KANSAS CITY -- With all the talk about how Alex Gordon (.175 average) and Alcides Escobar (.186) -- entering Friday's series opener -- are struggling, somewhat overlooked is another Royals hitter who is off to a rough start in 2017: Designated hitter Brandon Moss.
Moss was hitting .185 with a .258 on-base percentage entering Friday, numbers that are unacceptable to him.
Moss' one saving grace is he has hit for power with nine home runs.
"I try to find positives out of everything," Moss said. "I'm on the same pace for home runs as I did last year. And I think I was hitting .210 about this time last year.
"So, the power is there but I'm just not consistent [overall]."
Moss' average and OBP have been steadily trending down since his breakout seasons with the A's in 2012-14. In 94 games with the Indians in '15, he hit .217 with a .288 OBP before being traded to the Cardinals at the non-waiver Trade Deadline.
Last year with the Cards, Moss belted 28 home runs, but he hit .225 with a .300 OBP.
"When you know you're capable of being better, it wears on you," Moss said. "But I've got time to turn it around. I've got [119] at-bats, it's not a short sample, but there's plenty of at-bats to get it turned around or get hot. I've done that before.
"You just stay with it and one day you'll show up, and it'll all be there."
Moss believes he's made some adjustments to his swing path that he finds encouraging.
"I'm more happy with it than I was," Moss said. "I've got less of a loop to it, and I feel I have more bat speed. I'm just not happy with the results."
Moss wants to be more than an all-or-nothing hitter. He wants to get on base more. He has only 10 singles and 12 walks this season.
"I find myself too much leaning toward the home run instead of dialing it back a bit," Moss said. "On days when I don't have [the power swing], I'm trying to do too much just to contribute or change a game with a home run. That's not good.
"When you're not hitting singles, you feel like you can't hit singles. If every once in a while you're hitting home runs, you start to think, 'Why even try to hit singles? Just keep doing what you're doing.' But that's when you get an inverse effect.
"So yes, I'm happier with my swing lately, but it's still not there. Just waiting for it to one day show up."