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ST LOUIS ( LACKEY ) KANSAS CITY ( VOLQUEZ ) |
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977 | ST LOUIS | +105 | Ov 7.5,-120 | +105 | Ov 7,-115 | 978 | KANSAS CITY | -115 | Un 7.5,+100 | -115 | Un 7,-105 |
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All Games | 27-15 | +10.2 | 18-23 | 4.3 | 0.265 | 0.325 | 0.402 | 0.727 | 3.1 | 0.245 | 0.304 | 0.362 | 0.667 | Road Games | 12-10 | +2 | 10-12 | 4.0 | 0.254 | 0.308 | 0.389 | 0.697 | 3.0 | 0.232 | 0.299 | 0.356 | 0.655 | vs Right-handed Starters | 22-10 | +10.9 | 14-17 | 4.2 | 0.262 | 0.322 | 0.395 | 0.717 | 2.9 | 0.237 | 0.295 | 0.352 | 0.647 | Past 7 Games | 3-4 | -1 | 2-5 | 3.6 | 0.261 | 0.316 | 0.414 | 0.729 | 2.7 | 0.242 | 0.305 | 0.352 | 0.657 | Grass Games | 27-15 | +10.2 | 18-23 | 4.3 | 0.265 | 0.325 | 0.402 | 0.727 | 3.1 | 0.245 | 0.304 | 0.362 | 0.667 | Night Games | 17-9 | +6.8 | 14-11 | 4.7 | 0.274 | 0.332 | 0.419 | 0.751 | 3.3 | 0.249 | 0.307 | 0.358 | 0.665 | Interleague | 3-4 | -1.2 | 2-5 | 2.7 | 0.242 | 0.303 | 0.387 | 0.690 | 3.7 | 0.289 | 0.349 | 0.458 | 0.807 |
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All Games | 4.3 | 0.265 | 0.325 | 42 | 1475 | 391 | 86 | 7 | 34 | 0.402 | 173 | 132 | 326 | 17 | 317 | 40 | 24 | 34 | 12 | Road Games | 4.0 | 0.254 | 0.308 | 22 | 796 | 202 | 42 | 3 | 20 | 0.389 | 83 | 62 | 193 | 9 | 168 | 17 | 13 | 25 | 4 | Righty Starters | 4.2 | 0.262 | 0.322 | 32 | 1118 | 293 | 65 | 6 | 24 | 0.395 | 127 | 98 | 243 | 10 | 241 | 27 | 15 | 24 | 7 |
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All Games | 2.24 | 1.203 | 136.3 | 36 | 34 | 118 | 7 | 46 | 127 | 10-5 | 17 | 3 | 85% | Road Games | 2.47 | 1.233 | 65.7 | 18 | 18 | 54 | 2 | 27 | 70 | 4-4 | 8 | 2 | 80% |
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All Games | 27-14 | +12.5 | 21-17 | 5.0 | 0.289 | 0.328 | 0.435 | 0.764 | 3.4 | 0.229 | 0.294 | 0.347 | 0.641 | Home Games | 16-6 | +8.8 | 11-10 | 5.0 | 0.285 | 0.329 | 0.431 | 0.760 | 2.8 | 0.219 | 0.281 | 0.326 | 0.608 | vs Right-handed Starters | 17-8 | +8.4 | 16-8 | 5.5 | 0.294 | 0.336 | 0.446 | 0.782 | 3.4 | 0.230 | 0.297 | 0.370 | 0.667 | Past 7 Games | 6-1 | +4.8 | 2-4 | 5.7 | 0.310 | 0.340 | 0.448 | 0.788 | 1.4 | 0.209 | 0.269 | 0.283 | 0.552 | Grass Games | 27-14 | +12.5 | 21-17 | 5.0 | 0.289 | 0.328 | 0.435 | 0.764 | 3.4 | 0.229 | 0.294 | 0.347 | 0.641 | Night Games | 18-11 | +6.3 | 15-13 | 4.5 | 0.284 | 0.319 | 0.418 | 0.738 | 3.5 | 0.232 | 0.300 | 0.354 | 0.654 | Interleague | 3-0 | +3 | 1-2 | 5.0 | 0.312 | 0.333 | 0.437 | 0.771 | 0.3 | 0.212 | 0.271 | 0.242 | 0.513 |
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All Games | 5.0 | 0.289 | 0.328 | 41 | 1426 | 412 | 88 | 14 | 31 | 0.435 | 197 | 84 | 225 | 26 | 280 | 38 | 23 | 35 | 15 | Home Games | 5.0 | 0.285 | 0.329 | 22 | 726 | 207 | 43 | 9 | 15 | 0.431 | 105 | 47 | 107 | 21 | 143 | 17 | 6 | 20 | 7 | Righty Starters | 5.5 | 0.294 | 0.336 | 25 | 864 | 254 | 55 | 11 | 18 | 0.446 | 128 | 55 | 140 | 15 | 165 | 25 | 10 | 24 | 10 |
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All Games | 1.58 | 0.964 | 137 | 26 | 24 | 88 | 9 | 44 | 115 | 9-2 | 14 | 4 | 77.8% | Home Games | 1.30 | 0.891 | 76.3 | 11 | 11 | 49 | 4 | 19 | 63 | 5-0 | 9 | 1 | 90% |
