| | | |
OAKLAND ( HAHN )
KANSAS CITY ( VENTURA ) |
|
|
7.5un
| 5
Final
0 |
|
|
| | |
|
|
|  | |
|
| 923 | OAKLAND | +130 | Ov 8,-105 | +115 | Ov 7.5,+100 | | 924 | KANSAS CITY | -140 | Un 8,-115 | -125 | Un 7.5,-120 |
|
|
|  |
|
| | | | | |
|
|
| All Games | 5-6 | -2.8 | 8-3 | 5.5 | 0.285 | 0.336 | 0.447 | 0.783 | 3.5 | 0.217 | 0.265 | 0.351 | 0.616 | | Road Games | 2-2 | -0.2 | 2-2 | 4.2 | 0.257 | 0.289 | 0.463 | 0.752 | 3.2 | 0.277 | 0.333 | 0.431 | 0.764 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 4-5 | -2.4 | 6-3 | 5.1 | 0.276 | 0.327 | 0.454 | 0.781 | 3.8 | 0.226 | 0.273 | 0.365 | 0.638 | | Past 7 Games | 3-4 | -1.6 | 5-2 | 5.7 | 0.297 | 0.341 | 0.471 | 0.812 | 3.7 | 0.235 | 0.292 | 0.378 | 0.670 | | Grass Games | 5-6 | -2.8 | 8-3 | 5.5 | 0.285 | 0.336 | 0.447 | 0.783 | 3.5 | 0.217 | 0.265 | 0.351 | 0.616 | | Night Games | 5-3 | +1.2 | 5-3 | 6.0 | 0.287 | 0.334 | 0.479 | 0.813 | 2.0 | 0.203 | 0.251 | 0.291 | 0.542 |
|
| |
|
|
| All Games | 5.5 | 0.285 | 0.336 | 11 | 396 | 113 | 27 | 5 | 9 | 0.447 | 56 | 30 | 71 | 4 | 76 | 14 | 9 | 12 | 3 | | Road Games | 4.2 | 0.257 | 0.289 | 4 | 136 | 35 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 0.463 | 17 | 6 | 28 | 4 | 21 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 2 | | Righty Starters | 5.1 | 0.276 | 0.327 | 9 | 315 | 87 | 21 | 4 | 9 | 0.454 | 43 | 24 | 61 | 4 | 57 | 14 | 7 | 11 | 2 |
|
| |
|
| All Games | 3.24 | 1.110 | 33.3 | 13 | 12 | 29 | 7 | 8 | 33 | 0-3 | 0 | 1 | 0% | | Road Games | 3.08 | 1.200 | 11.7 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 0-1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
|
|
| |
|
|
| All Games | 8-2 | +6.1 | 7-3 | 6.4 | 0.326 | 0.370 | 0.493 | 0.863 | 3.3 | 0.225 | 0.260 | 0.389 | 0.649 | | Home Games | 4-0 | +4 | 3-1 | 6.7 | 0.362 | 0.405 | 0.558 | 0.963 | 2.7 | 0.216 | 0.246 | 0.400 | 0.646 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 4-1 | +3 | 4-1 | 7.0 | 0.348 | 0.396 | 0.489 | 0.885 | 3.0 | 0.204 | 0.239 | 0.382 | 0.621 | | Past 7 Games | 5-2 | +3.1 | 5-2 | 6.1 | 0.319 | 0.359 | 0.459 | 0.818 | 3.7 | 0.232 | 0.271 | 0.411 | 0.682 | | Grass Games | 8-2 | +6.1 | 7-3 | 6.4 | 0.326 | 0.370 | 0.493 | 0.863 | 3.3 | 0.225 | 0.260 | 0.389 | 0.649 | | Night Games | 4-1 | +3.2 | 3-2 | 4.8 | 0.331 | 0.364 | 0.449 | 0.813 | 3.6 | 0.225 | 0.253 | 0.406 | 0.659 |
|
| |
|
|
| All Games | 6.4 | 0.326 | 0.370 | 10 | 359 | 117 | 19 | 4 | 11 | 0.493 | 61 | 25 | 51 | 9 | 84 | 10 | 3 | 11 | 2 | | Home Games | 6.7 | 0.362 | 0.405 | 4 | 138 | 50 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 0.558 | 26 | 10 | 15 | 7 | 33 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 | | Righty Starters | 7.0 | 0.348 | 0.396 | 5 | 178 | 62 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 0.489 | 32 | 14 | 26 | 4 | 39 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 2 |
|
| |
|
| All Games | 0.99 | 0.659 | 27.3 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 6 | 24 | 2-0 | 5 | 1 | 83.3% | | Home Games | 0.00 | 0.636 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 2-0 | 3 | 1 | 75% |
|
| | |
|
|
