Trey Hillman raises the possibility of batting Ross Gload third:

Hillman views Mark Teahen as the most likely No. 3 hitter but admits to giving serious thought to using Ross Gload in that role.

"I want backup options," Hillman said, "and I like Ross Gload, although he doesn't have a lot of experience (in that role). I like his swing."

...

"Now that I've seen his swing for a couple of days," he said, "just throw the stats out. I've seen his swing. It's short. It's compact. He doesn't have the pop of an Alex Gordon, nor the pop of a (Jose) Guillen, nor the pop of a (Mark) Teahen.

"But I like the swing, and I like the slug that comes with it -- the doubles. I'm not announcing him as our No. 3 hitter. But it's in the mix."

This sort of makes we wonder if Hillman has looked at some of the lineup models that show the number three slot isn't as important as it seems to be in the traditional lineup. The Lineup Analysis Tool puts Gload third in a few of its top twenty lineups for the Royals.