Kansas City Royals Baseball By The Numbers: Yuck

Sitting at 55-68 currently and out of contention, the Kansas City Royals only have the ability to hang their hat on the fact they are in a race to finish third in the American League Central Division. Just like last September, the Royals aren't playing bad baseball overall at the moment. The squad is 13-8 in August, but once again it's too late and after many fans have already reverted into football mode.

Last September the Royals finished 15-10 for the month, which many thought may be a positive springboard into the current year. Over the last 10 years, it was actually the second best record the team has had in August or September. The best was 2008 when the Royals followed up a 7-20 August with an 18-8 September. Of course that September didn't mean much for the following year in 2009 as the Royals would finish with a 65-97 record that season.

That is likely the reason I am not too excited about this current stretch of decent play in August. Sure it's great to win ball games, but it doesn't always mean sustained success is on the horizon.

Over the past 10 years Kansas City is a sad 192-237 (.447) is one run games. Just twice during that span has Kansas City won more one run games than they lost. One of those is this year, in which the Royals are 19-15 in one run games. Ironically the Royals winning percentage overall during that same time frame? .443.

During the same previous decade, the Royals are also just 304-401 against the division. That equates to a .431 winning percentage. Take out the 2003 season and the Royals win just 41% of their games against the division.

Kansas City's current winning percentage puts them at .447 on the season which looks very much like what we have seen over the last decade. Against the division the Royals are 20-24 (.454). The numbers show just slight improvement.

If Kansas City were to somehow win 75 games this season, it would take one game over .500 for the rest of the season. Just three times in the last decade has the squad won more than 69 games.

No matter how things are spun, the major league organization has been doing nothing but just staying afloat during that time. They are consistent, consistently bad.

So Royals fans, let's all hope for a strong finish to the season, but don't pin hopes on the record in the coming weeks. The real focus will be towards the off season and the winter meetings. For the Royals to right the ship and get out of the cycle of losing, the pitching should and will need to be addressed. The same could be said with the fact that Jeff Francoeur is still on the club.

Kansas City plays in the Show-Me-State, and now is the time for the Royals to show their fans a commitment to break the cycle.