PHILADELPHIA -- The Kansas City Royals won two straight American League pennants and captured the 2015 World Series behind a batting order whose motto was "keep the line moving."
The narrative went a lot more smoothly when the line wasn't frayed in so many places. Three months into the season, the Royals rank 14th in the American League in runs, and manager Ned Yost's lineup cards are a monument to improvisation. Mike Moustakas is out for the year with a torn knee ligament. Alex Gordon just returned from the disabled list. Lorenzo Cain just went on the disabled list.