There comes a moment once every generation--twice, if you're lucky--where the course of civilization is altered by a single event. Most often, these events are cataclysmic: the American Revolution, World War II, Attila the Hun's rampage through Europe, the "discovery" of the "new world."

Americans experienced one such moment on September 11, 2001. We had not been attacked on our own soil since Pearl Harbor, and our mainland had remained free from external torment since the War of 1812. Those attacks changed the way our society approached everyday life, for better or worse. But anyone who can remember September 10, 2001 will attest to the far-reaching scope of the changes wrought.

At times, these "turning point" moments are slightly less traumatic. An Anatolian tent-maker named Paul suffered heatstroke one day, an event that caused him to convert to Christianity and become perhaps the most important "founding father" of the religion we know today. Mohammed's revelations were similarly intense and immediate. Of course, both of these relatively peaceful events wrought massive, violent changes. But the inspirations themselves were peaceful.

Last week, we had another such moment. It's safe to say that millions of lives were changed. In my opinion (one that is, to be sure, not shared by everyone), the changes will be all for the best. In any case, I feel that we can all agree that on May 6, 2011, a tear opened up in the fabric of the universe.

Through that tear stepped Eric Hosmer.

Now, I not going to so silly as to say that Eric Hosmer, a mere mortal, will effect eternal change upon human civilization. Though one does have to consider his qualifications.

In half a season of high-A ball, Hosmer batted .320, with a .488 slugging percentage. Good numbers, but human nonetheless. He moved on to AA ball and proceeded to hit .313 with a .615 slugging percentage. Excellent numbers, but not Ruthian. This year, he tore up the Cactus League in spring training and then was sent down to AAA Omaha. All he did there was bat .439 with a .582 slugging percentage. Not yet Ruthian, but kinda Gehrigian.

Hosmer himself did not rend the tear in the universe. That tear was caused by the Royals deciding that they had a decent chance to make the playoffs this year and thus deciding to bring up top prospects without worrying too much about the arcana of arbitration service dates. In short, the Royals thought they had a better chance of winning with Hosmer than without him, and they were willing to eat a possible $15-20 million in future arbitration losings in order to win this year.

David Glass, the famously skinflint owner of the Royals decided that he wanted to win now, not later, and he was willing to pay the price. And so now Eric Hosmer is a Kansas City Royal, with as many as six or seven top prospects expected to arrive in town by the end of the year. What does this mean for the prospects of peace in the Middle East? Friends, if David Glass is willing to spend extra millions with no guarantee of return, Hamas can easily see its way clear to recognizing Israel. Bibi Netanyahu can wander over to Ramallah and break the fast on Eid. Bashar al-Assad can stop shooting his own people and instead open up his palaces to the masses.

In this brave new world of free-spending Kansas City Royals baseball, anything is possible, perhaps even watching the Royals in the post-season for the first time in 26 years. Though one has to be patient with change. Despite the fact that Hosmer has a .500 on-base percentage in his first three games, the Royals are only 1-2 in that span. Rome was not built in a day, and a playoff contender is never made with one call-up--no matter if the circumstances of that call-up threaten the very stability of the universe.

Jon Worley spent Mother's Day afternoon catching up with the Royals' high-A prospects as they played the Frederick Keys. No one said boo about a certain Osama something.