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MLB : ATS Matchup
Monday 4/27/2015Line$ LineOU LineScore
KANSAS CITY  VARGAS )
 
CLEVELAND  KLUBER )
+1.5  -170

-1.5  +150
+130

-140

6.5un
 
6
Final
2

KANSAS CITY (12 - 6) at CLEVELAND (6 - 11)
View Previous GameView Next Game
Monday, 4/27/2015 6:05 PM
JASON VARGAS (L) vs. COREY KLUBER (R)
Board OpeningLatest
 LineTotalLineTotal
965KANSAS CITY+150Ov 7,-120+140Ov 7,+110
966CLEVELAND-160Un 7,+100-150Un 7,-130
ADVANCED TEAM STATS
KANSAS CITY - Current Season Performance
 Team RecordsTeamOpponent
 W-LUnitsO-URunsAvgOBPSLGOPSRunsAvgOBPSLGOPS
All Games12-6+5.68-84.90.2950.3410.4380.7793.30.2230.2750.3320.607
Road Games5-4+1.34-45.00.2870.3260.4160.7423.60.2160.2670.3260.593
vs Right-handed Starters5-3+1.34-35.20.3070.3600.4370.7973.00.2140.2640.3450.609
Past 7 Games4-3+0.81-43.60.2570.3070.3760.6833.00.2180.2940.2550.549
Grass Games12-6+5.68-84.90.2950.3410.4380.7793.30.2230.2750.3320.607
Night Games7-4+2.94-63.80.2910.3340.4010.7353.40.2240.2740.3330.608
Division7-5+1.45-55.00.2880.3390.4340.7733.30.2270.2760.3170.594
KANSAS CITY - Team Hitting and Fielding Statistics
Team BattingTeam BattingTeam Fielding
 RunsAVGOBPGABH2B3BHRSLGRBIBBSOSBLOBGIDPERRDPOSB
All Games4.90.2950.34118628185366140.438844498151362110184
Road Games5.00.2870.32693349618270.41643196526910870
Righty Starters5.20.3070.36082708314350.437372238658133102
KANSAS CITY - Bullpen Pitching Statistics
 ERAWHIPIPRERHHRBBSOW-LSVBSVPct.
All Games0.780.776585530115515-18188.9%
Road Games1.610.822285513110251-130100%

CLEVELAND - Current Season Performance
 Team RecordsTeamOpponent
 W-LUnitsO-URunsAvgOBPSLGOPSRunsAvgOBPSLGOPS
All Games6-11-6.85-113.80.2370.2980.3660.6644.20.2600.3340.3790.713
Home Games1-4-3.53-24.00.2300.2980.2910.5896.20.3100.3860.4510.838
vs Left-handed Starters1-6-5.53-43.60.2060.2760.2940.5705.30.2790.3590.4030.762
Past 7 Games2-5-3.42-44.40.2570.3200.4180.7384.60.3010.3580.4230.780
Grass Games6-11-6.85-113.80.2370.2980.3660.6644.20.2600.3340.3790.713
Night Games3-4-2.11-63.90.2090.2760.3740.6512.30.2070.2650.2860.552
Division4-10-7.75-84.10.2420.3060.3610.6674.90.2880.3560.4190.775
CLEVELAND - Team Hitting and Fielding Statistics
Team BattingTeam BattingTeam Fielding
 RunsAVGOBPGABH2B3BHRSLGRBIBBSOSBLOBGIDPERRDPOSB
All Games3.80.2370.29817574136271150.366625011891121481320
Home Games4.00.2300.29851653810000.2912016443345236
Lefty Starters3.60.2060.27672284711030.2942522553454259
CLEVELAND - Bullpen Pitching Statistics
 ERAWHIPIPRERHHRBBSOW-LSVBSVPct.
All Games3.811.42359272555729620-33260%
Home Games3.951.42627.3141225314210-11150%
SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
KANSAS CITY - Schedule
 Team StatsOpp Stats
DateTeam StarterOpponentOpp StarterScoreW/LLineTot.O/UHLOBEHLOBE
4/13/2015DUFFY(L)@ MINNESOTAMAY(R)12-3W-1308.5 unO1370732
4/15/2015VOLQUEZ(R)@ MINNESOTAGIBSON(R)1-3L-1258 unU971530
4/16/2015VARGAS(L)@ MINNESOTAMILONE(L)5-8L-1157.5 unO101011482
4/17/2015GUTHRIE(R)OAKLANDGRAY(R)6-4W+1057.5 unO1580850
4/18/2015VENTURA(R)OAKLANDHAHN(R)0-5L-1257.5 unU770851
4/19/2015DUFFY(L)OAKLANDKAZMIR(L)4-2W+1007 unU860780
4/20/2015VOLQUEZ(R)MINNESOTAGIBSON(R)7-1W-1358 unP841551
4/21/2015VARGAS(L)MINNESOTAMILONE(L)6-5W-1458 unO10901050
4/22/2015GUTHRIE(R)MINNESOTAPELFREY(R)0-3L-1458.5 unU68110120
4/23/2015VENTURA(R)@ CHI WHITE SOXSALE(L)3-2W1407 unU13817100
4/24/2015DUFFY(L)@ CHI WHITE SOXQUINTANA(L)2-3L1157.5 unU8428111
4/26/2015VOLQUEZ(R)@ CHI WHITE SOXDANKS(L)3-5L-1158 evP862641
4/27/2015VARGAS(L)@ CLEVELANDKLUBER(R) 
4/28/2015VENTURA(R)@ CLEVELANDHOUSE(L) 
4/29/2015DUFFY(L)@ CLEVELANDSALAZAR(R) 
4/30/2015 DETROIT  
5/1/2015 DETROIT  
5/2/2015 DETROIT  
5/3/2015 DETROIT  

