Escobar's OBP is hovering around .300, which isn't good enough for the lead-off spot. Ultimately, I think the Royals absolutely need to get Cain, Gordon, and Butler up in the first inning.

Still think Butler would be just fine in the two hole, too.

A little Country Breakfast.

<a href="http://s2.photobucket.com/user/doomy3/media/Billy.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/doomy3/Billy.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Billy.jpg"/></a>

What's with the Mr. T starter kit?

I am very happy that the Royals are a half game back tonight. The next 7 days will be tough; we have the Yankees and Angels while they have the Indians and Astros.

Is it just me or do players not steal bases like they used to 20-30 years ago?

Seems guys like Willie Wilson, Vince Coleman and Henderson used to steal like 80-100 a year.

I think it has to do with more of catchers these days today has a very strong arm than they did in the past, but I'm just speculating.

The umpires in the Angels @ Houston game just completely jacked up the rules.

In the 7th inning, Houston puts in a relief pitcher. Angels put in a pinch hitter in response. In response to that, Houston relieves the pitcher.

You can't do that. That is not an obscure rule, it is basic umpiring 101, and it is amazing that these MLB-level umpires screwed that rule up.

A relief pitcher must face one batter before being relieved, unless he's hurt. The game is currently being played under protest. The Angels just scored 3 in the 8th to take the lead so it might end up being no harm, no foul, but if Houston comes back to win, things are gonna get interesting. This was not a "judgment call" like that homer in the A's game, its a clear, blatant screw-up of the rules.

Escobar is 0-5 from the lead off spot, so far...

ROFL

Direct quote from the Angels manager to the umpires immediately before he filed the protest: "you gotta be shitting me"

Umps make mistakes all the time... but it's amazing we've had two of the more obvious screw ups in recent history on back to back nights.

ok, bottom of the 9th. Rooting hard for the Astros to score 2 runs here, I wanna see the hilarity of an upheld protest.

bah, Astros meekly went down 1-2-3, thats no fun.

I don't know if it's more disturbing that the umps missed it or a major league manager didn't know that was a rule.

The odd thing was that while the first reliever was making his warmup tosses and after the pinch-hitter went to the on-deck circle, the Houston manager went out and talked to the umpires for a long time. I don't know what in the world he said to convince them to ignore the rules, but when the umpires allowed him to bring in another reliever, then the Angels manager came out and had a long argument.

So, the umpires have some kind of explanation, but I don't see what it could possibly be. Once you start making your warm-up tosses, you are in the game.

could have the dude fake an injury.