I felt ashamed at the Royals this weekend. Maybe it was because I was out of town and they missed their biggest fan, that’s why they sucked.
Maybe it’s because Oakland just recently gained permission from the MLB to use steroids, so the Royals had no chance due to unfair advantages.
No, the playing field was level; there was one difference between the two teams.
Oakland came to play and wanted it more.
It was so obvious in all of the games. The lack of interest by the Royals made me sick to my stomach. Only Ned Yost was involved in the games, but he needs his players to do the same too.
Yost is obviously displeased with his team’s recent lackluster performance, and addressed them about it after Sunday’s horrendous loss. Both Jason Kendall and Mitch Maier spoke to the press about Yost’s address to them, and the team meeting they had afterwards.
Maier said that Yost was right and that six games was enough. It needs to stop.
Kendall agreed with Maier saying that the Royals played “terrible from top to bottom.”
Friday night, the Royals were fresh off of a sweep by Chicago after winning four of their last series. Greinke was back on the mound after missing his scheduled start Sunday due to shoulder soreness.
He insists that his shoulder is fine, but after watching him pitch Friday I’m not sure. He gave up five runs in six innings as the boys in blue lost 5-1.
We wasted a golden opportunity in the third with bases loaded and no outs, but once again we failed to be clutch.
I guess one good thing that came from this game was that the bullpen pitched three scoreless innings in the seventh, eighth and ninth, something we really could have used at the beginning of the season.
We lost Friday in a game we never had a chance in, we lost Saturday in a game we should have won. This game made me think that our four-game streak was over. Obviously it wasn’t.
We took an early lead going up 5-3 going into the third. That was erased when Oakland cut the deficit to 1 in the sixth, then tied it in the seventh.
The Royals then decided to be the Royals as they blew a golden opportunity to take the lead again with the bases loaded in the seventh.
Tied 5-5 going into the ninth, I saw something you only see once in a blue moon. Soria gave up a double and a single to give Oakland the 6-5 lead in the ninth, which would end up being the final score.
I understand that Soria is not a machine, and it showed that on Saturday. A heart-breaking loss from the Royals. What should we expect?
Sunday was absolutely appalling. It reminded me of the Texas series where Trey Hillman doomed himself to being fired.
After gaining an early one-run lead in the first, Bannister lost control and the Royals pitching gave up nine runs to make it 9-1 in the ninth.
We made a nice little comeback in the ninth, cutting the deficit to 9-6, but Oakland closer Andrew Bailey quickly put the rally away for his 20th save of the season.
After the game, fans were furious and Yost was furious also. Hopefully his meeting with the players affects their game mentality against Toronto.
We start a three game series against the Blue Jays Monday at Kauffman Stadium at 7:10 pm. The first game we have Kyle Davies (4-6, 5.57) going against Brett Cecil (8-5, 3.97).
Davies hopes to get the Royals back on track and end their six-game skid. Toronto is coming off a road sweep against Baltimore, and are looking to continue their winning streak against terrible teams when they face the Royals.
My prediction for this game: Toronto 8, Kansas City 4.
Tuesday night at 7:10 the Royals will throw Anthony Lerew (1-3, 7.56) in an attempt to counter Jays pitcher Jesse Litsch (0-4, 6.54).
Litsch pitched well against Boston last Sunday, but he will have to keep pitching well against KC to keep his spot in the rotation.
I can see the Royals winning this game, even if Lerew is pitching, but it will be a high-scoring affair. Prediction: Kansas City 9 Toronto 7.
Wednesday afternoon we have a 1:10 start with Zack Grienke (5-9, 3.67) starting for the boys in blue. Toronto will start another pitcher fighting for a rotation spot, Marc Rzepczynski (0-0, 5.40).
I feel bad for Toronto players because they have to learn how to pronounce Rzepczynski. I see Grienke breaking out of his funk and pitching a solid seven-inning game, only to have the bullpen blow it in the eighth. Prediction: Toronto 3, Kansas City 2.
Thank You for reading and I would like to say that the Irish gave the bagpipes to the Scots as a joke, but the Scots haven’t got the joke yet.
Good night, KC.
~The Awesomeness that is Ben Gartland has spoken.
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