Billy Butler

spo, currently hitting a robust .378, follows in the two-hole and, if Jose Guillen, Alex Gordon and Billy Butler can at least hit their weight, Kansas City should challenge Detroit atop the under-appreciated AL Central.

Continue reading "Breaking down your 2009 Red Sox (in context)"

I'm not one to tinker too much with the game, but if I were commish, czar, and supreme baseball deity all rolled up into one, I'd mandate the following changes:

1. Eliminate the fake-to-third-turn-to-first move by the pitcher. I've seen this work once, though it's done thousands of times and elicits boos every time from home fans (even if it's the home pitcher doing it). It's a stupid play, it should be a balk (its intention is to deceive the runner, which is the definition of "balk") and it looks plain foolish.

Continue reading "How I'd Change Baseball"

If Gordon does take the next step up, he and Billy Butler and Mark Teahan should combine to form a pretty formidable middle of the line up for the Royals. With Gil Meche and Brian Bannister in the starting rotation, Kansas City is a team you might look at the standings one day and realize they aren’t that bad.

Continue reading "MLB 2008 Season Preview: AL Central"