So in 2010, what players will we see in KC?  Let’s take a look:
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On June 28, Marte had a 2.95 ERA.  One month later, his ERA had ballooned to 9.76.  In eight of his ten July appearances, Marte gave up 2 or more runs, surrendering 24 earned runs over 9.1 innings in that stretch.  That July ERA of 23.14 earned him a trip back down to Omaha.  He gave up five homers in July and while he was unlucky to an extent (batters hit an unreal .526 on balls in play against him), he still walked ten batters.

Bullington made three appearances for Kansas City before being sent back to Omaha at the end of May.  He pitched three innings, walking five batters and giving up a homerun and four earned runs (a 12.00 ERA).  The former number one overall pick (2002) produced a 2.82 ERA over 102 innings in Triple A, making 15 starts and 5 relief appearances.

He pitched today against the Twins, giving the Royals two scoreless innings in relief of Brian Bannister.  Bullington walked one, struck out one and surrendered two hits in the loss.

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This after an off day of “should the Royals shoot for the playoffs” posts all over.  Now I’m as optimistic as the next guy, but I’m not delusional.  Focus ladies and gents…
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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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Now, on with the show: the Royals returned to Minnesota’s Target Field this week, then traveled to the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati to restart interleague play.
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So what happened next? Is the honeymoon over?  Would the Royals remember that they are, in fact, still the Royals?  Well read on, as we recap the week’s happenings and trends:
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Chris Getz was activated from the DL today after a minor oblique issue. He finished a brief rehab assignment in Omaha yesterday and will be in the lineup tonight at Tampa.
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I meant to get this published last night, but that was before my Market Fresh Update took twice as long to pull together than I though it would.

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The “Big” News:

According to Bob Dutton 3B-Mike Moustakas may miss the first two weeks of the regular season.  Apparently Moose strained his right oblique on a swing earlier this week and now his debut for Northwest Arkansas will be delayed.  J.J. Picollo recapped the action:

He felt something and the next swing, with two strikes he hit a single, but you could see that his swing was a little funny. He jogged down the line and called the trainer out.

Moustakas becomes the 3rd top-12 prospect in the organization, joining Danny Duffy and Jeff Bianchi, to be cut down by the injury bug this spring.

Also of note is the report that the Colorado Rockies have shown interest in RHP-Juan Cruz.  Personally, I think Dayton should try to move him in a deal and eat some of his contract if necessary.  Cruz strikes me as a good bet to bounce back this season after a dismal 2009 campaign anyway but a return to the NL would likely help him find his way a little faster.  He never seemed to settle in or get all that comfortable in Kansas City last season.

If this deal actually happens, the open bullpen slot could be used to evaluate one of the younger arms in the system with Blake Wood and Carlos Rosa being the two guys I most want to see in the Royals pen right now.  Since this is Dayton Moore we are talking about, we’d probably end up with on of the guys who were signed to minor league contracts this offseason like Brad Thompson or Josh Rupe.  I’ve got nothing against either Thompson or Rupe, and they really aren’t that old (28 and 27 respectively) but I don’t view either player as part of the team’s future.  Rosa and/or Blake Wood could be but we will never really know unless they are actually given a chance.

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Royals Bloggin’:

Royalscentricity – Logjammin: Middle-Infield Style

Royals Authority - Taking Stock of Spring

Royals Junkie – Anxiety in Baseball: Modern Techniques Can Ease The Burden

14 for 77 – Bees rotation as intriguing as any in the system

The Hardball Times – Five Questions: Kansas City Royals

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Transactions:

On Monday, LHP-Noel Arguelles was optioned to high-A Wilmington and SS-Jeff Bianchi was optioned to Double-A NW Arkansas.

On Tuesday the Royals optioned RHP-Carlos Rosa and RHP-Victor Marte to Triple-A Omaha.  I’m not surprised by either player being optioned down, especially Marte who has been battling injury.  I am however surprised that Rosa wasn’t given a longer look this spring.  It should be sink or swim time in the majors for Carlos, but Dayton and Trey won’t even let him get into the water.  Matthew Pouliot of Hardball Talk* took notice of the move as well.

*When did Circling the Bases become Hardball Talk?

On Wednesday the Royals optioned RHP-Aaron Crow to Double-A NW Arkansas.  Like the Rosa and Marte moves, this certainly didn’t come as a shock.  I have been extremely impressed by Crow thus far between his AFL and spring training innings and he is further along than I thought he would be.  I know some people wanted him to make the opening day roster, and some people believe the Royals should be conservative and keep him in the minors all season.  Typically I’d be in league with the latter group, but when it comes to Aaron Crow I hope the Royals let his pitching determine how quickly he moves up instead of sticking to a preconceived plan, time frame, or basing it on need at the major league level.  If Crow is the special talent we all hope and think he is, I wouldn’t be at all opposed to seeing him in Kansas City before the All Star break.

OF-Rene Oriental (25) is back with the Royals after a very bizarre detour.

According to Baseball America, the Royals signed LHP-Oswaldo Bravo at the end of February.

The latest from Baseball America Minor League Transactions indicates that the team signed LHP-Jose Sanchez last week and also released RHP-Deybi de la Cruz, LHP-Aneidy Toribio, 3B-Josh Johnson, and OF-Shawn Griffin.

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Former Royals:

Everyone’s favorite, RHP-Sidney Ponson, has signed with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League.  The linked MLB Trade Rumors post on the topic sums it up perfectly with the following:

He became a free agent in August after Kansas City designated him for assignment, and this is the first time we’ve heard his name since.

Blue Jays C-John Buck hit two home runs yesterday and is now hitting 0.375/.375/.875 through 16 spring at bats.

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Random Stuff:

Remember the A.J. Ellis for Alberto Callaspo trade rumors?  Thanks to the pulled groin of catcher Russell Martin, it looks like we’re going to find out if Ellis has what it takes to survive in the major leagues.  He’s going to get his shot wearing a Dodgers uniform instead of a Royals one and I am completely okay with that.

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen tells it like it is in his own very unique way.

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are going to try and set the world record for the “largest gathering of people wearing fleece blankets.”  Tim Lincecum in a Giants knock-off Snuggie is cool.  Tens of thousands of Angels fans showing up to a game to don their own Hideki Matsui “blankie”?  Not so cool.  Snuggie-mania is running wild throughout this great country and I refuse to get on board.

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I should be back with more tonight including the latest edition of the Baseball Side of FanSided and the reveal of KoK Prospect #8.

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