Tuesday Tidbits: It Has Now Officially, Gotten Stankiest Out There

It's a gloomy day in Kansas City. That is, it's raining. Either snow or rain has been falling consistently for three straight days now, and sporting news hitting the CyberStands doesn't look much better. In case you've not heard, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe has been suspended by the NFL for four games for violating the league's performance-enhancing substance policy. Word is that he'll not appeal the suspension, that it'll start immediately. Speculations are that, as Bowe came into training camp 30 pounds overweight, he used a diuretic to help shed some pounds, which, if correcty, translates to off-season laziness. This means no Steelers at home this weekend, no Chargers on the road in two weeks, no Broncos and no Bills for the first part of a three-game home stand. Thank God for the Chris Chambers signing, as our playoff chances were looking threatened there for a minute.

In NCAA news, Kansas Jayhawks Head Football Coach Mark Mangino is going under the scope. I don't mean surgery, and I don't mean they're going to try and place the big fella on a slide for examination. I mean that the school is investigating allegations of questionable conduct in the form of "yelling at and making contact with a player earlier this season." But that's just a few clouds on a figuratively bright day for KC sports...

...because Kansas City Royal Zack Greinke has won the American League Cy Young Award, by count of 25 of 28 votes. When the chatterings began, I had little faith that Greinke would actually win it. The case for Zack tried to make itself inevitable, though, as the regular season drew to a close, and the playoffs began. But today, a certain someone's prediction rang true.

On the evening of April the 8th, of 2009, I texted Old No. 7 that KC's number two starter had looked real sharp in a 2-0 shutout of the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.

His response was something to the tune of, "Part of a little Cy Young campaign I like to call Gettin' Stanky with Zack Greinke," which made me chuckle. Of course I liked the notion of it, but never did I think it would come true, some seven months later. Well played, sir, and well deserved, Mr. Greinke. Three cheers for good news. Hell, three cheers for great news.
Read more

Baseball In The Daytime: 5-28-08

As we're now into the semi-official, post-Memorial Day summer phase of the baseball season, the temperature is starting to rise. For Willie Randolph in Queens, it's hotter than Hades already. On tap today are a pair of games, one played outside in the heat and the bugs, one inside next to a fish tank.

So throw on a little Coppertone, knock back a few hydrating beverages and enjoy some Baseball In The Daytime...

Chicago White Sox @ Cleveland, 10:05 Mountain There's always a little controversy brewing in Ozzie Guillen's clubhouse, and this latest one is more than a little queer. That's queer as in odd, but if you want to attribute a few homo qualities to it that's your business. I don't judge.

Shortstop Orlando Cabrera, who I've been a huge, huge fan of since he helped the Red Sox win a championship in 2004, was dealt to the Pale Hose in the offseason. He's off to an awful start, although since Ozzie inserted him in the leadoff spot his numbers have improved. It's his defensive stats, however, that are currently at issue. Seems OC has taken to calling official scorekeepers and lobbying for errors to be overturned. I'm sure that goes over well with the pitchers playing in front of him, as earned runs are being added to their stats after the fact. Today that skeptical hurler will be Gavin Floyd, while Jake Westbrook comes off the DL to throw for the Tribe.

Texas @ Tampa, 10:40 Josh Hamilton has 58 RBI on the season. It is May 28 and that is not a misprint. Hamilton, who like Cabrera was obtained in exchange for pitching over the winter, has absolutely lit up the American League, which was the initial intent of the then-Devil Rays when they made him the No. 1 pick of the 1999 Draft. He then infamously developed a love affair with various white powders before discovering Jesus and a newfound ability to annihilate baseballs. Trying to slow him today will be Bay-Ray Matt Garza (yet another offseason tradee), who'll share the hill with Ranger Kason Gabbard. Play Ball!
Read more

Musings From Roy F. Almania: "A Little Borrowed, A Little Old, But Mostly 'New' and 'Blue' With a Hearty Side of 'Tradition'"

(Editor's Note: In one of our numerous "off-season" conferences, the HoG scrutinized the features run in 2007, and debated which of those would grace our pages again in 2008. The semi-periodic postings offered by my cousin Roy regarding his beloved Kansas City baseball team somehow made the cut, so we'll hear from him on occasion as the Royals put a facelift on their club and their stadium simultaneously.)

What up, bitches? I'll tell you what. Dayton Moore's ingenious efforts to win. That's what. With April just around the corner, the man in charge has done good. Nabbing the skipper of them champion Nippon Ham Fighters kicked my winter off with a bang. And it's only gotten better.

Sweeners, much as I love the kid, is gone. Royals future HOFer for sure; no longer a need for him on the payroll, though. Angel Berroa, much as I hate still having to type that name, currently occupies no roster spot. He did get an invite to Surprise, but hopefully he won't be coming home with the boys. Teahen and Greinke had their papers re-upped for another year, and Billy Butler looks to nab either the DH spot, or make a go of it at first base. The Royals have extended their efforts to make room for what I like to call the Mitch Maier Project, and I see good things coming of it. And speaking of good things, the Alex Gordon got his old college number, swiped it even, from the aforementioned worthless Berroa.

David DeJesus and Mark Grudzielanek are back, as is Tony Pena, Jr, and Mr. John Buck. Joey Gathright will make another stab at pretending to be a professional ball player, while Shane Costa, Ross Gload and Esteban German fight to keep spots on the roster.

On the mound, Mexican closing phenom Joakim Soria will kick of the campaign as the guy to take us home in the ninth, only this year he'll likely have the wily Yasuhiko Yabuta as a setup man. If not, Soria's paisano Joel Peralta will fit the bill. Other news of Royal Japanese interest would be the training camp invite thrown the way of Hideo Nomo. The Royals have also asked Mike Maroth to make an appearance, filling what was already a varied bullpen, to say the least.

In the rotation, Gil Meche promises to be numero uno for the boys in blue again. He'll lead it off and be followed by guys like multiple 2007 AL Pitcher of the Month winner Brian Bannister, late 2007 acquistion Kyle Davies -- who, I might add, Moore got from Atlanta in exchange for Octavio Dotel, a stellar closer that wound up back in the AL Central playing for that loon Ozzie --, Greinke, Jorge de la Rosa, (thank Christ we may've seen the last of Odalis Perez), perhaps young prospect Luke Hochevar, maybe even Brett Tomko.

The outfield, however, promises a better trio than Kansas City has seen since the Beltran days. With DeJesus and Teahen all but locked in, the third leg of that iron triangle will feature Senor Jose Guillen. And I, for one, am flippin' pumped about it. His 23 jacks and near-100 RsBI last year make for one impressive outfield.

With all that excitement, I'm 'bout due for a Schlitz. Or seven. Like I mentioned last year on these HoGs, though, look for the 'New' to translate to a .500 season; the Tradition will unveil itself as a 2009 AL Central championship.
Read more