The Royals shook up their

KANSAS CITY, Mo. NCAA Basketball Jerseys . -- The Royals shook up their coaching staff Thursday in an attempt to jumpstart their failing offence, making Dale Sveum the hitting coach and Mike Jirschele their third base coach. Pedro Grifol, who took over as hitting coach last season, will now instruct catchers. The moves were announced after the Royals finished off a disastrous homestand that included a sweep at the hands of Houston, and before they opened a four-game series in Toronto. Sveum said the Royals havent done a good enough job this season of hitting pitches in the upper half of the strike zone. "The bottom line is weve struggled with elevation and weve swung at pitches down in the zone probably way too much," he said. "From thigh high to the top of the strike zone, were not doing enough damage." The Royals began the day last in the majors with 21 homers, putting them on pace to match the 1976 club for the fewest in franchise history for a non-strike-shortened season. Theyre also last in the American League in runs and slugging percentage. "There is not one man in the lineup thats hitting the ball well," Royals designated hitter Billy Butler said Wednesday. "Were just cold." Yost said "a different voice can make a difference," to struggling batters, but the Royals have heard plenty of voices about hitting: Sveum is Kansas Citys fifth hitting coach in less than three seasons. The Royals let go of Kevin Seitzer two years ago in the hope that somebody else would help the club generate more power. Seitzer was eventually hired by the Blue Jays, who currently lead the majors with 76 homers -- more than Kansas City is on pace for all season. Jack Maloof and Andre David were hired before last season, but they only made it a couple of months before they were reassigned within the franchise. It was at that point that the Royals hired Grifol and Hall of Famer George Brett on an interim basis. The Royals showed signs of life once that duo was in charge, slowly climbing into playoff contention. Grifol was given the job on a full-time basis after Brett stepped down in July, but lasted less than a year in the role. "Hes the one that pulled us out of our trouble last year," Yost said of Grifol Thursday. "A year later, we find ourselves in the exact same spot." Sveum, a former Brewers and Cubs manager, had been serving as the Royals third base coach. But he also has plenty of experience as a hitting coach, helping Milwaukee finish in the top three of the National League in homers in each of his three seasons. "Hes got experience, he studies hitting," Yost said. "Hes got a lot of knowledge. He helped Prince Fielder get, in my opinion, to the next level as an offensive performer." Authentic NCAA Jerseys . Its the second of three meetings between these teams this season.  Vancouver was a 2-1 winner on home ice December 22nd. College Football Jerseys .C. - Brent Sutter scored 1:32 into extra time as the Charlotte Checkers came from behind to defeat the visiting Abbotsford Heat 5-4 on Sunday in American Hockey League action.NEW YORK -- Marlon Byrd was having a difficult night at the plate, along with just about everyone else. Still, when he came up in the 11th inning against his former teammates, he had an idea what he wanted to do. When the Mets switched their approach, he adjusted and came through. Byrd reached low and away to slice an RBI double just inside the right field line in the 11th, leading the Philadelphia Phillies over New York 3-2 Friday night in a game of many squandered opportunities. "Hes got a great mentality for that. Hes always on the positive side and hes always up there," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Hell grind it out. Hell grind out a game and thats what he demonstrates." Chase Utley had three hits and scored all the Phillies runs, two on singles by Domonic Brown, to help Philadelphia end a four-game skid and beat the Mets for the first time in six meetings. Carlos Torres (2-2), the seventh Mets pitcher, gave up a one-out double to Utley and intentionally walked Ryan Howard. Byrd, who played for the Mets last season, was able to go with the pitch for the opposite-field hit. "Had some tough at-bats early," Byrd said after striking out three times and walking twice before getting his big hit. "The good thing is I know the guys over there, know what theyre trying to do. They changed it up on me a little bit with Carlos. It was just one of those things." The Phillies left the bases loaded in the inning, only fitting as the teams combined to strand 32 runners on a damp night in a game that took 4 hours, 39 minutes. Jonathan Papelbon earned his 10th save. Mario Hollands (1-1) got his first big league win. The Mets returned home after a 2-6 road trip that ended with a three-game sweep at the hands of the Marlins and a 23-inning scoreless streak. They quickly ended the drought on Curtis Grandersons RBI double in the first but then reverted to their struggling ways until the eighth, when David Wright doubled in the tying run off Antonio Bastardo. New York loaded the bases in each of the first two innings against Roberto Hernandez. The Mets also put two runners on in three other innings, including the fifth when they had second and third with no outs after shortsstop Jimmy Rollins throwing error on a potential double-play ball. NCAA Jerseys. Still, they mostly came up empty. New York left 15 on base, a season high, and went 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position. "You need a groundball up the middle, you need a flyball, you need to put the ball in play someplace to add on runs, to score the big runs, and everybody works at it every day," Mets manager Terry Collins said. While the Mets wasted opportunity after opportunity, the Phillies were hardly better in their first game since Toronto swept four from them in a home-and-home interleague series. Philadelphia stranded 17 at Citi Field and couldnt capitalize on 11 walks -- three intentional. Brown and Utley teamed in the third and fifth against Jenrry Mejia to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead. Utley led off the third with a double and advanced to third on Howards fly to left. After a walk to Byrd, Brown fisted a soft liner the opposite way to left to tie it 1-all. Brown drove in Utley in the fifth with another hit dunked into left field. Mejia gave up two runs and six hits in 4 2-3 innings. He walked three, hit a batter with a pitch and struck out four. Hernandez laboured through five innings, giving up a run while stranding 10. "Hernandez battled from a second and third no outs, which was big at the time," Sandberg said. Mets fans got excited in the third when Mejias weak fly to left looked as though it had a chance of dropping. Instead, a charging Brown made the catch to leave New York pitchers 0 for 59 this season. NOTES: Mets 1B Lucas Duda was out with a stomach flu. ... Called up before the game to provide a spark for one of baseballs worst offences, SS Wilmer Flores went 2 for 5 for the Mets. ... The Phillies selected the contract of infielder Reid Brignac from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He took INF Freddy Galvis spot. Galvis was sent to Lehigh after a 2-for-42 (.048) start. ... New York Jets QB Geno Smith spoke with 150 students as part of the Mets Citi Kids program, then threw out the ceremonial first pitch. ... LSU coach Les Miles talked football with Wright before the game. ... Up next: Phillies RHP Kyle Kendrick (0-3, 3.58 ERA) vs. Mets RHP Dillon Gee (3-1, 2.51) on Saturday night. ' ' '