Kansas City @ Oakland GameThread, Apr 20, 2008 4:05 PM EDT

Let’s get this out of the way — Tim Lincecum. Forget about Lincecum. Tim Lincecum is probably the twelfth Cylon model. Here’s how humans of normal intelligence see him: Brian Sabean, who as we all know is not an idiot, wanted trade him for Alex Rios over the winter, because even the organization that drafted him thinks his back will start glowing like model #6 and then he’ll explode all over the infield.

Now, on to your 2008 Hochevar debut.

by 2X2L on Apr 20, 2008 2:36 PM EDT 0 recs

i'm rather have hocheaver than nomo

I mean, look at that buff hottness….

Happy Hocheaver Day indeed!

Boyfriend of the Year 2008: It's gonna be big!

by loyal2theroyals on Apr 20, 2008 2:39 PM EDT 0 recs

by i'm i meant i'd

oops?

Boyfriend of the Year 2008: It's gonna be big!

by loyal2theroyals on Apr 20, 2008 2:40 PM EDT up 0 recs

Look how motivated and determined he is!

I think he’s puffing up his cheeks to blow the ball into the glove, giving it that extra 5 MPH kick

by raefzilla on Apr 20, 2008 2:46 PM EDT up 0 recs

hochevar might be one of those rare guys that looks more attractive mid-pitch

in that shot you posted he sorta reminds me of Weird Al

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by marbotty on Apr 20, 2008 2:50 PM EDT up 0 recs

and by you, i meant loyal2

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by marbotty on Apr 20, 2008 2:50 PM EDT up 0 recs

Hooray for Hoochie!

If he does well in his next two starts, they can’t possibly send him back down once Bale comes off the DL, can they?

Will, why are you surprised? Seems like a pretty obvious move to me.

by raefzilla on Apr 20, 2008 2:41 PM EDT 0 recs

New Motto?

by stuckinstl12 on Apr 20, 2008 2:53 PM EDT up 0 recs

I thought we'd see Davies

by royalsreview on Apr 20, 2008 2:56 PM EDT up 0 recs

Really looking forward to this

I haven’t seen him pitch much, yet—just the end of last year.

Finally coming back to the 'K'!!!! I'm going to be there 7/11/08, vs the SEA Mariners, of course!

by RoyalsFanInMarinerTown on Apr 20, 2008 2:43 PM EDT 0 recs

I, for one

Welcome our new Hochevar Overlords.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Apr 20, 2008 2:49 PM EDT 0 recs

Bengie Molina just scored from 2nd on a single. All of Northern California is stunned.

If Skip Schumaker plays center when the Royals play the Cards, they might try to take 2 extra bases on hits to him out there.

by 2X2L on Apr 20, 2008 3:02 PM EDT 0 recs

isn’t Skip just the perfect Cardinal?

he just plays the game the right way

by royalsreview on Apr 20, 2008 3:04 PM EDT up 0 recs

White, hustles, doesn't seem to do anything particularly well

I’d love to see the Cards pick up Matt Tolbert, Clete Thomas, Eric Byrnes, and of course Ross Gload. Within a few years, there would be statues of all four outside Busch Stadium.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Apr 20, 2008 3:08 PM EDT up 0 recs

they are the smartest, bestest fans in baseball doncha know

by royalsreview on Apr 20, 2008 3:15 PM EDT up 0 recs

eric byrnes is pretty awesome, actually

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by marbotty on Apr 20, 2008 3:16 PM EDT up 0 recs

Does Garagiola Already

Have one?

Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!

by philofthenorth on Apr 20, 2008 3:19 PM EDT up 0 recs

I don’t know much about him except that before yesterday’s game his OBP against the Giants was .600 in their first 5 games this year, and then yesterday he went 2 for 4, so he was still way up there.

That sound you hear in the distance is him falling back to earth.

by 2X2L on Apr 20, 2008 3:11 PM EDT up 0 recs

Just K’ed for the second time in two at bats against Jonathan Sanchez today.

by 2X2L on Apr 20, 2008 3:14 PM EDT up 0 recs

Butler Still Will

Be out by three steps at 2B.

Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!

by philofthenorth on Apr 20, 2008 3:14 PM EDT up 0 recs

When it comes to baserunning, Billy Butler is no Bengie Molina.

by 2X2L on Apr 20, 2008 3:15 PM EDT up 0 recs

And, in Bengie’s next at bat, he pulled a Butler, trying to stretch a run-scoring single into a double.

But don’t let superficial similarities fool you. Butler cannot catch.

by 2X2L on Apr 20, 2008 3:31 PM EDT up 0 recs

and he'll have dove four steps prior to that

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by marbotty on Apr 20, 2008 3:15 PM EDT up 0 recs

Speaking of the Giants

I’m getting the feeling their GM is trying to get fired, like Peter in “Office Space”. He has Rich Aurilia playing 1B, Jose Castillo playing 3B. They signed Aaron Rowand to a huge contract even though they already had six guys capable of playing centerfield. They just called up a minor leaguer with a .600 OPS to DFA Rajai Davis, a guy they lauded last season. They’re contemplating going to a six man rotation. I don’t think a trained monkey could run that ballclub any worse.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Apr 20, 2008 3:15 PM EDT up 0 recs

There's Nothing Wrong

With that team that a Voodoo gear-burning ceremony in the locker room wouldn’t cure.

Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!

by philofthenorth on Apr 20, 2008 3:18 PM EDT up 0 recs

but... they removed all signs of Barry Bonds from the stadium

which was like soooooo awesome
and brave too

doing something like that when a guy is already hated and absent is just, courage

by royalsreview on Apr 20, 2008 3:18 PM EDT up 0 recs

You know what?

I’ll go out on a limb and say it. I hate Osama bin Laden.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Apr 20, 2008 3:19 PM EDT up 0 recs

Don’t know if you saw this, but even the organization’s most loyal supporters, such as FJM favorite Bruce Jenkins, smacked them around a little bit for that. And they wound up doing what Jenkins suggested, putting the home run counter back in rightfield with a list of Giants with 500 or more home runs in their careers, and they put a plaque up in the general vicinity of where #756 came down.

So, they’re brave enough to backpedal. Got to give them that.

by 2X2L on Apr 20, 2008 3:27 PM EDT up 0 recs

There has to be some weird behind-the-scenes going on. I actually think that Sabean really is as bad as his last 5 years of moves indicate (trades with David Littlefield don’t count), and organization renewed his contract last year because they wanted to keep him close while they dealt with the fallout from the Mitchell Report. This is of course a total guess, but there must be something like that, or else he would have been cashiered when his contract ran out last year.

by 2X2L on Apr 20, 2008 3:19 PM EDT up 0 recs

maybe the Giants really want the #1 pick next year

or maybe Sabean’s got a nickle down on the Giants taking last place

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by marbotty on Apr 20, 2008 3:27 PM EDT up 0 recs

He’d already done enough since 2002 to guarantee that, so there was no need to bring him back. They could have let him stay home and rest on his laurels.

by 2X2L on Apr 20, 2008 3:29 PM EDT up 0 recs

hmm... good point

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by marbotty on Apr 20, 2008 3:31 PM EDT up 0 recs

“behind the scenes stuff”, that is

by 2X2L on Apr 20, 2008 3:21 PM EDT 0 recs

interesting line up today

by Royal Revival on Apr 20, 2008 3:46 PM EDT 0 recs

Adam Jones is photogenic, and happy to be an Oriole

by royalsreview on Apr 20, 2008 3:48 PM EDT 0 recs

i noticed that

best mlb portrait ever?

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by marbotty on Apr 20, 2008 3:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

and they couldn't be like...

“hey man, lets try this again”

by royalsreview on Apr 20, 2008 3:54 PM EDT up 0 recs

no

they nailed it

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by marbotty on Apr 20, 2008 3:54 PM EDT up 0 recs

actually

you sort of wonder if they had to heavily sedate him in order to get him to take a picture

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by marbotty on Apr 20, 2008 3:56 PM EDT up 0 recs

FYI - Frank Thomas is now available to DH

Would rather have him or Bonds? (I’d vote for neither but a bit surprised Frank was released considering he’s a perennial slow starter…)

by jsolo on Apr 20, 2008 3:51 PM EDT 0 recs

bonds

bonds wasnt as terrible in the field as he was portrayed to be, he could probably competently play first in a pinch, and is a better hitter

by royalsreview on Apr 20, 2008 3:55 PM EDT up 0 recs

Thomas carries a little less baggage....

