Another Long Losing Streak

The Royals look like an alcoholic in a freefall who knows that the bottom can't be far now. Just a few more drinks and surely the numbing effect will kick in. Then consciousness will fade into a calming darkness where pain can no longer be felt.

The Oakland A's absolutely embarrassed the Royals this weekend. They outscored the Royals 32-5. Beyond Greinke on Friday night, the pitching was so bad that it's hard to even call it pitching. They walked 18 guys in the last three games. Jose Lima gave up 7 ER in just 4.2 IP on Saturday. Jimmy Gobble followed Lima, giving up 8 ER in 2 IP. Not to be outdone, Runelvys Hernandez gave up 7 ER in 1 IP today.

This pitching staff is in huge trouble. Runelvys Hernandez is a close to a number one guy as we have, and he 8-10 with an ERA near 5.00. D.J. Carrasco seems to have lost his magic. Zack Greinke has an ERA over 6.00. Kyle Snyder finally got sent down. And we're about to start Mike Wood for the first time this season. Remember how well he pitched last year when he was in the rotation the first and second time through a line up, but then he'd get shelled the third time through? He seems to be a solid middle reliever, but we're about to try to make him into something that he's not. Thankfully, the Oakland A's are no longer in town.

As bad as the pitching was against the A's, you still need to score runs to win games and five runs over a three game series isn't going to cut it. I wish I could say that help is on the way—especially after the Royals sent Ruben Gotay to Wichita (finally!), but of all guys, the Royals called up Denny Hocking. Yes, the same Denny Hocking who hit .202 for the Colorado Rockies last year. And yes he's old—35 to be exact. I was hoping we'd bring a veteran or two up from Omaha to give the team a little stability, but not Hocking. Why is he even in our system?

Mercifully, tomorrow is an off day. Tuesday will bring the Cleveland Indians to town and the Royals will try to end this losing streak at 10.