CLEVELAND - Schedule
 Team StatsOpp Stats
DateTeam StarterOpponentOpp StarterScoreW/LLineTot.O/UHLOBEHLOBE
4/14/2015CARRASCO(R)CHI WHITE SOXQUINTANA(L)1-4L-1257 unU360842
4/15/2015BAUER(R)CHI WHITE SOXDANKS(L)4-2W-1307.5 unU8606101
4/17/2015KLUBER(R)@ MINNESOTAPELFREY(R)2-3L-1808.5 unU8102690
4/18/2015SALAZAR(R)@ MINNESOTAHUGHES(R)4-2W-1058.5 unU850650
4/19/2015HOUSE(L)@ MINNESOTAMAY(R)2-7L-1159 evP7711181
4/20/2015BAUER(R)@ CHI WHITE SOXDANKS(L)3-4L1009 evU6601090
4/21/2015CARRASCO(R)@ CHI WHITE SOXNOESI(R)6-2W-1258.5 unU751860
4/22/2015KLUBER(R)@ CHI WHITE SOXSAMARDZIJA(R)0-6L-1207.5 unU81101470
4/24/2015SALAZAR(R)@ DETROITGREENE(R)13-1W1058 ovO15308110
4/25/2015HOUSE(L)@ DETROITSIMON(R)1-4L1408.5 unU8718110
4/26/2015CARRASCO(R)@ DETROITLOBSTEIN(L)6-8L-1108 unO10611380
4/27/2015KLUBER(R)KANSAS CITYVARGAS(L) 
4/28/2015HOUSE(L)KANSAS CITYVENTURA(R) 
4/29/2015SALAZAR(R)KANSAS CITYDUFFY(L) 
4/30/2015 TORONTO  
5/1/2015 TORONTO  
5/2/2015 TORONTO  
5/3/2015 TORONTO  
KEY GAME INFORMATION
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?
CLEVELAND: CLEVELAND (AP) - While their AL Central rivals jockeyed during the offseason, one trying to outdo the other to improve their chances of winning a World Series title, the Indians watched.
That was the plan.
No, they didn't make any blockbuster trades, sign a big-name, big-ticket free agent or overhaul their roster with new faces. The Indians, who somehow stayed in contention last season until the waning days of September, didn't feel the need to make radical changes. It wasn't necessary.
The pieces are in place for Cleveland to have a special 2015 season.
''The team knows it,'' said second baseman Jason Kipnis. ''We got two winning seasons in a row. We had an 85-win season when we had about three guys playing good. The possibilities are there, the potential is there. That whole last year we never had more than a seven-game winning streak, never really got hot.
''We got the same corps. Same group of guys. We kind of want another chance at this again - and we're getting another chance.''
The Indians return virtually the same team that went 85-77 last season, finishing third behind division champion Detroit and wild-card winner Kansas City, which ended a postseason drought dating to 1985, won the pennant and pushed San Francisco to seven games in the World Series.
Watching the Royals inspired the Indians. And as he prepares for his third season in Cleveland, manager Terry Francona senses a different drive in his players.
They're hungry.
''Our veteran guys are trying to get better,'' he said. ''Our younger guys are excited to prove what they can do. I didn't see anybody just kind of go home and want to kind of keep the status quo. We're all excited about that.''
Francona said they're upping expectations both on performance and results.
''They're kind of at a stage where they're embracing trying to see if we can go up against some of these teams and, not only maybe hold our own, but maybe do a little more than that,'' Francona said.
There's no denying Francona's magical touch. The man who helped end Boston's supposed baseball curse, who got the Indians to the postseason in 2013, has an uncanny ability to convince players buy in to his program and get them to believe they can overcome any obstacles: injuries, payroll, low expectations, the Tigers lineup.
This spring, Francona didn't have to sell the Indians, who haven't won a World Series since 1948, on the idea they can compete. They already know that. Now it's a matter of taking the next step.
''When guys believe they can do it, and then they start to do it, then you see the confidence take over and guys take off, and you can accomplish a lot,'' he said. ''That's part of the fun of the season, to see how good you can get. I'd rather enjoy, as much as we can, the journey.''
---
KLUBER UBER ALLES
All Corey Kluber did in his first major-league season was win 18 games, re-write some record books, dominate almost every time he pitched and win the AL Cy Young.
The 28-year-old could do it again.
Seemingly programmed because of his consistent performances and composed demeanor, Kluber gives the Indians a long-needed and legitimate No. 1 starter capable of winning every time he gets the ball. He scares opponents and makes his teammates better.
The Indians have discussed a long-term contract extension for the right-hander, who isn't even eligible for arbitration.
---
YOUR TABLE, MR. BRANTLEY
Michael Brantley just might be baseball's most unassuming star, and he plans to keep it that way. The 27-year-old's breakout 2014 season - he batted .327 with 20 homers, 97 RBIs and a third-place finish in MVP voting - was followed by obligatory can-he-do-it-again questions.
Francona thinks Brantley might be poised for bigger things. The spotlight will find Brantley, but he's not craving it.
''He's so consistent at a high level that I don't see that going away,'' he said. ''He's so confident in what he's doing that I think he enjoys playing the game and the other things that come with it, I think he could take it or leave it. He has a really good understanding of who he is.''
---
BETTER BE BETTER
For the Indians to get where they want, Kipnis (.240), CF Michael Bourn (106 games) and DH Nick Swisher (offseason knee surgeries) need to bounce back and produce more than they did in `14.
No position player is more important than Kipnis, a 2013 All-Star who was injured most of last season.
''He can affect the game so many ways - steal a base, get a bunt down, hit a ball in the gap,'' Francona said.
PREVIEW
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER AL PREVIEW (KANSAS CITY-CLEVELAND) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Royals-Indians Preview* ========================

