Royals: Year Of the Lion

Crown grand royalty.  Shawty, I must be.  Whoever wanna shut me uh-up, just outbust me.  -TI

Public Service Announcement:  Ok, here we go!  Before the season started I heard the Kansas City Royals of ’09 could be the Detroit Tigers of ‘06.  I heard the Kansas City Royals of ’09 could be the Tampa Bay Rays of ‘08.  I heard it, but I didn’t want to believe it.  Like my main Bruce Springsteen always says, “Struck me kinda funny, seemed kinda funny sir to me.  Still at the end of every hard day people find some reason to believe.”  I’m starting to believe it now.  Getting easier to perceive it now.  I’m shouting it from here to Tel-Aviv it now.  I know, I know, only three games in, but still.      

But still, good pitching beats good hitting every time.  But still, you’re only as good as your next starter.  The Royals have shown some pretty good pitching.  The Royals next starter has been pretty gosh darned good.  How good?  I’m glad you asked.

Yesterday afternoon, Kyle Davies threw seven scoreless innings.  Yesterday afternoon, Kyle Davies kept the ball rolling.  Royals starters have now all gone at least six innings while allowing no more than one run in each of Kansas City’s first three games of the season.  Kyle Davies, Zack Grienke and Gil Meche all went at least six innings while allowing no more than one run.  How about that?  How about this?  In the era of the designated hitter only two other American League teams have had a streak like that to start a season.  Only the 1991 White Sox.  Only the 1993 Mariners.  That’s it.  That’s the list. 

That’s the good news.  No gnews is good gnews.  However, as good as the Royals’ pitching has been, their batting has been equally futile.  Kansas City has scored exactly two runs in each of the first three games of the season. The Royals are the first team to win two of their first three games despite scoring no more than two runs in any game since the Orioles did it in 2001.  And if it weren’t for Kyle Farnsworth, they’d be 3-0. 

If the bats can catch up to the arms, Geronimo, look out below!  If Alex Gordon does indeed turn out to be George Brett reincarnate, Geronimo, look out below!  If not, Royals fans can only hope what Earl Weaver says is true.  No, not that about the three run home run.  Not that.  Not the craw, the craw.  Not that, this:  “Nobody likes to hear it, because it’s dull, but the reason you win or lose is darn near always the same – pitching.”

Public Spectacle:

Peace out homies.  Six two and Even!

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