A Bobcat in Ewing Kauffman's Court

Tigers' opener with Royals washed out

2005-08-12T22:00:00.000-05:00

Contest will be made up in Sept. 20 doubleheader

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Alan Trammell reclined behind his desk Friday night, his hands behind his head. He looked a little tired.

"It seems like we've been around here a while today," the Tigers skipper said. "This was a long day."

Indeed, and it felt even longer, because the Tigers had traveled from Toronto to Kansas City, only to be met with steady showers that postponed the opening game of their weekend series against the Royals after a one-hour, six-minute delay.

Despite the Tigers' confined quarters while the rain fell, the team managed to get in some work — a few players took batting practice in indoor cages — before settling in to watch parts of the Red Sox-White Sox contest.

"Rain delays are the worst thing in baseball," pitching coach Bob Cluck said. "But it's better to be rained out in the Majors than at Triple-A."

Trammell also managed to find a silver lining.

"The one thing about Kauffman Stadium is that the grounds crew comes in regularly and fills you in," he said. "'You've got another half-hour, then a small window,' they'd say.

"And there were a few times when [the rain] had stopped — for about three minutes."

The postponed game is the Tigers' fifth this season, and their first in nearly three months. They had games against the Twins on April 23 and 24 pushed back because of snow. Their games on April 26 at Cleveland and May 13 against the Angels were rescheduled due to rain.

Friday night's game will be made up as part of a twi-night doubleheader that will begin at 5:10 p.m. ET on Sept. 20 at Kauffman Stadium.

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Tigers' opener with Royals washed out

Pudge missing in action

2005-08-12T21:50:00.000-05:00

Tigers' catcher reportedly spent suspension in Colombia

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Where in the world is Ivan Rodriguez?

The All-Star catcher might be in Colombia, where he was attending to personal business during his recently completed four-game suspension. He might be on his way to Kauffman Stadium, where he and his teammates are playing a weekend series against the Royals. He might even be marooned in some random airport because of weather.

Nobody knows.

"I heard he was in Colombia," manager Alan Trammell said, "but I don't really know.

"I don't know all the details, and I basically have no idea [what] personal business he was attending to. ... I don't know exactly when he's going to be here. It could be before the game, it might not. I'm not sure."

Trammell said he had planned to start Rodriguez on Friday night, but instead penciled in Vance Wilson. Trammell also said he wanted to discuss the situation with Rodriguez before making any further decisions.

Rodriguez's situation started to unfold when he began serving the suspension he received for actions and comments deemed inappropriate by the Commissioner's Office during the Tigers' 9-5 loss to the A's on July 30.

During the course of his suspension, Rodriguez left the country to travel to Colombia for undisclosed personal business. According to reports from team officials, he planned to travel from South America to Kansas City in time for Friday night's game, but his whereabouts remained unknown.

Weather likely played some role in Rodriguez's delay, as heavy downpours hit much of the Midwest on Friday morning and afternoon — postponing the Tigers' series opener with the Royals until Sept. 20 — though Trammell refused to accept that as an excuse.

"I realize there's no control over weather," Trammell said, "but that's why I had hoped he [would] come in [Thursday] night, just so he would have been here in case something like this happened.

"I'm disappointed, as we all are. I think everybody would probably like to know a little more. But hey, it's personal and we need to respect that, which we do."

GUILLEN SITS AGAIN

Shortstop Carlos Guillen was to have remained on the bench Friday because of soreness in both knees, though the washout made that academic.

Guillen missed the Tigers' Thursday matinee against the Blue Jays because of the same ailment, which he and Trammell both believe is related to playing three games on the artificial turf at Rogers Centre.

"We do feel that it's turf related, [especially when you consider] the type of knee problems he's had this year," Trammell said. "He's concerned, we're all concerned. But we're confident that it's turf related and it's just soreness, and it will go away in a few days.

"Is he out of the woods? No. The rest of this year is going to be like this."

Trammell added that he didn't think Guillen would need an MRI.

News of Rodriguez's dilemma and Guillen's continued knee problems were enough to make Trammell shake his head take stock of his team's problems.

"It's like, 'OK, what news am I going to get when I show up tomorrow?'" he said. "It's been one thing after another, and you just have to do the best you can.

"The hits just keep on coming"

THIS AND THAT

Keep an eye on Magglio Ordonez during the Tigers' weekend series at Kauffman Stadium. Why? Because he leads all active players with a .368 (70-for-190) batting average in 45 games at the park. He's also collected 14 doubles, 11 home runs and 42 RBIs at Kauffman. ... The Tigers are 6-4 against the Royals this season, including a 2-1 mark in Kansas City. ... Craig Monroe's 12 sacrifice flies leave him one short of Lance Parrish and Travis Fryman for the franchise's single-season record of 13. ... Comerica Park will on the national stage Wednesday when the Tigers take on the World Series champion Red Sox on ESPN. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. ET.

COMING UP

After the rainout on Friday, the Tigers kick off their series against the Royals at 7:10 p.m. ET Saturday — weather permitting. Right-hander Jason Johnson (7-9, 4.06 ERA) will start for the Tigers, while Jose Lima (4-10, 6.84 ERA) gets the nod for the Royals.

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Pudge missing in action

Liefer assures grand sweep

2005-08-11T23:50:00.000-05:00

Seventh-inning heroics help Millwood notch another win

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Another night, another grand slam, another hero.

Only the hero this time around wasn't Travis Hafner or Victor Martinez or Jhonny Peralta. It wasn't even Grady Sizemore, back for more after his grand slam Wednesday night.

It was Jeff Liefer.

Yes, Liefer, the 30-year-old journeyman backup infielder with the .232 career batting average, sent a first-pitch cutter high over the right-field wall in the seventh inning Thursday night for the Indians' second grand slam in as many games, and the difference in a 4-2 win over the free-falling Royals.

"With runners on base, I was trying to be aggressive," he said. "It might be the best pitch I would have seen, and I didn't want to miss it. I was looking for a good pitch to hit and I got it."

He got it, all right. That much was certain as soon as the ball flew off his bat and landed 386 feet away, ripping its way through the muggy air of one of those unmistakable Midwestern summer nights.

Liefer's homer is representative of how well the Indians have played during much of the last three weeks, evidence that even role players who haven't homered in more than a year can steal the spotlight on a given night.

That's right, Liefer's last home run came last season — June 26, 2004, to be exact — while he was still a member of the Brewers. He hadn't hit a grand slam since Sept. 10, 2002. And coincidentally, that slam, which he hit as a member of the White Sox, also came at Kauffman Stadium.

So, Jeff, you like playing in Kansas City, huh?

"Yeah," he said, "I do like playing here. It's one of my favorite places to play. I see the ball well here, I like the atmosphere here, I like the ball here. I just like playing here."

So do the Indians, who rode Liefer's slam to another win and a three-game sweep of the Royals. The win was their sixth straight, and 11th in their last 13 games.

Until Liefer connected, though, it appeared the Tribe might finally lose a game during its just-completed six-game road swing through Detroit and Kansas City. The Indians trailed 2-0 entering the seventh with Kevin Millwood on the mound, surely a recipe for a loss. The Tribe, after all, was just 4-8 this season when Millwood turned in a quality start, and this was a quality start.

Indeed, Millwood battled through seven innings, working his way in and out of jams, and stranding a trio of Royals base runners on third along the way. He faltered just once when, in the third he yielded four straight base hits the Royals turned in to a pair of runs. That was all they got off of Millwood, who allowed eight hits, walked one and struck out five over seven innings.

"He's a competitor," manager Eric Wedge said. "And he's been doing it all year long. He doesn't give in to anybody.

"He really set the tone in terms of keeping us in the ball game. He had to work his way into it a little bit, but he just kept getting better as the game went along. As we've seen so many time before, he's at his best when his back's against the wall out there."

Millwood finally got some breathing room in the seventh after Hafner walked, and Martinez and Ronnie Belliard singled to load the bases. It was the first time an Indians runner had advanced past second base all night, and the team wasn't about to let slip away its best chance to give its starter a little support.

Not that Millwood ever had any doubts, of course.

"When we loaded the bases with nobody out, I figured we were going to score at least one run there," Millwood said. "Probably two."

Instead, they scored four after Liefer drove the ball to almost the same spot Sizemore hit his just one night before. The grand slam was the Indians' lone knock with runners in scoring position — they finished 1-for-7 in that category — but it was enough.

"[Liefer's] had some big hits for us," Wedge said. "He's really had some big hits for us. He goes up there, he's ready to hit, ready to drive the ball, and he's had some very big hits for us in a very short time."

When coupled with the A's matinee win over the Angels, the Tribe now stands 2 1/2 games back of the Angels for the American League Wild Card lead. The Indians trail the division-leading White Sox, who were off Thursday, by 12 games.

The Indians, of course, have done everything they could during their week away from home — their 6-0 finish marked their first perfect road trip of six or more games since May 2001.

"You never expect to have this kind of road trip," Wedge said. "But it's a credit to those guys out there and how they're playing, and the consistency with which they're playing."

Added Millwood: "You can't beat that. It should be a good flight home."

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Liefer assures grand sweep

Offense kicking in

2005-08-11T19:40:00.000-05:00

Stability of top five translates into winning baseball

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Casey Blake stood in front of his locker Thursday afternoon and pulled tight the Velcro strips on his batting gloves.

He had work to do.

Blake, who entered Thursday with at least one hit in each of his last 11 games, a season-long streak, had to test his bats and make a decision about which he would be using during the Indians' series finale against the Royals. What an important decision, especially considering how well Blake and his teammates have been swinging those bats during recent weeks.

Consider that during the Indians' last 13 games entering Thursday, they were batting .325 and had averaged more than 6.5 runs per game. Those numbers translated into two even more impressive numbers: 10 wins against just three losses.

"Offensively, it's been a while now and these guys have been pretty consistent," manager Eric Wedge said. "We've had a lot of big hits ... and it's the first time we've been able to put that all together, and it's helped us offensively."

"All this," of course, refers to the Tribe's stability among its top five hitters — Grady Sizemore and Coco Crisp at the top of the order, Jhonny Peralta in the No. 3 spot, a healthy Travis Hafner in the cleanup hole and the red-hot Victor Martinez at No. 5.

Each of those five was riding a hitting streak of at least five games and batting at least .276 before the series finale.

Toss in some solid starting pitching and the typical lights-out work from the bullpen — Tribe relievers retired all nine batters they faced Wednesday night, and lead the American League with a 2.85 ERA — and you get a team that should be solid down the stretch, especially after getting its feet wet last year.

"We need to use the experiences that we went through last year in August and September, the good and the bad," Wedge said. "These guys have always learned from their experiences, and that's what they'll do this year.

"We're putting it all together."

TRIBE HOPES RHODES IS READY

Arthur Rhodes' stint on the bereavement list is about to end, whether he's ready or not.

Players are permitted to spend three to seven days on the bereavement before their team loses a roster spot. Thursday marked Rhodes' seventh day on the list.

"We'll make a decision [Friday]," Wedge said. "Right now, we're not even getting to [the alternatives]. We're just focused on him potentially being activated [Friday]."

Should Rhodes not be activated before the Indians' home game against the Devil Rays, the Tribe will have to option a player to the Minor Leagues.

HERE'S THE QUESTION

The Indians entered Thursday 39-1 this season when they score six or more runs in a game. What Major League teams are better when they score at least that many runs in a game? (See answer below)

WILD CARD WATCH

After the A's pulled out a 5-4 comeback win over the Angels on Thursday afternoon, the Indians moved to within three games of the American League Wild Card lead and one full game ahead of the Yankees in the chase.

"There are still a lot of team involved," Wedge said. "But I'm aware of where we're at ... but it's not something I get caught up in. I get caught up in our guys and how we're playing.

I have plenty of people who remind me," he joked. "And that's not even [reporters]."

THIS AND THAT

The Indians entered Thursday winners of each of their five games during the current road trip, and winners of six straight road games overall. The last time the team ended a road trip of six or more games with an unblemished record was May 2001, when the Indians swept the Devil Rays and Royals. ... Blake's 11-game hitting streak is one game short of his career high. ... Cleveland Indians Charities will hold its annual golf outing Monday at Quail Hollow. ... Martinez, Hafner and Cliff Lee will be signing autographs Saturday during a parent-child clinic at Jacobs Field.

DOWN ON THE FARM

Triple-A Buffalo was off Wednesday, but did place outfielder Ryan Ludwick on the disabled list. Outfielder Franklin Gutierrez was recalled from Double-A Akron. ... The Aeros, meanwhile, pounded Erie for an 11-1 win to maintain first place in the Eastern League's Southern Division. ... Class A Kinston lost to Myrtle Beach, 6-5, in 13 innings. ... Class A Lake County was off. ... Joe Ness pitched six innings and notched the win as Class A Mahoning Valley beat New Jersey, 4-2. ... Rookie level Burlington lost to Greenville, 10-4.

AND HERE'S THE ANSWER

After the Nationals scored six runs Wednesday night but lost to the Braves, the Indians stand atop the Majors in this category. The Tribe is 39-1, the Nationals are 21-1, and every other team has at least three losses when they score six runs or fewer.

ON DECK

The Indians will return home Friday for a rather welcomed 10-day, nine-game homestand. First up, a three-game weekend series with the Devil Rays that will kick off at 7:05 p.m. ET Friday at Jacobs Field. Jake Westbrook (10-12, 4.46 ERA) shoots for his fifth win in as many starts. Lefty Mark Hendrickson (6-7, 6.77 ERA), a former Cleveland Cavalier, gets the nod for Tampa Bay.

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Offense kicking in

Sizemore powers Tribe over Royals

2005-08-10T23:50:00.000-05:00

Indians win 10th of last 12, Sabathia solid

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Grady Sizemore walked through the Indians clubhouse late Wednesday night, headed straight for his locker when, rather suddenly, he turned and faced a small pack of reporters who wanted to talk with him.

They wanted to ask him about his three-hit evening, his latest dazzling catch and his first career grand slam. They wanted to ask him about the Indians' 6-1 win over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium. They wanted, in short, to ask him about everything he had done during the previous nine innings.

"Pretty good night," one reporter said, more a statement than a question.

Sizemore paused and seemed to ponder those three words. Then he slowly bobbed his head and issued forth what can only be described as more of a hum than any sort of verbal utterance.

"Mmm hmm."

Mmm hmm, as in, "Yeah, it was a pretty good night."

And it was.

Sizemore's 3-for-3 effort, highlighted by that grand slam sparked the Tribe to another win, its fifth straight and 10th in 12 games. And unlike the bizarre 13-7 contest that preceded it Tuesday night, this one was almost kind of easy.

The offense, for example, pounded out 13 more hits. The defense, conversely, snatched away a few hits. And the pitching, well, it all started with C.C. Sabathia, who turned in one of his finest outings all season.

Let's jump straight to the top of the second inning, the game scoreless but the Indians threatening. After Ronnie Belliard popped out to start the inning, Jeff Liefer and Aaron Boone smacked consecutive singles, and Casey Blake walked. With the bases loaded and just one out, Sizemore strode to the plate, worked Royals' starter Zack Greinke to a 3-1 count, then drilled a fastball over the right-center field wall.

One swing. Four runs. No looking back.

"With the bases loaded, I just wanted to get a pitch I could possibly hit to the gap," Sizemore said. "I saw the fastball and I swung."

Added manager Eric Wedge: "Grady put a nice, easy swing on that [ball]. ... You know exactly what you're going to get from that guy every day you come to the park."

The slam also allowed Sabathia, who gave up a single run and seven hits over six innings of work, to relax a bit more and not have to worry about every pitch he hurled towards home plate. En route to his eighth win, he also struck out six batters and issued one intentional walk.

The only run Sabathia yielded came in the third, when the Royals strung together a pair of doubles. He could have easily allowed more — the Royals left two on in the fourth, and left the bases loaded in the fifth — but Sabathia wriggled his way out of jams, something he hadn't done nearly enough during recent starts.

"He is improving at controlling damage," Wedge said. "As a starting pitcher, you give up a run early in the game, you just have to nip it in the bud and try to control the damage.

"You're going to give up runs, but you've got to keep your team in the ball game and give your team a chance to win."

And that's exactly what Sabathia did — with a little help from his friends.

Aside from Sizemore, who also singled home a run in the sixth to collect his career-best fifth RBI, left fielder Coco Crisp also drove home a run and, more importantly, made a diving catch in the fifth that saved at least two runs from scoring.

The scene: One out in the fifth, Royals runners at second and third, the tying run at the plate in the form of Chip Ambres. With Sabathia staring him down on a 2-2 pitch, Ambres lined a ball to left field. Crisp takes off for it, going full blast, catches it in his glove, rolls, then tosses the ball back to the infield.

"It's something that you don't expect to see happen, but he's an aggressive outfielder," Wedge said. "And not only did he make the great catch, but he had the awareness to get up and keep the runners where they were."

That awareness seemed to sum up the whole night for the Indians, who played a very sharp game just one night after a sloppy game.

This latest win leaves the Indians 3 1/2 games back of the Angels and A's in the American League Wild Card race, but lands them one full game ahead of the Yankees.

"Obviously," Sizemore said, "you want to be in the playoffs every year. That's the goal for everyone in this clubhouse. But you have to take it a series at a time. We have a lot of ball left ... and we have to keep playing like we've been playing the last couple of days."

If Sizemore keeps playing like he has been, the Tribe will be just fine.

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Sizemore powers Tribe over Royals

Lee remains an enigma

2005-08-10T19:30:00.000-05:00

Odd year continues for left-hander

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — The curious case of Cliff Lee continued Tuesday night.

Lee, the Indians' left-hander with the sparkling 12-4 record turned in a subpar outing — six earned runs and eight hits allowed over five brief innings of work — but didn't pick up the loss.

Granted, he didn't win, either, but he was never in a position to win. He was not, after all, around during the ninth, when the Tribe scored 11 runs and mounted a furious comeback from a very late 7-2 hole.

"I don't think I could have made it nine innings," Lee joked. "I left a lot of balls over the plate. [The Royals] are big league hitters, and they hit 'em. Luckily, we came back and scored 11 runs, which was pretty unbelievable."

The rally, indeed, remains as unbelievable now as it did while it unfolded between the lines at Kauffman Stadium. Almost as unbelievable are Lee's numbers during his last 10 starts.

Lee, during that stretch, has notched five wins against just one loss, but that should come to be expected. Lee has lost just 12 games since Opening Day 2004. His ERA during those 10 starts, however, is a lofty 5.79. His WHIP is 1.57. His strikeout to walk ratio is barely more than two to one. He has but two quality starts.

So how, exactly, does a pitcher post those sorts of numbers and still manage such an impressive winning percentage?

"I don't know," Lee said.

Lee did offer a few theories. For example, His numbers might have been so high because four of the 10 starts in question came against the Yankees and the Red Sox, and he has struggled to locate his offspeed pitches on any sort of consistent basis. As for the wins, well, just call him the beneficiary of a potent offense on its best nights.

The bottom line, however, is that Lee will likely need to begin to locate his offspeed stuff and return to early-season form, when he was 7-3 over 13 starts with a nifty 3.09 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP and a strikeout to walk ratio of nearly three to one.

"Cliff was a little bit flat," manager Eric Wedge said Tuesday night. "He didn't have his best stuff."

That's been the case more often than not for much of the last two months, but it hasn't mattered yet.

FOR SEAMHEADS ONLY

The Indians' 11-run ninth inning Tuesday night was nothing, if not at least a bit historic. It also yielded more than a few interesting facts and figures. A sampling:

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Tribe was just the third Major League team to score 11 runs in the ninth inning of a road game. The White Sox matched the effort on Aug. 19, 1970, against the Red Sox, while the Blue Jays turned the trick against the Mariners on July 20, 1984.

The Tribe's latest win was also just the third in club history when trailing by five runs on the road entering the ninth. The first two occasions came on May 4, 1930, at Boston, and Aug. 21, 1934, at Philadelphia.

The rally also marked the Tribe's first double-digit scoring effort during the ninth inning since they scored 10 against the A's on Sept. 3, 1983.

"It was one of those crazy innings," said Grady Sizemore, who was barely a year old during that win at Oakland. "It's something we haven't done very often, but we'd like to do a little bit more."

HERE'S THE QUESTION

When did the Indians last have a winning record through 113 games? (See answer below.)

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

On top of all the runs, hits, errors, rallies and Indians high-fives Tuesday, there were also two official scoring changes.

Royals shortstop Angel Berroa's fielding error committed during the Tribe rally has been changed to a fielder's choice, on the basis of Rule 10.14 (d), which essentially states that no error can be charged on a play in which an out is recorded.

After the change, these statistics are correct: Ronnie Belliard had one RBI, the Indians, 11; Berroa had one error, the Royals had three; Royals closer Mike MacDougal allowed four earned runs, the Royals, six.

Victor Martinez's third-inning fielding error has also been changed to a wild pitch.

WHY LIEFER?

Fans still wondering why Wedge pinch-hit Jeff Liefer for Ben Broussard during the ninth inning Tuesday now have their answer — straight from the skipper's mouth.

"At that point in time, I felt like Liefer was going to potentially give us a better at-bat there," Wedge said. "Benny's a good ball player ... but he's capable of doing more than he is right now. Jeff's given us some pretty good at-bats in the time he's been here. We just need Benny to keep working to get back to giving us the type of at-bats that we can count on, and I believe he will."

WILD CARD WATCH

The Indians, by virtue of the Yankees' 10-inning, 2-1 loss Wednesday afternoon to the White Sox, entered their game in sole possession of second place in the American League Wild Card chase. They remained 3 1/2 games back of Oakland.

ON THIS DATE

In 1933, former Indians star Rocky Colavito was born in New York City. Colavito, now 72, captivated a generation of Tribe fans with his power, personality and talent. "The Rock" earned recognition as one of the "100 Greatest Indians."

THIS AND THAT

Former Indians left-hander Brian Anderson made his first appearance at Kauffman Stadium since undergoing Tommy John surgery on his left elbow in July. Unfortunately, Anderson didn't bring with him the supposedly enormous bone chips found in his elbow during the surgery. He was, however, toting with him a double steak burrito from Chipotle. ... The Indians improved to 38-1 when they score at least six runs. ... They also improved to 6-1 in August, and 9-6 on Tuesdays.

DOWN ON THE FARM

Fausto Carmona notched his eighth quality start in as many outings at Triple-A Buffalo, but the Bisons fell to Pawtucket, 4-3. ... Ryan Mulhern extended his hitting streak to 18 games with a club record-tying four doubles as Double-A Akron beat Erie, 13-9. ... Class A Kinston swept a doubleheader from Myrtle Beach, 6-4, 6-0. ... Class A Lake County was rained out at Kannapolis. ... Class A Mahoning Valley strung together a four-run first and a seven-run fourth to beat Brooklyn, 11-3. ... Rookie-level Burlington lost to Greenville, 8-7.

AND HERE'S THE ANSWER

Believe it or not, the Indians were three games over .500 through 113 games ... just last year. The Tribe started 58-55 en route to an 82-80 finish.

ON DECK

The Tribe will continue its three-game series with the Royals at 8:10 p.m. ET Thursday at Kauffman Stadium. Right-hander Kevin Millwood (5-9, 3.12 ERA) will return from his five-game suspension and start his first game in one week. Righty D.J. Carrasco (5-5, 4.29 ERA) will start for the Royals.

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Lee remains an enigma

Eleven-run ninth lifts Tribe past Royals

2005-08-09T23:50:00.000-05:00

Improbable comeback extends streak to four

KANSAS CITY — For eight innings Tuesday night, the Indians were little more than a solemn group of men who just happened to be playing a kid's game.

Then they turned into the kids.

They whooped and hollered. They slapped high-fives. They poured out of the dugout to pound each other on the back. Oh, right, and they scored 11 runs in the ninth inning to rally for an improbable, 13-7 win over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

That's not a typo. The Indians really did score 11 runs in the ninth.

That's the most they've scored in one inning all season. Heck, it's more than they've scored in all but four games this season.

"That's why you play this game to the end," manager Eric Wedge said, still seemingly in disbelief at what he had just seen. "Crazy things have happened before, and they'll happen again."

But probably not as crazy as this. Not for a while, at least.

Not as crazy as sending 14 men to the plate and collecting eight hits and two walks. Not as crazy as seeing the Royals drop three balls in one inning. Not as crazy as seeing 48 pitches and connecting on more than a few.

The numbers just keep going, and it's rather difficult to digest all of them. A dissection of the inning could confuse even the most fluent baseball fan, though, in the end, everything boils down to one thing.

"You score 11 runs," Aaron Boone said, "and you've got to do some things right."

Indeed, the Indians did plenty right, and everything started innocently enough when Casey Blake drilled a double to left and Grady Sizemore drove him home with another double to left. Coco Crisp followed with a single to center that scored Sizemore from second. That made it 7-4, but hardly a game, especially after Jhonny Peralta looked at strike three for the inning's first out.

But the Indians never stopped. Travis Hafner doubled to left and, all of a sudden, Victor Martinez strode to the plate representing of the game's tying run. He singled to left and drove home Crisp to make it a two-run game.

With Ramon Vazquez running for Martinez, Ronnie Belliard popped up to short. Second out, right? Not so fast. Royals shortstop Angel Berroa dropped the ball. Hafner scored on the error to draw the Tribe to within one run, but Vazquez was cut down at second for that second out.

With just one out to go, things looked bleak, especially after all that effort. Wedge even sent Jeff Liefer to the plate to pinch-hit for Ben Broussard.

Liefer, who carried with him a meager .222 batting average, fouled off two pitches and worked the count to 1-2 before he lofted a ball to deep left, just in front of the wall and, seemingly, right into left fielder Chip Ambres' glove to end the game.

"When I first hit it, I thought it might have had a chance [to get out]," Liefer said. "And then I saw [Ambres] kind of settled under it at the wall and I thought I'd just missed it.

"Then I saw it clink off his glove and I was happy again."

Yes, the ball "clinked" right off Ambres' glove as Belliard raced around third to score, tying the game.

"I knew if he misses it or drops it, I can score," Belliard said. "I was running hard with my head down, and he dropped it and I scored."

And the Tribe rolled. The Royals, now thoroughly deflated, just rolled over.

The rest of the inning was a blur. Boone doubled to left and drove in Liefer for an 8-7 lead. Blake walked. Sizemore singled and drove in Boone. On the same play, Royals right fielder Emil Brown booted the ball — literally, with his foot — and Blake scored for a three-run lead.

Then Crisp walked and Peralta, who struck out so long ago, sent a 1-2 pitch over the wall in left for a three-run homer that can only be described as an exclamation point.

"We couldn't believe it," Blake said. "We were just going nuts."

Boone added that the chaos in the Indians' dugout was enough to cause bodily harm.

"It was pretty wild," he said. "Victor [Martinez] is always my gauge, and he was going nuts. He was hurting my hand, slapping it. Guys were high-fiving. It was a pretty exciting atmosphere. It was like a little-kid feeling. You can't believe it and you're giddy."

The win, coupled with losses by the Yankees and A's, landed the Tribe in a second-place tie with New York in the American League Wild Card race. Both teams remain 3 1/2 games back of Oakland.

And with the manner in which the Indians have been racking up wins during recent weeks — they've won four straight, and nine of their last 11 — the team is riding higher than ever.

"We never feel like we can lose a game," Peralta said. "We always feel like we have a chance to win."

After this rally, nobody will doubt them.

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Eleven-run ninth lifts Tribe past Royals

Tallet makes most of chance

2005-08-09T19:30:00.000-05:00

Indians reliever gets into game after long wait this season

KANSAS CITY — Brian Tallet's locker is full of jerseys and pants draped on hangers, caps and cleats all over the place. Until Tuesday night, he had little use for them.

Tallet was recalled for the third time this season from Triple-A Buffalo on July 26, a full two weeks ago, but hadn't been summoned even once from the bullpen until the sixth inning of Tuesday's 13-7 Indians win over the Royals. He had spent 25 days and 22 games with the Indians in 2005 before he threw one pitch.

But maybe that was a good thing.

"It [was] a tough situation," manager Eric Wedge said. "Tallet's role up here is to be our true long man and, knock on wood, we [hadn't] had a real true need for that yet."

Indeed during the 22 games Tallet had spent sitting out in the bullpen, the team's starters had worked 145 innings, an average of just less than 6 2/3 innings per start. Add to those numbers the fact that 12 of those 22 starts were quality outings — three or fewer earned runs allowed over six or more innings — and it's not hard to figure out why Tallet never turned up on the mound.

When he finally did take the mound in the sixth inning Tuesday night in relief of starter Cliff Lee, he looked as if he hadn't missed a beat.

Tallet worked 2 1/3 innings and allowed one run on two hits and two walks. More importantly, he didn't allow the Tribe to fall any farther behind. The end result? That furious 11-run ninth inning that lifted the Indians to their fourth straight win. Tallet wound up with a no-decision and his skipper's praise.

"Tallet was fantastic," Wedge said. "He came in and did a great job for us. He was pounding his fastball, worked his changeup in. He did a great job for us."

The appearance was Tallet's first since July 21, 2003 — he underwent reconstructive surgery on his left elbow in August 2003, spent last season in the Minors and shuffled this season between Buffalo and Cleveland — and to say he was pleased with the results would be an understatement.

"It felt good," he said. "It's been two years, and to come back, it's a happy feeling for me. Being up here for as long as I have this year and not been able to pitch — the situations just hadn't dictated it — it's a good feeling."

Maybe now, those uniforms in his locker will get a little more wear and tear.

RHODES STILL AWAY

Arthur Rhodes is still not with the Indians and is not expected to rejoin the team during its three-game series at Kansas City.

Rhodes was placed on the bereavement list on Aug. 5, and is eligible to return at any time. The bereavement list allows a player to miss between three and seven of his team's games for personal reasons without his team losing a roster spot.

Should Rhodes remain away from the team for any extended period, the Indians would lose his roster spot following their Aug. 13 game against the Devil Rays at Jacobs Field.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Wedge said. "We'll just have to see what we need to do at that point in time."

HERE'S THE QUESTION

Jhonny Peralta's 15 homers this season are the most by a Tribe shortstop since 1962. Who hit more during that season? (See answer below.)

BUDDY'S BLUES

Two weeks ago, former Indians bench coach Buddy Bell and his Royals were riding high. How quickly things can change, though.

Bell, who was introduced as Royals manager on May 31, had led the team to a 25-26 record and had just taken two of three from the front-running White Sox. Then the bottom fell out; Bell and the Royals have lost 10 straight.

Despite his opponents' woes, Wedge wasn't about to take the Royals lightly, especially since they had a 5-4 record against the Indians this season.

"We've got to come here ready to play," Wedge said. "They can be dangerous. They've got a lot of young ballplayers and Buddy is going to have them ready to play. We can't take any of that for granted."

RADIO WAVES

A recent story in USA Today ranked the Indians radio team as the fifth-best in the American League behind those of the White Sox, A's, Mariners and Twins. The assessment praised analysts Mike Hegan and Matt Underwood, and listed play-by-play man Tom Hamilton as one of the game's best.

"[Hamilton's] play-by-play work is among the best in the game," it read, "and his rapid-fire delivery when things get exciting gives the listener a corresponding rush of adrenaline."

WILD CARD WATCH

The Indians fell one-half game behind the Yankees in the American League Wild Card race Monday night after the Bronx Bombers pulled out a 3-2 win over the White Sox at Yankee Stadium.

The A's and Angels, who lead the Indians in the chase by 4 1/2 games, were both off Monday, though they'll begin a key three-game series Tuesday night at Oakland's McAfee Coliseum. A sweep by either team would allow the Tribe to creep a little closer to the top of the Wild Card standings.

DOWN ON THE FARM

Brad Snyder posted some eye-popping numbers last week and was rewarded, rather appropriately, with the Eastern League Player of the Week honors.

Snyder, a 23-year-old outfielder at Double-A Akron, batted .419 (13-for-31), smacked three doubles and three homers, drove in 11 runs and scored six more for the Aeros, who finished the week with a 5-2 record. During 49 games this season at Akron, Snyder is batting .292 with 10 homers, 36 RBIs and 34 runs scored.

Jake Gautreau hit his 18th homer and Jeremy Guthrie notched his 10th win as Triple-A Buffalo topped Pawtucket, 6-4, Monday night. ... Snyder doubled in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, but Double-A Akron lost to Erie, 9-6. ... Class A Kinston scored five runs in the first two innings at Myrtle Beach, but the game was suspended because of rain. The teams will play a twi-night doubleheader Tuesday. ... Class-A Lake County was rained out. ... Class-A Mahoning Valley lost to Brooklyn, 6-2, wasting Kevin Dixon's five shutout innings. ... Rookie-level Burlington lost to Kingsport, 10-6.

AND HERE'S THE ANSWER

Woodie Held smacked 18 home runs during that 1962 season. Held played parts of seven seasons with the Indians, during which he hit 130 home runs.

ON DECK

The Tribe will continue its three-game series with the Royals at 8:10 p.m. ET Wednesday at Kauffman Stadium. Left-hander C.C. Sabathia (7-9, 5.27 ERA) will take the hill in search of his second win in as many starts. Righty Zack Greinke (3-13, 6.02) will start for the Royals.

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Tallet makes most of chance

Bautista's season likely finished

2005-08-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

Bell indicates right-hander will not be ready to pitch for KC

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Royals right-hander Denny Bautista smiled Sunday morning as he discussed his most recent outing in the bullpen.

Bautista, on the disabled list since May 14 with tendinitis in his right shoulder, had thrown for nearly 10 minutes and his fastball had topped out at 93 mph. He was, to say the least, excited about his progress.

"I feel so great," he said. "This is very different from the last time I got hurt."

While Bautista beamed, though, manager Buddy Bell had other thoughts on the matter.

He's not going to be able to pitch this year," Bell said.

Bell's comments came as a bit of a surprise — the Royals have repeatedly stressed that Bautista was projected to return to the rotation in late August or early September — and will likely end three months of speculation that has followed Bautista through his Minor League rehabilitation and back to Kauffman Stadium.

Bautista started three games at Triple-A Omaha in June and early July, and has tossed several times in Kansas City, including Sunday. Why, then, would the Royals shelve him now?

"We're talking about his throwing program here in the first part of August and I'm sure it's probably going to take him to the end of August," Bell said. "Bringing him back in September, what good does that do? Maybe it lets him know he's OK, but I don't know if that's worth it for a start or two.

"Hopefully, he'll be able to pitch. Sitting here today, I don't think that's going to happen."

While discussing the situation, Bell wondered aloud whether he and the organization had made the right decision, then later answered his own question.

"I'm sure we're doing the right thing," Bell said, "but you never know when you're dealing with a kid's arm.

"If he's fine [after the season] and gets the OK, I assume he'll get some innings in winter ball. Hopefully, he'll get through this thing without any problems because he's a big part of our rotation."

MORE PITCHING PROBLEMS

The Royals' pitching concerns don't end, though, with Bautista's right shoulder. They still need to rejuvenate struggling starter D.J. Carrasco.

Bell had proposed pushing Carrasco back one day in the rotation, but nixed that idea after Sunday's game. Instead, Carrasco will take his scheduled turn in the rotation Thursday night against the Indians.

Carrasco had already been pushed back once this season because of injury — he missed his scheduled start July 15 at Detroit with stiffness in his right shoulder — and hasn't been the same pitcher since.

He was 4-3 with a 3.71 ERA and eight quality starts in 11 outings before he missed the start. Since that point, he has allowed at least four runs in each of his four starts, and has gone 1-2 with a 6.63 ERA and no quality starts.

