I know I have been absent for a while, and you all know that I am prone to hyperbole, but the Royals recent revelation the Luis Mendoza has won the job of fifth starter has brought me out of the shadows…and my hyperbole with it. A month ago everyone considered it a lock that Luke Hochevar would win the fifth spot…and they sent him to the bullpen. A week ago we speculated that Bruce Chen would get the nod despite Mendoza’s outstanding offseason…and they sent him to the bullpen. What this leaves us with is quite possibly the best rotation for the Kansas City Royals in 20+ years. Let’s take a look at the contenders:

The Greinke Years

The signing of James Shields brought Kansas City a legitimate replacement for their last ace, Zach Greinke. What Shields possesses that Greinke did not is a legitimate rotation behind him. In 2010, Greinke’s last with the Royals, both Chen and Hochevar not only made the rotation but were arguably the team’s second and third best starters. In 08-09 the team had Gil Meche, a quality #2, but rounded the rotation out with Hochevar, Kyle Davies, and Brian Bannister. From 04-07 the Royals had only three pitchers post an ERA below 4, and less than half of the clubs’ starters were below 5. Clearly, no rotation from this era stacks up.

Best Rotation- 2009

Greinke, Meche, Hochevar, Bannister, Davies

Combined WAR: 12.6

The Allard Baird Era (pre-Greinke)

We don’t need to spend much time on this era at all. For every breakout performance from Paul Byrd or Darrell May, there were three Chad Durbins to mess up the rotation. Even in the club’s lone season above .500 their rotation was a mess. While May had a career year and posted a WAR of 5.7, the team had 25 starts (and an ERA well north of 7) from the trio of Chris George, Brad Voyles, and Kris Wilson.

Best Rotation- 2003

May, Jose Lima, Runelvys Hernandez, Kyle Snyder, Chris George

Combined WAR: 8.7

The Herk Robinson Era

As much time as I spent loathing Robinson, I can’t deny that he put together some of the best rotations in the last 30+ years. In 1999, all five starters in his rotation had a positive WAR, which doesn’t say much unless you’ve read the last two sections. In ‘96 Kevin Appier, Tim Belcher and Chris Haney all posted a WAR above 2 with 30+ starts. Jose Rosado posted a 3.3 in just 16 starts! Even veterans Mark Gubicza and Doug Linton were above replacement level. 1994 was even better. In a strike shortened season David Cone was incredible (16-5, 2.94 ERA, 6.6 WAR), Appier was his normal steady self (7-6, 3.83 ERA, 4.3 WAR) while Gubicza and Tom Gordon rounded out the top four nicely.  The only fault that can be found with this rotation is that the fifth spot was dreadful with Chris Haney and Bob Milacki combining for an ERA over 7.

Best Rotation- 1994

David Cone, Kevin Appier, Tom Gordon, Mark Gubicza, Bob Milacki

Combined WAR: 15.9

While the current rotation may be challenged to top that performance in ’94, they’ll have to go to a whole new level to match the staff from ’87. In that year Bret Saberhagen, Gubicza, Charlie Leibrandt, Danny Jackson and Bud Black combined for WAR of 23.5! For perspective, let’s look at the career year for each of the current starters:

James Shields (2007) 5.2 WAR

Ervin Santana (2008) 4.8 WAR

Jeremy Guthrie (2010) 4.3 WAR

Wade Davis (2012) 1.4 WAR

Luis Mendoza (2012) 1.4 WAR

That comes out to 17.1, and that’s the best year any of them have ever had. While it’s unlikely that any of the top three match their career year in 2013, I’d say it’s very possible that Davis and/or Mendoza improve upon their 2012 numbers. This will not be the greatest rotation in the history of the Kansas City Royals, but it’s very possibly the best in the past 20 years. If that happens you can expect to hear a lot more from me and my hyperbole.

Who is Jaime Garcia? Really…who is this guy?

I can tell you who he is…

Remember a couple years back when Joe Posnanski wrote a cover story in Sports Illustrated about Zack Greinke being baseballs best pitcher? Greinke was the front man in the worlds largest sports digest. We all remember the photo.

Weeks after that story broke through the press, Greinke slowly started to decline towards mediocrity. Well, to be a little fair, he declined closer to average human, athletic performance. He was no longer pitching like the super hero we made him out to be. He won the Cy Young at the end of the year just as the fire burnt out. The next season, with so much hype and publicity, he was known as the glorified ace on the worst team in the league- the next Maddux, a mastermind at his own craft.

Greinke finished the season last year with 10-14 record and a stingy ERA just above four. If the trend continues, he could finish his career known as nothing more than a one hit wonder in ancient record books of pine tar, maple bats, and bubble gum.

Back to Jaime Garcia. Who is this guy?

After capturing his fifth straight win against the Cubs on Thursday, Garcia made a mark in Major League Baseball. Not only does his team hold first place in the central, but he has also pitched virtually perfect all season long. It leads me to believe he is on his way to big achievements this year.

