Honestly, I'm tired of talking about the 2009 Royals.  This team has beaten me. (It's a rare victory for them.)  By the time this is all over, they may be my least favorite Royals team ever.

So, let's focus on something different.  On Sunday, I went to the game and toured the Royals Hall of Fame for the first time.  It's a huge part of the stadium renovation, funded by the Jackson County taxpayers, and one that many fans have been looking forward to since the plans were unveiled.  Gone are those lockers behind section 113 - which was kind of a sad excuse for a tribute to what's a pretty solid history, but given the space was probably the best they could do.

Now, we have a whole building dedicated to the Royals.  Taking a break from the high temperatures, I wandered in and thought, "This place could use a review."

This wood-carve mural greets you at the entrance.  It's newspaper headlines about Kansas City baseball going back to the 1870's.  I don't think a photo can do this wall justice.  Take my word for it... It's impressive.  And it's a sign that the Royals were thinking large when it came to the Hall of Fame. (They should send a personalized thank you note to each person in Jackson County for their vote.)

You can chose to start your tour with a 15 minute video on the history of baseball in Kansas City.  It's kind of fun in that the video is presented in a "dugout" type atmosphere.  Once you enter the Hall, you go down a hallway lined with cinderblocks... That replicates the trip from the clubhouse to the dugout before all the renovations.  You turn a corner and are faced with a bat rack, stocked with lumber and batting helmets.  I looked for a Miguel Olivo model, because you know that would be free from those pesky ball marks that happen when someone makes contact.  Didn't find one.

Anyway, you turn at the bat rack and suddenly, you're in the dugout, which is actually a theater.  It's kind of clever how they conceptualized this.  Like the dugout, there's two benches (one in front and one in back) and it seems to be about the correct length.  You take a seat on the bench and face a video screen that runs the length of the dugout.  

The movie plays and covers Kansas City baseball history.  It's well done with a ton of interviews and some great clips.  They said it was 15 minutes long, but it didn't feel like it.  (From me, that's high praise.)  The pacing of the video was great and left me wishing I could see what they decided they couldn't include.

The only issue I had with the movie was the fact that the screen is quite large, and because you're sitting so close, it's difficult to see everything.  It would be much better if they shrunk the size of video playing on the screen.  That said, they use the real estate extremely well.  For example, take Brett's home run against Goose Gossage in 1980.  In one window, they show Gossage delivering the pitch.  Then, in another, we see Brett make contact.  Both windows overlap on the screen for a moment.  It's difficult to describe, but they did a really nice job with the timeline.

One final note on the video, then I'll move on.  The audio mix is really outstanding.  They added crowd noise to some parts and on Brett's home run off Gossage in 1980, the absence of the crowd is suddenly noticable.  Great job.  

After the movie ends, you exit into the main Hall.  The natural starting point is the birth of the franchise, and the Hall does a great job illustrating how the Royals came into existence.  I'm a history nut, so this stuff holds great appeal.  There are logos submitted by various artists at Hallmark, old school uniforms and items from the 1973 All-Star Game held at Royals Stadium.  They also have a display of current minor league uniforms.

There are a couple of interactive features included in the hall.  One let's you design your own stadium.  I'm not certain what the appeal is here, but I watched some girl make the seats hot pink, so there must be value in that.  Another interactive exhibit is where you can do a radio call of a moment in Royals history.  They have a booth and microphone all set.  Have you wondered what that "bump" on the outside of the Hall of Fame where the glass protrudes outward was?  That's the "broadcast booth."  It's kind of fun and the added bonus is you can email the call to yourself once you're finished.  

From there, you enter the money room - the George Brett and Frank White trophy room.  All the hardware is here... The Gold Gloves, the ALCS MVP awards.  A really cool feature is all the baseballs constructed to form the number 5.  Each baseball represents one of Brett's 3,154 hits.  In the center is the bat and the ball from hit number 3,000.

(Quick aside.  One of my favorite photographs of all time is Brett kissing home plate at his final home game.  One thing has always bothered me about that photo... There's a grounds crew member in the background, giving Brett this look... Like, "who's this moron putting his lips on something that's covered with dirt most of the time?"  Conveniently, the Royals have removed the offending member of the grounds crew from the photo.  I'm not complaining... They improved the picture.  Still, there's something about a Hall of Fame altering history that makes me a little uncomfortable.)

