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MINNESOTA ( NOLASCO )
KANSAS CITY ( DUFFY ) |
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| 921 | MINNESOTA | +165 | Ov 8.5,+100 | +160 | Ov 8.5,+110 | | 922 | KANSAS CITY | -175 | Un 8.5,-120 | -170 | Un 8.5,-130 |
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| All Games | 58-72 | -0.7 | 66-59 | 4.4 | 0.251 | 0.320 | 4.7 | 0.279 | 0.327 | | Road Games | 29-35 | +6.5 | 31-31 | 4.3 | 0.248 | 0.313 | 4.3 | 0.278 | 0.328 | | vs Left-handed Starters | 19-24 | -0.7 | 22-21 | 4.7 | 0.261 | 0.324 | 4.6 | 0.286 | 0.324 | | Past 7 Games | 3-4 | -0.8 | 5-2 | 7.3 | 0.310 | 0.380 | 6.3 | 0.326 | 0.364 | | Grass Games | 54-70 | -5.1 | 63-57 | 4.3 | 0.249 | 0.318 | 4.7 | 0.278 | 0.326 | | Night Games | 29-44 | -8.4 | 34-37 | 3.9 | 0.241 | 0.305 | 4.5 | 0.278 | 0.326 | | Division | 27-28 | +5.7 | 30-23 | 5.0 | 0.260 | 0.333 | 5.0 | 0.288 | 0.332 |
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| All Games | 4.4 | 0.251 | 0.320 | 130 | 4467 | 1121 | 379 | 104 | 0.02 | 533 | 453 | 1050 | 78 | 969 | 87 | 77 | 111 | 81 | | Road Games | 4.3 | 0.248 | 0.313 | 64 | 2231 | 553 | 183 | 49 | 0.02 | 255 | 212 | 559 | 40 | 469 | 48 | 32 | 52 | 40 | | Lefty Starters | 4.7 | 0.261 | 0.324 | 43 | 1479 | 386 | 126 | 38 | 0.03 | 191 | 139 | 341 | 28 | 305 | 28 | 30 | 35 | 28 |
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| All Games | 3.47 | 1.272 | 425.4 | 180 | 164 | 416 | 34 | 125 | 319 | 18-14 | 34 | 13 | 72.3% | | Road Games | 3.38 | 1.231 | 189.3 | 76 | 71 | 179 | 10 | 54 | 149 | 7-8 | 19 | 6 | 76% |
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| All Games | 72-58 | +6.4 | 59-64 | 4.1 | 0.263 | 0.309 | 3.9 | 0.252 | 0.309 | | Home Games | 33-29 | -4.8 | 30-31 | 3.7 | 0.253 | 0.300 | 4.3 | 0.266 | 0.320 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 52-40 | +4.5 | 44-42 | 4.2 | 0.263 | 0.307 | 3.8 | 0.252 | 0.311 | | Past 7 Games | 4-3 | +0 | 3-2 | 4.1 | 0.250 | 0.306 | 4.3 | 0.261 | 0.316 | | Grass Games | 68-55 | +4.9 | 56-61 | 4.1 | 0.262 | 0.309 | 3.9 | 0.252 | 0.308 | | Night Games | 49-36 | +8.1 | 38-41 | 4.2 | 0.264 | 0.309 | 3.8 | 0.250 | 0.308 | | Division | 28-26 | -2.6 | 29-24 | 4.2 | 0.267 | 0.314 | 4.4 | 0.263 | 0.323 |
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| All Games | 4.1 | 0.263 | 0.309 | 130 | 4457 | 1174 | 333 | 83 | 0.02 | 498 | 297 | 766 | 114 | 849 | 131 | 76 | 99 | 49 | | Home Games | 3.7 | 0.253 | 0.300 | 62 | 2018 | 511 | 146 | 34 | 0.02 | 217 | 134 | 349 | 59 | 366 | 52 | 32 | 51 | 32 | | Righty Starters | 4.2 | 0.263 | 0.307 | 92 | 3163 | 831 | 238 | 58 | 0.02 | 357 | 204 | 530 | 87 | 596 | 84 | 46 | 72 | 35 |
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| All Games | 3.43 | 1.276 | 356.6 | 148 | 136 | 316 | 28 | 139 | 340 | 22-12 | 42 | 9 | 82.4% | | Home Games | 4.23 | 1.390 | 180.6 | 87 | 85 | 179 | 16 | 72 | 181 | 14-4 | 24 | 4 | 85.7% |
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| 8/12/2014 | PINO(R) | @ HOUSTON | MCHUGH(R) | 4-10 | L | 130 | 7.5 ev | O | 8 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 4 | 0 | | 8/13/2014 | GIBSON(R) | @ HOUSTON | OBERHOLTZER(L) | 3-1 | W | -110 | 8 un | U | 11 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | | 8/15/2014 | NOLASCO(R) | KANSAS CITY | DUFFY(L) | 5-6 | L | +130 | 8 ev | O | 9 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 7 | 2 | | 8/16/2014 | HUGHES(R) | KANSAS CITY | VENTURA(R) | 4-1 | W | +105 | 7.5 un | U | 6 