One thing that’s almost certain about Monday’s postponement of Opening Day is that Royals left-hander Horacio Ramirez will get his first starting assignment one day earlier.

Gil Meche, by starting on Tuesday (assuming the game does indeed dodge through the Chicago weather), would be in line to start again on Sunday against the New York Yankees in Kansas City. Ramirez originally was slated for that day but now probably will start on Saturday night instead. That would have been Meche’s spot originally to keep him on a regular four days’ rest.

The effect of that is that Ramirez likely would be wiped out of any bullpen duty against the White Sox. He was to be available in the first two games of the series, just in case. Oh, he could be used for an inning on Tuesday and then start Saturday but that probably won’t happen with every reliever well-rested and primed for the opener.

Zack Greinke will start on Wednesday and Kyle Davies on Thursday as scheduled. And when Sidney Ponson is put on the roster for his start Friday, one player will have to be dropped.

With Monday becoming an open date, the Royals plan an optional workout at U.S. Cellular Field at 1 p.m. CT. It will go on, no doubt, primarily indoors in the batting cages just like Sunday’s workout.

By the way, anyone walking down Michigan Avenue on Sunday evening would not have questioned the White Sox’s decision to bang Monday afternoon’s game. The wind was howling and pedestrians were stung by snowflakes as well as raindrops. It was nasty indeed.

–Dick Kaegel