2012 Chiefs Draft Recap

    The Chiefs ended the 2011 season with a record of 7-9 which was good for the 11th overall pick in the 2012 draft, After a strong free agnecy period, many of the Chiefs' needs were filled and could use their first pick as a luxury pick and improve at a certain position instead of drafting out of need like in years past.
    The draft stayed true to form and most players went where they were expected until the Chiefs picked at 11. The Chiefs picked Dontari Poe, the nose tackle out of the University of Memphis. The nose tackle position was a glaring weakness of the defense last year. Poe is a 6 ft 3 in, 346 pound lineman that ran a 4.98 40-yard dash, which is very rare for a guy that size. Fans were not too happy with the pick because they felt that the Chiefs could have traded down and still could have gotten him along with another pick.
     The Chiefs used the second and third round picks on the offensive line with Jeff Allen, a tackle from Illinois and Donald Stephenson, a tackle from Oklahoma. Both could play next year but are really viewed as successors to current offensive linemen Branden Albert and Ryan Lilja.
     The fourth round pick was Devon Wylie a wide receiver from Fresno State. He could be a slot receiver, he is fast.
     The fifth round pick was De'Quan Menzie a cornerback from Alabama. He was drafted as secondary depth for the upcoming season.
     Cyrus Gray was the sixth round pick. The running back out of Texas A&M was considered one of the best running back prospects in the draft.
      The Chiefs had two seventh round picks in Jerome Long, a defensive tackle from San Diego State and Junior Hemingway, a wide receiver from Michigan. These two will fight for spots on, most likely, special teams.

The Royals Season Begins in Disaster

    The Kansas City Royals 2012 season could not have had a worse start, than what they are experiencing right now. With all the injuries to their starting catcher, closer and, now, center fielder and a 12 game losing streak to boot. The Royals would probably like to hit the reset button and start the season anew by now.
     Through the first two series in Los Angeles and Oakland, the Royals were 3-3 heading into a ten-game homestand to kick off year in Kansas City. On Opening Day versus the Indians, Royals starter Luke Hochevar gave up seven runs in the first inning and then was hit by a line drive on the ankle, which knocked him out of the game. The Royals went on to get swept by the Indians in three games, the Tigers in three games and the Blue Jays in four games.
     After the loss in the first game in Cleveland, the Royals were on a 12-game losing streak. The Royals found a way to win against the Indians twice and the traveled to Minneapolis, totaling a three game win streak. Then met mother nature which halted their win streak. Kansas City was washed out on April 28 versus the Twins and May 1 versus the Tigers. The Royals were blown out by the Tigers on April 30 but found a way to beat the Tigers when reigning AL MVP Justin Verlander was on the mound for them.
     The Royals came home for a seven-game homestand against the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. The Royals took two of four versus New York. The Royals currently sit at 9-19 on the year and so far is viewed as a disappointment. Maybe they can turn it around and compete later in the year.

Kansas' Run Ends In New Orleans

     On March 31, the Kansas Jayhawks played the Ohio State Buckeyes in the National Semifinal game of the 2012 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. The Jayhawks met the Buckeyes on December 10 in Lawrence defeated them 78-67. The Buckeyes did not have Jared Sullinger playing in that game which contributed to the double-digit loss. At halftime of this game Kansas was down 34-25. The Jayhawks rallied back in the second half outscoring the Buckeyes 39-28 and defeating the Buckeyes 64-62. Massachusetts Street in Lawrence was flooded with an estimated total of 20,000 students and crazed fans of Kansas. The Jayhawks would face the winner if the other National Semifinal between Kentucky and Louisville. Kentucky defeated Louisville 69-61; the National Championship was going to be a coaching rematch between Bill Self and John Calipari. Kansas and Kentucky would meet up on Monday April 2 to decide the National Championship.

