Royals Recap: Pathetic Bats, Lack Of Intensity Dooms KC

Evidently, the Kansas City Royals (64-60) are not too interested in being part of a playoff race. They showed up last night to face the Chicago White Sox (50-74), but displayed very little fervor or vigor for the task at hand. An extremely disinterested Royals team dropped a 2-0 decision to the White Sox.

Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

On the Mound

The only positive on the night was another gutsy performance by Ervin Santana. He allowed a first inning home run to Gordon Beckham and worked out of a bases loaded jam in the second, surrendering only 1 unearned run. He only allowed two more hits and 2 more walks in his remaining four innings. As it turned out, he and his teammates should have just called it a night after the first.

Luke Hochevar, Kelvin Herrera, and Aaron Crow each worked a scoreless frame to finish off the game.

At the Plate

The Royals hitters showed as little enthusiasm as their line-up had punch – none. The Royals scattered 8 hits and walked once but only 3 base runners made it as far as second base. Justin Maxwell‘s 4th inning double was the only extra base hit on the night.

Chris Getz scratched out 2 base hits but erased himself twice on the base paths. In the third, Getz led off with a single. On a hit and run, Jamey Carroll his a soft liner to center. Getz never realized the ball was not going to drop and he just kept going. He obviously did not get a good read on it because he was rounding second when the ball was caught. An easy one-hop toss to first doubled Getz up. In the 8th, he led off with a single, then got picked off the bag so badly, he wasn’t really going to second, or back to first – more of a deer in the headlights sort of thing. It was almost as if he didn’t know the pitcher could throw to first base.

The Royals have half a dozen candidates in the minors who could come up tonight and do what Chris Getz does. Why is he on the team? Why? Why? Why?

This and That

In 17 plate appearances with the Royals, here is Jamey Carroll’s slash line – .000/.063/.000/.063. Hey Ned Yost! Here is a perfect lead off guy for you. Oh wait, you’re already ahead of me on this one, Ned. Good job!

Question for Dayton Moore – Couldn’t Irving Falu bat .000? No, he probably couldn’t. Neither could Pedro Ciriaco, Johnny Giavotella, or Christian Colon. Hitting .000 with a .063 OPS is not an easy task; not just everyone can do that. Nice job, Dayton? I’m so glad these veterans like Carroll and Getz are working out so well for you. Well done.

Last night, the Royals started a stretch of 17 games in which 16 of those games are against sub .500 teams. They need to win at least 12 or 13 of those games. They did not start off very well.

KC Kingdom Player of the Game

This game was plenty short of candidates but at least Ervin Santana went out and did his job, just he always seems to do. Santana wins his 10 POG.

Aug 20, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals second baseman Chris Getz (17) is tagged out by Chicago White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko (14) after being picked off by pitcher John Danks (50) in the eighth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Chicago won the game 2-0. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

• James Shields – 10
• Alex Gordon – 14
  
• Wade Davis – 5
• Lorenzo Cain – 8
• Luis Mendoza – 3
• Billy Butler – 10
• Ervin Santana – 10
• Miguel Tejada – 5
  
• Jeremy Guthrie -5
• Eric Hosmer – 12
• Chris Getz – 3
• Mike Moustakas – 6
  
• Aaron Crow
• Jarrod Dyson – 3
  
• David Lough – 8
• Alcides Escobar – 5
• J.C. Gutierrez
• Jeff Francoeur
• Bruce Chen – 4
• Salvador Perez – 5
• Will Smith – 1
  
• George Kottaras
• Louis Coleman – 2
  
• Bruce Chen – 2
  
• Justin Maxwell – 2
• Greg Holland -2
  
• Danny Duffy

The White Sox

John Danks won just his third game of the season by going 8 shutout innings and yielding just 7 hits. In 111 innings this year, in 17 starts, he has only walked 22. This was also the first time this season he allowed zero runs. He missed the first 8 weeks of the season recovering for shoulder surgery.

The White Sox only had 3 hits on the night and Avisail Garcia had 3 of them.

Up Next

Jeremy Guthrie (12-9, 4.15 ERA) will go tonight for the Royals. Hopefully, he will get a better effort from his offense than Santana did last night. Andre Rienzo (0-0, 3.70 ERA) takes the mound for Chicago.

AL Central Notes

Detroit Tigers (73-52): Prince Fielder hit a home run and drove in two in a 6-3 loss to the Twins. Rick Porcello gave up 5 runs and 7 hits in 4.1 innings.

Cleveland Indians (68-58): The Tribe scored 3 in the top of the 14th to beat the Angels 4-1. Carlos Santana and Drew Stubbs homered in the game. Eight pitchers appeared in relief, throwing 9.2 scoreless frames to secure the win.

Minnesota Twins (55-69): Mike Pelfrey yielded 3 runs on 7 hits over 6.2 innings against the tigers to earn his 5th victory of the season. Justin Morneau went 4-5 with a home run, 1 runs scored, and 4 RBI in the win. Pedro Florimon hit his 8th round tripper of the season.

WILD CARD STANDINGS

Tampa Bay Rays (72-52, 0 GB), Boston Red Sox (74-54, 0 GB) are tied for the AL East lead

Oakland Athletics (71-54, 0 GB)

Cleveland Indians (68-58, 3.5 GB)

Baltimore Orioles (67-58, 4 GB)

New York Yankees (66-59, 5 GB)

Kansas City Royals (64-60 – 6.5)