Kansas City, Mo. ? The Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals, who’ve combined to lose 589 games the past three years, will launch a new season today with the hope that accompanies new managers and different opening-day starters.

Jim Leyland, longtime manager at Pittsburgh who spent the last six seasons as a major-league scout for St. Louis, has replaced Alan Trammell for the Tigers. Pitching for the Tigers in their 3:10 p.m. opener with Kansas City will be Kenny Rogers, 41, one of two key offseason acquisitions designed to bolster the pitching.

In the dugout for Kansas City will be Buddy Bell. The former All-Star third baseman replaced Tony Pena last June. He conducted a rugged, no-nonsense spring training that was meant to instill focus and discipline on a team that committed a major-league-high 125 errors in 2005 while losing a major league-high 106 games.

Right-hander Scott Elarton, a member of the Cleveland staff last year, will start for the Royals.

“I think we’re all very optimistic,” Bell said Sunday. “Because of the changes we made over the winter, because of the chemistry we developed through the course of spring training. I think we all feel pretty good about where we’re at right now.”

The season took a quick downturn for the Tigers just days before the season opener when 38-year-old reliever Todd Jones, signed to an $11 million, two-year contract during the offseason, aggravated a left hamstring injury. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list.

Fernando Rodney, who was 2-3 with a 2.86 ERA and nine saves in 39 games last year, figures to take over for Jones.

Nevertheless, veteran outfielder Dmitri Young says the Tigers have already taken something from Leyland.

“We’ve adopted his attitude,” Young said. “We have an idea of what he’s about and that rubs off on us. His attitude – you play hard and you play it right. Yet, he’s a man of few rules but he demands respect.”

Tension among Kansas City fans, executives and city officials will be much greater than most opening days because of an election on Tuesday that could decide the fate of major league sports in the region.

Voters in Jackson County will decide on one sales tax measure that would raise more than $400 million for renovations to Kauffman and Arrowhead stadiums, and another business tax that would bring about $200 million for a rolling roof over both structures.

Most polls are predicting a razor-thin margin either way, and some have suggested that an exciting opening day victory by the Royals might gain the few extra votes to push the measures over the top.

“I’ve heard that a few times,” Bell said. “I’m going to leave that up to the people. I hope that doesn’t matter.”

Rogers was given a two-year, $16 million deal after going 14-8 with a 3.46 ERA for Texas last year and the right-hander says he’s not worried about his bad-guy reputation.

Shoving two television cameramen last year brought him a lot of bad publicity as well as a 14-game suspension.

“I like to stay under the radar and do my job. I don’t look for publicity,” he said.

Teammate Brandon Inge says the Tigers are not concerned about Rogers’ age.

“Roger Clemens has proven you can still pitch into your 40s, so I don’t see why Kenny Rogers can’t keep this up,” said the Tigers’ third baseman.

The Royals will have a new-look infield with the addition of first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz and second baseman Mark Grudzielanek. Also new is outfielder Reggie Sanders.

“I think we picked the right guys up, a lot of veteran guys who have been around the game a lot and with playoff experience,” said center fielder David DeJesus. “I feel we’re going to learn a lot as young players from them.”

Leyland, just like Bell, has been working to change the Tigers’ approach.

“I don’t think these guys are losers, they just haven’t figured out how to win yet,” Leyland said. “A lot of that is because the Tigers just haven’t been good enough.

“Both offensively and defensively, their concentration goes in and out and you can’t have that,” Leyland said. “There are some issues we have to take care of if we’re going to be a good ballclub.”