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KC Royals: Just How Bad Were the April Slumps?

By Mark Kanter

Apr 11, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar (2) gets a single during the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 11, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar (2) gets a single during the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 28, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals designated hitter Kendrys Morales hits a single against the New York Mets in the 5th inning in game two of the 2015 World Series at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 28, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals designated hitter Kendrys Morales hits a single against the New York Mets in the 5th inning in game two of the 2015 World Series at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /

Kendrys Morales

April 2016: .226/.280/.357, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 21 Ks

For Kendrys, just be happy this happened this year instead of last. If the $17 million Billy Butler replacement had started his first year as a Royal batting .226, fans would be up in arms. Instead, he hit 17 RBIs and had a .315 average in April 2015 (just as Billy started to fade into the sunset).

When we look to see how this slump ranks in Kendrys’ past, I’m throwing out 2014, as it’s been widely concluded Morales never quite got his timing down after getting a late start to the year after his free agency holdout.

Once excluded, we can see he did have a rough June in the summer of 2013, batting just .235 with one dinger; but after that, we have to go back to 2008, before Morales was an everyday player, to find a worse month.

In September of that year he hit .208, although he did have three home runs and only struck out seven times. His slugging was .415 as well, significantly better than this April’s .357. Either way, it’s been a while. Suffice it to say that when Morales is healthy, streaks like this are rare. His spring was fine, so I’m not concerned.

Next: Contract Complacency?

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