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MINNESOTA ( GIBSON )
KANSAS CITY ( SHIELDS ) |
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7.5un
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Final
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| 925 | MINNESOTA | +160 | Ov 8,-105 | +182 | Ov 7.5,+115 | | 926 | KANSAS CITY | -170 | Un 8,-115 | -195 | Un 7.5,-135 |
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| All Games | 47-57 | +1.1 | 50-49 | 4.1 | 0.244 | 0.314 | 4.5 | 0.276 | 0.324 | | Road Games | 23-28 | +5.6 | 24-25 | 4.1 | 0.239 | 0.306 | 4.2 | 0.282 | 0.328 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 31-40 | -1.8 | 34-32 | 4.0 | 0.241 | 0.313 | 4.5 | 0.272 | 0.326 | | Past 7 Games | 3-4 | -1.5 | 2-5 | 2.9 | 0.225 | 0.277 | 5.1 | 0.291 | 0.326 | | Grass Games | 43-55 | -3.2 | 47-47 | 4.0 | 0.241 | 0.311 | 4.5 | 0.275 | 0.323 | | Night Games | 23-32 | -3.4 | 23-30 | 3.5 | 0.235 | 0.299 | 4.2 | 0.269 | 0.316 | | Division | 20-18 | +7.1 | 18-18 | 4.3 | 0.245 | 0.320 | 4.7 | 0.279 | 0.325 |
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| All Games | 4.1 | 0.244 | 0.314 | 104 | 3547 | 866 | 282 | 77 | 0.02 | 400 | 361 | 860 | 52 | 765 | 71 | 55 | 96 | 61 | | Road Games | 4.1 | 0.239 | 0.306 | 51 | 1763 | 421 | 137 | 36 | 0.02 | 195 | 170 | 456 | 24 | 366 | 38 | 20 | 47 | 29 | | Righty Starters | 4.0 | 0.241 | 0.313 | 71 | 2435 | 587 | 189 | 51 | 0.02 | 268 | 255 | 595 | 34 | 536 | 48 | 35 | 66 | 43 |
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| All Games | 3.14 | 1.205 | 341 | 133 | 119 | 311 | 22 | 100 | 260 | 15-10 | 27 | 9 | 75% | | Road Games | 3.05 | 1.148 | 153.3 | 55 | 52 | 135 | 7 | 41 | 117 | 5-6 | 15 | 4 | 78.9% |
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| All Games | 53-51 | -5.2 | 48-51 | 4.0 | 0.263 | 0.310 | 4.0 | 0.256 | 0.313 | | Home Games | 25-26 | -8.6 | 25-25 | 3.7 | 0.253 | 0.302 | 4.5 | 0.269 | 0.321 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 40-36 | -2.6 | 38-34 | 4.3 | 0.266 | 0.312 | 3.9 | 0.256 | 0.312 | | Past 7 Games | 5-2 | +2.9 | 3-4 | 4.0 | 0.262 | 0.310 | 3.6 | 0.248 | 0.317 | | Grass Games | 49-48 | -6.7 | 45-48 | 4.0 | 0.261 | 0.309 | 4.0 | 0.255 | 0.312 | | Night Games | 34-31 | -1.4 | 31-30 | 4.2 | 0.268 | 0.313 | 4.0 | 0.254 | 0.313 | | Division | 23-24 | -4.5 | 25-21 | 4.1 | 0.265 | 0.314 | 4.4 | 0.270 | 0.326 |
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| All Games | 4.0 | 0.263 | 0.310 | 104 | 3590 | 943 | 264 | 61 | 0.02 | 386 | 248 | 623 | 84 | 711 | 102 | 59 | 80 | 39 | | Home Games | 3.7 | 0.253 | 0.302 | 51 | 1675 | 424 | 120 | 28 | 0.02 | 178 | 117 | 287 | 41 | 316 | 41 | 25 | 40 | 26 | | Righty Starters | 4.3 | 0.266 | 0.312 | 76 | 2634 | 700 | 200 | 46 | 0.02 | 298 | 176 | 444 | 63 | 509 | 72 | 35 | 60 | 26 |
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| All Games | 3.41 | 1.285 | 295.6 | 122 | 112 | 258 | 21 | 122 | 282 | 18-12 | 29 | 9 | 76.3% | | Home Games | 4.46 | 1.389 | 153.3 | 78 | 76 | 148 | 13 | 65 | 149 | 10-4 | 18 | 4 | 81.8% |
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| 7/18/2014 | GIBSON(R) | TAMPA BAY | COBB(R) | 2-6 | L | +110 | 7.5 ov | O | 6 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 5 | 0 | | 7/19/2014 | HUGHES(R) | TAMPA BAY | PRICE(L) | 1-5 | L | +135 | 7 ev | U | 5 | 6 | 1 | 13 | 4 | 1 | | 7/20/2014 | CORREIA(R) | TAMPA BAY | ARCHER(R) | 3-5 | L | +120 | 8.5 ev | U | 6 | 8 | 1 | 11 | 12 | 2 | | 7/21/2014 | JOHNSON(L) | CLEVELAND | HOUSE(L) | 4-3 | W | +100 | 9.5 un | U | 9 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 0 | | 7/22/2014 | PINO(R) | CLEVELAND | SALAZAR(R) | 2-8 | L | +125 | 9 un | O | 9 | 10 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 0 | | 7/23/2014 | SWARZAK(R) | CLEVELAND | BAUER(R) | 3-1 | W | +125 | 8.5 un | U | 8 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 1 | | 7/24/2014 | HUGHES(R) | CHI WHITE SOX | NOESI(R) | 2-5 | L | -160 | 8.5 ov | U | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 9 | 0 | | 7/25/2014 | CORREIA(R) | CHI