The St. Louis Cardinals entered the 2012 season with a potent, yet aging, offense that was prone to injuries. That potential was realized as several key hitters hit the disabled list early in the season. However, the Cardinals pitching staff is still the biggest factor in the team’s success.

When the Cardinals jumped out to a 3.5-game lead in the NL Central through April, their team ERA was 2.66. In the following six weeks, the team has gone 18-24 heading into play Saturday. The team ERA was 4.43.

Plus, since the debacle of a series in New York that included Johan Santana’s no-hitter, the Cardinals have lost just two games when their pitching gave up less than six runs, including Friday’s nail-biter when Tyler Greene nearly tied the game with a Little League-style dash around the bases that ended in hime being thrown out at the plate.

So, what do all these numbers tell us? They say Cardinals fans should be much more concerned about the performance of the pitching staff than the lineup. Despite the myriad of injuries to position players, the Cardinals will still put up enough runs to contend more days than not. The key for a successful rest of the season is whether or not the pitching staff can keep the opposition’s score within reach.

And that’s been the problem.

Even without Chris Carpenter, the Cardinals starting rotation pitched great for the first month or so of the season. The staff even carried ace Adam Wainwright for much of April and the bullpen was solid. Then the wheels fell off. Kyle McClellan got hurt, and Fernando Salas, Mitchell Boggs and Marc Rzepczynski saw their ERA’s balloon to a combined 4.32. Closer Jason Motte also blew three saves.

The pitching has been better of late, however. The Cardinals have given up four runs or less in eight of their last 11 games heading into play Saturday. The team won six of those games.

Basically, the Cardinals will win more often than not when they get good pitching performances. When they don’t, the team enters slumps that threaten to take them out of playoff contention. That’s not surprising. It’s been an old baseball adage forever.

Just look at the Pittsburgh Pirates, who up until this last week were tied for the division lead with the Cincinnati Reds. The Pirates are hitting just .225 as a team, dead last in Major League Baseball. But they also have a 3.51 team ERA, fourth best in the league.

Unfortunately, the Cardinals could be in line for more problems after starting pitcher Jaime Garcia went down with shoulder trouble last week.

Hopefully new starter Joe Kelly can put together a few solid starts. His contributions, combined with an ever-improving Wainwright and continued stellar performances from Lance Lynn could be the most important aspect of the 2012 Cardinals team for the balance of the season.

Yes, offense is important, but the pitching staff will be what determines how far the Cardinals go in 2012.

You can’t blame Ned Yost for trying. At least I won’t on this one.

He’s got a super athletic 22-year-old phenom, a rangy veteran with a great arm, and a run-producing doubles hitter. All of who were hitting relatively well at the time. Who wouldn’t want all three of them on the field at the same time?

And when you’re six to eight games below .500 and in danger of sliding into last place in your division, you could argue that there’s nothing you shouldn’t try.

I was nervous when the Royals announced that they would try Jeff Francoeur in centerfield, Billy Butler at first base, and allow the untested Eric Hosmer to learn on the job in right field.

I don’t think I was worried about the short-term results. What I was more worried about was that the position change would somehow unsettle Hosmer just as his bat was finally beginning to wake up.

I don’t know much about the psyche of big leaguers in general, or Hosmer specifically, but I was concerned that flailing around in unfamiliar territory would send the slick-fielding first baseman back into the funk that plagued him the first two months of the year.

Yost, on the other hand, overplayed his confidence to the media. He acted like the move was no big deal. He seemed to think that a few afternoons shagging balls in pregame would prepare Hosmer to play the position. Perhaps Yost thought, like all Little League coaches, that he could hide a poor fielder in right and he could somehow avoid having to make any plays.

But as the old saying goes, the ball will find you.

Pittsburg Experiment, Game 1: It didn’t take long for Hosmer to boot the first ball hit to him in right. “It was just a bad read on my part,” he said. That turned a single into a double, which resulted in the game’s first run.

