More Walks, Another Loss

What can you say about a pitching staff who is afraid to throw strikes to the Devil Rays? Eight more walks—four of which came around to score, and we lost by three runs, 6-3. Wood walked Gomes to lead off the second and he scored. And Wood walked Crawford to lead off the third and he scored as well. Then in the big three run seventh inning for the Rays, the Royals walked two more guys. Another pathetic performance by a staff who looks clueless.

During the fourth inning, we had a shot to put up a big inning, but after Mientkiewicz doubled to leave off the inning, followed by a single by Brown, Teahen hit into a double play. And then in the seventh, with two guys on and one out, Sweeney hit into a double play. Horrible pitching and a failure to get the job done with runners in scoring position will almost always lead to a loss. Tonight was no exception.

We did get a little good news. Mark Redman will be activated before the game tomorrow and make the start. Affeldt will move to the pen for now, and the plan is to move Wood back there as well. And according to an article in the Star today: "Tentative plans call for Greinke to resume baseball-related activities before the end of the month at the organization’s year-round complex in Surprise, Ariz." So, maybe help is on the way. But Greinke is going to need to go through a simulated spring training first.

Let's hope we can end this losing streak tomorrow because things aren't going to get any easier in Chicago next week.