At one point during this season, the Royals had the best record in all of baseball.
Although it was only after four games this had some people, including myself, thinking that this might be a team that could surprise. But since that 4-0 start they are only 14 and 21 and have fallen back to the bottom of the AL Central, where they usually reside.
One of the main problems the Royals have been having is scoring runs. It's not like they haven't been getting opportunities. They seem to get at least 10 base runners every game but they usually strand most of them. They always seem to hit a ground ball when they need a fly ball, and a lot of the time its a double play. They also strike out way too often—which isn't surprising since they're a very young team.
They are currently on a three-game winning streak, but their hitting problems continue. In tonight's 2-0 win against the Tigers they left nine on base—which could have cost them a "W" if not for their continued great pitching.
Their surprisingly strong pitching staff is what is really keeping them in the race. But their hitters will need to start producing in order for the team to stay competitive.
It's not just one player that's coming up empty in key situations. It's like many things in baseball—when one player is doing something, it's contagious. Currently there are no players immune to the RISP virus.
I think that one day, hopefully soon, a player will get a big hit with runners on base and it will catch on. It's still very early in the season and once their young hitters get more experience and veterans get out of their slumps I think the runs will start coming more frequently.
And as the case usually goes, with more runs comes more wins.
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