Then in the third inning, Butler helped to botch a rundown, blindly chasing a base runner toward second while another snuck home. After the game, Yost tried to blame that one on Hochevar, but his analysis rang hollow.

Yost’s summary of the lineup after game one:

“I wouldn’t call it sloppy,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “We’ve got guys playing out of position in a National League park and it’s going to take them a day or two to get acclimated.”

Pittsburg Experiment, Game 2: Ok, so on day two?  Well with the Royals leading and the bases full of Pirates, Hosmer allowed a seemingly catch-able ball to drop in, opening the floodgates to a five-run Pittsburg inning.

“I was playing pretty deep and got a bad read on it,” Hosmer said.

Pittsburg Experiment, Game 3: Stop now before we really embarrass ourselves.

The results of the experiment were so dreadful that Yost called it off a day early.

So you might argue that Yost shouldn’t give up on the alignment just because it didn’t work the first time out. After all, the logic behind it hasn’t changed, and Hosmer is certainly athletic enough to play right field.

Or you might argue that the results were so overwhelming that it should be scrapped without hesitation. Hosmer was bad in right. Butler shouldn’t be a regular first baseman. Francouer is a natural in right, not center. There’s no use trying to fit square pegs into round holes.

I’m not sure which is the right side of the argument. Yost will have six more games in National League parks to decide if the experiment is worth continuing.

All I know is that I don’t blame Yost for trying.

What if you had a player who hit for average, had a great outfield arm, was a positive veteran leader in the clubhouse and was an all around good guy, even to fans from a rival team? Well, the Royals have such a player, and his name is Jeff Francoeur. But if you talk to or listen to some Royals fans, one would think Francoeur is one of the worst players on the team. But that’s what happens when you’re a player who started their career with a bang, faded away and revived their career in Kansas City. Oh, yeah, and being from the Atlanta Braves and being one of Royals General Manager Dayton Moore’s favorite players is a part of it too.

To be honest, I’m not a Jeff Francoeur apologist, but sometimes I wonder why there’s such vitriol from some fans when it comes to Francoeur. Yes, he does strike out a lot and he sometimes has the plate discipline of a little leaguer hopped up on Spree and Dr. Pepper. But Francoeur does hit well and many opposing players have been thrown out trying to test his arm.

And it’s not like Francoeur is a jerk. He’s one of the nicest players in the game. Recently, he threw a baseball with $100 wrapped around it so fans in right field at Kauffman Stadium could buy some beer and hot dogs, which is the same thing Francoeur did for some fans in Oakland. His teammates like him and the Royals promote him as one of their key players with Frenchy Corner Thursdays, where fans in a section of right field get a t-shirt, Marti Gras beads (no flashing necessary) and a discount price on a ticket. But yet, some fans cannot stand Francoeur. Why?

One reason is Francoeur was an Atlanta Brave. It’s well known General Manager Dayton Moore likes to sign or trade for current or former Braves. Which is understandable, seeing Moore spent most of his baseball career in Atlanta. But it’s almost become a running joke that any player from the Braves who’s available will end up with the Royals. So when Francoeur became a free agent, they Royals signed him. To some fans, the signing had a rinse, repeat vibe to it.

There’s the argument Francoeur strikes out a lot and doesn’t walk a lot, which is true. But Francoeur has decent power and since his time with Kansas City, he’s hitting around the .280 range and he’s hit 25 total homers, which is more than most of the current Royals players.

There’s the argument Francoeur is keeping the young players down in the minors, especially Wil Myers. Yes, Myers is playing well in AAA Omaha and his bat is close to Major League ready, but what about his defense? At least the Royals know what they have in Jeff Francoeur, especially with his defense.

This year, Francoeur started slowly, but lately he’s been heating up. Before Tuesday’s game with the Cleveland Indians, Francoeur went 16-32 with four home runs and an eight game hitting streak before going 0-4 in Tuesday’s game. His bat could cool off again, but for now, he’s playing well.

