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KANSAS CITY ( VOLQUEZ )
TAMPA BAY ( RAMIREZ ) |
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| 917 | KANSAS CITY | -105 | Ov 7.5,+110 | -110 | Ov 7,+100 | | 918 | TAMPA BAY | -105 | Un 7.5,-130 | +100 | Un 7,-120 |
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| All Games | 78-49 | +25.9 | 54-60 | 4.4 | 0.270 | 0.316 | 0.409 | 0.725 | 3.7 | 0.246 | 0.306 | 0.391 | 0.696 | | Road Games | 33-28 | +6.7 | 26-28 | 4.1 | 0.261 | 0.301 | 0.394 | 0.695 | 4.0 | 0.249 | 0.316 | 0.403 | 0.719 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 54-27 | +25.6 | 37-35 | 4.7 | 0.274 | 0.322 | 0.421 | 0.743 | 3.6 | 0.242 | 0.306 | 0.391 | 0.697 | | Past 7 Games | 5-2 | +2.2 | 4-1 | 5.3 | 0.303 | 0.346 | 0.487 | 0.834 | 4.6 | 0.267 | 0.302 | 0.457 | 0.759 | | Night Games | 53-35 | +13.7 | 35-45 | 4.1 | 0.268 | 0.312 | 0.397 | 0.709 | 3.4 | 0.242 | 0.301 | 0.377 | 0.678 |
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| All Games | 4.4 | 0.270 | 0.316 | 127 | 4332 | 1171 | 229 | 35 | 101 | 0.409 | 531 | 286 | 718 | 80 | 837 | 128 | 67 | 107 | 58 | | Road Games | 4.1 | 0.261 | 0.301 | 61 | 2174 | 567 | 102 | 14 | 53 | 0.394 | 237 | 125 | 384 | 25 | 403 | 68 | 37 | 48 | 27 | | Righty Starters | 4.7 | 0.274 | 0.322 | 81 | 2741 | 752 | 143 | 27 | 68 | 0.421 | 360 | 194 | 455 | 52 | 521 | 80 | 32 | 71 | 39 |
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| All Games | 2.37 | 1.090 | 414.7 | 119 | 109 | 317 | 31 | 135 | 383 | 26-8 | 45 | 12 | 78.9% | | Road Games | 2.45 | 1.116 | 198 | 57 | 54 | 138 | 18 | 83 | 186 | 11-6 | 22 | 6 | 78.6% |
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| All Games | 63-64 | -4.3 | 57-61 | 3.7 | 0.248 | 0.304 | 0.394 | 0.698 | 3.9 | 0.238 | 0.297 | 0.379 | 0.676 | | Home Games | 31-31 | -5.8 | 32-24 | 3.7 | 0.246 | 0.302 | 0.395 | 0.697 | 4.0 | 0.236 | 0.293 | 0.380 | 0.673 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 41-50 | -11.8 | 42-44 | 3.5 | 0.240 | 0.294 | 0.377 | 0.671 | 4.1 | 0.238 | 0.301 | 0.387 | 0.687 | | Past 7 Games | 4-3 | +0.2 | 5-2 | 3.6 | 0.260 | 0.327 | 0.433 | 0.760 | 4.7 | 0.263 | 0.301 | 0.453 | 0.753 | | Dome Games | 32-32 | -6 | 32-26 | 3.6 | 0.242 | 0.299 | 0.388 | 0.687 | 3.9 | 0.235 | 0.291 | 0.376 | 0.667 | | Night Games | 46-41 | +4.5 | 40-41 | 3.9 | 0.247 | 0.307 | 0.396 | 0.703 | 3.9 | 0.242 | 0.301 | 0.388 | 0.688 |
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| All Games | 3.7 | 0.248 | 0.304 | 127 | 4257 | 1055 | 209 | 28 | 119 | 0.394 | 452 | 344 | 1013 | 75 | 837 | 116 | 74 | 90 | 68 | | Home Games | 3.7 | 0.246 | 0.302 | 62 | 1994 | 490 | 96 | 12 | 59 | 0.395 | 216 | 162 | 493 | 43 | 380 | 52 | 33 | 40 | 35 | | Righty Starters | 3.5 | 0.240 | 0.294 | 91 | 3030 | 726 | 147 | 21 | 76 | 0.377 | 295 | 232 | 727 | 47 | 574 | 80 | 51 | 65 | 52 |
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| All Games | 3.86 | 1.233 | 420 | 190 | 180 | 369 | 54 | 149 | 407 | 22-28 | 49 | 16 | 75.4% | | Home Games | 3.72 | 1.151 | 210.3 | 93 | 87 | 179 | 30 | 63 | 222 | 12-10 | 26 | 5 | 83.9% |
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| 8/14/2015 | DUFFY(L) | LA ANGELS | WEAVER(R) | 4-1 | W | -120 | 8.5 un | U | 6 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 2 | | 8/15/2015 | CUETO(R) | LA ANGELS | SHOEMAKER(R) | 9-4 | W | -150 | 7.5 un | O | 14 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 5 | 1 | | 8/16/2015 | VENTURA(R) | LA ANGELS | SANTIAGO(L) | 4-3 | W | -130 | 8 ov | U | 5 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 1 | | 8/18/2015 | VOLQUEZ(R) | @ CINCINNATI | IGLESIAS(R) | 3-1 | W | 110 | 7.5 