Playoff bashers and Yankee disasters

I know it’s a computer-generated system that provides Baseball Prospectus with their playoff odd indicators, but man, give the Royals a little credit. They currently hold a second place spot in the American League Central in arguably the worst division in the game. So far through statistical proof, the Royals aren’t the reason this division is foul. You can place the blame on the gut wrenching play spewing out of Minnesota and Chicago. Those guys are really stinking up the place and Detroit is barely ahead of them. But yet, history deems well in this circumstance and the BP computers still have the Royals programmed to lose.

As you can see, playing second place ball through the first month isn’t enough to persuade the IT guys at Baseball Prospectus. It’s a shame, but check it out for yourself right HERE

They have the Royals finishing dead last and it’s no joke. The Royals have less than a one percent chance to make a playoff berth. On the other hand, the White Sox (with a horrendous record) carry nearly a twenty percent chance and the Twins with a ten percent chance. I’m not sure if its an east coast biased sort of vibe, but I’m beginning to feel that Kansas City is going to need to win five World Series titles back to back to back to back to back in order for ANYONE east of the Mississippi to acknowledge we are worthy of success.

On the other hand, maybe the east coast has a point.

The Royals just lost the first game of the series against the Yankees. These games, of all the games the team plays during the season, are the most frustrating. I can handle when we lose to Texas by ten runs. I can handle when we lose to the Twins by a few runs. I can handle a late inning, blown save against Detroit. I can handle a blowout by the Yankees.

What I can’t handle is a close loss to the Yankees. A loss that was just inches from a win. It’s tough to swallow a loss that barely even happened. Games like this don’t happen very much against the pinstripes. It’s a tease really.

You really hate to see Davies lose another. The guy is seconds away from a demotion. I think the more I say that the longer he will stay. With Chen going down, that brings up Mazzaro (a player similar to Davies…lets cross our fingers that I’m lying). Duffy should take place of the ailing Davies who is honestly doing everything he can to stay a float. A positive note we can take from last night’s performance is that Alex Rodriguez didn’t hit his 900^th homerun against Kyle, who is so famous for being “posterized” by A-Rod’s historic bombs.

Eric Hosmer didn’t look intimidated by the New York scene in any way. His stat line said differently though. A ninth inning surrendering strike out to Mo Rivera wasn’t a pleasant sight to see. The whole time you are sitting there wishing he ripped one down the line, maybe even to spark just some type of contact, only to witness a cutter down the middle sending Hosmer to the bench in confusion.

Chris Getz called out on a check swing with the bases crammed in the 8th. Ugly…

What’s even more distressing is the fact that he tried to argue like he was Carl Everett or Milton Bradley. Check swing; strike three, Yost walks out tentatively to argue, Getz obviously frustrated.  He looked like a fool and he just needed sit down and accept the fact that it was a bad call. The Royals need to realize if they are going to be a winning ball club, they should be able to win despite bad calls and mishaps by umpiring crews. Just win!

Any positive notes? Well, Melky Cabrera’s homer. That ball sailed for miles and it was nice to see the former Yank strike back at his old squad.

But that is all she wrote. Not much good can come from this game. Only frustration and a feeling in the back of your head knowing darn well that the next five games are going to be tough as nails. The Royals are an above average home team and a pathetic road team…so far.

At the point of the season where we barely hold onto second place, this team finds themselves in a grueling road trip at the worst time. This is a road trip in which good fortune wouldn’t hurt. A little luck needs to come along in these next five games. If they blow it, they will quickly fall to third maybe forth in the division. I’m not sure how this team will take being under .500, since they haven’t been in that boat all year. A lot of teams crumble after realizing they aren’t the milk and cookies they thought they were.

On this upcoming road trip, the Royals need to do three things.

1.) Pitch deep into innings

2.) Keep down the run totals

3.) Execute on base

For the most part>>>> WHAT THEY DO SO WELL AT HOME!

If all else fails, we could be subject to the first time in 2011 the Royals are a sub .500 ball club through a long stretch of play…a tale from the dark past we all know too well.

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