Francoeur is signed through 2013, so unless he suffers a serious injury or is traded, he’s patrolling right field for the Royals. Sure, the Royals could trade Francoeur and replace him with Myers, but what is the real trade value for Francoeur? He’s revived his career in Kansas City, but he’s not the type of player that’s going to get a front of the rotation starter. The Royals might get a mid-level pitching prospect or two for Francoeur, but that won’t help in the short term. And with the unpredictability of pitching, it may not help in the long term either.

And there’s Francoeur’s good character and leadership in the Royals clubhouse. One can debate if “veteran leadership” or “clubhouse presence” has anything to do with wins or losses. But the Royals are a young team and they need some veteran leadership. Of course there’s veterans like Billy Butler, Alex Gordon and Bruce Chen, but according to Moore, Francoeur has natural leadership ability.

If Myers was ready, Francoeur provided good trade value and the Royals thought another veteran player could take over Francoeur’s leadership role, the decision to trade Francoeur would be easy. Or Francoeur could suffer an injury and force the Royals hand. But if things stay where they are now, it’s probably best for Francoeur to stay in right field and give Wil Myers more AAA seasoning. It might be be a hard pill for some fans to swallow, but for now, Jeff Francoeur is the best choice in right field.

Editor’s Note: Game Six of the 2011 World Series may end up being one of the moments that people talk about for generations. “Where were you when….?” So, here at i70baseball, I ask you: Where were you when Game Six happened? Do you have a unique story about how you witnessed history? Share with us and we will draw one random entry. That winner will receive this World Series DVD. Just send your submission to: bill@i70baseball.com

Like virtually every other Cardinals fan old enough to watch and appreciate Game 6 of the World Series, October 27^th, 2011 is a night I’ll never forget. It’s a game that thousands of Cardinals fans turned off before it was over and a game hundreds of fans left the stands early. I was almost one of those fans who gave up on the Cardinals that night… and was this close to missing the most exciting finish in World Series history. Then, a little bit of fate kicked in…

To refresh your memory a little bit, Game 6 was not exactly the most cleanly-played baseball game. As the 6^th inning ended, I remember looking up towards the high ceilings of Buffalo Wild Wings and thinking to myself that this had to be the ugliest World Series game ever played. Cardinals left fielder, Matt Holliday, dropped a fly ball that directly led to a Rangers run, third baseman, David Freese, dropped a pop up the led to another unearned run, and now Matt Holliday had just gotten picked off 3^rd base with the bases loaded, one out, and the score tied. You have GOT to be kidding me! Although the Cardinals had just “dramatically” rallied to tie the game on a bases loaded walk, it sure felt like the game was going to go the Rangers way. You just cannot make mistake after little-league mistake and expect to win the World Series. The score was tied, but it felt like the Rangers were in cruise-control.

And in the top of the 7^th, Texas had appeared to seize control of the game for good. Adrian Beltre and Nelson Cruz hit back-to-back home runs to put the Rangers on top 6-4. The whole stadium was deflated. You just knew it was over. The Cardinals had their chance and gave it away, and now Texas would make team president Nolan Ryan’s prediction of “Rangers in 6” come true. At that moment, I was thinking that the Cardinals had played so poorly they didn’t deserve to win… and my frustration level was so high that I wouldn’t even be happy if they did come back and win.

