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MLB : ATS Matchup

TAMPA BAY (43 - 41) at KANSAS CITY (46 - 33)
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Monday, 7/6/2015 8:10 PM
ALEX COLOME (R) vs. EDINSON VOLQUEZ (R)
Board OpeningLatest
 LineTotalLineTotal
967TAMPA BAY+130Ov 7.5,+105+120Ov 7.5,-105
968KANSAS CITY-140Un 7.5,-125-130Un 7.5,-115
ADVANCED TEAM STATS
TAMPA BAY - Current Season Performance
 Team RecordsTeamOpponent
 W-LUnitsO-URunsAvgOBPSLGOPSRunsAvgOBPSLGOPS
All Games43-41+135-443.60.2410.2970.3780.6753.60.2320.2950.3650.660
Road Games23-16+1011-263.70.2400.2970.3830.6802.90.2190.2860.3390.625
vs Right-handed Starters28-33-5.728-313.50.2370.2910.3640.6563.80.2290.2970.3680.666
Past 7 Games1-6-55-13.30.1810.2310.2690.5005.30.2350.3180.3990.718
Grass Games19-14+7.710-213.90.2490.3010.3960.6972.80.2220.2890.3450.635
Night Games31-28+3.425-303.70.2390.2990.3770.6753.80.2420.3050.3780.684
TAMPA BAY - Team Hitting and Fielding Statistics
Team BattingTeam BattingTeam Fielding
 RunsAVGOBPGABH2B3BHRSLGRBIBBSOSBLOBGIDPERRDPOSB
All Games3.60.2410.29784279867412919720.3782892256916054072425948
Road Games3.70.2400.2973913393226411350.3831391073112425737172915
Righty Starters3.50.2370.2916120494869815440.3641981575133538551314538
TAMPA BAY - Bullpen Pitching Statistics
 ERAWHIPIPRERHHRBBSOW-LSVBSVPct.
All Games3.881.306283.31291222543911627314-1734881%
Road Games3.161.328128484510813621116-918481.8%

KANSAS CITY - Current Season Performance
 Team RecordsTeamOpponent
 W-LUnitsO-URunsAvgOBPSLGOPSRunsAvgOBPSLGOPS
All Games46-33+11.133-374.20.2680.3120.3990.7103.60.2400.3000.3770.678
Home Games24-15+5.115-204.10.2700.3210.3990.7193.30.2420.2970.3720.669
vs Right-handed Starters33-19+12.425-214.60.2730.3220.4100.7323.50.2370.2960.3860.682
Past 7 Games2-5-4.11-42.10.2100.2750.3040.5783.90.2570.3090.4470.756
Grass Games46-33+11.133-374.20.2680.3120.3990.7103.60.2400.3000.3770.678
Night Games32-23+6.923-264.00.2710.3120.3950.7063.40.2360.2960.3650.661
KANSAS CITY - Team Hitting and Fielding Statistics
Team BattingTeam BattingTeam Fielding
 RunsAVGOBPGABH2B3BHRSLGRBIBBSOSBLOBGIDPERRDPOSB
All Games4.20.2680.31279268671913820580.3993141724704552874416734
Home Games4.10.2700.3213912573406812230.399155932043125732143918
Righty Starters4.60.2730.3225217414768616400.4102211243072833253194423
KANSAS CITY - Bullpen Pitching Statistics
 ERAWHIPIPRERHHRBBSOW-LSVBSVPct.
All Games2.031.028261.76259181168823614-525680.6%
Home Games1.710.995131.72525994321128-113286.7%
SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
TAMPA BAY - Schedule
 Team StatsOpp Stats
DateTeam StarterOpponentOpp StarterScoreW/LLineTot.O/UHLOBEHLOBE
6/22/2015ANDRIESE(R)TORONTOHUTCHISON(R)5-8L-1257 ovO151411140
6/23/2015ARCHER(R)TORONTODICKEY(R)4-3W-1607 unP981431
6/24/2015KARNS(R)TORONTOESTRADA(R)0-1L-1157.5 unU470681
6/26/2015COLOME(R)BOSTONPORCELLO(R)3-4L-1157.5 unU12801080
6/27/2015ANDRIESE(R)BOSTONMILEY(L)4-1W-1107.5 unU750320
6/28/2015ARCHER(R)BOSTONMASTERSON(R)3-5L-1756.5 ovO1090841
6/29/2015KARNS(R)CLEVELANDANDERSON(R)1-7L-1207 unO3111391
6/30/2015RAMIREZ(L)CLEVELANDSALAZAR(R)2-6L+1257 unO231741
7/1/2015COLOME(R)CLEVELANDCARRASCO(R)1-8L+1357 unO1211040
7/2/2015MOORE(L)CLEVELANDKLUBER(R)4-5L+1156.5 unO731841
7/3/2015ARCHER(R)@ NY YANKEESTANAKA(R)5-7L1157 unO1260990
7/4/2015KARNS(R)@ NY YANKEESPINEDA(R)2-3L1557.5 unU761660
7/5/2015RAMIREZ(L)@ NY YANKEESNOVA(R)8-1W1209 unP961373
7/6/2015COLOME(R)@ KANSAS CITYVOLQUEZ(R) 
7/7/2015MOORE(L)@ KANSAS CITYYOUNG(R) 
7/8/2015ARCHER(R)@ KANSAS CITYGUTHRIE(R) 
7/9/2015KARNS(R)@ KANSAS CITYBLANTON(R) 
7/10/2015RAMIREZ(L)HOUSTONMCCULLERS(R) 
7/11/2015ODORIZZI(R)HOUSTONKEUCHEL(L) 
7/12/2015MOORE(L)HOUSTONVELASQUEZ(R) 

