Royals on the Farm 9/17 -- Crow in the nest, Bees laid to rest

Aaron Crow is signed....just in time to report to fall ball in Arizona. He'll start 2010 in AA with a major league contract in hand. I have no opinion on it. It's good he signed, wish it could have happened earlier. We'll see if he lives up to the hype or if he's another Hochevar. Dayton Moore can't dodge credit/blame on this one. Rotoworld is already reporting scouts as saying he's perhaps better suited for a bullpen role. If the Royals passed up an as-yet-unproven-pro-but-highly-touted-college SS in Grant Green for a setup guy, that's a dumb move. With the way KC is set in the SS department.

AA - NW Arkansas: off day

Game 3 in the TLCS is tonight in NWA's friendly confines of Arvest Ballpark. Blake Johnson (8-8, 4.57) takes the hill versus Midland righty and '99 Royals draftee Kyle Middleton (5-2, 2.69).

A - Burlington: Fort Wayne 4, Bees 3 (TinCaps win MWL title, 3-0)

C Graterol 2-4, HR, RBI, K, RS -- .429
2B F. Garcia 2-3, RS, 2 SB, E (2) -- .304
RF Ortiz 1-4, RBI (5), picked off -- .387
CF Norris 0-4, K, RS -- .167, not much production at top of lineup in playoffs for Norris
DH Taylor 0-4 -- .407, bat wasn't as potent in CS, shoulder injury factoring in?
SS R. Wood 0-3, K, E -- .125

Baez 5 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 6 H, 2 BB, 4 K, HRA -- L, 1-1, 3.60 ERA
Thompson 2 IP, H, K -- 0.00 ERA
B. Hardy 2 IP, 2 H, BB, K, pickoff -- 0.00 ERA

*** A Bees comeback fell just short and the TinCaps celebrated a Midwest League title in Burlington Thursday. The TinCaps scratched out their first run in the 2nd before stranding 2 and then scored again in the 3rd before stranding 2 more. Manauris Baez gave up a 2-run homer in the 5th before stranding 2 more. Juan Graterol led off the Bees 5th with his 1st playoff homer and Fernando Garcia hit a 2-out single, stole two bases and scored on a Fort Wayne error before an Adrian Ortiz RBI single cut the lead to 1. Ortiz was picked off to end the rally and the Bees stranded 2 in the 6th. The last 10 Bees went down in order. TinCaps SP Mike Watt went 5 1/3 IP for the win and LF Jaff Decker had 3 hits and 2 RBI.

The Bees finished 64-75. Stat wrap tomorrow. This year marked the first time since '77 and '78 the Bees made the playoffs in back-to-back years.