Tonight's game starts at 6:35 Central. Tune in on the Royals Radio Network and FOX Sports Kansas City. Saturday's game will be a FOX Network (and not a FSKC) telecast. Check your local listings.
(DeJesus - LF)
(Bloomquist - CF)
(Butler - 1B)
(Teahen - RF)
(Callaspo - 2B)
(Olivo - DH)
(Pena - C)
(Gordon - 3B)
(Betancourt - SS)
(Ponson - P)
The 6-foot-2, 195-pound left-handed hitter and right-handed thrower was acquired by
We welcome Josh to the club!
Tune in on the Royals Radio Network for today's 11:35 start.
(DeJesus - LF)
(Maier - CF)
(Butler - 1B)
(Jacobs - DH)
(Callaspo - 2B)
(Buck - C)
(Gordon - 3B)
(Freel - RF)
(Betancourt - SS)
(Hochevar - P)
Tonight's game starts at 6:05 Central time and will be on FSKC and the Royals Radio Network. Thursday's series finale starts early - 11:35 Central. It will not be on FSKC, so tune in to the Royals Radio Network or MLB Gameday Audio. Here's your KC lineup for tonight:
(DeJesus - LF)
(Bloomquist - RF)
(Butler - 1B)
(Teahen - 3B)
(Callaspo - 2B)
(Jacobs - DH)
(Olivo - C)
(Maier - CF)
(Betancourt - SS)
(Greinke - P)
Please note that on August 4 and through the remainder of 2009, the Outfield Experience gates (A and E) will open at the same time as other stadium gates. All gates will now open 1.5 hours before the game from Sunday through Thursday and 2 hours before the game on Fridays and Saturdays.
DRI DUCK Fountain Seats will now go on sale when the gates open. DRI DUCK Fountain Seats are $7 ($10 for the Boston series, September 21-23) and are available at Gate E (right field). Fans may queue at Gate E any time prior to the game but no earlier than 7:00 a.m. Should Fountain Seats remain available after 30 minutes of sales at Gate E, tickets will then be offered at all Kauffman Stadium ticket windows.
Billy Butler established a career high with 5 hits last night...it was the 38th time in the 41 seasons of Royals baseball that a player has had 5 or more hits (Bob Oliver, Kevin Seitzer and Joe Randa each had a 6 hit game). Here's your KC lineup for Tuesday:
(DeJesus - LF)
(Bloomquist - CF)
(Butler - 1B)
(Teahen - RF)
(Callaspo - 2B)
(Jacobs - DH)
(Pena - C)
(Gordon - 3B)
(Betancourt - SS)
(Bannister - P)
Hundreds of Royals fans attended the second annual Diamond of Dreams event on July 23, taking the field to help raise $150,000 for locally-based Operation Breakthrough, a St. Vincent's Family Service Center.
The sold-out event featured appearances from General Manager Dayton Moore, Manager Trey Hillman and several Royals players as well as entertainment from local U2 cover band Rattle and Hum and a Kansas City-inspired food and drink menu.
To view more photos from Diamond of Dreams and to learn about upcoming Royals Charities events including the Royals 5K Run/Walk on September 5, visit royals.com/community.
Tonight's game starts at 6:05 Central time from Baltimore. Tune in on FOX Sports Kansas City or the Royals Radio Network.
(Bloomquist - CF)
(Callaspo - 2B)
(Butler - 1B)
(Teahen - RF)
(Olivo - DH)
(Pena - C)
(Freel - LF)
(Gordon - 3B)
(Betancourt - SS)
(Chen - P)
Tony Pena Jr...the pitcher
Royals shortstop Tony Pena Jr. is in the process of attempting to become a Major League pitcher. He is working with pitching coach Bob McClure to see if this conversion to pitcher is a realistic possibility. "I have a sense he is in to it, I asked him and he said he is all for it. I think he is young enough that if this does not work out, he still has the years to work on his primary position and work on becoming a better baseball player," said Manager Trey Hillman. "He has three pitches at the moment, a fastball, a slurve (slider/curveball), and a slight change-up. Tony is going to be going through some bullpen sessions coming up and we are looking for him to get some action down in Arizona in the near future."
Healing up
Royals pitcher Kyle Farnsworth had another promising bullpen session yesterday and is heading to Triple-A Affiliate Omaha to get some innings under him. He will be pitching (1.0 IP) on Tuesday, resting on Wednesday, and is yet to be determined how much he will be used on Thursday. Gil Meche threw another bullpen session yesterday, apparently it went fine, but he will be continuing his bullpen sessions when the team heads to Baltimore. A timetable for Gil has not been established as of yet.
