A winnable game, but the Royals didn't win.
The Twins have been outscored by 21 runs this season. The Royals have outscored their opponents by 15 runs. Nevertheless, here we are: in the only standings that count (tempted to say matter, but the pythag #s do matter) both teams are 12-11.
- The Royals are now 0-2 in games in which they score 5 runs. Odd. They're 1-1 in games when they've score 6, if you're curious.
- The Royals are now 0-5 in games started by Sidney Ponson, and unfortunately, this loss is more on him than some of the previous ones had been. In 4.1 IP, Ponson allowed seven runs, thanks to two homers and five other hits allowed. He walked one and struck out one, so perhaps he was also a little bit unlucky. Still, here we are, and his ERA is now at 7.16. This is the Ponson world that we've chosen to live in: he's actually done better than anyone expected, and yet, at the end of the day, he's still posting bad numbers.
- Because Ponson didn't last long, the Royals burned one of their three good relievers (Tejeda) early in the game.
- Who knew we'd wake up on May 1st and we'd all be concerned about whether or not Jamey Wright was gonna be available to pitch that night? Another non-lesson in bullpen construction: Wright is less famous and less rich than Ron Mahay, Kyle Farnsworth and Ho-Ram, yet, at the moment, he's the guy you want out there. Of course, Dayton's response will undoubtedly to extend him for the next two seasons, so will have him around long enough to turn back into a pumpkin... On this topic... can you imagine what the bullpen would look like if the Royals hadn't signed Juan Cruz?
- Two hits tonight for DDJ.
- Callaspo for MVP.
- Oh, Guillen also had a good night... something I always seem to overlook when it happens every five days or so.
- The offense has been clicking for the last three games, but tonight was a vintage Royals performance from the Ken Harvey era: no walks, three doubles, seven singles. Ok, not far, the Ken Harvey era would have had two doubles, tops.
- Mike Jacobs is in a 3-36 slump, but he was hitting .400/.410/1.500 (approx) when the slump started so know one has noticed except devil fingers.