Royals Recap: Nothing Is Going Right

The beat goes for the Kansas City Royals (21-25) as they lose for the 15th time in their last 19 contests. This time, The Los Angeles Angels (22-27) blanked the home team 7-zip. As usual, little went right for the Royals.

Apr 14, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals general manager Dayton Moore during batting practice before a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

On the Mound

Jeremy Guthrie‘s line looks awful – 7.1 innings, 6 runs (1 unearned), 5 hits, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts. In truth, Guthrie deserved a better line. In the third, he allowed a run on zero hits. He walked Mike Trout, never a good thing to begin with. Trout stole second and advanced on George Kottaras‘ throwing error. A weak grounder to Mike Moustakas scored the speedy Trout. Of the five hits Guthrie allowed, 2 were home runs that may not have gone out on a less  blusteryday, one a bunt hit, one a little pop up behind third, and the last one was a little trickling, swing bunt, infield hit. The bullpen was little help, allowing all inherited runners to score.

At the Plate

Four total hits – need we go on with this broken record?

This and That

Why bother?

KC Kingdom Player of the Game

No one even came close to deserving the POG this game. It will remain vacant.

• James Shields – 5
• Alex Gordon – 9
  
• Wade Davis – 2
• Lorenzo Cain – 4
• Luis Mendoza
• Billy Butler – 4
• Ervin Santana – 3
• Miguel Tejada – 3
  
• Jeremy Guthrie -3
• Eric Hosmer
• Chris Getz
• Mike Moustakas – 3
  
• Aaron Crow
• Jarrod Dyson
• David Lough
• Alcides Escobar

The Angels

Billy Buckner, he of the 6.03 career ERA and  1.619 WHIP, AFTER his 2-hit, 5-inning scoreless out Saturday against his former franchise, made the Royals look like a poor minor league offense. Is this rock bottom?

For the third straight game, an Angel catcher hit a home run. In the first two games, Chris Iannetta hit a dinger, and Saturday, it Hank Conger.

Up Next

Wade Davis (3-3, 5.91 ERA), whose rope is getting shorter with Danny Duffy now throwing in rehab, will match up against Jerome Williams (3-1, 2.53 ERA). It is at 1:10, if you can stand to watch.

AL Central Notes

Detroit Tigers (27-20): Despite a Jhonny Peralta home run, the Tigers dropped one to the struggling Twins.

Cleveland Indians (27-21): The normally reliable Vinnie Pestano surrendered 4 runs in the 8th inning to take the loss in a 7-4 defeat to the Red Sox. Asdrubal Cabrera had 3 hits, a run, and a RBI in the loss.

Minnesota Twins (19-27): The Twins ended a 10-game losing streak Saturday with their 3-2 victory over the Tigers. Joe Mauer continues to be the team rock. He hit his 3rd home run and is hitting .347 on the season.

Chicago White Sox (23-24): Jake Peavy went the distance against the marlins to win 2-1. He gave up just one run and 6 hits in the outing. Connor Gillaspie tallied 3 hits and drove in a run.

If today’s recap seems a bit thin, I apologize. This recent skid has been very frustrating for us all, and I could come up with very little positive in which to write. The fact that Dayton Moore and the Glass family, are failing to recognize this team’s failings, and continue to sit on their hands, doing nothing, is becoming harder and harder to stomach, but that is a topic for another article.