Continue reading 'Trey Hillman Pregame Media Session: July 26'...
What an outing for Luke Hochevar last night...13 strikeouts, tied for second most in club history! Mark Gubicza holds the record with 14. To put Luke's feat in perspective, the Royals have played 6,439 regular season games and last night was the 11th time that a Royals pitcher has recorded 13 or more strikeouts.
The Royals are back at it today with a 1:10 start in the finale vs. Texas. Here's your Kansas City lineup:
(DeJesus - LF)
(Freel - CF)
(Butler - 1B)
(Teahen - RF)
(Callaspo - 2B)
(Olivo - DH)
(Buck - C)
(Gordon - 3B)
(Betancourt - SS)
(Ponson - P)
The force is with this Luke as well
Royals pitcher Luke Hochevar has not lost since June 18 vs. Arizona, so hopefully we can just expect more of the same tonight against the Rangers. "He just continues to keep us in ball games, if we can score him some runs, he keeps the ball down, uses his two and four seam fastballs well, and it should be a good outcome. It just all comes down to him keeping the ball down and locating at a high level," said manager Trey Hillman.
Meche and Farnsworth
Both Royals pitchers threw quality side sessions yesterday before the game. Meche seemed to do fine, but it wasn't as productive as hoped, while Farnsworth had a very good session throwing the ball. There will be additional throwing sessions in the coming days and there is no timetable set for either's return.
Royals players were instructed by Trey Hillman to be at the ballpark and in their batting practice uniforms by 2:30 today for a special event. The surprise was a tour of the new Royals Hall of Fame, set up by Vice President of Communications and Broadcasting Mike Swanson.
Players and staff watched the video from the dugout theater that tells the story of baseball in Kansas City and of the Royals. They then had some time to walk through the exhibit area before having to hustle back to the clubhouse to get ready for batting practice. The tour received a seal of approval from the players and staff, including catcher Miguel Olivo, who told Swanson that the video gave him goosebumps.
Be sure to stop by outside of Gate D (first base side) before the game...Outback Steakhouse is offering samples. Try some bloomin' onions! Here's your lineup:
(DeJesus - LF)
(Bloomquist - CF)
(Butler - 1B)
(Teahen - 3B)
(Callaspo - 2B)
(Olivo - C)
(Buck - DH)
(Betancourt - SS)
(Freel - RF)
(Hochevar - P)
Jose on the sidelines
Royals outfielder Jose Guillen has been put on the 15-Day Disabled List with an LCL tear in his right knee. Apparently, while preparing for his first at-bat of the game Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Guillen felt a pop in his right knee. According to Manager Trey Hillman, "At the moment, it is 4-6 weeks with the possibility of taking as long as 8-10. It might need to be surgically repaired, but we are looking into getting a second opinion on the knee and we'll go from there."
Misc.
Not too much new to report from the Royals dugout today, except that Royals pitchers Gil Meche and Kyle Farnsworth both threw off the mound prior to the game today. They will be closely monitored, evaluated and a determination will be made on their readiness as well as progress from their prospective injuries.
(DeJesus - LF)
(Bloomquist - CF)
(Butler - 1B)
(Teahen - RF)
(Callaspo - 2B)
(Jacobs - DH)
(Pena - C)
(Gordon - 3B)
(Betancourt - SS)
(Greinke - P)
In need of some home cooking!
In need of something to give this team a spark, Manager Trey Hillman thinks he might have just the answer in tonight's starter, Brian Bannister. "If he can mix in that curveball, get his cutter working and utilize his fastball like we know he can, he's going to keep this offense loaded with switch hitters off balance. He needs to get off to a comfortable start and get in a rhythm that will allow him to use all his pitches effectively, and pitch deeper into the ballgame."
Better then advertised
Hillman said he was not expecting to see the progress in his third basemen Alex Gordon like he has seen since coming back from his hip injury. "The fluidity I guess is what surprises me the most, the way he moves and his motion is so much further along then I had anticipated. All I had to go off was videos that were sent to me and hearsay. The base paths are not nearly as difficult as I thought they would be for him. He has surprised us all."
