The first place Royals look to grab an early stranglehold on the 2008 Battle for Grass Creek this evening against the Mariners. They'll also go for a semi-sweep, on a semi-getaway day, with the game an afternoon start locally.

Taking the ball for the Royals will be their worst starter to day, well, maybe other than Meche, John Bale (5.84 ERA). Bale looks to join in on the excellence breaking out all around him, against a Mariners team that will be asking Miguel Batista (6.00 ERA) to, like his counterpart, rebound.

Thanks to last night's offensive outburst, or almost outburst, the Royals improved to non-dead-last in baseball, passing the Padres in runs scored. The team remains last in the AL in OBP, if anyone's curious. Of course, with insane, absurd, silly pitching, who needs runs?