Indians' Chris Perez Fined Under New Social Media Policy for "Inappropriate" Tweet

It looks like Chris Perez is the lucky recipient of this season's first fine handed out under Major League Baseball's new social media policy. Well done, sir.

The Cleveland Indians right-hander has to dish out $750 (umm... that's like you or I being fined fifty cents) for an "inappropriate" tweet last Saturday night after a heated game with the Kansas City Royals. Yes, the same game in which Jeanmar Gomez, Jack Hannahan, and Manny Acta were thrown out of.

Joe Garagiola Jr., MLB's Dean of Discipline, claimed in a letter to Perez that he "demonstrated a reckless disregard for the players on both clubs." We'll just tell you what was tweeted since it has since been unfortunately deleted:

"Huge team win tonight, time for a sweep of the Royals. It's not 'Our Time,' it's TribeTime. P.S. You hit us, we hit you. Period."

Perez cited the First Amendment and his right to freedom of speech as an American when faced with the fine. Ah, Chris, that is an excellent rebuttal... but it does not help your teammate Jeanmar's appeal case. It was supposed to be an accident, remember?

[Chris Perez on Twitter]

No One Throws Baseballs at Mike Moustakas Intentionally

...Except Jeanmar Gomez I guess.

The Cleveland Indians right-hander has been suspended for five games and also fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball after they concluded he intentionally threw a 92 mph sinker at Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas last Saturday.

It all started in the top of the third inning of Cleveland's 11-9, 10-inning win when Jonathan Sanchez plunked Shin-Soo Choo and the benches cleared. This [allegedly] triggered a reaction from Gomez in the bottom half of the inning. Actually, his first pitch was also a 92 mph sinker, but it was called for a ball. He immediately threw the same pitch an inch to the right and nailed him. Obvious retaliation. This caused another on-field ruckus and delayed the game for several minutes. Gomez, along with Indians manager Manny Acta and hot corner Jack Hannahan (who got real excited during the ordeal) were each ejected.

Of course, Gomez plans to appeal the suspension... Hopefully this doesn't spark the most boring intra-divisional rivalry of all time.

[MLB]

Season Previews: Kansas City Royals

With Opening Day upon us, we're finally getting around to wrapping up our Season Previews. Five years ago, they began as a semi-serious analysis and ended up as half-assed haiku. We're just gonna go with what we know. Moving along with our preview of the American League Central, here's a sneak peek at the Kansas City Royals.

Sorry about that
Hilarious eCard but
We couldn't resist

Jonathan Broxton
Will close now that Soria
Will have Tommy John

We LOL'ed when
Kansas City gave Bruce Chen
Nine Million dollars

Then there's Hochevar
Paulino, Danny Duffy
Luis Mendoza

Jonathan Sanchez
Was acquired via trade
So long Cabrera

Jonathan Broxton Signs One-Year Deal with Kansas City Royals

The Kansas City Royals and Jonathan Broxton agreed to a one-year deal worth $4 million on Tuesday, gearing up the right-handed reliever to become Joaqim Soria's new setup man.

The 27-year-old chubster made $7 million with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season in the second installment of a two-year, $11 million deal, so he's actually taking quite a pay-cut. However, after being limited to just 14 games to due elbow trouble in 2011, it's not like he should have expected a raise.

The two-time All Star went 1-2 with seven saves and a 5.68 ERA before landing on the disabled list on May 6 with bone spurs in his pitching elbow that eventually required surgery on Sept. 19.

This is just the latest of a couple offseason moves by general manager Dayton Moore in an attempt to better the long-time craptastic Royals. He traded outfielder Melky Cabrera to the San Francisco Giants after a career season for lefty Jonathan Sanchez and another pitching prospect before inking free agent pitcher Bruce Chen to a $9 million, two-year deal. Baby steps.

[Kansas City Star]

Kansas City Royals to Give Bruce Chen $9 Million for Two More Seasons

Bruce Chen and the Kansas City Royals reportedly came to an agreement on Wednesday to keep the left-hander around for two more seasons to the tune of $9 million. What a deal.