| 4/6/2015 | GRAY(R) | TEXAS | GALLARDO(R) | 8-0 | W | -155 | 7 ov | O | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | | 4/7/2015 | HAHN(R) | TEXAS | LEWIS(R) | 1-3 | L | -160 | 7.5 un | U | 5 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 1 | | 4/8/2015 | KAZMIR(L) | TEXAS | DETWILER(L) | 10-0 | W | -155 | 7 un | O | 14 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 4 | | 4/9/2015 | GRAVEMAN(R) | TEXAS | MARTINEZ(R) | 1-10 | L | -155 | 7.5 ev | O | 6 | 6 | 3 | 12 | 6 | 0 | | 4/10/2015 | POMERANZ(L) | SEATTLE | WALKER(R) | 12-0 | W | -105 | 7 un | O | 16 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | | 4/11/2015 | GRAY(R) | SEATTLE | HAPP(L) | 4-5 | L | -140 | 7 ov | O | 12 | 10 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 0 | | 4/12/2015 | HAHN(R) | SEATTLE | HERNANDEZ(R) | 7-8 | L | +125 | 6.5 ov | O | 14 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 1 | | 4/13/2015 | KAZMIR(L) | @ HOUSTON | FELDMAN(R) | 8-1 | W | -115 | 8.5 ev | O | 12 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 2 | | 4/14/2015 | GRAVEMAN(R) | @ HOUSTON | PEACOCK(R) | 4-0 | W | 100 | 9 un | U | 7 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 11 | 0 | | 4/15/2015 | POMERANZ(L) | @ HOUSTON | MCHUGH(R) | 1-6 | L | -105 | 7.5 ev | U | 8 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | | 4/17/2015 | GRAY(R) | @ KANSAS CITY | GUTHRIE(R) | 4-6 | L | -115 | 7.5 un | O | 8 | 5 | 0 | 15 | 8 | 0 | | 4/18/2015 | HAHN(R) | @ KANSAS CITY | VENTURA(R) | | | 4/19/2015 | KAZMIR(L) | @ KANSAS CITY | DUFFY(L) | | | 4/20/2015 | GRAVEMAN(R) | @ LA ANGELS | SHOEMAKER(R) | | | 4/21/2015 | POMERANZ(L) | @ LA ANGELS | SANTIAGO(L) | | | 4/22/2015 | GRAY(R) | @ LA ANGELS | WEAVER(R) | | | 4/23/2015 | HAHN(R) | @ LA ANGELS | WILSON(L) | | | 4/24/2015 | KAZMIR(L) | HOUSTON | KEUCHEL(L) | | | 4/25/2015 | | HOUSTON | | |
|
|
| |
|
|
| 4/6/2015 | VENTURA(R) | CHI WHITE SOX | SAMARDZIJA(R) | 10-1 | W | -120 | 7.5 un | O | 13 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | | 4/8/2015 | DUFFY(L) | CHI WHITE SOX | QUINTANA(L) | 7-5 | W | -120 | 7.5 un | O | 14 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 0 | | 4/9/2015 | VOLQUEZ(R) | CHI WHITE SOX | DANKS(L) | 4-1 | W | -135 | 8.5 ev | U | 8 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1 | | 4/10/2015 | VARGAS(L) | @ LA ANGELS | SANTIAGO(L) | 4-2 | W | 120 | 7.5 un | U | 9 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 2 | | 4/11/2015 | GUTHRIE(R) | @ LA ANGELS | WEAVER(R) | 6-4 | W | 120 | 7.5 un | O | 12 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | | 4/12/2015 | VENTURA(R) | @ LA ANGELS | WILSON(L) | 9-2 | W | 105 | 7 un | O | 14 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | | 4/13/2015 | DUFFY(L) | @ MINNESOTA | MAY(R) | 12-3 | W | -130 | 8.5 un | O | 13 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 2 | | 4/15/2015 | VOLQUEZ(R) | @ MINNESOTA | GIBSON(R) | 1-3 | L | -125 | 8 un | U | 9 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 0 | | 4/16/2015 | VARGAS(L) | @ MINNESOTA | MILONE(L) | 5-8 | L | -115 | 7.5 un | O | 10 | 10 | 1 | 14 | 8 | 2 | | 4/17/2015 | GUTHRIE(R) | OAKLAND | GRAY(R) | 6-4 | W | +105 | 7.5 un | O | 15 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 0 | | 4/18/2015 | VENTURA(R) | OAKLAND | HAHN(R) | | | 4/19/2015 | DUFFY(L) | OAKLAND | KAZMIR(L) | | | 4/20/2015 | VOLQUEZ(R) | MINNESOTA | GIBSON(R) | | | 4/21/2015 | VARGAS(L) | MINNESOTA | MILONE(L) | | | 4/22/2015 | GUTHRIE(R) | MINNESOTA | PELFREY(R) | | | 4/23/2015 | VENTURA(R) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | SALE(L) | | | 4/24/2015 | DUFFY(L) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | QUINTANA(L) | | | 4/25/2015 | | @ CHI WHITE SOX | | |