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5/9/2015 | MARTINEZ(R) | @ PITTSBURGH | WORLEY(R) | 5-7 | L | -105 | 7.5 un | O | 10 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 5/10/2015 | LYONS(L) | @ PITTSBURGH | LOCKE(L) | 3-4 | L | 100 | 7.5 ev | U | 8 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 5/12/2015 | LYNN(R) | @ CLEVELAND | CARRASCO(R) | 8-3 | W | 125 | 7.5 ov | O | 13 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 2 | 5/13/2015 | LACKEY(R) | @ CLEVELAND | KLUBER(R) | 0-2 | L | 125 | 7 un | U | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 0 | 5/14/2015 | WACHA(R) | @ CLEVELAND | BAUER(R) | 2-1 | W | -110 | 7.5 un | U | 7 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 5/15/2015 | MARTINEZ(R) | DETROIT | GREENE(R) | 4-10 | L | -145 | 8 un | O | 9 | 10 | 0 | 17 | 9 | 1 | 5/16/2015 | LYONS(L) | DETROIT | PRICE(L) | 3-4 | L | +100 | 7.5 un | U | 10 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 11 | 0 | 5/17/2015 | LYNN(R) | DETROIT | SIMON(R) | 2-1 | W | -155 | 8 un | U | 10 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 5/18/2015 | LACKEY(R) | @ NY METS | HARVEY(R) | 1-2 | L | 125 | 6.5 un | U | 9 | 11 | 0 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 5/19/2015 | WACHA(R) | @ NY METS | NIESE(L) | 10-2 | W | -125 | 7.5 un | O | 15 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 5/20/2015 | MARTINEZ(R) | @ NY METS | COLON(R) | 9-0 | W | -130 | 7 un | O | 14 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 5/21/2015 | GARCIA(L) | @ NY METS | DEGROM(R) | 0-5 | L | 100 | 7 un | U | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 5/22/2015 | LYNN(R) | @ KANSAS CITY | YOUNG(R) | 0-5 | L | 100 | 7 un | U | 8 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 5/23/2015 | LACKEY(R) | @ KANSAS CITY | VOLQUEZ(R) | | 5/24/2015 | WACHA(R) | @ KANSAS CITY | VOLQUEZ(R) | | 5/25/2015 | MARTINEZ(R) | ARIZONA | ANDERSON(R) | | 5/26/2015 | GARCIA(L) | ARIZONA | BRADLEY(R) | | 5/27/2015 | LYNN(R) | ARIZONA | COLLMENTER(R) | | 5/29/2015 | | LA DODGERS | | | 5/30/2015 | | LA DODGERS | | |
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5/9/2015 | GUTHRIE(R) | @ DETROIT | SANCHEZ(R) | 6-2 | W | 140 | 8.5 un | U | 13 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 5/10/2015 | YOUNG(R) | @ DETROIT | GREENE(R) | 2-1 | W | -110 | 8 ov | U | 5 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 5/11/2015 | DUFFY(L) | @ TEXAS | LEWIS(R) | 2-8 | L | -135 | 7.5 ov | O | 5 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 5/12/2015 | VOLQUEZ(R) | @ TEXAS | MARTINEZ(R) | 7-6 | W | -130 | 9 un | O | 12 | 8 | 1 | 14 | 7 | 1 | 5/13/2015 | VENTURA(R) | @ TEXAS | GALLARDO(R) | 2-5 | L | -125 | 8 ev | U | 6 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 5/14/2015 | GUTHRIE(R) | @ TEXAS | DETWILER(L) | 6-3 | W | -105 | 9 un | P | 14 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 5/15/2015 | YOUNG(R) | NY YANKEES | PINEDA(R) | 12-1 | W | +105 | 7 un | O | 17 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 5/16/2015 | DUFFY(L) | NY YANKEES | SABATHIA(L) | 1-5 | L | -125 | 8 un | U | 6 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 