The Royals are throwing out their best pitching prospect for his Major League debut today.

ZACH GREINKE 2004 (AAA - OMAHA)

PITCHERS	W-L	PCT	ERA	G	GS	CG	SHO	GF	SV	IP	H	AB	TBF
Zack Greinke	1-1	.500	2.51	6	6	0	0	0	0	28.2	25	107	119
	R	ER	HR	SH	SF	HB	BB	IB	SO	WP	BK
	8	8	2	3	1	2	6	0	23	2	1

We saw Greinke in Spring Training against the A's (here's the box score). We watched and waited, thinking,...AND?

Granted, it was Spring Training.

He isn't overpowering, he's rather unassuming. Still, expect the A's to struggle against a pitcher they have not seen, at least for a few weeks. Greinke has been averaging less than 5 innings per start. So, you can predict that A's might start to get after him the second time through the lineup.

With previous Royals pitching prospect Jeremy Affeldt being moved to the bullpen the Royals are grasping for straws. When you get demoted to the bullpen and then get named closer in the same breath, things are not good.

We have a post on the Reggie Jackson numbering retiring, but want to accompany some images to go with whatever Jackson decides is "appropriate" to say for the occasion.