with the best of them.  But there is one aspect of our defense that nearly outshines the others with consistently stunning and noteworthy performances – Jeff Francoeur and his lethal ability to gun down unsuspecting baserunners.

When I began writing this story, I started to research all the records for outfield assists so I could compare Francoeur to the great Carl Yastrzemski (he lead the league in outfield assists 7 times) and Roberto Clemente (led the league 5 times and many say he had the best arm ever), or talk about how some of the “so called” greatest players, such as Albert Belle and Barry Bonds were the easiest outfielders to run on, etc., etc.  And then, I decided against it.

If given the choice, would you rather read about the history of the Grand Canyon, or would you prefer to stand on the edge, peering down into the magnificent canyon below while the sun set in the surrounding desert?  Endure a tedious classical art lecture, or gaze opon the timeless face of the celebrated Mona Lisa?  I decided not to engage in a boring discussion of defensive assists and simply pause for a few moments while we take in the majesty of the greatest outfield arm of our generation.

One of my all-time favorite baseball highlights is the video of Francoeur’s perfect, perfect, perfect throw to nail the Tiger’s Jhonny Peralta at third base on August 7 last year.  Apparently, Peralta didn’t get the memo about Frenchy’s ability to throw runners out.  I challenge you to find a more beautiful, almost breathtaking defensive play – Francoeur running toward the line to pick up the ball, whirling and launching a rocket to 3^rd, capped by the ho-hum nonchalant tag made by Moustakas as if it happened every day.  And check out the Tigers 3^rd base coach’s reaction as he hangs his head during the slow motion replay, it’s classic.  Click here to see perfection.

Then, fast forward to this season, May 1, 2012 and apparently Peralta was suffering a memory lapse evidenced by his ill-advised attempt to test Francoeur’s arm again.  (Peralta would make a great subject for an SNL Weekend Update “Really?!?” skit.)  Click here to see the result, as if you don’t already know.  Don’t you just love watching Jhonny Peralta run the bases against the Royals?  On the downside, this highlight would be a lot more enjoyable if the Royals weren’t losing 9-0 in the 4^th inning.

Another of my all-time favorite defensive highlights is from September 7, 2011 when Michael Taylor of the Oakland A’s came to bat in only his 4^th game and lined what appeared to be a sharp single into right field.  Well, bad luck for Taylor, Jeff Francoeur was playing right field and as a baserunner you can never take anything for granted on a ball hit to Frenchy.  Even more amazing to me is the fact that Hosmer went to first base to cover the throw from Francoeur.  That is the definition of heads-up.  Click here to see the embarrassing moment.  Welcome to the big leagues rookie.

Last year, the ESPN blog ranked active outfielders’ throwing arms and came up with a virtual tie for the number one position between Francoeur and Shin-Soo Choo.  In 2012, Choo has one assist, Francoeur has 5.  End of discussion.

The difference between those who have the ability to throw out runners from the outfield and those who don’t is absolutely huge.  In 2012, Francoeur is tied for the AL lead with 5 assists and only 16 other guys have two or more.  Everyone else has one or none.  Francoeur’s ability to throw out runners is similar to Willie Wilson’s ability to steal bases, or George Brett’s ability to hit for average, or Humberto Quintero’s ability to swing at the first pitch and tap a dribbler back to the pitcher – it’s far above the abilities of almost any other player in the league.

One thing worth mentioning in this story is that with all his talent, Jeff Francoeur didn’t lead the Royals in outfield assists last year.   In 2011, that honor went to Alex Gordon.  Remember this when you hear someone talking about an unfair arms race, they may be talking about the Royals rather than the Russians.

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With my ideal lineup the Royals I feel would put up more runs than they currently do . Photo Credit: John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE

Wednesday night against the Red Sox we saw a line-up that had everyone a buzzed given how it looked after it was publically revealed. Fans seemed to be surprised at Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas getting midweek rest and Billy Butler time at first. Results being what they are that lineup is 1-0 this season.

With the off day taking place I started thinking about what I’d do if given the chance to set a lineup. Here is my ideal lineup.

1. Jarrod Dyson, CF – Currently hitting .283 overall at the moment, in the 13 games he’s played in KC he’s led off 12 of them. In those 12-games he is hitting .286, 2-of-3 on the base paths with a .662 OPS and 17 total bases. His speed when he reaches has given the opposition fits moving around on the bases which flustered Matt Albers.

