Just a quick look at what the KC Royals have done lately this offseason:

NOTHING!

Former Blue Rock Andres Blanco

Doing nothing has allowed them to lose out on two players that they were rumored to be looking at: infielder Andres Blanco and left-handed reliever George Sherrill.

Blanco, who originally came up through the Royals system, signed with the Washington Nationals on Friday. The team was looking at bringing Blanco back as a middle infielder off the bench.

Sherrill has reportedly signed with the Seattle Mariners. The Royals were looking at bringing him in to team up with Tim Collins as a lefty specialist. It has come full circle for Sherrill, who was signed out of independent ball by the Mariners and made his debut in 2004.

Hopefully the Royals can get on the ball and sign some of these needs they keep saying they need to fill.

The World Series begins tonight as the Texas Rangers make their second consecutive appearance in the Fall Classic against the St. Louis Cardinals. With the National League winning the All-Star Game, the Cardinals will have home-field advantage.

If you follow the KC Royals, you may be thinking “Why should I care about the 2011 World Series?” Well, if you like baseball in general, it should be a good series. You can also watch a few former Royals try to win a title, which is every professional’s goal.

The Rangers have four former Royals that will be with the team in the World Series. Speedy outfielder Endy Chavez made two starts against the Detroit Tigers in the ALCS. He went 0-for-4. Expect to see him get a few pinch-running opportunities. If you watched Game 6 of the ALCS, you probably saw Andres Blanco as their head cheerleader, greeting teammates at the top of the dugout steps after big plays, waving his towel. Because of a stress fracture in his back, Blanco has not been on the Rangers playoff roster. Esteban German has been on the playoff roster, but has yet to appear in a game. That could change with the first two games being played in St. Louis (and possibly four total). Catcher Matt Treanor was not on the ALCS roster (but was on the ALDS roster) though he could be added to the World Series roster with their need for an extra bat (and catcher).

If you happened to watch the NLCS, Octavio Dotel and his high socks toed the rubber in just about every game. He pitched in four of the Cardinals six games against the Milwaukee Brewers, including the World Series clincher. Dotel is a big reason why the Cardinals are in the World Series. In four LCS games, he allowed one earned run on two hits over four innings. He also struck out five, which seemed to be Ryan Braun every time they faced each other. You may just root for the Cardinals because they are a fellow Missouri team.

Who are you rooting for?

» Continue reading “Royals Fans: Who Are You Rooting for in the World Series?”

That’s a headline KC Royals fans hope to enjoy as soon as next season. With the way the team played over stretches this season, it’s not hard to picture that scenario.

However this year, we are left to root for another team.

Being a baseball junkie, the playoffs are one of my favorite times of the year (outside watching guys make their debuts and the start of the season). It’s when nobody’s become somebody’s and sometimes superstars become choke artists.

While the Royals are beginning the offseason, some of their former players have the luxury of participating in the postseason. Actually, the only team without a former Royal on its roster is the NY Yankees.

Let’s start with former ace Zack Greinke. The whole reason he wanted out of KC was because he was tired of losing. Well, in his first year in Milwaukee, the Brewers won the National League Central and he is undefeated at home (Miller Park). Despite pitching the team’s finale at home on Wednesday as the Brewers secured home-field advantage against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLDS, Greinke is expected to start Game 2 at Miller Park on Sunday (on short rest).

Greinke isn’t the only former Royal on the Brewers. Shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt was also included in the deal that sent Greinke to Milwaukee. Betancourt has had a solid season (.252) in teaming with Rickie Weeks (and others when Weeks was on the DL) to form the Brewers double-play combination.

The Brewers counterpart, the Diamondbacks, have Willie Bloomquist on their roster. The Dbacks have yet to finalize their NLDS roster, so I am not 100% sure he made the cut. He had solid seasons in 2009 and part of 2010 with the Royals. He also had another solid season in Arizona this year (.266).

Utility man Wilson Betemit was traded to the Detroit Tigers during this summer to bolster their offense at third base. Despite dealing with a knee injury late in the season, Betemit started the Tigers final two games of the season. Betemit and the Tigers won the American League Central and begin their playoff push tonight against the NY Yankees in New York.

Catcher Matt Treanor was traded at the end of August while he was finishing up his rehab assignment (a concussion put him on the DL). Who was he traded to? The same team that dealt him to the Royals during spring training, the Texas Rangers. The Rangers won the AL West and secured home-field advantage in the ALDS. Surprisingly, Treanor made the Rangers ALDS roster, as they chose to carry three catchers. The Rangers begin their quest for a second consecutive AL title at 5pm ET today against the visiting TB Rays.

