Royals Need Aviles' Bat to Come to Life

Kansas City has had the pitching and defense it needs to win games this season. But the offense? It leaves much to be desired.

Prior to Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Tigers, the Royals led the American League in runs allowed, runs allowed per game, complete games, shutouts, hits allowed, earned runs allowed, WHIP, strikeouts per nine innings, fewest errors, double plays turned, and fielding percentage. Yet, three weeks into the season, Kansas City is 9-9 after today's loss to Detroit.

Every Royals fan knows that three of those losses hang on the shoulders of Kyle Farnsworth, who has not exactly lived up to the two-year, $9 million free agent deal he inked during the offseason. Farnsworth's inability to hold leads has stirred the ire of Kansas City's faithful from coast-to-coast, and hopefully, manager Trey Hillman has finally realized (or has been told) that Farnsworth is not the guy to call upon late in close games.

But, more than anything, it's Kansas City's lack of offense early this season that has led to the .500 record. The Royals entered today's game ranked first only in triples, thanks to Coco Crisp's league-leading total of three. But K.C. ranks last, or next-to-last, in the following categories: runs scored, runs per game, at bats, hits, stolen bases, and batting average.

It's certainly not fair to focus on one player for the Royals' offensive woes, as one player could not make much of a dent in the team's deficiencies, but Mike Aviles' struggles sure come to mind when thinking about the team's lack of offense.

One year after taking the American League by storm, Kansas City's shortstop is having a nightmarish "sophomore" season. In 2008, Aviles batted .325/.354/.480 in 102 games after a late-May call-up from Omaha, with 136 hits, 68 runs scored, 51 runs batted in, 27 doubles, four triples, and 10 home runs. Aviles had 39 multiple-hit games, coming up with more than one hit an impressive 38.2 percent of the time.

And this year? Aviles entered this afternoon's game batting an ugly .169/.180/.203, with only two multi-hit games, four RBI, three runs scored, two doubles, and no home runs. He had collected one hit in his past 20 at bats.

This scares Royals fans, as they've seen this act before. Angel Berroa was the A.L. Rookie of the Year in 2003, and was never the same. Tony Pena Jr.? Well, he's Tony Pena Jr. In order to be successful this season, the Royals need to have a productive bat from Aviles.

Because, if Aviles can't be close to the player he was in 2008, when he was named the Royals' Player of the Year and finished fourth in the A.L. Rookie of the Year balloting, then it's either TPJ or Willie Bloomquist at shortstop, and I don't think there are many K.C. fans out there that want that.

But there might be a light at the end of this tunnel...er, slump. With the Royals trailing the Tigers, 3-1, in the bottom of the ninth today, Aviles came to the plate having just one single in his past 23 at bats. Although I really wish there had been a runner on base at the time, Aviles hit his first home run of 2009 into the Tigers' bullpen, cutting the lead to 3-2.

Now that is the Mike Aviles the Royals have been missing. Enough with this Angel Berroa/TPJ impersonation. We want the 2008 version of Aviles back. Hopefully, Aviles' final plate appearance this afternoon is the first sign of life in a desperately-missed bat in the Royals' lineup.

Fire Hillman? Seriously?!

Saying the Royals should fire Trey Hillman right now is blowing these two early season losses -- the season-opener and today's game -- completely out of proportion. It's such a Chiefs mentality.

In the NFL, if a coach blows two games, it'd be an eighth of the schedule. But seeing how MLB plays 162 games, two losses is just 1/81st of the schedule. So it's definitely not as drastic, and all the "fire Trey!!!!!" types should take a step back from their keyboards and come back tomorrow.

Yes, I'm pissed that Trey brought Kyle Farnsworth into the game. Read my post in the game thread on royalboard.com. I (Royal_in_MN) predicted the end as soon as I saw him enter the game. There is NO WAY that Farnsworth should have been anywhere near the mound in the ninth inning of a tie game.

But do I want Trey Hillman to lose his job for it? Quite simply, no. Farnsworth is a seasoned veteran, and Hillman had to think that he could get some guys out. I mean, I'm sure the thought of another disastrous finish crossed Hillman's mind, but he went on a hunch that Farnsworth wouldn't do a repeat.

