On the morning of May 19, the Royals were a game under .500 and just two games out of first place in the American League Central division. That night they were no-hit by Jon Lester at Fenway Park, a humiliating loss that kicked off a 12-game losing streak. That streak was snapped last Saturday when tonight's starter, Kyle Davies, in his first major league start of the year, beat C.C. Sabathia in Kansas City. The Royals took two of three from the Indians in that series, but were then swept by the White Sox. Now 10.5 games back and in last place in the Central, the Royals arrive in the Bronx 14 games under .500 with the second worst record in the American League and the third-worst record in baseball.

On the season, the Royals have scored the fewest runs per game in the major leagues. Their pitching has been solid in their home park, but on the road, where the Royals still have an active 11-game losing streak dating back to Lester's no-hitter, they've allowed 5.22 runs per game.

The Royals best hitter to this point in the season has been catcher Miguel Olivo (.286/.314/.541), who started the season as John Buck's backup and has just five walks in 140 plate appearances. Zack Greinke, who will start on Sunday against Joba Chamberlain, is the only established Royals starter with an ERA at or above league average. The back end of the bullpen--closer Joakim Soria, lefty Ron Mahay, former Yankee farmhand Ramon Ramirez, and injured set-up man Leo Nuñez--has been strong, but they've been of little value with the Royals winning just two of their last 17 games.

Tonight, Kyle Davies makes his second start of the year coming off his five-inning win against Sabathia (who, incidentally, pitched an eight-inning complete game, but lost 4-2). Davies was dreadful last year after coming over from the Braves for Octavio Dotel, and is best remembered by Yankee fans for having surrendered Alex Rodriguez's 500th home run (a clip I'm sure YES will show about that many times tonight). He's only 24 and has a career 2.86 ERA in the minor leagues, but most of that success came below triple-A and prior to 2005. This year, Davies put up a 2.06 ERA in ten triple-A starts, but had a limp 1.85 K/BB ratio and only struck out two men against three walks in his last start.

He'll face Darrell Rasner, who had his first poor outing of the year (in the majors or minors) last time out in Minnesota. Even still, Rasner struck out five men against two walks in 5 1/3 innings and kept his team in the game, falling two outs and one run shy of a fifth-straight quality start.

Rasner will throw to Jose Molina tonight, which is odd, not because the Yankees are hesitant to start Jorge Posada on back-to-back days just yet, but because Rasner's been pitching to Chad Moeller nearly all season (again both in the majors and minors). The rest of the Yankee regulars surround Molina in the order, including yesterday's hero, Jason Giambi, who's back at first base, and Posada is expected to start the next two days.

In bullpen news, LaTroy Hawkins' three-game suspension was upheld. He'll serve it tonight, tomorrow, and Sunday. Also, Chris Britton pulled an oblique warming up yesterday and has been placed on the DL. Dan Giese, who was just sent down to make room for Posada, thus returns shy of the ten-day minimum and will likely shadow Joba's start on Sunday after all. I leave it to you to decide exactly how fishy that makes Britton's injury appear.

Finally, per reader Travis08 in the previous thread about Yankee killers, the Yanks should beware Kansas City first baseman Ross Gload, a career .288/.327/.419 hitter who has hit .446/.475/.696 in 61 career plate appearances against the Yankees. It will be interesting to see if that small-sample success will be enough for Trey Hillman to play Gload against the left-handed Pettitte tomorrow, as Hillman's had Gload and John Buck in a complex platoon of late with Buck catching, Olivo DHing, DH Jose Guillen returning to right field, and right fielder Mark Teahen shifting to first against lefties (Gload is 0 for 3 career against Pettitte).

Kansas City Royals

2008 Record: 23-37 (.383)
2008 Pythagorean Record: 22.5-36.5 (.376)

Manager: Trey Hillman
General Manager: Dayton Moore

Home Ballpark (multi-year Park Factors): Kauffman Stadium (103/104)

Who's Replacing Whom:

David DeJesus (ankle) replaces Billy Butler (minors) in the lineup
Mike Aviles (minors) replaces Butler on the roster
Luke Hochevar (minors) replaces John Bale (DL)
Kyle Davies (minors) replaces Brett Tomko in the rotation
Tomko replaces Hideo Nomo in the bullpen
Joel Peralta (minors) replaces Leo Nuñez (DL)

25-man Roster:

1B - Ross Gload (L)
2B - Mark Grudzielanek (R)
SS - Tony Peña Jr. (R)
3B - Alex Gordon (L)
C - Miguel Oliva (R)
RF - Mark Teahen (L)
CF - Joey Gathright (L)
LF - David DeJesus (L)
DH - Jose Guillen (R)

Bench:

R - Esteban German (IF)
S - Alberto Callaspo (IF)
R - Mike Aviles (IF)
R - John Buck (C)

Rotation:

R - Brian Bannister
R - Zack Greinke
R - Luke Hochevar
R - Gil Meche
R - Kyle Davies

Bullpen:

R - Joakim Soria
L - Ron Mahay
R - Ramon Ramirez
R - Yasuhiko Yabuta
L - Jimmy Gobble
R - Joel Peralta
R - Brett Tomko

15-day DL: R - Leo Nuñez, L - John Bale
60-day DL: R - Luke Hudson

Lineup:

L - David DeJesus (L)
R - Mark Grudzielanek (2B)
L - Alex Gordon (3B)
R - Jose Guillen (RF)
R - Miguel Olivo (C)
L - Mark Teahen (LF)
L - Ross Gload (1B)
L - Joey Gathright (CF)
R - Tony Peña Jr. (SS)