(Another aside.  Is it too much to ask for the Royals to have some photos of famous moments for sale at the stadium?  I'd buy that Brett picture the second I saw it in a store - with or without the dude from the groundscrew.  My all time favorite Royals photos:

Brett and Saberhagen after the final out of the '85 World Series - Duh.
Brett kissing home plate at his final home game - Check.
Brett punching Graig Nettles in the face, Game Five of the '77 ALCS - I hated the Yankees and I hated Nettles more than anyone on that team.
Patek in the dugout after hitting into the double play to end the '77 ALCS - He was devastated... Just like every Royals fan.)  

After the Brett and White exhibit comes the final piece of the Hall of Fame puzzle:  the World Series trophy.  It looks great as usual, but I have one minor complaint.  Sitting on the base of the trophy is a World Series ring.  Why?  Why wouldn't you have the ring in a separate case?  The way it looks now, it appears the ring is part of the trophy.  It's not.  It deserves it's own space.   

After the trophy, you close your tour with plaques of all the inductees.  Business in this room figures to be slow for the next decade or so.  It's interesting to me that guys like Cookie Rojas and Freddie Patek are in the Hall.  I don't want to diminish the roles those guys played in the success of the franchise in the 1970's.  Are we going to feel the same way when it comes time to decide on the Hall-worthiness of guys like Joe Randa and Carlos Beltran?  Both are in the top ten in nearly every franchise hitting category, but unlike Rojas and Patek, they played for Royals teams we'd rather forget than celebrate.

Inside the Hall there's a huge gap from 1985 to 2009.  That's expected, but it ignores some good individual players that have passed through.  I'd like to see some more game used stuff.  They have a Greinke jersey worn in his first start after his Sports Illustrated cover.  That's cool, but I know they have a ton of memorbilia at the K in storage.  How about an Amos Otis bat?  Or Dennis Leonard's blue glove?  Or Willie Wilson's shoes?

The Hall of Fame is a cool place to visit, but it serves as an uncomfortable reminder of how far we've fallen.

While the company line out of Kaufmann Stadium these days is 'trust the process', I put that sentiment in roughly the same category as:

• David DeJesus is hurting the team because he smiles too much
• Alex Gordon would be better if he showed more emotion
• Willie Bloomquist is a gamer who helps the team despite his sub .700 OPS
• Mike Jacobs is 'coming around'
• Mark Teahen is a good defender

However, all that aside, our opinions really do not matter when it comes to the direction of the Kansas City Royals.   Those who control the future of this organization currently believe in 'the process'.   

Had it not been for numerous injuries and some bad luck, the powers that be truly think this team would be in the hunt for the AL Central.   They also point to  an ever improving farm system ready to push the Royals to the next level.

Well, if we trust the process or are at least curious about said process, then it probably is time to look at that farm system and see just where and when the help will come.   This will be a rough and tumble look at each position, who is the closest to helping and how much help they might bring.   

CATCHER

 The 'help' is already on hand with switchhitting Brayan Pena on the major league roster and playing on a regular basis.   He has some limits defensively - notably blocking balls - but that seems to be one thing you can actually work on at the major league level.  

If the answer is not Pena, then you are looking a long, long ways down the line:  past J.R. House and John Suomi in AAA, past Cody Clark and Vance Wilson in AA and Ryan Eigsti in High A.   You are banking on Sean McCauley or Jose Bonilla or Salvador Perez in Low A ball.  All three have 'upside', none of the three is showing much this year after promising stints in rookie ball in 2008.

Bottom line, it's Brayan Pena or outside the organization until at least 2012.   While Brayan will never be an All-Star, he has a chance to be at least an average everyday catcher and maybe even better if he really can hit .300 over the course of a full season.

FIRST BASE/DH

I am putting these two positions together simply because Billy Butler has established himself as being one or the other for as far out in the future as you want to go.   He has gone from a singles hitter to ranking second in the league in doubles and beginning to turn some of that power potential into actual power.

Of course the obvious 'help' is currently in AAA in the person of one Kila Kaaihue.   After a breakout 2008, Kila has not lit up the world, but still has a very good .261/.398/.453/.851 line.   Sure, we would like to see more power than his current 14 homers, but with more walks than strikeouts, I like the odds on Kila being able to post a major league on-base percentage north of .380.    

If the Royals are willing to actually give him a chance, your help could be here right now or at least to start 2010.   I am split on whether Kila can hit with enough power in the majors to be a long term answer at this spot.   Right now, he falls into that 'better than what the Royals have right now' trap, but I think it's worth a shot for at least part of 2010.