Defensive Reasoning
According to Hillman, he is very pleased with his new shortstops' (Yuniesky Betancourt) ability to play the position. "Defensively I think he has done a fine job, he has anxiously overrun a couple of balls, but his lateral movement is solid, he has a very strong arm, and I think he can be a good solid shortstop for us. He's searching though at the plate. We are seeing some different stances in succession while batting. He needs to stay squared up consistently, drive the ball, and make contact to all fields."
It's 70's Retro Night at the stadium. Take a look in the closet for your best 70's outfit and arrive early for a pregame party in the Outfield Experience that includes music, 70's trivia, a disco dance contest and more.
Here's the lineup:
(DeJesus - LF)
(Bloomquist - CF)
(Butler - DH)
(Teahen - 1B)
(Guillen - RF)
(Callaspo - 2B)
(Gordon - 3B)
(Pena - C)
(Betancourt - SS)
(Bannister - P)
Because of today's doubleheader, John Buck was unable to make an appearance at the 17th Annual Royals Blood Drive. The club has added an appearance by Royals Hall of Fame pitcher Paul Splittorff on Wednesday. Here's the lineup for Wednesday at the 4040 Main location in Kansas City, Mo.
Royals Hall of Famer Jeff Montgomery - 11:00 a.m. to noon
Former Royals pitcher Jaime Bluma - 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Royals Hall of Famer Paul Splittorff - 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The Twin Bill Challenge
I think everyone can agree that playing two Major League baseball games in one afternoon/evening is probably quite difficult, but for whom. Well, manager Trey Hillman says on behalf of the coaching staff, the roster challenges alone make a doubleheader a very trying and stressful experience. "You have to execute quality matchups and set-ups, while formulating two hopefully successful lineups, and at the same time making sure everyone gets to participate in the game. Adjustments need to be made swiftly from game one to game two, with unexpected situations taking place in the first game that can dictate your coaching style for the second.
SHHHHHHHH.....
Apparently, Royals outfielder Jose Guillen is quite the off-the-field philanthropist, but don't ask him about it, because he most likely won't tell you either way. This according to manager Trey Hillman, "He contributes in a big way in the community, giving away large amounts of envied tickets to the disenfranchised children in the area, he just doesn't talk about it to people. Every home game he buys thirty tickets down the first base line (face value, $33 a pop) for children who otherwise would not be experiencing a Royals baseball game." He recently made comments about not being worthy of his large contract, it's nice to know its being spread around the Kansas City area to those in need.
The newest issue of Royals Gameday Magazine is available at Kauffman Stadium merchandise locations. Here's a pic of the cover with Willie Bloomquist. He's not the only versatile player featured - Chone Figgins, playing tonight for the Angels, is our opponent player. Also be sure to check out our Road City - Tampa/St. Petersburg...and see what we list as the Top 10 Strange Baseball Injuries...all in this month's edition!
As a reminder, the T-Shirt Tuesday giveaway will start when the gates open at 2:30 p.m. Your ticket will be good for both games. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 4:10 p.m.
(DeJesus - LF)
(Bloomquist - CF)
(Butler - DH)
(Teahen - 1B)
(Guillen - RF)
(Gordon - 3B)
(Callaspo - 2B)
(Olivo - C)
(Betancourt - SS)
(Ponson - P)
Tonight's Royals/Angels game has been postponed due to rain. A doubleheader is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. Tuesday. All gates will open at 2:30 p.m. It's a T-Shirt Tuesday, so come out and watch two games for the price of one and take home this cool shirt!
Weather update - 7:20: We are currently in a delay, with no scheduled start time at this point.
Several options
Manager Trey Hillman was asked about the difficulty in finding spots for his extremely versatile trio of Mark Teahen, Ryan Freel, and Willie Bloomquist. "It's going to be very difficult in making sure each one of those individuals doesn't rest too long and we find spots for them on the field. You've got foot speed, athleticism, and ability in all three of those gentlemen, it's my job to find a place for each of them in the line-up as often as I can."
Alex Gordon
According to Hillman, third basemen Alex Gordon is feeling pretty good after coming back from his early season hip injury that had sidelined him since April 16. "At the moment Alex is feeling good about where he is at and as a coaching staff we are constantly watching his every move to see how his body responds to different situations. The maneuvering and running of the base paths continues to be the most difficult obstacle to overcome. His conditioning is also a work in progress, there have been a couple of scenarios in the past few games that Alex's body was not prepared for, that will be corrected in time."
