I often wonder what it would be like if certain Royals players played in a bigger market. Someone like Zack Greinke, a Cy Young winner, would probably be receiving more attention (and he would hate that). Someone like Jose Guillen may not be considered the best player on the team because his 14 homeruns and 50+ RBIs are good, but not like some of the other stars in MLB.
Then there's Billy Butler. He's young and hits for a strong average. He's seemingly one of the most popular Royals. Yet his name barely registers a blip on the national stage. A recent SI.com fantasy baseball feature noticed this.
Billy Butler racked up two hits and two runs in defeat, raising his rock-steady batting average to .322. For those who haven't been watching Kansas City baseball this year, Butler has been the biggest drawing card for a franchise perpetually stuck in mud. If Butler played on a winning team, he'd be getting Youkilis-like run in the media; instead, only Kansas/Missouri residents and DirecTV viewers are enjoying Butler's prodigious hitting (9 HRs/46 RBIs/.873 OPS) on a nightly basis.
If Greinke, as a Cy Young winner, isn't sitting on the national stage every night (well, he is, sorta) then I don't think anyone in Kansas City ever will. That is, until they start winning.