Looking to revive the dying embers of a hot streak cooled by a two-game losing streak to the Cardinals, the Royals head to Baltimore, prepared to face their ultimate nemesis, the Orioles. During the Royals Review Era (2005-8), our boys are an incredible 4-19 against Baltimore.
“I hurt as badly losing that many games in a row to the Baltimore Orioles as if I had been here for all of them,” Royals first-year manager Trey Hillman said after that series. “I want to turn the pride factor up for this organization as high it can possibly be turned up. It’s irrelevant that it wasn’t exactly the same group of guys, or the same staff or the same manager. Losing that many games in a row to anybody is embarrassing.”
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What an incredible string of sentences from Hillman. It's stunning that he's from Texas and has worn a mullet in the past. Stunning.
The Royals send All-Star candidate Zack Greinke (3.40 ERA) to the mound tonight, looking to break that Theoharris curse. In his last ten starts Greinke has posted a 4.70 ERA and has surrendered 11 home runs. The Orioles counter with Brian Burres (5.29), an anonymous millionaire who appears to be something like the Baltimore version of Jeremy Affeldt.