|
| |  | OAKLAND: OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - The Oakland Athletics topped even their most trade-happy of days by making nine swaps involving 27 players in a wild offseason for Billy Beane and his front-office mates.
As far as Beane is concerned, the A's wouldn't have even had a chance to close the gap on the reigning AL West champion Los Angeles Angels without a major offseason overhaul.
Even if that meant shipping out a trio of All-Stars in third baseman Josh Donaldson, first baseman Brandon Moss and catcher Derek Norris.
''Our expectations don't change, not with the guys we brought in,'' manager Bob Melvin said. ''You look at it early on and you're thinking, `What are we doing here?' Then we see the last few moves ... and it all came together at the end as far as what this team would look like going into spring. ... We feel real good about this group.''
There were so many changes that Melvin had to search for names on the backs of jerseys during February's FanFest.
Billy Butler is the new designated hitter, and two-time All-Star infielder Ben Zobrist can play just about anywhere for Melvin, who is always one to mix and match his lineups based on matchups and who's playing well. Ike Davis came in a November trade from the Pirates to play first base, while third baseman Brett Lawrie came from the Blue Jays in the swap that sent Donaldson to Toronto.
''It's unique. I don't think many teams have taken turnover like this,'' reliever Dan Otero said. ''Who are we to judge? Everybody's here for a reason, so it's going to be great.''
Still, all the change took some getting used to this spring for an Oakland clubhouse known for its easygoing nature.
You first must know your teammates' names.
''Team chemistry's a little funky. You have to spend time with people and get to know people for team chemistry to fully come,'' center fielder Coco Crisp said. ''You can't expect it just to happen. We'll be fine. We have a good group of core guys, guys that talk and mingle.''
Here are some things to know as the A's chase a fourth straight playoff berth:
BUTLER'S BIG MOVE: Butler makes the first move of his career and is coming off a down season with the Royals, who lost in a seven-game World Series to San Francisco. He batted .271 with nine home runs and 66 RBIs in 151 games last year, 108 of those as a DH. ''Everybody's awesome to be around,'' Butler said. ''I couldn't be happier to get ready for another year with them. There are a lot of talented major league guys in this room.''
FILLING THE VOIDS: Lawrie batted .247 with 12 home runs and 38 RBIs in 70 games for Toronto last season and takes pride in his defense to back up a talented rotation led by Sonny Gray and Scott Kazmir. ''We have a lot of ability out there and that's a plus for the pitching staff,'' Lawrie said. ''All they have to do is take care of business.''