Now as the Cardinals came to bat in the bottom of the 7^th, I get a text message from my wife: “Out of diapers. Is the game almost over?” At the time, it was already 30 minutes past my son’s bedtime, and there was no way any respectable father, World Series on the line or not, would make his wife and toddler get in the car and make a late-night run to the store to get diapers. So while part of me was thinking “just let him wet the bed tonight, it’s the freakin’ World Series” I decided to go run to the store myself. When the Cardinals went down with a whimper in the bottom of the 7^th, I told my buddy who was with me that I wouldn’t be back if the game got any uglier. Just as I arrived at my house to drop of a new package of diapers, the Rangers tacked on another run to make it 7-4 in the 8^th, the proverbial nail in the coffin. Staying with the theme of the game, the Cardinals once again gift-wrapped the run for the Rangers thanks to a wild pitch that Yadier Molina should have handled, allowing a runner to move into scoring position who would eventually score.

Translation: it had gotten uglier, and I had just arrived at my house. My wife asked how the Cardinals were doing and I told her they were playing horribly and were basically giving away the World Series. She said she was sorry and thanks for dropping of the diapers and that I could go back to the bar if I wanted to, but I was pretty sure it was going to be a waste of my time and only add to the frustration. I had to work the next morning, and was about to call it a night when I realized Albert Pujols might have one final at bat. With his contract uncertainty, how could I not watch his final at-bat in a Cardinals uniform?

So with that and only that in mind, I headed back to the bar. While I was driving, I heard Allen Craig’s home run on the radio. 7-5. At that point, I still thought the Cardinals had no chance. In fact, it only infuriated me more because I felt like Matt Holliday should’ve been benched and Allen Craig should’ve been in the lineup to begin with. Craig wouldn’t have botched that fly ball and gotten picked off 3^rd, would he? And now here’s Craig, filling in for the now injured Holliday (he jammed his hand/wrist sliding back into 3^rd base on the pickoff play) and hitting a home run. Just great.

When I walked back into Buffalo Wild Wings, the table I had been sitting at and several others around it were empty. My friend had left… as had several other people. Many people had come to the same grim conclusion that I did, but I went ahead and decided to sit by myself and watch the end of the game anyway. The Cardinals ended up loading the bases but failed to score in the 8^th.

Certainly it was over now. Certainly.

In the 9^th, Albert Pujols came to the plate with the bases empty and 1 out. Any hopes of him hitting a dramatic, game-tying home run were lost. This was not officially a final farewell send-off. The crowd rose to its feet, flashbulbs were popping, and wouldn’t you know it – Albert laced one into the gap in left center. It was a nice way to end his hall of fame career in St. Louis if this was indeed the last time he was going to take a swing as a Cardinal. Lance Berkman followed Pujols to the plate and drew a walk, making Allen Craig the winning run at the plate. But his heroics were done (at least for Game 6) and he struck out.

Up walked David Freese. Since I only text my mom when the Cardinals win games, I decided to do a desperate, pre-emptive strike on fate and sent a “good luck/here’s hoping” text. The Red Birds were going to need it. Texas closer, Neftali Feliz, was pumping heat all night… and was pounding fastballs in the upper 90s on the Cardinals 3^rd baseman. Freese fell behind 1-2 in the count, the Cardinals were down to their final strike… and the rest… is history.

Triple. Tie-game. Rangers take the lead back in the 10^th. The Cardinals again come down to their final strike. RBI Single by Lance Berkman. Tie-game. And Freese hits a walk-off bomb in the 11^th. Unbelievable.

In the 3 ½ weeks since Allen Craig squeezed the final out of Game 7, the clock and calendar have slowed to a crawl. It feels like an eternity since the Cardinals won their 11^th championship, but with the managerial change out of the way and the Pujols talks likely on hold during Thanksgiving week, fans have another chance to relive the magic. Tonight, Cardinal Nation is invited to sit back, relax, and relive all those wonderful memories at Major League Baseball and the Cardinals release the official 2011 World Series Movie. There’s a Red Carpet Event at the Peabody Opera House in downtown St. Louis. Cardinals VIPs including World Series MVP David Freese will be on hand as actor and St. Louis native, Jon Hamm, narrates us through 90 minutes of magic.