Of course, Hillman's hunch was wrong, and it sucks for us that he thought Farnsworth was an option in that situation. I think Kyle Farnsworth needs to be "demoted" strictly to the sixth or seventh innings in games that are not close (3+ run differential), until he can put together a lengthy stretch of worthwhile performances that prove he deserves another chance to work the eighth (NOT the ninth).

But even I don't think Farnsworth should be "dumped," which is what many of those same "fire Hillman" types are advocating. To dump Farnsworth is like eating $9 million, and I seriously don't think the Royals are in a position to be able to do that.

And firing Hillman at this point of the season would probably do no good for such a young team. Going back to the NFL vs. MLB analogy, losing the two games I mentioned is not even equal to playing one miserable quarter in a football game. Would you seriously fire a coach for having one bad quarter early in the season?!

I hope your answer is no.

Zack Greinke = Filthy Good

Did you watch tonight's game? Did you see what Zack Greinke did to one of the highest-scoring offenses in Major League Baseball? On the heels of Friday's 12-3 spanking of the Rangers in Arlington, Greinke made Josh Hamilton, Hank Blalock, Marlon Byrd, Michael Young and the rest of the Texas lineup look like a bunch of school kids during a complete-game 2-0 shutout victory. It was absolute greatness in Royal Blue.

Greinke needed 111 pitches to finish his first career complete-game shutout, and he struck out 10 while walking none. He dazzled fans, and kept Texas batters guessing, by throwing 61 mile per hour curveballs, followed by 94 mph fastballs on the outside corner. For Royals fans, it was fun to watch, and that's not even the big story about this performance.

Greinke (3-0) entered the game against the Rangers having thrown 11 consecutive shutout innings in 2009, and 25 straight scoreless frames dating back to 2008. Add the nine zeros from tonight, and Greinke unofficially broke Kevin Appier's record for consecutive scoreless innings* by a K.C. pitcher, reaching 34 in a row.

*According to Ryan Lefebvre, he was told by a member of Kansas City's media relations staff that the Royals would create a new category for scoreless innings over two seasons. So Appier's single-season mark of 33 innings will still stand (for now?), while Greinke now holds the record for a streak covering more than one season.

It's early, but Greinke is working on an amazing streak. Are there any Royals fans out there who questioned whether signing Greinke to a $38 million contract extension was worthwhile? I seriously doubt it. But if there were any, they sure must be quiet now. Greinke's stuff is just plain filthy.

Latest KC Giveaway: 1st Two Home Games

Patience. I keep trying to remind myself that it's crazy to get bent out of shape for losing the first two home games of the season. After all, the old cliche -- that this is a marathon, and not a sprint -- is so true in baseball. It's a long season, and there are still 157 regular season games left.

So it seems a little ridiculous for me to get mad about a pair of losses to the New York Yankees, but I'm simmering.

Like many Royals fans, I'm mad because Sidney Ponson and Horacio Ramirez started the first two games at the beautifully-renovated Kauffman Stadium. In my mind, that was like handing New York the first two games on a platter. Would Luke Hochevar and Brian Bannister have done better? We can only guess at what might have happened, but it probably wouldn't have been any worse.

Hochevar seemed primed for his second season with the team, and he pitched well in Spring Training, with a 1-0 record and a 3.86 ERA in 16.1 innings. The former first overall pick of the Royals should be in the rotation this season.

Bannister did not pitch well in Spring Training, and was coming off a rough 2008 season. It's understandable that he's starting the season in Omaha, but it makes Kansas City fans roll their eyes when they see Horacio Ramirez get rocked for six runs in less than five innings, and then think back to the Bannister we all grew to appreciate in 2007.

I understand the reason Ponson started the home opener. He had a clause in the Minor League contract he signed that gave him an out with the Royals if he didn't make Kansas City's roster by May 1. That clause is no longer a factor, so I say give him one more start at the Major League level, and if he doesn't pitch well enough for the Royals to win, he should be sent to Omaha. By doing that, Ponson could get some regular starts, work out his kinks, and prove whether or not he deserves another chance.

