Alex Gordon will look to continue his recent hot streak as the Royals visit Seattle for the only time this season. Photo Credit: John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE

When Last We Saw …

As mentioned the M’s were at the K just last week when they took three of four against Kansas City. Seattle traded Ichiro Suzuki earlier this week to the New York Yankees, who went 7-for-20 with five runs scored, one double and triple.

Season Series …

Ichiro wasn’t the only Mariner to hurt the Royals last week left fielder Casper Wells drove in seven runs over the four game series. Jesus Montero was 8-for-17 scoring five runs plus drove in eight runs against KC. Pitching wise the M’s got solid efforts from three of their four starters which was capped by Felix Hernandez eight inning performance.

In the opener Seattle put the final nail in the Jonathan Sanchez coffin scoring five first inning runs and knocking him out after an inning and a third. Jason Vargas went six innings allowing three runs but was picked up by his ‘pen allowing one run over the final three innings. Alex Gordon had three hits with Mike Moustakas providing two in the 9-4 defeat.

Game two was similar to game one with the Royals not getting a long outing from its starter when Ryan Verdugo made his MLB debut and only went 1 2/3 innings. Verdugo allowed six runs on eight hits in his rough debut. KC fought back from a six-run deficit twice in the game but ultimately lost 9-6, Lorenzo Cain had a two-run pinch hit home run.

Kansas City fell behind 1-0 in game three but tagged Kevin Millwood for three runs in the second inning. Gordon and Cain each drove in two runs and six of the seven Royals starters drove in a run in the 8-7 win, Bruce Chen took a no-decision. Billy Butler was the hero in the game with a walkoff HR to left centerfield.

Will Smith gave KC a 6 1/3 inning start which he struck out five walking just two in what was largely a good start. Facing King Felix proved difficult even with Kansas City getting eight hits, they were 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and grounded into two double plays. Montero drove in four runs in the Mariners 6-1 victory.

7/16 – Mariners 9 @ Royals 4
7/17 – Mariners 9 @ Royals 6
7/18 – Mariners 7 @ Royals 8
7/19 – Mariners 6 @ Royals 1

Probable Pitching Match-Ups (All Times Central):     

Thursday, 9:10 pm – Luis Mendoza (4-6, 4.31) v. Jason Vargas (10-7, 3.91)
- Mendoza picked up his first victory at home on Saturday night against the Twins going 6 1/3 well pitched innings in a 7-3 win.
- In his career he’s 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA against Seattle in four games which includes one start.
- Vargas has won his last three starts and has been given run support of 7 (at Oak), 9 (at KC) and 2 (at TB) runs in these starts. He hasn’t won at home since May 9, 2-1 against Detroit at Safeco Field.
Friday, 9:10 pm – Jeremy Guthrie (3-10, 6.49)  v. Blake Beavan (5-6, 5.54)
- Guthrie made his Royals debut on Sunday at home against the Twins allowing five runs in five innings, striking out four and walking three.
- He’s faced the Mariners ten times with each appearance being a start, his record is 2-6 both wins were complete games.
- Beavan threw last week at the K picking up the win going six innings, he allowed five runs and struck out three.
Saturday, 3:10 pm – Bruce Chen (7-8, 5.54) v. Kevin Millwood (3-8, 4.13)
- Chen’s last start came in the third game of the series last week in which he got the ND throwing 5 1/3 innings. He allowed four runs on seven hits striking out six without issuing a walk.
- Last week was the first time in his career that Bruce faced the M’s.
- Millwood got rocked in during his five innings at Kansas City last week which he allowed seven runs on 10 hits. On June 8^th he was part of a combined no-hitter for the team against the Dodgers in Seattle.
Sunday, 3:10 pm – Will Smith (2-3, 6.26) v. Felix Hernandez (9-5, 2.80)
- Smith started Tuesday night in Anaheim going seven innings in the Royals 4-1 victory allowing just two-hits.
- He’ll get another shot at King Felix who he faced in the series finale last week where he worked into the seventh inning before being pulled.
- Hernandez like Smith pitched and won on Tuesday night the only game of the previous series for his team. Against the Yankees he went 7 1/3 innings allowed four hits and two runs.

Will Mike Moustakas overtake Billy Butler in HR's and RBIs in the second half?. Photo Credit: Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE

Kansas City will get to .500 at the K

I really feel that the Royals will play better at home and my faith comes from what I was a part of during the All-Star break at the K. The city and fan base wants a winner and I think they’ll come out to support the team which will translate to the team feeling the love which will turn to wins.

Mike Moustakas leads the team in HR’s and RBIs

Get ready for more MOOOOOOOOSE! Chants in the second half of the season because I feel the Royals sophomore third baseman will continue to improve. He’s not far behind Country Breakfast in homeruns and runs batted in which I think he’ll overtake him in the second half.