2. Johnny Giavotella, 2B – Here is the guy I’d like to hit second even though I also like Alex Gordon in this spot. The numbers I’m drawing upon are from 2011 and aren’t that glossy because Ned only hit Johnny second five times. Still he was 6-of-21 for a .286 average with a homerun, three doubles and a triple. Johnny just seems to make something happen each at-bat to get on base.

3. Billy Butler, DH – Country Breakfast has batted in this spot 17 of 30 games played during the 2012 season the difference is his batting average hitting third is .254 to as opposed to .353. In this spot he’s hit four HR’s with 14 RBIs compared to two and 9 when batting fourth. Interesting to note Billy has been plunked three times when batting in this spot.

4. Eric Hosmer, 1B – This is in good faith as I need not remind anyone that Hos hasn’t hit at all this season thus far. Nonetheless don’t let what’s happened the first 30 games make you think Hosmer won’t hit his projected numbers.

5. Mike Moustakas, 3B – The fifth spot really gave me pause because it’s a spot that I liked Alex or Moose at over Frenchy. To me in I’ve liked the small sample size I went with the long-term thought here of Moustakas. It was only one game that we saw Mike hit fifth but and he went 1-for3 this spot is where I’d like him to be while wearing a Royals uniform.

6. Alex Gordon, LF – Gordon in the sixth spot? With a deep lineup, Gordo just got pushed down in my lineup but could easily get flopped with Moose depending on the match-up.

7. Jeff Francoeur, RF –Francoeur hitting seventh is something most actually want to see with how slow he’s started. Like Gordon, Francoeur hasn’t hit in this spot since 2010 and actually had success. In 165 plate appearances he belted six HR’s plus driving in 30.

8. Brayan Pena/Humberto Quintero, C – I’d rather Salvador Perez here but nothing we can do about that  until he and Manny Pina come back. If we could combine Pena’s bat with Quintero defense I’d take that.

9. Alcides Escobar, SS – Has better numbers hitting eighth than in the ninth spot but I really like him here with the ability to turn over the lineup. While only hitting .260 in 77 plate appearances he does have 20 hits. In the ninth position is where 8 of his 10 doubles are in addition to his lone homer and triple. Batting ninth has been good for Esky’s as 10 of his 12 extra base hits have come in this spot. So far in 2012 his slugging percentage risen up to .410 from last season’s .343 average.

This arrangement leaves Chris Getz, Irving Falu, and Mitch Maier plus whatever catcher who isn’t playing on the bench. The Royals are averaging 3.9 runs but let’s make that four by rounding up and I think that this lineup could surpass that.

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I was actually sitting in the stands in Surprise on the day when Joakim Soria blew out his elbow.  I didn’t know for sure what was happening before the trainer went to the mound, but after watching him pitch to a couple batters I tweeted to @Ethan_Bryan,  “I can see Soria’s mojo slipping away before my eyes.”

Royals fans are looking forward to having Salvador Perez behind home plate again. (Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE)

One of the darkest days of this young year actually occurred before the season began.  Last March 13 during Spring Training, Salvador Perez got his cleats stuck in the dirt and twisted his knee while warming up starting pitcher Jonathan Sanchez.  An MRI revealed Perez had torn his lateral meniscus which required surgery to repair.  It is likely he’ll be out of the lineup until sometime around the All-Star game break.

You may also remember that prior to Salvador Perez’s stint on the DL, Manny Pina suffered a similar injury that has prevented him from getting any playing time this year.  This left the Royals with Brayan Pena as the only healthy major league caliber (stretching the definition of “ML caliber” just a little) catcher in their system.

We heard rumors that the Royals considered several temporary options to fill Salvador’s position, including Ivan Rodriguez who decided to retire last week, but settled on a trade with Houston that has Astros fans feeling pretty good and Royals fans a little uneasy.

To obtain catcher Humberto Quintero, and backup outfielder Jason Bourgeois from Houston (yes, the same Jason Bourgeois that was recently demoted in favor of “one-tool” Jarrod Dyson), the Royals packaged Minor League pitcher Kevin Chapman and the dreaded “player to be named later.”  (PTBNL)  On the surface, this doesn’t seem like a terrible deal for either team, except for the unknown piece of the agreement.  The Astro’s gave up two guys who weren’t going to make their team, in exchange for a decent minor league pitcher from the Royals with potential to eventually become a respectable reliever, plus the ominous PBTNL.