WHITE SOX | DANKS(L) | 5-9 | L | -120 | 9 ev | O | 9 | 4 | 2 | 17 | 12 | 0 | | 7/26/2014 | DARNELL(L) | CHI WHITE SOX | SALE(L) | 0-7 | L | +160 | 7.5 un | U | 6 | 8 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 0 | | 7/27/2014 | PINO(R) | CHI WHITE SOX | CARROLL(R) | 4-3 | W | -125 | 9 un | U | 6 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 0 | | 7/29/2014 | GIBSON(R) | @ KANSAS CITY | SHIELDS(R) | | | 7/30/2014 | HUGHES(R) | @ KANSAS CITY | DUFFY(L) | | | 7/31/2014 | CORREIA(R) | @ KANSAS CITY | VENTURA(R) | | | 8/1/2014 | | @ CHI WHITE SOX | SALE(L) | | | 8/2/2014 | PINO(R) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | CARROLL(R) | | | 8/3/2014 | GIBSON(R) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | QUINTANA(L) | | | 8/5/2014 | | SAN DIEGO | | |
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| 7/18/2014 | SHIELDS(R) | @ BOSTON | BUCHHOLZ(R) | 4-5 | L | 110 | 8 un | O | 12 | 8 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 2 | | 7/19/2014 | DUFFY(L) | @ BOSTON | DE LA ROSA(R) | 1-2 | L | 120 | 8 un | U | 5 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 1 | | 7/20/2014 | VENTURA(R) | @ BOSTON | LESTER(L) | 0-6 | L | 145 | 7.5 un | U | 4 | 6 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 0 | | 7/21/2014 | GUTHRIE(R) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | SALE(L) | 1-3 | L | 160 | 7 ov | U | 8 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 0 | | 7/22/2014 | CHEN(L) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | CARROLL(R) | 7-1 | W | -145 | 9 un | U | 14 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 10 | 2 | | 7/23/2014 | SHIELDS(R) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | QUINTANA(L) | 2-1 | W | 100 | 7.5 un | U | 10 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1 | | 7/24/2014 | DUFFY(L) | CLEVELAND | KLUBER(R) | 2-1 | W | -120 | 7 ev | U | 5 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 1 | | 7/25/2014 | VENTURA(R) | CLEVELAND | TOMLIN(R) | 6-4 | W | -120 | 8 ov | O | 10 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 1 | | 7/26/2014 | GUTHRIE(R) | CLEVELAND | MCALLISTER(R) | 7-5 | W | -110 | 9 ov | O | 9 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 9 | 0 | | 7/27/2014 | CHEN(L) | CLEVELAND | SALAZAR(R) | 3-10 | L | -110 | 8 un | O | 8 | 5 | 0 | 15 | 7 | 0 | | 7/29/2014 | SHIELDS(R) | MINNESOTA | GIBSON(R) | | | 7/30/2014 | DUFFY(L) | MINNESOTA | HUGHES(R) | | | 7/31/2014 | VENTURA(R) | MINNESOTA | CORREIA(R) | | | 8/1/2014 | GUTHRIE(R) | @ OAKLAND | GRAY(R) | | | 8/2/2014 | CHEN(L) | @ OAKLAND | KAZMIR(L) | | | 8/3/2014 | SHIELDS(R) | @ OAKLAND | CHAVEZ(R) | | | 8/5/2014 | | @ ARIZONA | | |
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| |  | MINNESOTA: MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The number is staggering. In the past three years, the Minnesota Twins have lost 291 games. Ninety-nine in 2011. Ninety-six each of the last two seasons.
A team that was once viewed as a model for succeeding and competing with modest financial resources has been an afterthought for too long now. They have finished last in the AL Central twice and were fourth last season.
So the Twins shed their frugal ways in the offseason, shelling out $73 million to bring in Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes to bolster a lagging rotation. They also brought back manager Ron Gardenhire on a two-year deal and moved Joe Mauer from catcher to first base in an effort to protect their franchise player from injury.
''They made a statement: `We don't want to see this again. We don't want to go through this again this summer,''' Gardenhire said.
The Twins said goodbye to longtime first baseman Justin Morneau late last season when general manager Terry Ryan traded him to the Pirates in a stretch-run deal. There weren't many other changes to an offense that has struggled to score runs, but the upgrades to the rotation have given the holdovers some peace of mind that they won't have to score seven runs a game to have a chance to win.
