First off, I want to say to all hardcore RR readers that I feel bad for not being able to contribute all that much here in the last two weeks. I am moving down to LA on Friday, and I've never come close to moving out so it has been hectic around the house. I was hoping for a day game tomorrow so I could watch and then accomplish all the things I need to get done later but I will have to wait until Thursday to really get some time and watch a game.

The main point of this basically to bring up a lot of what we know and expound on it a little more. After taking steaming, heaping, piles of crap from every sportswriter and blog jockey outside of the KC area, and even the laughably sardonic jabs from another GM (it's made even more funny by the fact that he's probably on a short leash starting pretty soon), we have some piece of validation. One of the best and most irrefutable points against the Meche signing was his consistency, his ability to last over a full season, or to put in a benchmark, 200 innings pitched. In his first 6 seasons with the Mariners he didn't achieve this feat once. I'll give him the fact a couple of seasons he probably didn't have the opportunity to reach the milestone, but when he did he didn't.

Today, Mr. Meche reached that 200 IP plateau, and he has started to transform his potential into actualized performance. Just looking at his stats also tell you how much he has developed. He has allowed less HR (three) in nearly 30 more IP, and has walked 25 less batters over those same amount of innings. One could also explain his decrease in K/9 as learning to pitch to contact better, and the rest of his numbers don't really dispute that kind of claim.

So officially, Gil Meche has turned himself legitimate big league starter, and he has most definitely earned his money this year, in my opinion. I think GMDM deserves a ton of credit for winning big with Meche. It's exciting to finally have a couple good pitchers after witnessing the sheer horror of the Royals rotation and in the early 00's.

Of course, you may already know and agree with this, but I am excited and very much satisfied with Gil.

Other things, down at UCLA, welcome week starts on sunday with a concert by none other than T.I. himself, and I look forward to going, probably hammered, and seeing what its like. I also would also like to implore the readers of RR what I should do and if they have any experience in the matter. After the concert there is a dance til 3am, and I probably would be hammered or more there. Are college dances fun? Esp ones in the actual basketball arena? I remember HS dances were pretty cool, but does the chance to be housed make it more or less fun. The other option would be to go to a large outdoor screening of the movie "The Kingdom" a full 5 days before it comes out. It looks pretty cool, but is there anyone out there who is especially excited for it or anything? I'm not really pumped for the movie but I would go just to say I've seen a movie before it comes out, and also if its good then even better.

Finally, any thoughts on frats? I am initially against them for a good set of reasons, but I could see some situations where they could be beneficial.

GO ROYALS!