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

[aknowledgeableperson]

I am hoping that the Royal's decision on Hochevar was more a sign that they do indeed have bigger plans for him this season.  If the big league 5th starter position in April really is just going to be spot start/bullshit mop-up duty like they have indicated, than perhaps the thought was that it would be better for Hochevar to continue getting regular starts until they really are ready for a full time 5th starter in KC.  Just a thought. 

I would tend to agree.  In the minors both Hoch and Bannister can get regular work for 4 to 6 weeks and be ready if there is a roster shakeup if a pitcher or two fails during that time, or a trade comes up.  I see both as starting pitchers, for us or another team, before the All-Star break.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Nice to see the whole rest of the division get smacked yesterday.  Royals and Sox battle for sole possession of first place. 

[Pendergast]

Tough loss today, but nothing to read into too much.  They pitched to Thome in that spot, its chancing it.  Meche had a great start, Farny blew the win.  Good to have the Royals back, win or lose.

[KansasCityCraka]

Should have put Cruz or Mahay in 

[phuqueue]

There was only one surprising thing about today's game, and it was that Jose Guillen took a walk.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Should have put Cruz or Mahay in 

Or better yet - plunk him on the hip. 

[NDTeve]

Good showing by Gordon though.

[Pendergast]

And we're just getting started...Friday we get Ponson vs. Pettitte and Saturday we get H. Ramirez vs. Sabathia.

[KCMax]

And we're just getting started...Friday we get Ponson vs. Pettitte and Saturday we get H. Ramirez vs. Sabathia.

Yea, kinda raises the importance of winning when Meche and Greinke pitch.

[Ez Street]

All this negativity against Ponson (deserved by the way), but watch him come out and pitch a great game and the fans will be all up in his business like he's the savior.

Mark my words.

I hope we get the Sabathia that showed up on Monday in Baltimore. He usually sucks in April.

[KCRoyal]

And we're just getting started...Friday we get Ponson vs. Pettitte and Saturday we get H. Ramirez vs. Sabathia.

We've always had trouble against Pettitte so I'm hoping we can jump on Joba and the "Monday" version of C.C. Sabathia.

[KCPowercat]

I don't believe in this one player vs the royals type of thought. New players, new manager, how somebody did against the royals in the past really has no bearing on how they do on a certain day. this isn't isolated to the royals, you hear it with all teams. Its a great talking point for th media but it has nothing to do with how a player will do on a given day in the future.

Sorry, little rant there.

[LenexatoKCMO]

it has nothing to do with how a player will do on a given day in the future.

Couldn't disagree more.  Baseball is a hugely mental sport.  If a player goes into a game knowing that he has an outstanding track record against that opponent, he will go to the plate with that much more confidence and visualization of success.  Likewise, teams that have been pounded by a particular opponent are that much more likely to take the field with self-doubt and mental tightness.  Can't tell me that doesn't transalate to the result a certain percent of the time. 

[KCPowercat]

So a new player just adopts that his opponent has hit other players wearing the hat he wears now and can't pitch to the guy?  I don't buy it.

Sure sports is mental and confidence helps you perform but if a batter has struggled against a pitcher when that pitcher was on another squad, I am not buying he will suddenly find success because that pitcher is wearing royals across his jersey.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Sure sports is mental and confidence helps you perform but if a batter has struggled against a pitcher when that pitcher was on another squad, I am not buying he will suddenly find success because that pitcher is wearing royals across his jersey.

The confidence/lack of confidence can be triggered by both the player and the team.  Sure if a batter goes to bat against a pitcher that has given him fits for years, that is probably more likely to be at the front of his mind than the success he has had against the team.  Unless one is much more extreme than the other. 

[KCPowercat]

I just don't think Thome is up there thinking 'ahh, the royals, I can always hit them'. Maybe he is a 'royal killer' because he is freaking good and our talent has been poor. The player vs. team stats mean absolutely nothing to me. Good fodder for media but worthless in my opinion.

Much more worthwhile splits in baseball.

[im2kull]

Do we still have Mahay? 

I still don't understand the Coco Crisp for R. Ramirez trade...but I guess trading away good great pitching for decent hitting and good fielding doesn't have a place in my book.

Who's the other reliever that we got rid of...I know we lost at least 2 of our top 4 from last year.  Also, Royals just won, and Soria just picked up a save.  Good job starting pitchers.  First shutout of the season...just 2 games into it.  That's a welcome change...only 3 hits given out today, all by grienke...the relief corps was lights out.

[AllThingsKC]

YAY!! We get our first victory of the season.

Other than Trey's mistake, we have really been in control of this series and I am EXPECTING a win tomorrow.

[KCMax]

YAY!! We get our first victory of the season.

Other than Trey's mistake, we have really been in control of this series and I am EXPECTING a win tomorrow.

Hopefully he saw how Cruz pitched and realized "hey this guy might be way better than Farnsworth." Cruz looked awesome.

[WSPanic]

I just don't think Thome is up there thinking 'ahh, the royals, I can always hit them'. Maybe he is a 'royal killer' because he is freaking good and our talent has been poor. The player vs. team stats mean absolutely nothing to me. Good fodder for media but worthless in my opinion.

Much more worthwhile splits in baseball.

I'd say Zack's performance last night supports this. He was 0-6 at Comiskey going into yesterday. Didn't really seem to have much of an effect on him.