The Royals fell to the Indians 9-6 on Sunday afternoon, losing two out of three in the series. It was the same rate at which they lost to the Indians for the season as they dropped 12 of 18 contests against Clevelanders whom we shall never see again until Mission 2012.
Jeff Francis inched closer to receiving only a minor league deal this winter by giving up nine hits and four runs in five innings of work in losing his fifteenth game of the year. He is the first fifteen game loser in franchise history since Brian Bannister dropped sixteen in 2008. Darrell May (2004) and Paul Splittorff (1974) share the franchise record in losses with nineteen. It is within reach for Canadian Jeff.
Everyone in the starting lineup had a hit except Moose, and Billy had three. The Royals just couldn't bunch them up very well until the ninth when they mounted a three-run rally that would ultimately fall short.
The Royals have now dropped 17 of their last 26 and are just 21-28 since the All-Star break, but what is important is that they are having fun doing it. The chemistry on this team is amazing and the players of tomorrow are learning how to carry themselves after every loss. After reading Zack whine about how he felt scrutinized by his teammates on how he reacted to losses, it is refreshing to know we now have guys like Jeff Francoeur and Jeff Francis that know how to carry themselves after losses - because they have been there before. This is why they are winners, and Zack Greinke will likely never play in a meaningful baseball game.