     Two college basketball blue-bloods would play for the National Championship, with 11 combined championships and the two teams with the most all-time wins. In the first half, Kentucky pulled out to a 14 point lead at half and the Jayhawk faithful felt very uneasy about their chances in the second half. The halftime score was 41-27. Bill Self has pulled off miracles in big games before and the players were not going to out without a fight. The second half began with a small Kansas run to be answered by a couple of three point shots and Kansas would hang around a ten-point deficit most of the half. Kansas had it down to single-digits deficit a couple of times but turnovers and Deron Lamb three pointers would send the Jayhawks down double-digits for the remainder of the game. Kansas had the better second half but the first half deficit is what the Jayhawks downfall was. The final score was 67-59, ending with Kentucky cutting down the nets. Kansas's Thomas Robinson had 18 points and 17 rebounds in his final collegiate game. Kansas had a very good tournament run by defying the odds and the commentators beliefs to make it to a game that nobody thought they could get to. Even with the loss, fans will still count this year as a tremendous success.

The Jayhawks Cut Down The Nets

    The #2 seeded Kansas Jayhawks faced former coach Roy Williams' North Carolina Tar Heels in the Regional Final of the Midwest Region. Led by Tyshawn Taylor and Thomas Robinson the Jayhawks defeated the Tar Heels 80-67. Taylor had 22 points and Robinson had double-double (18 points and ten rebounds). Jeff Withey had three blocks including one that led to a fast break that put Kansas up by 7 with less than two minutes remaining. Withey also had a double-double (15 points and ten rebounds). Elijah Johnson hit a three point shot that put Kansas up 71-67 which Kansas never looked back after that. Johnson had ten points. Travis Releford's defensive prowess shut down North Carolina's offense. Releford finished with 11 points.

    Many commentators picked Kansas to have a down year after losing four starters. Kansas was chosen to finish fifth in the Big 12, Kansas won their eighth straight regular season Big 12 Championship. It is believed by many people that this is Bill Self's best coaching job of his career. Many media personalities chose Kansas to make an early NCAA Tournament exit, including Dick Vitale who chose Kansas to lose in the second round. Kansas beat Detroit by 15, then beat Purdue by three. Then North Carolina State by three in the Sweet 16, then North Carolina by 13 in the Elite 8. Kansas has had their scares this year but they have prevailed so far this year. Let's see if Kansas can make their improbable run last two more games.

Chiefs Make A Splash in Free Agency

    The Kansas City Chiefs have announced that they have come to terms with free agent cornerback Stanford Routt. Routt was a cap causality of the Oakland Raiders. Routt, 28, signed a three year contract with Kansas City on February 20. Routt played seven years in Oakland amassing 237 tackles, 10 interceptions and 2 sacks. Routt will be the guy to fill the void left be the departing Brandon Carr.

    The Chiefs signed running back Peyton Hillis on March 14. Hillis is the latest NFL star to grace EA Sport's Madden video game cover. Hillis was drafted in the 7th round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He was traded to Cleveland for quarterback Brady Quinn 2010. His time in Cleveland was a success, he had 1,654 total yards and 13 touchdowns in 2010. The 2011 season was plagued with injuries not much on-the-field success. Hillis has 23 career touchdowns and will be a second part of what could be a dangerous running-back tandem with Jamaal Charles.

   The other piece of the 2010 Peyton Hillis Trade is also headed to Kansas City. Brady Quinn has signed a contract with the Chiefs on March 17. Quinn will be reunited with head coach Romeo Crennel and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, both former Browns coaches while Quinn was there. Quinn spent the past two years as the backup to Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow in Denver after being traded from his starting job in Cleveland. Quinn will most likely the the backup quarterback but will be given the opportunity to compete with Matt Cassel for the starting job.

    The Chiefs also signed free agent right tackle Eric Winston on March 17. Winston was a surprise salary cut from the Houston Texans. Winston is highly regarded as one of the best right tackles in the NFL right now and started 86 games for Houston in his five year tenure there. Right tackle was an area of weakness for Kansas City last year and was a primary cause of Matt Cassel's broken hand. This is a huge upgrade for Kansas City and will protect Cassel's backside for the 2012 season.

