This was a year ago, and the Royals had just come up with bupkis. So much has changed since then. Everything has changed, really. Especially this week. The scene resonates.
This was at the trade deadline last year. Royals officials wanted to improve their team. Tried to improve their team. Nothing worked. The Tigers and A’s, two of the Royals’ chief rivals for a playoff spot, had each traded for No. 1 pitchers.
The Royals got nothing, unless you count rotten luck. A few hours after the deadline passed, Eric Hosmer was hit by a pitch, his hand broken.