Former Royal prospect Dan Cortes has not excelled since being traded to the Mariner organization. In six starts with AA West Tennessee, Cortes has posted a 6.46 ERA in 30.2 IP. He's striking guys out -- 29 Ks -- but also walking dudes constantly (25) and allowing a hit an inning (29). Allowing homers, 3, has also been a mild problem.

So there's your Dan Cortes update.

Your daily Royals links are after the jump.

• If not Greinke for Cy, then who? - SweetSpot by Rob Neyer - ESPN
• Crown Gems: Dwyer, Myers, Roberts, Pena, Duffy, Metcalf, AFL | Kings of Kauffman
• Nick Sloan's Official Web Site: Hillman, Gordon Clashing?
• Fire Dayton Moore: Was the Cupboard Really Baird??
• Zack Greinke will get screwed out of the Cy Young Award and $100,000 because his team stinks. The check is due. | Mellinger's Blog
• The Pipeline: Royals on the Farm 8/25 -- Myers makes IF debut
• Royal Reflections: Greinke sets a new record with 15 strikeouts
• Game Recaps (8/25/09) - Mariners Minors
• Hideki Matsui in Mariners uniform in 2010? - MLB Daily Dish
• Why Didn't Anyone Tell Me that Jamey Carroll is So Awesome? - Driveline Mechanics
• Hideki Matsui: More Chameleon than Godzilla | FanGraphs Baseball
• Why Craigslist Is Such a Mess
• The Minor Women of Mad Men: An Appreciation - Esquire