ROYALS TRIVIA QUESTION

Hall of Famer George Brett batted No. 3 for the Royals during the historic 1985 World Series. Who batted in the cleanup spot? (See answer below)

SWEENEY BACK AT FIRST

Mike Sweeney returned to his familiar patrol at first base Saturday night for the first time since June 15, and reported no pain.

Even that good news, though, isn't enough to persuade Bell to play the slugger at first every day.

"He's stayed pretty healthy not playing first base," Bell said, "so we want to be careful with that. I'm going to take most of the direction from [athletic trainer] Nick [Swartz] and how Nick feels about it.

"I know Mike wants to be out there every day, and he's probably going to be out there more than Matty [Stairs], but we're pretty much going to play it by ear."

Sweeney played 29 straight games as the team's designated hitter between July 1 and Friday.

FARM REPORT

J.P. Howell allowed one run over 5 2/3 innings Saturday to lead Triple-A Omaha to a 6-4 win over Las Vegas. Howell has a 0.77 ERA over his last two starts. ... Billy Butler went 1-for-4 during his debut at Double-A Wichita, a 5-4 Wranglers' win over Tulsa. Mitch Maier hit his 43rd double this season. ... Class A High Desert fell to Lancaster, 6-3, despite Billy Buckner's six-inning, one-run performance. ... Class A Burlington let a five-run lead slip away as it lost to Quad Cities, 6-5 in 10 innings. ... Rookie level Idaho Falls lost Orem, 12-6.

TRIVIA ANSWER

No, it wasn't Hal McRae, but rather eight-time Gold Glove winner Frank White. Because all seven games of the '85 World Series were played without the DH, McRae was left on the bench as the "designated sitter." McRae will miss the 20th anniversary reunion weekend Aug. 12-14, though White and Brett will be in attendance.

ON DECK

The Royals will enjoy an off-day Monday before they begin a three-game series with the Indians at 7:10 p.m. CT Tuesday at Kauffman Stadium. Right-hander Mike Wood (3-4, 4.03 ERA) will make his first start since Sept. 29, 2004, which also, interestingly enough, came against the Indians. Lefty Cliff Lee (12-4, 4.02 ERA) gets the nod for Cleveland.

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Bautista's season likely finished

A's simply overpowering in blowout win

2005-08-06T23:00:00.000-05:00

Ellis notches three hits, drives in four to lead Royal rout

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — At this point last season, Mark Ellis was lounging around his Arizona home, his right shoulder on the mend after a Spring Training injury, his thoughts and actions far, far away from baseball.

How far? He wasn't even playing catch.

Things have changed rather quickly, though, for the 28-year-old Ellis, who batted 3-for-6 and drove in a season-high four runs Saturday night while the A's romped to a 16-1 win over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

Ellis' latest performance raised his batting average to an even .300 and allowed his skipper to start marching him down the campaign trail.

"I don't know how you get Comeback Player of the Year," manager Ken Macha said, "but here's a guy who didn't play at all last year and he's hitting .300 now."

His average might be even higher if not for the long fences at Kauffman Stadium — where Ellis would have made his Major League debut as a Royal had he not been traded to the A's with Johnny Damon back in 2001 — because during his first at-bat, he smashed a ball deep to center field that was caught just a few feet from the 410-foot sign.

"If I were playing in a smaller ballpark, I probably would have hit ground balls," Ellis joked.

He didn't hit any ground balls, however, until the seventh, well after the A's had locked up their ninth win in 10 games, and improved their record to 36-8 since June 18.

When Ellis came up again in the fourth, the A's already clutching a 1-0 lead thanks to Dan Johnson's fourth homer in as many games, he knocked a single to left-center that drove home Jay Payton. Jason Kendall followed Ellis with another RBI single to grow the lead to 3-0.

Ellis delivered again in the fifth, when, with runners at first and second and the A's up 5-0 after Bobby Kielty's two-run single, he doubled to left-center and drove in two more runs.

For good measure, he knocked in one more run in the seventh, the first of eight A's runs during the inning. The offensive binge provided baseball's hottest team with a commanding 15-0 lead, more than enough for another win.

Those three hits raised Ellis' batting average in the 17 games since the All-Star break to .373 (22-for-59). During that stretch, he's collected 15 RBIs and scored 16 runs. Ellis' explanation for why he's only now picking up the pace?

"I've felt good all year," he said, "But I did miss a whole year. I may have lost a little bat speed that I'm only now getting back. I worked on a lot of things and now I think things are just paying off."

Paying off, indeed, for both him and the A's.

The 16 runs scored matched a season high set June 26 in a shutout win over the Giants. Their eight-run seventh inning was a new season high.

All those long innings and ensuing crooked numbers up on the scoreboard were enough to make starting pitcher Joe Blanton focus just a little bit harder during his six innings on the mound.

"It was a little tougher," said Blanton, who shut out the Royals on three hits while striking out five batters and walking none. "You just have to get back out there and throw a lot of strikes, because the last thing you want to do is let them have a long inning and take us out of a groove."

The A's never lost the groove Saturday night, and they have yet to lose the rhythm they've carried for nearly the last two months.

"This is a tremendously focused group," Macha said. "I'm basically just trying to stay away from them."

Added Ellis: "We were talking about it earlier, [and agreed] this is the funnest team we've ever been on — Little League, high school, whatever. This is great."

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A's simply overpowering in blowout win

Hatteberg not rushing back

2005-08-06T18:30:00.000-05:00

A's designated hitter injured himself before Friday's game

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Despite his efforts to return to the lineup by Saturday night, Scott Hatteberg will miss at least one more game with a slight rib cage strain, and might sit the rest of the weekend.

Hatteberg was a late scratch Friday night after he suffered the injury during batting practice Friday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium. Nearly 24 hours later, manager Ken Macha was still trying to figure out what went wrong.

"During BP," Macha said, "he just shut it down."

One thing Macha has figured out is that rushing Hatteberg back to the A's lineup isn't the solution, especially with a short turnaround after Saturday night's game against the Royals.

"As a general rule," Macha said, "If you've got a day game after a night game, and you're not playing in that night game, there's a good chance you won't play that day game."

The hole Hatteberg leaves in the lineup is a relatively large one — he was batting .280 with five home runs and 47 RBIs — because of his seamless transition from playing in the field every day to strictly batting.

"I think he's done tremendously well with that," Macha said. "And I will continue to get him out there every once in a while."

But not until Sunday, at the earliest.

A BIT OF HISTORY

Just after Huston Street retired the side in order in the ninth inning of Oakland's 5-4 win over the Royals on Friday night, he erased one name from the team's record book and inserted his own.

Street's latest save was his eighth in as many chances since the All-Star break, and his 13th this season. The latter stat eclipses the team record for saves by a rookie, set back in 1969 by Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers.

Street, however, chose not to dwell on his accomplishment.

"Those 13 saves are the by-product of winning," he said. "I can't be in those situations if we're not winning baseball games. The biggest thing is that it's just another win for us. That, to me, is the main thing and that's what I'm trying to keep my focus on. All that stuff will take care of itself as long as we keep winning.

"It's a pretty special thing that I'm sure I'll appreciate later on, but right now, we're just focused on continuing to move forward and not reflect on what we've done."

JOHNSON CONTINUES TEAR

First baseman Dan Johnson knocked his third homer in three games Friday night, but said he hasn't been doing anything differently.

"I just have a tendency to hit homers in bunches," he said. "I might hit two in a game or three in a weekend, but then I'll go into dry spells where I go two or three weeks [without a home run]."

Any sort of continued power surge might allow Johnson to creep closer to teammate Nick Swisher at the top of the Major League leaderboard for homers by a rookie. Swisher leads all rookies with 15 homers, while Johnson is tied for fifth with nine.

"Oh, I'm not worried about that," Johnson said. "As long as we keep winning, it doesn't matter what happens."

Macha, meanwhile, called the rookies' production "refreshing."

"I know how much work is being put into these [young guys] by our coaching staff and it's always refreshing to see dividends being paid," Macha said. "Dan Johnson just gets better every day."

For the record, Swisher's and Johnson's 24 combined home runs are the most by any rookie teammates in the Majors. Tampa Bay's Johnny Gomes and Damon Hollins are second, with 23.

DRIBBLERS

With his family safe at home, outfielder Mark Kotsay returned to the A's clubhouse Saturday. Kotsay's wife, Jamie, gave birth to the couple's second daughter, Sienna, in Minneapolis. "It's a life-changing experience," Kotsay said. ... Rich Harden and Barry Zito are scheduled to start Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, against the Angels, but the A's have yet to announce their starting pitcher for the Thursday finale. "It's up in the air," Macha said, "and it might be until Tuesday. I'm right on the proverbial middle of the fence." Either Joe Blanton or Kirk Saarloos will get the nod, Macha said. ... The A's are 4-1 in August, and are 90-29 in August since 2001.

COMING UP

The A's will conclude their three-game weekend series with the Royals on Sunday at 11:10 a.m. PT at Kauffman Stadium. Right-hander Danny Haren (9-7, 4.27 ERA) will take the mound in search of his ninth straight win, while righty Runelvys Hernandez (8-9, 4.49) will start for the Royals. The A's have won each of Haren's last 13 starts.

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Hatteberg not rushing back

Greinke starts strong, 'pen can't finish

2005-08-05T23:55:00.000-05:00

Relievers relinquish lead in eighth as KC drops eighth straight

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — For seven innings Friday night, Zack Greinke was literally the calm at the center of a blistering storm, otherwise known as the Royals.

He effectively twirled his fastball and breaking pitches, worked in and out of jams, and left with a lead over the red-hot Oakland A's. By the time he walked off the mound, his lucky necklace tucked firmly beneath his undershirt, he exuded confidence. Another win was just two innings away.

Before the Royals could notch those final six outs, however, the storm blew right into Kauffman Stadium. Jeremy Affeldt replaced Greinke to start the eighth and walked the bases loaded. Ambiorix Burgos relieved Affeldt and allowed two of those runners to cross home. Greinke's lead was gone. So was the Royals' chance for a win. A loss to Oakland, 5-4, stood in its place.

The loss is the Royals' eighth straight. It hurt every bit as much as the previous seven, too, because the potential victory was so firmly within the team's grasp.

Greinke, Kansas City's projected young ace, was pitching brilliantly, and its bullpen needed only to shut the door as it has done so often during the past two months. But while Affeldt's sudden bevy of balls quickly undid everything, manager Buddy Bell couldn't help but look first to what the Royals did well.

"I think sometimes you can come away with some positives," Bell said. "I think throughout the course of the game, we did some decent things. We had one good inning offensively and Zack was really good, but [the relievers] just couldn't throw strikes.

"You can't win Major League games by not throwing strikes. ... It's something we have to get better at."

Of the 39 pitches that Affeldt and Burgos tossed toward home plate, only 19 crossed it for strikes, hardly the desired ratio. Greinke, in contrast, delivered 64 of his 101 pitches for strikes.

Greinke's strikes came early and often, too. While locked in an early pitchers' duel with A's righty Kirk Saarloos, he turned in four scoreless innings to open the game and didn't allow a runner past second base until the top of the fifth, when Jason Kendall doubled home Jay Payton.

As quickly as the Royals fell behind, though, they recovered with equal expedition to the tune of four runs in the bottom of the fifth.

Mark Teahen led off the inning with a double to right before Angel Berroa singled to left, driving in Teahen to tie the game at 1. John Buck then slugged a two-run homer to right-center field. Matt Stairs capped the rally with an RBI single later in the inning to give the Royals a 4-1 lead.

"Johnny [Buck] came up with a big hit. He swung the bat good," Bell said. "But we've got to put together a few more innings offensively to get anything done."

Indeed, for those four runs were all the Royals mustered.

The A's, meanwhile, scored twice in the sixth off Greinke when Dan Johnson homered into the Royals' bullpen in right, and twice in the eighth off the tandem of Affeldt and Burgos.

That Greinke allowed two runs in the sixth shouldn't come as much of a surprise, especially after the right-hander admitted he thought he was finished after five innings of work. In fact, the surprise was how strong Greinke was in the seventh.

Greinke, by that point well fatigued, did not sprint, jog or trot to the mound, but instead walked at a comfortable pace, his pitch count already at 91, his energy well-conserved within his relatively muscular 6-foot-2-inch, 175-pound frame.

Shuffling the dirt on the mound with his right foot, he stared down A's designated hitter Adam Melhuse and delivered three straight strikes, the last a high fastball that Melhuse flailed at somewhere around his shoulders. Greinke then struck out Marco Scutaro on five pitches and forced Kendall to pop out to second. The 10-pitch inning magnified the control and command Greinke had throughout the evening.

"I think my location was pretty good," he said, "and that was probably key. Keeping the ball low in the zone probably kept us in the game for a while. There were a couple of bad pitches, and they capitalized on one."

That one pitch was Johnson's sixth-inning homer — Grienke's only true blemish during an otherwise sparkling outing. His final line: three runs and seven hits allowed over seven innings, with one walk, one hit batter and five strikeouts. A win would have snapped a two-start losing streak.

"I've been up and down lately," Grienke said, "so I was probably due for a decent [start] again."

Both he and the Royals were due, but neither received what surely seemed to be theirs.

The Royals' storm drew more strength when, during his postgame press conference, Bell announced the team had released veteran catcher Alberto Castillo. Already reeling, the team had now lost both a game and a veteran player.

Greinke, though, remained calm — the calm at the center of the storm.

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Greinke starts strong, 'pen can't finish

Castillo released

2005-08-05T23:50:00.000-05:00

Phillips will back up Buck behind the dish

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Veteran backup catcher Alberto Castillo was released by the Royals after Friday night's game and will be replaced by rookie Paul Phillips.

Phillips, 28, was hitting .267 in 87 games for Triple-A Omaha with 21 doubles, seven home runs and 42 RBIs.

"He's done a solid job back there," general manager Allard Baird said. "It's a chance to evaluate him now instead of a September callup.

Castillo had played just 34 games and was batting .210 with one homer and 14 RBIs in 100 at-bats.

"I did my best and I wish I can be Superman to do better, but I'm not, so I've got to go with what I have," Castillo said.

"I had a good time here with a bunch of guys - [Mike] Sweeney, Matt Stairs. But somebody had to pay the price and it's a business. I'm still in good shape, 35 years old and I know I can still do it. I don't think it's dying. I'm not hanging up my shoes yet."

Castillo was signed to a Triple-A contract during Spring Training 2004 and was called up from Omaha that June. Last season he played 29 games and batted .270.

Manager Buddy Bell called releasing Castillo the toughest decision he's had to make since taking over the Royals just over two months ago.

"Alberto did a great job and he'll catch on with another team and do a great job," said Bell. "He's helped Johnny Buck, but John has had enough time with Alberto and we have to see what this other kid can do."

Phillips has spent his entire career in the Royals' organization. After missing most of three seasons because of elbow surgery, he hit .312 for Omaha last year and earned a September callup. He played in four games for the Royals and collected his first Major League hit.

Castillo said he hoped to continue playing.

"I can't complain about anything," he said. "Allard Baird was the best he could be. Hopefully, he'll continue to do the best for this organization and everybody else. I wish the best for him, too."

There is likely to be another roster move Saturday involving right-handed pitcher Mike Wood, who was back in the Royals' clubhouse for the first time since he was optioned to Omaha on July 25.

Wood, who was sent down to build up his pitch count as a starter, recorded no-decisions in both of his starts with the Omaha Royals, but allowed just two earned runs over nine innings, good for a 2.00 ERA. He lasted 5 2/3 innings during his start Tuesday against Tacoma, his longest outing since Sept. 29, 2004, when he lasted 6 2/3 innings during a start against the Indians.

Wood declined interviews and told reporters, "I'm not [with Kansas City] yet."

Bell, meanwhile, was a bit more open about the situation.

"I can say this," Bell said, "[he'll be activated] in the next day or so. That was our plan, anyway. We're just not sure whether he's going to go in the rotation or back in the bullpen."

Should Wood be inserted into the rotation, he'll likely replace right-hander Kyle Snyder, who is 0-3 in his three starts this season. However, should his position be in the bullpen, Wood will probably supplant right-hander Leo Nunez, who Bell said was unavailable to pitch Friday.

SUPPORT CONTINUES FOR BELL

The Royals' skipper continued to grieve the death of his nephew, Lance Cpl. Timothy Michael Bell Jr., but was able to do so with his family on Friday.

"I'm doing all right," Bell said. "There's a lot of support here. I've got a nephew and two nieces here. My brother's coming in later on tonight, so I'll get to see him."

Tim Bell, a Marine reserve, and the son of Bell's brother, was one of 14 Marines killed Wednesday in a roadside bombing in western Iraq.

The bombing hit hard for many areas of the nation, perhaps none moreso than Ohio. That state has lost 14 Marines since Monday, including Tim Bell, who lived in North Bend, near Cincinnati.

"This will pass," Bell said. "[My brother's] doing fine, though. He seems to be doing OK.

"I don't even compare this [to baseball]. The Big Guy upstairs, he seems to put something in front of us that puts things in perspective when we need it the most."

The Royals honored Tim Bell with a moment of silence prior to the national anthem on Friday night. No services have been announced yet.

"I guess the Marines plan everything," Bell said, "so it'll take a while."

ROYALS TRIVIA QUESTION

Bret Saberhagen led the Royals in wins and complete games during the team's 1985 championship season, with 20 and 10, respectively. Who was second in each of those categories? (See answer below)

DEJESUS OK AFTER COLLISION

Just one day after he took a knee to the forehead, suffering a concussion during a game in Boston, David DeJesus was penciled in to the leadoff spot in the Royals' lineup as the team's centerfielder for Friday's game against the A's.

DeJesus suffered the concussion during the third inning of the Royals' 11-9 loss to the Red Sox on Thursday afternoon when he slid into shortstop Edgar Rentaria's knee at second on a stolen base attempt -- he was successful.

DeJesus left the game, but didn't go to the hospital or have any precautionary X-rays. After a little rest, he appears to be back to normal.

"I feel great," DeJesus said. "I feel amazing now, much better than [Thursday]. I was pretty much out of it then, but I was able to get all my bearings back and I'm ready to go."

As for the pain he went through after sustaining the injury, well, that's another story.

"It got me right here," DeJesus said as he pressed a hard area on his forehead above his right eye. "It hurt and I tried to stay in the game, but I didn't have the energy I had before and my reaction time wasn't as good."

SCORING CHANGE

After review of the Royals' loss to the Sox on Thursday, second baseman Ruben Gotay has been charged with only one error, not two.

Gotay was originally charged with two errors on Alex Cora's fourht-inning grounder, one on a bobble and another on his throw. The change does not affect the number of earned runs allowed.

TRIVIA ANSWER

Charlie Leibrandt notched 17 wins and eight complete games during the historic 1985 season. Leibrandt is scheduled to be in attendance for the team's 20th anniversary reunion weekend Aug. 12-14.

FARM REPORT

Matt Diaz was named the Pacific Coast League's Player of the Week for July 25-31 after he batted .606 (20-for-33) with seven doubles, two triples, two homers and eight RBIs. ... Omaha beat Las Vegas, 6-3, on Thursday behind a three-run homer from Calvin Pickering. ... Ryan Baerlocher turned in a three-hit shutout to lead Double-A Wichita to an 11-0 win over Tulsa. ... Class A High Desert scored five runs in the first inning off Rancho Cucamonga to cruise to an 8-3 lead, helping High Desert to build their divisional lead to two games. ... Class A Burlington took a 16-2 pounding at the hands of Lansing. ... Rookie League Idaho Falls lost to Orem, 4-2. Chris Nicoll, the Royals' third-round draft pick, made his professional debut and struck out three over two shutout innings. ... Rookie League Arizona was shut out by the Padres, 6-0.

ON DECK

Right-hander Jose Lima (4-9, 6.58 ERA) and A's righty Joe Blanton (6-9, 4.29) sqaure off as the Royals continue their three-game weekend set with Oakland at 6:10 p.m. CT on Saturday at Kauffman Stadium. The first 20,000 fans in attendance will receive a camouflage floppy cap in honor of Military Appreciation Day.

This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Castillo released

White Sox try to continue KC mastery

2005-07-26T00:40:00.000-05:00

Chicago (65-33) at Kansas City (36-63), 7:10 p.m. CT

by Matt LaWell

If the White Sox want to be the best, they have to beat the best, as the saying goes.

Well, they've certainly done that.

And if they want to win the division ...

"If you want to win the division," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said, "you have to beat your own division."

Without a doubt, they've done that, too. The Sox, in fact, are 32-7 against their American League Central foes — three games better than any other team has fared against its own division — and 10-0 against the Royals.

The Sox's numbers against the Royals this season are eye-popping, aside from their 10-0 record. They've outscored their division rivals 63-31, and haven't lost to them since Oct. 2, 2004. Run the series back a few more weeks to Sept. 24, and the Sox have won 14 of the last 15.

For the record, the Sox's best single-season record against the Royals, percentage-wise, was 10-3 way back in 1982. Their win Monday night gives them 10 wins over the Royals in a season for just the fifth time in club history — the others were 1969, '70, '73, '76 and '82.

Another win Tuesday will place the Sox within reach of their single-season record for wins against Kansas City, 12, which was established back in 1973.

Left-hander Mark Buehrle will be shooting for his 49th straight start lasting at least six innings, and his 13th career win against the Royals.

PITCHING MATCHUP

CWS: LHP Mark Buehrle
• 11-3, 2.66 ERA in 2005
• 2-0, 2.25 ERA vs. KC in 2005

KC: RHP Jose Lima
• 3-8, 6.92 ERA in 2005
• 0-0, 15.75 ERA vs. CWS in 2005

PLAYER TO WATCH

Keep an eye on first baseman Paul Konerko, who's touched up Lima for nine hits in 14 career at bats -- good for a robust .643 batting average — with four doubles, two homers and eight RBIs.

QUOTABLE

"Someone came up to me and said, 'Oh, it's hot like Venezuela.' I said, 'Listen, you've never been to Venezuela. We don't get this hot.' This is hot." — Manager Ozzie Guillen, on the recent heat wave in Chicago and Kansas City

QUICK HITS

The Sox improved to 32-14 away from U.S. Cellular Field, which ties the best road record after 46 games in team history. The Sox also started 32-14 on the road in 1953. ... Jermaine Dye singled in each of his first three at-bats to notch his first three-hit game since June 8 at Colorado, and his fourth this season. ... Willie Harris also collected three hits for his first three-hit game this season. ... Scott Podsednik stole his 51st base and is perfect in 14 steals of third base.

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White Sox try to continue KC mastery

Dye leads White Sox past Royals

2005-07-25T23:50:00.000-05:00

Outfielder drives in four runs, turns in defensive gem

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Maybe that spider that bit Jermaine Dye last week was the same one that bit Peter Parker.

You know, Spider-Man?

It looked that way, at least, because Dye played the part of a superhero on Monday night during the White Sox's 14-6 win over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium. He knocked a single in each of his first three at-bats, drove in four runs and assured himself a spot on the evening highlight reel when he robbed his old teammate, Mike Sweeney, of a hit by making a leaping catch at the right-field wall.

About the only thing he couldn't do, it seemed, was sling webs from his wrists.

"They were teasing me earlier about Spider-Man and all that crazy stuff," Dye said. "Then I made that play on the wall, so they made more jokes about it."

Less than a week ago, of course, nobody wasn't making any sort of joke about Dye's spider bites, not with lymph nodes popping up, and all sorts of IVs and antibiotics being pumped into his body.

But Dye regained his health — and his spot in the Sox lineup — and turned the tables a bit during his team's Major League-best 65th win when he wound up biting the Royals.

"I came early today, got in the cage and did some work," Dye said. "I got back to my usual program, felt good in the cage and just took it into the game and came up with some big hits early for us."

The first of those big hits came in the first inning, when he rapped a single to center that drove in two runs that increased the Sox's early lead to 3-0.

The lead swelled to 5-0 before Royals starter Zack Greinke wiggled his way out of the inning, but not before the Sox collected six hits and batted around.

Dye singled again in the third, one of only two innings during which the Sox didn't score a run. In the fourth, though, Dye's third single drove in two more runs. That built the lead to 8-3.

Three at-bats, three hits, four RBIs. Not bad. Oh, and he scored a run, too.

"He had a great comeback," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "He came back ... after four or five days, and swung the bat real well. He was swinging pretty good before he got hurt, too. He's playing great for us.

"Hopefully, he stays hot."

Dye did cool off a bit at the plate — he flied out three times during his final three at-bats — but his glove sizzled.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Royals were chipping away at the Sox's lead, which was at 8-5 after Terrence Long hit a two-run homer off Sox starter Freddy Garcia. With Sweeney at the plate and the crowd of 15,515 cheering loudly against the Sox, Sweeney drove a ball to right that looked like another homer.

Only Dye followed the ball to the wall, jumped and snagged it in his glove.

"When he first hit it, I thought it was going to be a home run," Dye said. "I kept gaining ground and just wanted to go up and give a good effort, and I came up with the ball."

That catch all but slammed shut the door on any thought of a rally, and the Sox rolled to the win, tallying single runs in the fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth innings, and two in the eighth.

It's a good thing the Sox scored all those runs, too, because the Royals pounded almost as many balls and threatened to draw a little closer several times against Garcia, who allowed a season-high 12 hits for the second outing in a row.

"He was real rusty today," Guillen said of Garcia, who notched his 10th win of the season. "I don't think he was as sharp ... he was behind on a lot of hitters. I don't think it was the Freddy we've seen in the last four or five outings."

Of course, Garcia still had his command — he struck out seven and didn't walk a batter over six innings of work — and was more than good enough to get the win.

After that first inning, though, there was little doubt in anybody's mind as to which team would come out on top. Garcia was just fortunate to finally benefit from a few runs.

"It's a good thing it happened tonight," Garcia said. "I wasn't really getting people out. I made a couple of mistakes and they hit the ball well. I had a bad day, so I have to go try make a better pitch.

"We won, that's all that matters. The next day in the paper, they'll just say whether you won or you lost."

And make no doubts about it, the Sox got the win, and they wrapped it up early — right in their web.

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Dye leads White Sox past Royals

Ozzie: Trades not needed

2005-07-25T20:30:00.000-05:00

Thomas sees doctor, Dye returns to lineup

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — While trade winds continue to swirl about the White Sox, the team has yet to pull the trigger on any deal, and Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen doesn't foresee any roster shakeups in the near future.

"I expect to have the same team," Guillen said. "I don't mind keeping the same people ... [and] in my opinion, we don't have to do anything."

The White Sox have been linked to rumors concerning Marlins right-hander A.J. Burnett and Giants righty Jason Schmidt. The team is also actively pursuing another reliever, though Phillies closer Billy Wagner is likely out of the question.

A few power pitchers who aren't out of the question, however, are Mike MacDougal and Jeremy Affeldt, the Royals' right-handed closer and left-handed setup man, respectively. Each name has been raised in trade talks, though not previously with the White Sox.

Royals general manager Allard Baird has said that any trade he makes would have to benefit the future of his team — and he's likely pursuing a slugging corner outfielder, which could translate to Sox prospects Ryan Sweeney or Chris Young.

Any move made during the next three days, though, would be made without the physical presence of general manager Ken Williams, who did not travel with the team.

"I've talked with Kenny about it, there's nothing going on," Guillen said. "At this time, I haven't heard anything from Kenny. I've talked with my coaching staff, we're happy with what we have."

"You make the playoffs, you have to use three [starting pitchers] and your bullpen is going to be strong," Guillen said. "If you make it to the second round, you'll have to use four."

The Sox certainly have three, if not more, quality starters. For now, though, everybody just has to wait a little longer and keep watching.

BIG HURT STILL HURTS

The latest news concerning Frank Thomas is not good news.

As expected, Thomas didn't travel with the team in Kansas City but instead flew to southern California, where he will be examined again by Dr. Richard Ferkel, the surgeon who repaired the fractured navicular in Thomas' left ankle in October.

Despite this potential setback for Thomas -- who was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Friday, retroactive to July 21 — Guillen doesn't expect the slugger to be sidelined past Aug. 5, when he's eligible to be activated.

"I don't even know where he is," Guillen said. "But we expect [he'll] only be [on the disabled list] for 15 days."

DYE RETURNS

Jermaine Dye returned to the lineup for the first time since Wednesday, his spider bites healed.

Dye was penciled in at the No. 6 spot, from which he knocked a two-run single and scored during the Sox's five-run first inning.

"Obviously, when Dye's in the lineup, my team is stronger," Guillen said, "because I have Timo [Perez] on the bench and the bench is stronger.

"Hopefully, he's back in for good."

DOWN ON THE FARM

Jorge Toca went 3-for-5 with a double, a homer and six RBIs as Triple-A Charlotte beat Syracuse, 6-5. ... Double-A Birmingham put together a six-run eighth inning en route to an 11-5 win over Huntsville. Casey Rogowski collected two doubles, two runs scored and three RBIs. ... Josh Hansen turned in a similar line during Class A Kannapolis' 11-6 win over Charleston: two doubles, two RBIs and three runs scored.

Class A Winston-Salem fell to Myrtle Beach, 9-4, but still clings to a half-game lead in the Carolina League. ... Rookie-level Great Falls beat Idaho Falls, 6-5, behind Daron Roberts' three-run homer. ... Rookie-level Bristol survived Kingsport's two-run ninth-inning rally for a 7-6 win.

COMING UP

It's starting to sound like a broken record, but should Mark Buehrle (11-3, 2.66 ERA) work six or more innings Tuesday night, he'll extend his impressive streak to 49 straight starts. Buehrle has averaged eight innings per start this season against the Royals, against whom he's 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA. He will face Kansas City's Jose Lima (3-8, 6.92 ERA) at 7:10 p.m. CT.

This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Trades not needed

Royals entertain rival White Sox

2005-07-25T00:40:00.000-05:00

Chicago (64-33) at Kansas City (36-62), 7:10 p.m. CT

by Matt LaWell

Nine times this season the Royals have tried to beat the front-running White Sox, and nine times they've fallen short.

Of course, not many teams have been beating the White Sox in 2005, not with the Sox owning baseball's best record — and having held that title since the last time they rolled into Kauffman Stadium on April 22.

But the Royals have nine games left with Chicago, including six more at home, which pretty much means that the odds are in their favor that they'll beat the Sox sooner or later.

For the record, the Royals have been swept in a season series of six or more games just five times during their history — by the Angels in 2004, the Orioles in 1970 and 2002, and the Yankees in 1998 and 2001.

PITCHING MATCHUP

CWS: RHP Freddy Garcia
• 9-4, 3.60 ERA in 2005
• 2-0, 2.70 ERA against KC in 2005

KC: RHP Zack Greinke
• 3-11, 5.66 ERA in 2005
• 0-2, 3.66 ERA against CWS in 2005

PLAYER TO WATCH

Should first baseman Mike Sweeney return Monday night from an injured left hand, watch out if you're Garcia. Sweeney is batting .447 (17-for-38) against Garcia during his career with five doubles, a triple, two homers and nine RBIs.

QUOTABLE

"I talked with him last night and knew I wasn't going to play him [Sunday]. We're just keeping our fingers crossed that he's able to play [Monday"." — Manager Buddy Bell, on Sweeney's status

QUICK HITS

The Royals opened their 6-5 win over the Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon by going 0-for-11. They then hit for the cycle — an Emil Brown double, a Matt Stairs single, an Angel Berroa homer and a Mark Teahen triple — during their next four at-bats. ... Outfielder Chip Ambres singled home Teahen from third in the fourth inning to notch his first Major League RBI. Ambres proceeded to swipe second for his first Major League stolen base. ... The Royals improved to 2-4 this season against the Blue Jays. The teams won't meet again until Sept. 30, when they'll tangle for three games to wrap up the season.

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Royals entertain rival White Sox

Royals heat up for win over Jays

2005-07-24T18:30:00.000-05:00

Berroa belts two-run homer, Carrasco earns fifth victory

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — For nearly four innings Sunday afternoon, the Royals couldn't manage to collect one base hit. They couldn't even get a runner on base, for that matter.

Then they came alive.

After Blue Jays left-hander Ted Lilly set down the first 11 Royals in order, Kansas City hit for the cycle as a team in four consecutive at-bats, erased a four-run deficit and rallied for a 6-5 win over the Jays at Kauffman Stadium.

The rapid-fire offense also erased any worries manager Buddy Bell might have had about his team during the early innings.

"I was a little concerned early in the game that our at-bats weren't very good," Bell said. "A lot of that had to do with Lilly. But we kind of figured him out and had much better at-bats after our first go-round."

Part of the Royals' success might have come because of Lilly's bum left shoulder — he said it had bothered him while he was throwing in the bullpen before the game, but he didn't tell anybody about the discomfort until after that explosive fourth inning.

Of course, that's of no matter to the Royals, who bounced back from a 4-0 deficit to tie the game in the fourth, and grabbed the lead for good the next inning.

Emil Brown started the comeback when, with two outs in the fourth, he doubled to left for the Royals' first hit of the afternoon. Brown finished 2-for-4 during his first game in the No. 3 spot, but had no illusions about taking Mike Sweeney's typical slot in the order.

"[Mike]'s our No. 3 hitter," Brown said. "I just hit where they put me."

Matt Stairs followed with a single to center that drove home Brown, and shortstop Angel Berroa smacked a two-run homer to left. Mark Teahen tripled and came around to score on Chip Ambres' single, which gave Ambres his first Major League RBI.

Ambres, who went 2-for-4 and raised his average to .444, immediately proceeded to swipe second base to collect his first Major League stolen base. Quite an inning.

"It's pretty exciting," Ambres said. "But when the time comes to contribute, that's what I want to do — get the man in, take the extra base.

"I'm sure my mom is crying back home."

The inning's biggest play, though, was Berroa's homer, his second in five games after a homerless drought of 49 games.

"He's playing as good defensively as anyone in our league — at least the guys that I've seen — and he had a big hit to get us back in the game," Bell said. "We had a lot of guys who did some good things today, but Angel probably had as good a game as anybody."

As advertised, Berroa also turned a number of nifty plays in the field, including a game-ending double play where he fielded the ball, ran towards second for one out, hurdled Jays base runner Shea Hillenbrand and tossed a strike to first to polish off the series win.

It was enough to send the crowd home happy, as the Royals improved to 6-5 since the All-Star break and 23-25 under Bell.

Early on, though, the scene wasn't so cheerful for the Royals. Right-hander D.J. Carrasco, coming off his least effective outing this season, allowed doubts about his own shoulder problems to resurface when he gave up a run on two hits in the first inning and a three-run homer in the fourth.

With Lilly sailing through the Royals lineup, the afternoon looked like it would be a short one for Carrasco.

"Early in the game, D.J. was kind of in the middle of the plate," Bell said. "But he settled down and pitched great in this weather. I thought he did a great job."

Indeed, Carrasco settled down in the fifth and retired six of the last eight batters he faced before turning over the game to the Royals' ever-improving bullpen.

"I left up two pitches that I'd like to have back — the home run to [Eric] Hinske and the first hitter of the game [a triple to Russ Adams]," Carrasco said. "But my goal is to give the team a chance to win, and I did that."

So did that bullpen, which held Toronto to one run — albeit in the ninth inning — over three innings of work.

Lefty Jeremy Affeldt pitched a scoreless seventh before right-hander Ambiorix Burgos struck out the side in the eighth around a hit and a walk. Closer Mike MacDougal converted his 14th consecutive save in the ninth, his 15th save this season.

"Our bullpen was outstanding," Bell said. "You can't ask anything more of them."

You can't ask much more of the Royals, either, who looked down for a few innings, but certainly not out.

Never out.

"It's great," Carrasco said, "to win a series like that."

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Royals heat up for win over Jays

Sweeney still out

2005-07-24T13:40:00.000-05:00

All-Star misses another game after getting plunked

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Mike Sweeney's name was conspicuously absent from the Royals lineup when it was posted in the clubhouse Sunday morning, his left hand still a little sore from when he was plunked Friday night.

