The Kansas City Royals were playing in Cleveland when Waipio battled for the Little League World Series championship. Two Royals players, however, followed the action in Williamsport, Pa., as closely as the series against the Indians.

"I watched every inning they played," first baseman Kila Ka’aihue said. "It was exciting."

So did his teammate, relief pitcher Kanekoa Texeira. "I watched all of the World Series games," he said. "I go back home to Maui every year, see kids who are good and say, ‘Man, we have some talent here.’ We have a bunch of Hawaiian players in the big leagues nowadays, so baseball is catching on."

Texeira and Ka’aihue are part of a growing pipeline of talent from the high school fields of Hawaii to the major leagues. Ka’aihue graduated in 2002 from Iolani School, where he excelled in three sports.

"When you grow up in Hawaii, you play all the sports," he said. "I played all three sports growing up. It’s a lot different than it is here on the mainland, where kids play 100 baseball games when they are 11 or 12 years old. We played 20 baseball games, 20 basketball games and 20 football games."

He remembers ‘Iolani as a sports powerhouse.

"Our high school sports programs were in the top one or two in the state in almost everything, pretty much all the time," he said. "My brother was on every team that I was on, so that was always fun. I played first base, third base and pitched. In high school, you do a little bit of everything, whatever you want to do."

Although football was his first love, Ka’aihue followed in the footsteps of his father, Kala, who spent 11 years in the minor leagues. His brother, Kala Jr., is a catcher in the Atlantic League.

"Baseball is what I was best at, but I loved playing football," he said. "It was the most fun for me. You worked one whole week for one day. Playing the games was more fun, but I was so much better in baseball that I just had to do it. I had some opportunities to play college football, but I knew it wasn’t what I wanted to do."

Texeira also was a three-sport star at Kamehameha Schools.

"We won the state title in 2003," he said. "We were always good in football and baseball. We had a couple of guys get drafted my freshman year and two my junior year, and I got drafted my senior year, so there is a lot of talent out there."

Like Ka’aihue , he had a baseball role model in his family, cousin Shane Victorino of the Philadelphia Phillies.

"I got drafted by Milwaukee out of high school," he said. "I didn’t want to sign, because I was too young and inexperienced, so I went to Saddleback Junior College in California. It’s a great league, and California has so much talent. If you can compete out there, you can compete anywhere."

Texeira and Ka’aihue are part of a Royals team that is struggling this season as it prepares for an influx of young talent in coming years. The team acquired Texeira on waivers from the Seattle Mariners in June, and he currently is on the disabled list because of a strained right elbow. "It’s getting better day-by-day," he said. "In two weeks, it should be all right."

Ka’aihue, a fan favorite because of his plate discipline and power potential, is getting an extended opportunity to show whether his minor league success will translate to the majors. Both players are optimistic about the future.

"Work hard and follow your dream, and wherever you end up is where you end up," Ka’aihue said.

Texeira has the same attitude.

"You never know," he said "Your destiny is in your own hands. Whatever you do, you do, and whatever happens, happens. They were looking for a ground-ball guy, and that’s my forte."

Both players plan to return home after the season to relax, work at several youth clinics and prepare for 2011. Texeira hopes he can mentor promising young players.

"Just look at me, look at Shane, look at Kila," he said. "Look at all of us. Nobody ever thought we would be on TV. Shane has a World Series ring and two Gold Gloves. We did it, so now you know you can do it, too."

In the meantime, he enjoys sharing the major league experience with someone from home.

"It’s been good having Kila for a teammate," Texeira said. "When my parents send Hawaiian snacks, I have someone to share them with. We have fun, we relate to each other — and we talk pidgin."