KANSAS CITY - Schedule
 Team StatsOpp Stats
DateTeam StarterOpponentOpp StarterScoreW/LLineTot.O/UHLOBEHLOBE
6/22/2015BLANTON(R)@ SEATTLEHERNANDEZ(R)4-1W1406.5 unU1040220
6/23/2015GUTHRIE(R)@ SEATTLEMONTGOMERY(L)0-7L1057 ovP4601082
6/24/2015DUFFY(L)@ SEATTLEELIAS(L)8-2W-1107 unO1341970
6/26/2015VOLQUEZ(R)@ OAKLANDHAHN(R)5-2W1157 evP1181441
6/27/2015YOUNG(R)@ OAKLANDKAZMIR(L)3-2W1357 unU872450
6/28/2015GUTHRIE(R)@ OAKLANDCHAVEZ(R)5-3W1307.5 unO8701192
6/29/2015BLANTON(R)@ HOUSTONMCCULLERS(R)1-6L1157 unP570770
6/30/2015DUFFY(L)@ HOUSTONKEUCHEL(L)0-4L1406.5 unU870630
7/1/2015VOLQUEZ(R)@ HOUSTONVELASQUEZ(R)5-6L1057.5 unO7301080
7/2/2015YOUNG(R)MINNESOTAGIBSON(R)0-2L-1557.5 unU4701070
7/3/2015GUTHRIE(R)MINNESOTAMILONE(L)3-2W-1357.5 unU10102550
7/4/2015BLANTON(R)MINNESOTAPELFREY(R)3-5L-1558 ovP9801370
7/5/2015DUFFY(L)MINNESOTASANTANA(R)3-2W-1508.5 unU440750
7/6/2015VOLQUEZ(R)TAMPA BAYCOLOME(R) 
7/7/2015YOUNG(R)TAMPA BAYMOORE(L) 
7/8/2015GUTHRIE(R)TAMPA BAYARCHER(R) 
7/9/2015BLANTON(R)TAMPA BAYKARNS(R) 
7/10/2015DUFFY(L)TORONTOESTRADA(R) 
7/11/2015VOLQUEZ(R)TORONTOBUEHRLE(L) 
7/12/2015YOUNG(R)TORONTO  
KEY GAME INFORMATION
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.''
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?
PREVIEW
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER AL PREVIEW (TAMPA BAY-KANSAS CITY) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Rays-Royals Preview* =====================

By CHRIS ALTRUDA STATS Editor

Tampa Bay (42-41) at Kansas City (45-33), 8:10 p.m. EDT

It was a rewarding Sunday for the Kansas City Royals in more ways than one.

Looking to sustain their momentum for the final week of the first half of the season and ready to show off their newly minted All-Stars, the Royals open a four-game series Monday night against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The AL Central-leading Royals (46-33) endured a rough stretch early last week with a four-game losing streak - including three in a sweep by upstart Houston - before grinding out a four-game split versus Minnesota, their closest pursuers in the division. Eric Hosmer's double in the ninth plated Lorenzo Cain with the winning run as Kansas City rebuilt its division lead over the Twins to 4 1/2 games.

"It's huge. It's as big a game as you're going to play in early July," manager Ned Yost said. "Very seldom do you have a chance to make it a two-game swing."

After the game, Yost - who will manage the AL team after reaching the World Series last year - learned he would have at least four of his players on the bench with him in Cincinnati for next week's All-Star game as catcher Salvador Perez, shortstop Alcides Escobar and outfielders Cain and Alex Gordon were voted as starters by the fans. It's the first time the Royals have had an All-Star starter since Jermaine Dye in 2000, and they likely will match their team record of five set in 1982 since Eric Hosmer could make it as an injury replacement while reliever Wade Davis (0.25 ERA) is an extremely strong candidate.

"It's just been the support of our fans, really, over the last two years," said Gordon, making his third straight All-Star appearance. "Winning brings attention and that's what we've been doing. I think we play with a lot of energy, a lot of fun. People have noticed it."

Edinson Volquez (8-4, 3.48 ERA) again seeks his fifth consecutive victory after arguably his worst outing of the season. He allowed five runs - three coming on two homers - and eight hits in five-plus innings Wednesday, but the Royals rallied to get him off the hook in their 6-5 loss to the Astros.

The right-hander is 2-0 with a 2.66 ERA in three lifetime starts against the Rays, pitching eight innings of one-run ball last year in an 8-1 victory. Tampa Bay shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, who is 13 for 35 in his last 10 games to raise his average to .226, is 3 for 8 with a homer against Volquez.

The Rays (43-41) righted themselves with an 8-1 victory Sunday over the Yankees to avoid a three-game sweep in the Bronx and end a season-worst seven-game losing streak. James Loney and Logan Forsythe each had two-run singles for Tampa Bay, which shook off a pair of walkoff defeats to avoid falling to .500 for the first time since June 1.

"At the plate we got going, finally," said Forsythe, who is only 2 for 24 over his last seven games and went hitless in 12 at-bats versus Kansas City in 2014. "It's nice to have a quality game."

Alex Colome (3-4, 4.70) is hoping the offense delivers again while potentially fighting to save his spot in the rotation. He's 0-3 with a 4.63 in his last eight starts and was tagged for five runs and eight hits over seven innings in an 8-1 loss to Cleveland on Wednesday.

"They don't say nothing to us," Colome told MLB's official website about possibly being bumped for Jake Odorizzi, who will make a rehab start Monday in Charlotte. "Something you have to ask the manager. The only thing I can do is do my job. Go out and pitch."


Last Updated: 3/19/2024 12:02:56 AM EST.


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