Angels Slow to a Crawl : Baseball: Their frustration during their 10th loss in 16 games shows during a 4-2 defeat by the Royals.

How is this for virtual reality?

Chili Davis struck out for the second consecutive at-bat against Kansas City’s Kevin Appier on Sunday, then splintered his bat with an overhead smash to home plate.

Later, he declined to comment.

“Catch me on another day,” he said. “I can’t think right now.”

Chad Curtis took a called strike to end the game, then spiked his batting helmet to the turf in anger.

It seemed clear Sunday that reality has caught up with the Angels. A 4-2 loss to the Royals before 33,549 at Anaheim Stadium was proof that their fast start is officially history. Next stop, the rest of what might be a difficult season.

Sunday’s loss was their 10th in 16 games, and the frustration was starting to show as they left on a 10-game trip to Chicago, Texas and Seattle.

“I don’t think anybody is ready to suck on a gas pump,” Angel Manager Buck Rodgers said. “There are some mental adjustments being made as we speak. We’ve still got some things to find out about this team. We’re not 100% set with this team.”

The feeling was the same in the Angels’ clubhouse. Panic has not set in, but there was some head-scratching going on Sunday.

“Right now, things are falling apart a little bit, but it’s not too bad,” left fielder Luis Polonia said. “I’m just having a hard time right now, even though I’m not doing that bad. I can do better, I know that.”

Mike Macfarlane’s second-inning pop fly that fell between Polonia and shortstop Gary DiSarcina was a case in point. The ball was hit deep enough that the speedy Polonia should have caught it easily. But with DiSarcina in a full sprint, Polonia suddenly stopped and the ball fell out of DiSarcina’s reach.

“We made some mistakes out there,” Polonia said. “Things like that get you frustrated. Look at Chili Davis.”

Mired in a four-for-29 slide, Davis came up with two out and J.T. Snow at first with the Angels trailing, 4-0, during the sixth inning.

When Appier struck him out to end the inning, Davis slammed his bat against home plate.

Later, Rodgers was asked if he would keep Davis, who is hitting .200, in the No. 4 spot in the batting order.

“Right now, I think I have to,” Rodgers said.

What he didn’t say was that there appears to be no other candidate for the cleanup spot.

“He’s struggling some,” Rodgers said. “But he’s getting us some big hits, some big RBIs. He’s got to get on base, though, and do the other part of it.

“I think right now, he’s trying to pull the ball a little too much. The breaking balls are eating him up.”

Davis is not alone in his slump, however. There are many others in a similar position, including Snow.

Two weeks ago, the rookie first baseman was batting .320 with six home runs and 18 RBIs. After going hitless in one at-bat with three walks Sunday, he is batting .241 with nine home runs and 26 RBIs. He said he is finding it difficult riding out his first major league slump.

“It’s a long season,” he said. “You just have to go at it. I’m trying to get back to basics.”

Walking twice against Appier and once against reliever Jeff Montgomery was part of a plan to stay patient and wait for the right pitch, something Snow said he hasn’t been doing often enough.

“Appier is a tough pitcher,” Snow said. “He was locating the ball pretty good and had a good fastball.”

A solo home run during the first inning by George Brett and a two-run homer by Macfarlane during the sixth highlighted Kansas City’s offense against John Farrell (2-5).

Appier (4-3) held the Angels to two hits through six innings, but gave up a two-out double to Torey Lovullo and a run-scoring single to Damion Easley during the seventh. Montgomery pitched a scoreless eighth, but pinch-hitter Stan Javier’s RBI single scored Greg Myers, who had doubled, during the ninth.

After Polonia walked, Curtis struck out to end the game and Montgomery earned his 10th save in 12 opportunities.

“Too much Kevin Appier,” Rodgers said. “He was super, just super.”