Kansas City Royals: Rotation Continues To Struggle

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Yordano Ventura (30) – Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Royals‘ starting rotation ranks near the bottom of the league in terms of ERA. Seemingly no one can pitch six or more effective innings to give the bullpen a break. Yet, here we are atop the American League Central.

While Shields didn’t necessarily pitch like an ace during his Royals tenure, he was no doubt the team’s ace, and led the staff like an ace is supposed to do.

Can that last? Not a chance. Is it time to panic? No, but adjustments need to be made for sure.

The problem, as I see it, is not Yordano Ventura or Danny Duffy. The problem is who Ventura and Duffy are trying to be–AN ACE. This is where the loss of James Shields hurts.

While Shields didn’t necessarily pitch like an ace during his Royals tenure, he was no doubt the team’s ace, and led the staff like an ace is supposed to do. We all know, if nobody else was in the ear of Ventura and Duffy, Shields absolutely would be.

His departure, in a sense, was this organization’s way of handing the keys of this luxury automobile that is the Kansas City Royals, to a couple of teenagers in Ventura or Duffy. While they’re not actually teenagers, 23 and 26 respectively, they’re handling this newfound responsibility as you would expect a youngster would. Simply put, they’re trying too hard.

The most novice of fans could watch these two guys pitch, and instantly recognize they’re simply trying to blow everyone away. They both certainly own the arsenal to do so, but neither own the control or temperament to succeed at it. Both have overpowering fastballs, both have above average secondary pitches, both are afforded the luxury of making some mistakes in location due to outstanding velocity.

Next: More on rotation struggles