Feeling ambivalent after last night's 6-5 loss, after trailing 5-0 early, the Royals hope to fight back against the White Sox tonight at the Cell. The Royals send the underappreciated Mike Wood (4-5, 3.84 ERA) to the mound against Jose Contreras (10-7, 4.06 ERA). Contreras seems to occupy a strange position. On one hand he clearly seems to be a bust, while on the other, for a bust he's settled into near-annonimity at this point. Finally, its a bit stunning that Contreras has a 4.06 ERA this late in the season.
Of course, Mike Wood's ERA is 3.84, but I'm sure the Royals will be moving him back out of the rotation at the first opportunity.
By the way, the Royals DFA'ed Calvin Pickering today. Why? I have no idea. Mark my words, this abandonment of Pickering will come back to haunt the Royals. Pickering's only 28, but by the ways the Royals treat him you would think he was 38.