Play Ball!

The Royals are currently in the 9th inning of their 4th game of the year, leading 7-5. While I'm the first to admit that 4 Spring Training games have very little meaning (Grudz and Guillen haven't even played yet), there are a few things that Royals fans can be encouraged by:

1. Luke Hochevar threw 2 more scoreless innings today; meaning his Spring Training stats look like this: 4 IP, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 BB, 2 Ks. Again it's really early, but Trey Hillman said Hochevar would have to out-pitch a lot of his teammates to make the team...he's doing it so far. Is it better to have Hochevar in the rotation or the pen? Ideally I'd say the bullpen, and that answer has nothing to do with Luke at all. For him to make the rotation, a lot of guys are going to have to have a bad spring. I think it would be a lot better sign for the team if Hochevar pitches well enough to break camp with the club, but has to start in the pen because the guys they expect to start earn their spots.

2. DeJesus, Teahan, Gordon, and Butler are all hitting. These four guys all need to have better seasons than they did last year. They could all benefit from a confidence boost early in the year as well (although I think Butler's confidence will be fine regardless). I said at the beginning of the year that I wanted to see Butler and Gordon in the middle of the lineup, as long as they keep hitting the ball they may be. Just wait until Jose Guillen joins these guys in the lineup...

3. Speaking of Guillen, a recent article in Sports Illustrated that those listed in the Mitchell Report may get a fresh start, without punishment from Commissioner Bud Selig. Guillen's suspension is currently being appealed and this could be huge for the Royals. Those first 12 games (almost all against expected playoff contenders) would seem much less daunting with Guillen in the lineup.

Sure, the naysayers will tell you about Joakim Soria and Zack Greinke getting bombed in their first appearances...or about the atrocious infield defense...I'll leave those downers, and others, to them. To me, that's not what spring is about; Spring is about believing that Jose Guillen is worth $36 million. That not only can Meche, Bannister, and Soria repeat last year's success...but that they can improve upon it. That Billy Butler can learn to play 1st base. That Alex Gordon is the next George Brett. That if Trey Hillman can manage a team to a Japanese World Series, he can do the same here. Finally, and most importantly, that the misery is over...No more 100 loss seasons, no more out of contention by May, no more bad trades and worse drafts... Yeah, that's what Spring is about to the Kool Aid Drinker.