That's not to say, however, that Sweeney won't play Sunday during the team's series finale with the Blue Jays.

"He's not playing today," Bell said, "but he could be available to pinch-hit late."

Bell said he hopes Sweeney will be back in the lineup Monday night when the Royals kick off a series with the White Sox.

ROYALS TRIVIA QUESTION

July 24 is a historic date in Royals' history. Why? (See answer below)

WOOD SAVES BULLPEN

Though right-hander Mike Wood was at the center of the Royals' fifth-inning implosion Saturday night when they gave up six runs on just three hits, Bell was quick to praise the reliever for his rubber arm.

Wood worked four innings — he allowed two earned runs on two hits — and saved the bullpen.

"The way the weather is with the heat, if it wasn't for Woody, our bullpen could be in bad shape," Bell said. "Going into a day like today, you want your bullpen to be as fresh as possible, and Woody was a big part of that [Saturday].

"I know he was kind of disappointed that he came in and gave up a couple of Kyle [Snyder's] runs, but it was a pretty good job. He saved us."

The outing was Wood's longest of the season, and the longest relief appearance of his career.

While a starter last season, he routinely lasted longer than four innings. His longest outing came Aug. 8, 2004, when he allowed three earned runs over 8 2/3 innings against the Angels.

FARM REPORT

Aaron Guiel hit his 23rd homer of the season on Saturday — and his fifth in five days — to lead Triple-A Omaha to a 14-6 win over Nashville. ... Justin Huber went 2-for-4 and drove in four runs as Double-A Wichita beat Springfield, 8-5. Huber is leading the Texas League in batting average and RBIs, and is tied for sixth in homers.

Class A High Desert catcher Jared Price continued his torrid streak when he smacked his sixth homer in five games and led the Mavericks to a 6-3 win over San Jose. Price is batting .500 (10-for-20) with 16 RBIs in his last five games. ... Class A Burlington extended its winning streak to nine games with a 5-4 win over Kane County. ... Gary Perez notched a three-hit game as Rookie League Idaho Falls beat Great Falls, 6-4. ... Rookie League Arizona knocked around the A's during a 13-2 win.

TRIVIA ANSWER

Why, it's the anniversary of the infamous Pine Tar Game, which was played 22 years ago Sunday. During that heated battle between the Royals and Yankees, George Brett homered off Goose Gossage, but the shot was ruled an out after the umpires found pine tar more than 18 inches from the tip of the handle of Brett's bat.

The Yankees tentatively won the game, 4-3, but American League President Lee MacPhail overturned the ruling, reinstated Brett's homer and allowed the teams to finish the game on Aug. 18, 1983. The Royals won, 5-4.

ON DECK

The Royals will begin a three-game series with the first-place White Sox at 7:10 p.m. CT on Monday at Kauffman Stadium. Right-hander Zack Greinke (3-11, 5.66 ERA) will take the mound for the Royals in search of his third win in as many starts. Righty Freddy Garcia (9-4, 3.60 ERA) will start for Chicago.

The rest of this story can be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Sweeney still out

Carrasco set to corral Blue Jays

2005-07-24T00:40:00.000-05:00

Toronto (49-48) at Kansas City (35-62), 1:10 p.m. CT

by Matt LaWell

After an impressive win over the Blue Jays on Friday night, the Royals fell back to earth a bit on Saturday, when they gave up six runs in the fifth inning en route to a 9-4 loss.

To avoid losing their second series this season to Toronto, the Royals will turn to right-hander D.J. Carrasco, who's struggled with tightness in his throwing shoulder since just after the All-Star break.

Carrasco, who had been the Royals' most consistent starter since being called up in mid-May, turned in his least effective outing all season at Cleveland last Monday, when he allowed five earned runs in 2 1/3 innings.

Carrasco's recovering shoulder pushed him back one day for this start. However, Carrasco and manager Buddy Bell said the righty will be ready to go.

Pitching matchup
TOR: LHP Ted Lilly
• 8-9, 5.38 ERA in 2005
• 0-0, 3.60 ERA vs. KC in 2004

KC: RHP D.J. Carrasco
• 4-4, 4.09 ERA in 2005
• Did not face TOR in 2004

PLAYER TO WATCH

Injured first baseman Mike Sweeney could return to the lineup on Sunday after he was plunked in the first inning on Friday night. Should Sweeney find himself back in his familiar No. 3 spot, watch out. He is 3-for-6 with a homer and four walks against Lilly.

QUOTABLE

"If we have 11 hits and we're losing, please don't cheer for doughnuts." — Kansas City infielder Joe McEwing, on the Royals' famed "One Dozen Hits Equals One Dozen Doughnuts" promotion with Krispy Kreme

QUICK HITS

Right-hander Kyle Snyder notched his first start on Saturday night since 2003. ... Snyder pitched four innings and allowed six runs on eight hits. ... Right-hander Mike Wood tossed four innings in relief of Snyder, the longest relief outing of his career and his longest outing since Sept. 29, 2004. ... David DeJesus went 0-for-5 on Saturday, snapping his 13-game hitting streak. ... The Royals fell to 1-4 this season against the Blue Jays.

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Carrasco set to corral Blue Jays

Baseball 101 with Buddy raises $20,000

2005-07-23T23:50:00.000-05:00

Royals manager leads instructional clinic for women

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Buddy Bell strolled across the Kauffman Stadium outfield on Saturday morning, a bottle of water clutched in one hand, a towel draped over one shoulder.

The Royals skipper was trying his hardest to beat Missouri's triple-digit heat.

He was trying to beat something else, too, but it had nothing to do with baseball or the weather. It had everything to do with Down syndrome, which Bell has said is near and dear to his heart. His youngest child, 19-year-old Traci, was born with it.

"If you ever get the chance to hang out with her," Bell said, "she'll pick up your day. She's just as sweet as can be, and she's changed our lives."

Indeed, Traci has changed Buddy so much that there he was on Saturday, roaming his turf and trying to keep cool while around him 76 women were learning the baseball basics from Royals players and coaches during an instructional clinic formally called "Baseball 101 with Buddy Bell."

The event, which was planned by Royals Charities, raised $20,000 for the Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City, according to Betty Kaegel, director of Royals Charities.

Even more important than the donation, though, is the awareness that such an event brings to Down syndrome and those who live with it.

"These occasions really help us [for that purpose]," Bell said.

And while Royals Charities was helping out the Down Syndrome Guild, Bell and a group of Royals were out on the field helping those 76 women improve their baseball and softball skills.

First base coach Billy Doran and shortstop Angel Berroa took care of batting, imparting their knowledge about where to stand in the batter's box, how to approach different pitches and why, exactly, home plate umpires turn away from the crowd when they dust off home plate.

Stationed in right field, bench coach Bob Schaefer and recently optioned left-handed pitcher J.P. Howell explained the difference between a two-seam and four-seam fastball, and Schaefer even started lecturing on physics — sort of.

"The way the ball goes through the air, under the law of physics and stuff like that, you'd call that a sinker because the ball has more movement." Schaefer said. "You people know more about physics and laws than I do, though. I used to know that."

Meanwhile, Bell and infielder Joe McEwing taught the finer points of fielding, including how to step into a toss and how to prepare to catch a ball. And while more than a few balls flew over their intended targets, Bell never hesitated to step in and give a few one-on-one pointers.

After the women rotated between the three stations, they returned to the Crown Club for lunch and a short chat with Bell.

The morning was a thrill for everyone, including Bell and his coaches and players, but especially for those women who learned a bit more about the game.

"I love the Royals — I'll cheer for them whether they're winning or losing — but I never thought I'd get to walk around Kauffman Stadium," said Katrina McAlister, who plays for a local undefeated women's softball team. "It was fun, and it was an experience I'll never forget."

This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Baseball 101 with Buddy raises $20,000

Sweeney to be back soon

2005-07-23T19:00:00.000-05:00

After getting plunked, first baseman sits on Saturday

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Nothing is broken, hardly anything is bruised, and, yes, Mike Sweeney does expect to return to the Royals lineup.

Just not on Saturday night against the Blue Jays.

Sweeney left the Royals' 5-3 win over the Jays on Friday night after he was hit on the left hand by a pitch during his first plate appearance, but he should return to the lineup rather quickly.

"The lack of mobility won't allow me to play tonight, but we'll talk again tomorrow," Sweeney said. "Thankfully, everything is intact and not broken."

The scene was very similar to what happened to Sweeney on July 6, when he also was hit by a pitch during his first plate appearance before leaving for precautionary X-rays. This time around, the ball landed "about an inch away," Sweeney said, from where he was hit two weeks ago.

The plunking sullied what had been one of the best days of Sweeney's life, literally. The five-time All-Star woke up earlier than normal to accompany his wife, Shara, to an Overland Park (Kan.) hospital for the birth of their second child, a daughter named McKara Lynn, who was born at 10:30 a.m. CT.

Sweeney spent much of the morning and afternoon at the hospital before arriving at Kauffman Stadium — with Shara's blessing, of course — and returned even sooner than he had planned.

Royals team physician Dr. Steve Joyce had originally arranged for Sweeney to receive X-rays at a hospital near The Plaza, about 20 minutes away from Shara and McKara Lynn in Overland Park. But Joyce pulled a few strings.

"He got me directly downstairs from my wife," Sweeney said. "So I got X-rays, went up the elevator, and — boom — I was with my wife."

According to Sweeney, all members of his family are healthy and doing well — including himself.

The rest of this story can be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Sweeney to be back soon

Royals tap Snyder to edge Blue Jays

2005-07-23T00:40:00.000-05:00

Toronto (48-48) at Kansas City (35-61), 6:10 p.m. CT

by Matt LaWell

After splitting three straight series, the Royals have a good chance to win one outright.

The Royals took two apiece from the Twins, Tigers and Indians, but after a 5-3 win Friday night, they need just one more win to take their current series with the Blue Jays. And it certainly won't hurt matters that manager Buddy Bell will return Saturday from a one-game suspension for his role in the Sunday brawl at Detroit.

"I'd rather be down [in the dugout], to be honest with you," Bell said Friday when asked where he would spend the game during his suspension.

Bell will be back in the dugout Saturday, and with another victory, the Royals can give themselves early assurance of their first series win since July 6, when they took two of three from the Mariners.

PITCHING MATCHUP

TOR: RHP David Bush
• 0-5, 4.89 ERA ERA in 2005
• 0-0, 9.82 against KC in 2005

KC: RHP Kyle Snyder
• 0-0, 4.15 ERA in 2005
• Has not faced TOR in 2005

PLAYER TO WATCH

Keep an eye on the 6-foot-8 right-handed Snyder. When he last took the mound Monday for Triple-A Omaha, Snyder allowed just one hit over six shutout innings, walking none and striking out seven.

QUOTABLE

"It's more sweet than bitter." — outfielder Chip Ambres, on being traded from Boston to Kansas City

QUICK HITS

Right-hander Runelvys Hernandez picked up his third win in as many starts Friday night, and his sixth in his last eight starts. The win was Hernandez's eighth this season, which set a personal record. ... Hernandez allowed three earned runs over six innings Friday night to notch his seventh quality start in his last nine outings, and his eighth this season. ... Center fielder David DeJesus singled in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 13 games. DeJesus is batting an even. 400 (20-for-50) during the streak, raising his average to .298.

This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Royals tap Snyder to edge Blue Jays

Sweeney leaves after being hit by pitch

2005-07-22T23:55:00.000-05:00

Royals captain taken to hospital for X-rays

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Mike Sweeney spent much of Friday morning and afternoon at the hospital, and planned to spend most of the evening there, too.

He just didn't plan on returning so quickly.

Sweeney and his wife, Shara, spent much of the five-time All-Star's 32nd birthday in the maternity ward, celebrating the birth of their second child, a girl, named McKara Lynn. Sweeney said he would return there after the game — a 5-3 Royals win over the Blue Jays — but he came back earlier than planned after being plunked on the left hand by the very first pitch he saw.

Sweeney remained in the game and came around to score the Royals' third run on Emil Brown's grounder to third, but left for precautionary X-rays — which came back negative — before his next plate appearance. He's listed as day-to-day.

"Hopefully, he's all right," acting manager Bob Schaefer said. "He's gone through a lot, and it's tough getting hit in the same area so many times, but Mike's tough. Hopefully, it'll heal quickly and he'll be back in the lineup."

This latest plunking — the third time Sweeney's been hit this season, and the second in just over two weeks — was a bit unnerving because it resembled so closely the scene when Sweeney was hit on July 6. In both instances, Sweeney was hit on the left arm during the first inning and left after one plate appearance.

The Royals can only hope that the eventual result will also mirror that of July 6, when Sweeney sat out just one game before returning to the lineup. Should Sweeney miss more than one game, though — it's likely he'll at least sit Saturday — don't expect the Royals to mope.

"If anything, it probably fueled our fire a little more," catcher John Buck said. "They took our captain out of the game. That kind of [stunk]. But that's why we've been winning, because when Mike is out of the lineup, someone else has been able to pick up the slack."

In this instance, it was Buck, who collected his first career triple and added an RBI single in three at-bats, and first baseman Matt Stairs, who immediately followed Sweeney's plunking with a two-run double.

Stairs said he had some extra incentive after Blue Jays' pitcher Pete Walker hit his friend and captain.

"Whenever one of your teammates gets hit by a pitch, especially your captain, it [ticks] you off," Stairs said. "[Mike] probably shouldn't have even been here today because his wife had a baby this morning. He was just trying to lead by example."

Sweeney will, of course, return to Kauffman Stadium on Saturday, his young daughter another day older, the bones in his left arm, wrist and hand another day closer to fully healing. Having already missed 24 games this season because of injury, he'll try to bring a few more smiles to the clubhouse and put a few more runs on the board. In short, he'll try to do what he does best.

"It's not a one-man gang," Schaefer said. "But it's a lot easier when Michael is in there, there's no doubt about that."

This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Sweeney leaves after being hit by pitch

Royals rotate the rotation

2005-07-22T19:00:00.000-05:00

Snyder expected to be called up, Carrasco pushed back

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Expect the Royals starting rotation to undergo a few changes during the team's weekend series with the Blue Jays.

D.J. Carrasco's ailing right shoulder will push him back one day in the rotation — from Saturday to Sunday — while Runelvys Hernandez's impending 10-game suspension will leave the Royals with just four starters for at least one go-round through the starting staff.

Couple all that with the team's plan to convert right-hander Kyle Snyder to a starter — plus the telling fact that Snyder's last start was Monday at Triple-A Omaha — and all signs point to a Snyder callup.

The only thing that stands in the way is an official announcement.

"Our rotation is Runelvys [Hernandez] on Friday, a TBA [to be announced] on Saturday and D.J. [Carrasco] on Sunday," manager Buddy Bell said during his pregame meeting with the press.

"So Snyder is pitching tomorrow?" one reporter asked.

"I didn't say that," Bell said.

He didn't say it — not directly, at least — and neither did Snyder, who strolled through the team's clubhouse Friday afternoon but politely refused to comment on the situation.

If, indeed, Snyder is to start Saturday, his recent rehabilitation will have to be deemed a success.

He appeared in six games for Omaha — three starts — and one at Double-A Wichita. Combined, he went 2-2 with a 3.26 ERA. During his most recent outing, on Monday against Round Rock, Snyder allowed just one hit over six innings of shutout ball. He struck out seven and walked none.

PROUD PAPA

Mike Sweeney woke up a little early Friday morning — 6:30 a.m., to be exact — and showed up at Kauffman Stadium a little late. He had a pretty good excuse, though.

Sweeney and his wife, Shara, were busy celebrating the birth of their second child, McKara Lynn, who was born at 10:30 a.m., and measured in at 18 inches and six pounds, six ounces.

"My family always comes first," said Sweeney, who also celebrated his 32nd birthday Friday. "But I spoke with my wife and she told me, 'Mike, if I'm feeling fine, go be with your team.' One of the things the skipper preaches here is to be a good teammate.

"I'm running on fumes, but I'm excited for tonight's game, to be here with my teammates and hurry back to the hospital as soon as I can."

Indeed, Sweeney was prepared for a quick return to his family — he was still wearing the clear plastic hospital bracelet on his left wrist.

"This is the greatest gift God's ever given me on my birthday," he said. "My little daughter."

ROYALS TRIVIA QUESTION

Though the birth of a little girl trumps any other birthday celebrations, Sweeney's birthday last season was one to remember, too. Why? (See answer below)

FINDING A HOME

What a whirlwind week for outfielder Chip Ambres.

Ambres, who was sent from the Red Sox to the Royals on Tuesday for Tony Graffanino, made his Major League debut Wednesday night at Cleveland, then flew back to Kansas City on Thursday. And he still needed a place to live.

Enter Joe McEwing, who has opened his home to Ambres until the rookie finds a more permanent residence.

"That's what people did for me when I came up," McEwing said. "Baseball's like a fraternity and that's the way it should be. Somebody did it for me and you pass it down.

"When I was a rookie, I wasn't allowed to pay for anything. I couldn't buy dinner, I wasn't allowed to buy beer or soda, they wouldn't let me. When you get that opportunity, you do it for other people."

The generosity was certainly not lost on Ambres.

"He's a great guy," Ambres said of McEwing. "It's one of those deals where [the veterans] see the new guy come in, he doesn't really know the ropes, so they take him under their wing and show him around."

Ambres is one of a few Royals who have taken up temporary residence with a teammate this season. Outfielder Emil Brown slept on Zack Greinke's couch in early April, while right-hander Leo Nunez lived with Jose Lima after his callup from the Minors.

FARM REPORT

Ryan Jensen returned to the mound for Triple-A Omaha on Thursday, but wasn't terribly effective. He allowed six runs on eight hits over 3 2/3 innings, while the O-Royals lost to Round Rock, 8-3. ... Mitch Maier batted 2-for-4 and smacked his 40th double of the season but Double-A Wichita lost to Springfield, 6-4. ... Class A High Desert was off. ... Justin Sherman allowed one run over six innings as Class A Burlington won its seventh straight game, 8-3, over Kane County. ... Rookie-level Idaho Falls lost its fourth straight game, 3-1, to Billings. ... Rookie-level Arizona lost to the Brewers, 5-4.

TRIVIA ANSWER

Sweeney celebrated his 31st birthday — July 22, 2004 — by hitting two homers, including a grand slam, and driving in seven runs in the Royals' 13-7 win at Detroit.

ON DECK

The Royals will continue their three-game weekend series with the Blue Jays — and their six-game homestand — at 6:10 p.m. Saturday at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals have yet to announce a starter, but Snyder (0-0, 4.15 ERA) is expected to be called up and inserted into the rotation. Right-hander David Bush (0-5, 4.89 ERA) will start for the Blue Jays.

This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Royals rotate the rotation

Rowling, Potter deliver again in series' sixth installment

2005-07-21T12:05:00.000-05:00

"Half-Blood Prince" meets lofty expectations

by Matt LaWell

Even after one completes the 652-page tome that is "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," it is still difficult to think of anything new to say about J.K. Rowling and the magical world she has brought to life once more.

"Wow," might be a good place to start. So might, "She's done it again," for while this latest installment in the fabled Harry Potter series reads much like its five predecessors, there are, as always, new wrinkles in the yarn, new mysteries for ever-eager readers to unfold and to solve.

If you need proof, well, look no further than the title. Who, exactly, is the Half-Blood Prince? It could be any of a number of characters, from Lord Voldemort — no longer referred to as He Who Must Not Be Named, thank goodness, for was that ever a mouthful — to Potter himself, who is now 16 and less than one year away from coming of age in the Wizarding world.

Of course, the greater mystery, as always seems to be the case with Rowling's tales of Hogwarts, is what significance the title has to the story (the Order of the Phoenix, for example, which was emblazoned across the cover of the fifth book, played an integral role in the telling of that tale). And yes, for the record, the Prince's identity is revealed, though not until very late in the book.

Other questions that are answered along the way include which main character will be killed during this go-around — the beloved Sirius Black is no longer an option, obviously, since he perished at the end of the fifth volume, but don't expect any hints in this review — how the Gryffindor Quidditch team will perform under the watchful eye of Captain Potter and who is snogging whom.

That whole business of snogging — a British term that means to cuddle or spoon — leads to what is likely the only complaint about the sixth book, which is that it is not, in fact, a true children's book. Its themes are darker than during any of the series' first five books, and as the main protagonists — Harry, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger — continue to get a little older, the realities that come with being a teenager are discussed more openly.

As has come to be expected, too, more details are revealed about Harry's parents, Lily and James Potter, and his rival, Voldemort. And as for not knowing enough about the history of those characters, Rowling has said on her Web site that enough will have been written about the past by the time the seventh book is published that there will be no need for a prequel.

Which leaves only one question: When, exactly, will that seventh -and final -book be released? We Muggles can't wait.

This story can also be read at The Post Online by clicking on the following link:

Rowling, Potter deliver again in series' sixth installment

Behold the power of Harry Potter

2005-07-21T12:00:00.000-05:00

Loyal reader spends nearly six hours in store

by Matt LaWell

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — I need to get something off my chest -a confession, almost, you might say — but please, try not to hold it against me.

I preordered my copy of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." I reserved it, in fact, in late May.

Now, sure, you might not see much of a problem with that, but come on, I'm a 21-year-old guy with no younger siblings, no nephews, no nieces and, really, no excuses to be hanging around a bookstore for seven or eight hours on a Friday night in anticipation of getting my hands on the new Harry Potter book just minutes after its official release.

I could have been taking part in any of a number of other activities, certainly something more suitable for a college student like, say, bowling or knitting on the couch while watching a baseball game, or something like that. Instead, I was chilling at the local Barnes & Noble, two Chipotle burritos in tow, pen and notebook tucked neatly in my back pocket, ready to get my Potter on.

7:03 p.m. I stroll into the store and plop down at a table in the café. I get a few stares as I open my bag and pull out a burrito (filled with chicken, rice, blacks beans, tomatoes and cheese, for the record), but hey, I had to get some nutrition before embarking on a venture this crazy, right?

7:24 p.m. I call my friend Kaity, a junior at Ohio State whom I remember as quite a fan of Hogwarts and the fictional folks who lived there. "Happy Harry Potter Day," I say. I get nothing but silence until the topic is changed.

7:44 p.m. While roaming the store, I notice a sign that details the evening's activities, including the process that will be used to release the book. "Your place in line," it says, "is determined by the number on the bracelet you received when you registered. The line will form in groups of 100."

I glance down at my bracelet, which reads "82." I don't know what's sadder: The fact that I did, in fact, preorder the book, or that I preordered it so early that I'm in the first group.

8:27 p.m. Craving desert, I return to the café, where the regular menu has been replaced by a special Harry Potter menu. I order a small Witchberry Brew and a Toasted Maggot Bar (which are just fancy names for a strawberry smoothie and a Rice Krispy Treat). I wish they just had Butterbeer.

8:46 p.m. After a furious three-minute debate with my adult conscience, I get in line for Harry Potter glasses, which are being handed out free by a teen-ager named Dustin. Curious about Barnes & Noble is doing to youngsters these days, I ask Dustin how late he'll be at the store.

"Two o'clock," he says.

"Two? Really? Aren't there child labor laws or something that prevent that?"

"Umm," he says, "I don't know."

"Well, are they at least giving you the book for free?"

"No," he says. "But I'm getting credit for Boy Scouts."

I can only imagine which merit badge is given to those scouts who sit in a chair for five hours and hand out tiny pieces of plastic.

9:22 p.m. I get in line to make a wand, and wind up waiting exactly 17 minutes for what amounts to two pieces of colored pipe cleaner, a drinking straw and a piece of ribbon.

"Yippee!" I think upon completion of my wand. "I have something that could get the gunk out of my trash disposal. Maybe."

9:32 p.m. I sit down and color a picture of a wizard. Not any specific wizard, mind you, just an un-copyrighted, anonymous wizard with a beard and a pointed cap.

10:24 p.m. I finish coloring my wizard.

Wait. Did I just spend 52 minutes coloring? Oh, that's sad.

11:02 p.m. Still hungry, I eat the second burrito. What foresight.

11:49 p.m. After getting my face painted — OK, it was really just the inside of my forearm, and it was a really cool Gryffindor shield — I get in line for the book.

12:03 a.m. Situated at the front of the line, I'm one of the first folks in the store with a copy of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." After handing over my hard-earned cash, I head straight for the café, where I read the first chapter.

12:24 a.m. A Barnes & Noble employee, whose name I should have jotted down, sees me sitting in the café and asks if I've purchased my book.

"Of course," I tell her, hoping I won't have to buy it again. "Why?"

"You have to leave," she says coldly.

"Excuse me?"

There has been no literature that said anybody had to leave the store after they got their book, nothing of the sort at all. In fact, sitting around me were 10 other people, all of whom were reading their books, undisturbed. Of course, all of them were older than 30.

"You have to leave," she says again, blatant ageism dripping from her voice.

Unsure of what, exactly, to say, I just mutter, "I won't say anything, I won't do anything, but I can't help but notice that you're not kicking anybody else out of the store."

"Just go," she says, following me out to make sure I leave.

Still in the dark about my crime, I push open the doors back to real life, my book in my hands. As for that pesky woman, poop on her, she was stuck in the store for another two hours. I had been there long enough.

This story can also be read at The Post Online by clicking on the following link:

Behold the power of Harry Potter

Pioneer League Notebook

2005-07-19T20:00:00.000-05:00

For the week ending July 17

by Matt LaWell

NORTH DIVISION

Billings Mustangs (Cincinnati Reds)

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Second baseman Michael DeJesus is batting .625 (10-for-16) with seven runs scored and seven RBIs over his last four games, raising his average from .212 to .347. ... Right-hander Rainer Feliz made his first appearance in nearly three weeks on Thurdsay — and should promptly forget it. He gave up six runs on four hits and three walks while retiring just two batters.

WELCOME BACK :Butch Henry is right back where he started. Eighteen years after the left-hander made his professional debut at Cobb Field with the Mustangs, he's back in Billings as the team's pitching coach, and loving it. "I have had more pleasure in little more than a year and a half of coaching than I really ever did as a player," Henry told the Billings Gazette. "There's a different kind of gratification."

EXPENSIVE BREW: Mustangs fan Casey William Clark wound up paying $15,000 for a beer last week, but it could have been worse. Clark, who was released from prison on July 7, violated his probation the next day by drinking a beer at Cobb Field. If not for deputy public defender James Siegman, who represented Clark in court, Clark might have paid a $30,000 bond. "I think $30,000 is way too much for the price of a beer," Siegman told the Billings Gazette.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "I've just been more relaxed. I've actually figured out what my swing should be. I was struggling with it a little bit at the beginning of the summer, but I'm feeling really good now." — Mustangs outfielder Brandon Roberts, who has raised his average from .231 to .344 since July 3, to the Billings Gazette.

Great Falls White Sox (Chicago White Sox)

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Third baseman Manuel Rodriguez batted .500 (12-for-24) over six games last week. He also hit two homers, drove in nine runs, scored seven runs and raised his average from .276 to .341. ... Shortstop Javier Castillo notched just four hits last week in 21 at-bats, good for a .190 average.

HOME, SWEET HOME: The White Sox will certainly be happy to get back to Legion Park, considering they're 3-10 on the road this season. Oddly enough, the Sox are hitting for a higher average on the road (.303 to .274) and scoring more runs (69-67) away from Great Falls.

CBS COMES CALLING: Late-night television host David Letterman attended a White Sox game last week at Centene Stadium at Legion Park, according to a report in the Great Falls Tribune. Amazingly enough, Letterman was able to watch the game, a 5-4 Sox win over Missoula, without being bothered by fans. He left with his family after the eighth inning.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "Nobody really bugged him during the game ... but he signed a lot of autographs on his way out of the stadium. He's been a season-ticket holder the past two years. I think his ranch hands (near Choteau) use the tickets most of the time." — Great Falls general manager Jim Keough on Letterman's appearance at Legion Park, as told to the Great Falls Tribune.

Helena Brewers (Milwaukee Brewers)

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Catcher Angel Salome batted .630 (17-for-27), scored nine runs, drove in 10 and extended his hitting streak to 11 games. He's leading the Pioneer League in batting average, slugging percentage, hits and RBIs, and is third in doubles and on-base percentage. ... After five solid games, right-hander Tyler Morrison turned in his weakest pro outing when he gave up seven earned runs on nine hits over just three innings on Friday. He avoided the loss when the Brewers pulled out an 11-10 win.

BIG-LEAGUE CALLUP: After barely two full seasons in pro ball, left-hander Dana Eveland got his first call up to the Majors. Eveland, who pitched out of the bullpen at Helena in 2003 and struck out 41 in 26 innings, was called up by the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday. He's the first Helena Brewer to make it to the Majors since the team returned to town two years ago. "Dana is the first but certainly won't be the last of the new generation of the Helena Brewers who will make it to Miller Park," Brewers general manager Paul Fetz told the Helena Independent Record.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "Everybody contributed. It's kind of been that way all year. Guys even came off the bench and contributed." — Helena hitting coach Bobby Randall on the team's season-long offensive outbursts, as told to the Helena Independent Record.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK, PART II: "We made six physical mistakes. But I'd rather we do that than play well and make six mental mistakes. We can play better than we did." — Helena manager Ed Sedar on his team's six-error performance July 11, as told to the Helena Independent Record.

Missoula Osprey (Arizona Diamondbacks)

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Left-hander Gregory Smith stifled Ogden on Sunday afternoon when he held the Raptors to just one hit over six innings. Smith also struck out seven, didn't walk a batter and improved to 2-1. ... After homering in his first at-bat for the Osprey, outfielder Luis Lajara is hitless in his last six.

WHAT A GEM: Smith's outing on Sunday was arguably one of the best this season in the Pioneer League. Smith's dominant performance pushed the 21-year-old lefty to the top spot among the league's strikeout leaders — he's struck out 36 in 27 innings — just ahead of teammate Ramon Sanchez. His 2.33 ERA is good for fourth in the league.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "For the first time in a while, we played like a team. ... If we keep on playing like this, we should be fine." — Shortstop Steve Mena on the team's 3-0 win over Ogden on Sunday, as told to The Missoulian.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK, PART II: "To me, (the day off) was good for our club because we have a lot of new guys to professional baseball who aren't used to playing every day like we do." — Osprey manager Hector De La Cruz on the team's off day on July 10, as told to The Missoulian.

SOUTH DIVISION

Casper Rockies (Colorado Rockies)

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Outfielder Trevor Allen has nine hits in his last 18 at-bats and four RBIs in his last four games. He's batting .522 (12-for-23) over his last five games and .448 this season ... Shortstop Radames Nozario is batting .083 (2-for-24) over his last seven games, a slump that has dropped his average to .176.

STATISTICAL ODDITY: Just call closer Andrew Johnston a tad unlucky, especially after he was collared with the loss on Wednesday when the the Rockies fell to Great Falls, 6-4. Johnston worked one inning and allowed three runs on two hits, though every run was unearned. Johnston has allowed four runs this season, all unearned, over 11 2/3 innings.

LEADER OF THE PACK: Cole Garner's professional career is off to a walloping start. Garner, an outfielder with the Rockies, has hit a Pioneer League-leading eight homers and driven in 24 runs through his first 23 games. He's also third in the league in RBIs behind Helena catcher Angel Salome and Orem third baseman Dallas Morris, and sixth in extra-base hits.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "It was a tough loss, battling back like we did." — Casper manager P.J. Carey on his team's 6-4 loss to Great Falls on Wednesday, as told to the Casper Star Tribune.

Idaho Falls Chukars (Kansas City Royals)

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Catcher Brady Everett batted .462 (6-for-13) with two homers, six RBIs and seven runs scored in just three games last week. Everett is batting .389 with three homers and 13 RBIs in 10 games. ... Right-hander Brandon Brantley gave up five runs on nine hits and one walk over just 2 2/3 innings on Saturday during his start against Great Falls. Brantley is 0-1 with a 6.19 ERA.

HOT STUFF: The Chukars made the most of their week at home by taking six of seven from Billings and Great Falls. During the homestand, the team scored 67 runs, an average of nearly 10 per game, and went from three games under .500 to two games over at 14-12. They sit just one game back of first-place Ogden.

LEAGUE LEADERS: After almost one full month of baseball, a number of Chukars are at or near the top of the Pioneer League in various statistical categories. Shortstop Christopher McConnell is fourth in the league in batting with a .386 average, while center fielder Ethien Santana is ninth at .359. Right-hander Bennett Cromer leads the league with three wins, righty Zane Carlson is second with five saves and righty David Henninger is fifth with a 2.38 ERA.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "This is real baseball. You come out and smell the food and hear the fans and listen to the announcer, and you don't care if they're cheering you or booing you or doing whatever they're doing. Because you matter. Somebody actually knows that you're playing. The feeling you get. You feel your blood flowing." — Left-hander Jacob Eckley on playing in Idaho Falls, as told to The Kansas City Star.

Ogden Raptors (Los Angeles Dodgers)

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Outfielder B.J. Richmond has notched six hits in his last 14 at-bats, good for a .429 batting average. Richmond has one homer, five RBIs and three runs scored over that stretch. ... Catcher Juan Apodaca celebrated his 19th birthday on Friday by hitting two homers. Unfortunately, those are Apodaca's only hits in his last 17 at-bats.

NICE PROMOTION: A pair of Raptors, outfielder Sergio Pedroza and catcher Rosten Gil, were promoted within the Dodgers' system last week. Pedroza was called up to Class A Columbus after batting .500 with four home runs and 18 RBIs in just 12 games for the Raptors. Gil was promoted to Triple-A Las Vegas to serve as the team's emergency bullpen catcher.

LATE ADDITION: Right-handed pitcher Jose Obispo is scheduled to join the Raptors on Monday after an extended Spring Training. During his most recent rehab appearance with the Gulf Coast Dodgers, he allowed four runs in 1 1/3 innings. Obispo pitched in five games for Ogden during the 2004 season, where he went 1-2 with a 13.14 ERA.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "It seemed like he was part of the team, like he had been playing for us for a while. He's kind of quiet, he lets his playing do the work." — Ogden manager Juan Bustabad on Pedroza, who played just 12 games for the Raptors before his promotion, as told to the Ogden Standard-Examiner.

Orem Owlz (Los Angeles Angels)

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Third baseman Dallas Morris scored eight runs and drove in 11 in his last six games, while batting .429 (12-for-28). Morris is hitting .321 this season and is second in the Pioneer League in RBIs and doubles, and tied for fourth in extra-base hits. ... Outfielder Joshua Cowles has just two hits in his last 12 at-bats, though one was a three-run homer.

STREAK SNAPPED: When right-hander Timothy Didjurgis walked off the mound on Sunday afternoon, he did so with a streak of 11 1/3 scoreless innings still intact. Of course, he left in the middle of an inning with a runner at second base. Lefty Mike Pete relieved Didjurgis and promptly allowed that runner to score, which snapped the streak. Didjurgis is 2-1 with a 2.37 ERA, which would be fifth in the Pioneer League if he had pitched enough innings to qualify.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "The starting pitcher sets the tone. When you're not scoring runs, it's nice to have a good starting pitcher to lead off the game." -- Orem manager Tom Kotchman, as told to BYU NewsNet.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK, PART II: "We are just playing good enough to lose." — Kotchman, as told to BYU NewsNet. Since Kotchman said that, though, his team has gone 8-3 and jumped to within two games of first place in the division.