After Kaaihue, the big name is Eric Hosmer now in High A, who is all potential and little result right now.

SECOND BASE/SHORTSTOP

I have combined these two simply because the primary prospect at both positions is Jeff Bianchi.   After some pretty unimpressive years in A ball, a finally healthy Bianchi has stepped forward with a line of .315/.366/.442/.808 split between Wilmington and AA Northwest Arkansas.  

That has been impressive enough to jump the former second round pick in front of Mario Lisson (currently in AAA hitting some homers, but not much else) as most likely to succeed in the middle infield in the majors.  

While it is hard to project Bianchi as a star, it is rather easy to see him becoming a young 'Mark Grudzielanek' type player with a touch more power.   The Royals are committed to Yunieksy Betancourt for better or worse and have an on-base machine who cannot field in Alberto Callaspo.   With Bianchi's major league arrival probably not coming any time before September of 2010, one of those will surely have worn out his welcome by then.

Behind Bianchi is Johnny Giavotella, who started slowly in Wilmington, but has steadily pushed his numbers north as the season has worn on (currently has a .741 OPS).   A pure second baseman who is just okay defensively, Johnny is a good two years away from pushing onto the major league roster.

THIRD BASE

The discussion pretty much begins and ends with Mike Moustakas.   It comes to an end permanently if Alex Gordon ever realizes his number two overall pick potential.   Moustakas is having a 'just okay' year at the plate, but Wilmington is an awful place to be a big time hitter.  Mike is also struggling in the field and still, in my mind at least, projects more at a corner outfield spot or even first base.

At minimum, Moustakas is looking at a late 2011 arrival in the bigs.   Like Hosmer, you hope for star potential, but projecting the type of major leaguer he will turn into is really a shot in the dark at this point.

OUTFIELD

Jordan Parraz has posted a combined .973 OPS between AA and AAA this year.   He is a swing first ask questions later kind of guy, which is okay when you are striking out just 43 times in 81 games.  Those types of hitters sometimes become Mike Jacobs once you get to the majors (I don't mean that in a good way, either), but Parraz will be in position to give it a shot at the beginning of 2010.   He could become a Raul Ibanez type (albeit without quite as much power) or a Matt Diaz type or be a bust ala Shane Costa.

Your next outfield help comes in the form of David Lough in AA.   (No, I don't believe in Chris Lubanski and Jose Duarte crashed and burned in a limited AA stint earlier this year.)  Lough  has a robust .321/.369/.479 line split between A and AA and, in a perfect world, could develop into an above average regular (think DeJesus with more pop).   You will most likely have to wait until late 2010 or early 2011 to find out.

After those two, you are looking at a whole bunch of speed, potential and youth, none of whom can even begin to be thought about until 2012...if then.

STARTING PITCHING

Everyone loves the Royals' pitching depth, the problem is that depth is really deep in the minors.   With Dan Cortes gone to Seattle, the next truly impact help is in High A Wilmington. 

No, Lenny DiNardo does not count as help under the definition of this article.  Rowdy Hardy?  C'mon.   Blake Johnson?  Doubtful.  Julio Pimental?  Hurt.

Wilmington currently boasts a staff that includes Mike Montgomery (2.19 ERA in 15 starts, both low and high A), Danny Duffy (3.51 ERA in 19 starts) and Danny Gutierrez (0 runs, 10K in 8 innings). 

Gutierrez had a run-in with the organization over agents and rehab training, and essentially bought himself another summer in Delaware instead of basking in the Texas League sun.   If he gets back into form and in the right frame of mind, Gutierrez could shoot all the way to AAA by late 2010 and conceivably get a look in the majors sometime in 2011.   He could be a very good middle of the rotation starter.

Montgomery and Duffy, thus far, have all the looks of top of the rotation type starters who will likely get full years in both AA and AAA.  That points those two towards major league debuts in late 2011 or early 2012.

Of course, the wild card is this year's number one pick Aaron Crow.   Without the hammer of the August 17th signing deadline (Crow and Tanner Scheppers of the Rangers are exempt from this deadline), negotiations might well conclude later rather than sooner.    If Crow signs at some point this late summer or early fall, he could spend one season in the minors and be ready to become a major league starter in 2011.   Projection?  Anywhere from a number two to a number four.  If he's ready in April of 2011, I'll take either one.

