GO ROYALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mean]

The records don't really seem that different, but 2.5 games out is a whole lot better than 11 games out.

[KCMax]

Yea, its nice to still have illusions of competing for the division in late May, rather than have those dreams snuffed out in the first week!

[KC-wildcat]

However, having said all that, we are still averaging over 10,000 less per game than i believe the rest of the AL.  Ouch.  at least that's what they were saying on WHB today.

I think it probably has something to do with that whole 23 year playoff absence. 

[mean]

Yea, its nice to still have illusions of competing for the division in late May, rather than have those dreams snuffed out in the first week!

It's unlikely that the Royals will win the division, but it is possible. How long has it been since you could say that in late May? Five years? How long before that?

[WSPanic]

It's unlikely that the Royals will win the division, but it is possible. How long has it been since you could say that in late May? Five years? How long before that?

Prior to 2003 - probably 1994 - pre strike. Before that, maybe '89.

[NDTeve]

FYI...we're up 7-1 in the 4th 

[mean]

Kenny Rogers will be singing a sad song tonight.

And how about those bats? Dayamn!

[KCMax]

19-21!!!!!

We didn't win our 19th game last year until May 23 (19-28)

We didn't win our 19th game in 2006 until June 18 (19-49)

Progress!

[KansasCityCraka]

Royals win and are 6-0 vs the Tigers this year!

Game 1
Royals - 3
Tigers - 2

Game 2
Royals - 2
Tigers - 0

Game 3
Royals - 8
Tigers - 4

The Tigers have only scored 11 runs in 56 innings against the Royals this year.

[Ez Street]

We didn't win our 19th game last year until May 23 (19-28)

Are we 8 games better? How would that equate? Just thinking out loud....

I guees to be eight games better than last year we'd have to be up eight games at that point.

[AllThingsKC]

It's nice to have a team worse than the Royals.  I remember the days when the Royals were the worst team...  So, yeah, I'm seeing progress in some regaurd.

Now, on to Florida where we could very easily be swept! 

[KansasCityCraka]

Not worried about Florida at all. We can easily win 2 games. Up to this point they have had a very easy schedule making them appear better than they are. I doubt they will finish over .500 this year.

We have Tomko, Bannister, and Greinke pitching in that series.

[KansasCityChiefs]

The Tigers are NOT a bad team. The Royals are so young they are extremely streaky. Nobody can guess how many games they will win against Florida or Boston. I could see them losing the series against Florida but winning it in Boston, it wouldn't surprise me.

Something that really excites me is how Hochevar is coming into his own and Meche looks closer to what he did last year.

[phuqueue]

The records don't really seem that different, but 2.5 games out is a whole lot better than 11 games out.

I'd say the record is pretty different.  It's only May and the Royals have already improved by six games over last year's record at this time.  At this point last year, the team was on pace to finish 53-109, but managed to improve themselves from the beginning of June to the end of the year to finish 69-93.  At this point, even in the middle of the two months that have been most brutal to the team over the past few years, they're on pace for 77-85.  There's no telling how the rest of the season will play out, obviously, but if we're comparing just where the team was at this point last year to where it is this year, the real difference is six games and the projected difference over the course of a full season would have been 24 games (if last year's .325 winning percentage at this time had held out for the entire season, and if the current .475 winning percentage holds for the rest of this year).  That's a pretty big difference.

A .500 season is definitely still on the table -- if the AL Central doesn't get its act together pretty soon (Indians and Tigers, especially), contending for the playoffs isn't out of the question (though I wouldn't hold my breath).  You couldn't say anything like that at this time last year (at least not with a straight face).

Something that really excites me is how Hochevar is coming into his own and Meche looks closer to what he did last year.

I like what we've been seeing out of Hochevar so far, but I'm still not sold on Meche.  Two of his last three starts have been strong (actually, three of his last four have been pretty solid), but he's still been pretty bad this year.  He just brought his ERA back under 6 today, so let's not get too carried away with him yet.  But aside from his five innings, five run performance against Baltimore last week, he's been moving in the right direction.  I am cautiously optimistic that he's starting to figure it out again.

[skim82]

I honestly believe Meche will be fine.  That is unless he has some shoulder problems... i think his velocity may be just a tad bit down, but he threw a lot of innings last year and showed up REAL early to Spring Training.

Besides, Meche no longer has to shoulder the load of the entire staff.  I have a ton of confidence in Grienke, Bannister, and even Hochevar.  Tomko leaves some to be desired, but his last two outings have not been a nightmare.  He has good stuff, but seems to get bombed in one bad inning. 

Also, when we get Bale back, that will improve the depth in the bullpen and make us that much harder to beat.  Joakim Soria is amazing, Ramirez is a nice surprise, and Leo Nunez seems to have found a way to stay in the Bigs.  BTW, is Jimmy Gobble even on this team anymore?  We have not used him much in lefty situations, but i have faith he can get the job done.  Peralta is a steady bullpen guy as well.

[skim82]

Oh forgot about Mahay, who looks to be a solid veteran.


Now, can we score some runs??? And is it just me or is Teahen still swining at every breaking pitch in the dirt inside???

He's been in the Bigs long enough, time to lay off those inside breaking pitches. 

[KCMax]

Teahen needs to start hitting soon or else he's going to find himself on the bench. Dayton Moore called him out this morning on the radio.

[KansasCityCraka]

Teahen needs to start hitting soon or else he's going to find himself on the bench. Dayton Moore called him out this morning on the radio.

If he doesn't start hitting I could see us shopping him around. He doesn't have any options left, right?

In other news we are now 20-21. Soria gave up a 2 run HR but he came right back and struck out the last 2 to give him his 11 save..

[AllThingsKC]

Ok, so let me see if I have the right:  The Kansas City Royals are currently on a 5-game winning streak, and are only 1 game under .500 and 1.5 games out of first?

Looks like our Royals are back!

Welcome back, Royals.  It's like you never left us.

The turd birds have landed!  Welcome home, boys.

They look more and more like a 100-loss team again this year.

Man, was I hoping the turd birds would at least wait until May to piss the season away this year.

Honest to God, is it possible for this sh*t pile franchise to give us one solid month of legitimate baseball before packing it in for the season.  Is that too much to ask????

As much as I hate to say it, the Royals motto could currently be:

Same.  Blue.  Tradition. 

I know it's still early, but it seems like we should learn to NEVER SAY NEVER.

[GRID]

We got the new 2K8 game for PS3 and when you play at Kauffman, the stands are half full