And I didn't think the team's offense would be something that I'd be mad about at this point, but it's been non-existent. Sure, the team has faced some of the better starters in the American League in the five games to date, but I didn't envision the possibility of scoring just eight runs through five games. That's dismal, and I hope Kevin Seitzer can get some of these guys turned around in a hurry.

Kansas City has three solid starters at the top of its rotation, and hopefully Gil Meche can put a stop to this short two-game tailspin tomorrow afternoon. I'm tired of simmering inside.

What a Start for Royals' Pitching

Sure, it's only three games into a 162-game schedule, but what an amazing start to the 2009 season it's been for Kansas City's top three starters -- Gil Meche, Zack Greinke, and Kyle Davies.

Only one of the three -- Greinke -- recorded a win, but the Royals took two out of three games versus the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field, and it was primarily due to the work of the Royals' starters. The trio of right-handers combined to pitch 20 innings, allowing just 13 hits and one run (earned), while striking out 21 and walking only five.

Royals fans will not forget Meche's start. He went seven innings, scattering seven hits, and striking out six Chicago batters with no walks. It was a fabulous Opening Day start for Meche, but it will be remembered for the wrong reason, as manager Trey Hillman decided to pitch Kyle Farnsworth with Kansas City holding a 2-1 lead in the eighth. Farnsworth, of course, got two outs before making the mistake of leaving a fastball up in the zone to Jim Thome, who blasted a three-run homer to center to help the White Sox win, 4-2.

Then came Greinke, who allowed the Royals to avoid an 0-2 start by going six innings and holding the White Sox to three hits and no runs, while striking out seven during an eventual 2-0 win in the middle game of the series.

In the rubber game of the series, Kansas City fans saw what they hope to see on a consistent basis this season -- a very effective #3 starter in Kyle Davies. The 25-year old baffled White Sox hitters for seven innings by surrendering just three hits, striking out eight, and walking just two in a no decision. He departed with the game tied, 0-0, and newly-acquired centerfielder Coco Crisp delivered the win to reliever Ron Mahay by hitting a two-run homer to right in the top of the ninth inning. The Royals wound up winning, 2-1.

It's not too often that a team can score a total of six runs in a three-game series, yet come away with two wins. If not for Farnsworth's (or Hillman's) gaffe, the Royals would have won three games with only that much run support. That is promising, to say the least, and I haven't even mentioned the two perfect innings that Juan Cruz threw in support of Greinke, or Ron Mahay's scoreless eighth frame today, or the back-to-back saves that Joakim Soria recorded.

I wrote earlier this spring about the importance of Kyle Davies this season. Meche and Greinke are known commodities. The two of them make up what many people feel are one of the top 1-2 combinations in the American League. But, if Davies can consistently put together solid outings like he did this afternoon, Kansas City will remain right in the thick of the race for the A.L. Central crown.

Meche Pitches Gem...Farnsworth Blows It

Opening Day, Take Two, after Monday's snowy postponement. Gil Meche is on the hill for the Kansas City Royals, and he has his "A" game with him today. He looks like he's in midseason form, going seven strong innings, scattering seven hits (six of which were singles), striking out six, and walking none. You honestly cannot ask for much better of a season-opening performance from a starting pitcher than what Meche gave the Royals on Tuesday against the White Sox. Meche departed after the seventh inning with a 2-1 lead, ready to hand it off to what many consider one of the best bullpens in the American League Central.

In comes Kyle Farnsworth, who signed as a free agent for $9 million during the offseason. Nasty fastball. Biting slider, but he has the tendency to leave it hanging sometimes. A tough pitcher to bunt against, but Chicago's Josh Fields manages to surprise everyone by squaring up and dropping a perfect bunt down the third baseline to open the White Sox's eighth frame. Dewayne Wise attempts to move Fields up with a bunt, but can't get it done before flying out to center. But Chris Getz comes up with a bloop single to right to move Fields to third.