This story can also be read at MiLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Pioneer League Notebook

Pioneer League Report

2005-07-18T21:00:00.000-05:00

A recap of the week ending July 17

by Matt LaWell

NORTH DIVISION

Billings Mustangs (Cincinnati Reds)
Last week: 4-3; Overall: 16-10

After dropping three of four at Idaho Falls, the Mustangs charged back with a three-game weekend sweep of Casper. The club's offense went to town all week, as evidenced by the 52 runs scored. Outfielder Brandon Roberts led the charge with a .500 (16-for-32) batting average, 11 runs scored, one homer and six RBIs. Shortstop Adam Rosales batted .357 (10-for-28) during the week with four multi-hit games, five doubles, six RBIs and seven runs scored.

Great Falls White Sox (Chicago White Sox)
Last week: 2-5; Overall: 9-16

The White Sox split four games at Casper — and won the series' final two games — before they dropped three straight at Idaho Falls. A return to Montana will certainly be welcomed, as the Sox are just 3-10 away from Legion Park. Outfielder Matt Tribble batted .482 (13-for-27), scored seven runs, drove in five and extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

Helena Brewers (Milwaukee Brewers)
Last week: 4-3; Overall: 18-7

The Brewers opened the week with a four-game split against Orem before taking two of three from Ogden during the weekend. Despite winning just four of their seven games this week, the Brewers still hold a healthy 2.5-game lead over second-place Billings. Catcher Angel Salome batted .630 (17-for-27), scored nine runs, drove in 10 and extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

Missoula Osprey (Arizona Diamondbacks)
Last week: 3-4; Overall: 8-18

The Osprey managed to win three of seven games last week despite the fact that their opponents outscored them by nearly three runs per game (59-41). The team opened the week with a 6-4 win over Orem before losing three straight to the Owlz and taking two of three from Ogden. Left-hander Gregory Smith turned in one of the Pioneer League's best outings Sunday afternoon when he limited Ogden to just one hit over six innings while striking out seven and not walking a batter.

SOUTH DIVISION

Casper Rockies (Colorado Rockies)
Last week: 2-5; Overall: 11-15

The Rockies started their week well enough with a pair of wins over Great Falls, but then lost five straight — two to Great Falls and three at Billings — to drop to last place in the division. Right-handers Sean Ruthven and Ross Hipke each picked up their first win of the season out of the bullpen, while Andrew Johnston notched his sixth save. Johnston has pitched 11 2/3 innings this season and hasn't allowed an earned run.

Idaho Falls Chukars (Kansas City Royals)
Last week: 6-1; Overall: 14-12

The Chukars made the most of their week at home. Look no further than their series win against Billings, their three-game sweep of Great Falls, and the fact that they closed to within 1.5 games of first-place Ogden. Right-hander Bennett Cromer and left-hander Adam Kalkhof each won two games in relief. Catcher Brady Everett batted .462 (6-for-13) with two homers, six RBIs and seven runs scored — all in just three games.

Ogden Raptors (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Last week: 3-4; Overall: 15-11

The Raptors split four games at Helena and took one of three at Missoula, but managed to remain in first place, 1.5 games ahead of Idaho Falls. Right-handers Mario Alvarez and Jordan Pratt and lefty David Pfeiffer each notched their team-leading second win, while first baseman David Sutherland batted .429 (12-for-28), knocked in three doubles and scored nine runs. Sutherland is batting a team-high .426 this season.

Orem Owlz (Los Angeles Angels)
Last week: 4-3; Overall: 13-13

The Owlz opened their tour of Montana with three wins in four games at Helena, but finished it by taking just one of three games at Missoula. In all, not a bad road trip. Right-hander Robert Mosebach pitched six scoreless innings Thursday to lower his ERA to 1.80 and notch his second win in as many starts. Third baseman Dallas Morris scored eight runs while batting .364 (12-for-33).

This story can also be read at MiLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Pioneer League Report

DeJesus co-AL Player of the Week

2005-07-18T18:00:00.000-05:00

Center fielder bats .500, drives in four to share honors

by Matt LaWell

You want to talk about hot? Well, we could talk about the weather, certainly — it is July after all — or we could talk about Royals center fielder David DeJesus, who's been scorching at the plate since the All-Star break.

DeJesus' recent efforts, including a .500 (7-for-14) average over the last four games, were good enough to garner the 25-year-old American League Co-Player of the Week honors, along with Yankees outfielder Gary Sheffield.

"I never thought that I'd get something like that," DeJesus said from Cleveland, where the he homered in his first at-bat Monday in the opener of a four-game series with the Indians. "But I had a good week."

Indeed, he did, as he sparked the Royals to a four-game split at Detroit to kick off the season's second half. Along with that gaudy .500 average, DeJesus scored four runs, drove in four runs and hit a leadoff homer. He also walked four times to drive his on-base percentage during the truncated week to an even .600.

If DeJesus seems a relative newbie to this awards business, it's because he is. The Player of the Week honor is his first since he made his Major League debut Sept. 2, 2003, and it's the first for any Royal since Carlos Beltran, now with the Mets, was named the AL Player of the Week on April 18, 2004.

Just don't expect any of this to go to DeJesus' head.

"It was definitely a good week and, definitely, I'm really honored to be named to that," he said. "That's awesome and we're just going to try to keep it going."

DeJesus' teammate Matt Stairs, who has served as the Royals' first baseman and designated hitter this season, was also nominated for the award. Stairs opened the second half Thursday with two homers, including a grand slam, and six RBIs off Tigers pitching.

Other candidates for the award included Devil Rays second baseman Jorge Cantu, who batted .412 (7-for-17) with four RBIs and a steal; A's starter Rich Harden, who twirled a two-hit shutout; and Yankees and Devil Rays closers Mariano Rivera and Danys Baez, who each saved three games.

This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

DeJesus co-AL Player of the Week

Sheffield co-AL Player of the Week

2005-07-18T17:30:00.000-05:00

Outfielder honored for .500 average, 1.125 slugging mark

by Matt LaWell

Things have been going so well lately for Gary Sheffield that he can hope only they continue to get better.

Points in case: Sheffield opened the week in Detroit for his ninth All-Star Game before he traveled to Boston, where the Yankees took three of four from the Red Sox to close to within one-half game of first place. And now he's the American League's Co-Player of the Week, along with Royals center fielder David DeJesus.

Not too shabby, even if the award — the 11th of his career — takes a distant back seat to the team's recent success at Fenway Park.

"What we wanted to accomplish, we accomplished," Sheffield said Sunday after the Yankees held on for a 5-3 win in the series finale. "This is one task, but we've got more to come. Going into the next series, we have to play with more intensity."

That will be a tall task, especially when one considers Sheffield's performance during the four-game truncated week — a .500 (8-for-16) average, two homers, five RBIs, four runs scored, and a league-leading four doubles and 1.125 slugging percentage. But if anyone can play with more intensity, well, why not Sheffield?

Not only has the 36-year-old outfielder posted some eye-popping numbers, but he's been building a synergy with third baseman Alex Rodriguez that has brought both players to the tops of their games, and could well spell doom for the rest of the AL East.

"I've always said he's like my big brother and he inspires me, I know that," Rodriguez said Sunday. "I love him, he loves me. We're very tight. We spend a lot of time off the field together. We talk a lot about hitting, situational hitting, and I think right now we're in a situation where we're feeding off each other."

And that might be one ingredient for things to keep getting even better for Sheffield.

Other candidates for the award were Royals first baseman Matt Stairs, who batted .444 (4-for-9) with two homers and six RBIs; Devil Rays second baseman Jorge Cantu, who batted .412 (7-for-17) with four RBIs and a steal; A's starter Rich Harden, who twirled a two-hit shutout; and Yankees and Devil Rays closers Mariano Rivera and Danys Baez, who each saved three games.

This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Sheffield co-AL Player of the Week

Twins edge KC in 12 to earn split

2005-07-10T17:55:00.000-05:00

Silva dominant in allowing one run over seven innings

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — After 12 innings of baseball and another afternoon of more than 300 pitches, the Twins' latest battle with the Royals came down to one very odd error and one very big catch.

Yeah, that's right, an error and a catch. No big homer for the Twins, not even a big double, just an error and a catch.

With the White Sox still nine games up, though, the Twins will take the wins — this one by a narrow 3-2 margin over the Royals on Sunday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium — any way they can.

With the game tied in the top of the 12th, the Twins had Nick Punto at first and Joe Mauer at third with Torii Hunter at the plate.

Rather than look at a few pitches, Hunter smacked the first thing he saw from Royals reliever Mike Wood — Hunter said it was a sinker in on the plate — and sent it flying toward third base.

Of course, the barrel of Hunter's bat also flew toward third, which distracted Royals third baseman Mark Teahen just enough that he bobbled the ball and that allowed Punto to score.

One pitch, one swing, game no longer tied.

"I just wanted to make contact and see what happened," Hunter said. "You saw what happened. You make contact, anything can happen."

OK, now to give that catch its due.

This scene is a little less involved than the last one, if only because it comes in the bottom of the 12th with the Twins already leading 3-2. With one out and Jesse Crain on the mound, in steps Royals first baseman Matt Stairs.

Crain had never faced Stairs, so there was no history between the two, but Stairs was already 0-for-4 in the game, so maybe he was due for something. That's what it looked like, at least, after he drilled Crain's 0-2 pitch deep to center.

The ball might have banged off the wall, it might have gone over the wall, but it didn't. Instead, Lew Ford, who was giving Hunter the afternoon off from playing defense, jumped to the top of the wall, extended his arm, stuck out his glove and caught it.

"I was playing a little deeper and the ball just kept traveling out there," Ford said. "I ran out of room and just had to jump up and get it. That's about it."

The catch was enough to make Hunter joke about possibly losing his job.

"Yeah, right," Ford responded. "[Hunter] might have had that one in his back pocket."

OK, maybe Ford won't displace Hunter in center, but did he at least go over the wall? Did he snag a possible game-tying homer?

"I don't know," Ford said. "I'd have to check the replay."

Those two plays capped off a long afternoon of baseball that looked as if it wasn't going to be nearly that long, especially after the Twins scored a pair of second-inning runs, thanks to Luis Rodriguez and Luis Rivas, who hit an RBI double and a run-scoring single, respectively.

Right-hander Carlos Silva, who hasn't lost since May 31, worked seven dominant innings, gave up just one run on five hits and left with a 2-1 lead. The only run he allowed was a solo homer to Royals All-Star Mike Sweeney with two outs in the fourth. Aside from that he was pretty darn good.

"Silva pitched his tail off," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Of course, he got a little overheated out there."

Yes, the heat was certainly a factor in Silva's departure after seven innings despite tossing just 81 pitches. The game-time temperature was a particularly humid 90 degrees and, as if that weren't enough, the Twins were wearing heavy polyester uniforms, replicas of the 1909 St. Paul Gophers.

"They were a little warm," Gardenhire deadpanned. "Silva said he was done after six but we asked him to go one more. After seven, he was pretty much done. We had to take him out. By the end of the seventh, he said he weighed 300 pounds with all the sweat and water."

After Silva departed, Juan Rincon came in from the bullpen and pitched a shaky — but scoreless — eighth inning before giving way to closer Joe Nathan, who had converted his last 12 save opportunities.

After Nathan struck out the first batter he faced, he was embroiled in a 10-pitch battle with Sweeney, who extended everybody's afternoon adventures at the ballpark when he deposited a 2-2 inside fastball into the seats in left.

"I battled with him, and it was probably one of the best battles I've had," Nathan said. "I knew he was hot, but I felt great, I felt like I was making pitches. He was fouling pitches off and I was throwing everything at him.

"You just can't leave one out over the plate against a guy like that."

That was the last time either team scored until the 12th, when Hunter's shattered bat played as big a role as the baseball he rocketed toward third.

"We kept battling, they kept battling and finally we got a little break at the end," Gardenhire said. "Shaking hands, going on our break, that's exactly what we wanted to do today."

This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Twins edge KC in 12 to earn split

Twins outlast Royals, win in 12

2005-07-10T16:20:00.000-05:00

Minnesota earns split enterinf All-Star Break

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — After 12 innings of baseball, the Twins won not on a homer or a double hit deep to outfield. Heck, they didn't even win it on a single.

They won it on an error.

Yes, the Twins wasted a dominant outing by Carlos Silva, who allowed just one run on five hits over seven innings, but they still managed to beat the Royals 3-2 in 12 innings Sunday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium on an error.

The scene: Twins' runners at first at third, two outs in the top of the 12th, Torii Hunter at the plate. On the very first pitch, Hunter smacked a ball to third, which Royals third baseman Mark Teahen bobbled, allowing Nick Punto to score from third.

Just like that, the tie was broken, the Twins took the lead and, with Jesse Crain coming in to pitch the 12th, the game was all but over.

At the beginning of a long afternoon of baseball, though, the Twins set the tone early by stringing together four hits in the second and managing to push across two runs — Luis Rivas hit an RBI double that Luis Rodriguez followed with an RBI single — for the early 2-0 lead.

Silva, meanwhile, retired 11 of the first 12 batters he faced before yielding a solo homer to Royals All-Star Mike Sweeney with two outs in the fourth.

That was all the scoring anybody would do until Sweeney came to the plate in the ninth, battled Twins closer Joe Nathan and, after fouling off six pitches, hit another solo homer to tie the game at 2-2.

The teams exchanged zeroes in the 10th and 11th before Teahen's error led to the Twins' final run of the season's first half.

Saluting the Negro Leagues

2005-07-10T14:20:00.000-05:00

Twins wear replica uniforms of 1909 St. Paul Gophers

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — When the Twins arrived at Kauffman Stadium on Sunday morning, they found uniforms of a little different thread in their lockers.

Instead of their normal road grays, there hung replicas of the uniforms worn by the 1909 St. Paul Gophers, an early African-American baseball team in the Twins Cities.

Explanation? The Royals were holding their annual Salute the Negro Leagues Day. Both teams were wearing classic uniforms — the Royals donned replicas of what the 1948 Kansas City Monarchs wore — and about a dozen living Negro League players signed autographs before the game.

Most players liked the look of the navy jersey and pants, but almost all agreed that wearing them on a humid July afternoon probably wasn't the best idea.

"I like them," Torii Hunter said, "but they're dark blue and it's 100 degrees. I can imagine how hot I'm going to be out there wearing 'em."

Catcher Joe Mauer, meanwhile, joked that he would probably lose a few pounds while laying down the signs behind home plate.

"I'll have to drink a lot of water," he said. "It's cool, though, changing it up a little bit and remembering the Negro Leagues."

It could always be worse, though. The uniforms could have been wool, which is exactly the material worn by those Gophers 96 years ago.

"I'm sure these guys didn't have this material back in the day," Hunter said in reference to the replica's thick polyester material. "I think they had wool, so I commend those guys for playing in that."

Players will have the opportunity to keep their uniform in exchange for a $500 donation to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, which is located in Kansas City. Several players said they would do just that.

"There was no way I could buy everybody's jersey," Hunter said. "But I'm buying my own and donating to the Negro Leagues Museum."

FORAWRD THINKING

Manager Ron Gardenhire discussed the second half of the season Sunday afternoon and quelled any banter about the Twins' eyes being fixed solely on the Wild Card.

"We don't even talk about [the Wild Card], we just go out and play," Gardenhire said. "You can't talk about those things. Our sights are set on catching the White Sox. That means we have to play good baseball. There are too many teams involved in the Wild Card."

After their 12-8 loss to the Royals on Saturday night, the Twins held a slim one-game lead over the Indians in the Wild Card chase, while another six teams were all within five games.

As for the All-Star break, well, everybody's happy about getting a few days off.

"It's the same as every year because you're about worn out," Gardenhire said. "This is a nice break. It's just a mental break because we've had to deal with so much stuff, but it's about the same every year. It's nice to refresh your body.

"I'm sure my coaching staff feels the same way. We're all a little gassed."

ROTATION SET

The Twins finalized their post-break starting rotation, which will begin with Kyle Lohse on the hill against the Angels.

Brad Radke, Johan Santanta and Joe Mays will follow on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, respectively. And, while it has not yet been officially announced, Carlos Silva will likely start Monday, July 18 against the Orioles.

BRIEFLY

Of the 76 regular-season games the Twins will play after the All-Star break, 37 will be against Central Division opponents.

Twins pitchers issued just 81 walks during the first 50 games this season, a little more than 1.6 per game. Over their last 35 games, however, the staff has issued 91 walks, an average of 2.6 per game.

ON DECK

After pitchers Santana and Joe Nathan represent the Twins at the 76th All-Star Game on Tuesday at Detroit, the team will begin a four-game series with the Angels at 7:10 p.m. CT Thursday at the Metrodome. Lohse (7-7, 4.42 ERA) will start for the Twins, while the Angels have yet to announce their starter.

This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Saluting the Negro Leagues

Twins seek split in series finale

2005-07-10T00:40:00.000-05:00

Minnesota (47-38) at Kansas City (30-56), 1:10 p.m.CT

by Matt LaWell

Finally, the All-Star Break is upon the Twins.

The Twins certainly need the rest, too, especially considering the way the pitching staff has been thrashed about during most ofthis road trip. And nobody will argue about a nice three-day respite before embarking on the season's final 77 games, not with the White Sox still holding a 10-game lead in the division race.

Minnesota's final first-half test will come against Royals' right-hander D.J. Carrasco, who beat them June 29 at the Metrodome and sent Michael Cuddyer to the disabled list when he hit him with a pitch in the seventh inning.

Carrasco is 3-0 all-time against the Twins, while Carlos Silva is 1-0 against the Royals in four career appearances.

PITCHING MATCHUP

MIN: RHP Carlos Silva
• 7-3, 3.68 ERA in 2005
• 0-0, 10.80 against KC in 2005

KC: RHP D.J. Carrasco
• 4-3, 3.69 ERA ERA in 2005
• 1-0, 1.35 against MIN in 2005

PLAYER TO WATCH

Luis Rivas is batting a meager .143 (1-for-7) against Royals' righty D.J. Carrasco, but that one hit, as you might expect by its being spotlighted here, was a home run. That homer is the only extra-base hit by any Twin in 53 at bats against Carrasco.

QUOTABLE

"I'm just going back to Minnesota. We're almost unpacked [at the new home]." — Manager Ron Gardenhire on his All-Star Break plans

QUICK HITS

Right-hander Joe Mays lasted just two innings Saturday night against the Royals, his shortest start this season. Mays lasted two innings during his first appearance this season, way back on April 8, but that was a relief appearance. ... Mike Redmond extended his hitting streak to a season-best five games when singled in the second inning. That hit streak, of course, started back on June 26. ... Luis Rivas notched his first multi-run game since Aug. 25, 2004, at Texas. ... Shannon Stewart has scored at least one run in the last six games he's played.

Twins pitchers struggle against Royals

2005-07-09T23:55:00.000-05:00

Crain falters after Mays makes early exit Saturday

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Where to even begin?

Less than 24 hours after playing one of their best games this season, the Twins put together one of their most disappointing — a 12-8 loss to the Royals on Saturday night at Kauffman Stadium.

Rest assured, it was not disappointing because of the Twins' eight-run, 12-hit offensive effort. Oh no, nobody will complain about the bats after this one. What folks will complain about will be the team's pitching, which has rarely been the case this season.

A quintet of Twins pitchers — starter Joe Mays and relievers Terry Mulholland, Jesse Crain, J.C. Romero and Matt Guerrier — combined to labor through eight innings. They allowed 12 runs, nine of which were earned, on a season-high 21 hits. They walked six batters and struck out only four. Crain even lost his first Major League game, an event that seemed as if it might never happen. Most disheartening, though, the Twins yielded early leads of 4-0 and 6-4.

"When you give up that many hits, you're going to lose," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "When you give up that many runs, you're going to lose. Offensively, we beat the ball around pretty doggone good and we were still swinging pretty good. We just didn't pitch at all tonight, which is not our story line. We couldn't get anybody out."

Shortly after Royals starter J.P. Howell took the mound, however, everything looked pretty good. Shannon Stewart and Nick Punto each walked before Lew Ford took a pitch off his backside. Just like that, without the benefit of one base hit, the Twins had loaded the bases.

Torii Hunter promptly grounded into a double play, but Stewart managed to cross home plate for a 1-0 lead. Four pitches later, Matthew LeCroy smacked his ninth home run over the left-field wall and the Twins increased their lead to 3-0.

They managed to add one more run in the second before the deluge began.

Mays retired the first two batters he faced in that inning before Ruben Gotay smacked a 2-2 pitch back up the middle, off Mays' right arm and into shallow left field. Mays retired just one more batter, gave up six more hits and lost that 4-0 lead.

"I knew it was going to tighten up a little bit," Mays said. "It wasn't that bad, I still felt like I could throw."

Unfortunately, the Royals banged him around and tied the game at 4. Mays departed after giving up consecutive singles to open the third and lasted just two innings, his shortest start this season.

Mulholland relieved Mays and managed to work three scoreless innings, time enough for the Twins to regain the lead in the fourth on Luis Rivas' RBI triple and Juan Castro's sacrifice fly. Then, to paraphrase Gardenhire, all heck broke loose.

The Twins used four pitchers in the sixth, and needed every one of them as the Royals scored six runs on six hits, three walks and an error. Royals base runner after Royals base runner crossed home plate and the lead was gone for good.

"They were beating it around and banging it around, and we walked people," Gardenhire said. "We did all kinds of stuff, and it was a pretty wild game. ... We just couldn't shut them down. We threw everybody we had at them."

Each team added two more runs in the eighth, but those mattered little in the evening's grand scheme.

The Twins' fourth loss in five nights hurts even more because they could have closed to within nine games of the division-leading White Sox, who also lost Saturday.

"I don't really know what to say about that ballgame," Gardenhire said. "We came out banging away pretty good early, and it just didn't matter what we did offensively, they did more.

"They had a bunch of guys who had great night. What did they have, 22 hits? Twenty-one, 22 hits?"

It was only 21, but that's enough to lose track after a while.

"When things aren't going right for us as a team, it always seems like things are magnified," Mays said. "Everybody's entitled to a bad game."

This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Twins pitchers struggle against Royals

Twins hurlers struggle against Royals

2005-07-09T21:45:00.000-05:00

Crain falters after Mays makes early exit Saturday

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Where to even begin?

Less than 24 hours after playing one of their best games all season, the Twins played what has to be one of their most disappointing, as they let early leads slip away before falling to the Royals on Saturday night at Kauffman Stadium.

The entire evening — all the runs, all the hits and the many, many balls and strikes — could be summed up by recounting the bottom of the sixth, when a quartet of Twins relievers allowed a back-breaking six runs, all of which scored with two outs.

The Royals, who entered the evening with the league's second-lowest batting average, pounded Terry Mulholland, Jesse Crain, J.C. Romero and Matt Guerrier for six hits in the inning, while drawing two walks. And while the lead kept slipping away, things only got worse when Romero was ejected for arguing with home plate umpire Greg Gibson while walking to the dugout.

Despite the Twins' pitching woes — they allowed 21 hits and walked four — the team did have its best offensive effort during this road trip, scoring eight runs on 12 hits. Luis Rivas led the charge with two doubles, a triple and three RBIs, while Matthew LeCroy hit a first-inning homer, scored two runs and drove in two runs.

It was an ugly game and an ugly night, but it certainly had its moments. Unfortunately for the Twins, most of those moments just came too early.

Mauer plays 100th game

2005-07-09T19:30:00.000-05:00

Gardenhire praises catcher's ability as a contact hitter

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Joe Mauer played his 100th Major League game Friday night, and he batted in the No. 3 spot for the 60th time.

Imagine that, a 22-year-old catcher with little more than one year in the big leagues who has quickly become a fixture in the heart of the order. Oh, right, and he's a .305 career hitter during those 100 games.

"He's a good hitter," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "There's no doubt about that. And it is unusual to have a catcher who bats in the three hole just because of the grind, but he's a good enough athlete that he can handle the three hole -- he can handle the two hole."

Indeed, Mauer has been good enough recently to handle everything. He's batting .400 (10-for-25) in July with two doubles and six RBIs in seven games. And since registering an 0-for-5 evening at Milwaukee on June 25, Mauer has raised his average from .289 to its present .303.

During the first two games of the Twins' four-game series with the Royals, Mauer is 6-for-10 with four RBIs and has notched a pair of three-hit games, his second and third this season.

Mauer's explanation for his recent surge?

"Just trying to put good wood on the ball," he said. "Lately, I've been hitting the ball pretty good and haven't been finding any holes, but I found some here."

Meanwhile, Gardenhire's assessment of the rather modest Mauer speaks volumes.

"He's the best contact hitter on our team," Gardenhire said. "He's got a great swing, I think everybody sees that. That's a beautiful swing.

"I don't think he worries at all at the plate — he's a natural with a bat — so I don't think he worries about that at all."

After playing in each of the Twins' last five games, a stretch that included four starts, Mauer sat out Saturday's game, while the Royals started J.P. Howell. Gardenhire did mention, though, that Mauer will be available as a late-inning substitute if needed.

"This'll be a good day for Joe," Gardenhire said. "He's been swinging good, running around the bases a lot, and he gets the chance to relax tonight."

LOOKING AHEAD

The Twins will wrap up the first half of their season Sunday before they finally reach the three-day All-Star break, which comes at a good time for the Twins and, Gardenhire said, for everybody else, too.

"This is the time of year when everybody needs a blow," he said. "You've been going at it for over half the schedule, and these three days are a good refresher. We come back ready to go and we start off in a very tough part of the schedule."

Point in case, when Minnesota returns home from the break, it'll begin with four games against the Angels and three against the Orioles.

"The second half is when you get down to the nitty gritty, that's where it's all at," Gardenhire said. "You either start making it or you end up in a big long chase.

"But we can't look past these next two games. You want to finish off and play two good baseball games before you leave."

CUDDYER TO REHAB AFTER BREAK

Michael Cuddyer took another step forward Saturday on his way back to the Twins lineup.

The injured third baseman, who has been on the disabled list since June 30, swung off a tee for the second straight day but increased his swing velocity to full blast.

"I didn't feel 100 percent," Cuddyer said, "but I swung 100 percent."

Cuddyer will need to sustain that present level when he begins a three-game rehab assignment at Triple-A Rochester that is scheduled to begin Thursday. Cuddyer will spend Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Durham before tentatively rejoining the Twins on Sunday.

"It will give him some swings, which is the right thing to do," Gardenhire said. "He's not really ready to go out and hit yet."

Soon enough, though, he will be.

ROSTER MOVE EXPECTED

The Twins are expected to make a roster move following Sunday's first-half finale against the Royals.

The team will likely option right-hander Scott Baker to Rochester and recall a position player until Cuddyer returns to Minnesota.

"We'll probably send Baker back down and call up a player for those three days while Cuddyer is down there," Gardenhire said. "We're going to straighten things out here and ad lib as best we can."

BRIEFLY

Closer Joe Nathan extended his scoreless innings streak to seven after he pitched a 1-2-3 ninth Friday night against the Royals. The scoreless streak spans seven outings during which Nathan has notched seven saves while allowing just one hit and walking two batters.

Nathan has allowed one base runner — a walk — in five innings this month.

Each of the Twins' last 14 games have been decided by three or fewer runs. They're 8-6 during that stretch.

ON DECK

The Twins will conclude a four-game weekend series, and the season's first half, with the Royals at 1:10 p.m. CT Sunday. Right-hander Carlos Silva (7-3, 3.68 ERA) will start for the Twins, who will wear replica uniforms of the 1909 St. Paul Gophers, while righty D.J. Carrasco (4-3, 3.69 ERA) will start for the Royals.

This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Mauer plays 100th game

Mays ready to roll against Royals

2005-07-09T00:40:00.000-05:00

Minnesota (47-37) at Kansas City (29-56), 6:10 p.m. CT

by Matt LaWell

Well, well, that didn't take long.

After dropping two straight to the Royals, albeit over an eight-day stretch, the Twins returned to their winning ways against the cellar-dwellers of the American League Central with a 5-4 win Friday night. Now, the trick will be to do it again.

The Twins are 8-2 this season against the Royals, and 20-9 against them the last two years. Pretty good numbers, though right-hander Joe Mays and his teammates would like to improve them to 9-2 and 21-9, respectively.

With just two games left before the All-Star break, the Twins need a strong finish in order to not lose any more ground on the White Sox — and to remain atop the AL Wild Card standings.

PITCHING MATCHUP

MIN: RHP Joe Mays
• 5-3, 3.84 ERA in 2005
• 2-0, 3.21 ERA vs. KC in 2005

KC: LHP J.P. Howell
• 1-3, 7.77 ERA in 2005
• 0-0, 13.50 ERA vs. MIN in 2005

PLAYER TO WATCH

Keep an eye on Joe Mays, who has turned in a pair of very good games his last two times out. During those two starts — wins over the Royals and the Devil Rays — Mays allowed just three runs on 13 hits over 15 innings, while walking two, striking out six and inducing 24 ground-ball outs. Oh yeah, and he hasn't lost to the Royals this season.

QUOTABLE

"There's a minimal amount of frustration that we're not doing better, but these guys are pretty loose. We don't get too high or too low around here too often. I think you saw that yesterday with Torii Hunter running around naked." — Manager Ron Gardenhire

QUICK HITS

Juan Castro broke out of an 0-for-7 mini-slump Friday night when he singled in the third inning. ... Joe Mauer and Hunter extended their hitting streaks Friday to a modest four and six games, respectively. ... Mauer batted 3-for-4 Friday to notch his second straight three-hit game and his third this season. ... Brad Radke allowed four earned runs on nine hits over 6 1/3 innings.

This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Mays ready to roll against Royals

Radke, Twins snap losing streaks

2005-07-08T23:55:00.000-05:00

Minnesota rallies for win, moves to 2-3 on trip

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — When Brad Radke took the mound Friday night, he wanted nothing more than to rid himself of the pestering pain in his neck.

And he did. He worked 6 1/3 effective innings, limited the opposition's damage to four runs on nine hits, left with the lead and kneaded that pain right out. Finally, after 10 starts covering more than nine months, he won on the road, a 5-4 Twins triumph over the Royals.

Oh, you thought the pain in his neck was the literal pain in his neck, that annoying stiffness that pushed him back three days in the rotation? Well, he got rid of that, too, more or less, though there's still a little pain. Hey, at least his shoulder feels pretty good.

"I just want to go out there pain-free, feeling good," Radke said.

Of course, he hasn't enjoyed that in some time. One reporter asked him when, exactly, he last pitched without pain, to which Radke paused for a few seconds before replying with what almost sounded like another question.

"June 1," he said. "I think."

"The last time you won?"

"I don't know," he said. "Was it the last time I won?"

Yes, it's been that long. Radke pitched with pain for five starts — a no-decision followed by four straight losses — before he pitched well enough and received the necessary run support to win again. Of course, he wasn't the dominant Radke of seasons past, he set down the side in order just once, but he worked out of jams and pitched well enough to win.

Radke opened the game by hitting David DeJesus, the very first batter he faced, before retiring the next three. The next inning, he allowed a leadoff single before setting down three straight.

As you might expect, that formula caught up to him in the bottom of the third when, while pitching with a 2-0 lead — Joe Mauer and Torii Hunter rapped consecutive RBI singles in the top of inning — he served up a double to Shane Costa, who came around to score on a two-out single.

He finally retired the leadoff batter in the fourth, but proceeded to give up back-to-back singles before John Buck turned on a Radke fastball and drove a two-run double to left. Like that, the lead was gone. Radke and the Twins trailed, 3-2.

The Twins promptly responded with three runs in the sixth after Lew Ford and Luis Rodriguez's RBI singles bookended Justin Morneau's vicious RBI groundout to second, which manager Ron Gardenhire described as both a rocket and a missile.

"He hit the living crap out of that ball," Gardenhire said.

That grounder also could have likely been a double-play ball that would have ended the inning and kept the game locked at 3. Fortunately for the Twins, however, it took a bad hop right up into second baseman Ruben Gotay's chest before falling to the ground. Gotay had nowhere to go but first.

"That was a tough play," Gardenhire said, "and we got a little break there."

Radke and the Twins gladly accepted the break, because the Royals rallied for one more run in the seventh that, with one out and runners at first and second, knocked Radke from the game. Royals All-Star Mike Sweeney was at the plate, already 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Hey, at least Radke left with the lead, which is more than he can say about each of his last five starts.

"I think he was feeling good after I took him out," Gardenhire said. "He could have stayed in there, but I didn't want him to face Sweeney."

Radke's take on things?

"I felt fine. Who knows what would have happened, but I felt fine. ... I blew a 2-0 lead there. I didn't want to blow another one."

As it turned out, Juan Rincon relieved Radke and gave up an RBI single on the very first pitch that cut the Twins' lead to 5-4. Rincon allowed just one more hit during his time on the mound — he worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings — before closer Joe Nathan worked a perfect ninth and struck the last two batters of the game.

In all, it was a very good night.

"A good win for us after last night," Gardenhire said. "A very good ballgame. We came back tonight with a little better intensity.

"We scored some runs for [Radke], finally. It's about time we do something for Brad. [We need to do it] a few more times, he deserves 'em."

This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Radke, Twins snap losing streaks

Radke earns first win in six starts

2005-07-08T23:00:00.000-05:00

Twins give starter his first win on the road since Sept. 2004

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Brad Radke got back on track and the Twins pounded out just enough hits Friday night to notch a 5-4 win over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

Radke lasted 6 1/3 innings and allowed four runs on nine hits to pick up his first win since June 1. The win also snapped a string of losses in each of his last four starts. The Twins offense, meanwhile, pounded out 11 hits, including three more by Joe Mauer.

The Twins struck first when, with two outs in the third inning, Mauer and Torii Hunter delivered consecutive RBI singles. That provided the early 2-0 lead, which didn't last nearly as long as the Twins would have liked.

With Radke on the mound, the Royals responded with a single run in the third and two more in the fourth. Radke settled in at that point and allowed just one more hit until the seventh.

After a scoreless fifth, Mauer opened the sixth with a single to right, the first of five hits the Twins collected off Royals starter Zack Greinke in the inning. More pertinent than the five hits, though, were the three runs the Twins scored to reclaim the lead, 5-3.

The Royals added one more run off Radke before he departed in the seventh. Juan Rincon relieved Radke and pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings before Joe Nathan shut the door in the ninth for his American League-leading 25th save.

Team optimistic after skid

2005-07-08T20:30:00.000-05:00

Gardenhire finds inspiration from 1951 New York Giants

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Ron Gardenhire woke up Friday morning, turned his television to ESPN and liked what he saw.

"I watched the Giants and Bobby Thomson catch the Dodgers," he said. "I started feeling better automatically."

In case you need to brush up on your baseball history, it was those 1951 New York Giants who trailed the Brooklyn Dodgers by 13 1/2 games with just 45 games left to play, but came back to force a three-game playoff for the National League pennant.

Oh yeah, and the Giants won the pennant, too, on Thomson's home run in the bottom of the ninth inning of the third game.

No wonder Gardenhire felt better, especially considering his Twins trail the White Sox — yes, they still own baseball's best record — by 11 games with a whopping 79 left to play.

The Twins have fallen three more games back during their current three-game losing streak, but have never been lost perspective that there is, indeed, quite a bit of baseball left to play. The most glaring example of that fact was center fielder Torii Hunter roaming the clubhouse Thursday night in socks and a batting helmet — and nothing else — looking for someone to toss him a little extra batting practice.

"Got to keep the team loose," Hunter said when he was fully dressed.

Gardenhire said there had been a "minimal amount of frustration" that the Twins haven't posted a better record thus far, but was quick to acknowledge the White Sox's hot first half.

"The expectations were a lot higher, but if the White Sox weren't off this earth, we'd be in a pretty good situation," he said. "We're OK. We still have a long way to go.

"It was a little frustrating right after the game, but we move on and know we have another game. Whether it looks bad, we haven't played too bad. We're hanging in there. Guys are pretty loose. We just have to keep it that way and keep playing."