un | U | 12 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 1 | | 8/19/2015 | GUTHRIE(R) | @ CINCINNATI | SAMPSON(R) | 4-3 | W | -115 | 8 ov | U | 11 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 0 | | 8/20/2015 | DUFFY(L) | @ BOSTON | MILEY(L) | 1-4 | L | 100 | 9 un | U | 6 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 1 | | 8/21/2015 | CUETO(R) | @ BOSTON | OWENS(L) | 2-7 | L | -150 | 8.5 un | O | 4 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 7 | 1 | | 8/22/2015 | VENTURA(R) | @ BOSTON | BARNES(R) | 6-3 | W | -135 | 9 un | P | 12 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 11 | 1 | | 8/23/2015 | VOLQUEZ(R) | @ BOSTON | RODRIGUEZ(L) | 8-6 | W | 105 | 8.5 un | O | 14 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 5 | 3 | | 8/24/2015 | MEDLEN(R) | BALTIMORE | JIMENEZ(R) | 8-3 | W | -135 | 7.5 un | O | 13 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | | 8/25/2015 | DUFFY(L) | BALTIMORE | GONZALEZ(R) | 3-2 | W | -120 | 8 un | U | 6 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 0 | | 8/26/2015 | CUETO(R) | BALTIMORE | CHEN(L) | 5-8 | L | -135 | 7 un | O | 11 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 0 | | 8/27/2015 | VENTURA(R) | BALTIMORE | TILLMAN(R) | 5-3 | W | -115 | 8 un | P | 12 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 0 | | 8/28/2015 | VOLQUEZ(R) | @ TAMPA BAY | RAMIREZ(R) | | | 8/29/2015 | MEDLEN(R) | @ TAMPA BAY | ODORIZZI(R) | | | 8/30/2015 | DUFFY(L) | @ TAMPA BAY | KARNS(R) | | | 9/1/2015 | CUETO(R) | DETROIT | VERLANDER(R) | | | 9/2/2015 | VENTURA(R) | DETROIT | WOLF(L) | | | 9/3/2015 | VOLQUEZ(R) | DETROIT | BOYD(L) | | | 9/4/2015 | | CHI WHITE SOX | | |
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| 8/14/2015 | KARNS(R) | @ TEXAS | PEREZ(L) | 3-5 | L | -105 | 9 un | U | 12 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1 | | 8/15/2015 | ARCHER(R) | @ TEXAS | LEWIS(R) | 4-12 | L | -125 | 8 un | O | 10 | 8 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 1 | | 8/16/2015 | SMYLY(L) | @ TEXAS | GALLARDO(R) | 3-5 | L | 105 | 8.5 ov | U | 12 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 0 | | 8/17/2015 | RAMIREZ(R) | @ HOUSTON | KAZMIR(L) | 9-2 | W | 150 | 7.5 un | O | 15 | 10 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 1 | | 8/18/2015 | ODORIZZI(R) | @ HOUSTON | FELDMAN(R) | 2-3 | L | 105 | 8 un | U | 9 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 0 | | 8/19/2015 | KARNS(R) | @ HOUSTON | KEUCHEL(L) | 2-3 | L | 165 | 7.5 un | U | 10 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 7 | 0 | | 8/20/2015 | ARCHER(R) | @ HOUSTON | MCHUGH(R) | 1-0 | W | 105 | 7 un | U | 8 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | | 8/21/2015 | SMYLY(L) | @ OAKLAND | BASSITT(R) | 2-1 | W | 115 | 7 un | U | 7 | 7 | 1 | 10 | 9 | 1 | | 8/22/2015 | RAMIREZ(R) | @ OAKLAND | GRAY(R) | 5-4 | W | 135 | 7 un | O | 7 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 0 | | 8/23/2015 | ODORIZZI(R) | @ OAKLAND | GRAVEMAN(R) | 2-8 | L | -120 | 7.5 un | O | 7 | 7 | 2 | 11 | 4 | 0 | | 8/25/2015 | KARNS(R) | MINNESOTA | SANTANA(R) | 7-11 | L | -140 | 7 un | O | 13 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 0 | | 8/26/2015 | ARCHER(R) | MINNESOTA | DUFFEY(R) | 3-5 | L | -180 | 7 un | O | 9 | 9 | 1 | 13 | 10 | 1 | | 8/27/2015 | SMYLY(L) | MINNESOTA | MILONE(L) | 5-4 | W | -130 | 7.5 un | O | 9 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 0 | | 8/28/2015 | RAMIREZ(R) | KANSAS CITY | VOLQUEZ(R) | | | 8/29/2015 | ODORIZZI(R) | KANSAS CITY | MEDLEN(R) | | | 8/30/2015 | KARNS(R) | KANSAS CITY | DUFFY(L) | | | 8/31/2015 | ARCHER(R) | @ BALTIMORE | CHEN(L) | | | 9/1/2015 | SMYLY(L) | @ BALTIMORE | TILLMAN(R) | | | 9/2/2015 | RAMIREZ(R) | @ BALTIMORE | GAUSMAN(R) | | | 9/4/2015 | | @ NY YANKEES | | |