Treanor isn’t the only former Royal on the Rangers. Middle infielder Andres Blanco, who can be seen as more of a cheerleader than an actual player for the Rangers (he got into just 36 games this season), spent the beginning of his career with the Royals (I remember him as a youngster in Wilmington). He actually isn’t on the ALDS roster as he is dealing with a stress fracture in his lower back (though I’m sure you’ll still see him cheering). His replacement on the roster? You guessed it, a former Royal. That would be Esteban German (2006-2008), who can give them some speed and flexibility, but most likely won’t play (like last year). Another speed guy off the bench for the Rangers is Endy Chavez, who spent his first year in the big leagues (2001) with the Royals.

Speaking of the Rays, they have a host of former Royals on their roster, most notably in their revamped bullpen. Closer Kyle Farnsworth, who looks to be healthy, spent half of 2010 in KC before being traded to Atlanta. Farnsworth signed with the Rays this past offseason and helped solidify a brand new bullpen. His setup man, Joel Peralta (who can also close if Farnsworth is unavailable), spent 2006-2008 with the Royals. The past two seasons (in Washington and TB) may have been his best seasons yet. Juan Cruz, the guy who runs like a greyhound, spent the last two seasons with the Royals before signing with the Rays this year. Cruz has become the 7th inning guy or the reliever who comes in to get out of the mess. Lefty JP Howell is, thankfully, finally healthy. Howell was a 2004 draft pick of the Royals and started for them back in 2005. It has been a tough season on the quirky left-hander, but if he can figure it out, he will be tough.

The big name on the Rays that came from KC is Johnny Damon. Who can forget the guy who never wanted to leave, but has won how many World Series titles since? Damon will be batting 5th tonight for the Rays against the Rangers and lefty CJ Wilson. Despite his age, Damon has proven that he can still play the game and play it well.  I heard a rumor about a month ago that Damon wants to retire as a Royal.

The Philadelphia Phillies are the favorite yet again to win the NL title and Raul Ibanez is a big reason why. Though he struggled mightily against lefties this year and for most of the first half, he really came on strong down the stretch (he has seven RBIs over his last ten games). Ibanez spent 2001-2003 with the Royals.

The Phillies will face the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLDS beginning on Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals can bring reliever Octavio Dotel in early or late, and he doesn’t seem to care. Since being acquired at the trading deadline from the Toronto Blue Jays, Dotel is 3-3 with a 3.28 ERA in 29 games. He has struck out 32 over 24.2 innings. Dotel pitched in 24 games for the Royals in 2007.

So, who will you be rooting for Royals fans?

Let me know in either the comments section or on my Facebook page.

(Check out my Tigers-Yankees Preview on Around the Horn, which should be up shortly.)

vs.

It was a battle of the undefeated lefties as the Royals Bruce Chen and the Texas Rangers CJ Wilson took the mound. It was a pitcher’s battle early on until the 5th.

The Royals‘ Mike Aviles homered to tie the game at 2-2. The tie was short-lived as the Rangers scored six runs in the bottom of the 5th. Chen left the inning with two men on base but reliever Jeremy Jeffress couldn’t finish off the Rangers. He allowed both inherited runners to score, along with two of his own. He walked in one run and David Murphy cleared the bases with a two out double. When the 5th was finally over, the Rangers led 8-2.

Chen allowed solo homeruns to Mike Napoli, Adrian Beltre, and Andres Blanco. It was Blanco’s first homerun since July 29, 2009. The ball really must have been flying out.

Wilson lasted seven innings and allowed four runs on eight hits while striking out ten. Brett Tomko pitched a quick 8th inning and struck out the first two batters of the 9th, but then allowed back-to-back hits and an Aviles’ three-run homerun to cut the Rangers lead to 8-7. Veteran lefty Arthur Rhodes came in, recorded the save, and completed the three-game sweep.

*Royals rookie lefty Tim Collins appeared in his AL-leading 12th game. He pitched an inning and allowed a hit, a walk, and struck out a batter. Aaron Crow finished off Collins’ inning with two men on base.

*Alex Gordon extended his hitting streak to 18 games with an 8th inning single.

*Jeff Francoeur extended his hitting streak to 14 games by homering in the 4th. Francoeur was ejected in the 8th inning after being called out on strikes to end the inning.

The Royals have off on Monday and begin a three-game series in Cleveland on Tuesday. Luke Hochevar will get the start for the Royals against the Indians Justin Masterson.