Comeback Falls Short

Runelvys Hernandez's awful start in New York yesterday (5 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, in 0.2 IP) cost him his spot in the rotation, and his spot on the team. He's been optioned to Omaha with a 1-4 record and a 7.44 ERA. Maybe we're finally reaching the point where nobody is safe. That would be a good thing—especially when it comes to our rotation. Time after time, our starters go far less than five innings and the bullpen is being worked to death. And you have to wonder if Jeremy Affeldt is the next to be sent to Omaha.

At this point, we might as well give guys like Jimmy Gobble and Mike Wood a shot. And while we're at it, let's call up a starter or two from Omaha and see what they've got. The Royals did trade for Seth Etherton who was in Triple-A with the Padres organization where he was 2-2 with a 4.38 ERA. He'll start for the Royals tonight in Oakland. I hardly think he's the answer. In brief stints at the major league level with the 2000 A's, the 2003 Reds, and the 2005 A's, he's a combined 8-6 with a 6.08 ERA in 21 starts. But for now, Bell would be happy if Etherton could give us six innings on a regular basis.

After Hernandez put us in a huge hole yesterday in New York, the Royals could have rolled over and played dead, but they didn't. Keppel, Sisco, Peralta, and Dessens stopped the bleeding—only giving up one run over the next 7.1 innings—and the Royals fought their way back. Emil Brown was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Tony Graffanino and Doug Mientkiewicz both had two hits. And Grudzielanek, Sanders, Stairs, and Berroa each had an RBI to bring the Royals to within a run at 6-5. But the comeback fizzled out and they lost yet again.

Etherton goes against Dan Haren (4-4, 3.91) tonight in Oakland.

Berroa Walk Watch: (the quest for double-digits): 2 walks in 46 games.