Yes, the Metrodome can get exceedingly loud and the fans freakishly rabid with their Mr. Hankies, and pop-flys can get lost in the roof and looping singles can bounce over outfielders' heads, but does any of that really explain the Royals' struggles in Minnesota? Since 2004 they're 9-22 in the Hankydome, 1-3 this season after last night's loss, and it's gotten to the point where every time they play there I get this sinking feeling that a win just isn't coming. Why is that?A quick recap of last night: Jorge De La Rosa got battered around in the 4th when newly untraded Torii Hunter homered to left, followed by a combination of three hits, two walks and two errors that allowed three more runs to score. The Royals tried fighting back -- they hit three solo home runs, including one by Jason Smith, who I sometimes forget is on the team because his name sounds too generic to belong to a baseball player (he should take some cues from Jhonny Peralta, Coco Crisp, the Wily Pena, Nook Logan or Evan Longoria, to name a few) -- but in the end came up two solo home runs short. And to think, some teams hit eight homers for the hell of it, when four would do. (I've said this before, but I'll say it again: what a ridiculous team, those Yankees.)
There are two ways to look at these next two games in the Battle Dome: either two more games to grit one's teeth and bear the pain, or two opportunities for redemption. Given that these are the 2007 Royals and not the 100-loss teams from years past, I'd bet on the latter.Brian Bannister the Stopper (7-6, 3.42 ERA) takes on Boof Bonser (5-7, 4.72) tonight at 7 p.m. CT.
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