Jamie Garcia is on the verge of becoming the next great lead story in my mind. We are talking about placing him in a National League class of Roy Halladay, Tim Lincecum, and Josh Johnson. On the brink of big time public exposure as an official national introduction soon waits. Those three names are the three best pitchers in baseball and Garcia is close to being right there with them. I believe that he is a star, and he is going to be a star for some time. I cannot say what the definition of “some time” is, however. I said the same for Zack Greinke, and although the media still identifies him as a star, I don’t really see him that way anymore. He seemed to get a little start stuck and pompous after his move to Milwaukee, and starting the season on the disabled list slowed his momentum down incredibly. He’s not even the best pitcher in his division. Jaime is.

There is a difference in Jaime. Maybe it’s the fact that he plays on a winning team. Maybe it’s the overall team success that makes his talents shine a little brighter than that of Greinke. I think when Zack found stardom, there was a great story to tie to it. Not because he played for a playoff contender, but because he overcame the mental restraints that once took him out of the game-A Josh Hamilton type of story. It was good for him. It was good for the press, and any one else who enjoys a decent baseball tale.

But I think Garcia means business…meaning that he is here to shine and stay here for a while. The guy can flat out pitch the baseball and no one can get a decent bat on the ball. I’d like to see Pujols get his opportunity to face him. Even with confusing spring training numbers, he has truly performed when it matters most. It’s seems to me that he is a little more fiery and competitive than most pitchers he faces. He wants it more and in then end, he usually gets what he wanted. It rubs off on the team and you get a good idea that the offense knows they need to produce because the Garcia kid is going to pitch his butt off.

But in comparison to Greinke, the numbers from Zacks 2009 Cy Young season are similar to Garica numbers this year. No one could hit either of them. They pitched a good amount of innings and the ERA was microscopic. I think Garcia can handle the media pressure as he continues to get better. When he pitches the Cardinals do an amazing job of backing him up which in defense of Greinke, a perk he never had.

All in all, Jamie Garcia is on fire. He is 5-0 and pitching with dominance. Who is going to stop him? Who can stop him? He will obviously not go perfect throughout the season, but he is definitely picking up the slack for Chris Carpenter. After a few rough outings the Cardinals ace is showing signs of slowing down. Is this an indication that Garcia is next in line to be the ace? If you ask me I would say so, but next year with Wainwright coming back and Garcia right up there with him the Cardinals staff is golden. Kyle Loshe is throwing gem after gem this season and Kyle McClellan doesn’t look to shabby either. The Cardinals have the tools to pitch great and when they produce offensively; this team is a lot tougher than people give them credit for.

If Garcia continues his ace type effectiveness, watch out, we might have the NL CY Young award back in Saint Louis.

Zach Greinke is gone. It’s time to get over it and move on. The harsh realities of life forced Dayton Moore to seek the best deal the market would bear for Kansas City’s one and only star. And now the only thing left to do is evaluate what the Royals received in return.

The superstar-for-prospects trades of the past haven’t worked out too well in the past for the Royals. Look back at the trades of Beltran in 2004 (which brought Mike Wood, Mark Teahen and John Buck) and Damon in 2001 (which netted Roberto Hernandez, Angel Berroa and A.J. Hinch). Because of the high profile of these trades, the Royals had no choice but to give these six players every opportunity to succeed. But what they got was years of mediocre performance which finally came to an end when the Royals finally purged Buck and Teahen a year ago.

Hope springs eternal, however, and the pieces added in the Greinke trade make sense, at least on paper. The Royals farm system features a couple of prime corner position players, but it’s been void of up-the middle prospects for years. They’ve tried desperately to add shortstops and centerfielders through trades and free agency, but that strategy has produced mostly one-hit wonders (Berroa) and washouts (Neifi Perez, Coco Crisp, Rick Ankiel, etc.)

So Moore insisted on getting young, major-league ready, up-the-middle players with several years left under the control of their current franchise in return for Greinke. He landed two highly touted players that fit that description in shortstop Alcides Escobar and centerfielder Lorenzo Cain.

Alcides Escobar

There wasn’t one “centerpiece” to the Greinke trade, but a big-league-ready shortstop was probably the non-negotiable element that had to be included. Escobar was Baseball America’s #1 rated shortstop going into the 2010 season when he was handed the starting job in Milwaukee.

Infatuation with Escobar waned during the last season when he struggled at the plate, hitting .235 with a .288 OBP. But Royals fans hope those struggles were merely growing pains at the expense of the Brewers. After all, he’d hit over .300 in the minors in both 2007 and 2008, and .298 in 2009, before getting into 38 games with Milwaukee in 2009, where he recorded a .304 average.

Escobar’s arm is reportedly one of the best in the league and he has the speed to be a threat on the base paths. He swiped 42 bases in his last minor league stop. If his bat can catch his other skills, he could finally vanquish the Yuninefi Berroacourt monster that has plagued the Royals for a decade.

At best, the Royals have fixed the shortstop problem for the long term. At the least, they have upgraded from a shortstop who will be 29 next season to one who will be just 24 and who is under the Royals’ control through the 2015 season.

