I know there are a thousand wannabe sports talk radio guys on here, so I'll make this real easy: blaming the manager/ calling for his job on a daily basis is absurd.  Trey Hillman isn't the cause for every Royals loss.  He isn't in the batter's box, he's not on the mound.  If managers were infallible, there'd be no need for the players.

 Let's take today game as an example.  They were 1-10 with runners in scoring position, even had bases loaded no out and failed to get one across today.  Nobody has control over those at-bats other than the batter.  Unless you expect the manager to start putting in pinch hitters in the 3rd inning.

  Meche was efective through 7 and there was no real indication he couldn't finish out the eighth.  Lead off double?  Maybe you pull him then, or you give your guy a shot to get out of his first real jam of the day.  Not even really a jam, though.  One out, man on first, no damage done?  Easy, let him keep going.  Once the tying run had scored, then you put in a reliever.

But who to put in?  Farnsworth?  Somebody would have driven to Cleveland to shoot Hillman if he'd done that.  Soria?  Let's go down that road for a minute, shall we?

  Let's say he comes in, gets a K and then a groundout to escape the inning.  Tie ballgame going into the ninth.  Who do you pitch in the ninth?  If  the Royals got one, your best closer is already in the game with the win on instead of the save.  Leave him in then.   He finishes out the game with a hit and maybe a walk to make it interesting.  Now he's pitched 1 2/3 while facing 7 batters and throwing maybe 30 pitches.  Now on Friday night with a 1-0 lead, you need him to close out the game.  But he can't and gives up a two-run shot, blows the lead and they lose.  We just traded one win for another.

 I was just as sickened as anybody when Mahay gave up the jack to Sizemore, maybe another pitcher wouldn't have.  Maybe Cruz comes in but still gives up a singel which scores one and they still lose.  Still Hillman's fault, I know.  He is supposed to look into your crystal ball and know what each at-bat is going to bring.

 I'm not saying I don';t have issue with how some of the games have gone.  I like Buck over Olivo for starting catcher.  I'd like to see Teahen left at 2nd where they are trying to make him stay for the forseeable future.  But overall I'm happy with this team.  I am excited that they've stayed in first place.  I love that people are talking about this rather than just going, "Yeah, they suck again." 

I have always and will always love the Royals.  Even if they trot out 9 AAA players and an over the hill pitcher, I'm still going to root for them.  And I might even expect a win.