It's a Royal Nite at the ballpark - View Level Infield, Hy-Vee Box and and Hy-Vee View Level seats are just $5!
(DeJesus - LF)
(Bloomquist - CF)
(Butler - 1B)
(Teahen - RF)
(Guillen - DH)
(Gordon - 3B)
(Callaspo - 2B)
(Olivo - C)
(Betancourt - SS)
(Ponson - P)
Youth from the YMCA's Challenger Division Baseball Program were out at the John Deere Little K for a batting practice session on Saturday. Challenger spokesman Mark Teahen and teammate John Buck paid a visit. Here are some pictures:
Some of your all-time favorite Royals played against a team of former MLB stars in the Hall of Fame Classic on Friday. As the photos show, they had a great time at the "New" K as they raised money for TeamSmile and Royals Charities.
Here's what we noticed in a few of the pictures below: Dennis Leonard has maintained his imposing look on the mound...Willie Wilson still has that great jump out of the batter's box...George Brett played defense as a righty and as a lefty...Frank White connected on a couple of great hits...and Brett's signature follow through looks the same as it did throughout his career.
The Royals announced several minor league transactions today, including the promotions of Eric Hosmer (left), the third overall pick in the 2008 draft, and Nick Van Stratten, a
Hosmer batted .254 with five home runs and 49 RBI for the Bees. The first baseman walked 44 times, good for 12th in the league and sported a .352 on-base percentage.
Van Stratten, a 10th round pick in 2006, made the Midwest League All-Star team in his second year with the Bees. Van Stratten's .318 batting average was seventh in the circuit. The outfielder had one home run, 38 RBI, and 15 stolen bases.
Infielder Maddox played for
Ortiz, a fifth round pick in 2007, was batting .238 this year at
6:10 start tonight at Kauffman. All-Star Zack Greinke is on the mound. The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown out by Jana Howser, daughter of the late Dick Howser. The first 20,000 fans will receive a replica figurine of the Dick Howser statue.
Lineup:
(DeJesus - LF)
(Bloomquist - CF)
(Butler - 1B)
(Guillen - DH)
(Teahen - RF)
(Olivo - C)
(Gordon - 3B)
(Callaspo - 2B)
(Betancourt - SS)
(Greinke - P)
Trey Hillman announced this afternoon during his daily media briefing that starter Gil Meche was placed on the 15-day Disabled List with a left lower back strain. The D.L. stint for Gil is retroactive to July 12, so that means his earliest reinstatement date is July 27. In his place, the Royals activated right-hander Sidney Ponson from the D.L. Sidney will make the start for KC on Monday against the Angels.
The Royals are hosting the Rays tonight at 7:10. If you come out to The K this weekend, be sure to check out the Royals Hall of Fame!
Here's tonight's lineup, with a new format that we hope is easier for our Facebook friends to read.
(DeJesus - LF)
(Bloomquist - CF)
(Butler - 1B)
(Teahen - RF)
(Jacobs - DH)
(Olivo - C)
(Gordon - 3B)
(Callaspo - 2B)
(Betancourt - SS)
(Bannister - P)
The Royals will dedicate the new Royals Hall of Fame with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 4:05 on Friday. After the brief ceremony, the Hall of Fame will be open to fans. No separate ticket is required for the Hall of Fame for fans with game tickets. Fans will be admitted every 15 minutes in groups of 40 to tour the Hall of Fame, which features interactive displays and exhibits that chronicle Kansas City's baseball history from 1884 to the present.
The Royals Hall of Fame will be open during all home games and will operate daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. during the baseball season. On Thursday, there was a media tour and a reception for the Hall of Fame Classic. Royals photographer Chris Vleisides snapped a few pictures of Royals greats George Brett and Frank White as they took their first glimpses at the new displays. They say pictures are worth a thousand words...or in this case, 3,154...the number of hits George had, and the number of baseballs in this display.
The All-Star Break is here...keep up with Zack, Trey and other All-Star happenings on Twitter:
Bill Cosby was at Fenway Park to take in Friday's Royals-Red Sox game.
FSKC's Joel Goldberg had the opportunity to chat with Cosby. Be sure to watch Joel's interview on Sunday's Royals Live pregame show, starting at noon Central before the 12:35 game.
