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[warthog]

Greinke to appear on this week’s cover of Sports Illustrated
By BOB DUTTON
The Kansas City Star

Zack Greinke will have to battle more than the Toronto Blue Jays when he looks to extend his streak of innings without an earned run Wednesday night at Kauffman Stadium.

There now will be the added weight — and alleged jinx — of appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

That’s right, the magazine selected Greinke to appear on this week’s cover. Subscribers should begin receiving the issue by mid-week. Newsstand copies will be available later closer to the weekend.

Greinke is the first Royals player to appear on the cover since pitcher David Cone on April 5, 1993 for the magazine’s preview to the upcoming baseball season. The last Royals player to appear on an in-season cover was outfielder Bo Jackson on June 12, 1989.

Impressed? Greinke isn’t.

“There’s a lot more interesting stuff going on right now,” he said. “They should have something else on the cover. Playoff basketball or something else.

“So it’s a mistake. They’ll probably sell their least amount of magazines in a long time — except when NASCAR was on the cover.”

The cover picture is an action shot in part because Greinke declined the magazine’s request to sit for a portrait. The story, written by Kansas City Star columnist Joe Posnanski, chronicles Greinke’s emergence as one of the game’s premier pitchers after a rocky path following his selection as the sixth overall pick in the 2002 draft.

“I just want to play and not deal with all of the other stuff,” Greinke said. “But I know that you have to deal with it. And there’s getting to be a lot more now. But, really, I don’t care about any of that award stuff anymore. It just doesn’t matter.”

Greinke’s reluctance is not directed at Sports Illustrated. He now generally only talks to the media on those days when he pitches. It has nothing to do with any possible SI jinx?

“They have a jinx?” he asked. “Really, all that matters is winning games. Winning is what always mattered (most), but I would still like the other stuff. But now, I don’t care one bit about it — any of it, any award stuff, All-Star or anything.

“All this it’s about is winning games. That’s all it’s about.”

Greinke is 4-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 29 innings over his four starts. His streak of scoreless innings, dating to last season, ended at 38 last Friday when the Tigers scored an unearned run.

Including last season, Greinke has won his last seven starts and has not allowed an earned run in 43 innings.

High quality

Greinke’s efforts lead a staff that entered the week leading the American League with a 3.47 ERA and with 11 quality starts.

The Mariners ranked second in ERA among AL teams at 3.50, while the Blue Jays were third at 3.90. The Mariners and White Sox were tied for second in quality starts with 10.

Greinke and Gil Meche each have three quality starts, which are defined as pitching six or more innings while allowing three or fewer earned runs. Kyle Davies and Sidney Ponson each have two quality starts.

Brian Bannister had a quality start in his only outing before Monday’s game against Toronto.

http://www.kansascit...ry/1165251.html

[T-Rich49]

warthog, on Apr 27 2009, 10:01 PM, said:

"There's a lot more interesting stuff going on right now," he said. "They should have something else on the cover. Playoff basketball or something else.

"So it's a mistake. They'll probably sell their least amount of magazines in a long time — except when NASCAR was on the cover."

[T-Rich49]

[HG]

Wow. Looks impressive. At least the picture and the intro does. Looks like Ol JoPo finnally made the big time.

[warthog]

HG, on Apr 28 2009, 01:23 PM, said:

Wow. Looks impressive. At least the picture and the intro does. Looks like Ol JoPo finnally made the big time.

Joe Paw's been at Sports Illustrated for awhile now. I keep wondering when he is going to blow this burg for the big time, because some of his articles for SI have been really good.

[arrowhead terror]

i swear ill be pissed if zack has one of his anxiety attack things and loses his mind then leaves baseball again

[arrowhead terror]

i swear ill be pissed if zack has one of his anxiety attack things and loses his mind then leaves baseball again

[warthog]

T-Rich49, on Apr 28 2009, 01:20 PM, said:

KK just said that the "Build your house one brick at a time" article by Peterhead King mentioned in the top corner, is about Scott Pioli and the Chiefs.

[Dom]

warthog, on Apr 28 2009, 04:09 PM, said:

KK just said that the "Build your house one brick at a time" article by Peterhead King mentioned in the top corner, is about Scott Pioli and the Chiefs.

KC is getting their rep then