Farnsworth looks solid in striking out Carlos Quentin, but manager Trey Hillman makes the mistake of leaving him in the game to face Jim Thome, who blasts a three-run home run to center field, and the Sox hold the Royals scoreless in the ninth to win the game, 4-2.

I'm pissed that Meche didn't get a win for such an outstanding 2009 debut on the mound, and I'm mystified why Trey Hillman didn't bring in Ron Mahay to set up a lefty-lefty matchup against Thome. But there were lots of positives in the game, too. Like Alex Gordon's 418-foot blast to straightaway center to put the Royals on the board early. And the fact that the team seemed to be better at working the counts. But the Royals are 0-1, when they should be 1-0, and Trey Hillman and Kyle Farnsworth have already used their one mulligan, in my book.

$20 Sunflower Seeds, and Mark Teahen

I've been meaning to write about this for months now, but since it's Spring Training and I've been looking for something different to post, I figured I'd share a funny story about my favorite personal baseball memory of 2008.

It was September 9, and my youngest brother Evan had scored some incredible front-row seats -- basically right on top of Kansas City's dugout -- for the Royals-Twins game at the Metrodome. The tickets were my birthday present from Evan and his wife, and you really can't give a die-hard Royals fan like myself a better gift than that.

The seats were amazing! I mean, we could lean forward, and look down at the Royals' players milling about in the dugout. Attending the game were myself, Evan, and two of our friends -- Mike and Scott -- and our first comments when we all got to our seats were something about being worried whether we could safely drink beer and sit in such close-range line-drive territory. Yes, we were in a potentially dangerous spot, and all of us had seen people nailed by shots off bats before.

Needless to say, though, the threat of being clocked by a foul ball didn't stop us from indulging in a beer or three...or four. Let's just say we were feeling pretty good, and I wasn't even too bothered by the fact that Kansas City was on its way to a 7-2 loss that night in an awful game for Brian Bannister.

Ryan Shealy was playing first base for the Royals, and between Scott and myself, we collected a total of five baseballs from Shealy as he walked back to the dugout in between innings! I kept the one I got, and Scott gave the rest away to the little kids who quickly learned of his generosity. But that isn't even my favorite part of the evening.

Late in the game, and still feeling good from the close-to-excessive beverages we drank, Evan decided it'd be funny to take something and "accidentally" drop it onto the steps of the dugout below. We weren't dumb -- though, that can be argued -- and so we started thinking about things that a person wouldn't usually drop on purpose.

The first suggestion was to take his credit cards and most of his cash out of his wallet, and drop that, but he didn't like that idea. So then it moved to a discussion about cash, and we wanted to see whether the Royals would give it back, or if we could perhaps get something else back in exchange. But the idea was still that we were going to try to make it seem like it had been an "accidental drop."

So, after coming to the conclusion that a $20 bill was the right amount, Evan did the deed, and casually dropped the money. It slowly fell to a spot on the steps, right by the Gatorade, the gum, and the sunflower seeds. We watched for what seemed like ages -- probably about 30 seconds -- before an unidentified member of the Royals finally snuck up, grabbed the bill, folded it in half the long way, and teased us by holding it out and running off to the end of the dugout.

Just like that, we thought our experiment had ended with a disappointing result. But Mark Teahen, who was playing third base that night, came over before he went out to the field, grabbed a bag of ranch-flavored sunflower seeds, and tossed them up to me. Winner, winner, chicken dinner! Sure, it was a small bag of what were now $20 sunflower seeds, but it was something, and Evan laughed at it. It was a fun story to tell friends and family.

A few weeks later, in the final regular season game of the year at the Metrodome, the Royals were back in town. Before the game, I went down to a spot above the Royals' dugout during batting practice and got some autographs on the ball I had gotten from Shealy earlier that month.

One of the players who signed for me was Mark Teahen, and I chatted with him for a minute, quickly recounting the story and asking him whether he knew who it was who ended up with my brother's $20. He laughed at the account, and claimed that he had no idea who got the money. My guess is that it was a batboy or something, but we'll never know for sure.

But, as Teahen moved back out to the field for more pregame drills, he tossed me another bag of ranch-flavored sunflower seeds and smiled. I think he knows the answer to my question.