The Royals have acquired shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt and cash considerations from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for minor league pitchers Danny Cortes and Derrick Saito. Betancourt, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list on June 25, just began an injury rehabilitation assignment with Tacoma (AAA). He will continue his rehab assignment for Northwest Arkansas (AA). His name is pronounced Yuniesky (yoon-ee-ESS-kee) Betancourt (BET-an-court).
The 27-year old Betancourt was hitting .250 (56-for-224) with 10 doubles, one triple, two home runs and 22 RBI in 63 games for the Mariners prior to his D.L. stint. He is a career .279 hitter with 123 doubles, 17 triples, 27 home runs and 202 RBI over five seasons with Seattle after making his debut in 2005. Since becoming the Mariners full-time shortstop in 2006, his 341 double plays rank second in all of baseball to Oakland's Orlando Cabrera (357). He has been tough to strikeout throughout his career, fanning just once every 11.86 plate appearances, the sixth-best total in baseball since 2005 (min. 2,000 at bats).
The 5-foot-10, 195-pound right handed hitter is a native of Santa Clara, Cuba, who currently resides in Boca Raton, Fla. The Mariners originally signed him as a non-drafted free agent on January 26, 2005 and then signed him to a three-year extension through 2011 with a club option for 2012 on April 4, 2007.
Cortes will be assigned to West Tennessee (AA) and Saito will be assigned to Clinton (A) in the Mariners' system.
Guillen now at DH, Maier in right.
DeJesus
Bloomquist
Butler
Guillen (DH)
Teahen
Olivo
Callaspo
Freel
Maier (RF)
Greinke
DeJesus - LF
Bloomquist - SS
Butler - 1B
Guillen - RF
B. Pena - DH
Teahen - 3B
Olivo - C
Callaspo - 2B
Freel - CF
Greinke - P
DeJesus - LF
Bloomquist - SS
Butler - 1B
Teahen - 3B
Guillen - RF
Jacobs - DH
Callaspo - 2B
Olivo - C
Freel - CF
Chen - P
Royals photographer Chris Vleisides sent us pictures from KC's 6-4 win on the Fourth of July. Yes, your Boys in Blue are wearing red hats (to honor veterans). Thank you to the Missouri National Guard's 139th Air Wing, which provided an incredible pregame flyover.
DeJesus - LF
Bloomquist - SS
Butler - 1B
Teahen - 3B
Guillen - RF
Jacobs - DH
Callaspo - 2B
Olivo - C
Maier - CF
Meche - P
Tomorrow you can ask J.J. Picollo about his thoughts on the 2009 First Year Player Draft and Kansas City's minor league system. Picollo, KC's Assistant General Manager-Scouting & Player Development, joined the Royals in 2006 as Director of Player Development. He has been in charge of the Royals minor league system since that time and 2009 was his first year to oversee Kansas City's draft process.
The chat starts a bit earlier this month - at noon. Have your questions ready and log on to royals.com!
This just in...the Royals have acquired infielder/outfielder Ryan Freel and cash considerations from the Chicago Cubs for a player to be named. Freel is expected to join the club in Detroit in time for Tuesday's game. A corresponding 25-man roster move will be made at that time.
Freel, 33, played a majority of his career with the Cincinnati Reds after breaking into the Majors with the Blue Jays in 2001. He is a .269 career hitter with 98 doubles, 17 triples, 22 home runs and 119 RBI in 576 games. Freel has stolen 143 bases in 191 attempts over his career, including 37, 36 and 37 in three consecutive seasons with Cincinnati from 2004-2006.
The versatile right-handed hitter has started at five positions in his career, including appearing at 214 games in the infield at second and third base and 373 games in the outfield at all three positions. Freel has played with the Orioles and Cubs in 2009, struggling with injuries to post a .140 (6-for-43) average in just 23 games. He was traded from the Orioles to the Cubs for former Royal Joey Gathright on May 8. Freel was designated for assignment by Chicago on July 2.
The 5-foot-10, 185-pounder joins Billy Butler as Royals from the Jacksonville, Fla. area. He was a 10th round selection of the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1995 draft. We welcome Ryan to the club!
Leader of the pack
We all know what A.L. All-Star selection Zack Greinke (congratulations to Zack on the well-deserved honor!) is capable of, and the impact he has on the field, but what does his ability to stay so dominant all season long due to the rest of the pitchers on the team that have struggled to stay consistent? "It brings out some very healthy competition amongst the boys, they push each other to be the best they can be. Between them, they all know who is good at what, who can answer a certain question, and whom to ask for help or advice, it's their own little team and they feed of each other to strive to be as successful as possible," said manager Trey Hillman.