I will not be in attendance and will have to settle for watching the movie on a TV just as I watched the live drama play out on, but that’s OK by me. I just want to soak it all in again. The other day I caught myself daydreaming about Game 6 at work. I have the Springfield News-Leader’s sports page from October 28^th at my desk, and the headline “Cards Win Instant Classic” caught my eye as I was going through my daily routine.

How did the Cardinals win that game?

Fortunately, I went back to the sports bar that night… and was able to see it for myself.

1) Eric Hosmer

This one’s too easy. One of the front-runners for 2011 A.L. Rookie of the Year, Hosmer is easily the Royals’ most exciting player to watch going into 2012. This year, he hit .293 with 19 Homeruns, 27 doubles, 78 RBI’s, and a .799 OPS. He did all this while only playing in 128 games. His defense was stellar and his baserunning turnEd Heads because of his size (6’4” 228 lbs). He is the complete package and it will be interesting to see what he can do in a full 162 game season.

2) Offense, Offense, Offense

While starting pitching is the biggest concern this offseason, the lineup looks set in stone. There could be a few order changes here and there, but the players should remain the same. The only thing that could be different is if Melky Cabrera gets traded and Lorenzo Cain replaces him.

This is what this offense’s 2011 MLB Ranks look like:

Runs Scored: 10^th

Hits: 3^rd

Doubles: 2^nd

Triples: 2^nd

RBI’s: 6^th

Average: 4^th

On-Base Pct: 8^th

Slugging Pct: 7^th

You would have to think that these numbers should only go up considering nobody in the lineup will be over 28 going into 2012.

3) Jeff Francoeur’s Arm

Seriously, how much fun is it to watch this guy? Frenchy is always wearing that grin that looks like it came straight off an 8-year-old’s face during a little league game. You can tell he genuinely loves playing the game and doing it for the Kansas City Royals.

His arm strength is nothing short of unbelievable and he has shown it throughout his 6 years (yes, only 6) in the league. If you aren’t pumped every time Francoeur gets the chance to throw out a runner then its pretty likely that you don’t like the sport of baseball.

4) Alcides Escobar’s Glove

It sure was nice to have a daily human highlight reel at the most important defensive position that isn’t called “catcher.” Rarely did a game go by without Escobar making one of those “Wow, did you see that?” plays in the field.

His glove saved more games in 2011 than most fans would realize and he will only be 25 at the beginning of next year. His ceiling is sky-high.

5) Salvador Perez’s Arm/Glove Combo

Speaking of amazing defense, what about Salvador Perez? He made an instant impact behind the plate picking off runners at first and third in his major league debut. He was also close to completing a catcher’s hat-trick by missing a pick-off at second base by about an inch. No other Royals catcher picked off a runner (did they even attempt one?) and Perez’s glove work was easily tops in the organization.

He will still only be 21 on Opening Day 2012 and it’s safe to say he isn’t too far away from winning a Gold Glove. Look for his pickoff numbers to increase from here on out.

6) Mike Moustakas’ Bat

Throughout Moustakas’ professional baseball career, he has struggled while moving up levels in the Royals’ farm system. He proved that to be no different when he jumped from Triple A to the Majors in early June. He went through major hitting droughts and his batting average got as low as .182 in the middle of August.

He ended the year with a .263 average, after having a tremendous September. He hit .352 for the month and recorded 4 HR’s, 6 doubles, and 8 RBI’s in the last 14 games of the season. His learning period is over and 2012 should give him a fresh start.

7) An Opening Day Lineup Kansas City can really get behind

2011 Opening Day Lineup

Mike Aviles 3B
Melky Cabrera CF
Alex Gordon LF
Billy Butler DH
Kila Ka’aihue 1B
Jeff Francoeur RF
Alcides Escobar SS
Matt Treanor C
Chris Getz 2B

2012 (Projected) Opening Day Lineup

Alex Gordon LF
Melky Cabrera CF
Billy Butler DH
Eric Hosmer 1B
Jeff Francoeur RF
Mike Moustakas 3B
Johnny Giavotella 2B
Salvador Perez C
Alcides Escobar SS

Looks a lot better, huh?

