GregHallKC

“There is no way that they are so down on Eric Hosmer six weeks into the season that they are going to demote him or trade him.”
Danny Parkins, 610 AM
GH: Who thought we would be debating whether or not to demote the crown jewel of the Royals’ youth movement in mid-May? The Royals have no one to blame but themselves for this controversy as they will sit Hosmer today for the second consecutive home game. Read on.

“At some time there has to be a tipping point, a breaking point, where they say, ‘Okay, let’s send him back down [to Omaha].’”
Joel Goldberg, 810 AM
GH: I would play Hosmer in the bigs every day and night the Royals have him under contract. Sitting Hosmer does nothing to help him after he went 0-7 against Baltimore. Play him now, tomorrow and right up until he leaves us as a $100-million free agent.

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“How do you not look into that option? On behalf of the Board of Trustees I can say unanimously we would be in favor of seeing what the Big 12 might have to offer. We have to do what it is in Florida State’s best interest.”
Andy Haggard, chairman of Florida State’s board of trustees, Warchant.com
GH: With these words last weekend, Haggard added jet fuel to the speculation that FSU’s move to the Big 12 was more than just blog fog. Read on. 

“I don’t deal in hypotheticals, I deal with what’s tangible.”
John Swofford, ACC Commissioner, when asked about the possibility of Florida State relocating to the Big 12, YahooSports.com
GH: As veterans of the conference realignment wars, we here in the Big 12 understand this game likely better than any other fan base. And what it playing out in the ACC and at Florida State has a very familiar tone to it. Swofford’s words sound a lot like what Chuck Nienas was spouting when he was attempting to douse any talk that Mizzou was flirting with the SEC. Read on.

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“If you don’t think things have been going the Royals’ way the last few games, you have not been paying attention.”
Denny Matthews, after Eric Hosmer turned a scorching line drive off the bat of the Rangers’ Mitch Moreland into a double play in the second inning Tuesday night, Royals Radio
GH: The Royals just completed a two-game sweep of the best team in baseball on their trip to Texas and have won six of their last seven games. That, by any definition, is a hot streak. Five of the Royals seven runs Tuesday night were unearned but the Royals and Denny Matthews will take all the gifts the Red Sox and Rangers are willing to offer. 

“This is the perfect example of why you have to view a baseball season with a wide lens. Anything can happen in a couple of games.”
Nate Bukaty, @nate_bukaty, following the Royals sweep of the Rangers, Twitter
GH: I beg to differ with Nate. Yes, the baseball season is a marathon but the Royals are not Kenyans in this race. They are the 50-year-old accountant who takes pride in just finishing the race upright. As Royals’ fans, we need to view each individual game as an opportunity to feel good about our plight as an annual also-ran. Viewing the season with a long lens forces us to face the reality of a starting pitching staff filled with number-five starters and few hopes of fixing that 20-year-old problem.

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“The impact of this [Danny Duffy] injury cannot be overstated, the team’s best starting pitcher joining its centerpiece offseason acquisition, closer, center fielder and catcher on the disabled list. And with the possible exception of Sal Perez being out until July or so, Duffy’s injury is the most devastating yet in a season in which the Royals remain competitive despite a head-shaking string of awful breaks.”
Sam Mellinger, after the Royals announced on Tuesday that their young left-handed starter would need to undergo Tommy John surgery on his left elbow, Kansas City Star
GH: Royals fans, bend over and grab your ankles. Reality is here to spend its annual summer vacation at your place.  

“[Dayton] Moore admits to only ‘frustration’ about all of this but did have strong words about criticism of the team not ordering an MRI when Duffy missed a start a few weeks ago because of elbow tightness.”
Sam Mellinger, Kansas City Star
GH: Mellinger is a good writer who has been saddled with the unenviable task of following in the prodigious wake Jason Whitlock and Joe Posnanski, two of the most celebrated writers The Kansas City Star has ever birthed. Mellinger’s sports column has yet to become a must-read destination for Kansas City sports fans. His personality is more sheepish than wolf. But his Duffy/Dayton column is the stuff that turns heads, fuels sports talk radio and sells newspapers. Read on.

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“A storm. It’s just a storm. It’s well documented. I’ve got headaches, continual ringing of the ears, emotional just scattered. Trying to keep focus is a challenge. It’s irritating. What are you going to do? You find a way to get through it and you just keep going.”
Bill Maas, after Nick Wright asked him to describe what his post-playing-days issues are like for him personally as an ex NFL nosetackle, 610 AM

“At least 116 fmr Chiefs among those suing the NFL, in part so more Art Still experiences don’t happen.”
Kent Babb, @kentbabb, Twitter
GH: Babb authored a story in Sunday’s Kansas City Star that highlights the current panic surrounding long-range brain issues of former NFL players. Read on. 

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