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 1 | | 8/17/2014 | MILONE(L) | KANSAS CITY | GUTHRIE(R) | 6-12 | L | +105 | 8 ev | O | 7 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 5 | 0 | | 8/18/2014 | MAY(R) | KANSAS CITY | VARGAS(L) | 4-6 | L | +145 | 8 ev | O | 7 | 4 | 0 | 13 | 10 | 0 | | 8/19/2014 | GIBSON(R) | CLEVELAND | BAUER(R) | 5-7 | L | +105 | 8.5 un | O | 8 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 0 | | 8/20/2014 | NOLASCO(R) | CLEVELAND | HOUSE(L) | 0-5 | L | +100 | 8.5 un | U | 6 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 1 | | 8/21/2014 | HUGHES(R) | CLEVELAND | KLUBER(R) | 4-1 | W | +125 | 7 ov | U | 8 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | | 8/22/2014 | MILONE(L) | DETROIT | RAY(L) | 20-6 | W | -110 | 9 ev | O | 20 | 11 | 3 | 15 | 11 | 2 | | 8/23/2014 | PINO(R) | DETROIT | FARMER(R) | 12-4 | W | -115 | 9 ev | O | 14 | 9 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 0 | | 8/23/2014 | MAY(R) | DETROIT | VERLANDER(R) | 6-8 | L | +130 | 9 un | O | 11 | 7 | 1 | 17 | 8 | 1 | | 8/24/2014 | GIBSON(R) | DETROIT | SCHERZER(R) | 4-13 | L | +125 | 8 un | O | 12 | 12 | 1 | 18 | 13 | 0 | | 8/26/2014 | NOLASCO(R) | @ KANSAS CITY | DUFFY(L) | | | 8/27/2014 | HUGHES(R) | @ KANSAS CITY | VENTURA(R) | | | 8/28/2014 | MILONE(L) | @ KANSAS CITY | GUTHRIE(R) | | | 8/29/2014 | MAY(R) | @ BALTIMORE | GONZALEZ(R) | | | 8/30/2014 | GIBSON(R) | @ BALTIMORE | TILLMAN(R) | | | 8/31/2014 | NOLASCO(R) | @ BALTIMORE | CHEN(L) | | | 9/1/2014 | | @ BALTIMORE | | | | 9/2/2014 | | CHI WHITE SOX | | |
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| 8/12/2014 | GUTHRIE(R) | OAKLAND | LESTER(L) | 3-11 | L | +130 | 7.5 un | O | 7 | 5 | 1 | 20 | 7 | 1 | | 8/13/2014 | VARGAS(L) | OAKLAND | KAZMIR(L) | 3-0 | W | -105 | 7 ev | U | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | | 8/14/2014 | SHIELDS(R) | OAKLAND | SAMARDZIJA(R) | 7-3 | W | -105 | 7 un | O | 12 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 10 | 1 | | 8/15/2014 | DUFFY(L) | @ MINNESOTA | NOLASCO(R) | 6-5 | W | -140 | 8 ev | O | 12 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 0 | | 8/16/2014 | VENTURA(R) | @ MINNESOTA | HUGHES(R) | 1-4 | L | -115 | 7.5 un | U | 8 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 1 | | 8/17/2014 | GUTHRIE(R) | @ MINNESOTA | MILONE(L) | 12-6 | W | -115 | 8 ev | O | 13 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 1 | | 8/18/2014 | VARGAS(L) | @ MINNESOTA | MAY(R) | 6-4 | W | -155 | 8 ev | O | 13 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 0 | | 8/19/2014 | SHIELDS(R) | @ COLORADO | MATZEK(L) | 7-4 | W | -140 | 9.5 ov | O | 11 | 8 | 1 | 11 | 10 | 0 | | 8/20/2014 | DUFFY(L) | @ COLORADO | DE LA ROSA(L) | 2-5 | L | -110 | 9.5 un | U | 5 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 0 | | 8/22/2014 | VENTURA(R) | @ TEXAS | LEWIS(R) | 6-3 | W | -130 | 9 un | P | 9 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 3 | | 8/23/2014 | GUTHRIE(R) | @ TEXAS | TEPESCH(R) | 6-3 | W | -120 | 9 ov | P | 8 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | | 8/24/2014 | VARGAS(L) | @ TEXAS | BAKER(R) | 1-3 | L | -150 | 9 un | U | 6 | 6 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 0 | | 8/25/2014 | SHIELDS(R) | NY YANKEES | PINEDA(R) | 1-8 | L | -135 | 7.5 ov | O | 7 | 5 | 1 | 13 | 6 | 0 | | 8/26/2014 | DUFFY(L) | MINNESOTA | NOLASCO(R) | | | 8/27/2014 | VENTURA(R) | MINNESOTA | HUGHES(R) | | | 8/28/2014 | GUTHRIE(R) | MINNESOTA | MILONE(L) | | | 8/29/2014 | VARGAS(L) | CLEVELAND | SALAZAR(R) | | | 8/30/2014 | SHIELDS(R) | CLEVELAND | BAUER(R) | | | 8/31/2014 | DUFFY(L) | CLEVELAND | HOUSE(L) | | | 9/1/2014 | | TEXAS | | | | 9/2/2014 | | TEXAS | | |
