Snyder Surgery
Kansas City Royals News

Looks like Royals pitcher Kyle Snyder will be out with another shoulder surgery. This further clouds the picture for the Royals starting rotation this year. Snyder has been a fairly effective pitcher when healthy, but he missed quite a bit of last season to injury, and this was after missing at least a full season prior. Part of me thinks that we will not see Snyder again, however, he has vowed to return. We will see...

So the candidates for the starting rotation are...

Kevin Appier - though he's rehabbing and isn't expected back until late April or May
Jimmy Gobble - a young lefty who showed some promise late last season
Jeremy Affeldt - if the blister problem is solved, could be a dominate lefty
Brian Anderson - free agent signing, solid lefty
Darrell May - veteran lefty who pitched better than his ability last season; I'm looking for a return to earth for May this year
Chris George - another lefty, struggled last season, will try again this year
Zach Grienke - young phenom prospect; probably won't make the team out of spring training, but should be called up sometime this year
Miguel Asencio - coming off surgery last year, pitched well in 2002, and 2003

Plenty of lefties for the starters. The bullpen was light on left handed pitchers, so the Royals signed Greg Swindell to possibly be a left hander to come out of the bullpen.

Only 3 weeks until I travel to Surprise to see some spring training...