Royals drop finale, series in Tampa 3-2

It was a disappointing day for the Royals, who lost 3-2 to the Rays and failed to even the series. The offense managed just four hits. Zack Greinke wasn’t effective, and Mike Matheny’s managerial decisions were dubious.

Tampa scored two runs in two innings, the Royals evened it in the fifth on an MJ Melendez RBI single and a Bobby Witt Jr. sacrifice fly, and the Rays went ahead for good with a trio of baserunners against Jose Cuas. That’s your game recap. Nothing too exciting.

Greinke only pitched four innings, giving up five hits and striking out two. He was visited by trainers in the third inning, but stayed in and seemed fine. Amir Garrett, Brad Keller, and Dylan Coleman combined to get the final 11 outs without giving up a run.

Mike Matheny continues to do stupid things that leave fans speechless. Apparently his new kink is pinch hitting Brent Rooker for Nick Pratto, a move that has yet to even come close to working out for the Royals. Ned Yost left Alcides Escobar out there in 2011 to make out after out in big-game situations, and he would always tell the media that it’s important because one day, the team is going to need Escobar to be experienced hitting in those spots. He was right. Mike Matheny, whose dubious history with young players has been noted, is doing the exact opposite. Let Nick Pratto hit. You need to get these young guys experienced. Same thing with Michael A. Taylor for Kyle Isbel. You’re 25 games under .500 - there is literally zero reason to let guys who will not be a part of your future play over guys who might be.

Then there was the ninth inning, when Matheny pinch hit Pratto/Rooker’s spot for Ryan O’Hearn (lol), presumably because he thinks O’Hearn is a threat to hit a home run (he’s not), but then he leaves Nicky Lopez and his *zero* home runs on the season in there to hit with two outs anyway.

Oh, and here’s another Matheny gripe: early in the game, Vinnie Pasquantino fouled off a pitch that bounced in the dirt with two strikes. Rays manager Kevin Cash got the umpires to huddle and they called Pasquantino out, stating that it was a foul tip that the catcher caught. Replay showed that this was incorrect. It’s not a reviewable play, and the Royals got screwed. That’s the sort of situation where Matheny needs to go full red-ass and get tossed. Instead, he leisurely strolls out there, looks like a dope calmly asking for an explanation, and he’s back in the dugout 30 seconds later. Almost like walking out there was a burden or something.

Mike Matheny is the worst. Please bring me ANYBODY else. Trey Hillman would at least get fiery for his team once in awhile!

Other notes: Hunter Dozier continues to suck, going 0-for-4 for what feels like the 200th day. Nicky Lopez and his .278 season slugging line (13 extra base hits in 366 at bats!) plays all the time too. Nate Eaton? Nah, he can’t come in unless it’s a late-inning replacement. No place for you in this death row lineup, Nate!

Play Melendez, Witt, Perez, Pasquantino, Massey, Pratto, Isbel, and Eaton every day. Taylor, Lopez, and Dozier need to be bench players. Rooker shouldn’t be in the majors and O’Hearn shouldn’t be in the organization. They are the only franchise in the sport that doesn’t get this.

Before the game, I was listening to the Royals pregame show on 610 AM. Ryan Lefebvre was talking to Dayton Moore. The Royals’ team president of baseball operations said something so befuddling and so idiotic that I almost swerved off the road. “I’m proud that our guys can play Kansas City Royals baseball the right way for our fans and our city.”

You’re kidding, right? You have to be kidding.

Here are the Royals, now a season-worst 25 games under .500. Pacing for 95 losses, they are guaranteed to finish their 13th non-winning season in Dayton Moore’s 16 years. And this is the crap you go on the radio and shpeel?

People are so tired of Dayton Moore’s crap. Patience has run out as we barrel towards a seventh straight non-winning season. They want success, not pep talks. Win baseball games. Be accountable. Say that losing year after year after year is unacceptable. Dayton Moore, his minion J.J. Picollo, and the dunce Mike Matheny all must go at the end of the year. Anything short of canning all three shows that this franchise is perfectly fine with not being successful.