Gil Meche

In a surprise announcement, the Kansas City Royals have sent out a press release that RHP Gil Meche will retire, effective immediately.

Meche, who is only 32 years old but has fought injuries, spent the past four seasons with the Royals after beginning his career with the Seattle Mariners. He was drafted 22nd overall in the first round of the 1996 MLB Amateur Draft.

Basbeall analyst Ken Rosenthal reported Sunday that the New York Mets and the Kansas City Royals are in talks about trading Oliver Perez to Kansas City.

In return, the Mets would get veteran pitcher Gil Meche, who is currently rehabbing after his injury.

This trade would be dead even if it is made, as both are in their last year in their contracts, with each left with $12 million.

Not only is that situation similar, stats wise, too.

Perez and Meche are both 0-4, and their ERAs are hovering around above 6.

Baseball's Winter Meetings have begun, and there isn't a team with as clear-cut a mission this week as the Chicago Cubs: get rid of Milton Bradley.

It appears Cubs GM Jim Hendry will do everything in his power to unload the switch-hitting outfielder/designated hitter this week after the marriage between the volatile Bradley and the organization, and Cubs fans, went south in terribly public fashion.

In part two of my series of struggling franchises trying to find their way back to the top, I will look into the Kansas City Royals.

Unlike Baltimore, the Royals have had a .500 season (83-79 in 2003) within the last decade. The drawback, though, are the four seasons of 100+ losses (2002, 2004-2006).  Fortunately for Royals fans, Kansas City did not have a fourth-straight 100+ loss season in 2007. 

Kansas City entered the 2009 season with high hopes.

And so it begins.

Already, Kansas City Royals fans have been dealt an early season blow by one of the players acquired in the offseason that was meant to bring depth to the Royals' bullpen.

It was one of the bright spots last year, often even cleaning up messes left by starters.

Gil Meche, the $55-million man pitched seven great innings. He struck out six, gave up seven hits, and walked zero.

The Detroit Tigers of '06, the Tampa Bay Rays of '08, and the world champion St. Louis Cardinals of '06 all had something in common, as you might already know.

They were all disregarded in the pre-season predictions, with nobody giving them a chance to win a division championship, let alone a World Series championship. 

However, certain things that had to happen, did happen. In return, they were able to maximize on their potential, and in the process, proved all doubters wrong.