Although the American League Central is a jumbled mess of flawed teams, the Kansas City Royals have been a pleasant surprise. They have averaged 98 losses a year over the last five seasons, but their winning percentage has been heading in the right direction since losing 106 games in 2005.

Run production hasn’t come easy in these dark years. That hasn’t changed much this spring, but the success of the pitching staff has taken a significant spike upward this April.

Royals Pitching, 2005-2008
(AL rank in parentheses)

Year. . . . Team ERA . . . . . . . Starter ERA
2005. . . . .5.49 (14). . . . . . . . . . 6.00 (14)
2006. . . . .5.65 (14). . . . . . . . . . 5.85 (14)
2007. . . . .4.48 (7). . . . . . . . . . .4.88 (11)
2008. . . . .4.48 (10). . . . . . . . . .4.62 (10)
2009. . . . .3.34 (1). . . . . . . . . . .3.20 (1)

Yes, the Royals lead the American League in both categories this spring. In fact, those are major league-leading statistics.

Zack Greinke has blossomed into a legitimate ace, winning all four of his starts and allowing only a single unearned run. Gil Meche is just 1-1, but he’s worked three quality starts in four outings and has a 2.63 ERA and a 25-4 strikeout-walk ratio. Greinke and Meche give the Royals a solid 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation.

Also providing a big lift is Brian Bannister, who struggled in camp and started the season with Triple-A Omaha. In two starts since returning to the Royals on April 21, the right-hander has allowed a total of a single run en route to wins over Toronto and Cleveland.

Kyle Davies had started the season with three solid outings before getting roughed up by Detroit on Saturday, and Sidney Ponson has been spotty, but the two have kept the Royals in more games than what has been the norm from the back end of the rotation.

As for the Royals’ early success, it also helps that the bullpen has been much better. The quartet of Joakim Soria, Jamey Wright, Juan Cruz and Robinson Tejeda has converted solid starts into victories. As a group, they’ve allowed just five earned runs over 29 innings.

There’s a long way to go, but in a less than inspiring AL Central, the Royals’ steady improvement in recent years may mean good things in 2009.