Buck is back
Royals catcher John Buck made it back to the greater Kansas City area yesterday after a long drive home from Omaha, where he was rehabbing his injured lower back. After catching back-to-back nine inning games (which is what was instructed by the Major League club) he was given the green light to come home, do some light working out, and have his back re-evaluated. If everything goes well this afternoon with his workout and evaluation, most likely John Buck will be given the ok to go on the road trip to Detroit with the team.
Today's game starts at 1:10. The game is on FOX Sports Kansas City, 980 KMBZ and the Royals Radio Network. Here's your Kansas City lineup:
DeJesus - LF
Bloomquist - SS
Butler - 1B
Guillen - RF
Teahen - 3B
Olivo - C
B. Pena - DH
Callaspo - 2B
Maier - CF
Bannister - P
Almost Flash Gordon
Royals third baseman Alex Gordon played for the Triple-A affiliate Omaha Royals last night, and according to manager Trey Hillman, things went about as expected. "His game went kind of like we thought it would, a hit here, a walk there, heavy legs in the field and on the base paths. There was no pain in his hip area and he was swinging the bat OK, he recorded one hit with two walks (one intentional)."
All-Star starter, Zack Greinke?
Hillman still feels Royals pitcher Zack Greinke should start for Joe Maddon's American League All-Star team. "The innings he's logged, his strikeout to walk ratio, his record is very respectable, his ERA is fantastic, I don't think anyone could have kept up his pace, and sadly that has made him less appealing to some people," said Hillman. If he has had any problem at all this season, at times it has been location, otherwise his stuff is still the same, he has not lost any action on his pitches, Hillman went on to say.
Happy July 4th Kansas City, have fun during this special weekend, but remember to be safe!
The game starts at 12:10 today. Come on out and get your halter top (first 10,000 ladies) or ringer tee (first 10,000 males). Here's your KC lineup:
DeJesus - LF
Bloomquist - SS
Butler - 1B
Guillen - RF
Teahen - 3B
Jacobs - DH
Callaspo - 2B
Olivo - C
Maier - CF
Hochevar - P
Willie Bloomquist has been scratched from the lineup due to a family emergency. The new lineup is the following with Luis Hernandez moving to third and Tony Pena, Jr. starting at shortstop:
DeJesus
Callaspo
Butler
Guillen
Olivo
Jacobs
Hernandez (moves to 3B)
Maier
Pena, Jr. (SS)
Greinke
Alex is back, just not here (yet)
Third baseman Alex Gordon is back, he's just not in Kansas City...yet. Gordon has been out since April 15 after surgery for torn cartilage in his hip, but continues his long awaited comeback tonight for the Triple-A affiliate, Omaha Royals. "There is no pain to report of in his hip at the present moment, the swinging of a bat is not a problem, however, running and moving laterally is still a tedious and difficult process we are working through," says Manager Trey Hillman. "Running on the base paths seems to be the biggest hurdle we have to overcome with Alex, that and regaining the ability to maneuver comfortably." We certainly hope for an exciting and special homecoming tonight for Alex in his home state of Nebraska.
Baseball is FUN-damental
There seemed to be an emphasis put on the fundamentals of baseball today during afternoon practice. With numerous blunders in the field and on the bases in recent weeks, Hillman made it especially clear that the fundamental mistakes that are continuing to hamstring this club are unacceptable and discouraging at the same time. "On a scale of 1-10, I would say the mistakes that are being made are a 10 on the difficult to handle scale. This game isn't without challenges, I know not every team can play fundamentally sound baseball like the Minnesota Twins, but you still have to work extremely hard at the basics of game, as you can see, it can cost you games." said Hillman.
Thank you Royals fans for your nominations and votes in the MLB and People "All-Stars Among Us" campaign!
Out of the three "All-Star" finalists representing the Royals, John Lair, who hails from Pittsburg, Kan., has been chosen by fans across the nation for his community service through Special Olympics. Lair will be honored during the pre-game ceremony at the 2009 MLB All-Star Game in St. Louis on July 14 on FOX.
Lair, program director for New Hope Services and a long-time Special Olympics coach, started a Special Olympics team in his hometown in 2001 that has grown to be the best in the state. He volunteers over 600 hours a year with Special Olympics and has coached three World Champion Special Olympians. A past recipient of the Kansas Volunteer of the Year award, Lair was selected by the Royals as a Buck O'Neil Legacy Seat honoree in 2007.