Even the specter of the PBTNL wouldn’t be too worrisome, except for this comment which was Tweeted by Alyson Footer, MLB’s beat reporter and Sr. Director of Social Media for the Astro’s – “I’m getting impression that Chapman is projected to be 7th/8th inn reliever and that the ptbnl is a good one, not just throw-in.”

Humberto Quintero is filling in for Salvador Perez and may become his permanent backup. (Credit: David Richard-US PRESSWIRE)

And then during the announcement of the trade, Jeff Luhnow, General Manager of the Astros, stated that the player to be named later would be the key component of the trade.

What are Royals fans supposed to think about this?  While our farm system may still be loaded with talent even after the promotions of Hosmer, Moustakas, Perez, Duffy, and Cain; few of us believe that we have extra pieces to simply give away in exchange for a temporary player that could be virtually useless in a few weeks – unless he becomes Perez’s permanent backup.  (Cue the ominous movie background music.)

Because Quintero (or “Q” as many call him) has played part-time in the National League, few of us knew much about him upon his arrival in KC.  Dayton Moore told us “Humberto Quintero is a guy we like as a solid catch-and-throw guy and has a lot of experience at the Major League level and gives us the depth that we need at this point.”  You remember DM calling Q a “solid catch-and-throw guy,” right?  So what did you expect when you heard this?  Did you expect the 3^rd most stolen bases allowed? Did you also expect him to be among the leaders in passed balls?  I doubt it.  Considering Q is only a part-time player, these results are not encouraging.

Quintero is batting a semi-respectable .283/.366/.429 (before Tuesday’s game), with zero HR’s, but he has never hit higher than .250 over the past 9 seasons (except 2006 when he only played in 11 games) so I’m certain we can expect to see his numbers regress dramatically soon.  Brayan Pena is hitting just as well as Q right now in nearly every category and no doubt will continue to produce offensively at a higher level than Humberto over the remainder of the season.

Brayan Pena rides the bench most nights while Humberto Quintero starts (Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE)

I haven’t been a fan of Pena’s defense ever since he failed to block home plate at least twice last year on critical plays, but stats suggest his defense has been just as good as Quintero’s so far this year.  Quintero’s WAR is 0.2, Pena’s is 0.3.   Pena earns $875,000 and Quintero earns $1M.  But more importantly, Quintero cost us a PTBNL.  (I know, I’m harping on the PTBNL thing, but it bothers me so I can’t help it.)

I just don’t understand why we needed Quintero?  Couldn’t we have just picked up almost any journeyman free agent catcher off the street to backup Pena while waiting for Salvador Perez to recover, rather than trade away an unknown PTBNL?

Maybe I’m worried over nothing, but what if the PTBNL is based on playing time?  Quintero is getting the majority of the starts this year (for reasons unknown) and it’s possible that the more games he plays, or more plate appearances he receives will result in us forfeiting a higher caliber prospect.  Why wouldn’t the Royals have announced the terms of the PTBNL?  I’ve always said – if someone purposefully won’t tell you something, it’s because they don’t want you to know.  And why don’t the Royals want us to know?  My guess is that if it was something we’d be happy to hear, they’d tell us.

In my opinion, the Royals didn’t make a good move here.  We gave up prospects to get Quintero which tells me they projected him to be Perez’s permanent backup.  It tells me they believed Quintero is a stronger player than Pena.  It also tells me that once again, they don’t always know what they’re doing.

Dyson earned the promotion by posting surprisingly stellar offensive numbers at Omaha. Dyson has put up a .333/.373/.476 line in 63 at-bats. The .476 slugging percentage has been the biggest shock, as Dyson has shown a modicum of power in hitting three doubles and three triples against Class AAA pitching. For comparison, Dyson’s .849 OPS thus far is 136 points better than his full-season line in Omaha during the 2011 season.

Jaon Bourgeois's defining moment in a KC uniform may have been this April 22 pickoff against the Blue Jays. Peter G. Aiken-US PRESSWIRE

Bourgeois, for his part, has essentially been a non-factor since being traded in Spring Training from the Houston Astros in the Humberto Quintero-Kevin Chapman deal.  His defining moment, in fact, may have been a low-light. In the middle of the club’s crippling 12 game losing streak, Bourgeois was picked off of first base in a close game with the Toronto Blue Jays on April 22. It was the last time Bourgeois appeared in a game for the Royals. With Dyson raking in Omaha, the move to swap the two outfielders was a no-brainer.