And start making up some of that ground.

CUDDYER IMPROVING

After not being able to pick up a bat at all Thursday, Michael Cuddyer got his rehab back on track Friday afternoon when he took about 20 swings off a tee at about 50 to 70 percent of his maximum effort.

"I just wanted to see how it felt, see if I could let it go the next couple of days," Cuddyer said. "I wasn't going all out, but I wasn't holding much back.

"It's a relief, but I still have seven days to go, so it really doesn't matter. It's encouraging, though."

Cuddyer has missed seven games — Friday night's game against the Royals will be his eighth — since he was hit on the hand by a pitch on June 29. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list on July 3 retroactive to June 30. Should he continue to progress at his present pace, he will likely be activated next Friday.

"Today was a better day, now it's about getting the soreness out of his hand," Gardenhire said. "If he comes in tomorrow and keeps swinging and his hand feels better than it did today, then we'll know we're going on the right track."

LOHSE OK THE DAY AFTER

One day after Kyle Lohse worked five innings in a losing effort — and two days after he woke up in the team's Los Angeles hotel with a stiff neck — the right-hander is OK.

"He's fine," Gardenhire said. "He was good yesterday."

Lohse joked that he might start traveling with his own pillow when the Twins are on the road.

"Or maybe we should just travel with our own mattresses," he said.

GARDENHIRE ON THE OLYMPICS

To the chagrin of those who love baseball and softball, those two sports were dropped from the Olympics, effective for the 2012 Games in London.

When asked for his opinion on the subject, Gardenhire offered the following:

"I just think you take away an opportunity from college kids," he said. "I've always liked when college kids play in the Olympics, I've always liked it. I think that's the greatest thing in the world, is college kids playing. I don't care who they're playing. Those are the greatest moments of their lives.

"I think it's disappointing that they dropped baseball because a lot of our young men won't have the opportunity to represent their country in the Olympics. I don't think that's fair."

BRIEFLY

After the first four games of their seven-game road trip, the Twins are batting .301 (44-for-146) and have scored 19 runs, good for 4.8 per game. Those numbers would normally translate to a record better than 1-3, but consider also the team's 6.00 ERA during the trip.

The Twins' three-game losing streak is tied for their second-longest skid this season. They lost four straight to the Padres and the Tigers between June 18-22.

ON DECK

The Twins will continue their four-game weekend series with the Royals at 6:10 p.m. CT Saturday at Kauffman Stadium. Right-hander Joe Mays (5-3, 3.84 ERA) will start for the Twins, while lefty J.P. Howell (1-3, 7.77 ERA) will take the mound for the Royals.

This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Team optimistic after skid

Twins try to end skid, even series

2005-07-08T00:40:00.000-05:00

Minnesota (46-37) at Kansas City (29-55), 7:10 p.m. CT

by Matt LaWell

Yes, after being pushed back a few days in the rotation because of a stiff neck, Brad Radke will make his first start since June 29, when he lasted seven innings against the Royals but was collared with the loss.

The concern now, though, is whether Radke can put a stop to a 10-start winless streak away from the Metrodome. Radke, who last notched a road win last Sept. 13, is 0-4 during the stretch.

For the record, Radke has six wins at Kauffman Stadium — along with five losses and a 4.32 ERA. He 9-9 with a 4.33 ERA over 27 career starts against the Royals.

PITCHING MATCHUP

MIN: RHP Brad Radke
• 5-8, 4.07 ERA in 2005
• 0-1, 3.86 ERA vs. KC in 2005

KC: RHP Zack Greinke
• 1-10, 6.09 ERA in 2005
• 0-1, 3.00 ERA vs. MIN in 2005

PLAYER TO WATCH

Not that everybody else hasn't been lighting up the Royals' Greinke lately, but look for Torii Hunter to pound a few hits off the kid. Hunter is just 3-for-12 lifetime against Greinke, but those three hits include a double and a homer.

QUOTABLE

"Nothing was hit that hard, I don't think. They just found the holes. When it's going like that, it's just not your night." -- Right-hander Kyle Lohse, on the Twins' 8-5 loss to the Royals on Thursday

QUICK HITS

Lohse pitched five innings Thursday night, marking just the fifth time in 15 starts he failed to work at least six innings. ... Lohse left with a 4-3 deficit, which snapped a modest two-start winning streak. ... Second baseman Nick Punto hit a first-inning home run against the Royals, just his second of the season and the fourth of his career.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Twins try to end skid, even series

Nothing nude for Twins except Hunter

2005-07-07T23:55:00.000-05:00

Postgame exhibition lightens mood after latest loss

KANSAS CITY — After the Twins lost their third game in as many nights, this time an 8-5 loss to the cellar-dwelling Royals at Kauffman Stadium Thursday night, their clubhouse was a rather quiet and somber place.

The music was off, the coaches were quiet, the players were out of sight.

Well, no, that's not entirely true. There was one player, a certain All-Star center fielder, who was walking around in little more than a batting helmet, gloves and a pair of socks. Holding a bat in one hand, he had just one purpose in mind.

He wanted to take some swings.

"I went in the coaches' room and told them I wanted some BP," said Torii Hunter, now fully clothed and laughing. "They said no. What is that?

"You know, that's part of the way I do my routine," he continued, a smile growing ever larger on his face. "Crazy, man. I don't know what's going on around here. When you ask for flips, they should be happy to give you extra BP. If I want to go in there naked, does it matter?"

It probably shouldn't, at least after the Twins' loss to the Royals, when anything that could go wrong did. Manager Ron Gardenhire called it an ugly baseball game and, for the most part, it was.

"We pretty much stunk out there," Gardenhire said "We didn't do too much right today. We threw the ball all over the field, we missed a pop fly, we missed a cutoff man."

Is that all?

"We didn't take outs when they gave them to us, we messed up a baserunning play, we had an error."

Actually, there was no error — the Royals were charged with one, so maybe that's what Gardenhire was thinking of — but it wouldn't have been hard to tack on a few for the Twins, too.

The game started off well enough, though, after Nick Punto drilled the game's sixth pitch over the right-field wall for his second home run this season and a 1-0 lead. From that point on, it was pretty much all downhill.

Kyle Lohse, whose start was a game-time decision after he woke up Wednesday with a stiff neck, gave up two runs on three hits and a walk in the first. Just like that, the 1-0 lead was gone, replaced by a 2-1 deficit.

Lohse gave up two more runs on three more hits and one more walk in the fourth inning as the gap swelled to 4-1.

The Twins closed to within one run in the fifth after Joe Mauer and Hunter each hit RBI singles, but the inning ended prematurely when Mauer was gunned down on the base paths while trying to advance to third on Hunter's single.

"Everything went wrong," Hunter said. "It just wasn't a good day. They beat us, simple as that. They kicked our [backsides]."

Lohse lasted one more inning from that point — he went five overall and allowed four runs on nine singles and two walks, while striking out three — and left trailing, 4-3.

The Twins added two more runs in the ninth when Mauer knocked a double to left, but the Royals' decisive blows had already been delivered to the tune of four runs in the seventh off relievers Matt Guerrier and J.C. Romero.

Lohse was tagged with the loss, his seventh this season, on a night he clearly didn't have his best stuff.

"It wasn't his best performance of the year, but he battled," Gardenhire said. "They rolled balls through in the first and he didn't get hit hard by any means but he threw a lot of pitches in five innings. We missed some plays behind him that could have lessened the damage."

As for Lohse, he pretty much had the same assessment.

"Nothing was hit that hard, I don't think," he said. "It shows where we're at. We're frustrated, but it's not like everybody's going around banging their heads. We've got a lot of baseball to play."

Seventy-nine more games remain to be exact. And with that many contests left, Hunter's postgame parade might have been exactly what the Twins needed.

"Got to keep the team loose," Hunter said. "You got to have fun, man, you've got to. You don't have any fun in this game, it's over. Guys were sitting around like their dog died. Look at this now, they're talking."

And they were. By the time Hunter had showered and dressed, the clubhouse was a much lighter place, the players were laughing.

Oh, the healing powers of a little BP in the buff.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Nothing nude for Twins except Hunter

Lohse struggles as Twins drop opener

2005-07-07T22:10:00.000-05:00

Minnesota right-hander allows four runs in five innings

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — When Kyle Lohse took the field Thursday night, he could barely turn his stiff neck and look behind him. By the time he left after five innings, though, he had done a lot of turning and looking back — at the nine hits he allowed — as the Twins lost to the Royals, 8-5.

Lohse also allowed four runs before he departed as he suffered his seventh loss of the season.

The Twins got on the board first when Nick Punto turned on the sixth pitch of the evening and drove it over the right-field
wall, 344 feet away. That homer, Punto's second of the season, gave the Twins a 1-0 lead.

The early lead was the only one the Twins enjoyed all night, however. The Royals responded with two runs in the first inning and two more in the fourth off Lohse.

With the Twins already trailing, 4-1, Shannon Stewart and Punto started a two-out rally in the fifth with a single to center and a bunt single, respectively. Joe Mauer drove home Stewart with another single to center, and Torii Hunter singled to right to score Punto and close the deficit to 4-3.

Everything came apart at the seams during that seventh inning, however,when the Royals managed four runs off Matt Guerrier, J.C. Romero and Jesse Crain to put the Twins in an 8-3 hole. The Twins added two in the ninth when Mauer doubled to left to score Stewart and Punto.

The loss is the Twins' third straight, while the Royals won their third in a row.

Lohse shakes off stiff neck

2005-07-07T20:00:00.000-05:00

Dcision on start made just before game in Kansas City

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Call it a regular epidemic. While Brad Radke continues to recover from his stiff neck, Kyle Lohse begins to fight back from the same injury.

That's right, Lohse is the latest Twin to battle a stiff neck, this time the result of a bum mattress — or maybe it was the pillow — at the team's Los Angeles hotel.

Lohse woke up with the injury Wednesday morning, but team officials didn't know about it until after the Twins' 7-6 loss to the Angels. Debate ensued during the Twins' flight to Kansas City about whether he would make his scheduled start against the Royals. Although it was a game-time decision, Lohse, did take the mound as scheduled. Had he not been able to start, right-hander Matt Guerrier would have stepped in.

The injury is only the latest to befall the Twins, who have placed seven players on the disabled list since Opening Day.

The biggest problem for Lohse and the Twins is that the right-hander is having trouble twisting his neck.

"He feels it going this way," manager Ron Gardenhire said, craning his head to the right. "If he doesn't let anybody get on second, he's real good. Your only concern is when you throw the ball and you have to jerk your head back to catch it. But he says he's fine."

NO IMPROVEMENT

While Lohse and Radke battle their pesky necks — Radke said he was about 70 percent and would make his scheduled start Friday — third baseman Michael Cuddyer hit a setback Thursday.

Cuddyer, who's been sidelined with a bruised left hand since he was hit by a pitch on June 29, was scheduled to hit off a tee during the team's first day in Kansas City, but he never even picked up a bat.

The situation doesn't yet pose a problem for the Twins, though it could if Cuddyer's hand doesn't improve.

"This thing is supposed to heal by time," Gardenhire said. "He's getting lots of that and it's still not where we'd like it to be, but he says he's feeling better.

"I think we'll reevaluate as we go here, probably into Saturday. If there's still an issue here then, we'll have to get him checked out again to make sure there's nothing broken."

A fresh bat stood in Cuddyer's locker, propped against a wall, but it remained untouched until he accidentally knocked it over just before the Twins went out to stretch and take batting practice.

"First time you've touched it all day," someone said.

Cuddyer smiled at the comment, but it was not a smile of joy.

BRIEFLY

Joe Mauer's .361 on-base percentage is the highest by a Twins catcher since Butch Wynegar recorded a .363 OBP during his 1976 rookie season and a .370 OBP in 1977.

In Minor League news, Toby Gardenhire went 3-for-6 during Rookie League Elizabethon's doubleheader sweep of Kingsport, and even knocked in the winning run during the first game. His dad, the Twins manager, couldn't stop talking about it.

ON DECK

The Twins will continue their four-game weekend series with the Royals at 7:10 p.m. CT Friday. Radke (5-8, 4.07 ERA) will take the mound for the Twins, while Zack Greinke (1-10, 6.09 ERA) will start for the Royals.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Lohse shakes off stiff neck

Royals set for final first-half showdown

2005-07-07T00:40:00.000-05:00

Minnesota (46-36) at Kansas City (28-55), 7:10 p.m. CT

by Matt LaWell

The Royals' numbers against the Twins this season are hardly a thing of beauty. They're 1-8 against Minnesota, including 0-4 in one-run games, and have allowed more than 5.2 runs per game.

But for as bad as things looked the last time Kansas City matched balls and strikes with Minnesota — before they beat the Twins on June 29, the Royals had lost eight straight to the Twins and eight straight overall — things now are looking a little better.

After an anemic road trip, the Royals' bats have come alive the last two nights, pounding out 13 runs on 19 hits. And while the Royals have won two straight, the Twins have dropped a pair to the Angels.

Manager Buddy Bell recently said he wants his team to finish well before the All-Star break. Well, here's their chance to do just that.

PITCHING MATCHUP

KC: RHP Jose Lima
• 1-7, 7.58 ERA in 2005
• 0-0, 3.46 vs. MIN in 2005

MIN: RHP Kyle Lohse
• 7-6, 4.26 ERA in 2005
• 0-0, 6.75 vs. KC in 2005

PLAYER TO WATCH

Infielder Tony Graffanino knocked a triple and a solo homer on Wednesday night to raise his average to .309, but look for Graffanino to do more Thursday against Lohse and the Twins. Why? Graffanino is a career .438 hitter (7-for-16) against Lohse.

QUOTABLE

"It was encouraging to see some baserunners, but we kind of hit a wall there. You get up, 7-1, and you want to keep going." — Bell on the Royals' eight-run outburst on Tuesday night

QUICK HITS

First baseman Mike Sweeney left the Royals' 5-1 win over the Mariners on Wednesday night after he was hit by a pitch on his left forearm. He went to a local hospital for X-rays, which came back negative. ... The Royals' win was their second straight over the Mariners. They are now 2-4 against the M's this season. ... Graffanino's sixth-inning homer was his first since June 7 at San Francisco. ... Right-hander Runelvys Hernandez worked at least six innings for the sixth time in his last seven starts. ... Right-hander Kyle Snyder continued his rehab at Triple-A Omaha on Wednesday. He allowed five earned runs and six hits over 4 2/3 innings, while walking one and striking out six.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Royals set for final first-half showdown

Sweeney departs after getting plunked

2005-07-06T23:55:00.000-05:00

First baseman expects to be back soon, won't miss All-Star Game

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Mike Sweeney walked through the Royals' clubhouse Wednesday night sporting jeans and a T-shirt, a ball cap pulled low on his head, an ice-filled towel wrapped high on his left wrist.

He was, both figuratively and literally, a man who couldn't catch a break.

Sweeney left the Royals' 5-1 win over the Mariners in the second inning, shortly after he was hit by a pitch just inches from the torn ligament in his wrist that landed him on the disabled list not too long ago — June 15, to be exact.

The bad news, of course, was that he was injured, again, just five days after his activation from the DL. The good news was that nothing was broken. No, this time around, there was no broken this, no torn that, just a contusion, a bad bruise, really, of the left forearm.

"Thank God," Sweeney said, "nothing's broken."

Indeed, for after Mariners' right-hander Aaron Sele plunked the Royals' All-Star in the first, the on-field scene was bad, like something out of a — well, like something out of a horror movie starring Sweeney and a baseball diamond.

There was Sweeney on his back, writhing in pain, clutching that battered left arm close to his body. There was assistant athletic trainer Frank Kyte walking out from the dugout and taking a look at him. There were 12,206 fans holding their breath, waiting for the worst.

The worst never came. Sweeney got up, was helped to first base by Kyte and stayed in the game. He advanced to third on Matt Stairs' single to center — "I kind of wanted to take out the pain on our opponent and at least score a run," he said — but was pulled one inning later.

Despite Sweeney's recent run of crummy luck, he could be back in the lineup as early as Thursday. That is, at least, if it were up to him.

"It's probably a coin flip for tomorrow but I'm hoping to be back in there," he said. "If I can be back in there tomorrow, by my will, I will. ... I feel like I owe it to the team to be out there every day."

The more likely scenario will be at least one day on the bench before any sort of a return to the lineup. Sweeney, after all, has already missed 23 games this season because of injury, and was activated from the DL just five days ago. Don't expect the Royals to make the mistake of rushing their cornerstone back too soon, though manager Buddy Bell does expect Sweeney to return at some point before Sunday's first-half finale against the Twins.

"We have four more days," Bell said. "I would expect him to be available to us before the All-Star break. I know Mike wouldn't want it any other way."

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Sweeney departs after getting plunked

Sweeney leaves early for X-rays

2005-07-06T20:30:00.000-05:00

All-Star's injury comes five games after being activated

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — All-Star first baseman Mike Sweeney left the Royals' game against the Mariners on Wednesday night in the second inning after his left forearm was hit by a pitch.

Sweeney was hit by Mariners right-hander Aaron Sele in the first inning during his only at-bat of the evening. After being looked at by assistant athletic trainer Frank Kyte, Sweeney walked to first base and later advanced to third on Matt Stairs' single.

When Sweeney was due up again in the second, however, Ruben Gotay came out of the dugout in his place. Sweeney was sent to a local hospital for X-rays on his forearm.

This latest injury comes just five days after Sweeney was activated from the 15-day disabled list (with a torn ligament in his left wrist) and three days after he was selected for his fifth All-Star Game. The fact that this injury affects the same area is hardly a good sign, and while the extent of the injury is still unknown, Sweeney's status for the All-Star Game could be in doubt.

Sweeney has just one trip to the DL this season — he was placed on it retroactive to June 15, and was activated Friday — but he's missed two small chunks of games this season with injuries. He sat out May 12-17 and June 8-13 because of a strained oblique. He has missed 23 games because of injury.

Hernandez will try to top Mariners

2005-07-06T00:40:00.000-05:00

Seattle (35-47) at Kansas City (27-55), 7:10 p.m. CT

by Matt LaWell

At last, the Royals scored some runs.

After crossing home plate just three times during the first four games of their current 10-game home stand, the Royals put a few crooked numbers on the board Tuesday night and managed eight runs in a win over the Mariners. Now, the trick will be to repeat the feat.

Another win over the Mariners — and, thus, a series win — will be a tall order, though, as right-hander Aaron Sele will be on the mound. Sele, who recently turned 35, has already topped the Royals once this season, and looked pretty good doing it, too. He gave up just one run on three hits over 6 1/3 innings back on April 13.

A Royals win would snap the team's string of five straight losing series.

PITCHING MATCHUP

KC: RHP Runelvys Hernandez
• 5-9, 4.79 ERA in 2005
• 0-1, 4.91 against SEA in 2005

SEA: RHP Aaron Sele
• 6-7, 4.71 ERA in 2005
• 1-0, 1.42 against KC in 2005

PLAYER TO WATCH

Another night, another good performance for David DeJesus. The Royals' center fielder batted 2-for-4 with a single, a double and a season-high three RBIs, and hauled in everything that was hit to him. He's batting .333 (15-for-45) with seven RBIs over his last 11 games.

QUOTABLE

"I got my uniform, I put it on and I felt like I was 12 because it was huge." — Left-hander Brian Anderson on his first rehab start at Double-A Wichita

QUICK HITS

The Royals' eight runs scored represented their biggest output since June 28, when they scored eight runs in a loss at Minnesota. ... The eight runs were the most the Royals scored in a win since June 16, when they beat the Dodgers, 9-6. ... The Royals' four-run second inning was their biggest since they put together a six-run sixth during that June 16 win over the Dodgers. ... Mike Sweeney's intentional walk in the fourth inning was his first free pass since May 20, and just his 13th this season.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Hernandez will try to top Mariners

Carrasco continues to ace tests

2005-07-05T23:55:00.000-05:00

Converted reliever fast becoming Royals' streak-buster

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Please excuse D.J. Carrasco if he still has to pinch himself from time to time, just to make sure everything around him is real.

He was, after all, mired in the bullpen at Triple-A Omaha less than two months ago, his efforts barely noticed by Royals fans, his name merely bandied about Kauffman Stadium by team executives.

All of that has changed. In less than one-third of a season, Carrasco has developed into the Royals' ace, notching quality starts, picking up wins and definitively halting losing streaks. He was at it again Tuesday night, plowing through a muggy evening toward an 8-6 win over the Mariners that ended the Royals' four-game losing streak. And he still has no idea what he's doing.

"I think ignorance is bliss with me," Carrasco said. "I never knew what to do as a starter, or how to do it. I never knew what was expected. And now, I just do what I did out of the bullpen, and just prolong it. I don't want to read any further into it than I have to."

Fair enough, especially after the career reliever notched his fourth win this season — and second in as many starts — and ended a Royals slide for the second time in less than a week.

Six days ago, while working on the mound in the Metrodome, Carrasco was trying to stop an eight-game losing streak. And he did. The streak was a bit shorter Tuesday night, but the result was the same: another Royals win spearheaded by Carrasco.

So, D.J., does this mean you're that go-to guy, that streak-stopper?

"I hope so," he said. "I hope the guys look at me to help out. I embrace that."

Early on, though, it looked as if he and the Royals were headed for their fifth loss in as many nights. The Mariners put a second-inning run on the board against Carrasco that, considering the Royals' recent anemic offensive performances, might have been enough.

But on a muggy night when baseballs were flying all over the stadium, the bats provided four runs in the second, two in the third and one more in the fourth. It was a Royals explosion the likes of which hadn't been seen at home in nearly three weeks. Carrasco responded by battling through 5 1/3 innings, despite not having anything close to his best stuff.

"His command wasn't as good tonight," manager Buddy Bell said. "He was up [in the zone] a little bit in the fourth inning, a little bit more in the fifth and a lot in the sixth. Just about every hit [the Mariners] had was up in the zone."

Alberto Castillo, who caught Carrasco, agreed with the skipper.

"I didn't see his ball sinking as much as it had been sinking," Castillo said. "He missed a couple of balls high and the guys hit it to the wall. As a sinkerball pitcher, you're looking down and in, and when you see those balls flying deep to the wall [you're missing your spot]."

Well, the balls did fly to the wall — especially during the sixth when Carrasco yielded three straight hits that landed deep in the outfield — but he still had his good stuff for much of the night. Ten of his 16 outs came as a result of ground balls, as compared to three strikeouts and three fly-ball outs, pretty good numbers for a guy who relies on his sinker.

Pretty good numbers, too, on a night when the game-time temperature hovered at 84 degrees and the humidity was running full blast.

"It was a pretty thick day," Carrasco said. "It was muggy. I didn't have a lot of energy all day and it caught up to me in the sixth inning."

But Bell pulled Carrasco before the Mariners could catch up to him — he did allow five earned runs and a season-high 10 hits, while walking two and striking out three — and a quartet of Royals relievers finished the job.

Another start, another win for Carrasco. It's enough to make a man pinch himself, just to make sure it's all real.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Carrasco continues to ace tests

Batter's eye

2005-07-05T12:00:00.000-05:00

Matt Tupman's ever-improving plate approach could soon land him in Kansas City

by Matt LaWell

When Matt Tupman was promoted to Class-A Burlington two years ago, he was all about offense.

Then 23 and entering his second season of professional baseball, Tupman was so confident defensively that he thought he was ready to catch in the Major Leagues, so he turned all his attention to his bat. What ensued, however, was a season that can only be viewed as a learning experience.

Tupman batted just .223, hit two home runs and drove in 38 runs over 81 games. More distressing, though, were his nine errors, still a career high.

"It was," Tupman said, "an absolute horror show."

That 2003 season served Tupman as the proverbial wake-up call, and he hasn't been the same player since. Last season, while playing at Class-A Wilmington, he managed to raise his batting average to an even .300 while playing in a pitcher's park and a pitcher's league.

And while his power numbers essentially remained the same — three homers, 35 RBIs over 108 games — he had found his niche as a batter. He would no longer swing for the fences, but rather spray balls all over the field, a change that resulted in 24 doubles and a much more confident Tupman.

"I like to be a good hitter," Tupman said, "because I've always been a decent hitter, I've always been one of the better hitters on my team."

Now playing every day at Double-A Wichita, Tupman exudes confidence. As of July 3, his batting average climbed to .309 and he had already scored a career-best 38 runs. But while his offensive numbers continues to improve, Tupman is willing to admit that he'll probably never be the type of player who can pride himself on his hitting.

"No," he said. "I have to pride myself on my defense. That's my moneymaker. I like throwing out runners, I like blocking balls and I like being the leader on the diamond. The offense is going to get you noticed, but defense is where it's at."

That attitude could land him in Kansas City as early as mid-2006 — Shaun McGinn, senior director of minor league operations said Tupman will likely stay in Wichita this season before spending at least part of next season with Triple-A Omaha.

"He's a smaller guy but very hard-nosed and physical," McGinn said. "That's the type of mentality you want from a catcher. The bat is going to determine whether he's an everyday catcher in the big leagues or a backup, but he's really starting to show he can do some things.

"If he does in the Majors what he's doing now, there's no reason this guy can't be a front-line catcher."

And that would be anything but a horror show.

• This story also appeared in somewhat different form in Royals GameDay Magazine

Carrasco tries to continue his success

2005-07-05T00:40:00.000-05:00

Seattle (35-46) at Kansas City (26-55), 7:10 p.m. CT

by Matt LaWell

Sooner or later, something has to give.

The Royals extended their offensive woes Monday night against the Mariners, unable to score a run for the third time in their last four games. During their last 13 games, they've scored just 35 runs, an average of less than 2.7 per game.

Manager Buddy Bell has made a number of changes, dropping Angel Berroa from second to sixth in the order and bumping up Ruben Gotay from ninth to second, but at least so far, nothing has worked. Not even the return of Mike Sweeney.

Maybe the Royals can break the slump on Tuesday against Gil Meche, who's 1-2 with a 5.06 ERA in three career outings at Kauffman Stadium.

PITCHING MATCHUP

KC: RHP D.J. Carrasco
• 3-3, 3.23 ERA in 2005
• 1-1, 4.26 ERA vs. SEA in 2004

SEA: RHP Gil Meche
• 8-5, 4.65 ERA in 2005
• 0-0, 6.00 ERA vs. KC in 2004

PLAYER TO WATCH

Though a member of the rotation for less than two months, Carrasco is tied for the team lead with seven quality starts — three or fewer earned runs allowed over six or more innings — and boasts a solid 3.23 ERA.

Quotable
"I'm not really a big believer in changing just to change. ... Very seldom do you ever get lucky in this game."
— Manager Buddy Bell

QUICK HITS

By virtue of their 6-0 loss to the Mariners on Monday, the Royals are now 22-14 all-time on the Fourth of July. ... The Royals dropped to 0-4 against the Mariners this season and have now lost eight straight to Seattle. ... The Royals have scored just three runs during the first four games of their current 10-game homestand.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Carrasco tries to continue his success

Bautista leaves rehab start

2005-07-04T20:15:00.000-05:00

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Denny Bautista worked three innings in his latest rehab start Sunday afternoon at Omaha before he pulled himself from the game because of a twinge in his right shoulder.

The move was only precautionary, but Bautista still flew to Kansas City on Monday morning and will be examined by team physician Steve Joyce on Tuesday.

"We're not quite sure what it is," Royals manager Buddy Bell said. "We're hoping it will only be precautionary [after the examination], rather than a big setback."

Bautista allowed just two hits during what was his longest rehab start. He didn't walk or strike out anyone, and left a scoreless tie.

During three rehab appearances, Bautista has allowed two earned runs on five hits over 6 2/3 innings, while walking three and striking out six. He is 0-1 with a 2.70 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP.

Right now, though, those numbers mean very little to the Royals. The only thing that does matter? His health.

"With him," Bell said, "we just really need to be careful."

SWITCHING IT AROUND

Bell made his second noticeable batting order move Monday when he inserted second baseman Ruben Gotay into the No. 2 spot behind leadoff man David DeJesus.

"Yeah," Bell said. "I was hoping guys wouldn't see that."

The skipper was joking, of course, but he wasn't joking about trying to stimulate a lineup that has scored just 35 runs over its last 12 games, an average of less than three per game.

Gotay has given the Royals a spark, of late, from the bottom of the order. He struggled earlier this season from the No. 2 spot, but raised his average to .252 by batting .293 (36-for-123) over his last 40 games.

Gotay said his approach wouldn't change at all just because he's been moved from the bottom to near the top of the lineup.

"It doesn't matter where I'm hitting — eighth, ninth, first, second," he said. "If I'm in the lineup, that's where I want to be."

ANDERSON PITCHES

Brian Anderson made his first rehab appearance Monday night at Double-A Wichita. He allowed five hits and three runs, two earned, while striking out two over 1 1/3 innings. Anderson earned a no-decision, while the Wranglers notched a 7-6 comeback win over Springfield.

TRIVIA QUESTION

The Fourth of July has always been synonymous with baseball, but the Royals have not played twice in their history on America's birthday. What were those two years? (See answer below)

NO INTEREST

Second baseman Bret Boone, designated for assignment by the Mariners, does not figure to interest the rebuilding Royals even if he clears waivers. Boone, 36, was hitting .231 when he was dropped.

"Our direction is a little different than acquiring a Bret Boone right now," Royals general manager Allard Baird said.

Baird also addressed other matters:

• There is nothing cooking on the trade front. "I don't think anything will happen with any of our guys until the last week in July."

• Struggling right-hander Jose Lima will remain in the rotation for "right now."

• An offer has been made to third baseman Alex Gordon, the first-round draft choice, and "the process continues."

INJURY REPORT

Left-handed reliever Jeremy Affeldt will pitch Monday and Tuesday at Omaha, and if all goes well, could return to Kansas City as early as Thursday.

"We're seeing how he responds after working back-to-back days," Bell said. "If that goes well, he'll be back here Thursday."

FARM REPORT

After Bautista departed Sunday for Triple-A Omaha, a quartet of O-Royals' relievers picked up where he left off and shut out Albuquerque over the final six innings for a 2-0 win. ... Double-A Wichita was rained out. ... Class A High Desert managed just four hits -- three singles and one double -- in a 7-0 loss to Lake Elsinore. ... Class A Burlington pounded its way to a 12-3 win over Peoria. Irving Falu extended his hitting streak to 21 games. ... Rookie league Idaho Falls beat Orem, 7-6, when Gary Perez scored on a wild pitch in the 10th inning. ... Jeff Bianchi was 1-for-3, scored two runs and hit his fourth homer in 11 games as Rookie League Arizona beat the Arizona A's, 17-9.

TRIVIA ANSWER

The last time the Royals didn't play on the July 4 was 1992. The only other time the team didn't play on the national holiday was 1981, when the players were on strike.

ON DECK

The Royals will continue their three-game series with the Mariners at 7:10 p.m. CT Tuesday. Right-hander D.J. Carrasco (3-3, 3.23 ERA) will start for the Royals, while righty Gil Meche (8-5, 4.65 ERA) will take the hill for the Mariners.

• This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Bautista leaves rehab start

Royals host Mariners in July 4 bash

2005-07-04T00:40:00.000-05:00

Seattle (34-46) at Kansas City (26-54), 7:10 p.m. CT

by Matt LaWell

Home is normally a welcome retreat for a struggling ballclub, but Kauffman Stadium was hardly that for the Royals during a weekend sweep at the hands of the Angels.

The Royals scored just three runs — all during the eighth inning Saturday night — and collected 11 hits off Angels pitching, while allowing five runs each evening.

For the Royals, the best part about having that trio of games behind them is that the Angels are out of town and out of mind until next season. Good riddance.

Now, the team's focus will shift to the Mariners, who swept the Royals back in April during the season-opening series at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals will be trying to break a three-game losing streak and exact some revenge on the Mariners, who come to town in last place in the American League West.

With the front-running Angels gone and the Mariners coming in, maybe home can get a little sweeter.

PITCHING MATCHUP

KC: LHP J.P. Howell
• 1-2, 6.98 ERA in 2005
• Has never faced SEA

SEA: RHP Ryan Franklin
• 3-10, 4.85 ERA in 2005
• 1-0, 2.08 ERA vs. KC in 2005

PLAYER TO WATCH

In his first at-bat in the No. 6 spot since May 10, shortstop Angel Berroa responded with a sharp single to left field on Sunday, his first hit in July. With the Mariners coming to town, Berroa could continue to rebound from a weeklong 2-for-23 slump. Why? Berroa is batting .417 (5-for-12 all time against Franklin, and .274 (20-for-73) during his career against the Mariners.

QUOTABLE

"It was always nice to see guys like Rose and Bench — guys I grew up watching — and playing against them in an All-Star Game. I think that's the thing I got the most out of." — Manager Buddy Bell, on his All-Star Game experiences as a player

QUICK HITS

Center fielder David DeJesus went 2-for-3 Sunday against the Angels to raise his average to .284. ... The Royals' five-inning loss to the Angels on Sunday was their second rain-shortened game this season. They lost a seven-inning, 7-5 decision to the Devil Rays on May 12. ... The Royals lost their sixth straight game to the Angels and finished the season 2-7 against the Halos.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Royals host Mariners in July 4 bash

Royals share mixed messages in latest loss

2005-07-03T23:50:00.000-05:00

Greinke trusts his stuff, even if Bell doesn't think he does

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — The rejuvenation of Zack Greinke hit a rain-shortened bump in the road Sunday night.

The young pitcher, who has struggled during much of his sophomore campaign, gave up five runs and a dozen hits over five-plus innings, and was handed his Major League-leading 10th loss. The Royals, meanwhile, limped to a 5-0 setback that was halted in the top of the sixth after a 1-hour 46-minute rain delay.

Greinke walked just one batter and threw nearly 70 percent of his pitches for strikes, but he was knocked around by an Angels lineup that scored 15 runs and collected 36 hits against Royals pitchers in notching the three-game sweep.

Despite Greinke's numerous setbacks, including an 0-4 record and a 9.90 ERA during his last six starts, manager Buddy Bell is still confident when the 21-year-old right-hander takes the mound.

"Every time he goes out there, I feel like we've got a good chance to win," Bell said. "He just needs to trust himself. He's such a smart kid that sometimes his head gets in the way of him really just trusting his stuff."

And while that analysis might be accurate, it doesn't line up with Greinke's self-evaluation.

"I think he's wrong there," Greinke said. "I have been trusting myself lately, so I think that's wrong."

Whether or not Greinke has been trusting his stuff, the results have been thoroughly frustrating, enough so that questions have popped up concerning whether or not the young man dubbed "The Franchise" needs some time back in the Minors. Bell, however, quickly stamped out any such thoughts.

"No, no. I think he needs to be here," Bell said. "His record is really no indication of how he's pitched. He's had some starts where it hasn't been so good ... but no, that's not a possibility.

"I've only known this kid for a month, but I think he's going to figure it out quicker than most."

Greinke appeared to have figured it out a little more when he started off the evening by working around a Darin Erstad double to retire the side in the first inning on just 11 pitches. He wasn't so fortunate, though, in the second.

Jeff DaVanon opened that inning with a single to center, advanced to second and third on consecutive singles and came around to score when Bengie Molina grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. That put Greinke and the Royals in a 1-0 hole. Things would not improve.

After retiring the Angels on seven pitches in the third, Greinke gave up two runs in both the fourth and fifth innings on a total of seven hits and one walk. By the time the rain started to fall and lightning filled the sky, the Royals trailed by five runs, hardly the spot they wanted to find themselves in at the end of a dismal weekend.

It was during that fifth inning, while napkins flew from a concession stand on Kauffman Stadium's club level and littered the field, forcing the grounds crew to retrieve them before play resumed, that things really turned for both teams.