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| |  | 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? | | TAMPA BAY: ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - A year after being a trendy preseason pick to contend for the World Series, the Tampa Bay Rays are back in a familiar role as underdogs.
''That's good. ... We like that,'' three-time All-Star third baseman Evan Longoria said, noting the team has a history of flourishing most when little is expected from outside the organization.
''I just think it's going to be a really good year,'' the club's career home run and RBIs leader said. ''We've got a young team, a bunch of guys eager to learn and get out there and win games. I'm really looking forward to that.''
Former manager Joe Maddon - and his often unconventional way of doing things - is gone.
So is Andrew Friedman, the young executive who was architect of the teams that made the playoffs four of the past seven seasons.
The roster has a much different look, too, with 10 key players from a year ago either traded or released this winter.
''The end result is a club that we have optimism about, a club that we're excited about, that we think can compete for a playoff spot. And, that's what we want,'' team president of baseball operations Matt Silverman said.
''Every year, we want to come into camp believing our team can play meaningful games in September and have a chance to go to the playoffs, and even beyond,'' Silverman added. ''We have that - and at the same time, we've reloaded our minor league system, added some players who impact us this year, might impact us in the future, and we're better off because of that.''
Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, catcher Rene Rivera, outfielder Steven Souza Jr., and pitchers Kevin Jepsen, Ernesto Frieri and Burch Smith are offseason acquisitions who could figure in the team's success - or failure.
Smith and two other young starters - Matt Andriese and Nathan Karns - figure to begin the season in the rotation because of injuries to Alex Cobb, Drew Smyly, and Matt Moore.
The hope is the rest of the projected rotation, Chris Archer and Jake Odorizzi, can help the Rays stay afloat until they can get back to full strength.
''If you've got starting pitching, you've got a leg up on going into the season,'' rookie manager Kevin Cash said. ''We're very fortunate with the pitchers we have - starters and relievers.''
Cobb, sidelined by a forearm strain during spring training, believes the team will thrive as underdogs.
''We're not going to get bullied. A lot of people are picking us at the bottom, and we're going to embrace that and have each other's backs,'' the right-hander said.
''Any time anybody calls you out in your profession and makes you feel like you're not as good as you know you are, there's always something to prove,'' Cobb said. ''I don't feel like we need to have extra motivation. It's just going to be that much sweeter when we go out there and perform well.''
A look at the keys to the Rays' season:
WHO WILL LEAD?: Pitching and defense were staples during six consecutive winning seasons that produced four playoff berths and one trip to the World Series. The Rays slipped to 77-85 a year ago, their first losing record since 2007. They're banking on Cash, who has no previous managerial experience, being the right fit to restore winning ways. At 37, he's the youngest current manager or head coach in the four major professional sports.