The Royals don’t know what they have in Jeff Bianchi, a 2^nd rounder in 2005 who has hit solidly but just can’t stay healthy. If he’s healthy, Bianchi will most likely start the season at Double A. Meanwhile, many are guessing Christian Colon, the 4^th pick in the 2010 draft who played shortstop at Wilmington last season is a better fit at second base and will now shift over there. Many are already penciling in a double play combo of Escobar and Colon for the future.

Lorenzo Cain

Reportedly the Atlanta Braves coveted Cain but couldn’t swing a deal to get him. So the story goes that Braves scout Jim Fregosi told Moore “If you trade Greinke, get Cain.”

If that story is true, what is it about Cain that scouts love?

First off, Cain is an athlete. He’s tall, strong and fast. The Royals hope he can develop into a top-flight defender in centerfield, another position where the team hasn’t found a consistent fit. They tried handing the position to an injury-prone veteran the past couple of years – first Crisp, then Ankiel. They hope the 24-year-old who played 43 games in Milwaukee can solidify the position.

Cain shot up rapidly last season, partly due to trades and injuries. He hit .324 with 21 stolen bases at Double A Huntsville, then hit .299 with 5 steals in a short stopover in Nashville. Once in Milwaukee, Cain continued to hit, going .306 with a .348 OBP in 147 at bats.

The addition of Cain affects the way the rest of the outfield shapes up. One would assume that the Royals plan to make Cain their every day centerfielder. Before the Greinke trade, did they plan for Melky Cabrera to have that role? Will Melky now platoon with left-fielder Gordon? Or will they rotate Cain, Melky and Gordon with rightfielder Jeff Francouer?

Having options is a good thing for manager Ned Yost, but it might not be a good thing for Gordon. Gordon was not a Dayton Moore draft pick and may be running out of chances. The addition of Cain would also not bode well for reserve outfielder Mitch Maier and certainly not for Gregor Blanco. Blanco has shown some potential, but he’s mainly been in the mix because he’s a speedy slap-hitting type. Now the Royals have more options in center, so Blanco’s opportunity may have been short lived.

The acquisition of Cain is also not helpful to minor leaguers Jarrod Dyson, David Lough and Derrick Robinson, each of whom has been considered a prospect, but is about the same age as Cain.

The two major-league- ready position players were the essentials to get the Royals to consider the trade. But adding top-flight pitching prospects is what made the deal worth doing.

Jeremy Jeffress

The Royals gained a major talent when 23-year-old Jeffress was included in the Greinke trade. Although he was a starter throughout most of his minor-league career, Jeffress appears perfectly suited for the role of table-setter for Joakim Soria. He showed he was more than capable his rookie season, notching 8 strikeouts and a 2.70 ERA in 10 innings of relief in 2010.

But let’s cut to the chase. Jeffress has tested positive for marijuana three times. Is that the type of guy who can hold it together when major-league money and major-league pressures come with the job? Is that the type of guy the Royals need in the clubhouse as they bring up their prized crop of prospects? Moore must either be naïve, or he must be certain Jeffress has his personal life under control.

If Jeffress can live up to his potential, his potential is scary. He can push 100 miles per hour and reportedly has an effective curve – which is why the Brewers made him the 16^th pick in the 2006 draft.

The effect of Jeffress on the franchise will depend upon him. If he has his act together he could be a dominant reliever. If he can’t, the Royals are used to muddling through the later innings, so expect more of the same.

Jake Odorizzi

Still a couple of years removed from the big leagues, Odorizzi was hardly a throw-in for Greinke. A supplemental first-rounder in 2008 and the top pitching prospect in the Brewers’ system, the right hander immediately becomes perhaps the Royals’ top righty in their entire farm system.

Odorizzi is just 20 and will most likely start the season at Northwest Arkansas. But with very few right handers to compete with, he’ll be a top commodity. His addition takes some of the pressure off Aaron Crow to live up to his first-round billing.

As we’ve seen before, if any team can screw up prospects, it’s the Royals. These types of trades are intended to reel in several quality pieces in exchange for one superstar. But how many of these four will the Royals have to hit on for the trade to have been worth it? Is one quality starter out of the bunch a good value? Do all four have to pan out?

This trade can’t be sufficiently judged for years. The Royals are giving Moore time to build the team from the bottom up. But if Moore someday is deemed a failure, it may be based more on the results of this trade than anything else he does.

Pencil in Greinke every fifth day and develop a few quality starters around him, keep them healthy, and build a bridge to “The Mexicutioner.” It seemed simple enough.

Going back a couple of years ago, it didn’t seem impossible to build a decent pitching staff. Zach Greinke was blossoming into a Cy Young pitcher. He was backed by a young and talented cast. And Ramon Ramirez and Leo Nunez were developing into quality set-up men.

Fast forward two years, and you’ve got a dissatisfied Greinke who might be on the trading block, Luke Hochever who can’t seem to live up to his potential, Kyle Davies who might be about out of chances to prove he belongs, Gil Meche who injuries have forced to the bullpen, and Brian Bannister who’s now gone.

The hopes for this group of pitchers is fading fast.