8) The “Old Vets”

Alex Gordon, Billy Butler, Luke Hochevar, and Joakim Soria have been the only impact players that have been on the team since 2007. They all debuted in Kansas City during that year and are still major pieces going into 2012.

The leadership they have shown on and off the field were a major reason the youngsters made such big strides in 2011. Barring any trades, it will be fun to watch their continued success within this organization.

9) The “New Arms”

Aaron Crow, Greg Holland, and Danny Duffy highlight the young pitchers who will continue to make an impact in 2012. Crow had a slow finish but was still the Royals’ representative at the 2011 All-Star Game. He could find his new home being in the starting rotation rather than the bullpen next year, which would help fill a huge need for Kansas City.

Holland was the best bullpen pitcher this year and should be the anchor of next year’s bullpen as well. He was the guy to get the Royals out of late-inning jams and is expected to continue his role as “fireman” next year.

Duffy should only get better next year. He will provide the rotation a solid 3 or 4 starter, as he has the most electric stuff on the staff.

10) More filled seats at “the K”

If the last homestretch of the 2011 season is any indication of what 2012 will be like, Kauffman Stadium will be a brand new environment. Over the final 8 home games, there was an average of over 25,400 people. That includes two Tuesday games, and two Wednesday games, while the team was 20 games out of first place.

Expectations haven’t been higher since Dayton Moore arrived, and the fans are ready to have a contender. Kauffman will maintain a solid average throughout the season, as long as the team is winning. If that’s the case, all fans under the age of 25 will experience Royals’ games like they never have before.

11) New player walk-up songs

Let’s be real. At the beginning of the season, it was pretty cool hearing/watching Alex Gordon walk up to the plate to Drake’s “Over.” I’m not gonna lie, every time I hear “I Wanna Rock” or “Take Me Home Tonight,” I think of Jeff Francoeur. Billy Butler’s “Dirt Road Anthem” by Jason Aldean didn’t exactly get me pumped up, but it seemed like a song that “Country Breakfast” would sing at the top of his lungs in his car (or most likely truck).

By September though, these songs definitely wore out. It’s time for new, hopefully better, walk-up songs. It’s time to put 2011 in the rear-view mirror. Who has any suggestions for new player walk-up songs?

And last but not least…

12) The 2012 All-Star Game in Kansas City

Kansas City hasn’t been the center of the baseball world since Game 7 of the 1985 World Series. The Royals haven’t hosted the All-Star Game since 1973.

The All-Star festivities will bring new life to Kansas City and especially bring attention back to the Royals. Baseball hasn’t been the top sport in this town since the 80’s, but the tide could be turning.

With these 12 reasons listed above, how could you not be excited for the Royals’ future?

Bo Jackson has the last RBI by a Royal in an All Star Game

There has been some discussion this week about who should represent the Royals in the 2011 All Star Game, in both the Twittershpere and Kansas City sports radio. This got me thinking about past All Stars from the Royals, both good and bad. Which also got me to thinking about the importance of the All Star Game in general.

Say what you want about Major League Baseball’s All Star Game. If you’re going to watch an All Star event from any major sport, Major League Baseball’s is the one to watch. Mostly because baseball lends itself to being the least effected by the event itself.

Unfortunately, Royals fans looking for solace from the teams losing ways shouldn’t look to the All Star Game. I only have one real memory about a Royal in an All Star Game. Bo Jackson’s 1989 1st Inning Home Run. That’s it. That was the last RBI by a Royal in the All Star Game. Think about that. Kids that watched Home Run on TV after their Little League Game, are now coaching Little League.

