Numbers help explain nightmare season

After losing their ninth straight game and third in just over 24 hours, the Armena Royals were officially eliminated from the playoffs, the third straight year since the Axemen, who made it to the league final six seasons in a row, left for Camrose.

The Royals downfall hasn’t been just one area of their game. As with most bad teams, you can pinpoint every facet of the game – offence, defence, pitching and coaching. They’ve been outhit, outplayed, out-pitched and out-coached on almost every occasion, even if it’s only been one inning late in the game.

Last year, the team considered themselves underachievers to miss the playoffs and only win five regular season games. But the stats don’t lie. And after losing their two full-time catchers and all-stars in Joel Boettger and Adam Johnson, replacements and veterans and rookies alike, haven’t filled the void.

A quick look at least year’s stats vs. this year is so starking and so evident as to why the Royals are 1-11. Poorer offensive stats, less power, more walks and hit batsmen and more errors in the field have contributed to a season that could now rival the 2008 nightmare – at least in optics. No one can argue the 2008 team would get trounced by the 2010 edition, but without a win in their final three, the two squads will be linked forever – as being the worst in Armena history.