12 Games in to 13

The Royals won in walk off fashion today against the Blue Jays. They now stand 7-5. Today was another well pitched game by the starter. Santana has gone 16 innings inT two starts at the K. Shields went 9, gave up 2 hits and lost 3-2. Big Game James is getting a feeling what Broken Collar Bone Zack felt in KC. Overall the first dozen games have indicated that the rotation is much better eating innings than they have been. I'm happy to see Davis come back and pitch well. The only qualms I have with the pitching is Holland/Herrera. It seems like it might be a good problem to have. Holland seems to be a slow starter. He sure has been that. Then he becomes lights out. Right now Herrera is lights out. He has nasty, nasty stuff. On the surface Herrera should be the starter. The back end is solid ,even if Holland has been shaky. I won't address Luke because this is my blog and I can't stand the fact that he is on the team. The back end of the bull pen is fine. Holland regains form, and they will be lights out all season. The pitching has been good. Now for the vaunted line up. Yeah right. Moose and Hosmer. That's all you really have to know. They are finding their level and its the 230-240 level with no power that we saw last year. Moose looks like a 5 year old in little league at the plate. Over matched and lunging and just off balance. Hosmer he is Bob Hamelin. One good year and that's all she wrote. Those two have been as bad as I feared they would be. Toss Frenchy in to the equation and what I saw before the season is taking shape. The line up is bad. They can't hit for power. They are dead last in home runs. I know they have scored a bit, but I still like the power. They have lost too many close games already. They need to find the power strokes. The team should be better because the starters are, simply, better than they have been. They go deep into games. They keep the games close. The bull pen gets to have roles. That's awesome. The fact that the offense is struggling doesn't surprise me. The Moose and Hosmer duo look good in commercials playing with little league kids. They look awful when the lights come on. Those two, Perez, and Billy have to pick up the pace. Billy has driven in runs, but his average is down. The team looks better. They have Atlanta next. The Braves have been scorching. Good test. Wake up the bats, guys. Don't waste these great pitching performances. 11 important games coming up. Have to check back after. Does any Royals fan exhale when they break a losing streak? No double digit losing streaks please!

5 Games into 2013

After a productive/successful spring the Royals are now 5 games into their 2013 campaign. The "Rotation" has had one revolution. Santana was killed by the long ball, Davis was very hittable. Guthrie was very good. Shields was very good. Mendoza was very good. When you have 3 out of 5 very good performances from your starters that is a nice start to the season. The 2-3 record is what it is. I hope it isn't the route the season will take. They play 162 so hopefully I won't have to see a game like the one I saw tonight. Awful. I tuned in right as Frenchy hit a double to lead off an inning. He was promptly doubled in by Tejada. Miguel went to right field in a very nice display of fundamental baseball. Tejada was sacrificed to third. I thought I was watching a different team. Whenever Frenchy gets a hit I'm surprised, but back to back fundamentally sound baseball plays really surprised me. 3-1, Getz to bat for Mendoza. Awesome. First pitch, Miguel gets picked off third base. Seriously. It was then I knew I was watching a team that hasn't been good for decades. The pitchers were great all night. Mendoza, Crow, and Herrera were great. Then the closer comes on. He walks three in a row. Strikes out two. Then he loses the game with a three run double. Yes, all three shitty walks came in to score. Holland blew it. Plain and simple. Game 5 last year was similar. Gravy drinking Broxton blows a lead with a walk. The Royals go on to lose that game and 11 more on their way to a 3-14 start. The pitching has been good. The pen had been great until tonight. Well, Whoreshaver still sucks, but the rest of the pen had been good. The hitting will come around. I'm not sure this team is any better than the other 2000's teams. That loss tonight was an embarrassment. Hopefully Shields will shut the Phillies down and they can venture home 3-3. I'm too old to worry about the Royals. I cried with Patek. I felt awful for Willie Wilson in 80. I was so happy in 85. I'm sick and tired of the same old bullshit. The team needs to win me back. Three consecutive walks in a 3-1 game isn't the way to do that. Herrera will end up the closer. That or he will end up in a big market. His stuff is crazy. Here's to hoping this awful game will be a funny memory at the end of a 500 or better season. Do all Royals fans hold their breath and think that every loss is the start of an epic losing streak? I do. Go Royals, go home 3-3!