Luke Hochevar News

If you think the fathers of Royals players are happy about having their sons playing in the Major Leagues, consider this: On Monday, the dads themselves got to take batting practice at Progressive Field with Hall of Famer George Brett throwing the pitches.

A statue of a pioneer woman at the National Frontier Trails Museum in Independence was apparently stolen over the weekend.

If the Royals were a player on NBA Jam, their shoes would be lit up. Alicia Keys is singing songs about the Royals now.

May 31, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Wade Davis is taken out by manager Ned Yost during the sixth inning against the Texas Rangers at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

The new guy in town as far as the Royals' bullpen goes is right-hander J.C. Gutierrez, a former closer for the Diamondbacks.

Now that this talented pitcher has fallen into their lap, the Rockies brain trust must decide where to send him.

Lorenzo Cain hit a two-run homer during a four-run eighth inning and the Kansas City Royals rallied for a 7-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. Lorenzo Cain hit a two-run homer during a four-run eighth inning and the Kansas City Royals rallied for a 7-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night.

The Houston Astros selected right-hander Mark Appel with the first pick of the MLB first-year player draft on Thursday night.

How often do college pitchers with the hype of Mark Appel and Jonathan Gray end up as the top two picks in the draft and how do they perform after that? Those were the questions floating around in my head leading up to this year's Rule IV draft.

There is one benefit to losing 100-plus games. The Cubs will experience it Thursday night, and hopefully for a decade or more.

The oft-erratic Dominican player, who gave up a half-dozen runs in his first start of the season, who plunked three hitters in his second, was the picture of placidity Tuesday, rolling through the Royals lineup with barely a whiff of Dedunoan angst.

Certainly, the most obvious culprit was Aaron Crow and a spectacular 8th inning meltdown that saw nine Cardinal hitters come to the plate, score four runs and were stopped only by a diving Alcides Escobar play for the third out after Ned Yost turned to Luke Hochevar, yes, Hochevar to put out the fire.

There are few things more tantalizing in fantasy baseball than when a pitching prospect gets a call up, especially if you have the No.

Oh what a journey it has been. We are at the breaking point. All of us. Ned and Dayton keep talking about confidence, patience, and spanking.

The Royals every year are required to set a new record in futility of some sort.

Growing up, pitcher Aaron Crow was a Royals fan. Even going to college at the University of Missouri surrounded by Cardinals fans, Crow was a Royals fan.

Even with the blockbuster trade, a revamped rotation, a wealth of young talent and a catchy new slogan - what, really, is different? Now, though we're only a quarter of the way through the year, Kansas City is 21-25, leaving some ready to call it a season, turn in their blue shirts for red ones and head across the parking lot to Arrowhead.

The Royals pop-gun offense looks absolutely anemic, and a terrible call by umpire Marty Foster didn't help things as the Royals are able to overcome stupid decisions by Mike Scioscia to lose their third in a row.

Angels shortstop Erick Aybar leaps over the Royals' Miguel Tejada to complete a double play ending the seventh inning at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City on Friday.