A little more than week into the season and the Kansas City Royals are already leaping ahead of the preseason prognosticators’ predictions.
Sure, the Royals went to the World Series last year, but many counted out the Royals this year. This was the year the Royals would take a step back and return to a safe bet at achieving the under for total wins in the season. So far, that under pick isn’t looking too great.
The Royals are 7-0, and have already swept two teams – Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Angels – that were predicted to compete for division crowns. The Royals entered the season with a an over/under wins total at 83. That was the second-best mark in the AL Central, behind only the Detroit Tigers.
However, the number was only slightly better than the improved White Sox and trendy pick Cleveland Indians. So far, the Sox and the Indians aren’t looking like the dark horse teams that many predicted in the beginning of the season.
So why are the Royals still undefeated? No one doubted their bullpen, and it’s proved to be likely the best in Major League Baseball again. In 19 innings, the bullpen hasn’t allowed an earned run and has given up seven hits. Pitchers out of the bullpen also have recorded 21 strikeouts in those 19 innings.
On the offensive side of the ball, the team is hitting home runs, something it didn’t prove to do well in years past, including last year’s run. So far, the team has notched 10 homers in seven games, with Salvador Perez leading the way with three home runs.
Homers are great for highlights, but they don’t always translate into the best bets. Last year’s club registered 95 homers, a far cry from the pace already showcased by this year’s team. Will the long balls continue? Not likely, making way for the Royals to have to scratch out runs, which won’t bode well with the most glaring reason why many preseason predictions had the Royals as finishing out of the first-place spot in the AL Central – starting pitching.
More than a week in and the starters have held up. With Danny Duffy listed as the No. 2 pitcher, it’s hard to believe that rotation can remain strong as the season progresses. Yordano Ventura and Edinson Volquez have proven capable in the past at being inconsistent, a reason for less optimism as the season progresses.
The baseball season is only seven games old, so there’s no time to panic for those picking the under on the Royals. However, with a bullpen as strong as theirs, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that many one to two-run games will be mostly in the favor of the Royals this year.
Here’s what others are saying:
Bleacher Report – Who will be MLB’s ‘Kansas City Royals’ of 2015? The Kansas City Royals
Detroit Free Press – Detroit Tigers may be good, but are the Royals better?
Kansas City Star – Royals hope Yordano Ventura can improve hydration, diet to avoid cramps