Although the club hasn't made any sort of official announcement, some blabbermouth close to team negotiations spilled the beans. Chen is supposed to make $4.5 million in each of the next two seasons, but could earn an extra $500,000 per year in roster bonuses and another $1 million a season in performance bonuses. We'll see how that goes for him.

It's not that Chen sucks or anything. In fact, he was rather solid last season for the Royals, polishing off the year with a 12-8 record and 3.77 ERA. He's really much better now than he ever has been... we just don't trust the guy. Kind of a late bloomer, maybe. In 13 big league seasons with 10 different organizations, Chen enjoyed his best year with the Altanta Braves back in 2000 when he went 4-0 with a 2.50 ERA in 22 relief appearances. It was all downhill from there, but he seems to be getting a grip on his life in recent years with Kansas City.

However, just to be perfectly clear, we're gonna go on record that we think $9 million is a ridiculously stupid amount of money to give a guy like Bruce Chen. For crying out loud, Dayton Moore.

San Francisco Giants Dump Jonathan Sanchez on Kansas City for Melky Cabrera

The Kansas City Royals changed up their rotation a bit on Monday, trading away outfielder Melky Cabrera to the San Francisco Giants for starting pitcher Jonathan Sanchez. Believe it or not, this guy is an improvement considering the Royals owned the third-worst combined ERA in the American League in 2011.

Not coincidentally, this move makes room on the roster for hyped-up center field prospect Lorenzo Cain. To sweeten the deal, the Giants also threw in Ryan Verdugo... a Double-A pitcher no one has ever heard of.

Vin Mazzaro Historically Sucky Against Indians

Our condolences if Vin Mazzaro is on your fantasy baseball team. I'm sure he doesn't suck this much all the time, but he sure stunk up Kauffman Stadium last night. In fact, the poor guy was historically sucky.

The Kansas City Royals reliever was absolutely shelled Monday evening, surrendering a big league-record 14 runs in just 2.1 innings of "relief" -- including 10 in the fourth -- during his team's 19-1 loss to the smoking hot Cleveland Indians. According to STATS, LLC., no relief pitcher has ever given up that many runs in that short of an outing... at least not since 1919 when their database was created.

Mazzaro, who did manage to get seven outs while watching his ERA explode to 22.74, had this to say about his incredible performance:

"It’s tough. It was a tough game. Some of the plays didn’t go my way. It’s a funny game."

He was sent down to the minors immediately following the loss... and there's nothing "funny" about that. Unless you're me.

[Hardball Talk]

Season Previews: Kansas City Royals

With Opening Day just a couple days away, we're finishing up with one of our favorite things in all the world: Season Previews. Four years ago, they began as a semi-serious analysis and ended up as half-assed haiku. We're just gonna go with what we know. Moving right along with our preview of the American League Central, here are the Kansas City Royals.

Sweet motorcyle
I would ride it even though
I am a Twins fan

Kauffman Stadium
In the middle of nowhere
Beautiful ballpark

Gil Meche Doesn't Need Your $12 Million Salary

Gil Meche officially announced his retirement Tuesday at the tender age of 32. Generally, this would not surprise me, especially when considering the season he had in 2010, where he went 0-5 with a 5.69 ERA. No, I wouldn't be shocked if not for one small detail: he walked away from a $12.4 million salary.

If the right-hander would have chosen to stick around with the Kansas City Royals for the remainder of his contract -- through 2011 -- he would have had to undergo shoulder surgery, which ultimately would have kept him on the bench the entire year anyway. Back to my point... he walked away from twelve million dollars.

Zack Greinke Joins Milwaukee Brewers

Acquired by the Milwaukee Brewers in a six-player trade this weekend, Zack Greinke has finally shaken the dust of Kansas City off his cleats.

The Brewers received the right-hander along with shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt and some cash in exchange for shortstop Alcides Escobar and center fielder Lorenzo Cain -- two Major League ready players. The Royals were also allowed two decent pitching prospects, rightys Jeremy Jeffress and Jake Odirizzi.

