Back to Basics

Losing is never going to be fun to watch, but I was encouraged by a couple of things yesterday. Maybe we should back up a little—to the afternoon, when Buddy Bell called a little meeting on the field to teach fundamentals. I know it's September, but it sounds like he's finally seen enough missed cut off men, enough bad base running, and enough men out of position defensively. I'm sure it was a tad bit embarrassing for the players, but they've embarrassed us most of the season, so turnabout is fair play.

Back to the things I was encouraged by yesterday. With the Royals down one run with one out in the eighth inning and runners on first and second, Paul Phillips hit a come-backer to the Shouse and it looked like the Rangers would easily turn a double play to end the inning. Shouse fired to second, but the guy covering wasn't able to make a good throw because Angel Berroa was barreling down on him hard. Berroa forced a bad throw and took the guy out of the play. Phillips was running hard and beat the poor throw. The Royals didn't end up scoring the runner from third, but simply playing good fundamental baseball put them in a position to do so.

Then in the ninth, with the Royals still down a run, Ambres worked a walk to lead off the inning and McEwing got down a good sacrifice bunt to put a runner in scoring position with only one out. Neither Terrence Long or Emil Brown could get Ambres home, but again, playing good fundamental baseball put the Royals in the position to score. A good team finds a way to score in situations like these, but we aren't a good team. We are a young team who somehow never learned how to play the game. So Bell is left with the task of trying to teach them how. Last night that translated to a couple of missed opportunities and a 5-4 loss.

Tonight, Zack Greinke (3-16, 6.28) goes against Chris Young (11-7, 4.31).