Bourgeios’ inclusion in the Quintero deal was always questionable, especially since Lorenzo Cain was healthy at the time and Mitch Maier was/is firmly entrenched as the club’s fourth outfielder.

Dyson, however, is slightly more intriguing both because of the increased power he’s flashed at Omaha this season as well as the fact that he experienced success at the beginning of 2011 while manning that “super-sub” for the Royals.

Dyson will be starting in center field and leading off in tonight’s game, and it will be interesting to see how he seizes his latest opportunity with the big club.

From my perspective, though, it will be difficult for Dyson to fall short of Bourgeois’ high water mark for the Royals. And with any luck, Dyson can show a little bit of pop and improve the base-running for a squad that has only recorded 11 stolen bases in 19 attempts.

In short, there is little to lose by calling up Dyson, but there is a potential gain. It’s a good decision, especially considering the recent news that starting center fielder Cain has suffered a setback in his rehabilitation from a pulled groin.

Let’s see what Dyson can do.

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Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-US PRESSWIRE

I wasn’t supposed to go to the game.  I had many words to write to meet my deadline and had planned on writing a couple thousand words while toggling back and forth watching the game on Gameday—a free but torturously slow way to watch any game.  However, my friend, Mark, burned up the battery on my cell phone texting me throughout the day, hoping to convince me to join him at the stadium.  Finally, at 4:00, I gave in; I could no longer say no.

I pulled into the stadium shortly after 5:00.  There was a small crowd gathering around Gate A, preparing to partake of the Outfield Experience.  I hoped to join them shortly.  I’m not a big tailgater; I’d rather be inside the gates, walking the hallowed ground, listening to stories and meeting friends who share a love of the game and the boys in blue.  While I waited in line to purchase my seven-dollar Hy-Vee ticket I texted Mark to see when he would arrive.  No response.  So, I started visiting with the man standing behind me.  I learned that he is a construction worker for Kenco, the company who recently remodeled various bars throughout the K.  He told me that he was buying tickets for another time, that his company had seats in a suite.  I replied, “Wish I could join you.  I’ve never been in a suite.”  His wife took down my name and number and said that they would call me if they had an extra ticket.  I laughed and said that I’d see them in a couple of innings as I ran off to Gate A.

The Tigers were taking batting practice when I entered the stadium.  Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder were both hitting towering homeruns, distributing batting practice souvenirs all over the stadium.  On the Party Porch, there were a dozen kids screaming for every ball hit remotely close to the warning track.  I quickly tired of their persistent pleas and strolled towards the Royals bullpen.

I love hanging out by the Royals bullpen before a game.  For the last six years, one man has diligently prepped and maintained the mound and bullpen area.  He and I have talked on numerous occasions, though we’ve never exchanged names.  The mound needed an extra bag of crushed clay due to the recent rains and excessive use over the weekend.  Two batting practice homeruns came incredibly close to hitting him; he didn’t even flinch.  Steve Foster, the bullpen coach, entered the pen as we were talking and asked the mound artist to play catch.  When Foster walked near me I inquired, “You breaking in a new glove?”

“A new glove and a new prescription,” he replied.  “Tough combination.”  The mound artist threw knuckleballs and curveballs and the two grown men laughed and conversed while having a catch.  Foster looked and me and motioned that he intended to throw me their ball.  “Will you see it all the way?”

I looked up.  The sun was unblocked, hitting me full face, full force.  “No worries,” I retorted.

Foster threw the ball the length of the pen, only to have it fall a few feet short and clang off the metal bars.  I got lucky.  I completely lost it in the sun.  Couldn’t see it at all.  I saw sun-spots for the next thirty minutes.  Foster jogged over and tossed the ball a second time, this time successfully, and we talked a few more minutes.  I turned to see Humberto Quintero and Danny Duffy warming up in left-field.  Duffy sprinted out to centerfield at the same time Justin Verlander ran out there.  The two men were less than ten feet apart.  They didn’t even exchange glances.  Just like two boxers before a title match.