Losing seems to have taken its toll on Greinke. Lofty expectations following his remarkable 2009 may not have helped. Whatever the reason, the Royals ace struggled in 2010, and his frustrations bubbled over in August. He complained that the Royals’ current rebuilding effort is nothing he hasn’t seen before. He isn’t sure he wants to wait on a new crop of youngsters to develop.

Greinke didn’t seem to have the same magic in 2010, but a look beyond won/loss and ERA bears out that he’s still one of the best in the game. In fact, his WAR ranking would place him 7^th in the American League.

So what to do with him? The Royals should reap a haul if they do deal Greinke. But past blockbuster moves of superstars haven’t brought the desired return (remember Carlos Beltran?). Should they play him half the season and ship him to a contender? Or should they open up the bidding war now during the off-season? And with the minor league cupboard full, should the Royals accept prospects for Greinke?

The recent trade of David DeJesus for Oakland A’s right-hander Vin Mazarro raised some eyebrows. Was this move to fill a spot soon to be vacated by Greinke? Mazarro is just 10-17 with a 4.72 ERA in two big league seasons. But he just turned 24 and his defenders claim the statistics don’t tell the story of his ability. Reports are that he hits mid-90s with his fastball and is developing other quality pitches.

One is tempted to question why the Royals went after (settled for?) Mazarro. Was he a fair value for DeJesus, a proven commodity? Was this trade more motivated by economics than by Mazarro’s potential?

But we’re talking about Royals pitching, and like it or not, Mazarro is a Royal and DeJesus is an Oakland A. So add Mazarro to the mix and brace yourself for more development of young, unproven pitching.

Royal fans must hope Mazarro isn’t another Sean O’Sullivan, a youngster who would appear to have ability, but whose performance has thus far been disappointing.

O’Sullivan arrived in July and went 3-6 with a disastrous 6.11 ERA. The one ray of hope for O’Sullivan is that his WHIP was a bit more normal 1.557.

Hochever figures to be back in the rotation in 2011, but Davies is not a sure thing. The Royals will need to offer him another contract before December, or he could be cut loose. Both pitchers need to find some consistency. Flashes of brilliance are too few and far between for these two 27-year-olds.

And that leaves a mid-season addition to the rotation who had perhaps the group’s best season – Bruce Chen. Chen emerged in late April to lead the staff with 12 wins, and his 4.17 ERA matched Greinke’s. But Chen is a free agent and is unlikely to be back.

O’Sullivan and Mazarro will have a limited window of opportunity to prove they belong in the Royals’ rotation. The farm system is loaded with arms that should be making their way to the big leagues in the next few years.

Depending upon who you hear from, any one of Mike Montgomery, John Lamb, Chris Dwyer, or Danny Duffy could be the top left hander in all the minor leagues. Aaron Crow struggled making the transition to pro baseball, but the tools are there.

Most likely each of these young guns will start the season at AA or AAA, but shades of Saberhagen, Gubicza and Jackson have Royals fans counting the days. Regardless how the big league club performs, it should be another exciting year to follow the Omaha and Northwest Arkansas teams.

Now as for relief pitching, there’s Joakim Soria and… well…

Setting up “The Mexicutioner” could be interesting. Hughes, Wood, Bullington, Holland, Humber, Marte, Texeira… None seems any different than the others, and none seemed to get the job done in 2010. Meche will most likely figure into the bullpen, and the one guy who seems to have potential is Robinson Tejeda. His inconsistency was maddening, but he had a high SO/9 and low H/9.

The good news is, at just 26, Soria already has notched 132 saves and rarely blows an opportunity. He was selected the Royals’ Pitcher of the Year, was named to the All-Star Game, and yet still remains a great secret to the rest of the country because leads in the 9^th are all too rare. Imagine how valuable Soria would be if the Royals were a contender.

The prospects are bleak enough for the pitching staff even with Greinke. Should the team decide to deal him, it’s because they’ve given up not only on the team’s chances for 2011, but also for this entire group of pitchers. Royals fans can only hope the next wave of young guns can live up to expectations.

Special thanks to Matt Wilson from Baseball Digest for taking over for me the last couple weeks while I was on vacation.

With two weeks remaining in the season the Royals take to the road and will travel to Detroit for a three game series and Cleveland for a four game series. Here are a few Royals which could be fantasy options for the week.

Zach Greinke is scheduled to pitch Monday against Detroit and Sunday against Cleveland making him a two start pitcher this week. Last year he had one of the best statistical seasons a pitcher could have. It was so good that it was almost unsustainable for any pitcher. Greinke obviously has not been the caliber of pitcher he was last year but he has been a quality fantasy option. His last four starts he is 1-1 with an ERA of 4.33 and 1.306 WHIP. He struck out 16 in those starts while walking 13. In five starts this season against the Indians and Tigers he has a record of 2-0 with an ERA of 3.36. Continue to roll with Greinke for the final two weeks.

Joakim Soria is the bright spot for the Royals this season. He has been one of the top closers. Soria has not given up a run since July 28, which is up to 20 scoreless innings. Soria has converted 39 of 41 save opportunities. On the season, he has a 1.62 ERA with 67 strikeouts through 61 innings. Hopefully the Royals will need his services over the final two weeks to give your team some saves.