"I thought the fifth inning, they must have figured out something because they started to hit the ball pretty well," Greinke said. "I think the big difference was they just started to jump over pitches and hit them really hard.

"Until then, I thought I pitched pretty good."

While the Angels pounded Greinke — the 12 hits allowed were the second most he's given up in his young career — the Royals' bats continued to do very little. They collected just four hits off Angels starter Jarrod Washburn and were shut out for the second time in three games.

David DeJesus collected two of those four hits, one of which came when he led off the first with a single to right and advanced to second base on Tony Graffanino's sacrifice bunt. After Mike Sweeney popped out to first, Emil Brown walked and it appeared as if the Royals were in business.

But Terrence Long struck out and the Royals stranded both runners.

DeJesus was one of three Royals stranded in scoring position — Angel Berroa was left on third base during the second inning, as was Graffanino in the third inning — a figure representative of the team's struggles to consistently deliver in the clutch during the series.

"[That was] rather frustrating," Bell said. "I was kind of hoping that the eighth inning [Saturday] was going to help us into this game, and I thought it did. I thought we swung the bats a little bit better. But we need to string some hits together."

They might have, too, had the rain not continued to pour. Oh, if only the skies had opened a little earlier.

"I was wishing that the rain came in the fourth rather than the sixth," Bell said.

So was everybody else.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Royals share mied messages in latest loss

Royals drop rain-shortened finale

2005-07-03T21:40:00.000-05:00

Kansas City swept in three-game series with Angels

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — All sorts of matter was flying around Kauffman Stadium on Sunday night, from baseballs to paper products, as the Royals' lost, 5-0 in five-plus innings to the Angels.

The Angels opened the game by spraying the field with 12 hits off Zack Greinke, before hundreds of napkins flew from the club level to the field during the fourth and a lightning-filled rainstorm ended a dismal night in the top of the sixth.

Neither Greinke nor the Royals' batters were at their best on this rain-filled evening. Greinke allowed five runs and a dozen hits over five innings — his second complete-game effort this season — while the Royals collected just four hits off Angels starter Jarrod Washburn.

Greinke allowed one run in the second when Jeff DaVanon singled and came around to score on two singles and double-play grounder. He gave up two more in each the fourth and fifth innings on seven hits and one walk.

The Royals threatened to score — David DeJesus singled to lead off the game and advanced to second on Tony Graffanino's sac bunt before Emil Brown walked — but stranded a runner in scoring position in each of the first three innings.

The Royals dropped their third straight to fall to a Major League-worst 26-54, while the Angels won their third straight to move to 50-31.

Berroa drops in batting order

2005-07-03T19:30:00.000-05:00

Teahen missses Sunday's game; Burgos begins rehab

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — After struggling at the plate for much of the last week, Angel Berroa just might need a little change of scenery.

That's what manager Buddy Bell thought, at least, after Berroa went 0-for-4 Saturday night against the Angels to extend his week-long slump to 2-for-23. So Bell, never afraid to make a move, dropped Berroa to No. 6 in the Royals order and inserted Tony Graffanino in the No. 2 hole.

Was there any particular reason Berroa's batting sixth instead of somewhere else?

"The six spot, really, there's no rhyme or reason," Bell said. "It could have been six, it could have been seven, but I just think sometimes you get a few pitches to look at before you go up there for your first at-bat.

"When you're in a slump, a lot of times that first at-bat is pretty critical."

True, the drop in the order will allow Berroa to see an opposing pitcher's arsenal before stepping in but, because of the Royals lineup card snafu, he saw a ton of pitches Friday night before his first at-bat. Berroa and David DeJesus batted out of order and Berroa didn't step in until the fourth inning.

That said, Berroa's new spot in the order isn't anything he hasn't seen before. Until Tony Pena resigned on May 10, in fact, Berroa batted exclusively in the No. 6 or 7 spot. It wasn't until Bob Schaefer took over the next day that Berroa batted at the top of the order.

The change could help Berroa bring up his average again — he was batting .230 when he moved to the leadoff spot and raised his mark to .270 before falling back to his present .239 — as could the simple fact that he's getting a better read on the ball.

"I talked to him last night after the game and he mentioned to me," Bell said, "that he's been seeing the ball a lot better than he was the last week or two.

"Hopefully, a little change in scenery in the lineup will help him."

Bell said Berroa will likely remain in the No. 6 spot for at least the next few games.

TEAHEN OUT AGAIN

Third baseman Mark Teahen was left out of the lineup for the second straight day with a tender right groin.

"It's not a major factor," Bell said. "I told him [Saturday] that I'd give him [Saturday] and [Sunday] off. He's available, but because of facing a left-hander I just thought this was the best way to do it, to get him through this without any major difficulties."

Teahen said he felt all right and could have played Saturday if needed.

He should return to the lineup Monday against the Mariners.

ROYALS TRIVIA QUESTION

First baseman Ken Harvey is the most recent Royals All-Star, but who was the first? (See answer below)

BURGOS BEGINS REHAB

Ambiorix Burgos made his first of five Minor League rehab appearances Saturday at Double-A Wichita.

The right-hander started the seventh and recorded just one out, but was on a strict 15-pitch count. He struck out the first batter he faced before three straight hits, including an RBI double. At this point, though, the numbers really don't matter too much.

"His velocity was up," Bell said. "He was a little flat in the zone, which is expected just because of his layoff. But he had no problems in terms of his health.

"[And he threw ] mostly strikes, so he was in the strike zone, and he had no problems with him shoulder."

Burgos will make his next rehab appearances on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

FARM REPORT

Chris George struck out 11 batters over six innings Saturday, but Triple-A Omaha's offensive struggles continued as the O-Royals lost to Albuquerque, 2-1. Aaron Guiel hit his 17th home run. ... Sporting 1985 Royals powder blue uniforms, Double-A Wichita lost to Springfield, 7-4. Justin Huber had two hits in his first game back with the Wranglers. ... Billy Butler went 2-for-5 and hit his 19th homer as Class A High Desert beat Lake Elsinore, 7-5. Butler is batting .361 this season. ... Class A Burlington rallied from a 6-0 first-inning deficit, but lost, 8-7, to Peoria. Irving Falu hit a triple and a single to extend his hitting streak to 20 games. ... Rookie League Idaho Falls beat Orem, 6-5, to snap a three-game losing streak. ... Rookie League Arizona beat the Arizona Giants, 5-3.

TRIVIA ANSWER

Catcher Ellie Rodriguez represented the Royals at the 1969 All-Star Game in Washington, D.C., but didn't play.

ON DECK

The Royals will open a three-game series with the Mariners at 7:10 p.m. CT on Monday. Left-hander J.P. Howell (1-2, 6.98 ERA) will start for the Royals, while righty Ryan Franklin (3-10, 4.85 ERA) will take the hill for the Mariners. Fireworks will follow the game.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Berroa drops in batting order

Greinke takes on Angels in finale

2005-07-03T00:40:00.000-05:00

Angels (49-31) at Royals (26-53), 6:10 p.m. CT

by Matt LaWell

The Fourth of July is not yet upon us, but the Royals need some fireworks.

After scoring just three runs and notching seven hits in their last two games, the Royals need something from their offense to avoid a weekend sweep at the hands of the Angels.

Mike Sweeney has certainly answered the call since returning Friday from the disabled list, going 2-for-7 and collecting 29 percent of the Royals hits, but he hasn't come to the plate once with a runner on base.

Of course, the Royals have been handcuffed by the Angels' pitching and managed just eight baserunners this weekend, so that shouldn't come as too big a surprise.

Manager Buddy Bell has yet to show any real signs of frustration, but he's afraid the losses will get to his young team.

"The one thing I don't want this team to do is get frustrated," he said. "This will pass, this will all get better."

And he's hoping it will get better very soon.

PITCHING MATCHUP

KC: RHP Zack Greinke
• 1-9, 5.92 ERA in 2005
• Has never faced LAA

LAA: LHP Jarrod Washburn
• 4-3, 3.33 ERA in 2005
• 1-1, 2.63 vs. KC in 2003

PLAYER TO WATCH
If a 21-year-old pitcher with 40 career starts under his belt can have a vintage outing, then Greinke's most recent start was vintage. The right-hander worked six innings Monday at Minnesota, gave up two runs and four hits, and looked better than he had at any point since mid-May. Now he just needs to keep it going.

QUOTABLE
"Right now, he's in the rotation. That's where he wants to be and that's where I want him to be. Hopefully, he can find his command." — Manager Buddy Bell, on right-hander Jose Lima

QUICK HITS
Sweeney extended his hitting streak to nine games Saturday night with a first-inning single off Bartolo Colon. Sweeney is batting .286 (10-for-35) during the streak, which started June 2. ... Lima turned in his third quality start, and his second in his last four outings. ... The Royals dropped their fifth straight game to the Angels, and are now 2-6 against the Halos this season.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Greinke takes on Angels in finale

Lima lashes out after latest loss

2005-07-02T23:30:00.000-05:00

Right-hander criticizes calls, possible move to bullpen

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Jose Lima notched a quality start Saturday night but still managed to leave the game with another loss — and a rather large chip on his shoulder.

Lima lasted six innings and gave up three earned runs during the Royals' 5-3 loss to the Angels, but felt he was being squeezed by home plate umpire C.B. Bucknor. The numbers certainly wouldn't prove that — Lima walked just one batter and threw 63 percent of his pitches for strikes — but the numbers didn't matter.

"He's been getting to me all year — all my life," Lima said. "The [umpires] follow the rest of the league, then when you go up there and pitch, they're going to do it to you. They've got a lot of power now.

"C.B. is C.B., I've known him all my life, since Triple-A, Double-A. I know C.B. The thing is now, we don't get the respect like the Yankees or Boston ... 'cause we're in last place. We don't get the same respect from the league because, c'mon, we're the Royals. We're in last place."

During their recent slide, which started June 20 against the White Sox, they're batting just .227 (82-for-361) and averaging less than 3.2 runs per game. Until a late rally Saturday against the Angels and Bartolo Colon, they didn't even look like they would equal those numbers.

After Lima battled through a 27-pitch first inning during which he allowed an unearned run, Colon went to work. He retired David DeJesus and Angel Berroa on seven pitches before Mike Sweeney singled up the middle. Then Colon retired the next 19 Royals.

And while Colon mowed down the Royals — he permitted just that Sweeney single until the eighth inning — Lima was singled and doubled to death. In addition to the unearned run in the first, he allowed single tallies in the third, fourth and fifth before leaving after six innings. The performance wasn't great but, according to manager Buddy Bell, it was OK.

"He got hurt on some pitches up but his command was a little better," Bell said. "He did stay out of the big inning when, at times, it seemed like he was on the verge. He was kind of living on the edge all night. But overall, he gave us a chance to win the ballgame. Unfortunately, they had Colon going and he was a lot better."

Colon sparkled until the eighth when Emil Brown broke up the one-hitter with a double to deep center. After Shane Costa popped out to second, Tony Graffanino singled to right and advanced to second on the throw to third. Ruben Gotay followed that with a two-out single down the right-field line that scored Brown and Graffanino.

Just like that, the Royals snapped a 21-inning scoreless streak and were back in the game.

"It feels pretty good," Gotay said. "In that at-bat, [Colon] got ahead 0-2 and I just had to work it, work hard, don't give up. He made a mistake and I just had to put the bat on the ball. Thank God I got it."

DeJesus followed with a double to right that scored Gotay, but that was all the Royals could muster against Colon, who left after 7 1/3 innings due to effects from a viral illness he had been battling.

Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez came in, worked the final 1 2/3 innings and snuffed any chance of a final Royals rally.

The loss leaves the Royals with a number of questions, including where Lima will wind up in the near future, be it in the rotation, the bullpen or somewhere else entirely. Bell, however, had no answer for that one.

"At this point, I really can't talk about that because I really haven't thought about it," he said. "Right now, what I'm trying to figure out is how we get him like he was against the Dodgers. Hopefully, that will happen."

Lima wants it to happen, too, especially after an outing that he left feeling pretty good about himself.

"I give my best, I give my heart," he said. "Four runs against the Angels? That's like throwing an eight-inning shutout because they're a great ballclub, they're not in first place by accident. When things aren't going your way, that's going to happen."

And as for a possible move from the rotation to the bullpen?

"I'm not a bullpen guy," Lima said. "I've never been in the bullpen before. ... But I'm not even worried about that. I don't make the decisions.

"I'm not here to start a war. It's been a bad year already for this ballclub. What else? What else can happen to us? A bomb on the field? We haven't had a break all year long."

* This story can also be read at MLB.com, in somewhat different form, by clicking on the following link:

Lima lashes out after latest loss

Royals drop second straight to Angels

2005-07-02T21:45:00.000-05:00

Starter Lima fights his control during six-inning outing

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — The Royals dropped their second straight game to the Angels on Saturday night — this time by a 5-3 score — despite a three-run rally during the eighth inning.

Right fielder Emil Brown opened the late surge with a double to deep center and Tony Graffanino singled to right. Ruben Gotay drove both home with a single to right and came around to score on David DeJesus' double to right.

Aside from those four hits, the Royals notched just one more — Mike Sweeney's two-out single in the first. Between Sweeney's single and Brown's double, Angels right-hander Bartolo Colon set down 19 straight batters. That early struggle was enough to bury the Royals in an inescapable hole.

While the Royals offense struggled early, so did starter Jose Lima. The right-hander tossed 27 pitches during the first inning, allowed one unearned run and looked as if he would not be around long. Lima settled down, though, and worked through six innings.

His final line was hardly a thing of beauty — he allowed four runs, three of which were earned, to go along with 10 hits and one walk — but he managed to keep the game from slipping away entirely.

Arms getting healthy

2005-07-02T19:15:00.000-05:00

Several pitchers on disabled list could return in July

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Slowly but surely, the small army of injured Royals is starting its march back toward Kansas City.

Jeremy Affeldt, Brian Anderson, Denny Bautista and Ambiorix Burgos could all be activated within the next 2 1/2 weeks and pitching again for the Royals. Affeldt, in fact, is scheduled to return on Friday, if his rehab continues as planned.

Burgos is scheduled to return July 14 or 15, Bautista on July 18 and Anderson on July 19.

Affeldt's results at Triple-A Omaha have been mixed — he allowed two runs and two hits in just one-third of an inning on Thursday night — but those numbers aren't entirely indicative of the progress he's made.

"The report I got said he was pretty much just working on his mechanics — 91, 92, 93 [mph] tops," manager Buddy Bell said, noting that Affeldt will next pitch on Saturday.

Joining Affeldt in the Minors will be Anderson, who is scheduled to make his first rehab appearance Monday with Double-A Wichita, and Burgos, who will also report to Wichita.

Bautista and right-hander Kyle Snyder have both been pitching at Omaha, and have fared well during their rehabs. Bautista has pitched twice and allowed two earned runs over 3 2/3 innings. He is 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA, has struck out six and walked three.

Snyder, meanwhile, worked five innings Friday night and allowed just one earned run and six hits. Over four rehab starts, Snyder is 0-1 with a 1.84 ERA over 14 2/3 innings.

The Royals' plethora of pitchers, both injured and healthy, has Bell smiling for now, but willing to acknowledge that there could be more than a few decisions to make — whom to send down, whom to move, perhaps even whom to trade — in the not-so-distant future.

"Organizationally, we've got a lot of great arms, a lot of guys who can pitch," Bell said. "But I'm sure there are some guys on our staff who aren't sure what's going to happen from week to week.

"We've talked about what we may do when these guys come back," Bell said. "I don't necessarily like doing that because a lot of times it just works out for itself.

"But if nothing happens in terms of guys going down, we'll have some difficult decisions to make."

ROYALS TRIVIA QUESTION

The Royals will likely have just one All-Star Game selection this season. When did they last have more than one? (See answer below)

WEIGHING IN

While sitting in the Royals dugout Saturday afternoon, Bell admitted he didn't even know the location of this year's All-Star Game — it's Detroit — but he certainly had an opinion about who, exactly, should be the team's representative.

"Well, Mike Sweeney's an All-Star as far as I'm concerned," Bell said. "Sweeney, even though he's been hurt, I think he's a deserving All-Star.

Just as quickly, though, Bell added to his comments.

"But [Emil] Brown has had a [heck] of a year," Bell said. "But I don't know, I don't know how they choose."

Depending on how the players are chosen, closer Mike MacDougal might even wear the interlocking K and C at Comerica Park on July 12. MacDougal has notched just nine saves this season but has seven saves since May 31.

"He's been good lately," Bell said. "I don't like getting into all that. All I know is that Sweeney's an All-Star because he's got that track record."

The official word will come on Sunday.

FARM REPORT

Despite Snyder's strong rehab outing — one earned run over five innings — Omaha lost Friday to Albuquerque, 3-1. ... Wichita notched a 7-6 come-from-behind win over Springfield. ... Class A High Desert let slip a late 6-5 lead, allowed three runs in the eighth and ninth innings and lost, 8-6, to Lake Elsinore. ... Kyle Crist pitched seven shutout innings in Class A Burlington's 8-0 win over Peoria. ... Rookie League Idaho Falls lost to Ogden, 13-0. ... Rookie League Arizona was off.

TRIVIA ANSWER

It wasn't that long ago, really, that the Royals sent two players to the Midsummer Classic. MacDougal and Sweeney both went in 2003.

ON DECK

The Royals will conclude their three-game weekend series with the Angels at 6:10 p.m. CT on Sunday at Kauffman Stadium. Right-hander Zack Greinke (1-9, 5.92 ERA) will start for the Royals, while lefty Jarrod Washburn (4-3, 3.33 ERA) will take the hill for the Angels.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Arms getting healthy

Royals try to even series behind Lima

2005-07-02T00:40:00.000-05:00

Angels (48-31) at Royals (26-52), 6:10 p.m. CT

by Matt LaWell

After a three-week ride of pure euphoria under manager Buddy Bell, the Royals seem to have hit a rather large bump in the road.

After starting 12-6 under Bell, they Royals have dropped nine of their last 10 — including a 5-0 loss to the Angels on Friday night — and have averaged just 3.2 runs per game during the stretch while batting .235 (77-for-328).

Those numbers, at first glance, would likely spell doom for the Royals in Saturday night's matchup against the Angels' Bartolo Colon. The veteran right-hander has racked up 10 wins this season and is among the American League's top five in ERA and WHIP.

Then again, the Royals have twice faced Colon this season, and they've roughed him up each time. On April 10, they knocked him around for six runs and 11 hits over six innings, and on May 29, they touched him for four runs and 12 hits over 7 2/3 innings.

Not too shabby, especially considering those hit totals represent the most hits Colon has allowed all season. He also has a higher ERA against the Royals than any other team this season, except the Yankees and the Red Sox.

So maybe, just maybe, the Royals can turn the trick on Colon one more time.

PITCHING MATCHUP

KC: RHP Jose Lima
• 1-6, 7.81 ERA in 2005
• 0-1, 18.00 ERA vs. LAA in 2004

LAA: RHP Bartolo Colon
• 10-4, 3.02 ERA in 2005
• 1-1, 6.59 ERA vs. KC in 2005

PLAYER TO WATCH

Keep an eye on Lima, whose lone win this season came against the Dodgers, for whom Lima pitched during the 2004 season. Maybe he can double his Southern California pleasure with a win over the Angels. Of course, the numbers wouldn't suggest as much — Lima allowed eight earned runs over four innings when he faced the Angels last year, and he's 2-3 lifetime with a 9.72 ERA. Ouch.

QUOTABLE

"I played with Kenny, he was a teammate of mine, and that is so out of character for him ... to do something like that." — Manager Buddy Bell, on Rangers' left-hander Kenny Rogers, who received a 20-game suspension Friday for his altercation with a TV cameraman

QUICK HITS

First baseman Mike Sweeney returned to the lineup Friday and went 1-for-3 with a double. The action was his first since June 15. ... Right fielder Emil Brown was 0-for-3, snapping his career-long hitting streak at 16 games. ... Brown and right-hander Runelvys Hernandez were named Royals Player and Pitcher of the Month for May, as voted by local media. ... Hernandez lasted 6 1/3 innings and gave up five runs and eight hits. After turning in four straight quality starts — three or fewer earned runs over six or more innings — he has not done so in either of his last two starts. ... The Royals are 2-5 this season against the Angels. They've dropped four straight to the Halos.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Royals try to even series behind Lima

Royals line up out of order

2005-07-01T23:30:00.000-05:00

Lineup card snafu deflates Royals in loss

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Oops, ouch and oh, boy.

The Royals opened a Friday night to forget by turning in the wrong lineup card to the umpires, then proceeded to collect just two hits off Paul Byrd. The result: a 5-0 loss to the Angels that was over almost before it began because of one little piece of paper.

Manager Buddy Bell's explanation of the pregame snafu was simple enough — he didn't double-check his card with the card turned in by bench coach Bob Schaefer — but the amount of blame Bell placed on himself wasn't.

"I get a card, my own card that I keep score with and take notes on, and that card matched up with the card I had on the wall," Bell said. "I just didn't double-check it, which I normally do. I was just assuming that that card was the same as the other one.

"I kind of screwed up in the first inning, so that didn't help matters as far as the energy goes. I take part of the blame for this one. Checking the lineup card doesn't take much energy to do."

His team, meanwhile, didn't have much energy. Period.

They collected just two hits — Matt Stairs' fifth-inning single and Mike Sweeney's seventh-inning double — didn't draw a single walk and never mounted any sort of threat against Byrd. That output resulted in some rather paltry numbers, including a .074 batting average and a .100 slugging percentage.

"No excuses," said Sweeney, who returned to the lineup after missing 13 games with a sprained left elbow. "We didn't get the job done. Sure, maybe we could have got a scratch up in the first inning or put a crooked number up there against Byrdie, but we didn't do it."

And while the Royals were busy doing, well, next to nothing, the Angels were busy knocking around Runelvys Hernandez.

They opened the scoring in the second when Hernandez walked Dallas McPherson — the only walk the right-hander issued all night — stole second and came around to score.

Hernandez then settled into a groove and retired 11 of the next 13 before the Angels unleashed a barrage of doubles, three in all by Garrett Anderson, Juan Rivera and Macier Izturis, that resulted in two more Angels' runs and 3-0 Royals' deficit. The Angels opened the next inning with two more doubles, scored two more runs and knocked Hernandez from the game.

Despite Hernandez's rather unimpressive final line — 6 1/3 innings, five earned runs and eight hits allowed, one walk, five strikeouts — both Bell and Hernandez thought it was a solid outing.

"It was much better than what I did in Colorado," Hernandez said. "I was consistent, I was throwing the first pitch for a strike."

He also kept the Royals in the game and matched Byrd until that sixth-inning bump. Had left-hander Andrew Sisco, who relieved Hernandez in the seventh, not allowed two inherited runners to score, Hernandez would have notched his fifth quality start — three earned runs or less over six or more innings — in his last six starts.

"He's been good," Bell said. "We just haven't been able to score him any runs. You're not going to win if you don't score any runs. And what did we have, two hits?"

Yep, but it could have been more. Well, OK, it could have been three.

David DeJesus, you see, opened the game with a sharp single down the left field line and stood at first with Angel Berroa stepping in at the plate.

Before Berroa could look at even one pitch, though, Angels manager Mike Scioscia sprinted out of the dugout, headed straight for the umpires. His beef? The Royals had just batted out of order.

When the umpiring crew convened on the infield and reviewed the Royals' lineup card, they deemed Scioscia correct. Under Rule 6.07 (b), Berroa was ruled out and DeJesus was ordered back to home plate, his single nullified. DeJesus then flied out to center, the inning's complexion, and the Royals' approach, completely altered.

"I thought it was really deflating," Bell said. "Inexcusable, irresponsible and it was huge mistake. It shouldn't happen, it shouldn't happen.

"When I saw Mike [Scioscia] go out there, I looked up at the board and I was wondering why he was out there, 'cause that's your worst nightmare.

"It won't happen again. ... I have to double-check that stuff."

And after this mishap, maybe triple-check it.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com, in somewhat different form, by clicking on the following link:

Royals line up out of order

Royals' bats silenced by Angels' Byrd

2005-07-01T22:00:00.000-05:00

Sweeney returns to lineup, doubles in three at-bats

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — The Royals' problems began early in a 5-0 loss to the Angels on Friday night because of a pregame lineup card snafu.

Lineups throughout Kauffman Stadium showed David DeJesus as the leadoff batter, but the lineup card bench coach Bob Schaeffer turned in at home plate had Angel Berroa in the top spot. After DeJesus singled to lead off the game, Angels manager Mike Scioscia noted the error, the umpires convened and, under Rule 6.07 (b), Berroa was called out.

DeJesus's single was taken away and he returned to the plate, where he flied out to center.

As it turned out, the Royals needed that nullified hit because they collected just two more the rest of the night — Matt Stairs' fifth-inning single and Mike Sweeney's seventh-inning double — off Angels right-hander Paul Byrd. To say that Byrd baffled the Royals wouldn't be exactly accurate, but he certainly had everything working as he shut out the Royals on 105 pitches.

Royals right-hander Runelvys Hernandez, meanwhile, wasn't so lucky. He held the Angels to one run and three hits over 5 2/3 innings but ran into trouble in the sixth.

Hernandez gave up consecutive doubles to Garret Anderson, Juan Rivera and Macier Izturiz, which widened the gap from one to three runs. After striking out Dallas McPherson to end the sixth, Hernandez opened the next inning by allowing two more doubles. He managed to notch one more out, but was effectively done for the evening.

The Angels added two more runs in the seventh to expand their lead to 5-0.

Sweeney returns to lineup

2005-07-01T20:30:00.000-05:00

Huber optioned to Double-A Wichita; Sullivan to see surgeon

KANSAS CITY — The Royals activated Mike Sweeney from the 15-day disabled list on Friday, but not before a fair amount of deliberation.

Manager Buddy Bell wanted to be absolutely sure that the All-Star first baseman's left wrist and elbow were fully healed before he made official Sweeney's activation and Justin Huber's ensuing demotion to Double-A.

"He took about 10 minutes of batting practice and felt fine," Bell said. "We're going to take him through BP and make sure everything is fine before we make a move. We've got a lineup right now and he's in it, but we don't want to make a move until after BP."

Well, Sweeney made it through BP, spraying balls to all fields, and the Royals made the roster move about one hour before game time. He was penciled into the No. 3 spot in the team's lineup as the designated hitter, where he will remain at least for a few days, if not longer.

"We're not going to have him in the field for at least a couple of days, and it could be longer than that," Bell said. "The thing that's probably bothering him more than hitting is catching the ball, so we're going to try to keep him away from that for a little while.

"It might not be until after the All-Star break that he plays first base, but you might not want to tell him that."

In Sweeney's absence from the field, Tony Graffanino and Matt Stairs will continue to man first base.

As for Sweeney, who has been sidelined since a June 15 collision at first base with the Dodgers' Jayson Werth, he's just happy to be off the bench and back in the lineup with his teammates. And he's not the only one happy that he's off the bench.

"It's actually nice to have Sweeney out of the dugout," Bell said. "Golly, he was driving me crazy."

Sweeney's explanation?

"When I can't play and I'm on the bench, the only way I'm able to use that energy is to verbalize it," Sweeney said. "Buddy would say, 'Gosh, Mike, I want you in the lineup but you're driving me nuts.'

"I'm passionate, I love the game of baseball, I've loved playing it since I was 3 years old, playing catch with my dad. That being said, it's in my heart, it's a burning desire, to go out and enjoy the game and play it the way it's supposed to be played."

And that thought took very little deliberation at all.

HUBER REMAINS UPBEAT

As a result of Sweeney's return to the 25-man roster, someone had to be demoted. That turned out to be Huber, who will return to Double-A Wichita.

Despite his return to the Minors coming a little earlier than he would have liked, Huber's smile never disappeared from his face. His time in Kansas City, after all, was a learning experience.

"I'm feeling pretty good about this experience," he said. "It's a positive. I'm going back there with my tail between my legs wondering about the big leagues. I've got a purpose to work on some stuff and get better.

"I worked on my swing path with Andre [David], I worked on my hands and my fielding skills at first base. But more than anything, I've taken the wonder of the Major Leagues out of my head because I've seen it, been a part of it and I know I can do it. That's huge. I don't have to wonder if I can, just when I can."

Huber saw action in five games, and batted .250 (3-for-12) with three RBIs.

ROYALS TRIVIA QUESTION

The Royals made the first trade in team history on Dec. 12, 1968. With what team did they execute the trade, and what players were involved? (See answer below)

SWEENEY SHRUGS OFF TRADE RUMORS

Despite missing 13 games with a bruised left wrist and elbow, Sweeney had to listen to trade rumors, and will likely have to listen to them for the rest of the month.

In Sweeney's mind, though, that's all he'll be doing.

"I don't think I'm going to be traded, I don't bank on being traded, I don't hope to be traded," he said. "I just hope that God will show me where he wants me to go or if he wants me to stay. Right now, I'm a proud Kansas City Royal. I don't think about being traded, it's not even a thought in my mind."

Sweeney is one of a number of Royals who are rumored to be on the trading block. That list also includes veterans Graffanino, Terrence Long and Stairs, among others.

The trade deadline is July 31.

INJURY UPDATE

Right-hander Scott Sullivan returned to Kansas City a little earlier than planned, but no, he's not ready to move back to the Royals bullpen

"He had a little bit of a setback. I think he's going to see Dr. Watkins — the back surgeon out of Los Angeles — on Wednesday," Bell said.

Sullivan has been on the DL all season with a back strain.

Meanwhile, left-hander Brian Anderson threw another bullpen session Friday and continues to feel very good and on schedule.

FARM REPORT

Left-hander Jeremy Affeldt made his rehab appearance at Triple-A Omaha Thursday, but probably won't remember it very long. Affeldt worked just one-third of an inning and gave up two runs and two hits while walking one as the O-Royals lost to Albuquerque, 6-2.

Double-A Wichita pulled out a 5-4 win over Midland when Brett Groves hit a bases-loaded single in the 10th inning. Brian Bass pitched six shutout innings and struck out eight. ... Class A High Desert pounded out 13 hits in 10-7 win over Lancaster. Alan Moye went 3-for-5 and hit two homers. ... Class A Burlington pulled out a 9-8 win over Peoria. ... Rookie league Idaho Falls lost to Ogden, 10-8, while rookie level Arizona collected 17 hits in a 15-7 win over the Arizona Brewers. Second-round draft pick Jeffrey Bianchi was 2-for-3 to raise his average to .586.

TRIVIA ANSWER

The Royals made their first trade with none other than the Angels. The Royals sent Hoyt Wilhelm to the Halos for Ed "Spanky" Kirkpatrick and Dennis Paepke.

ON DECK

The Royals will continue their three-game weekend set with the Angels at 6:10 p.m. CT on Saturday. Right-hander Jose Lima (1-6, 7.81 ERA) will start for the Royals, while righty Bartolo Colon (10-4, 3.02 ERA) will take the mound for the Angels.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Sweeney returns to lineup

We've lost a giant of a man

2005-06-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

Celebrating the life of Dan Lowe, Ohio's No. 1 fan

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — The last time I saw Dan Lowe, we were both perched on the edge of our seats in the Gaylord Entertainment Center, smack in the middle of Nashville, Tenn., watching with some sort of shocked amazement as the Ohio men's basketball team mounted a 20-point comeback against the Florida Gators in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Well, no, wait. That's not entirely true.

I was perched on the edge of my seat, typing anxious words on my computer, while Lowe, as would be expected by those who knew him, never even used his seat. He just stood up, extended his 6-foot-9 frame and cheered during the entire game. He never gave up hope, probably lost his voice at some point during the second half and simply was happy to have seen his Bobcats play on the national stage.

It is that image of Lowe — more widely known throughout Athens as D-Lo, Ohio's No. 1 Fan — to which I will hold tight, never letting it slip from my memory, never forgetting the way he whooped and hollered for the Bobcats that Friday afternoon in March during the last Ohio basketball game he ever saw.

He died of presumed heart failure Friday during a game of pickup basketball in The Convo. He was 24.

During those 24 years, though, he affected so many people — including Bobcats fans, of course. D-Lo's fanaticism, in fact, led to the growth of today's O-Zone student section and landed him a job with the Athletics Department as promotions coordinator. He also was active in Athens in Campus Crusade for Christ and even led its weekly meetings during his senior year. He was part of a rap quartet — EP, or Eternal Perspective — that one had to hear to believe. He spun records at Evolution under the name "DJ Wise," he golfed and, oh yeah, he also graduated in four years and earned his degree in news writing and editing.

He was as much a figurative giant as he was a literal one, and to say he lived a full life, well, that would just be an understatement. So would saying that he will be missed.

After all, he's already missed.

Within hours of his death, messages started popping up on his TheFacebook.com profile -one of only a few venues where folks could share their thoughts about him almost instantaneously.

"Thank you for being such a great friend," one read.

"God bless you, D-Lo," read another.

"I Love you, Dan," read a third.

While typing away on the same computer I toted with me to the NCAA Tournament, I thanked him for the opportunity to wear the Bobcat suit one afternoon last summer during Athens' July 4 parade.

I'll never forget how he pulled out piece after piece of that costume from the back seat of his car and placed it on me -first the underbelly and the main furry body piece, then the feet and the hands, and finally the head -and then he helped me walk around. Really, he wasn't so much helping me walk as he was helping me to not fall, but it was still a dream come true for a nerdy kid who always wanted to be a college mascot.

Being D-Lo, he just wanted to get the lovable mascot costume out of its storage space in The Convo, onto the back of a pickup truck and into the public eye. He would have worn it himself, he said, but he was too tall.

Well, D-Lo, up in heaven, 6-foot-9 giants can fit into tiny mascot costumes, and the Bobcats are always playing in the NCAA Tournament.

* This story can also be read at The Post Online by clicking on the following link:

We've lost a giant of a man

Matsui named AL Player of the Week

2005-06-20T16:00:00.000-05:00

Ankle sprain no obstacle for outfielder-turned DH

by Matt LaWell

NEW YORK — At this time last week, Hideki Matsui's sprained right ankle threatened to keep him out of the Yankees' lineup and end his 12-year-old streak of consecutive games played.

Rather than face relegation to the bench, though, Matsui remained in the lineup as the team's designated hitter and was so productive that on Monday he was named the American League Player of the Week.

Indeed, Matsui shone brighter than any other player in the league, leading the Yankees to a 6-0 record and sweeps of the Pirates and Cubs. He batted .455 (10-for-22) with three home runs and an AL-leading 10 RBIs, posted a .538 on-base percentage, led the league with a 1.000 slugging percentage and extended his hitting streak to 10 games.

He was so good as the Yankees' DH, in fact, that manager Joe Torre joked on Friday that Matsui wouldn't return to the outfield when his ankle was fully healed.

"Never again. He sent his glove home," Torre said. "Matsui has been remarkable."

As for Matsui, who has started each of his 393 games as a Yankee and hasn't missed a game since 1993 while still playing in Japan, well, he just wants to play.

"I take pride in playing each and every game to contribute, and be a strength to the team," he said during the week. "I'm not thinking about my streak right now. I don't want to go out there and be a problem for my team and not contribute."

Only he did contribute, so much so that he garnered praise from both teammates — third baseman Alex Rodriguez called Matsui "one of the most impressive players I've played with in my career" — and opponents.

"Matsui, [that] guy killed us," Cubs manager Dusty Baker said Friday. "You've got to do something to stop him. This guy can hit. It didn't seem to matter if you brought in a left-hander or right-hander, he's going to hit whoever you bring in there."

Matsui's teammate, Mike Mussina, also was nominated for Player of the Week honors for his efforts, which included a 2-0 record and a 1.17 ERA over 15 1/3 innings.

