Kuzul

The Kansas City Royals 2012 season will be upon us in just a matter of months.There is a lot of hope and promise with this team, and in order for them to reach their goal of having a winning season for the first time in nine years, they will need solid contributions from many guys on the team.Here are five key players for KC in 2012.Begin Slideshow

Every June, optimism spreads among MLB teams as the draft approaches.It's the time of the year when teams and fans can take a closer glimpse of their future through the draft.This is no different for the Kansas City Royals.The Royals have placed more emphasis in the draft process in recent years under current GM Dayton Moore, as he has beefed up his staff with more scouts in all areas, and it is already starting to pay dividends for the franchise.Earlier this year, Baseball America dubbed the Royals' farm system as the best unit in all of baseball.Much of the recent praise of the Royals' minor league system stems from a series of solid drafts, netting players such as current Kansas City first baseman Eric Hosmer, Royals' starting pitcher Danny Duffy and emerging-star 3B Mike Moustakas.In this year's draft, the Royals will have the fifth overall pick, one that could potentially ...

If you're a Kansas City Royals fan and haven't heard the name Clint Robinson, it's time to start taking notice of what this powerful first base/DH prospect has been doing in the minor leagues. No, his name isn't Hosmer, Moustakas or Myers, but some say he has the potential to become a good hitter in the big leagues. Robinson is well put-together, standing at 6'5" and 235 pounds, he already has the makeup of a power-hitter in the majors. Last season, he displayed this power by hitting 29 homers and driving in 98 runs for the Royals' Double-A affiliate Northwest Arkansas. He also showed his ability to hit for average and get on base as well, with a .335 batting average and a .410 OBP for the '10 season. The Jefferson City, Missouri native has continued his dominance of minor league pitching into this season, with three homers and five runs driven in through just ...

There have been many great moments throughout the course of baseball history.From national league sluggers battling it out in a home-run chase, to a Dodgers player becoming one of the first black players to play in the league, we have experienced a lot in the past 142 years of major league baseball.The following is my take on the best 10 moments during this time. Enjoy.Begin Slideshow

The Kansas City Royals knew that they were getting some talented arms when they left camp with rookie relievers Aaron Crow, Tim Collins and Nate Adcock. But there was no way of telling that the trio would be this dominant in their few games in the big leagues. In the team's recently completed season-opening series against the Angels, the threesome combined to pitch eight shutout innings while giving up six hits and striking out 11 in the process. Although Adcock showed poise under pressure in his first appearance on opening day, it really has been the play of Aaron Crow and Tim Collins that has had people talking around Kansas City. Crow, the former University of Missouri star, has looked like a man on a mission both times that he has taken the hill so far this season. In his first outing, he struck out Torii Hunter and Vernon Wells back-to-back, not bad for a ...

This is something that the Royals haven't had for awhile: two All-Stars in the same season. However, it could very well be a reality this year for KC, with a strong possibility of their two best players making the cut. If you really think about this, it starts to make some sense. On one hand, you have a two-time All-Star closer in Joakim Soria, and on the other hand, you have an emerging, young hitter in Billy Butler who has really improved in many areas throughout his short big league career. Soria is one of the best closers in the game, and if you didn't know his background, you might be surprised that he is a former Rule 5 draft pick that was actually traded from the Padres' organization. He could have been a dentist, as he has two siblings that do this, but he chose baseball in the end. Needless to say, the Royals are ...

When the Kansas City Royals selected Chatsworth High star Mike Moustakas in the first round of the '07 amateur draft, they knew that they were getting a special player in return.Kansas City GM Dayton Moore raved about the kid's talent, saying that he will be a key part of the Royals' future.After two average to above-average seasons in the minors, many were beginning to question Moore's past comments about the young slugger.Then, the 2010 baseball season came and it quickly became clear that it was going to be Moustakas' year.The "Moose" got off to a blistering start, forcing a promotion to Triple-A Omaha mid-season after hitting .347 with 21 homers and 76 RBI in just 66 games for Double-A Northwest Arkansas.After he got to Omaha, he didn't stop there. Moustakas batted .293 with 15 homers and 48 runs driven in while playing in just 62 games to finish out the ...

Opening Day is just over a week away, and it is time to look at what this season holds for the Kansas City Royals.With many new players being added to the team over the past year, many will be looking for players that have been on the team in the past to step up their game and take charge this season.The following is my guide to five players that will be very crucial to the club's success in 2011.Begin Slideshow

With one week of spring training games in the books and just over three weeks to go before the start of the 2011 MLB regular season, it's time to look forward to this year and take a look an early look at the 2011 version of the Kansas City Royals. First of all, the lineup will see some notable changes in 2011. Free agent outfielders Melky Cabrera and Jeff Francoeur were acquired in the offseason, and they are projected to be the starting center fielder and right fielder, respectively. The shortstop position will also feature a new face in Alcides Escobar, who was one of the four players the Royals received in the Zack Greinke deal in December. As of right now, Cabrera, Francoeur and Escobar appear to be the only new starters for KC to start the season, but that could change depending on the development of many of the Royals' highly ...

The Kansas City Royals lost some viable starters in their rotation over the past offseason.Veteran Gil Meche retired, Brian Bannister left for the Japanese league and former Cy Young Award-winner Zack Greinke was traded to the Brewers.With all of this recent turnover and many familiar faces gone from seasons past, this year's starting rotation will be full of question marks.The following is how I see it shaking out for KC in 2011.Begin Slideshow