Billy Butler is having his most productive month of the season while raising his batting average to .318. Over the last 10 games he is batting .378 with three home runs and knocking in eight RBI’s. Butler is not the typical power hitting first baseman or designated hitter but he is putting together a nice season. Keep in mind he is only 24 years old and could break out the power stroke within a couple years. Butler should be active in most fantasy formats. He should continue to hit well this week. This season against the Tigers and Indians he is batting .392 with one home run and 17 RBI’s through 27 games.

Alex Gordon is still not worth starting in any league. Over the last 11 games, he is batting .265 with one home run and three RBI’s. He is worth holding onto because of his upside. Gordon has enough talent to be among the possible breakout list of players who will turn 27 next season.

No other Royals are worth giving your fantasy team the help you need for the final two weeks. Best of luck and hope you had a successful fantasy baseball season.

The Cleveland Indians are coming into town to take on the Kansas City Royals this week. Being the 80’s movie junky that I am, I cannot help but think of the movie Major League. The movie produced many one-liners and helpful tips that any ball team could use. Maybe the Royals should show the movie during their pregame meal.

When Billy Butler, Alex Gordon or any Royals player finds themselves in a slump when their bats are missing those curveballs, Pedro Cerrano has the key to ending those slumps. The Royals need to find a Jobu type gnome and place it in a sacred location in the locker room. Offer the gnome a shot of rum and a fine cigar, and with that a change of luck will come their way. If that does not work, sacrificing a live chicken should give them the extra power.

I believe I have found Zack Greinke’s problem this year. He might need to put Crisco on his chest, Bardol across his head and Vagisil along his waistline to get the extra two- to three-inch drop on that curveball he has been missing. Greinke should also rub some jalapeño up his nose to get it running and load the ball up with snot if he needs to. Eddie Harris has all the answers to make pitchers more effective.

Toughness needs to be part of every team. If toughness is lacking, the Royals must look elsewhere to find it. Finding a Ricky Vaughn type from the California Penal League will add the much-needed toughness. Maybe Joakim Soria needs to change his haircut, walk the bases loaded on 12 straight pitches, wear thick glasses with a skull-and-crossbones logo, and run out to “Wild Thing.” If that does not put fear in hitters, I do not know what would.

Ned Yost needs to watch Lou Brown closely. During practice, whenever Yuniesky Betancourt takes a play off the hip, he should drop and give Yost 40 sit-ups. If Mitch Maier hits the ball in the air, Yost needs 20 push-ups in return for Maier’s effort.

Royals announcer Denny Matthews might need to change a couple of his techniques. Harry Doyle used laughter and sarcastic remarks to keep the listeners tuned in. Doyle would use “JUUUUUUST a bit outside!” when Vaughn would throw a ball to the backstop. Matthews does a great job, but he might be able to pick up a couple pointers from Doyle.

If the Royals do not get things together soon, you might just see a promotion for Die-Hard Night: free admission to anyone who was actually alive the last time the Royals won the pennant.

Another one bites the dust. Jose Guillen was not traded but has been designated for assignment. That marks the end for Guillen in Kansas City. This week the Royals travel to Los Angeles for three games and host New York for a four game series. Royal’s fantasy help is almost nonexistent right now. There are still a couple remaining to help your team till seasons end.

Zach Greinke expressed his emotions this week stating he is displeased with the Royals direction. He must not be paying any attention to the minor league system. With his poor attitude, my suggestion is to bench him this week if you have a reliable substitute. Greinke is scheduled to pitch against the Angels on Wednesday. His last outing against the Angels, he took the loss and gave up four earned runs in six innings with six strikeouts. In seven appearances Greinke is 1-4 with a 4.20 ERA against the Angels. Joakim Soria continues to have a fine season. He recorded his fourth consecutive game Saturday night. Even though Soria is pitching for the Royals, he has been one of the top closers. He has converted his last 24 save opportunities. His ERA is 2.15 with 51 strikeouts in 46 innings pitched. Keep him active in all formats.

Billy Butler is starting to become an unproductive first baseman. Fantasy owners should be frustrated with his production as of late. Since he plays first base, owners expect the power numbers. His .309 batting average is acceptable but only hitting 10 home runs is not. Since the All-Star break, Butler is hitting .244 with one home run and eight RBI’s. On the season against the Angels and Yankees, Butler is batting .187 with no home runs and three RBI’s through 10 games. I recommend sitting Butler until he can start to produce again. Alex Gordon is not worth starting in any league. He is worth holding onto for the future. This season he is batting .205 with four home runs, seven RBI’s, and scoring 12 runs in 26 games.

Fantasy Minor League Profile of the week:

The Fantasy Profile of the Week is Wil Myers. He was selected in the 3rd round (No. 91 overall) of the June 2009 First-Year Player Draft. Myers is currently a catcher for the Class-A Wilmington Blue Rocks in the Carolina League. Coming into the season, he was rated as the third highest prospect in the Royals organization. He was last week’s Baseball America #1 Prospect on their weekly Prospect Hot Sheet. Look for Myers to reach the major leagues in September of 2012 and full time in 2013. Deep keeper leagues should take a flier on him now. He is worth holding onto and could be your catcher of the future.

