:hmmm: When you start thinking like this, the payroll and record goes the other direction and usually stays there for awhile.

Attendance is not just a faucet that can be turned on and off. Winning just a little bit doesn't turn it back on full blast.

The Royals were epicly terrible for 15+ years before last season, one fluke year aside in 2003. That drives attendance down (and season ticket sales).

The Royals had a absolutely horrible month of May that squashed a lot of expectations quickly. They eventually dug out of that whole, but June and July attendance suffered because of that hole.

From a business perspective, there are tons of examples of sports teams that make money by spending money. There's one in this city, in fact.

Who knows what Glass will do? I certainly didn't expect payroll to increase this much this year, and he has been surprising many with his willingness to spend since Moore got here. Part of me thinks he would look at handing over a record payroll to a GM who had been here for a LONG time and not gotten it done, and maybe say "It's time to go a different direction."

Moore has wheedled a lot more money out of Glass and co. over the years, with nothing to show for it. He'll either see that as a sign Moore must go or as a sign that spending money is worthless.

It's the ROyals, so it likely would be the latter.

Eat a bowl of AIDS.

You know, if we throw pitching out of the mix, the only player I think that has improved so far this year is Escobar. He's been clutch on defense, he's hit better, done OK in the number two hole when Omar was out. He's maturing as a real major league shortstop both on offense and defense.

Around the horn otherwise:

Hosmer: His defense has always been good. No home run power. None. Hits a lot of doubles, still has a big looping swing.

Omar: Good when he's healthy. Getting hit in the face pretty much derailed his first two months.

Moose: Enjoy the world class zoo in Omaha, you pop up machine.

Gordon: Great defense again this year, inconsistent at the plate. Not as bad as Hosmer and Billay, spotty power but too few and far between.

LoCain: Flashes of brilliance on defense. Can't play more than four weeks or so without getting hurt. Has to stay healthy to be a factor. So far, missed too many games. Doesn't hit for much power either as an outfielder.

Aoki: Can't hit much on the road, poorest fielder and arm of all our outfielders. Dink, slap, Texas league hitter. At least he'll take a walk, but he hasn't been as good of a leadoff guy as Alex Gordon.

Salvie: His defense hasn't been as good this year. Pass balls, wild throws, etc. But he calls a great game and is light years better than whatever #2 guy they throw in there. Injury bug again this year. Banged and bruised up because he's a big guy and big target behind the plate. Batting average has waivered around .250. He should hit for more power too. He's been hitting into DPs more often lately.

Belly: He's fat. He's slow. He doesn't walk as much as last year. He has the same, weak ass warning track power. A lot of last years doubles are singles this year because he's too damn fat to make it to second. He looks like a 40 year old Harmon Killebrew, and he's not even 30 yet. I was hoping he'd be the Royals version of Jim Thome, but he's more like a current version of Bob Hamelin. Hell, I bet a 40 year old Hammer could have hit more than one home run by now. And probably wouldn't have hit into as many DP's either.

Looks like another .500 season, if the pitching doesn't implode.

Anything on Ventura yet?

I don't know why people give Glass so much shit. Compared to Clark Hunt, Glass is more of a baseball guy than Clark Hunt is a football guy. You guys may all mock David but his heart is in the game. He could easily optimize his earning potential by not increasing payroll, he's shown a willingness to increase spending. He moved AA closer to his house so he could attend some games. More than you can say than Clark Hunt at least, a soccer guy posing as a football man, who would gladly give up the Chiefs if he could land a Champions League team in Europe. Glass is a baseball fan who is from the midwest, and owns his favorite team.

When did Glass buy the Cardinals?

What World are you living in?:shake:

I don't think people give him a hard time much anymore? The last 3/4 years or so, he's probably done as much as you could expect of a small market owner. It's the previous decade+ that he gets killed for, and rightfully so.

I think the Oakland A's prove otherwise

19. Kansas City Royals $92,034,345
20. Chicago White Sox $91,159,254
21. San Diego Padres $90,094,196
22. NY Mets $89,051,758
23. Chicago Cubs $89,007,857
24. Minnesota Twins $85,776,500
25. Oakland A's $83,401,400
26. Cleveland Indians $82,534,800
27. Pittsburgh Pirates $78,111,667
28. Tampa Bay Rays $77,062,891
29. Miami Marlins $47,565,400
30. Houston Astros $44,544,174

The epic face-plant in May 2013 took the air out of that season. The utter mediocrity following such high expectations in 2014 have taken the air out of this season. If KC was leading Detroit by 7 games, the fans be there.

Also, fans like offense. This team is frustratingly bad.

GMDM on MLB network radio says that Ventura will only miss one start.

610 said Ventura looks to be out one start.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>So I Shotgunned A Beer And Went To Bed Lineup: Aoki 9, Infante 4, Hosmer 3, Butler DH, Gordon 7, Perez 2, Cain 8, Escobar 6, Paredes 5.</p>&mdash; Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) <a href="https://twitter.com/McCulloughStar/statuses/471362579667759104">May 27, 2014</a></blockquote>
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