BETTER LONGO: Longoria played in every game in 2014 for the first time in his career, however he hit a disappointing .253 with 22 homers and 91 RBIs. He's moving into the cleanup spot after batting third most of his career, and knows he has to be more consistent if the Rays - last in the AL in runs scored a year ago - are going to have a chance to be better offensively.
BEHIND THE PLATE: Catcher Ryan Hanigan was traded and backup Jose Molina was released this winter. The three-team deal that sent Wil Myers to San Diego and brought Souza to Tampa Bay from Washington, also landed Rivera from the Padres.
The Rays believe he's an upgrade defensively, as well as offensively.
Rivera posted career highs with a .252 batting average, 11 homers and 44 RBI's in 103 games last season. Still, the 31-year-old catcher stresses his job is to provide solid direction behind the plate.
''I want to help my pitching staff first. I think that's what the game is all about. If you pitch well, you're going to win some games,'' Rivera said. ''If I get a hit here, a hit there and help us win some games, that's even better.'' |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER AL PREVIEW (KANSAS CITY-TAMPA BAY) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Royals-Rays Preview* =====================
By KEVIN MASSOTH STATS Writer
Kansas City (77-49) at Tampa Bay (62-64), 7:10 p.m. EDT
Edinson Volquez will try to steady his personal bumpy ride Friday night while keeping the Kansas City Royals on the fast track up.
With a very comfortable lead in the AL Central, the Royals will hit the road to try to hinder the wild-card chances of the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-game series.
The Royals (78-49) pushed their division lead to 13 games Thursday with a 5-3 victory over Baltimore, their fifth win in six tries.
Volquez hasn't been as consistent, alternating quality and poor starts his last four times out.
Volquez (11-7, 3.40 ERA) allowed one run in seven innings against the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 7, dropping his ERA to 3.11, the lowest it had been since June. But he's gone back and forth in his last three, allowing five earned runs in seven innings against Detroit on Aug. 12, one run in six innings against Cincinnati on Aug. 18, and six over 6 2-3 against Boston on Sunday.
He hasn't received a decision in the last two, but Kansas City rallied to win both games.
Volquez is 2-0 with a 2.49 ERA in four starts against the Rays, tossing five strong innings before leaving without a decision in a 7-1 victory July 7.
After Johnny Cueto struggled in Wednesday's 8-5 loss, Kansas City rode a strong performance from Yordano Ventura to a 5-3 victory Thursday. Mike Moustakas had three hits and two RBIs and went 8 for 14 in the series with a pair of homers, two doubles and seven RBIs. He's batting .452 with four home runs and 12 RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak.
"Moose has had clutch hits, big hits," manager Ned Yost told MLB's official website. "He's starting rallies, finishing rallies. He's just been really key for us."
Moustakas missed a four-game series against the Rays while on the bereavement list in July. Kansas City swept that set and has won 10 of 12 in the series.
Tampa Bay's Erasmo Ramirez will try to reverse that trend. He's 5-3 with a 2.60 ERA in nine starts at Tropicana Field this season, holding opponents to a .208 batting average.
Ramirez (10-4, 3.66) was away from home his last two times out and gave up six runs and 14 hits in 12 2-3 innings while winning his only decision at Houston on Aug. 17.
The right-hander will try to help the Rays (63-64) return to .500 after they ended a three-game skid with Thursday's 5-4 comeback win over Minnesota. Tampa Bay is 2 1/2 games behind Texas for the second wild card.
Ramirez will be asked to spell a bullpen that handled the final 4 2-3 innings.
"We needed that one," said Rays manager Kevin Cash. "The bullpen was just outstanding. Really came in and gave us a big boost."
Ben Zobrist spent the first nine seasons of his career with Tampa Bay and will make his first trip back to Tropicana Field since the Rays dealt him to Oakland in the offseason. Zobrist is 4 for 9 lifetime against Ramirez with two home runs.
Tampa Bay placed outfielder Desmond Jennings on the 15-day disabled list Thursday due to a bruised left knee suffered on Tuesday. He had hit .353 in 10 games since returning from the DL after having surgery on the same knee.
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| | Last Updated: 4/26/2024 12:53:55 PM EST. |
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