Last week Alberto Callaspo was traded to Los Angeles Angels and David DeJesus had season ending surgery. This week Scott Podsednik was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Rick Ankiel was traded to the Atlanta Braves. The Royals travel to Oakland and Seattle for a three game series this week. Finding quality fantasy help on the Royals is getting harder to find.

Zach Greinke is not the quality pitcher he was in 2009 but he has pitched much better as of late. In July he posted a 4.09 ERA while striking out 34. He only had one poor outing in July which he allowed eight runs against Minnesota. Greinke is scheduled to pitch Friday at Seattle. This season against Seattle he is 1-0 in two quality starts with 14 strikeouts, two walks, 0.00 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, through 14 innings pitched. With those stats he should active in all fantasy formats. Joakim Soria has been one of the most reliable closers so far this season. He recorded his 29^th save against the Orioles on Sunday. His last blown save was on May 6^thwhile converting 29 of 31 save chances. Since Soria has converted his last 22 save opportunities, he should be active in all fantasy formats. Billy Butler had his worst month of production in July. He batted .274 with two home runs and nine RBI. He hit his first home run Saturday in over two weeks. Since the All-star break, he is batting .253 with one home run, six RBI, and scoring seven runs in 16 games. The time has come to consider sitting Butler until he can turn it around.

Jose Guillen had a horrible July. He batted .207 with two home runs and 10 RBI. There could be a sign he could have a decent August. Guillen batted .304 in April, .202 in May, .340 in June, and .207 in July. He still has a respectable season so far with 16 home runs and 61 RBI. At the moment he is a borderline option for mixed leagues. Watch his production over the next week. Alex Gordon has had a slow start since being called up to the big leagues. He is batting .190 with 2 home runs and 5 RBI. Even though Gordon has not had a great start, this is no reason to forget about him. His upside is tremendous and worth hanging onto in deep mixed leagues.

Fantasy Minor League Profile of the week:

The Fantasy Profile of the Week is Mike Montgomery. He was selected in the 1st round (No. 36 overall) of the June 2008 First-Year Player Draft. Montgomery is currently a starting pitcher in the Rookie Arizona League. He was put on the Disabled List back in June with elbow soreness. The Royals are going to take it easy with him for the remainder of the season. Montgomery was rated as the Royal #1 prospect going into the season by Baseball America and was projected to reach the big leagues in 2013. He is worth a roster spot in deep keeper leagues with a potential to front line any rotation.

This has been an interesting week for the Kansas City Royals. Alberto Callaspo is gone, traded to the Angels where he started his career. David DeJesus is done for the season. He will have surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right thumb. DeJesus was in many trade discussions, but it is now unknown if he would have remained with the Royals or not. This week the Royals host Minnesota for three games and Baltimore for a four game series.

Zach Greinke is on schedule to have two starts this week. He has pitched much better as of late. In his last seven starts, he is 6-1 with 47 strikeouts while issuing eight walks. Greinke pitched decently against Baltimore this year but not so well against Minnesota. Those two starts were before his recent turn around. Due to a two start week, Greinke should be active in all formats. Joakim Soria has continued to have a decent season. Even with rare save opportunities, he has been one of the best closers. The one thing I look for in relievers is if they average over a strikeout per inning pitched. Soria has 47 strikeouts in 40 innings pitched. He holds a 2.25 ERA and 1.20 WHIP and still remains a must start in all fantasy formats. Billy Butler has a .298 batting average against Minnesota and Baltimore in his career. If not for his .314 average, I would suggest sitting Butler. He does not have the overall number I am looking for from a first baseman but is worth starting in most formats. As of now, you know what you are going to get with Butler.

Jose Guillen has hit Minnesota and Baltimore very well this season with a .361 batting average in 11 games. He has the ability to hit for power and knock in a few runs. I would only start him this week if you need to fill a spot for an injury, other than that I would sit him. He is worth the roster spot in deeper mixed leagues and AL only formats. Scott Podsednik is one of those players that do great things during the game to help his team but as far as fantasy goes, there isn’t much there. For fantasy, he will help the batting average (.338 in July), give plenty of stolen bases, and throw in a few triples. He is worth a roster spot in deep mixed and AL only leagues.

Just called up:

Rick Ankiel is someone I would not even dream of picking up at the moment. He is not worth the roster spot until he can give some production. Alex Gordon on the other hand is worth picking up in deep mixed leagues. He tore apart Triple-A pitching this season. Even though Gordon has not lived up to the hype and high expectations put on him during college and minor leagues, he is still young enough to recover from a disastrous start in the Major Leagues. He is eligible to play third base so if you need help at that position, Gordon could be your answer.

Fantasy Minor League Profile of the week:

The Fantasy Profile of the Week is John Lamb. He was selected in the 5^th round (No. 145 overall) of the June 2008 First-Year Player Draft. Lamb is currently a starting pitcher for the Single-A Wilmington Blue Rocks in the Carolina League. He has been a surprise this season while being one of the best pitchers in Single-A if not all of the Minor Leagues. In 6 games since June 17th, Lamb is 4-0, allowing only 2 earned runs in 35 2/3 innings pitched. He has struck out 46 while giving up 4 walks. Lamb is a pitcher on the rise and if available, I recommend picking up immediately. He is a terrific long term keeper since he most likely will not reach the Major Leagues until 2013 at the earliest.

