=== Kansas City Royals Team Report - June 15 === (My Sportsbook) - Jose Lima makes his first start in the majors this season, as he heads to the mound for the Kansas City Royals in the finale of a three- game set against the San Francisco Giants today. The 30-year-old Lima, who was an All-Star in 1999, was signed to a minor league contract by the Royals on Wednesday and was assigned to Triple-A Omaha. The righthander was expected to start yesterday for Omaha, but was called up to the parent club because of a lower back injury to Kyle Snyder. Lima, who had been pitching independent ball for the Newark Bears this season, has posted an abysmal 17-34 record in the three years since finishing fourth in the 1999 NL Cy Young race. He had a 21-10 mark with a 3.58 ERA for the Houston Astros that season. Lima was released by the Detroit Tigers last season after going just 4-6 with a 7.77 earned run average in 20 games (12 starts). Mike Sweeney and Angel Berroa each homered for the Royals in a 7-4 loss last night. KC has dropped two of its last three games. The Royals are 16-14 at home this year, but are just 5-14 since starting the season 11-0 at Kauffman Stadium. They enter the day five games behind first- place Minnesota in the AL Central. |