Get Well Soon, David DeJesus

Kansas City's David DeJesus is out until at least September, if not for the remainder of the season. The Royals' smokin' hot left fielder tore a ligament in his thumb trying to make a play on Derek Jeter's inside the park homer at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night. DeHotness will be having surgery to repair the ligament on Monday.

This comes as a crushing blow to the Kansas City lineup, as DeJesus is definitely one of their better players. Going into the game on Thursday, he had been batting .318 with 5 bombs and 37 RBIs. For now, the team has called Alex Gordon up from AAA Omaha to take DeJesus's spot on the roster. When Gordon was sent to Omaha in May, he was hitting a whopping .194. Since then, he's been batting .215 with 14 homers and 44 RBIs.

Season Previews: Kansas City Royals

With pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training camps this week, it's time for one of our favorite things in all the world: Season Previews. Three years ago, they began as a semi-serious analysis and ended up as half-assed haiku. We're just gonna go with what we know. Continuing on with our preview of the American League Central, here are the Kansas City Royals.

Poor Kansas City
Year after year after year
They suck more and more.

Last winning season
Was two-thousand-three, and
They only placed third.

Signed Kendall, Ankiel,
And Scott Posednik this year.
Maybe that will help.

How long before they
Lose Greinke to the Yankees?
Cy Youngs cost a lot.

At least fans can be
Entertained watching mascots
Detach retinas.

[Royals Review] | [Kings of Kauffman] | [Royals Junkie]

Tragedy Befalls Kansas City

Tragedy has struck Kaufmann Stadium.

Sluggerrr the Lion, mascot for the Kansas City Royals, is accused of mauling a fan at a September 2009 game. Ok. So he didn't maul the guy, he merely attacked him with his weiner. Tee hee.

Taking cues from Minnesota fans amidst Chuck Knoblauch, Sluggerrr threw a hot dog that allegedly detatched a fan's retina and eventually brought on cataracts. What actually happened is Sluggerrr had been using an air gun to shoot hot dogs into the stands, and then started throwing the weiners by hand.

The fan is now suing the team for $25,000 for negligence and battery because they apparently "failed to adequately train its agents ... in the proper method in which to throw hot dogs into the stands at Kauffman Stadium."

Sluggerrr has yet to issue a statement.

[tmz.com]

You've Come A Long Way, Zack Greinke

Awards season continues with the American League Cy Young announced this afternoon. Hopefully none of you were surprised when it was given to the only logical pitcher: Mr. Badass himself, Zack Greinke. Man, we love this kid.

The Kansas City Royals right-hander deserved this honor more than anyone -- even lights out righty Felix Hernandez, who took second in the voting. Greinke was shorter on wins than your average 19-21 game winners of the past, but his season was chock-full of domination. He and his damn-near unhittable slider went 16-8 with a big league-best 2.16 ERA and 242 strikeouts. For the sake of comparison, King Felix went 19-5 with a 2.49 ERA for the Seattle Mariners.

Greinke, who is getting hitched this weekend, agreed to a $38 million, four-year contract last winter and will receive a $100,000 bonus for winning. He landed 25 of 28 first-place votes for 134 points by the BBWAA while Hernandez drew 80 points with mostly second-place votes.

The humble and silent but deadly hurler quit the game for a month-and-a-half back in 2006 due to a social anxiety disorder. He has since made the cover of Sports Illustrated, was selected to the 2009 All-Star team, received the 2009 Bullet Rogan award, and also the player's choice Pitcher of the Year honor.

Funny, some folks in KC didn't get the memo. Be sure to check back tomorrow when the National League winner is announced. We hope that honor goes to the most adorable pothead in MLB, though it'll likely be handed to one of two St. Louis Cardinals hurlers.

[KC Star] | [Walkoff Walk] | [Kings of Kauffman]

Zack Greinke is a Bad Ass

Zack Greinke would have -- at the very least -- 20 wins by now if he pitched for a team that would give him a decent amount of run support. Unfortunately, such is not the case for anyone in the 63-88 Kansas City Royals rotation.