Other nominees included Rangers second baseman Alfonso Soriano, who batted .400 (10-for-25) with four homers and 10 RBIs; Devil Rays third baseman Jorge Cantu, who batted .455 (10-for-22) with two homers and five RBIs; and Angels outfielder Vladimir Guerrero, who batted .440 (11-for-25) with three homers and eight RBIs.

None of them, however, had an ankle sprain that hurt so good.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Matsui named AL Player of the Week

Royals face tough task in Windy City

2005-06-20T00:40:00.000-05:00

Kansas City (25-43) at Chicago (45-22), 7:05 p.m. CT

by Matt LaWell

During Jose Lima's very unlucky first 13 starts this season, he tried any number of different approaches to pick up that elusive first win. He even bleached his hair, for crying out loud.

Finally, though, on his 14th try, Lima tried something he had never tried before during his career. And it worked.

Lima, you see, approached the start of every inning as if he were a reliever whose job was to retire every batter he faced. He viewed the game as a series of short sprints rather than some sort of three-hour marathon on grass and dirt.

"One-two-three," Lima said, pounding his fist. "One-two-three, one-two-three."

As a result of Lima's new mentality, he recorded a quartet of 1-2-3 innings during that eight-inning start and wound up with his first regular-season win since Sept. 14, 2004. Now, the veteran right-hander will aim for win No. 2.

PITCHING MATCHUP

KC: RHP Jose Lima
• 1-5, 7.38 ERA in 2005
• 0-1, 9.00 ERA vs. CWS in 2003

CWS: RHP Brandon McCarthy
• 0-1, 6.97 ERA in 2005
• Has never faced KC

PLAYER TO WATCH

Though he has been a player to watch for much of the last two months, no Royals player is hotter at the moment than Emil Brown. The 30-year-old outfielder extended his career-long hitting streak on Sunday to seven games after he smacked a three-run homer in the sixth inning. Brown is batting .448 (13-for-29) during the streak and .379 (22-for-58) during June.

QUOTABLE

"He just felt a twinge in his groin." — Manager Buddy Bell, on why left-hander Jeremy Affeldt won't pitch for the next few days

QUICK HITS

Runelvys Hernandez allowed a career-low one hit during his seven innings on Sunday against the Astros. Hernandez's previous best had been two hits during a start at Cleveland on April 5, 2003. ... David DeJesus extended his hitting streak to a season-long nine games after he smacked a seventh-inning double on Sunday against the Astros. DeJesus is 13-for-36 during the streak. ... Since Bell took over as manager on May 31, the Royals have not been swept, and have won four of six series.

ON DECK

• Tuesday: at White Sox, 7:05 p.m. CT
• Wednesday: at White Sox, 1:05 p.m. CT
• Thursday: Off-day

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Royals face tough task in Windy City

Brown's blast helps lift Royals

2005-06-19T20:10:00.000-05:00

Outfielder has found a home in Kansas City' outfield

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — When most Major Leaguers get fooled by a pitch, they tend to strike out, roll a grounder to short, or maybe, if they're having a good day, fly out to center field.

Emil Brown, however, got fooled by a particularly nasty curveball on Sunday afternoon and did none of those things. Instead, he smashed the ball over Kauffman Stadium's left-field wall, broke open what had been a pitchers' duel and gave the Royals a 5-1 lead.

So, Emil, can most guys get fooled by a pitch and drive it that far?

"I guess not," Brown said, laughing and shrugging his shoulders. "But I was surprised when I hit it because I was kind of fooled by the pitch a little bit. He went from a fastball to a breaking ball and ... when it went out of the park, it surprised me."

It didn't surprise many other folks, though, least of all Astros right-hander Brandon Backe, the poor pitcher who gave up the towering shot. To that point, Backe had been locked in a 2-1 duel with Royals right-hander Runelvys Hernandez. One mistake, it seemed, would give one pitcher the win, and the other, the loss.

Brown's homer was that mistake.

It all but ended Backe's afternoon — he pitched to three more batters and left after the sixth — and it gave Hernandez his third win in as many starts.

"The home run gave us a little more cushion," Brown said. "[Runelvys] didn't really have to press too much because he had that cushion. If he made a few mistakes, it wouldn't hurt him as much as if the score was 2-1. That's what the home run basically did, helped him feel more comfortable on the mound."

Hernandez, meanwhile, was grateful.

"I am so proud of my team," Hernandez said, "because they came back. They come back all the time. I am so excited about that."

Hernandez was so excited, in fact, that he rushed up the dugout steps when he heard the roar that ensued after Brown's shot. He had to hurry, though, for when Brown connected, Hernandez was in the bathroom.

You might say that while the pitcher was taking care of one order of business, the batter was taking care of another -- the Astros.

"Brownie gave us a huge lift," manager Buddy Bell said. "We'd had some base runners left on and he came through with a huge home run.

"He's done a great job. He seems to be giving us good at-bats every time out."

Bell's comment is no exaggeration, either. Since the new skipper took over on May 31, Brown has batted .381 (24-for-63) with three homers and 17 RBIs in 16 games. Extend those numbers back almost one month to May 7, and Brown is batting .341 (47-for-138) with five homers and 31 RBIs in 37 games.

And while Brown has a very short track record — prior to this season, he had played in just 209 Major League games since his 1997 debut, and exactly none since 2002 — he has done nothing yet to show that this outburst is a fluke.

In fact, if Brown just keeps playing the way he's playing, he might be one of those power-hitting corner outfielders the Royals were hunting for during the offseason.

Don't believe it? Project Brown's current numbers out to 140 games— he's played in 56 of 68 games thus far, so assume he'll miss a few more because of the game's everyday grind — and you'll find that he's on pace to hit 20 home runs, drive in 93 runs, score 83 runs, and collect 143 hits, 33 of them doubles. Those aren't superstar numbers, but they're pretty darn solid. And Brown could produce them in a very solid fashion.

"I really try not to guess," Brown said, explaining his plate approach, "because if you guess wrong, then what happens?

"No, I just try to react and stay aggressive in the strike zone."

And even when he gets fooled, well, he's pretty darn solid.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Brown's blast helps lift Royals

Anderson positive after throwing

2005-06-19T14:30:00.000-05:00

Left-hander feels good following Sunday session

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Brian Anderson started his formal rehabilitation on Sunday afternoon with what he called a very strong five-minute bullpen session.

"For not having thrown off the mound in six weeks," Anderson said, "things were feeling pretty good. I got quite a few pitches in for five minutes. I just worked on fastballs on both sides of the plate and felt comfortable."

The bullpen session is the first of three planned for Anderson this week — he will also throw on Wednesday and Saturday — none of which could come quickly enough for the 33-year-old left-hander.

Before heading out to throw, Anderson couldn't stop talking about how excited he was to finally be on the road back. Afterward, well, he couldn't stop talking about how good he felt.

"It just went very well," he said. "I felt good."

Anderson also threw off the mound on Saturday, which means he has pitched on consecutive days for the first time since going on the disabled list with left elbow inflammation on May 9. He will be eligible to come off the DL on July 8, at which time Anderson expects to be ready to pitch for the Royals.

During the coming weeks, though, he first has to build up his pitch count — the next two bullpen sessions are expected to last eight and 10 minutes, respectively — and his repertoire. But that shouldn't be a problem.

"I'll add a changeup next time," Anderson said.

A ROYAL FATHER'S DAY

Most Royals arrived at the clubhouse a little later than normal on Sunday, and with good reason. It was, after all, Father's Day.

And though less than half of all Royals are fathers themselves, good wishes were still in order. "Happy Father's Day" was heard more than a few times.

Anderson briefly held court on the subject and talked about his four-month-old daughter, Rylyn Mae, who appears in two prominent pictures in the lefty's locker.

"It fired me up today," he said. "I always used to call my Dad on Father's Day but today, I talked with him first thing."

Infielder Joe McEwing also discussed Father's Day, both as a father — his son, Joseph, will turn two in August — and in appreciation of his own.

"It's something that's special to me because I know how much I appreciate my father and what he did for me when I was growing up, and for my family, to give us everything we could possibly imagine," McEwing said. "He worked his [rear end] off to do it. It's just a very special day for everybody.

"When my wife called this morning, my son's yelling, 'Daddy, daddy daddy,' and it meant a lot. It was one of those special feelings that you don't soon forget — and you won't forget."

ROYALS TRIVIA QUESTION

What did former Royals pitcher Steve Busby do on this date in 1974 that no Major League player had ever done? (See answer below)

INJURY UPDATE

Outfielder Matt Diaz, first baseman Ken Harvey and right-hander Steve Stemle will also begin a rehab stint in Arizona this week. The three will be there at least one week, Bell said.

"I try to be somewhat compassionate," he said. "Sometimes when you're on the DL — and I was on the DL as a player — you just kind of feel out of place, you don't feel like you're working. So sometimes you can get better when you're just away from things."

FARM REPORT

Triple-A Omaha smacked four home runs on Saturday for the second straight game and beat Round Rock, 12-5. Shawn Camp struck out six over five innings for the win. ... Double-A Wichita beat Arkansas, 5-4, thanks to Brennan King's two-run homer in the sixth. ... Class A High Desert split a doubleheader with Bakersfield, losing 4-1 and winning 5-0. Chris Lubanski homered twice in the second game to bring his season total to 16. ... Class A Burlington lost to Kane County, 2-1. The Bees have scored just two runs over their last three games.

TRIVIA ANSWER

On this date in 1974, Busby tossed the second no-hitter of his career — a 2-0 win over the Brewers at old Milwaukee County Stadium — and became the first player to ever notch a no-hitter in each of his first two big league seasons.

ON DECK

The Royals will begin an 11-day, nine-game road trip at 7:05 p.m. CT on Monday against the White Sox. The Royals will play three games in Chicago before traveling to Colorado and Minnesota.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Anderson positive after throwing

Hernandez tries to be stopper for KC

2005-06-19T00:40:00.000-05:00

Houston (28-38) at Kansas City (24-43), 1:10 p.m. CT

by Matt LaWell

Buddy Bell has recorded numerous firsts in Kansas City since he was introduced as Royals manager on May 31 -- the team's first sweep of the Yankees, for example, and their first five-game winning streak in nearly two years.

One first Bell would rather avoid, though, at least for a while longer, is the first sweep he suffers as the team's skipper.

He and the Royals are in danger of being swept by the Astros just three days after sweeping the Dodgers. And while we're speaking of sweeps, the Astros were swept by the Orioles just before they touched down at Kauffman Stadium.

Oh, for sweep's sake.

If the Royals are to avoid a loss on Sunday — and yes, the sweep, too — they'll need to muster a few more runs than they have during the first two games of the series. They've crossed home plate just twice against dominant Astros pitching.

PITCHING MATCHUP
HOU: RHP Brandon Backe
• 6-4, 4.88 ERA in 2005
• 1-0, 0.00 ERA vs. KC in 2003

KC: RHP Runelvys Hernandez
• 4-7, 4.89 ERA in 2005
• Has never faced HOU

PLAYER TO WATCH

After struggling to a 2-7 record during his first 11 starts, Hernandez has been splendid over his last three outings. During that stretch, the right-hander has gone 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP, and provided the Royals with the type of pitching he gave them two years ago. He'll need to continue his recent hot streak if the Royals hope to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Astros.

QUOTABLE

"My goal is to just spend a week out there and get back here to play." -- Outfielder Matt Diaz, on his approach to rehabbing his strained oblique in Arizona next week

QUICK HITS

D.J. Carrasco turned in his team-leading sixth quality start — three runs or fewer in six innings or more — on Saturday against the Astros. However, Carrasco also took the loss and walked five batters, one off his career high. ... Emil Brown was 2-for-3 against the Astros to extend his hitting streak to a modest six games. Brown is batting .480 (12-for-25) during the streak. ... Tony Graffanino, meanwhile, was 1-for-3, extending his own hitting streak to five games, during which he's batting .500 (9-for-18).

ON DECK

• Monday: at White Sox, 7:05 p.m. CT
• Tuesday: at White Sox, 7:05 p.m. CT
• Wednesday: at White Sox, 1:05 p.m. CT

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Hernandez tries to be stopper for KC

Taveras sparks Astros' offense

2005-06-18T23:15:00.000-05:00

Young speedster helps Houston to second straight win

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Willy Taveras had the fly ball in his sights and all but in his glove. All he had to do was catch it and the Astros would have their second straight road win in Kansas City.

Suddenly, he couldn't see the ball. And it dropped 10 feet away. And the opposing Royals scored a run. The game ended just one pitch later on a grounder to short, however, and the Astros had clinched a 6-2 win.

As for that fly ball, Willy?

"I just lost it in the sky," he explained. "It's hard when you play in a stadium for the first time."

Taveras, indeed, is a relative newcomer to Kauffman Stadium's outfield, which he had manned just once before Saturday. But other than that late miscue, which wound up costing the Astros a run but came nowhere close to costing them the game, Taveras was splendid.

He went 3-for-4 and wound up on base every time he came to the plate. He singled three times, walked once and, most importantly, scored the Astros' first three runs of the evening as the team built a 3-0 lead behind Roy Oswalt's right arm.

"He did a nice job," manager Phil Garner said of Taveras.

Of course, had the Astros not scored three more runs in the eighth, Garner might have said more about his rookie center fielder. But as for a nice job, well, Taveras will take that compliment considering the way the last week has gone for him.

He was just 2-for-19 during the first four games of the Astros road trip and hadn't scored a run since June 11. Those skids ended rather quickly, however, on Saturday.

Taveras looped the game's very first pitch into left field for a single before advancing to second on a fielding error. He later came around to score on Craig Biggio's sacrifice bunt and Morgan Ensberg's two-out sac fly.

He led off the third in much the same fashion when he walked on five pitches. Then three pitches later, he raced around the bases on Biggio's double to left. He singled and scored again in the seventh.

"I just try to get on," Taveras said. "I try to do that every day. Today was a day I got on three times and scored three runs ... by working hard."

And when asked about his fine evening — his seventh multi-hit game this month and his fourth three-hit game since June 5 — Taveras, of course, deferred almost all praise from his own shoulders to those of his teammates.

"The offense has come around the last three games," he said. "We've picked it up."

His manager saw it much the same way.

"The important thing is that we got some guys across the plate," Garner said. "That's where we've been dying. We just haven't been able to get runners across the plate, and in the last couple of days, we've done that much better."

And after bouncing back to his old form at the plate, the only thing Taveras has to do better is, well, not lose any more balls in the sky.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Taveras sparks Astros' offense

Bautista, Sullivan throw

2005-06-18T19:00:00.000-05:00

Sweeney set to take some swings on Father's Day

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Denny Bautista continued his march back to the Royals rotation with another strong simulated game on Saturday afternoon, his second in the last four days.

Bautista, who also turned in a solid outing on Wednesday, tossed 39 pitches during his latest appearance and his velocity remained at 95-96 mph.

That performance keeps the right-hander's rehabilitation on track and he will report to Triple-A Omaha, where he is expected to throw about 45 pitches during a start on Wednesday.

"He'll build up his pitch count by about 10 or 12 pitches per start," pitching coach Guy Hansen said. "Do the math, and he's got to get up to about 75 pitches before he can come back [to Kansas City]."

Bautista will likely reach that 75-pitch plateau after three or four starts with the O-Royals, which translates to a possible return right around the All-Star break during the second week of July.

And when that time comes, "We'll have to make some roster moves," manager Buddy Bell said.

Scott Sullivan also tossed another simulated game on Saturday as he continues what has been, to this point, a season-long rehabilitation from a strained back.

Sullivan impressed Bell, who said the right-hander, "looked better than he did the other day."

Sullivan will be sent down to Omaha with Bautista.

INJURY UPDATE

Mike Sweeney will swing a bat on Sunday for the first time since he suffered a sprained left wrist and elbow on Wednesday against the Dodgers.

Bell said he expects Sweeney to return to the Royals lineup sometime during the team's series against the White Sox, which begins on Monday in Chicago.

"He said he felt good today, which is a significant improvement," Bell said. "But with him, we've got to back off just a little bit because he'll play today if we let him."

Right-hander Steve Stemle and outfielder Matt Diaz will also take the next step in their return to the roster when they travel to Arizona to recuperate from a back strain and a strained left oblique, respectively.

Traveling with Stemle and Diaz will be first baseman Ken Harvey, who has been on the disabled list with a back strain since May 19. Harvey, who had been playing at Omaha, stopped in Kansas City on Saturday and spent some time in the Royals clubhouse before the team's game with the Astros.

"Harv's just up for a checkup," Bell said. "He's not feeling very good."

ROYALS TRIVIA QUESTION

What Royals pitcher holds the team record for innings pitched in a single season? (See answer below)

DRAFTEES CONTINUE TO SIGN

After signing five more draft picks on Friday, the Royals now have every top pick signed except first-round selection Alex Gordon and third-round selection Chris Nicoll.

Heading Friday's list of those who signed was Jeff Bianchi, whom the Royals drafted in the second round. Bianchi signed his contract almost immediately after leading his school — Lampeter-Strasburg (Pa.) High — to the Class AAA Pennsylvania state championship.

Gordon, meanwhile, continues his march to a College World Series championship. The Nebraska third baseman scored one run and led the Huskers to a 5-3 win over Arizona State on Friday. They will next play the University of Florida at 5 p.m. CT on Sunday.

FARM REPORT

Chris George struck out eight batters over six innings on Friday for Omaha, but was only one of many stars for the O-Royals, who clubbed five home runs, including four in a seven-run ninth inning, en route to an 11-4 win over Round Rock. ... Matt Tupman was 3-for-3 for Double-A Wichita, but the Wranglers lost, 8-4, to Arkansas. ... Billy Buckner struck out six over 5 2/3 innings and picked up his fifth win as Class A High Desert beat Bakersfield, 8-4. The win is the fourth straight for the Mavericks. ... Class A Burlington was shut out for the second straight game by Kane County, 10-0

TRIVIA ANSWER

Right-hander Dennis Leonard pitched 294 2/3 innings in 1978, still the most ever by a Royals pitcher. Leonard also holds the team record for starts, complete games and strikeouts in a single season.

ON DECK

The Royals will conclude their three-game weekend set with the Astros at 1:10 p.m. CT on Sunday. Right-hander Runelvys Hernandez (4-7, 4.89 ERA) will take the hill for the Royals in search of his third win in as many starts, while righty Brandon Backe (6-4, 4.88 ERA) will counter for the Astros.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Bautista, Sullivan throw

Carrasco gets second crack at Astros

2005-06-18T00:40:00.000-05:00

Houston (26-38) at Kansas City (23-41), 6:10 p.m. CT

by Matt LaWell

No Royals pitcher has been sharper during the last month than D.J. Carrasco, and no Royals pitcher will have to be sharper Saturday than Carrasco.

Carrasco, who started the season at Triple-A, has marched to a 2-1 record with a 2.33 ERA since his mid-May callup and has been good enough to win nearly every one of his six starts.

The Royals, meanwhile, have mirrored Carrasco's success, winning 11 of their last 16 games, and four of their last five series. And if they have any chance of winning their fifth series among their last six, Carrasco will have to be at the top of his game against the Astros and Roy Oswalt, after the Royals suffered a dreary 7-0 loss Friday night.

Saturday's game should be a pitchers' duel: Carrasco is 2-0 in June with a 0.86 ERA — two earned runs allowed over 21 innings — while Oswalt is coming off a sparkling two-hit shutout Sunday afternoon.

PITCHING MATCHUP

HOU: RHP Roy Oswalt
• 7-7, 2.85 ERA in 2005
• Has never faced KC

KC: RHP D.J. Carrasco
• 2-1, 2.33 ERA in 2005
• Has never faced HOU

Player to watch
Of all the Royals, only Matt Stairs has faced Oswalt more than seven times during his career — and he's fared pretty well. Stairs is 7-for-22, good for a .318 batting average, against Oswalt with one homer and two walks.

QUOTABLE

"I know it's not easy to play when you're 19 games below .500. That's what I'm most proud of." — Manager Buddy Bell, on the Royals' approach during recent games

QUICK HITS

Tony Graffanino extended his hitting streak to a modest four games Friday with an eighth-inning single. Graffanino is batting .533 (8-for-15) during the streak. ... Graffanino has now notched at least one base hit in 20 of his last 24 games, and 20 of his last 21 starts. ... Left-hander Andrew Sisco extended his scoreless innings steak to 9 2/3 after pitching a scoreless eighth and ninth Friday. He last allowed a run May 24 at Texas. ... File this one under "Useless Information": Each of the Royals' three pitchers Friday night — J.P. Howell, Leo Nunez and Sisco — is a rookie who was born in 1983 and finished the game with a 1-1 record.

ON DECK

• Sunday: vs. Astros, 1:10 p.m. CT
• Monday: at White Sox, 7:05 p.m. CT
• Tuesday: at White Sox, 7:05 p.m. CT

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Carrasco gets second crack at Astros

Gordon collects more hardware

2005-06-17T21:00:00.000-05:00

Royals' No. 1 pick adds two honors to growing collection

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — What a day for Alex Gordon.

Gordon, the 21-year-old University of Nebraska third baseman who was drafted second overall by the Royals last week in the First-Year Player Draft, added two more awards on Friday to his already-impressive resume, then scored an early run and led the Huskers to a 5-3 win over Arizona State at the College World Series.

The awards: The Dick Howser Trophy, awarded annually to college baseball's best player by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, and Baseball America's College Player of the Year award.

"It's a credit to his ability and the numbers he's put up during his collegiate career," senior director of scouting Deric Ladnier said of Gordon. "When we drafted him, we knew we were getting a good player, and a good person, also."

Gordon is just the 13th player to win both awards and the 12th to win them both in the same year. Previous dual winners include Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek, Rockies first baseman Todd Helton, Dodgers outfielder J.D. Drew, Rangers first baseman Mark Teixeira and Cubs pitcher Mark Prior. Seven of those dual winners have also won the Golden Spike Award, which honor's the best amateur baseball player and for which Gordon is also a finalist.

"It confirms he's one of the best college players in the draft," assistant general manager Muzzy Jackson said. "When you have the No. 2 pick, you're obviously trying to find the best talent and we considered him the best college player."

So did almost every other Major League team.

Manager Buddy Bell, who joined the Royals on May 31 after nearly three seasons as the Indians' bench coach, said Gordon was also at the top of Cleveland's draft board, and with good reason.

Gordon led the Huskers to a school-record 56 wins and their third appearance in the College World Series since 2001. Individually, he batted .380 with 19 home runs and 64 RBIs, and was named Big 12 Player of the Year for the second straight season. He also posted a .527 on-base percentage and a .740 slugging percentage.

Most Royals fans — and most Royals, for that matter — have yet to see Gordon up close, including Bell, who said he looked forward to working with the team's top draft pick.

Unfortunately, everybody will have to wait a bit longer, as the Huskers' first College World Series game coincided with the Royals' series opener against the Astros on Friday. Several team officials, though, said they would be watching it on television.

"I'll have it on the feed upstairs," Jackson said with a laugh.

And if Jackson gets to watch a Huskers' victory, well, that would be about the only way Gordon's momentous day could get any better.

ROYALS INK FIVE

While Gordon has yet to even negotiate his first professional contract — he and his agent, Damon Thames, said talks would begin after Gordon's collegiate season ends — the Royals did manage to sign five other top draft picks Friday.

Heading the list is Jeff Bianchi, whose day nearly matched Gordon's.

Bianchi, who the Royals drafted in the second round out of Lampeter-Strasburg (Pa.) High, led his school to an 8-7 win and the Pennsylvania Class AAA state championship. He reached base three times and scored the game-tying run in the sixth inning, then signed after the game.

The Royals also signed Shawn Hayes, a shortstop from Franklin Pierce (N.H.) College whom they drafted in the fifth round, and East Connecticut State left-hander Ryan Dipietro, whom they drafted in the sixth round.

Twelfth-round selection James Harkcom, a right-handed pitcher out of New Mexico Junior College, and 13th-round selection Andrew Larsen, a center fielder from SUNY-Stony Brook, also signed Friday.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Gordon collects more hardware

Royals, Howell host Astros

2005-06-17T00:40:00.000-05:00

Houston (26-38) at Kansas City (24-41)

by Matt LaWell

J.P. Howell won't be getting much sleep Thursday night.

That really shouldn't come as much of a surprise, though. The 22-year-old rookie left-hander never sleeps much the night before a start, even during college.

"I'll be restless," Howell said. "I'll roll around a little bit before finally settling down."

As for settling down on the mound, that's a different story. The Royals will need Howell to settle down early, though, and settle in against seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens. Both attended the University of Texas.

If Howell can beat the Rocket, the Royals will win their sixth straight game, which would be the team's longest streak since they reeled off nine in a row to start the 2003 season.

PITCHING MATCHUP

HOU: RHP Roger Clemens
• 4-3, 1.64 ERA in 2005
• Did not face KC in 2004

KC: LHP J.P. Howell
• 1-0, 1.80 ERA in 2005
• Has never faced HOU

PLAYER TO WATCH

Howell, and why not? He'll be making his Kauffman Stadium debut after a splendid Major League debut Saturday at Arizona — eight strikeouts and just one run allowed over five innings. He's already beat his old college roommate (Brad Halsey), now he's going to try to beat a living legend.

QUOTABLE

"When I was in the Cleveland dugout, our hitters did not want to face Zack Greinke." — Bell on the Royals' 21-year-old righty starter

QUICK HITS

After Greinke plunked a pair of Dodgers in the fourth inning Thursday, the 21-year-old became the Major League leader in hit batsmen this season, with eight in just 75 1/3 innings. That number matches his 2004 total, when he hit eight batters in 145 innings. ... Alberto Castillo's three RBIs gave him a season total of 12, which exceeds his 2004 output of 11. The 12 RBIs are, in fact, the most for Castillo in any season since 2000, when he drove in 16 for the Blue Jays. ... Every Royals batter collected at least one hit during the team's 9-6 win over the Dodgers on Thursday.

ON DECK

• Saturday: vs. Astros, 6:10 p.m. CT
• Sunday: vs. Astros, 1:10 p.m. CT
• Monday: at White Sox, 7:05 p.m. CT

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Royals, Howell host Astros

Despite bumps, Greinke confident

2005-06-16T23:50:00.000-05:00

On 111-pitch night, young right-hander stays upbeat

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Zack Greinke stood in front of his locker Thursday night still wearing his full uniform. Around him, his teammates showered, dressed and left, but Greinke just stood there, fielding questions. He was even wearing a jacket while outside temperatures had soared into the 80s.

His explanation?

"I just forgot to take it off when I came in and went straight to the food room," he said.

Fair enough. Greinke should be entitled to his numerous eccentricities, especially if he continues his march back from a disastrous five-start stretch during which he allowed 31 earned runs and 43 hits over just 23 2/3 innings of work.

Granted, his latest performance Thursday against the Dodgers wasn't spectacular — he allowed three earned runs and eight hits over five innings while walking two batters, hitting two more and striking out four — but it was a stark improvement on his last outing, when he set team records for hits and runs allowed in a single game.

That is, at least, what manager Buddy Bell said. It's what catcher Alberto Castillo said, too. Most importantly, though, it's what Greinke said.

"I felt really good out there," he said. "Especially since we won the game, I'm satisfied with it. I think I pitched real good.

"I'm pretty confident after an outing like this."

And Greinke's confidence does not go unmerited, for while his line was hardly a thing of beauty, it could have been much worse. But the 21-year-old right-hander wriggled his way out of two bases-loaded jams — with one out in the first, then with two outs in the fourth — leaving a trio of Dodgers stranded each time.

Working out of his first-inning quagmire, Greinke said, was key to his success the rest of the night.

"I was like, all right, if they get some runs here who knows what's going to happen," he said. "But once I got out of that one, I felt like I could get out of any one. So that helped me for the future jams."

Make no mistake, Greinke did get himself in more trouble. He allowed a baserunner in every inning but the fifth, and left runners at third base three times. His pitch count, too, soared. After one inning, it already stood at 26; after two, 42; after three, 64; and after four, 96. In all, he threw 111 pitches, a career high.

Even that problem, though, wasn't enough to deter Bell from praising his young pitcher.

"His pitch count got up there in the first three or four innings," Bell said, "but I thought he was much more aggressive. He committed to his pitches a lot more, and that's the Zack that I remember. That's the Zack that I saw [when I was with Cleveland]."

And Castillo couldn't stop talking about his batterymate. Even when Castillo was asked about his performance at the plate -- he batted 2-for-3 and drove in three runs -- all he could do was talk about Greinke.

"He was excited," Castillo said. "We talked before the game about how we were going to approach these guys and I think he did well. The only pitch he missed was the [home run]. ... But he still has all pitches. I think he'll be all right."

That is, after all, the hope. Greinke has started just 38 games in his career, and has pitched pretty well during most of them. The only reason his recent bump in the road was magnified so much was because it was his first bump in the road.

But Greinke retooled his delivery, opting to let it all out rather than trying to be, as he put it, a "tricky, finesse" pitcher.

"I wasn't thinking about what pitch was going to trick this guy," he said. "I was just thinking, 'Alberto called the pitch. Zack, throw the pitch and execute it all you can to execute it.'"

And while he managed just another no-decision, rest assured, Greinke did execute.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Despite bumps, Greinke confident

Sweeney rattled, but no DL

2005-06-16T20:30:00.000-05:00

Four-time All-Star gets MRI; Lima croons at Kauffman

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Mike Sweeney is not headed for the disabled list. Not yet, at least.

Instead, Sweeney is listed as day-to-day while allowing his injured left wrist and left elbow to heal following a Wednesday night collision.

That collision, which came during the fourth inning after Dodgers right fielder Jayson Werth barreled down the line, left Sweeney rocking on his back, clutching his wrist in pain. After the game, Sweeney winced while just taking off his shoes, though his health has improved since then.

"I feel a lot better," he said. "Last night was pretty traumatic."

Sweeney underwent an MRI on his injured arm Wednesday morning, but results had not yet come back. Preliminary X-rays, however, came back negative, which, Sweeney said, was a plus.

Sweeney was instructed to not even swing a bat for the next two days, and he will remain out of the lineup until at least the end of the Royals' current homestand, which will end Sunday.

"We're going to take it day by day, maybe four or five days just to let the swelling go down; maybe even get another MRI," he said. "But to put things into perspective, whether it's three days or two weeks, I'll be back."

Manager Buddy Bell spoke with athletic trainer Nick Swartz and reported similar news.

"It's going to be a few days," Bell said. "Hopefully, it's not going to be more than a few days.

"It's tough for us to not have Mike in the lineup. It's even tougher for us to not have him around. But he'll be in the dugout tonight, a guy who everyone gravitates to and talks to. Losing him is huge."

But the best news for Sweeney and the Royals is that the four-time All-Star isn't relegated to a stint on the disabled list.

"When we saw him go down, I think we all thought it was going to be worse," Bell said. "Thankfully, that's not the case."

LIMA CROONS

Jose Lima, who notched his first win of the season Wednesday against the Dodgers, remained in the spotlight the next night by singing the national anthem.

Lima was born in the Dominican Republic and lives in the Houston area, but is not an American citizen. Still, this latest effort was not his first turn singing the anthem. Last season, while pitching for the Dodgers, he performed the same trick in Los Angeles. His latest performance was planned during Spring Training.

"I'm looking forward to it," Lima said before the game. "I'm excited. I'm excited for today. I won't disappoint you."

In addition to singing one of the nation's most famous songs, Lima has released several merengue albums and frequently totes a guitar to the clubhouse. He is, to say the least, quite the musician.

Because of his past performances, in fact, Lima has flirted with the idea of performing music exclusively after he retires. Well, that or play golf.

"The day that I hang my jersey, I'm done [with performing in stadiums]," he said. "I'll go into the music industry or go play golf a lot. I might go on the [PGA] Tour. I can do both."

Those post-career plans aside, Lima might not even be the only Royal to sing the anthem before a game. Earlier this season, catcher Alberto Castillo said he would sing if the team won 10 straight games. So Jose, can Alberto sing?

"I'll be honest," Lima said, a wide smile on his face. "I'm the godfather of his little daughter, he's my compadre. And nothing against Alberto Castillo, my boy can't sing. Brutal. Can't dance, either."

ROYALS TRIVIA QUESTION

If the Royals can turn in another win over the Dodgers on Thursday, they will extend their winning streak to five games. When did the Royals last win five straight? (See answer below)

LONGHORNS LOCK HORNS

During his first Major League start, J.P. Howell went up against his former college roommate, Diamondbacks left-hander Brad Halsey. In his second, he'll face the best pitcher his college — the University of Texas — has ever produced.

Roger Clemens.

A little background: Just last year, while leading Texas to the College World Series, Howell was a finalist for the Roger Clemens Award, which is presented to the best college pitcher. He didn't win the award, but facing the Rocket isn't such a bad consolation prize.

"That's a trip, isn't it?," Howell said. "A year later, things have kind of come to a beautiful point for me. I'm sitting there last year, talking with Roger Clemens and I never thought, a year later, I would be pitching against him in Kauffman Stadium.

"Going against Roger Clemens is [surreal]. I thought he'd be retired by now, but it seems like he's in his prime. He's had about three or four primes, it seems like."

Howell has good reason to think Clemens might have been retired by now. He was, after all, barely 1 year old when Clemens made his Major League debut, way back in May 1984.

Twenty-one years later, Howell is pitching for the Royals and Clemens just keeps going.

"It's a special night for him," Bell said. "It's pretty cool."

FARM REPORT

Chad Santos batted 3-for-5 and drove in four runs Wednesday as Triple-A Omaha outslugged Oklahoma for an 8-7 win. ... Double-A Wichita mustered just one extra-base hit in a 10-2 loss to Tulsa. ... Chris Lubanski extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a 3-for-3 night for Class A High Desert. Lubanski doubled twice and hit a home run, while the Mavericks beat Visalia, 8-5. ... Class A Burlington translated two singles, a triple and three wild pitches into three ninth-inning runs and a 5-3 win over Cedar Rapids.

TRIVIA ANSWER

Believe it or not, the Royals haven't enjoyed a five-game winning streak since June 22-27, 2003, when they won one game at St. Louis, three at Cleveland and one more against the Cardinals at home.

ON DECK

The Royals will begin a three-game weekend series with the Astros at 7:10 p.m. CT on Friday. Howell (1-0, 1.80 ERA) will square off with Clemens (4-3, 1.64).

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Sweeney rattled, but no DL

Royals hand the ball to Greinke in finale

2005-06-16T00:40:00.000-05:00

Los Angeles (33-31) at Kansas City (23-41), 7:10 p.m. CT

by Matt LaWell

Bring out the brooms. Again.

The Royals, who didn't sweep any opponent during a 79-series stretch that lasted from September 2003 to June 2 of this season, can notch their second sweep in their last five series in Thursday's finale. And over the Dodgers, no less, who have been battling all season for the top spot in the National League West.

The task will be a tough one for 21-year-old Zack Greinke, who will carry his 1-7 record and 6.01 ERA to the mound. After his last start, during which he allowed 11 runs and 15 hits in just 4 1/3 innings, the right-hander sat in a Phoenix hotel room with pitching coach Guy Hansen and broke down his delivery, searching for ways to adjust and improve. So, how will Greinke adjust Thursday?

"My adjustment is just to go to whatever feels normal and make it feel right," he said. "I'm walking more batters than ever before, I'm giving up more hits than ever before. I'm throwing strikes, but I'm also not throwing strikes.

"That's the tough part about pitching. If you have a bad outing, you have to wait five or six days to get out there again."

With those days now passed, the Royals just need Greinke to turn in a vintage performance — and that term is used very loosely, as the righty has been old enough to have a celebratory beer for all of eight months.

That would be sweep, indeed.