Wil Myers won’t appear until August of September

Driving back from KC on Wednesday I decided to listen to both 610 (the Royals flagship) and 810 (the former rights holder) on the drive back. Flipping between both got me to thinking that Wil Myers might not be in Kansas City as soon as hoped. Dayton Moore was on 810 and he mentioned that Jake Odorizzi might be in triple-A the whole year and depending on how Lorenzo Cain and Jeff Francoeur do (or get moved) he’ll be a Storm Chaser longer.

Royals won’t make a move at the deadline

I’m gun-shy about what GMDM will do at the deadline, I’ve got fears that nothing will happen. Obviously many fans want Frenchy gone for the purpose of letting Myers play. With 2013 being now dubbed the year it seems prospects might not be moved to get pitching at this deadline which is the biggest need right now. I really want to be wrong on this prediction in the worse way. In the offseason probably will be a different story when the team will need to acquire pitching.

Kansas City finishes the season around .500

Not only will the team get to .500 at home which helps the overall record is why I make this prediction. The team might’ve finished the first half with a whimper but I feel this group will make strides like they did last year and will be a thorn in the side of those competing. I’m also of the belief that the starters will help the bullpen which also helps the W/L record. Better starting pitching will lead to a less taxing of the ‘pen which makes the entire staff better.

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!

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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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I was at a Royals/Mariners game on a Wednesday night, two years ago. A year where I was watching a Royals team much different than the team I’m watching this year. A year where Miguel Olivo split time with John Buck calling games for the Royals instead of the M’s, hit 23 homers…and struck out….a lot.

Ken Griffey Jr. was still hacking for Seattle and, though I obviously wanted the Royals to win, I couldn’t help rooting for Ken every time he came to the plate. I had to. I’ve always been a fan of his….always will be. He  was the designated hitter and went 1-3 with a double. I unashamedly stood up and cheered when he got his hit. (more…)

The Mariners are last in the AL in runs scored and only ahead of Houston. It’s well understood that they need offensive help to contend in 2010 and Kansas City may be an ideal trading partner for them.
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The Royals pursued free-agent lefty Jarrod Washburn in the off-season, but club officials are dismissing a recent SI.com report suggesting renewed interest.

“Just somebody throwing our name out there,” general manager Dayton Moore said.

Say what you will about reporters, and bloggers for that matter, looking for a story but there is too smoke surrounding this thing to just be “someone throwing a name out there.”  Even on Wednesday Dayton’s comments made me laugh.  After all, we know Dayton and Trey continue to cling to the belief that they have to have a lefty in their rotation so this makes complete sense just on that very basic level.  Personally, I’m a believer of putting your best five starters in the rotation regardless of which hand they happen to use to throw a baseball, but the Royals clearly feel differently.  They proved that last season when their obsession drove them to give Horacio Ramirez* a spot in the rotation.  As we all know that spot was completely unearned.  In fact, Ho-Ram did everything in his power during spring training to pitch his way off the staff.  He failed, he started one game, then he left the rotation.

*No, I’m not going to let it go.  Yes, I will keep bringing this up.  My IRF (Inner Royals Fan) was forever scarred by the Ho-Ram debacle.

We also experienced Dayton’s plan last season when he added an aging, veteran pitcher who was clearly in decline.  Last year it was Sidney Ponson.  This year it could be Jarrod Washburn.  Considering he is left-handed and is an aging veteran in decline it makes too much sense to not have at least of sliver of truth.  There is also the fact that players simply don’t get linked to the Royals without a credible source involved.  If someone was going to “throw out” a random and unsubstantiated rumor about a team’s interest in Jarrod Washburn, the Kansas City Royals would be at the bottom of the list when picking a team for said rumor.  That just seems like basic reasoning to me.

Adding fuel to the fire on Wednesday was the report that the Mariners made an offer to Jarrod believed to be less than what they guaranteed Erik Bedard, and that Washburn turned it down.  He wants to pitch in Seattle so for him to turn down such an offer, even if he felt it was a lowball offer would suggest that another team was in the mix for his services.  He’s probably regretting that he turned down the $5 million he was reportedly offered by the Twins and as a result, somewhere Carl Pavano is laughing.

Right around lunch time today, John Heyman wrote the following on SI.com:

The Mariners, who are concerned about their starting pitching depth, are trying to bring back Jarrod Washburn for a deal that’s lower than the one they gave Erik Bedard, who got a $1.75 million guarantee and $7.5 million ceiling after an injury-racked season. Perhaps they’re counting on the late date to help them lure Washburn back on a cheap deal, but so far Washburn doesn’t seem to be anxious to become a great late bargain. The Royals are believed to be offering significantly more money. But it’s thought that Washburn would prefer a return to Seattle, where he thrived last year. That’s if the dollars can be worked out.

This evening Bob Dutton provided this:

Reports persist of the Royals’ interest in free-agent pitcher Jarrod Washburn without any apparent substantiation from club officials. Further, one top club official says the Royals are $1.5 million over budget for their major-league payroll.

