The Royals trailed Tampa Bay for the first six innings of the game on Friday night. The score was close, 1-0, but a loss looked imminent.
Even sensible fans following the game might have wondered: Is manager Trey Hillman going to survive this road trip?
Amazingly, the Royals tied the game in the seventh inning and scored twice in the top of the ninth. In the bottom half of the inning, closer Joakim Soria needed 26 pitches and allowed a run. But it was enough.
Royals 3, Tampa Bay 2. Crisis averted.
The Royals won the following day, setting up an improbable scenario in
which they went into the final game of a series against one of the AL's
best teams guaranteed of at least a split. And Zack Greinke pitching.
So, of course, they went out and lost Sunday's game, 1-0, and finished the week 3-3.
"David has had more activity on the basepaths recently
than anybody else."
And that's how a manager makes a reasonable decision sound ridiculous.
Yes, DeJesus got a day off from his glove not because it makes sense to use the DH spot to give the regulars a blow. No, it was because he was getting on base too much. Imagine if Hillman had said, "Decided to use Greinke out of the bullpen instead of his regular spot in the rotation. His fastball's been a little 'active' lately."
Joe Po tax: After the Royals lost 1-0 on Sunday, the Plog sports desk flipped over to WGN. As the Cubs television broadcasters went through the out-of-town scores, they noted the Royals' tendency to play like crap on the days when Greinke pitches.
It's a trend that former Starling Joe Posnanski recently pointed out. Now that Posanski writes primarily for Sports Illustrated, the Royals' foibles have become more evident to a greater number of people.
The only person happier than Joe about his promotion to the national stage might be the owner of the Pitttsburgh Pirates.
Next up: @ White Sox, @ Texas.
Home page image via Wikimedia Commons.
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