5/17/2015 | VOLQUEZ(R) | NY YANKEES | CAPUANO(L) | 6-0 | W | -115 | 8 un | U | 7 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 5/19/2015 | VENTURA(R) | CINCINNATI | CUETO(R) | 3-0 | W | -120 | 6.5 un | U | 9 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 5/20/2015 | GUTHRIE(R) | CINCINNATI | MARQUIS(R) | 7-1 | W | -150 | 7.5 un | O | 10 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 5/22/2015 | YOUNG(R) | ST LOUIS | LYNN(R) | 5-0 | W | -110 | 7 un | U | 11 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 13 | 0 | 5/23/2015 | VOLQUEZ(R) | ST LOUIS | LACKEY(R) | | 5/24/2015 | VOLQUEZ(R) | ST LOUIS | WACHA(R) | | 5/25/2015 | VENTURA(R) | @ NY YANKEES | EOVALDI(R) | | 5/26/2015 | GUTHRIE(R) | @ NY YANKEES | WARREN(R) | | 5/27/2015 | YOUNG(R) | @ NY YANKEES | PINEDA(R) | | 5/29/2015 | | @ CHICAGO CUBS | | | 5/30/2015 | | @ CHICAGO CUBS | | |
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| | | ST LOUIS: ST. LOUIS (AP) - The Cardinals hope Michael Wacha is ready to stand alongside ace Adam Wainwright at the top of their rotation.
Wacha was the NL Championship Series MVP as a rookie but just 5-6 with a 3.20 ERA in 19 starts last year. He was sidelined for most of the season's second half by a stress reaction in his shoulder, and was rusty in October before giving up Travis Ishikawa's series-winning homer in Game 5 of the NLCS.
Now he feels healthy.
''It's very encouraging, the long term of what this kid could be and the short term of how he feels, somebody every fifth day that can bring the kind of stuff he does,'' St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. ''He feels good about himself and we feel good about what we're seeing.''
The 23-year-old Wacha has long insisted the injury is behind him.
''Ever since I came back last year, I haven't thought about it when I was on the mound,'' Wacha said. ''As far as I know, it was a rare injury. I'm not sure where it came from.''
If it stays away, the Cardinals figure to again have one of the deeper starting staffs despite trading 15-game winner Shelby Miller for outfielder Jason Heyward. Wainwright was a 20-game winner for the second time, and Lance Lynn has averaged 16 wins during three years in the rotation.
John Lackey is a proven late-season talent. Jaime Garcia's resurgent spring following surgery to relieve nerve compression may cause promising Carlos Martinez to be related to the bullpen again.
Lackey expects to be more comfortable in his first full NL season, saying ''It's different for a lot of reasons.''
Things to watch for with the Cardinals, who open April 5 at Chicago:
LEFT-HANDED HEAVY
There are five lefty bats in the lineup, a potential downside. But there also figures to be more power on the bench. Mark Reynolds, who has hit 20 or more homers each of the last seven seasons, was signed as a free agent. He could factor in as a semi-regular, especially at first base, where Matt Adams has struggled against lefties.
HEYWARD TIME
Only 25, Heyward is a potential future core member of the franchise. His is eligible for free agency after the World Series, and the wooing began not long after the trade with Atlanta - which also brought set-up man Jordan Walden.