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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 ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer
Minnesota (58-72) at Kansas City (72-57), 8:10 p.m. EDT
Having lost back-to-back games for the first time in nearly a month, the Kansas City Royals will try to keep that skid brief by continuing their success against the Minnesota Twins.
In Tuesday night's series opener, the AL Central leaders will also get to face Ricky Nolasco, who was lackluster against Kansas City in his return from the disabled list less than two weeks ago.
The Royals' 8-1 loss to the New York Yankees in a makeup game Monday gave them consecutive defeats for the first time since July 27-29 and cut their division lead over Detroit to 1 1/2 games.
"We'll bounce back. We'll be OK," said outfielder Alex Gordon, who became the 10th player to appear in 1,000 games for the franchise.
Kansas City (72-58) hasn't dropped three in a row since a four-game skid July 18-21 and facing the Twins (58-72) might help the Royals avoid another loss. They've won nine of the last 13 matchups and 12 of 16 at home.
Kansas City took three of four in Minnesota from Aug. 15-18 during a 24-6 stretch that proceeded the back-to-back losses. They also won two of three at Kauffman Stadium against the Twins during that stretch.
Minnesota enters this series having dropped 22 of 36 but has won 11 of 19 on the road
In the series earlier this month, Kansas City opened with a 6-5 win against Nolasco (5-9, 5.96 ERA) on Aug. 15 in his return from a strained right elbow. The right-hander was charged with five runs in six innings and is 0-3 with a 9.20 ERA in his last three major league starts.
He gave up four runs in 6 2-3 innings in Wednesday's 5-0 loss to Cleveland.
"I thought I was a lot better today and made a lot of good pitches. A couple pitches I'd like to have back but at the end of the day I thought I threw the ball well," Nolasco said. "It's getting there. It's a step in the right direction as far as feeling good and being able to reach back here and there, to have that flexibility."
Nolasco is 2-2 with a 4.21 ERA in four starts against Kansas City. He's had a 7.71 ERA in the losses and a 1.29 ERA in the wins.
He'll pitch opposite Danny Duffy (8-11, 2.53) for the second straight matchup. Duffy allowed three runs in 5 1-3 innings in the Aug. 15 win and is 3-3 with a 2.01 ERA in his last eight starts.
The left-hander was hurt by unearned runs as his three-start winning streak ended Wednesday. He was charged with five runs in seven innings in a 5-2 loss in Colorado but only one was earned.
Duffy is 3-0 with a 1.54 ERA in his last four starts against Minnesota.
Kurt Suzuki is 4 for 8 against Duffy this season and is batting .424 with two homers and eight RBIs in his last 11 games versus the Royals. However, he is 2 for 25 in his last seven games overall.
Alcides Escobar is 7 for 11 with two doubles and a triple against Nolasco this season. He's batting .405 (21 for 52) with nine extra-base hits and 18 RBIs in his last 22 games versus Minnesota.
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| | Last Updated: 5/2/2024 6:04:45 AM EST. |
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