Judging the Royals

Games » Boston Red Sox

Lee Judge

The Kansas City Star

The Bull-Pen

It’s hard to say a pattern’s been established when the Royals have only played five games, but…the same bullpen guys that gave it up faster than Madonna on a first date are giving it up again. The Royals spent a lot of time in spring training selling the idea that the guys who stunk it up last year finally have it figured out.

Then they start playing games that actually count and you see the same old stuff.

If you get a good start you’re afraid to get into the bullpen too soon because you don’t trust anybody. So Greinke, who wasn’t at his sharpest, but is still better than anyone in the bullpen, comes out for the seventh, probably a little gassed. He gives up a couple more runs.

He’s done and bang, you’re into middle relief: Hughes 5.14 ERA last year, Mendoza who came into the game with an ERA of 27.00 and actually made it go up (I tried to figure out his new ERA, but my calculator started smoking and caught on fire) and Colon, whose ERA was 4.83 in 2009. They all did what the numbers told you they would.

Bottom line: starting pitchers are going to have to keep their pitch counts low or risk having good starts ruined by the middle relievers. And Trey’s going to be tempted to stick with anyone who’s throwing well too long or bringing Soria in too soon. If that happens, even the parts that are working will get worn out.

Unfortunately, this team’s idea of improving the fans’ experience is bringing in Stroud’s chicken.

The arms aren’t too good, but the wings and legs are much better than last year.

Rick Ankiel must stop getting hits!

He’s making me look bad. I have pronounced that anyone who carries his hands that low in the launch position is vulnerable to the inside pitch.

The he goes out and gets six hits in a row. Either pitchers are missing their spots and getting the ball out over the plate and down (where he can get to them…and even then, give him credit…he’s making them pay when they miss) or I’m just flat wrong, which, let’s face it, just can’t be true.

Tune in tomorrow when I explain why Sadaharu Oh couldn’t hit standing on one foot.

Great Abs

Seventh inning, Guillen on second, no outs, Kendall does his job and hits the ball to right for a single. I asked Ron Polk about scoring this under our system: does the batter get a point for moving the runner and one for a hit? He said, no, the stat was designed to give credit for a guy making a productive out. Either way, Kendall did a hell of a job in just the kind of hitting situation that the Royals have been struggling with.

Two outs in the seventh, Getz sees 10 pitches, singles, steals a base and scores a run to temporarily put KC back in the game 4-3.

Aviles comes in with two outs in the ninth, first at-bat of the year in a game pretty much down the tubes and has a nine-pitch at-bat before making an out. That’s outstanding mental toughness in a situation where a lot of guys might’ve mailed it in.