First Royals on the Farm of '06 tomorrow

With the AAA, AA, and high- and low-A seasons starting today, the first Pipeline "Royals on the Farm" report will be posted tomorrow. Looking at the Schematic, which will need just slight tweaks to be up to date, Omaha should have a competitive team (prediction: 77-67) with Huber, C/UT Jared Price, Gotay, Blanco, Ambres and Guiel the players to watch, not to mention J.P. Howell. Wichita could be the killers in the Texas League with Butler, Gordon and Lubanski in the lineup and what should be a pretty decent pitching staff (prediction: 80-60 overall and at least one of the two season half titles) -- also watch 1B Kila Kaaihue, SP John Gragg III, and I almost forgot OF Mitch Maier. High Desert looks weaker than last year's team that made the playoffs but will hopefully still compete with IF Ed Lucas and OF Brian McFall the position players to watch and prospects Luis Cota and Billy Buckner among the starting rotation (prediction: 65-75 overall). Burlington may also be interesting to watch with some prospects from last year's rookie leagues in tow. SS Chris McConnell is probably the biggest name there, but also watch C Kiel Thibault, OFs Jose Duarte and Ethien Santana, IF Valentino Arce and Ps Rayner Oliveros, Matt Kniginyzky (a fun name to type) and David Henninger. (prediction: 72-68 overall)

So there's a short preview. Omaha opens with 4 at home against Nashville (Brewers AAA) with Kyle Snyder getting the first start. Rosenblatt Stadium has a new state-of-the-art video board, which is more than 27 feet high and 56 feet wide and cost over $1.25 million. Stadium renovations have gone wild in the top levels of the Royals organization. Wichita opens on the road with 4 games at Tulsa (Rockies AA). Today's game features a rehab start for new signee Mark Redman as he tries to work his way to KC. High Desert starts with 4 in a mixed home-and-away series with Inland Empire (Mariners high-A). Once again the Mavs' site lived up to my expectations and contains little info about the opener but I assume Cota will get the start today. The Burlington Bees open with 4 home games against Clinton (Rangers low-A). Today's opener is already rained out and will be made up as part of a Saturday doubleheader. Kniginyzky will get the first start of the season tomorrow.

As a side note, I listened to the start of Soren Petro's "The Program" Thursday to hear his take on Wednesday's Royals debacle (seems to be the most popular term for it so far) and, what does he start off pissing and moaning about? The uniforms. Right now the uniforms are the least of the team's worries. He's a supporter of the black unis which have been discontinued. I would like to see them go back to the powder blues myself -- you know, bring back what they used to play well in and contend while wearing. I think the whole black alternate uni thing is overdone, so I wasn't sorry to see it go. Why should KC have them just because it seems like 75 percent or more of the other teams do? I don't care if they're neutral colors and hot sellers as Petro said. It's a dumb topic to argue about anyway. Then he went on to ask why Matt Stairs is even on the team, which I can kind of agree with. If he isn't gonna be in the lineup against Bonderman and put some pop in the lineup, why is he eating a roster spot? Maybe it's because the team once again has too many DHs on the 25-man. At least Harvey is out of the mix finally. Sweeney's salary will keep him in the lineup and neither he nor Stairs can play first like Mientkiewicz, so basically Stairs is taking up space, since he can't play the outfield either.