After a few minutes of throwing on the field, Duffy and Q entered the pen and immediately set to work.  Duffy was intensely focused, until Eiland cracked a joke and made him laugh.  I’m peeking into his glove looking at how he holds his change-up and curveball when the usher asked me to clear the aisle for the game.  I watched one more pitch and started the long walk towards the upper deck.  I called Mark and left a voicemail, beginning to wonder if he’s still coming to the game.

Walking by the left-field foul pole, I spotted a familiar face.  Last season, my friend and I attempted to move into the left-field foul pole seats in the middle of a game.  The game was the week before Easter and the temperature hovered around freezing.  Even though no one else was seated in the entire section, my friend and I boldly and nonchalantly strolled to the front row, close enough to talk to Gordo.  After one pitch, the usher walked down the aisle and asked to see our tickets.  We were busted.  As we left, we were cheered on by some fans seated near the bullpen, “He let you guys stay the longest!  Way to go!”

So, I shared this story with the usher.  He nodded as if he remembered, “Well, a man’s got a job to do.  Hope there’s no hard feelings.”  We both laughed and shook hands.  No hard feelings here.

I continued strolling towards my seat when the call to stop and honor the national anthem came over the speakers.  I took off my hat and started to sing along when I noticed a man standing a few rows in front of me with a custom-made jersey that said, “Hogan—73.”

Hogan is my mom’s maiden name.  After the anthem, I walked down and introduced myself to see if we had any common kin.  We couldn’t make a real connection.  His family is Chicago-based; mine is in Cape Girardeau.  We laughed and parted ways.

I climbed up to my seat in time for the first pitch and texted Mark again to check in.  Nothing.  While I texted, Duffy surrendered a lead-off homerun to Austin Jackson.  Oh boy.  A single and a walk followed and it was hard to hold on to hope.  Prince Fielder stepped up to the plate.  Prince Fielder who splashed homeruns in batting practice.  Except this Prince Fielder promptly grounded out into a double play.  Deep sigh of relief.     

Alex Gordon was hitting lead-off, the place where his name should be written in Sharpie on line-up cards from now until 2016.  He doubled and tied the game a few minutes later and everything was right with the world.

In the bottom of the second inning my cell phone rang.  I figured it to be Mark and answered without looking.  It was the construction guy from the ticket line.  “You still wanna come to the suite?  I’ll meet you at the upper-deck elevator in a minute.”  I ran.

I’ve only seen the suites from the outside.  Crossing over the threshold was like entering Narnia.  The food was abundant and free.  The seats were plush.  There were two large screens with the game on in case I wanted to sit in a recliner and listen to Hudler.

I grabbed a Dr Pepper and a hot dog and sat down outside.  For a few minutes, I visited with the owner of Kenco, who also owns the Sheridan’s Custard in the outfield.  His daughter informed me that custard would be delivered in a few innings.  As I settled into my seat convinced that I was closer to heaven than I have ever been, my phone alerted me to an incoming text.  It was Mark.  “Dude, I’m here, in 241.  These seats are awesome.”

I texted back, “In a suite.”

The only reason I came to the game was because Mark convinced me to go.  In the fourth inning, I said good-bye to my suite friends, grabbed a Dr Pepper to go, and joined Mark and his Tiger-loving nephew, Jake, in the first-base seats.

As soon as I called out his name Mark responded, “What are you doing here?  Why aren’t you still in that suite?!?!”

“Because ball games are supposed to be shared with friends.”

He laughed and shrugged his shoulders.

The rest of the evening is a blur as we watched the brilliance of Verlander and Duffy on the mound.  We shouted at the top of our lungs when Gordo displayed his gold-glove brilliance and high-fived strangers when Frenchy recorded an assist at third.  I saw KC Royalman and introduced myself.  He accepted full responsibility for Inge’s homerun as nature called.  L’il Frenchy bounded by me eating a hotdog and gave me a smile and a high five.

Mark, Jake, and I stood for the entirety of the ninth inning, trying to will the Royals to victory through our applause and shouts.  We watched in awe as Verlander threw half a million pitches in the ninth inning to record the complete game victory.

All in all, it was just another night at the K.

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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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Kansas City struck first, turning three singles by Scott Podsednik, David DeJesus and Billy Butler into the first run of the game. The Astros countered with a one out RBI double by Pedro Feliz that scored Hunter Pence.
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