I really enjoy the phrase “without any apparent substantiation.”  That tells me that Dutton is hearing the same thing as Heyman but that the rumor can’t be confirmed.  It’s not surprising that it can’t be substantiated by club officials.  Revealing that kind of information tends to get one in hot water, and as sensitive as Dayton Moore has been at times, I wouldn’t want to be that guy leaking info and confirming rumors.  The amount of smoke here cannot be ignored.  In the past, the team being over budget may have played a legitimate role in the discussion.  Now I think this point is irrelevant.  The Royals are heading into year number two of a renovated stadium while ownership, in recent years has shown a willingness to invest in players that Dayton sees as good value.  Recently, most of that spending has been done to restock the minor league system, and we can argue about Dayton’s concept of good value till we are blue in the face, but when it comes down to it, the simple fact remains that the organization went over it’s budget to add Juan Cruz at the end of February last season.

I have no doubt in my mind that Trey wants Jarrod Washburn.  I have no doubt in my mind that he’s gotten him GM on board with the idea, if Dayton needed any convincing that is.  Further, I have no doubt in my mind that Moore can get approval from David and Dan Glass to bump up the 2010 payroll just to add Jarrod Washburn.

For me, the question still remains, why?  Why Washburn and why now?

While those questions were bouncing around in my head the last couple of days, the Cleveland Indians placed 26-year old LHP-Jeremy Sowers on waivers on Wednesday.  Sowers, the Tribe’s 1st round pick in the 2004 draft, reached the majors in 2006 and had an impressive rookie campaign.  That season he started 14 games, pitched 88.1 innings, had a wonderful 1.19 WHIP and finished with an ERA+ of 126.  It’s been downhill ever since thanks to an increase in his H/9 and BB/9.  That rookie season 1.19 WHIP seems like a distant memory compared to the 1.56, 1.49, and 1.51 marks he has turned in the last three seasons.  With the Washburn rumors circling I believed there was a reasonable chance the Royals would put in a claim on Sowers.  He’s younger, cheaper, and I believe that with the right pitching coach working with him could become a viable back of the rotation guy.  The Royals passed on Jeremy, as did every other team, and less than four hours after it was reported that he was placed on waivers, he had cleared and was outrighted to Triple-A Columbus.

I’m not saying that the Royals should have claimed Sowers, and Ed Carroll of our Cleveland Indians site Deep Left Field makes a valid point about the young lefty.

It was time to cut ties with Sowers, who was quite simply a huge disappointment of a 1st round pick. Space was needed on the 40-man, Sowers was hurt and out of options, it just all added up to bad news for Sowers. If he can’t make it with the Indians, I’m curious to see who WOULD take a chance on Sowers.

It is a valid point.  The Indians rotation looks pretty terrible, and if Jeremy couldn’t claim a spot over there could he really do so for the Royals or any other team?  I know the stats suggest teams should run in the other direction, and all 29 other teams listened.  Sowers has been a disappointment in Cleveland, but I’m a big believer in the impact that a change of scenery can have on a player.  Speaking of the 40-man roster, thanks to Edgar Osuna making his way down to Double-A, the Royals just happen to have an open spot to fill.

Again I’m not saying that the Royals should have claimed Sowers, but I think claiming a soon-to-be 27-year old lefty with a chance to get better would be a much smarter direction than overpaying for a very over-the-hill 35-year old lefty.  We know the Mariners offered Washburn less than $1.75 million and if the rumors are to be believed, we know that the Royals offered significantly more.  That brings up the question will Jarrod Washburn be worth “significantly” more than Jeremy Sowers in 2010?  In my book that answer is definitively no regardless of what the specifics behind “significantly more” turn out to be.

What upsets me more than anything about all of this is that the Royals had their chance to add a legitimate left-handed starting pitcher.  On February 1st, the Oakland Athletics designated 26-year old LHP-Dana Eveland for assignment.  Dayton Moore, if he was interested at all, wasn’t aggressive enough.  Five days later, Eveland was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays on February 6th for cash or a player to be named later.

It’s not always the moves that are made that wind up being the mistakes.  Sometimes it’s the moves that aren’t made.  Sometimes the moves that are made are designed to correct for a move that wasn’t made.  If we wind up with Jarrod Washburn for 2010 at a cost of several million dollars, the failure to acquire Dana Eveland will double in magnitude.

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Just a programming note that tomorrow is draft night for my fantasy baseball league and my parents will be driving down from Minnesota to see their grandkids and celebrate Easter with us.  It is entirely possible that I won’t get a post up tomorrow and if I do, there is a good chance it will be related to fantasy baseball and I may be reporting live as I attempt to build upon my core of five players.

(Wally Fish is the lead writer for Kings of Kauffman and Call to the Pen.  He is also FanSided’s MLB Director.  Subscribe to his RSS feed and add him on Twitter to follow him daily.)