''He fits in very well with how our guys work, how seriously they take the game,'' Matheny said. ''He's mixed in very well to this point.''
IMPROVED POP
St. Louis hit just 105 homers last season, second-fewest in the majors. They Cardianls are anticipating more out of right field from Heyward, who had a career-low 11 last year while forced into the leadoff spot with Atlanta. Jhonny Peralta followed his drug suspension with a 21 homers, a franchise record among shortstops, and the smooth-swinging Adams is capable of hitting a lot more than 15.
HEALTHY CHOICES
A full return by Garcia would be an unexpected bonus after two injury-filled seasons. Wainwright and Lynn are recovering from health setbacks early in spring training. Center fielder Jon Jay made a delayed exhibition debut following wrist surgery. ''I said the whole goal was to be ready April 5,'' Jay said.
MORE SPEED
Along with increasing the power profile, there will be an emphasis on manufacturing runs. The Cardinals stole 57 bases last year, third-fewest in the major leagues, but are primed for at least a little more thievery with both Wong and Heyward capable of swiping 20-plus.
''I want to see bigger leads. I want to see more aggressive chances with balls in the dirt,'' Matheny said. ''I want to see us take a first-and-second double steal because we have the kind of players to do that.'' | | 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 NL PREVIEW (ST LOUIS-KANSAS CITY) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Cardinals-Royals Preview* ==========================
By JORDAN GARRETSON STATS Writer
St. Louis (27-14) at Kansas City (26-14), 7:15 p.m. EDT
Kendrys Morales hadn't faced St. Louis in more than 20 months before Friday, but not much has changed - he still loves hitting against the Cardinals.
He'll look to power the Kansas City Royals to a fifth straight victory Saturday night against St. Louis.
Morales went 3 for 5 with his fifth and sixth home runs of the season and five RBIs in a 5-0 victory. He's 12 for 26 with four homers, two doubles and nine runs driven in seven career meetings, and Friday's was his first since Sept. 15, 2013.
Morales has 14 RBIs in his last 10 games, pushing his season total to an AL-best 37 and helping the Royals (27-14) overtake St. Louis (27-15) for the majors' best record.
"I didn't know I was leading the league in RBIs," he said through an interpreter. "That's the first I heard of it."
Salvador Perez was 3 for 4 to extend his hitting streak to eight games, while Lorenzo Cain, who had been 7 for 35 in his last nine, was 2 for 4.
The Cardinals were shut out for a second straight game, but unlike Thursday's 5-0 loss to the New York Mets, they couldn't capitalize on opportunities. They recorded 11 hits after being held to two by New York, but were 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position to match their worst performance of the season in those situations.
"This is not a game we should be shut out," manager Mike Matheny. "You're going to have those nights but this shouldn't have been one of them."
St. Louis hasn't been blanked in three straight games since Oct. 2-3, 1976, but it looks like a possibility given how good Edinson Volquez (3-3, 2.74 ERA) has been. He scattered three hits over seven innings in a 6-0 win Sunday against the New York Yankees.
Kansas City is 5-3 with Volquez on the mound, with a lack of run support largely to blame in the losses, as he was backed with four runs over 19 1-3 innings.
"It's fun to just sit back and watch him deal," Eric Hosmer told MLB's official website. "And then all we have to do is get some runs and you know we can win."
Volquez was very familiar with the Cardinals last year, going 1-1 with a 3.16 ERA in five starts against them for Pittsburgh.
Kansas City starters have given up 18 hits and four walks over 26 scoreless innings during the winning streak.
John Lackey (2-2, 2.96) seeks his first road win in seven starts going back to August and is 1-5 with a 5.31 ERA in his last 10 on the road. He did his part opposite Matt Harvey at Citi Field on Monday, limiting the Mets to one run and three hits over seven innings, but received no run support for the second straight game in the club's 2-1, 14-inning loss.
Perhaps frustrated by the lack of offense or that the only run came on a seeing-eye single, Lackey declined to speak to reporters afterward.
The right-hander is 3-4 with a 3.54 ERA in 10 matchups with Kansas City. Alex Gordon is 6 for 13 with a home run and two doubles off Lackey.
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| Last Updated: 3/28/2024 5:03:34 PM EST. |
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