''It's night and day to be honest with you. Terry went out and spent some money on some good arms in Nolasco and Hughes,'' second baseman Brian Dozier said. ''Hughes had a bad year last year but is an All-Star pitcher and I think moving to this park will help him a lot. I think just getting out of New York to be honest with you. ... So we needed to address our pitching staff and Terry did that, and I'm happy about it.''
| | KANSAS CITY: KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - James Shields thinks back to last year, thoughtfully piecing together what was missing from the Kansas City Royals as they made a late push for the postseason.
The pitching was strong. The offense was coming around. The defense was sublime.
He finally settled on experience.
''These guys that didn't realize or have never been to September, when you're fighting for a playoff spot, now you have that experience,'' Shields said. ''And I think that was one of the things we were lacking last season, the experience. You tend to put too much on your shoulders. And I think the second half we definitely relaxed and put all that aside and had fun and played the game the way we know how to play, and it showed.
''I think with the experience factor now,'' Shields concluded, ''we're ready to go.''
After finishing 86-76 a year ago, and contending into September for the first time in a decade, the Royals have their sets sight squarely on their first playoff appearance since 1985 this year.
Anything less would be a disappointment. Anything less would be a failure.
''Last year was a blast. When the end of the season came in Chicago, nobody wanted to leave,'' first baseman Eric Hosmer said. ''They knew how close we were. We were right there. And it left a good taste in everyone's mouth going into the offseason, knowing how good everyone can be.''
Indeed, the Royals return most of their key players from a year ago, signing left-hander Jason Vargas to replace their only significant loss, starting pitcher Ervin Santana. They also upgraded at their weakest spots, trading for Norichika Aoki to play right field and bat leadoff and signing Omar Infante to settle a second base position that has been a black hole for years.
All of which left the notoriously frugal franchise with a record-setting payroll.
Royals manager Ned Yost hopes all those moves will pay off for a rotation that was among the league's best last year, and an offense that was among the league's worst.
''It's going to be a lineup that has offensive sequence from one to nine. You're not going to have any dead spots,'' Yost said. ''You're not going to get something going and then bam, run into a wall and have to get going again. At least, I hope not. I don't think so.''
So with more experience and an upgraded lineup, Kansas City enters its season opener Sunday at Detroit with boundless enthusiasm. |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER AL PREVIEW (MINNESOTA-KANSAS CITY) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Twins-Royals Preview* ======================
By NOEY KUPCHAN STATS Writer
Minnesota (47-57) at Kansas City (53-51), 8:10 p.m. EDT
The Kansas City Royals are very much in contention with August approaching.
A visit from the last-place Minnesota Twins could help them improve their position.
Kansas City looks to continue its recent home success against the Twins as these AL Central rivals open a three-game set Tuesday night.
Currently five games behind division-leading Detroit, the Royals (53-51) are also in the hunt for the league's second wild-card spot. Kansas City had won five in a row before falling 10-3 to Cleveland on Sunday.
Billy Butler went 3 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI, but Kansas City failed to complete the four-game sweep.
"Winning three games against these guys is pretty good," left fielder Alex Gordon told MLB's official website. "That's a good team over there and we're not satisfied with losing today, but we're happy with the series."
The Royals may be able to bounce back against the Twins (47-57), who have dropped 10 of their last 13 at Kauffman Stadium. Butler is batting .444 with eight extra-base hits and 11 RBIs in his last 17 home games in the series.
Giving the ball to James Shields (9-5, 3.58 ERA) could help, too. The right-hander threw seven strong innings but didn't receive a decision in Wednesday's 2-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
"I don't really care about wins, as long as the team wins," said Shields, who allowed one run and struck out seven. "My main focus is to go to the playoffs. So no matter what happens, I'm going to go out there and keep my team in the game, and give us a chance to win every night."
Shields is 1-3 with a 4.88 ERA in his last four starts against Minnesota, but he's received a combined two runs of support in those defeats. Shields has dropped both outings this year while allowing a combined 12 runs - five earned - over 10 2-3 innings.
The Twins closed a 3-7 homestand by avoiding a four-game sweep against the White Sox with Sunday's 4-3 win. Danny Santana and Sam Fuld drove in all four runs for Minnesota, which rallied with a three-run seventh.
"Winning one isn't a great consolation prize, but it's better than losing," Glen Perkins said after converting his 25th save. "Hopefully it'll give us a little momentum. We came back, we battled back."
Kyle Gibson (8-8, 4.19) is ready to get back on the hill for Minnesota after battling a lower back issue. The right-hander hasn't pitched since yielding all six runs over 6 1-3 innings in a 6-2 loss to Tampa Bay on July 18.
Gibson has posted a 2.19 ERA in winning each of his two starts against the Royals, including a 10-1 home victory April 11 earlier this year. While Gibson is 4-3 with a 3.28 ERA at Target Field, he's compiled a 4.97 mark on the road.
Twins second baseman Brian Dozier is batting .111 over a nine-game stretch and hitless in his last 15 at-bats. However, he's 7 for 17 with two homers and three doubles against Shields since the start of last year.
Dozier has walked once in 99 plate appearances this month after drawing 51 in 367 appearances in his first 80 games.
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| | Last Updated: 5/3/2024 1:21:13 PM EST. |
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