PITCHING MATCHUP

LAD: RHP Derek Lowe
• 5-6, 3.62 ERA in 2005
• 1-1, 5.06 ERA in 2004 vs. KC

KC: RHP Zack Greinke
• 1-7, 6.01 ERA in 2005
• Has never faced LAD

PLAYER TO WATCH

Emil Brown continued his hot streak Wednesday night by rapping two hits and driving in two runs. His batting average, which stood at .161 on April 29, is now a solid .286. He is batting .395 (17-for-43) in June with two homers and 12 RBIs in 11 games.

QUOTABLE

"I wanted to send a message and I did." — Jose Lima on his win over the Dodgers, who didn't sign him following the 2004 season

QUICK HITS

The Royals have won four straight games for the second time this season, the last such streak coming May 31-June 3. Both streaks have come with Buddy Bell at the helm. ... Bell's 10-4 record is the second-best start for any Royals manager since the team's inception in 1969. Whitey Herzog started 11-3 in 1975. ... Mike MacDougal notched his eighth save in 10 chances on Wednesday. He is a perfect 6-for-6 since Bell reinstalled him as the Royals' closer on May 31. MacDougal has struck out at least one batter in 16 of his last 17 appearances. He has struck out 34 batters this season in 32 innings. ... Brown has at least one RBI in each of his last five games.

ON DECK

• Friday: vs. Houston, 7:10 p.m. CT
• Saturday: vs. Houston, 6:10 p.m. CT
• Sunday: vs. Houston, 1:10 p.m. CT

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Royals hand the ball to Greinke in finale

Lima's message loud and clear in win

2005-06-15T23:30:00.000-05:00

Right-hander still feeling slighted after Dodgers let him go

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Jose Lima wanted to send a message Wednesday night, though it was unclear who, exactly, was the recipient.

It might have been the Royals' fans, who have both cheered and booed Lima as he marched to five losses and an 8.16 ERA during his first 13 starts. It might have been himself, to whom he granted invaluable reassurance that Major League wins are not a thing of the past.

More likely, though, it was the Dodgers, who did not tender Lima a contract after he compiled a 13-5 mark just a year ago, and notched a shutout in the team's first playoff win since 1988. If, indeed, Lima was sending his proverbial message to his former club, rest assured that it was received, especially after the right-hander worked a season-high eight innings and beat the Dodgers, 3-1, for his first win since, well, he was a Dodger himself.

Lima quieted the Dodgers' clubhouse — most players either dressed quickly and left, or sat on couches and watched television — and he all but quieted manager Jim Tracy, who had little to say about his team's power outage the last two nights against the Royals. Tracy said more, in fact, about Lima's efforts than he did about the Dodgers'.

"He was definitely on his game," Tracy said. "And that's not the first time I've seen him go out there and perform like that. Give him credit. From the third inning on, he made pitches and he continued to make them. He made pitches ahead in the count, he made quality pitches when he was behind in the count and we just weren't able to do anything with it.

"He just never really allowed us to get anything going. That's basically all it boils down to."

Dodgers right-hander Brad Penny, who countered with a seven-inning effort that would be good enough to win most games — three earned runs and eight hits allowed, seven strikeouts against just one walk — chalked up Lima's performance to the emotions that run though any pitcher when he bears down against a former team.

"It's always nice to face your old team," said Penny, "and he pitched a great game. He was locating all his pitches. Any time a big league pitcher locates all three pitches, he's going to be successful."

Lima was certainly that Wednesday, notching his first regular-season win since Sept. 14 of last year. Afterward, he held court and spoke out about his performance and his tenure with the Dodgers.

"At least I have good memories coming out of L.A.," he said, "and I will never forget that."

While speaking, he debated which color shoes to wear — he chose black over brown — and donned a black camouflage T-shirt and cap, though he'll surely not be trying to hide anytime soon.

Before leaving, he plucked a game ball from a table next to his locker and dropped it in the back pocket of his jeans. It was for his mother, who was in attendance.

"She told me to bring that ball home," he said, "and I'll bring it to her."

He already delivered the message, now he just has to deliver the ball.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Lima's message loud and clear in win

Lima faces former Dodger teammates

2005-06-15T00:40:00.000-05:00

Los Angeles (33-30) at Kansas City (22-41), 7:10 p.m. CT

by Matt LaWell

To say that Jose Lima has struggled during his first 13 starts this season would be an understatement.

The former All-Star and 20-game winner is, in fact, winless this season, and has picked up five losses. His ERA, all 8.16 of it, is the worst in the American League. He's allowed a league-leading 17 home runs and, until recently, his walks allowed exceeded his strikeouts.

But there is hope for him and the resurgence of Lima Time. Why? Because Lima will have a little extra incentive when he takes the mound Wednesday night at Kauffman Stadium — he'll be pitching against the Dodgers, the team that let him go after he notched 13 wins last season.

The last time Lima won a regular-season game, he was wearing Dodger blue, so maybe, just maybe, seeing that storied uniform in the batter's box will bring out the best in him.

PITCHING MATCHUP

KC: RHP Jose Lima
• 0-5, 8.16 ERA in 2005
• Has not faced LAD in 2003 or 2004

LAD: RHP Brad Penny
• 3-2, 4.04 ERA in 2005
• Has never faced KC

PLAYER TO WATCH

Mike Sweeney returned to the lineup Tuesday after missing five games with a strained rib cage and was 1-for-4 with a double. The question now: Can the four-time All-Star, whose batting average has dipped to .297, resume his early-season form?

QUOTABLE

"You have about a half-hour?" — Manager Buddy Bell, when asked to describe his first Major League home run

QUICK HITS

For the first time in nearly two years — and for just the third time in his career — Runelvys Hernandez did not walk a batter in a start. The right-hander lasted six innings Tuesday night and didn't allow a free pass. The only other times he accomplished the feat? July 11, 2003 at Texas, and Sept. 28, 2002 at Cleveland. He earned no-decisions in each of those starts. ... Left fielder Shane Costa batted 3-for-3 with a solo homer, notching the first three-hit game and first homer of his young career. Costa is batting .421 (8-for-19) since his May 31 callup. ... Right-hander Ambiorix Burgos struck out the Dodgers side in the eighth inning, extending his streak of appearances with at least one strikeout to six. Burgos has struck out 13 batters in 8 2/3 innings this month, while walking just three. His ERA during that stretch is a tiny 1.04.

ON DECK

• Wednesday: vs. Dodgers, 7:10 p.m. CT
• Thursday: vs. Dodgers, 7:10 p.m. CT
• Friday: vs. Astros, 7:10 p.m. CT

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Lima faces former Dodger teammates

Like weather, Runelvys heating up

2005-06-14T23:55:00.000-05:00

Right-hander wins game without overpowering stuff

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Somehow, some way, Runelvys Hernandez plowed his way to another quality start Tuesday night and, more importantly, another win.

The right-hander didn't have his best stuff during his six innings on the mound against the Dodgers — his velocity was down and his pitches were riding up in the zone — but he found a way to work around those shortcomings and lead the Royals to their third straight win, a 3-2 triumph at Kauffman Stadium, pick up his second consecutive win and improve to 4-7 this season.

"I was excited," Hernandez said, "because I've been working really hard in my bullpen sessions on control. I've been working so hard to get better and better."

And in his efforts to get better, the 27-year-old right-hander is starting to look less like the pitcher who spent last season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and more like the one who burst on to the scene two years ago and won seven games in 16 starts.

Indeed, after winning just twice during his first 12 starts this season, Hernandez won his second straight outing and notched his third straight quality start — three or fewer runs allowed in six or more innings. Since the calendar turned to June, he's 2-0 with a nifty 2.00 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP.

And Tuesday night, for the first time in nearly two years, he didn't walk a batter during a start, which manager Buddy Bell said was great, especially in a tightly contested one-run game. The only other outings during which Hernandez issued nary a walk? July 11, 2003, at Texas and Sept. 28, 2002, at Cleveland, both of which earned the right-hander a no-decision. Hernandez's explanation for this statistical oddity?

"Right now, I feel confident," he said, making the complex seem so simple. "I'm trying to put everything together — my changeup, my slider, my fastball — and I'm excited about that."

Despite all those positives, though, Hernandez opened the evening in poor fashion when he allowed a solo homer to Hee-Seop Choi on just the seventh pitch of the game. He allowed just one more run though, a J.D. Drew solo homer to center in the third, before settling in till the sixth. His final line: six innings, two earned runs, eight scattered hits, no walks and two strikeouts. Oh, and after Jeremy Affeldt, Ambiorix Burgos and Mike MacDougal pitched three scoreless innings of relief, the win, too.

"I don't think he had his great stuff tonight," Bell said, "but all in all, he made some pitches when he really had to. It takes a while to get over the type of surgery that he had. He's been able to figure it out somehow, and in the middle of an inning, sometimes. It shows his toughness, it shows he knows how to pitch."

With another solid outing behind him, the question that really bears asking is: If Hernandez is still recovering from that surgery he underwent almost two years ago, how good can he get this season? It's tough to tell right now, but if the Royals keep winning and Hernandez keeps talking about 2003 — a fine season for both him and Kansas City — the answer could be, well, pretty darn good.

"In 2003, everything was beautiful — the bullpen and hitters, the defense, everything was together," Hernandez said. "And now, you don't see anybody's head down. Everybody is excited to play. It's a love."

It's starting to look a little bit like that memorable year for Hernandez, and he's loving every minute. Even when he doesn't have his best stuff.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Like weather, Runelvys heating up

Graffanino all smiles

2005-06-14T20:30:00.000-05:00

Light-hearted second baseman has stepped up his game

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — While his teammates took batting practice Tuesday afternoon, Tony Graffanino stood near third base, a glove on his hand, a smile on his goateed face.

He fielded a few grounders, tossed a few balls across the infield and resumed his stance before deciding to have a little fun. With John Buck in the cage, Graffanino fielded a ball and, rather than throw it to first, deposited it in his back pocket, laughing.

Graffanino, of course, has been able to laugh about almost everything lately. His team is 7-4 this month — and 8-4 since manager Buddy Bell took over on May 31 — and Graffanino has batted .419 (13-for-31) under the new skipper. Since the end of April, the 32-year-old utility infielder has raised his average from .206 to .321. His new manager couldn't be happier.

"He's great," Bell said, "and he gives you a great at-bat all the time, whether he starts the game or whether he comes in late. He can play all over the place and he's a guy you want to put in the lineup all the time because he deserves it."

Indeed, Graffanino's work habits are infectious, especially from a player who doesn't enjoy the luxury of knowing he'll be in the lineup every day. In fact, after leading the American League in batting last week — a nice .545 clip — Graffanino's name was conspicuously absent from the lineup Tuesday.

Not that it bothers him, his teammates or his manager.

"We've got [Joe] McEwing on the bench, we've got Graffanino on the bench, we've got [Emil] Brown on the bench, we've got [Alberto] Castillo on the bench," Bell said. "That's not too bad. Those are veteran guys who understand the game and understand when they'll be used.

"If you're a bench player, you've got to be a special kind of guy ... because you're sitting on the bench and all of a sudden you've got to go up there and face 95, 96 [mph]. That's not a real easy task."

But for a veteran like Graffanino, well, he'll just keep hitting. And laughing.

THE HITS JUST KEEP ON COMING

Graffanino isn't the only Royal to enjoy a bit of a renaissance at the plate during the last few weeks. He is, in fact, just one of nine players batting better than .300 since Bell was named manager. During that span, the team is batting .313.

So, why the recent rise in batting average? Perhaps it's Bell, perhaps it's new hitting coach Andre David, perhaps it's just the weather. Bell, at least, will credit David.

"Andre has done a great job," Bell said. "Andre's approach is very positive, he's got a great relationship with these guys already — especially the younger guys who he had in the Minor Leagues for a couple years.

"I've been staying away from him and letting him do his thing."

TRIVIA QUESTION

Though the Royals had never played the Dodgers during the regular season before Tuesday, the teams have made three trades. When did those trades occur and what players were involved? (See answer below.)

A STATS STORY

Want to put outfielder Emil Brown's recent power surge into some sort of perspective? Chew on these numbers:

Through Monday, Brown was batting .281 with seven home runs and 31 RBIs, while former Royals' outfielder Carlos Beltran, now of the Mets, is batting .285 with seven homers and 29 RBIs.

Take the comparison a step further, and the numbers show that Brown has scored more runs than Beltran, 31 to 27, and amassed a higher on-base percentage and slugging percentage, .356 to .342, and .478 to .444, respectively.

The pair's statistics are nearly identical, in fact, across the board. The only glaring difference? Salary. Brown is earning $355,000 this season, while Beltran is pulling down $11,571,429.

Will Brown be able to sustain his current pace much longer? Probably not. And will Beltran's numbers remain so low? Again, probably not. But for now, at least, Brown looks like a slugging bargain.

INJURY UPDATE

Mike Sweeney returned to the No. 3 spot in the lineup and his perch at first base Tuesday after missing five games with a rib-cage injury.

"He probably could have played Sunday," Bell said. "We were trying like heck to stay away from him. ... He feels good about playing first and we're happy to have him back in the lineup."

The Royals' army of injured pitchers, however, hasn't been quite as lucky. Right-hander Steve Stemle, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with a back strain, underwent an MRI Tuesday afternoon, though no further diagnosis was available.

Right-handers Denny Bautista and Kyle Snyder are both scheduled to throw simulated games Wednesday, and left-hander Brian Anderson is "feeling good."

Anderson isn't close to being ready to return from the DL -- he's been sidelined with left elbow inflammation since May 9 -- though the lefty joked that he's so old, the team just let him rehab at his own pace.

"Of course, [Anderson], he wants to start today," Bell said, "so we've got to be careful with him. I'm anxious to get him back, though."

FARM REPORT

Calvin Pickering was 2-for-4 and hit his fifth homer this season Monday. That run, though, was the only one Triple-A Omaha could muster in a 4-1 loss to Oklahoma. ... Double-A Wichita swept a doubleheader from Tulsa, 9-8 and 2-1. Mike Aviles was 4-for-4 and scored three runs in the first game; Barry Armitage pitched five scoreless innings in the second game to pick up the win. ... Class A High Desert lost its third straight game to Rancho Cucamonga, 3-2, despite a strong outing from Chris Coughlin, who allowed just four hits over 7 2/3 innings. ... Class A Burlington notched a seven-run fourth inning on its way to a 8-3 win over Cedar Rapids.

TRIVIA ANSWER

On Dec. 9, 1983, the Royals sent John Serritella, Joe Szekely and Jose Torres to the Dodgers for Joe Beckwith. Eight years later, they sent Todd Benzinger to the Dodgers for Chris Gwynn and Domingo Mota, on Dec. 11, 1991. And almost exactly four years after that -- Dec. 17, 1995, to be exact -- the Royals sent Billy Brewer to the Dodgers for Jose Offerman.

ON DECK

The Royals will continue their three-game set with the Dodgers at 7:10 p.m. CT on Wednesday at Kauffman Stadium. Right-hander Jose Lima (0-5, 8.16 ERA) will start for the Royals, and right-hander Brad Penny (3-2, 4.04 ERA) will take the hill for the Dodgers.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Graffanino all smiles

Hunter named AL Player of the Week

2005-06-13T15:00:00.000-05:00

Outfielder clubbed three homers, scored nine runs in span

by Matt LaWell

MINNEAPOLIS — Torii Hunter has bone chips in his elbow, a separated joint in his left shoulder and a broken toe. After a splendid week at the plate and on the basepaths, the Minnesota Twins' center fielder also has his first American League Player of the Week Award.

While leading the Twins to a 3-3 record against the Diamondbacks and the Dodgers, Hunter batted .381 (8-for-21), clubbed three homers and drove in five runs. He also led the AL with nine runs scored and a 1.000 slugging percentage.

All this from a 29-year-old with a laundry list of injuries.

"Hamstring, groin — you name it, I've got it," Hunter said on Tuesday. "I just keep chugging. It's the mentality. ... If I'm 100 percent, something's wrong."

Nothing has been wrong with Hunter's performance of late. His batting average has jumped 40 points since June 1 — it now sits at .278 — and he's reached base safely in every game this month. The Twins, meanwhile, hold fast to an early three-game lead in the AL Wild Card race and have Hunter, among others, to thank.

"He seems to have stepped up his game a little bit," Twins starter Brad Radke said on Tuesday, after Hunter went 4-for-5 in a win over the Diamondbacks. "Whenever we need a big hit or a big play, he's the one doing it."

Hunter wasn't the only Twin putting up big numbers last week. Outfielder Jacque Jones batted .320 with three home runs and eight RBIs, while left-hander Johan Santana pitched a four-hit, complete-game shutout at Arizona. Both were among the leading candidates for the Player of the Week award.

Rounding out the list of nominees for the award were Indians outfielder Grady Sizemore, who batted .500 and scored eight runs, and a trio of Kansas City Royals -- Emil Brown, D.J. Carrasco and Tony Graffanino. Brown batted .435 and drove in seven runs, Carrasco went 1-0 with a 1.20 ERA over 15 innings and Graffanino led the AL with a .545 (12-for-22) batting average.

In the end, though, the battered outfielder from Minnesota took home the hardware.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Hunter named AL Player of the Week

Bell relishes hectic first week

2005-06-10T13:00:00.000-05:00

Ex-Indians bench coach starts well as Royals manager

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Buddy Bell didn't have much of a chance to return phone calls and talk with old friends during his first week away from Cleveland. He admitted it was embarrassing, but he couldn't do too much about it because, to be quite honest, he didn't have much of a chance to do anything, really.

During the final week of May, Bell left the Indians and his comfy position as manager Eric Wedge's bench coach to take the managerial helm for the Royals, owners of one of the worst records in baseball.

And ever since he boarded an early-morning flight from Cleveland through Chicago and on to Kansas City — "We couldn't even get a direct flight," he joked — there have been news conferences to attend and players to meet, coaches with whom he needed to discuss to strategy and apartments to hunt for with his wife and daughter. Not to mention baseball games to manage.

"It's been a hectic week and I haven't had any time to think, quite frankly," Bell said. "That's probably all right, though."

During his inaugural week on the job, Bell infused a new life into the Royals, a team that had won just 13 of its first 50 games before Bell rolled into town and pulled on a blue No. 25 jersey. His first night in the dugout, the team beat the Yankees.

They beat them again the next night, too, and the night after that. It was the first time the Royals had swept New York at home in 15 years. For good measure, Bell led his team to one more win Friday against the Rangers to build a four-game winning streak, the Royals' longest since late 2003.

Through it all, Bell just stood on the dugout's second step, smiled and kept saying that he hadn't done a thing, that his coaches were the ones who deserved the praise.

"To be honest, I really haven't done a whole lot," he said. "I pretty much just let the other guys do most of it."

That formula has led to one of the most successful starts for any Royals manager ever — only Whitey Herzog, in fact, could match Bell's 4-0 start, back in 1975 — and now fans are cheering for "Buddyball."

His energy, his demeanor and his knowledge of the game are why the Indians were so disappointed to see him go, and why players in Kansas City have simply gravitated toward him. Go through the Royals clubhouse and try to knock a bad word out of anyone about Bell. It's a pretty tough task.

"I want to pitch even with the bad elbow," said former Indian Brian Anderson, who has been sidelined since May 9 with inflammation in his left elbow. "I'm excited. I was excited to come to the park when I found out. I was fired up."

So were others on the Royals.

"I think it helps with Buddy coming in," left-handed reliever Andrew Sisco said. "Guys know what to expect."

And while Anderson, Sisco and the rest of the Royals get used to their new manager, he's getting used to Kansas City.

Bell has found a place to stay with his wife, Gloria, and his youngest daughter, Traci. And while he has accepted the city, the city has accepted him and his family, which is a good thing because anybody who knows Buddy Bell knows that family really does come before baseball.

"People everywhere, not just around the ballpark but all over the city, have been awful nice to me but they've been really gracious to my family," Bell said. "That's the most important thing to me.

"Of all the places I've ever been, the people seem to be real at ease coming up and saying hello, wishing me good luck. It's been pretty cool."

And while now managing more than 800 miles away from the confines of Jacobs Field, Bell said he has been able to keep up with the Tribe, watching highlights every night and trying hard to return some of those phone calls.

"I talked with a couple guys [Saturday] about Eddie [Murray], and I've talked with quite a few players since I've left," he said. "I've talked to a lot of the coaching staff. They all had lots of time to leave me messages [Saturday] after our first loss."

Bell said, laughing, that he had expected those calls. In a way, they've helped ease his transition to his new duties in Kansas City.

"It's been awkward, it's been uncomfortable," he said. "But I'm closer every day to knowing what I need to do when I step into the clubhouse every day."

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Bell relishes hectic first week

Royals snap up projected first-rounder

2005-06-08T22:00:00.000-05:00

Familiar names picked during late rounds

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Officially, the Royals selected just one first-round player during the First-Year Player Draft — Nebraska third baseman Alex Gordon, who went second overall Tuesday afternoon — but club officials think they got another first-rounder, and during the second day, no less.

Justin Bristow, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound prep shortstop from Virginia whom the club selected in the 22nd round, was projected as a first-round pick, but his potential price tag was too high for any team to take him during the Draft's first day.

Bristow was ranked as the fourth-best high school senior and the 43rd-best prospect in the country by Baseball America, and with excellent skills at short and on the mound he has been described as one of the nation's top two-position high school players.

Because of his projected draft position, though, the Royals will face a difficult task in actually signing him to a contract. The 18-year-old Bristow will require a substantial bonus and will likely bypass playing pro baseball during the 2005 season and instead attend Auburn, where he has a baseball scholarship waiting for him.

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

The Royals' 32nd-round selection of Okaloosa Walton (Fla.) Community College right-hander Michael Dubee marked the second time the club had taken a Dubee in the Draft.

Twenty-nine years ago, the Royals picked Dubee's father, Rich, in the the third round of the 1976 Draft. Rich Dubee, now the Phillies' pitching coach, spent six seasons as a Royals' farmhand before beginning his coaching career in 1982 at Double-A Jacksonville.

Dubee spent six more years with the Royals organization, three as the team's roving pitching instructor and three more as a coach at Triple-A Omaha.

MORE FAMILY TIES

Jeremy Jirschele, the Royals' 30th-round selection out of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, is the son of Mike Jirschele, who has managed Triple-A Omaha since 2003.

Jirschele's skills mirror those of his father as the 22-year-old won the Position Player of the Year Award in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and was named to the NCAA Division III All-America first team each of the last two seasons.

Mike Jirschele, who was drafted by the Rangers in the fifth round of the 1977 Draft, has worked for the Royals since 1988.

LEADING THE WAY

Among their 50 Draft picks, the Royals filled organizational needs by selecting eight shortstops, the most of any Major League team, and nine catchers, second most only to the Red Sox.

Most of those players, though, were drafted because they can play a number of positions, senior director of scouting Deric Ladnier said.

The team's top catching selections, though — Nicholas Doscher, Kiel Thibault and Jeffrey Howell, who went in the eighth, ninth and 10th rounds, respectively — were picked because they were rated as premium catchers, a quality Ladnier said is often difficult to get.

FOREIGN FLAVOR

The Royals drafted four players from Puerto Rico and two from Canada.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Royals snap up projected first-rounder

Gordon's approach perfect for Royals

2005-06-07T23:00:00.000-05:00

Strong work ethic makes third baseman one of the best

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Alex Gordon walked into his coach's office Tuesday morning consumed by mind and body.

He had, after all, just helped the Nebraska Cornhuskers advance to the NCAA Super Regionals after a 10-2 win over Creighton on Sunday, and had played a key role in further cementing the team's No. 3 national ranking. He was also less than an hour away from finally being drafted by one of a handful of Major League teams, be it the Nationals, Mariners, Diamondbacks or his sort-of-hometown Royals.

He had thought about those days three years ago when he went undrafted despite being named one of the nation's top 100 high school seniors. He didn't dwell too much on it, though, not with thoughts of this year's draft, preparing for the Miami Hurricanes this weekend, the day's practice and his coach standing in front of him.

"Hey," Huskers head coach Mike Anderson told Gordon and a few of his teammates, "I hope you're OK with the timing of things." He was referring, of course, to the fact that the first picks of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft coincided precisely with the beginning of Nebraska's noon practice.

"What else would we do?" they replied, almost nonchalantly. "Watch the thing?"

Absolutely, if there was a computer at practice. The draft was being conducted in ballpark war rooms throughout the country by front office personnel chocked full with as much caffeine as possible, sifting through sheet after sheet of player information. But there wasn't too much sifting for the Royals, at least while the team's staff was deciding who to select with the second overall pick. There was no one else to get but Gordon. He was their man.

Team officials phoned in the pick shortly after noon and Gordon found out a few hours later, after his older brother, Eric, got his attention during practice by waving two fingers, signifying that the Diamondbacks had passed on him with the top pick and that Kansas City had scooped him right up.

"Right there and then," Gordon said, "I knew it was the Royals."

That Gordon found out from his brother Eric, who also played baseball in college at Nebraska-Omaha, is rather appropriate for the 21-year-old.

For years, he followed Eric from one baseball diamond to another, just as his younger brothers Brett, 18, and Derek, 13, followed him around. Despite a 10-year age difference between Eric and Derek, the boys did almost everything together, especially when it came to baseball.

Just as a knack for music or literature runs through some family's genes, baseball runs through the Gordon's. They live in Lincoln, Neb., in the shadow of the Huskers' baseball heritage, and all four boys have played organized baseball. Their father, Mike, played at Nebraska, and his father, Charlie, now 83, used to coach the varsity at Lincoln Southeast High, where the boys went to school. Too many uncles and cousins to count also played.

"They played all the time," said their mother, Leslie. "They grew up doing it and we've done it all our lives. That's all we did all summer was play ball. It's been our life, it's a passion for us."

Such a passion, in fact, that when Mike came home from work, most nights he would just change clothes and follow his boys out to a baseball field. He would throw batting practice whenever they wanted to hit, or whenever he wanted to pitch it.

"Sometimes," Gordon said, "he'd drag us out there to go hit."

And, as his sons put it, he'd throw about 300 pitches, then go home and ice the arm.

The real treat came every summer, though, when the family would cram into the car and drive about four hours south, heading straight for Kauffman Stadium. They didn't have any teams to cheer for in Nebraska — other than the Huskers, of course — so the Royals were their team. They cheered all the Royals, but especially George Brett. Mike and Leslie liked the Hall of Famer so much, in fact, that they named their third son after No. 5.

As for Gordon, he just liked watching Brett work hard and play the game the right way. Watching Brett made him work hard in youth baseball, and at Lincoln Southeast, and at Nebraska.

"His work habits," Anderson said, "are phenomenal. He goes about his business, works hard, and anybody who's around him, he demands they work hard with him.

"You hear it all the time, it's very cliché, but he's a coach's dream. He really is."

That work ethic translated this season into a .382 batting average, 18 home runs and 62 RBIs. He has drawn 58 walks and struck out just 34 times — though Anderson said that statistic spoke more of the respect opposing pitchers gave him by working around him rather than throwing strikes — which nonetheless translated to a .526 on-base percentage.

Oh, he's also stolen 23 bases in 26 attempts and plays a solid third base. According to Royals scout Phil Huttmann, who has followed Gordon for much of the last three years, he's performed at as high a level as is possible in amateur baseball.

Things weren't always quite so rosy, though. When he came to Nebraska three years ago — he committed early, near the beginning of the July 1 early signing period — questions arose about Gordon's defensive abilities and about whether he could start every day at third. But, as Anderson put it, he worked his tail off to the point where no more questions existed about Gordon's becoming a defensive liability.

During the last three seasons, he has helped the Huskers back to the top of the national heap, and is so committed to winning a College World Series that neither he nor his agent, Damon Thames, really wants to negotiate a contract until after Nebraska is finished with its season.

"He's worried about winning a Super Regional and going to Omaha," Thames said. "That's the beauty of Alex Gordon, he just plays to win and that's what he's focused on right now."

But in the future, within the next month or so, he will sign that professional contract and be paid to play the game he and his family loves. He will rise through the Minor Leagues -- he's equipped to move quickly through the system, Huttmann said — and sometime within the next two years, he will be here to stay. That's the thinking, at least. And when he arrives at Kauffman Stadium, and his family sees him for the first time in the uniform they've cheered for so many years, well, it will be a very special moment.

"We sure enjoyed watching those old Royals," Leslie said, reminiscing about the teams of her sons' youth, "and we hold hope in our hearts."

The Royals, meanwhile, hold hope in theirs.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Gordon's approach perfect for Royals

Burgos, Silverio share Salcedo heritage

2005-06-06T14:00:00.000-05:00

Scout takes pride in pitcher's success

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — The phone rang, but the scout didn't pick it up.

He would have picked it up — he would have loved for nothing more than to have picked up that phone and listened to the voice on the other end — but it was 3:30 in the morning, and he was sleeping.

He hadn't even heard it ringing.

When he woke up the next morning, though, and pushed his gold wire-rimmed glasses up on his nose, he glanced at his phone and saw he had received one new message. He quickly flipped open the cell, punched in his password, and listened expectantly.

"Pedro," came that voice on the other end, "I'm going to the big leagues."

The call came barely six weeks ago and the scout still smiles broadly while talking about it, as he likely will for months, even years, to come. He can't stop talking and smiling about it, can't say often enough how exciting that moment was for him, how, after all his time in baseball, he got a player to the big leagues. His player.

***

From the beginning, Pedro Silverio's relationship with Ambiorix Burgos exceeded that of merely scout and player. There had always been something extra between the two that linked them beyond mechanics, pitch speeds or the notes of a scouting report. There existed a chemistry, perhaps, and certainly a friendship.

Burgos, when Silverio first saw him, was little more than a 16-year-old wisp with a heck of an arm and a decent fastball. He was barely old enough to sign a pro contract. There was nothing, really, to distinguish him from the thousands of other young players who flocked from all over the Dominican Republic to be seen by a scout.

"When he's finished developing," Silverio noted after the first time he saw Burgos pitch, "he'll throw maybe 90 mph."

But when Silverio saw Burgos pitch again, there was something where there had been nothing, an extra zip in the kid's delivery. Or maybe just the right glint in the eye that separated him from other pitchers with a fastball that was, at best, slightly above average.

So Silverio and his brother, Luis, now the Royals' third-base coach, extended a pro contract to Burgos, an invitation to earn about $800 every month, and to learn how to pitch. Burgos signed on November 14, 2000, grateful for the opportunity. In the Dominican the average worker makes only $1,200 per year. Within five years, Silverio predicted, the kid would be pitching against the best players in the world.

"He threw maybe 83, 85 mph, and had a loose arm and great mechanics," Silverio said. "Some pitchers throw 85 or 87, but don't have good mechanics or good control or a good breaking ball.

"He had room to grow. That's what I liked about him."

That was where the relationship really developed, with the contract, the evaluations, and the chance to succeed. Burgos wanted nothing less than to reach the big leagues; Silverio was sure his young friend would.

But Burgos struggled during his two seasons at the Royals' Dominican baseball academy at Salcedo. He won just two games in 11 starts his first year, walking nearly as many batters as he struck out and uncorking a wild pitch nearly every five innings. The next year was worse, as he was unable to win even one game while losing nine and continuing to struggle with his control. But his pitches were developing — his fastball had already exceeded Silverio's initial estimates of 90 mph — and the scout's faith in Burgos never wavered, nor did the friendship the two had developed.

"I liked him as a person," Silverio said. "He smiled every time he saw me, he was happy. The young players, of course, when they see a scout, they're very, very happy."

Burgos was even happier when, after those two trying years, he was promoted from Salcedo to the Royals' Arizona League rookie team following the 2002 season. Baseball — and Silverio — had helped him get from the Dominican to America, and one step closer to the Major Leagues. He would never forget it.

***

During the next two years, Burgos continued to climb through the Royals' Minor League system, notching noticeable improvements at every level. By the time he reached Double-A Wichita earlier this season, his split-finger fastball had reached the point where Wranglers pitching coach Larry Carter called it "the pitch from hell." He so dominated opponents that the Royals called him up on April 23, after just 284 1/3 innings in the Minors, and just 8 1/3 above Class A.

When told of his promotion to Kansas City, Burgos called Silverio almost immediately. He didn't get an answer, of course, because his call arrived during the morning's early hours. Silverio called him back later that day, congratulated him, wished him well. But the scout wasn't ready for what Burgos was about to request.

"Pedro, I want you to see me pitch in the big leagues."

Part of Silverio wanted to beg off. He had never been to Kauffman Stadium, he had never been to Kansas City. He also had too much work in front of him as the administrator for the team's Dominican academy. But part of Silverio wanted to say yes, to jump on a plane and fly to Missouri and watch Burgos pitch a scoreless ninth inning that night against the division-leading White Sox.

And he wanted so badly to see his player — "My young kid," he called Burgos, "my young boy," — in a big league uniform, that a father's pride in his son's achievement drove him to say yes.

So Burgos gave Silverio airfare and a place to stay for a few nights, and on May 30, Silverio boarded a plane from the Dominican and flew through various hubs until he reached his final destination. Three nights later, Burgos gave him something even greater. With a stadium cheering for a sweep of the New York Yankees, Silverio just watched as Burgos worked out of a bases-loaded jam and notched the second save of his young career, his fastballs reaching 98 and 99 mph, a far cry from Silverio's initial estimate five years ago.

For Silverio, it filled a void from having never seen his brother play during his brief Major League career. Luis was called up by the Royals in September 1978 when he was 21 — the same age Burgos was when he was called up — but played only eight games for the Royals.

"I was just here for one month," Luis said. "None of my family had the opportunity to see me in the Majors."

But now, nearly 27 years later, Silverio has finally seen someone he considers a member of his family play the game at the highest level.

"I feel like Ambiorix is the brother I never got to see play in the big leagues," Silverio says. "Coming here to Kansas City to see him pitch, I can't put a price on that."

Nor could Burgos, who spent the last week talking and eating and bonding all over again with the man who signed him to a contract, who gave him a shot to get where he is now. Whenever Burgos was with Silverio, his attention was undivided. He looked at Silverio like an inquisitive child would look at his wise teacher, hunting for another nugget of wisdom.

"I am so happy to have him here," Burgos said. "To have him be able to see me pitch means so much to me."

It also means so much to the young players still in Salcedo, earning their $800 every month and hoping that they, too, will be called up to the Majors. Burgos is where they want to be. To them, he is a role model. He is a star. He is not the first player to reach the Majors from the academy, of course — Hipolito Pichardo, Carlos Febles and Mendy Lopez are among those who have also advanced from Salcedo since the academy moved to its current location in 1989 — but he is the latest. And Burgos says he won't forget them. He says he will go back.

"When the season is over," Burgos said, "I'll go to the Dominican. I'll practice and I'll throw and I'll work with the young guys. Nothing will change now that I'm in Kansas City."

***

After watching Burgos pitch once more Saturday afternoon against the Rangers, the time for Silverio's return flight arrived. He still has a season's worth of work to do at Salcedo.

Before leaving, he pulls from his pocket a box score of his team's first game, an 8-7 win on Friday night. He checks off name after name, listing their accomplishments, convincing all those around him that the next batch of Dominican players is on its way to Kansas City.

"We are going to have more of these guys up here," he says.

He will, undoubtedly, send more players to Arizona and Burlington, to High Desert and Wichita and Omaha. He will especially send more to Kansas City. Burgos is one of six Dominican players on the Royals' 25-man roster — seven including Denny Bautista, who is on the disabled list — but only he and starting pitcher Runelvys Hernandez are Salcedo graduates. There will be more, Silverio says.

And there might even be more unanswered phone calls at 3:30 in the morning.

* This story can also be read at MLB.com by clicking on the following link:

Burgos, Silverio share Salcedo heritage