(Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-USA TODAY Sports)
Can the rotation keep the KC Royals in first place, or anywhere close to it?
It is an unusual place for the KC Royals to be, this first place perch they surprisingly occupy atop the American League Central 17 games into the new season. But this division lead is more precarious than the 1.5 game margin KC holds over Chicago and Cleveland, which the Indians can cut to one if they beat the Yankees tonight.
The slight lead is a position these refreshingly different Royals earned primarily through game-by-game perseverance, some small ball, a bit of timely hitting here and there, and the strong back and leadership of Salvador Perez.