Hawaiian Slugger

.312/.460/.581....Not bad right? These numbers belong to Kila Ka'aihue who is once again shredding through minor league pitching 88 games through the Omaha Royals season. And at 26, it begs the question, when in the hell will this guy get some freaking at bats with the Kansas City Royals?

Traditional thought is that the Royals are waiting to unload Jose Guillen before they will bring up Kila, but my question is, what if they don't? Does that leave the Hawaiian slugger in AAA for yet another season, while the big league club continues to look for run-producing answers? For an organization that has been notorious for calling up minor league talent too early, it appears that they are leaving some serious power down there too long. 


The sentiment, by most, is Dayton Moore is unfair toward talent in the system that was there before him. Kila falls under this category. Or another suggestion is that Moore is being reminded by the Glass family that Guillen is making $12 million a year and sure as hell isn't going to be splitting time as long as he's on the roster. The ladder is understandable, but still doesn't address why Kila isn't getting his swings in on the big league club. They are simply sources of reason and understanding for Royals' fans like me wondering why the man hasn't gotten a realistic shot to prove himself the last two seasons.

Attention the following is aimed at Alex Gordon: 
With all that has been said about Kila destroying minor league pitching and the possible reasons why he hasn't been called up. One fact that I can't ignore is that the Royals DID make a call up from Omaha. But it was Alex Gordon. The same Alex Gordon that began the year playing third base for the Royals but after 20 errors and a sub .200 batting average (OK I exaggerate, sadly, just a bit) he was sent down and told to go learn how to play the outfield, because third base wasn't doing it for him. (Which led Alex to ask the question, "How do you expect me to be the next George Brett, when I won't even be playing the same position as him.") All joking aside, Alex responded well by going .315/.442/.577 in 68 games. (Slightly worse than Kila)

What unnerves me a bit about Dayton deciding to call up Alex amidst the Dejesus injury is that he was quoted a few weeks earlier about Gordon saying something to the effect of, "He will remain in AAA the rest of the season. Alex needs to learn how to play the outfield." This soon turned into. "Unless one of our five outfielders goes down. Then he will be forced to step into the line up and start in right field at Yankee Stadium." My point is, Gordon was doing well in Omaha, but we've seen what he can do with a full season's worth at bats. Let him do what you said he was going to do, only a few weeks ago, and figure out how to play LEFT field and continue to gain some confidence at the plate. Meanwhile lets give Kila, who is hitting even better than Gordon in the minors, a chance to perform on an everyday basis in the big leagues.

You see, Ankiel was coming up no matter what, once he was healthy. So essentially all we did by moving Gordon up, was take away playing time, from Mitch Maier, who at least has some upside. It would have been just as easy, and more effective, to let Gordon finish the year in Omaha and go with a four man outfield rotation, while Kila switches on and off with Butler playing first base and DH'ing.

Dayton owes it to the organization and, more importantly, Kila, to see whether or not he can produce in the big leagues. If Kila struggles with significant at bats, then there is no harm done and Eric Hosmer will be your first baseman of the future. If he succeeds then you have a very good problem in figuring out what to do at first base with Butler, Kila, and Hosmer. From what I've heard, the Royals might be best suited to have Butler DH, Kila play first base, and Hosmer in the outfield. Not sure how that would end up defensively, but that has the potential for some serious pop in the middle of the order.

I hope Gordon succeeds just as much as any other Royal's fan, but I've seen this episode before and it doesn't end well. The likeliness of Gordon, 26 as well, finally figuring it out at the plate are slim. Kila, on the other hand, hasn't been given a fighting chance.