Flying High: The Kansas City Royals To Contend in the AL Central

Normally by the time May has rolled around Kansas City Royals fans have already begun turning their attention to the upcoming NFL season, which is still four months away. 

But not this year. 

The Royals are off to their best start since 2003 and have a respectable three game lead in the paltry division that is the American League Central. 

This team however, is nothing like the 2003 squad who squandered an All-Star break stranglehold on the division in record fashion.  That team really had no idea why they were winning so many games and in the end, their luck ran out. 

On the other hand, the 2009 Kansas City Royals know they are a good baseball team. The pieces that general manager Dayton Moore has put together are proving to be a perfect recipe for getting to the postseason in a division with no clear cut favorite. 

As of now, the Royals have become that favorite. 

But lacking in a few areas, there is one more piece that needs to fall in place before they can be perceived as a legitimate threat in October: the back end of the rotation.

When Zack “Chipotle” Greinke takes the mound, there is no better team in baseball, period. 

Gil Meche is a solid number two, and gives the team a good chance to win with every start. 

After that things start to get dicey. 

Brian Bannister has looked great since his call-up after starting the season in Triple-A Omaha.  If he can keep it up, the Royals have a better than average chance of playing above .500 ball for the remainder season, which should get them into the postseason. 

What could put them over the top and have them challenging for the best record in the AL is the inevitable call up of Luke Hochevar, who has been nothing short of dominant in going 6-0 while posting a Greinke-esque ERA of 0.90 in Omaha.  

It’s only a matter of when the Royals decide to pull the plug on Kyle Davies or Sidney Ponson.

 Most likely it will be Ponson who becomes the casualty.  If Hochevar can be half as dominant in the show as he has been in Omaha, the Royals league-leading team ERA of 3.62 should hold steady and solidify them as the best pitching staff in baseball.

Enjoy the ride Royals fans!