The Royals need to place a few more calls to Omaha

• Mental Floss
• Make the call.

When the trade deadline passes, all too often a team’s chances go with it. And once again on July 31, the Royals found themselves selling. In the past week, Jonathan Broxton and Jose Mijares have been dealt and Yuniesky Betancourt was designated to Triple-A.

At this stage of the season, there’s no sugar-coating what has been a disappointing year. The Royals have the worst record in the American League. The team is on pace for 95 losses, and 100 are not out of the realm of possibility. Meanwhile the possibility of contending has long left Kauffman Stadium. These are all ways of saying that 2012 isn’t “our time.” But that doesn’t mean that 2012 has to look like this for the next two months. Forget the bullpen phone; it’s time to start calling Omaha.