Royals Make a Trade

    The Royals made a trade on March 20 with the Houston Astros for catcher Humberto Quintero and center fielder Jason Bourgeois for minor-league pitcher Kevin Chapman and a minor-league player-to-be-named-later. The move assuredly make Quintero one of the two catchers in Kansas City, if not the starter. Quintero is a defense-first catcher and like many defensive catchers carries a low career batting average (.234).

    Jason Bourgeois is a speedy center fielder that could make the club as the fourth outfielder/late-game pinch-runner. For the Astros last year, Bourgeois hit .294 in 93 games with 31 stolen bases. Bourgeois will compete with Jarrod Dyson, Mitch Maier and Wil Myers for the spot. Myers will most likely be sent to minor-league camp and play for the Class AA Northwest Arkansas Naturals.

Starting Catcher Goes Down

     The Royals starting catcher Salvador Perez headed into spring training on the heels of a contract extension that can make Perez up to $26 million and would keep him a Royal until 2017. But Perez tore his meniscus early in spring training and was sent up to Kansas City to have it surgically repaired.

    It has been noted that Perez will be out for 12 to 14 weeks. He most likely will not be back until July and probably will not be able to catch five games a week. The Royals have backup catcher Brayan Pena, who has a career line .251 average, 12 home runs and 73 runs batted in. It is possible that the Royals trade for a veteran catcher similar to the Matt Treanor trade. It is also possible that Pena can take the starting responsibilities while a minor-league catcher like Manny Pina takes the backup role.

Joakim Soria is Injured

     Joakim Soria left a spring training game with elbow soreness. Team physicians checked out Soria and an MRI was ordered. The MRI revealed that there was "signifcant damage to the ulnar collatral ligament". Soria went and got a second opinion and the diagnosis was the same.
    
     Soria will have elbow ligament replacement surgery (also known as Tommy Johns' Surgery) on April 3. Tommy Johns' can take up to 18 months to recover. This put the Royals in a predicament, Soria's contract is up at the end of this year. The Royals own an $8 million dollar option on Soria which will in all likelyhood will not be picked up. This is a tough decision but it is possible that Joakim Soria threw his last pitch with the Royals on September 11, 2011.
   
    Soria has indicated that he would like to have the opportunity to come back as a free agent. Soria has been placed on the disabled list for the year.

Spring Training Begins

     Spring Training has started and like every year there is endless hope surrounding the Royals. Many people are calling the Royals a sleeper team. The Royals have a young, promising group of prospects including first baseman Eric Hosmer, third baseman Mike Moustakas, outfielder Lorenzo Cain, second baseman Johnny Giovatella and starting pitcher Danny Duffy and a core of young veterans such as Gold Glove outfielder Alex Gordon, outfielder Jeff Francoeur and designated hitter Billy Butler has given this club a feeling of hope that not been present since the 1980s. The saying is true "Hope springs eternal", for the Royals sake, lets hope its true.

Royals Add to Pitching Log Jam

     The Royals signed late reliever Jonathan Broxton to sure up the back end of the bullpen. Broxton, 27, was a main stay for the Los Angeles Dodgers as their closer. In his time as a major-leaguer, Broxton was elected to pitch in the All Star Game in 2009 and 2010. Broxton injured his elbow early last year and elected to have surgery on in in May. Broxton's contract was not renewed by the Dodgers and became a free agent. Kansas City contacted Broxton and was wooed by Manager Ned Yost, right-fielder Jeff Francoeur and, who else, Jeff Foxworthy on a hunting trip on Foxworthy's land in Georgia. Broxton brings a career ERA of 3.19, 503 total strikeouts and 84 saves to the Royals bullpen. He should be the setup man to Closer Joakim Soria.

    The Royals also signed left-handed reliever Jose Mijares. He is viewed as a left-handed specialist to give fellow southpaw Tim Collins competition in spring training. Mijares, 27, pitched for the Twins from 2008 to 2011 with a career 3.16 era, 118 strikeouts and a record of three wins and six losses.