Over Before it Started

This was a loss before the first pitch was thrown, but then it got even uglier for the Royals.

The pitching matchup told you the result of the game before the first pitch was ever thrown. The guy who has been the best pitcher in the American League, by a decent amount, against a slew of relievers from a struggling bullpen led by Bailey Falter, is not the matchup you want to see. I am not among those who believe it was a systemic or organizational failure that allowed the Royals to reach this point, but I am among those with eyes and a brain, and I knew that if you enjoy gambling, it might be easy money. If only I’d have listened to that thought, I’d at least have made a few bucks.

But we know what eventually happened. Cam Schlittler was excellent. His ERA remained 1.50 for the season. by giving up one run over six innings. It was his eighth start with no more than one run allowed. He’s only given up more than two twice, and he gave up three in each of those. You could probably make an argument that the Royals didn’t mind one bit that if they had to throw a bullpen game, it was against him because the odds of a win against him are pretty slim. Nobody would say that publicly, but there are some games in a baseball season that are a little easier to win than others. Schlittler, as your opponent, is not one of those games. Now, let me quickly get to why this one isn’t some organizational failure, but it’s something they need to adjust quickly.