If you have lived long enough you have seen something or someone that was once great deteriorate into nothing more than a hollow shell of its former self. Your grandfather who was built like an ox from the time he was a teen until well into his fifties and then once he hit seventy his physical body was worn out after all the abuse it had taken. Your ultimate high school/college ride that was shiny and aerodynamic but in an instant it was totaled by someone who wasn’t paying attention and rear ended it at sixty miles an hour. A once thriving baseball franchise with an owner that cared and wanted to bring in the talent to win, and now the same franchise has an owner who is only concerned about bringing in enough talent to fill some seats. At least that is the perception.

Since the passing of Ewing Kauffman the Royals have been that hollow shell. Sure they have had a handful of players (ranging from good to all-star caliber) that have played for a year, two, maybe three but once they were offered a trade to a contending team, (Yankees, Red Sox, Astros, Cardinals, White Sox) they were gone. Carlos Beltran, David Cone, Johnny Damon, Jermaine Dye, Jeff Suppan and the list could go on. This theme started soon after the strike of 1994 and has continued well into the twenty first century. Sure the Royals haven’t always finished in the gutter but they either finished fourth or fifth fourteen times since 1993.

That was not the baseball team that I grew up listening to on the radio, watching on TV or the stands from before I could even throw a baseball. The Royals had a premier minor league system that was the envy of even the New York Yankees. They had at least a handful of all-stars every year and they weren’t “mercy” picks either. In no way am I dismissing the talent level of the recent selections for the mid summer classic, they deserved it. Zach Greinke and Joakim Soria are some of the best players at their position. These guys are winners and deserve better.

Now this year has been slightly different. The coaching changes have helped. Bringing in one of the best Royals hitters in history as the hitting coach and bringing in a replacement manager that has had success, and has instilled optimism into the team, is a move that all die hard fans are hoping will lead to a brighter ending rather than the basement of a competitive division. It is looking like the Royals might have found the beginnings of a core group that could lead them back to prominence.

In theory the Royals could have had arguably the best outfield of the first decade of the twenty first century. It would consist of Jermaine Dye in right, Carlos Beltran in Center and Johnny Damon in Left. All three of these players have played and/or started in the All-Star game and the post-season. Two of them have World Series rings. If the Royals would have kept these three, Mike Sweeney would have stayed for sure. Now we are up to four perennial all-star players that are not pitchers. These four could also have been the 1-4 in the batting lineup. Add Billy Butler and David DeJesus to the lineup there’s number five and six. Both of these may not have the power numbers but both are capable of being a .300 or better hitter, year in and year out. This line up would stack up well against just about any other lineup that has been put out there by any team the past ten years. But it never came to be. Money, and more importantly the potential for a ring, lured away the talent that the Royals for the most part had groomed themselves. The Royals’ brass was content to be a feeder team to the rest of the league who wanted to win pennants.

There have been many theories that have been started by fans or by the media of what would fix the Royals problems. One of these being hiring former Royals’ talent to manage or coach the team. Frank White or George Brett have both been mentioned in certain circles at one point. George is right where he needs to be. He has the power to influence more than just the starting lineup for the game but has some influence on who the manger has to pick from for his lineup. He still makes his spring training appearances and that is enough for a guy who gave a town the best years of his life and then some. The same can be said for Frank White. Frank managed in the minor leagues and is now in broadcasting. It’s not a matter of if either one could do the job. They could. They have the abilities but the expectations would be set way too high by the media and the fan base.

There is only one solution that works in winning it all in baseball at the major league level. It is a combination of things and it starts at the top with the ownership and the other top brass. The owner, the president, the VPs, and the GM must be committed to produce a championship team. Owners are already rich before they buy or start the team. That’s why they’re the owner. Ewing Kauffman’s wife encouraged him to help his hometown out by bringing in a professional baseball franchise. Mr. Kauffman was already a very successful business man at this point and like all good businessmen wanted to have success in all of his ventures. The Royals finished fourth in their first season. It was a good start.

Mr. Kauffman built the template structure that other franchises would later mimic. Their minor league system was superb and in less than ten years won three division titles. The organization drafted well, traded well, and when they signed good players and coaches they kept them. Some of these were quite expensive investments but it made the franchise a winner. David Glass has been taking his Wal-Mart/cutting cost approach and you can’t do that if you expect to win. Even the small market teams, such as the Twins or the Reds (I might even consider the Braves a small market team in comparison to others) are willing to bite the bullet and bring in enough talent to contend for a playoff spot.

After having a solid, single-minded, optimistic, business side of the franchise you need coaches who know the game and how to get the most out of their players. Each coach has their own personality and style. A manager has to be passionate about the game and passionate to win. Why do you think Bobby Cox (Ned Yost worked for Cox 1991-2002) has coached as long as he has and has gotten himself thrown out in as many games? He cares about winning and letting his team know about it, even if it means being sent to the showers early himself. Yost wouldn’t have stayed long in Atlanta if he (Cox) didn’t want him around.