One winning "All-Star Among Us" will be featured in People the week of the All-Star Game. For the last 35 years, People has told stories of everyday 'heroes' whose acts of courage, commitment, strength and compassion are changing the lives of others. The "People All-Stars Among Us" campaign extends the People "Heroes Among Us" franchise. For more information on the program, visit www.peopleallstars.com.
Congratulations, John!
DeJesus - LF
Bloomquist - 3B
Butler - 1B
Guillen - RF
Olivo - C
Jacobs - DH
Callaspo - 2B
Hernandez - SS
Maier - CF
Greinke - P
The Royals Hall of Fame opens on July 17. Royals photographer Chris Vleisides passed on a few photos as the construction enters the final stages. Here's a sneak peek:
The photo below is a protective case that holds a giant number 5. Construction workers were busy taking this covering off of the case. We didn't stick around to see the final product, which is a plexiglass number 5 for George Brett. It will house 3,154 baseballs, one for every hit in Brett's career.
Next you see a panel about Municipal Stadium. Royals Hall of Fame director Curt Nelson and his team spent many hours researching Kansas City baseball history for the text and graphics that fill these panels.
Fans of all ages will soon be enjoying the Royals Hall of Fame. Be sure to stop by on or after July 17, or see the Hall of Fame article in Issue 4 of Royals Gameday Magazine, which goes on sale July 17.
Not the same Sox
Manager Trey Hillman says this is not even close to the same team they played a little over a month ago. "Everything is falling into place for them right now, not too many serious injuries, good pitching, extremely hot hitting, solid defense, a good bullpen, put it all together and you have quite a hot team. We need to very careful this series, it could get out of hand quickly, we are going to have to play good solid baseball, and make as few mistakes as possible."
Round 2 for Mr. Chen
Trey Hillman seems to be very excited about his recently called up left handed pitcher, Bruce Chen. "He is fearless out there, fastballs in and out, change ups to righties and lefties, he'll run one in on you with only a 87 mph fastball, it's impressive," said Hillman. "If he works both sides of the plate, stays in control with his command, and mixes his pitches like we know he can, his contributions to the team should be great."
The Royals Hall of Fame Classic is coming up on July 17. A team of Royals greats, led by Willie Wilson, will take on a team of former MLB stars headlined by Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins.
Don't miss your chance to bid on a few unique auction items for the event. You (or someone of your choice) could be the honorary first or third base coach or a bat boy/bat girl for the event! The package includes the opportunity to be on the field for the Hall of Fame Classic plus the chance to participate in pre and post game activities with the players, including a special reception on July 16. For the kids (12 and up) there is a chance to be the honorary bat boy/bat girl at the game. You will be instructed by the bat boys from the 1985 World Series team!
Bid today at royals.com!
http://royals.auction.mlb.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/CategoryDisplay?cgmenbr=33308339&cgrfnbr=36815
7:10 game tonight at Kauffman Stadium...come on out to watch the White Sox and Royals! Friday night is Buck Night plus the Independence Weekend Fireworks Spectacular. Here's your Kansas City lineup:
DeJesus - LF
Bloomquist - SS
Butler - 1B
Guillen - RF
Teahen - 3B
Olivo - C
Jacobs - DH
Callaspo - 2B
Maier - CF
Chen - P
Homecoming for Buck
It has been said by manager Trey Hillman that catcher John Buck could be back much sooner then later. "He is doing very well down there in Omaha, catching nine innings without any difficulties, now we're looking for Buck to catch in back-to-back days," said Hillman. "By the end of the week or the early part of next, we should see John Buck back with the club, but we still have to wait and see." On another Royals catcher update, starting catcher Miguel Olivo was suspended for one game by Major League Baseball for what was deemed an animated argument with an umpire last Saturday in Pittsburgh. He will serve his suspension today against the Minnesota Twins.
Sorry Mike
On a more somber note, one week from now, Royals shortstop Mike Aviles will undergo Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right elbow. "Typically 9-12 months is the recovery time for an injury like this, we are going to be very cautious with Mike, and make sure we do this the right way," said Hillman.
DeJesus - LF
Bloomquist - RF
Butler - 1B
Guillen - DH
Teahen - 3B
Callaspo - 2B
B. Pena - C
Hernandez - SS
Maier - CF
Meche - P
