http://www.seattlepi.com/scorecard/mlbnews.asp?articleID=259179I thought the above newspaper went out of business, and if they're now internet only, how come they're free?
AL Central: Surprise, surprise; Royals are still in the mix
(Sports Network) - The Kansas City Royals are out to prove they are no longer the American League's doormat.
For a franchise that has had just one winning season since 1993, that's easier said than done. But the Royals turned the baseball world upside down by getting off to an 18-11 start, highlighted by a six-game win streak.
Then, the champagne bottles were put back on ice after being swept in a three- game series by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim this past weekend. Those kinds of swings are bound to happen over the course of a season. But what will distinguish the 2009 Royals from previous teams, is how they respond. Will that three-game skid turn into five or six in a row? Or will it end tonight in Oakland.
If their first 32 games are any indication, the latter seems most likely scenario.
For starters -- quite literally -- their starting rotation has been among the steadiest in the majors. The Royals have lost consecutive one-run games, but by no fault of their starters. Zack Greinke continued his dominance by allowing just one run over eight innings Saturday against the Angels, and Kyle Davies followed suit by yielding one run in six innings on Sunday.
Greinke has been nothing short of brilliant on the mound through seven starts, posting a 6-1 record and a minuscule 0.51 ERA. In 53 innings pitched, Greinke has struck out 59 batters and walked just eight.....
