The Kansas City Royals have finally said enough is enough.

Tuesday, the Royals designated left-handed starting pitcher Jonathan Sanchez for assignment.

This isn't a rumor. This is all official and everything, since Twitter never lies.

Club also designates LHP Jonathan Sanchez for assignment and options OF Jason Bourgeois to Omaha.#Royals

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) July 17, 2012

Just to review:

1. Last winter, the Royals traded Melky Cabrera for Jonathan Sanchez.

2. Melky Cabrera leads the planet in hits.

3. Jonathan Sanchez leads the planet in really terrible pitching.

Sanchez, who's earning $5.6 million this season, opened the campaign in the Royals' rotation and won his first start. Since then -- and including a five-week stint on the Disabled List -- he's gone 0-6 with an 8.19 ERA. There were, it should be said, a few decent starts mixed in there. Bu the bad far outweighed the good, and Sanchez bottomed out Monday night before the home fans, giving up seven runs while recording only four outs against the hitting-challenged Seattle Mariners.

The list of candidates to replace Sanchez in the rotation is long but unimpressive, but that's beside the point. Sanchez's presence on the roster was killing the Royals' statistics, their morale, and their fans' collective self-esteem. He simply had to go, and the only question is why it took so bloody long for management to figure that out.