GRIFFIN AND PARKER: Both right-handers are recovering from elbow ligament reconstructive surgery that sidelined them all of 2014. Parker hopes to return shortly after the season begins, while June has long been the target goal for these two. ''There's no reason to start ripping the slider,'' Parker said. ''I'm going to focus on command.''
SPEEDY OUTFIELD: Despite the losses around the diamond, Melvin likes the look of his speedy outfield with Crisp, Sam Fuld and Craig Gentry. ''They can cover a lot of ground,'' Melvin said. ''In the case of Gentry and Fuld, they throw very well, too. Especially in our outfield at home, the field can play big and you need to cover a lot of ground out there. It's a comfort to have, and I know our pitchers feel good about it, too, that on a cold night in Oakland, you can stay. It's tough to go opposite field and know that when a ball's hit in the air and stays in the ballpark it's probably going to get caught.''
ZITO'S COMEBACK: Back in his original uniform two years removed from the end of a $126 million, seven-year contract with San Francisco, lefty Barry Zito looks to be a factor for the A's out of the bullpen - or even to start when needed. After a year off, Zito arrived in Arizona motivated to show he could still pitch at the highest level. | | KANSAS CITY: KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Every once in a while, Ned Yost will spin a story about his days on Bobby Cox's bench with the Atlanta Braves, back when the organization was winning NL pennants by the fistful.
Inevitably, Yost would start drawing comparisons to his Kansas City Royals - that they were building through the farm system in the same manner as the Braves, and Kansas City would embrace the franchise in the same way Atlanta did if it ever became a winner.
Last year, that narrative finally made sense.
After squeaking into the playoffs as a wild card, the Royals swept all the way to the World Series. If not for a virtuoso performance by Madison Bumgarner of the San Francisco Giants, the Royals might very well have been celebrating their second championship.
The postseason run led Yost to draw one more comparison when he arrived in Arizona for the start of a new season, and his players filed into the clubhouse for the first time.
''It definitely reminded me of that feeling in Atlanta,'' he said, ''when you came to spring training every year with the feeling that you have an opportunity to go to the World Series - instead of hoping, you know? And it's a different feeling.''
There is good reason for that feeling, too.
The Royals return most of the pieces from the club that ended a 29-year playoff drought, including one of the best bullpens in baseball history. And the pieces they did lose to free agency have been replaced with what could turn out to be upgrades.
Designated hitter Billy Butler is gone, Kendrys Morales signed in his place. Alex Rios is taking over for Nori Aoki in right field. Edinson Volquez was signed to fill the rotation spot of staff ace James Shields, who chased bigger money all the way to San Diego.
Even though a few faces have changed, the tenants that the Royals believe in have not: They will continue to rely on speed, defense and pitching to chase another playoff berth.
''Any time you're fortunate enough to keep those key pieces, you feel good,'' said Greg Holland, the Royals' All-Star closer. ''Yeah, we lost Billy and Shields and Nori, but for the most part, we're right where we need to be.''
Besides, the back end of the bullpen is still intact.
Kelvin Herrera harnessed his electrifying fastball to become a shutdown seventh-inning reliever last season. Former starter Wade Davis had a historically dominant year as the setup man. Holland further cemented his status as the AL's best closer.
''The way you tilt the field in your favor, in my opinion, is having quality pitching and really good defense,'' Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. ''Those are things that hopefully can show up every single day and perform for you.''
As the Royals approach opening day against the Chicago White Sox on April 6 at Kauffman Stadium, here are a few other story lines to watch this season:
THE ROTATION: Shields was the anchor in 2014, but he struggled mightily in the playoffs. So when the Royals signed Volquez to replace him, it was mostly met with a collective shrug.
Besides, the success of the rotation will more likely be determined by the success of young flamethrowers Danny Duffy and Yordano Ventura, both of whom have ace ability.
INJURY BUGS: The Royals stayed remarkably healthy last season. Will karma even out?
Second baseman Omar Infante already missed long stretches of spring training with a bone spur in his elbow that could require surgery next offseason. Left fielder Alex Gordon also got a slow start to the spring after undergoing wrist surgery this past offseason.
