What is wrong with the Royals?
Sixteen games into the season and the Royals fans did not see this coming. So far the Royals have limped out of the starting gates and are sitting at 8-8, 2.5 games back from the White Sox for the Central lead. We all know they could be a lot worse but they sure don't look like a playoff contender.
Their most glaring weakness this year has been their hitting. Last year they led the league in average but so far this year they are dead last in the AL with a paltry .225 average. The only category they lead in is home runs and they are tied for first with 17 so far.
Their pitching isn't much better either with a 4.60 team ERA which is 13th in the AL. Bobby Brownlie is the only pitcher with a sub three ERA, 2.95 and a perfect 2-0 record. Number two starter Ian Oquendo and fourth starter Vince Perkins are both carrying era's over seven. Definitely not a sign of a playoff team.
Today we will take an in-depth look at the starting lineup.
Catcher
Highly touted prospect
Gene Marquez has struggled since Spring Training. He is currently hitting .160 and has a .250 OBP. Along with that .160 average is just one RBI and ten strikeouts so far. Veteran catcher
Ramon Hernandez who has two pinch hit home runs this year might get the starting job back here soon.
First Base
Melvin Colmenares is another one that is struggling for the Royals. Butterball hit .315 last year but he currently sits at .182 with five RBI's in 55 at bats so far. He is currently nursing a swollen right eye and should be good to go in a few days. We all know he can hit we are just hoping for sooner than later.
Second Base
The second base spot has been split so far between
Robinson Cano and
Joey Ros. Ros was called up from AAA but he might be headed back very soon. Ros has started the past seven games and is hitting .111. Cano is doing a little better at .238 with one home run but is well below his career .261 average. All signs point to Cano starting again and letting Ros pitch hit when necessary.
Third Base
Edwin Encarnacion is trying his hardest to duplicate his 2008 season when he hit .325 with 198 hits but it appears that might have been a fluke. In 2009 he hit .259 and so far in 2010 he is hitting .207. Edwin has had zero competition at this spot over the past four years but with David Adam making some noise in AAA the past two years it might be time to put up or shut up for Edwin.
Shortstop
By far one of the few bright spots so far this season.
Rudolph Shaeffer is currently hitting .304 with three home runs and ten RBI's so far. As long as he can keep that bat going the Royals might be asking him to help turn this ship around.
Left Field
The other bright spot on this team would have to be
Larry Bigbie. He has been hitting the ball hard and it all directions. He leads the Royals with four home runs and is hitting .310. And to think Bigbie was re-signed last year to be a fourth outfielder. We don't even want to think where we would be if he was not in the lineup every day.
Center Field
If there is one guy on the team that you think should be able to hit, it would be Santiago Rao. The 2007 AL Rookie of the Year has rarely struggled in his short MLB career. But this year is different. His current average is a tiny .180 with two home runs and twelve RBI's. Not the kind of average you expect out of your clean up hitter.
Right Field
Reigning 2009 AL Rookie of the Year William Quattlebaum started off really hot this year but has cooled off in the past week. He currently has a .222 average with three triples and only three runs batted in. William is a very streaky hitter and hopefully one of those streaks is around the corner.
We all know the season is early and there are a ton of games to play but how many more days of this can we just put off as its early in the season. One thing is guaranteed though, we will 50 games and lose 50 games, its the other 62 that matter.
The Royals open up a nine game home stand over the next eleven days and lets all hope some good ole home cooking and Kauffman Stadium help the Royals break out of this slump.