The Royals have had chances go right by them in the past ten years but either the coach was uninterested or the Royals wouldn’t fork over the money. A high quality coach such as a Bobby Cox, Joe Torre or Tony LaRussa does not become available every year and the good news is they don’t cost that much either (At least compared to the players that you would have to sign.) Tony LaRussa is the ideal manager because he has won it all from both sides of the league. The only other manger to pull that off was Sparky Anderson. But since the Cardinals won’t let him go anytime soon, the Royals are still left with plenty of quality prospects.

Coach Yost so far seems to be doing a much better job than his predecessor to this point. Tony LaRussa actually picked him to be on the 2005 All-Star team coaching staff. So he has some qualities that LaRussa likes, these are a definite plus for the Royals. If two of the best managers of all time think you’re a good coach, then you have to have hope as a Royals fan.

He has proven that he knows how to win when he was with the Brewers. He lead them to winning seasons and a playoff birth before getting the boot near the end of the 2008 season. The 2007 campaign was the first winning season that franchise had seen since 1992. Stats mean a lot in baseball but the most important stat is the “W” at the end of the day. This being said, a manager is only as good as the rest of his staff. If we look at the Royal’s numbers up through yesterday’s game we will clearly see what changes, if any, need to be made.

Offensively, the Royals are one of the best teams in the majors. They lead the entire league in batting average and are second in hits. Power numbers are pretty dismal but the Royals currently don’t have a 30-40 HR/year hitter on their roster. They are on pace to have three starters with 200+ hits by the end of the season with an average of .310 or better (none of them were selected to be an All-Star). Now these three players do have talent and they have to execute, but it has been cited during this season that Kevin Seitzer has helped these players improve their approach and their swing. The man knows about hitting and how to make the players comfortable at the plate. He is definitely a keeper.

The Royals pitching staff has been injury plagued this year. Gil Meche, who is the highest paid player on the team, has not pitched in months. The newest addition, Anthony Lerew just took a ball to the gut and is out for an undetermined time. Bob McClure played for nineteen years at the professional level and has coached for only two different organizations in the past decade. The Royals are his first major league level pitching coach assignment. He is doing the best he can with what he has to work with right now. A cook is only as good as the ingredients that he has in his kitchen.

The ace of the staff is in some kind of funk that needs to be figured out before his next start. The bullpen and the starters are fickle in their performances with only one or two exceptions. I will say that statistically, the Royals pitching staff has improved since McClure took the job. The Royals have posted improved team ERA in recent seasons but for some reason not enough to stay out of the cellar or at least the stairs next to it. Greinke’s Cy Young win last season has been one of the few bright spots that McClure can point to while working with the Royals’ pitchers. He has shown he can manage a staff at the big league level. I just hope the Royals see that he is worth keeping as well.

So we have assessed the business part of the franchise, which is in need of a tune-up, wake-up call, or a kick in the pants, depending upon your level of frustration you have as a Royals fan and a passion for wanting this franchise to win again. We have assessed the three main coaches responsible for player performance and they seem to be doing what anyone in their current position would be doing. That is, doing the best they can.

I would like to say that this is not an article about “there’s no talent in this town.” There is talent here. Is there enough to win a championship? No. The Royals have three all-stars in their everyday lineup and two of them are home grown. Scott Podsednik being the talent that was brought in from the White Sox is a legitimate everyday player in the outfield. He has had success in the post-season with one ring to show for his efforts. He can get on base with a bunt if he has to, and once he is on he can steal a base.

Billy Butler is coming into his own these past two years. He hit above .300 last season and is currently hitting above .315 going into this week. He has also made huge strides with his defense thanks to a lot of work he has done to make himself a better player. Billy is young, talented, and ready to be a star. The Royals need to somehow make it work and lock him up with at least a five year deal.

David DeJesus, without a doubt, is one of the best starting outfielders in the league. He has hit well and has played better defense than Ichiro this year. In fact, he is on the verge of setting a major league record for consecutive errorless games. To say he is one of the most balanced outfielders in the league is putting it mildly. To top it all off he is currently leading the team in batting average. The Royals front office again needs to find a way to make it work for him to stay and help solidify both the lineup and the defense.

If you look at championship caliber teams, they have at least a half dozen or more potential all-stars between their pitching staff and their position players. I’ve already mentioned that Greinke and Soria are deserving all-stars. If the Royals want to make a serious run, they will need to up their game on the free agent market and the trading block. One starting pitcher and a solid slugger would go a long way to helping this team return to its once glorious tradition.

I have my opinion about who they should be and it would be unprecedented under the status quo to get them but then I have been known to dream for something better. If the Miami Heat can pull it off, why not the Royals? Being a life time follower of baseball has taught me one thing, anything is possible on any given day. Royals, this true blue fan is ready for you to turn your season motto “It all happens here” into more than just words on a website or a poster. The “all” in major league baseball is hoisting that trophy at the end of the season. A foundation has been made, now let’s build some walls. Let’s build something great.