Of course in order to be show cased in the All Star Game a team must send some one who can make a difference. Ken Harvey did not have a very long Major League career. But a hot two and a half months made him an All Star. Same with Mike MacDougal. He’s not much, but he’ll at least be able to tell his grandkids he was an All Star. Mark Redman? These guys were All Stars? There’s three people that are fans of the “Every Team Gets Representation Rule”

This year is shaping up to be like most years of late. The Royals will get one representative. Don’t look for it to be Eric Hosmer, his name isn’t even on the ballot, and there is a log jam of talent at first base. It most likely will be Alex Gordon. Don’t look now but he appears to be the best left fielder in the American League. You could call Alex Gordon a late bloomer, or you can just call him The Dominator. Most likely you’ll be to call him an All Star after July.

Which brings us to next years All Star Game. The one being played at Kauffman Stadium. Surely, with Hosmer, Gordon, and some strong arms out of the bullpen the Royals will send more than a token representative to their own yard. Then you can say: These guys were All Stars. Except this time it will be a statement, not a question in more ways than one.

One of the great things about I-70 Baseball for me is getting to learn more about Kansas City. My job takes me there a couple of times a week, and the passion I see for the Royals always does a couple of things. It makes me wonder what happened to the storied franchise and how can it be fixed? Obviously the first part is much easier to answer, but a solution to the second part came to me while watching Thursday’s game with New York.

As a relative newcomer to American League style play, it never ceases to amaze me how much the Designated Hitter comes back to haunt the team. Whether or not it is fair to say, the way St. Louis goes about business should be the model that KC adopts. The Cardinals refuse to give up and have routinely made a habit of pulling off a rally that snatches the victory on a regular basis.

Sure it can be said that money is a factor or that management gets more done, but the biggest difference still has to be on the field. Need further proof, try this one on for size…

Jose Guillen, the DH for the Royals, failed to score a run in the top of the first inning due to a lack of hustle. He should have scored easily but jogged around third and tried too late to correct his mistake. The Yankees ultimately came back and won the contest, but it was over as soon as no one got in Guillen’s face. Not every team has an Albert Pujols presence on their roster, but you can not tell me that KC lacks even one veteran leader in the clubhouse. The TV crew made reference to Billy Butler’s shoulders slouching as soon as the umpire took the run off the board yet not a peep was mentioned about how a Major League player made a Little League error.

The question of why Guillen still takes in millions may never be answered, but the truth is that some players bounce from bad team to bad team for a reason. Their reputation as ‘non-team’ guys keeps the better organizations from wanting the headache. It is especially true of a young team — look no further than Tampa Bay for the perfect example. While the Rays have built from within, they have also parted ways with top draft picks Delmon Young and Elijah Dukes for a reason. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how much talent you have if the attitude and desire are not focused in the right direction.

St. Louis knows a thing or two about dealing with tough personalities, but the franchise chooses to take action instead of waiting for more blow-ups to occur. Scott Rolen found this out in a hurry, as the Cardinals did not care how great he was defensively. Keeping the chemistry of a team intact means more than any one player no matter the talent. I have always believed in the saying “The name on the front of the jersey should be more important than the name on the back”, but sadly this is rarely the case in professional sports. Second chances can always help players like Rolen and Young in new cities, but how many more teams have to endure Milton Bradley before enough is enough.

Take this article for what it is; a precaution for those who feel Guillen can be part of the solution. The Royals have the beginning of a strong core group that will only get better with the addition of some positive veteran influence. As the roster continues to evolve, the Minor League call-ups need someone to follow in August and September. Should the next chapter in team history read as a comedy or a thriller? St. Louis may be about to make the biggest splash in the trade market two years in a row, but the Royals just cannot seem to deal away the right pieces.

And that is the main difference between Missouri’s two teams. Plays like Guillen’s mental meltdown are almost expected because Kansas City continues to employ the wrong type of competitor. Unless the culture changes from the ground up, the Royals will continue to be an afterthought for years to come, and the home for the 2012 All-Star Game deserves better.