Gil Meche, crown All-Star, takes mound tonight

The Royals dropped two over the weekend to the fourth-place White Sox, but as Buddy Bell is fond of saying, there were plenty of reasons to be encouraged. Foremost, I think, has to be the pitching, which continues to be strong. A 4.53 team ERA -- better than 10 teams -- isn't anything to rave about, but it's much improved from last year's 5.65, which was dead last in the Majors. As you may remember, Mark Redman was the team's All-Star that year.

Ah, how things change. This year's Midsummer Classic will be graced by a worthy Kansas City representative, who shall be known as...


Bow down to the King.

Our friends at The Gil Meche Experience have yet to celebrate this momentous occasion, but I can only assume they will after they recover from their polyphonic spree.

Meche the All-Star (5-6, 3.28 ERA, 83 strikeouts) is in action tonight against Seattle's Felix Hernandez, who, if you haven't heard, is also pretty good. Not an All-Star though, not like The Meche. Neither august nor ascendant like our conquering hero.

Expect a pitcher's duel nonetheless.