A's Stomp the Royals

Game Date: May 10, 2007
A's 17, Royals 3 / Box Score
WP: Kennedy (1-2), LP: Hudson (0-1)
Royal Home Runs: None
Royals Record: 11-24

Seventeen runs on eighteen hits--including six home runs. Are you kidding me?

Analysis of this game probably isn't even possible. But let's attempt to at least recap this nightmare. Luke Hudson had a horrendous start. He completely lost the strike zone in the second inning and couldn't make it out of the third. Todd Wellemeyer was nearly as bad giving up four earned runs on seven hits in 2.2 innings. He's off to Omaha, which is probably a good thing. Joel Peralta was hit hard, giving up two earned runs in 1.1 innings. Neal Musser (what is this guy doing in the major leagues?) gave up three home runs in one inning. Zack Greinke was hit hard, giving up a run on three hits in one inning. The only Royals pitcher to escape unscathed was Brandon Duckworth who pitched a scoreless inning. The A's were probably grateful. They had to be tired from running around the bases so often.

I know this next point probably seems minor to some people, but I can't get over the fact that Mike Sweeney, an injury prone, below average first baseman who can still hit is playing first base to make room for a 21 year-old out of shape designated hitter who can't play the field well enough for Bell to be comfortable playing him out there--even after naming him the starting left fielder. Sure enough, Sweeney made an error yesterday and all I could do was shake my head and wonder what he's even doing out there to begin with. Especially since the Royals made such a big deal during Spring Training about not wanting Butler to be a just a DH at such a young age. Maybe we've realized since then that Butler really is just a DH. If that's true, then why can't he wait his turn until Sweeney is done or injured?

One of the glorious things about the game of baseball is that most of the time you get to play a game the next day and hopefully move on from disasters like yesterday. However, I'm not real confident about tonight's game when I look at the pitching match up. Odalis Perez (2-3, 6.75) goes against Jon Garland (1-2, 3.92). Perez is 0-3 in his career against the White Sox with a 6.65 ERA. Garland is 13-5 against the Royals with a 4.00 ERA.