RELIEF PITCHING

The Royals seem stocked in this area.   Carlos Rosa has come around after a slow start and should get a call to unveil his 97 mph fastball in the majors any day now.   Also in AAA is submarining Chris Hayes who will certainly get a shot at the bullpen next spring.

The fastest mover in the 2007 draft class?  That would be Greg Holland, already in AAA after blowing through the lower levels in impressive fashion.   He is another power reliever who might well get a look early next season, too.

Chris Nicoll also just got the callup to AAA and, given his age, will get a look next spring, too.   Frankly, all four of these guys might be a better bullpen than any four pitching in front of Joakim Soria for the Royals right now.

Keep in mind, that after this group, the organization has Henry Barrera, who was good enough to be protected from the Rule 5 draft last winter.   Barrera who averaged over twelve strikouts per nine innings in 2008, is just getting going this year after injury problems this spring.

WHAT IT ALL MEANS

While writing each individual section, I found myself moderately encouraged by the help that might be arriving in the majors.   Once I stepped back and took a birds eye view, however, it is not really that exciting.

Between now and early 2011, there is not a single star player that would seem ready to emerge at the major league level.   The Royals might well be able to count on a solid everyday catcher in Brayan Pena and an upgrade at designated hitter (Kaaihue over Jacobs/Olivo).   They could get good everyday players in Bianchi and either Parraz or Lough, but then I consider David DeJesus a 'good everyday player' and Mark Teahen an 'acceptable everyday player'.

Having five or six 'good' or 'solid' everyday players is fine if you have a couple of stars.   The Royals have zero 'stars' right now and find themselves in the same position they were in 2005:  waiting for Billy Butler and Alex Gordon emerge as offensive forces.   Given that the GM back then was Allard Baird you kind of wonder exactly what progress has been made, don't you?

While the relief corps seems on the verge of getting in-house reinforcements, the only near-term starting rotation help is a guy who is not even under contract and has thrown less than seventy competitive innings since June of 2008.

Stay the course, trust the process?   Put me in the skeptical category.

When your team needs a win, who else would you want on the mound except Bruce Chen? 

It is a happy Friday, so we will ignore that Chen allowed eleven baserunners in less than seven innings and allowed just two runs despite only striking out four and getting just one double play.   Maybe he was more lucky than good on Thursday night, but it worked out for a much needed win.

Okay, 'much needed win' is kind of an overstatement.   This team is locked in a downward spiral that the additions of Doug Waechter and Josh Anderson is probably not going to pull them out of.  Not that I mind those additions, because, at this point, any change is a good change. 

For the record, Chen has thrown 23.1 innings over his last four starts and allowed 30 hits, but just 10 earned runs for a 3.86 earned run average.  He has walked six, struck out 19 and hit three batters just for good measure.    That is a WHIP of 1.67, which is living pretty dangerously and probably a sign that the Royals should thank Bruce for his fine fill in work and not press their luck once Gil Meche is ready to return next week.  

Of course, this is OUR Kansas City Royals, and they are just a likely to sign Chen to an extension as send him through waivers this month.   

Sarcasm aside, Chen gave the Royals a far better start than that produced by Kyle Davies on Wednesday night.   Davies was not only lit up on the mound, but bounced a potential pickoff play at second that was simply one of the four most horrendous throws I have seen in my life.   (The other three involved slow pitch softball, coed play and a keg of beer).

Wednesday's outing begs the question (and I am hardly the first to come up with this):  should the Royals try Davies as a reliever?   That is a somewhat treacherous proposition given Kyle's struggles with control, but opponents are hitting just .231 against him in the first inning of all his starts.   They hit .268 in the second inning and .383 in the third.

Again, though, Davies has also walked 14 and struck out 10 in the first inning of his games, so that's a big concern.   You wonder, however, if Kyle is focused on throwing his best stuff for one, maybe two innings, if he might be able to conquer that problem.   Just a thought and maybe worth trying since Davies continues to dominate AAA as a starter and struggle mightily in the majors.

Two positives to end the week with:

1.  The Royals actually made the right move on Wednesday when they designated Ryan Freel for assignment and kept Mitch Maier on the team.   While I think Maier is destined to be a fringe player, I know Freel is/was one.  

2.  Alex Gordon ACTUALLY MADE AN ADJUSTMENT!   His is shortening his swing and keeping both hands on the bat and has been recently rewarded with five hits in two games (albeit two of them on the infield).   After two years of a long, pretty swing that missed more often than hit, and murmers that Gordon was too stubborn to adjust his approach we once again proudly proclaim 'any change is good change.'