By KEVIN CHROUST STATS Writer

Kansas City (12-6) at Cleveland (6-11), 6:10 p.m. EDT

For all of the well-documented success the Kansas City Royals had a season ago, they struggled with Corey Kluber as much or more than anyone.

The reigning AL Cy Young winner will try to kick his 2015 campaign into similar gear and jump-start a struggling rotation Monday night when the Cleveland Indians welcome the Royals for a three-game series.

Kluber (0-2, 3.90 ERA) went 2-1 with a 1.15 ERA in four 2014 starts against the Royals and went at least 8 1-3 innings in three.

This season, Kluber was strong for his first three starts before allowing six runs and 13 hits in six-plus innings of Wednesday's 6-0 road loss to the Chicago White Sox. The Indians have lost in all four of his starts while providing him with a 1.63 run-support average.

"It's a hard way to pitch when we're throwing up zeroes as an offense," manager Terry Francona told MLB's official website. "I think he probably feels like he has to be perfect, and that's a hard way to pitch."

Kansas City's main struggles against the right-hander have come from Salvador Perez (2 for 16), Lorenzo Cain (2 for 15) and Alcides Escobar (5 for 25 with 10 strikeouts). Eric Hosmer and Alex Gordon are both 4 for 25 with a combined 16 strikeouts but have each homered twice against Kluber. Mike Moustakas is 8 for 21 with a home run and four doubles.

Run support hasn't been a problem for Jason Vargas, but the Kansas City left-hander hasn't been able to quiet opposing lineups. Vargas (1-1, 6.75) allowed five runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings of Tuesday's 6-5 home win over Minnesota and didn't earn the decision. He's received a 5.52 runs of support while allowing a .348 opponent batting average in three starts.

Vargas was lucky enough to catch Kluber in the one meeting last year in which the Royals managed more than a run, but he was 1-1 with a 4.94 ERA in four starts against the Indians.

The Royals (12-6) are in danger of dropping three straight for the first time since the end of August after losing two of three to the White Sox. Sunday's 5-3 defeat came after taking a 3-0 lead into the sixth inning. It followed the completion of Friday's suspended game, in which the Royals fell 3-2.

Kansas City was hitting a major league-best .310 through 14 games but has fallen off with a .243 mark with eight runs in its last four. That lineup could at some point be without Cain, one of four Royals suspended after Thursday's brawl with Chicago, but the outfielder is appealing.

"You have to pay the consequences. We'll see what happens," Cain said. "I appealed it, but we'll see what happens."

The Indians (6-11) haven't won a series since opening the season by taking two of three in Houston. They've gone 4-10 since with a 5.43 ERA from the starting rotation after Sunday's 8-6 loss in Detroit. At home, they're 1-4 with an 8.66 mark from their starters.

The series loss to the Tigers came despite scoring 20 runs in three games, but the positive is some of the key parts of the lineup are coming around. Michael Brantley was 8 for 13 and hit .405 against Kansas City a season ago. Carlos Santana was 4 for 9 with four walks and is batting .361 with seven home runs and 16 RBIs in his last 16 games against the Royals.

The Indians have won 12 of the last 18 meetings in Cleveland.


Last Updated: 3/19/2024 4:12:25 AM EST.


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