but not by much. He’s not exactly Mike Sweeney in the clubhouse.

by jsolo on Apr 20, 2008 3:56 PM EDT up 0 recs

I don’t think Bonds can play first. There’s a lot of footwork around the bag involved that he has never learned, and even if he can think it he might not be able to do it, because he needs a lot of time to get moving with those knees. Kind of an anti-Brooks Robinson, who had a quick first reaction, could make a lateral move impressively fast. Bonds can actually still cover a lot of ground in left, if he’s having a high pain-threshold day.

by 2X2L on Apr 20, 2008 3:58 PM EDT up 0 recs

you may be right

by royalsreview on Apr 20, 2008 4:04 PM EDT up 0 recs

I may be crazy

Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.

by jonfmorse on Apr 20, 2008 4:05 PM EDT up 0 recs

be careful, one of you is liable to wreck your car into a house

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by marbotty on Apr 20, 2008 4:06 PM EDT up 0 recs

but also marry a 19 yr old

by royalsreview on Apr 20, 2008 4:06 PM EDT up 0 recs

I think I could be okay with that.

Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.

by jonfmorse on Apr 20, 2008 4:07 PM EDT up 0 recs

talking could be a problem

if you can carry on a conversation with a 19 yr old for more than 2 minutes, you may be mentally challenged

by royalsreview on Apr 20, 2008 4:10 PM EDT up 0 recs

...talking?

Why would I want to bother with that?

Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.

by jonfmorse on Apr 20, 2008 4:11 PM EDT up 0 recs

true enough

by royalsreview on Apr 20, 2008 4:13 PM EDT up 0 recs

And You Won't

Die young.

Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!

by philofthenorth on Apr 20, 2008 4:08 PM EDT up 0 recs

It just may be a lunatic you're looking for

by Royal Revival on Apr 20, 2008 4:08 PM EDT up 0 recs

Grudz and Pena getting the day off...DeJesus either day off or still gimpy? Rest is lefty-platoon stuff (buck C, Olivo DH again)

by Royal Revival on Apr 20, 2008 3:52 PM EDT 0 recs

apparently if the Royals had a movie made about them...

John Buck would want Alex Gordon to play him. My favorite quote…

john buck on alex gordon: “do you think anyone is really listening to what he’s saying when he’s got all those muscles walking around?”

Boyfriend of the Year 2008: It's gonna be big!

by loyal2theroyals on Apr 20, 2008 3:52 PM EDT 0 recs

. . .

by royalsreview on Apr 20, 2008 4:05 PM EDT up 0 recs

Discussed, Not Posted

So I will.

Kansas City
AB R H RBI BB K LOB Season Avg
J. Gathright cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .259
E. German 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .143
M. Teahen lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .269
B. Butler 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .328
J. Guillen rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .181
A. Gordon 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .329
M. Olivo dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .280
J. Buck c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .245
A. Callaspo ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333
Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Oakland 
  AB R H RBI BB K LOB Season Avg  
M. Ellis 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .247  
D. Barton 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .271  
E. Brown rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .300  
J. Cust dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .167  
B. Crosby ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .289  
R. Sweeney cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .325  
C. Denorfia lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .276  
R. Bowen c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200  
J. Hannahan 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .184  
 Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!

by philofthenorth on Apr 20, 2008 3:56 PM EDT 0 recs

I'd have swapped Germy and Callaspo.

Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.

by jonfmorse on Apr 20, 2008 3:58 PM EDT up 0 recs

German Should Never

Be allowed to play SS; he’s hard enough to watch at 3B. Gritz did need a day off.

Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!

by philofthenorth on Apr 20, 2008 4:01 PM EDT up 0 recs

I meant in the batting order

not on the field.

Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.

by jonfmorse on Apr 20, 2008 4:01 PM EDT up 0 recs

D'Oh!!!

Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!

by philofthenorth on Apr 20, 2008 4:03 PM EDT up 0 recs

weird

Hillman’s like the anti-Bell (or Boone) when it comes to setting lineups. The odd thing is that he doesn’t seem to set it based on the individual but based on the position - his CF always leads off, 2B hits second, SS last

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by marbotty on Apr 20, 2008 3:58 PM EDT up 0 recs