Nevertheless, the lights-out right-hander reinforced his Cy Young bid by holding the Boston Red Sox to just two hits over six scoreless innings Tuesday night, aiding his team to a rare 5-1 victory.

Greinke (15-8) is 3-0 with a minuscule 0.26 ERA in his five most recent starts, surrendering 18 hits and just one earned run over 35 innings, while lowering his big league-leading ERA to 2.08. Man, what a badass.

Manager Trey Hillman admitted his bias, "I’ve seen all his starts. I have a very difficult time believing there is anybody better in the major leagues, that’s as good a pitcher as Zack Greinke is in the year 2009."

What's That Sucking Sound? It's the Twins.

Gil Meche was the big winner in his return from the disabled list Thursday as the Kansas City Royals crushed the Minnesota Twins' hopes and dreams of gaining any ground in the American League Central with a 5-4 victory.

Meche, who is notoriously pretty sucky, gave up four runs on seven hits over five innings in his first start since July 11th. At one point, pretty sure it was the sixth inning, the Twins were handed three walks and still managed not to score, thanks to Nick Punto not quite remembering how to bunt before spankin' new Twin Orlando Cabrera hit into an inning-ending double play. Yikes.

Man Muscles! Mauer Is Almost There

Joe Mauer has enough at bats to earn another American League batting championship, and pretty soon, he'll have enough plate appearances.

After going 3-for-3 with two walks Wednesday afternoon in the Minnesota Twins’ 5-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals, he spiked his batting average to .392, making him just eight plate appearances short of the 3.1 per game needed to qualify for another batting title.

Mauer, who already made catching-history by earning two AL batting trophies and can do pretty much anything besides rap, has manager Ron Gardnehire on his side.

"If I have anything to do with it, he’ll qualify," the Twins skipper said. "I don’t mind writing his name in there. He’ll get plenty of at-bats."

There's The Greinke We Know and Love

Zack Greinke tossed eight solid innings for his first win in nearly a month Tuesday, leading the Kansas City Royals to a 2-1 victory over the Houston Astros, and snapping a five-game skid for his club who's won just seven of their last 23 games.

Greinke (9-3, 1.90 ERA) surrendered one run in the first before pitching seven shutout innings. He allowed eight hits overall, but not one extra-base hit, and no more than one per inning after the first.

The Royals (30-39) are currently sitting at fourth in the American League Central, 8.5 games behind the division-leading Detroit Tigers, and 1.5 ahead of the struggling Cleveland Indians.

P.S. Much-needed vacations are awesome. So are cabins, lakes, beers and online gambling. I missed you guys lots.

[The Hardball Times] | [Souvenir City] | [Astros County]

Shin-Soo Choo Thanks Bird for Win

Cleveland Indians out fielder Shin-Soo Choo was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts when he came up to the plate with two on and none out in the 10th inning last night against the Kansas City Royals.

"When I got in the batter’s box, I thought they would want me to bunt, but I appreciated they let me hit away," he said. "I saw the birds. I’ve seen them for weeks and been worried maybe 200 of them would be flying and one would get hit when I was trying to field a ball. Then what would I do?"

You'd say thank you.

The ball nailed a low-flying seagull in the 10th inning, allowing Mark DeRosa to score from second without a throw. The bird flopped around for a couple minutes before flying away, and Cleveland went on to win 4-3.

[Kansas City Star] | [Sportress of Blogitude] | [The Tribe Source] | [Fandome]

Was Zack Greinke Jinxed?

At what point do we bring up a pitcher's scoreless streak without jinxing him? Do we keep it to ourselves? Whisper it to the dude sitting next to us? Write a giant cover story about it? That is, if you believe in that sort of thing.

The same question arose when reading about Kansas City Royals ace Zack Greinke's long string of goose eggs all over the internet this week, just days before he gave up his first earned run in 43 innings on Wednesday. It took only two batters: a double by Marco Scutaro before Vernon Wells singled him home with two outs in the first to produce the first earned run off the righty since last September, a streak that spanned six incredible starts.

Continue reading this story at Fantasy Pros 911.