SLOW STARTS: The last couple of seasons, the Royals have gotten off to slow starts. They unsuccessfully dug out of a big hole two years ago, but pulled it off last season.
Considering every other team in the AL Central appeared to get better over the winter, the Royals can ill afford to let Detroit, Cleveland and Minnesota and the White Sox bury them.
RESTING SALVY: All-Star catcher Salvador Perez faded in the playoffs in part due to his heavy work load in the regular season, where he appeared in 150 games. Yost intends to give him more days off this year, though it's hard to take his bat out of the lineup.
BASEBALL TOWN: Did the World Series run turn Kansas City into a baseball town again? The club has been overshadowed for decades by the Chiefs, who play just across the parking lot in Arrowhead stadium. How will fans respond to having the reigning AL champions? |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER AL PREVIEW (OAKLAND-KANSAS CITY) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Athletics-Royals Preview* ==========================
By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer
Oakland (5-5) at Kansas City (7-2), 7:10 p.m. EDT
Already without one of their top outfielders, the Kansas City Royals will be minus their starting shortstop for the immediate future.
Following a chippy opener between last season's wild-card participants, the Royals won't have Alcides Escobar in the lineup Saturday night against the visiting Oakland Athletics.
Meeting for the first time since Kansas City's 9-8, 12-inning wild-card game victory, both benches cleared in the seventh inning Friday after Oakland's Brett Lawrie slid hard into Escobar at second base. Though nothing further ensued, Escobar suffered a mild knee sprain that's left him day to day.
"Probably only a couple days," Royals manager Ned Yost told MLB's official website. "But we'll see (Saturday)."
Lawrie saw the incident as nothing more than a close play in a tight game.
"I'm trying to break up a double play there. It's a tie game. No one is trying to hurt anyone there," he said. "That's just playing the game hard."
Though Lawrie had to be escorted back to his dugout by teammates while hearing it from Kansas City players, the Royals don't seem inclined to retaliate Saturday.
"We're defending AL champs and teams are gunning for us," first baseman Eric Hosmer said. "But I didn't think (Lawrie) was doing anything intentional."
Paulo Orlando delivered a go-ahead RBI triple in eighth to help the Royals (8-2) avoid a third straight defeat with the 6-4 victory.
However, Escobar's injury brings about more concern after Alex Rios was placed on the disabled list this week with a broken hand. Rios was batting .321 with eight RBIs and Escobar hit .412 in the first eight games before going 0 for 9 in the last two.
Boasting a major league-high 64 runs, the Royals should feel confident they can maintain their strong offensive start despite those injuries. Lorenzo Cain, Salvador Perez and Hosmer each had three hits for Kansas City, which pounded out a season-high 15 on Friday.
Each with 11 RBIs, Cain is batting .462 and Perez .405.
Royals starters Jason Vargas and Jeremy Guthrie allowed nine runs in nine innings of the last two games, but the club should feel confident that could change despite Yordano Ventura (2-0, 2.31 ERA) leaving both his starts due to cramping.
Kansas City is trying to keep the right-hander better hydrated after he gave up two runs and struck out seven in 5 2-3 innings of Sunday's 9-2 win against the Los Angeles Angels before leaving with a calf cramp.
Ventura allowed two runs in six innings while not factoring in the decision of a 3-2 win Aug. 11 in his only start versus Oakland (5-6).
The A's counter with Jesse Hahn (0-1, 3.09), who makes his first start against the Royals after not allowing a hit until the sixth inning of Sunday's 8-7, 10-inning loss to Seattle. The right-hander yielded all four of his runs in a sixth inning he never finished, but only one was earned.
"That's probably the best stuff I've had," said Hahn, who went 7-3 with a 2.96 ERA in 12 starts for San Diego last season. "I just need to control the situation in the sixth better."
Ex-Royal Billy Butler received a standing ovation and went 1 for 4 to extend his hitting streak to 11 games in his return to Kauffman Stadium.
|
| | Last Updated: 4/19/2024 9:39:32 PM EST. |
|
|
| |
|