KC Royals News: A Call To Arms
By Scott Dillon
Today’s KC Royals news is focused on the Royals perceived lack of fire and passion that they exhibited early and often last year.
The Royals pulled to within a game of being .500 on the season and it finally seemed like a game the Royals won a lot of last year…kind of.
The Royals seemed like they were going to fall into the realm of bad bounces again in the game last night. With an early four run lead the Yankees battled their way back into the game and good pitches fell for hits, even the weak ones.
Yordano Ventura wiggled out of runners in scoring position a couple of times and was effectively wild on the night. He did something the Royals have struggled to do lately: walk out to the mound on six different occasions and leave on his own accord.
Ventura’s perfect first inning was the first since Chris Young squared off against the Angels…Yeah, it’s been a while. The Yankees also did something the Royals have been doing a lot of lately. They went 1-13 with runners in scoring position.
The Royals went 2-6 with runners in scoring position. One of those hits left the yard for Salvador Perez in the first inning. The next was a clutch base hit by Lorenzo Cain that gave the Royals a three-run lead.
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The KC Royals also had something else happen last night that hasn’t been happening as much this season. They got hit by pitches.
They got hit by pitches three times in last night’s win over the Yankees. It gives them a total of seven on the season. It could be a sign that teams have changed their approach.
Last year they finished third in baseball with 77 bean balls to their credit. This year their 23rd in that category.
The Royals got hit early and often last season and their retaliation earned them a reputation as the ‘bad boys of baseball’. That’s missing this season so far.
I’m not saying the Royals need to start plunking batters, but perhaps getting drilled themselves will be enough to inspire that camaraderie and fire. Whatever it takes to make the team play like it’s them against the world would be a welcome commodity.
Last night, Lorenzo Cain got drilled in the first inning. He went on to score on a sacrifice fly and his younger, big brother unleashed a three-run home run later in the inning.
In the sixth inning, Alcides Escobar took a high and tight fastball that loaded the bases for Lorenzo Cain with two outs. He did something the Royals hadn’t done all season when he sent a single up the middle to score two runs.
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Those hit by pitches may not actually get the team that fired up, but it does put runners on the bases. It’s something the Royals struggle to do when they can’t ‘keep the line moving’.
In other words, maybe the other teams will start pitching the Royals inside a little more. Maybe the Royals can in turn lean into a few. And maybe, just maybe, they can break out of this slump with a little fire and flair.