Post-Mortem to Post-Mortem: This was a BRUTAL loss. The Royals are headed out for a nine-game road trip, playing six with the Yankees and Red Sox, and they lose a game like this to finish the homestand. I haven't fretted much about individual losses this season, because to this point I've been looking for signs of progress rather than wins and losses. But this one was BAD. Spot starter, resiliient offense, great two-inning stint by Justin Husiman (12 pitches? Should he have pitched the 9th? I suppose no manager would do that), lots of comebacks...and an absolute disaster in the 9th by Leskanic.

I'm afraid there could be a hangover from this loss, which will not serve them in this swing into New York and Boston. A 3-6 road trip will leave the Royals at 10-19, which may just bury them early in the season.

If you'd asked me how the first 20 games were going to go this season, I couldn't have predicted a worse start to the season. Let the Carlos Beltran sweepstakes begin...