AL NOTEBOOK: ROYALS HOPE TO HAVE A RENAISSANCE.Byline: DOUG PADILLA Douglas ("Doug") Padilla (born October 4, 1956 in Oakland, California) is a former middle and long distance runner from the United States, who won the overall Grand Prix 1985 and the World Cup 5000m race in 1985. Staff Writer NEW YORK New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of -- Now that the Detroit Tigers are enjoying a revival, could the lowly Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are a professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium. be next? The Royals were formerly a model franchise in the late 1970s and '80s, led by superstars like George Brett, Bret Saberhagen and Dan Quisenberry. But as the baseball revenue landscape changed -- namely the increased advertising dollars clubs in larger cities were able to generate -- teams like the Royals, Minnesota Twins, Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates began to decline. Along with the Tigers, the Twins have made a renaissance, although the clubs took different routes to their revival. The Tigers went the free- agent route by signing players like Magglio Ordonez, Kenny Rogers and Ivan Rodriguez. The Twins have been making noise with homegrown players like Torii Hunter, Johan Santana and Francisco Liriano, to name a few. The Royals likely would take the Twins' route by developing their own talent. Prospects like outfielder Billy Butler and third baseman Alex Gordon will be counted on to produce in the near future. Both played in this season's Futures Game and both collected two hits in the contest, with Butler winning MVP (Multimedia Video Processor) A high-speed DSP chip from Texas Instruments, introduced in 1994. Officially introduced as the TMS320C80, it combines RISC technology with the functionality of four DSPs on one chip. honors. Gordon was ranked by Baseball America as the fifth-best prospect in the entire major leagues in the magazine's midseason report, while Butler was seventh. They will serve as the heart of the Royals' batting order very soon. Another reason for the Royals to feel optimistic is a state and voter approved $575 million project to renovate their home park, Kauffman Stadium, as well as Arrowhead Stadium, which is used by the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs Both stadiums sit in the same sports complex east of downtown Kansas City Downtown Kansas City, Missouri, the central part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, is defined by the Kansas City, Missouri Downtown Council and City Hall officials as the area located between the Missouri River in the North, to 31st Street in the South; and from the . Though not a new stadium, a new-look Kauffman Stadium should still help to increase revenue. A 3/8-cent sales tax sales tax, levy on the sale of goods or services, generally calculated as a percentage of the selling price, and sometimes called a purchase tax. It is usually collected in the form of an extra charge by the retailer, who remits the tax to the government. over 25 years is expected to generate $425 million for refurbishing costs. The Royals would contribute $25 million but will get $12.5 million in tax credits, meaning their out-of-pocket expenses out-of-pocket expenses n. moneys paid directly for necessary items by a contractor, trustee, executor, administrator or any person responsible to cover expenses not detailed by agreement. will be minimal. A significant free agent or two might not be out of the question either. The Royals actually made a profit of $20 million last season and more revenue streams would be added with a renovated ballpark, like luxury suites and a restaurant. Historic pace: The Tampa Bay Devil Rays' Carl Crawford continues to show why teams are often inquiring about the outfielder in trades and why his own team has rebuffed those offers in order to make him the centerpiece of their future. Crawford is on pace to do something only one player has done in history. He is in line to improve his batting average, home runs and RBIs in every year over a five-year span. Only Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby (1918-22) has accomplished the feat among players with at least 250 at-bats in each season. A's Harden making his way back: Oakland Athletics injured starter Rich Harden is finally throwing a ball again and aiming for a mid-September return. His absence has led to a season-long scramble to plug the open rotation Open Rotation Orders to be executed only during the initial trading rotation of the specified day. Notes: A order entered for the sole purpose of obtaining the opening price. Also known as an At-the-Open Order. See also: At the Open Order, Open spot. doug.padilla@sgvn.com (626) 962-8811, Ext. 2731 CAPTION(S): photo Photo: CRAWFORD |
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