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TORONTO ( ESTRADA )
KANSAS CITY ( VOLQUEZ ) |
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| AL Championship Series - Best of 7 - Game 1 | |  | |
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| 951 | TORONTO | -140 | Ov 7.5,+100 | -115 | Ov 8,-110 | | 952 | KANSAS CITY | +130 | Un 7.5,-120 | +105 | Un 8,-110 |
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| All Games | 96-71 | +9.1 | 81-74 | 5.5 | 0.267 | 0.335 | 0.455 | 0.790 | 4.1 | 0.247 | 0.298 | 0.400 | 0.698 | | Road Games | 42-41 | -0.4 | 48-28 | 5.5 | 0.261 | 0.327 | 0.433 | 0.760 | 4.6 | 0.268 | 0.319 | 0.428 | 0.747 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 72-53 | +11.4 | 58-55 | 5.4 | 0.266 | 0.335 | 0.453 | 0.788 | 4.0 | 0.243 | 0.296 | 0.393 | 0.689 | | Past 7 Games | 3-4 | -3.6 | 4-1 | 4.6 | 0.234 | 0.298 | 0.417 | 0.715 | 5.0 | 0.230 | 0.265 | 0.357 | 0.622 | | Grass Games | 39-35 | +3 | 44-25 | 5.7 | 0.265 | 0.333 | 0.437 | 0.770 | 4.5 | 0.266 | 0.318 | 0.424 | 0.742 | | Night Games | 57-42 | +5.6 | 47-46 | 5.3 | 0.262 | 0.331 | 0.446 | 0.777 | 4.0 | 0.244 | 0.296 | 0.396 | 0.692 | | Playoff games | 2-2 | -2 | 3-0 | 5.2 | 0.216 | 0.264 | 0.412 | 0.676 | 4.5 | 0.230 | 0.273 | 0.322 | 0.596 |
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| All Games | 5.5 | 0.267 | 0.335 | 167 | 5694 | 1520 | 317 | 17 | 240 | 0.455 | 873 | 585 | 1186 | 92 | 1087 | 170 | 92 | 148 | 61 | | Road Games | 5.5 | 0.261 | 0.327 | 83 | 2916 | 761 | 142 | 11 | 113 | 0.433 | 423 | 284 | 635 | 46 | 537 | 98 | 48 | 79 | 29 | | Righty Starters | 5.4 | 0.266 | 0.335 | 125 | 4256 | 1134 | 231 | 12 | 180 | 0.453 | 647 | 437 | 898 | 66 | 824 | 112 | 66 | 116 | 47 |
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| All Games | 3.46 | 1.132 | 494.7 | 210 | 190 | 426 | 57 | 134 | 477 | 23-28 | 35 | 22 | 61.4% | | Road Games | 3.96 | 1.194 | 252 | 118 | 111 | 218 | 32 | 83 | 239 | 14-16 | 18 | 11 | 62.1% |
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| All Games | 98-69 | +19.7 | 76-77 | 4.5 | 0.268 | 0.315 | 0.413 | 0.728 | 4.0 | 0.249 | 0.311 | 0.397 | 0.708 | | Home Games | 53-31 | +12.1 | 38-39 | 4.6 | 0.279 | 0.328 | 0.427 | 0.755 | 3.9 | 0.247 | 0.301 | 0.392 | 0.693 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 66-41 | +19.8 | 50-48 | 4.7 | 0.265 | 0.315 | 0.413 | 0.727 | 3.8 | 0.244 | 0.309 | 0.394 | 0.703 | | Past 7 Games | 5-2 | +2.8 | 3-4 | 5.1 | 0.250 | 0.322 | 0.436 | 0.758 | 3.3 | 0.222 | 0.301 | 0.365 | 0.666 | | Grass Games | 95-65 | +20.5 | 73-73 | 4.5 | 0.270 | 0.318 | 0.418 | 0.736 | 3.9 | 0.249 | 0.310 | 0.396 | 0.707 | | Night Games | 67-52 | +5.4 | 53-57 | 4.3 | 0.264 | 0.311 | 0.401 | 0.711 | 3.8 | 0.249 | 0.309 | 0.393 | 0.702 | | Playoff games | 3-2 | +0.8 | 3-2 | 5.0 | 0.244 | 0.307 | 0.445 | 0.752 | 4.2 | 0.232 | 0.300 | 0.427 | 0.727 |
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| All Games | 4.5 | 0.268 | 0.315 | 167 | 5739 | 1537 | 307 | 43 | 147 | 0.413 | 713 | 398 | 1009 | 104 | 1111 | 156 | 86 | 144 | 76 | | Home Games | 4.6 | 0.279 | 0.328 | 84 | 2768 | 771 | 162 | 26 | 66 | 0.427 | 376 | 202 | 451 | 65 | 548 | 77 | 34 | 76 | 41 | | Righty Starters | 4.7 | 0.265 | 0.315 | 107 | 3646 | 968 | 185 | 30 | 97 | 0.413 | 472 | 262 | 648 | 69 | 687 | 95 | 47 | 93 | 47 |
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| All Games | 2.72 | 1.137 | 556.7 | 182 | 168 | 437 | 53 | 196 | 529 | 32-14 | 58 | 16 | 78.4% | | Home Games | 2.51 | 1.095 | 286.7 | 88 | 80 | 234 | 23 | 80 | 259 | 18-3 | 26 | 6 | 81.3% |
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| 10/2/2015 | BUEHRLE(L) | @ TAMPA BAY | RAMIREZ(R) | 8-4 | W | -125 | 8 ov | O | 17 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 0 | | 10/3/2015 | ESTRADA(R) | @ TAMPA BAY | ARCHER(R) | 3-4 | L | -105 | 7 ov | P | 8 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 0 | | 10/4/2015 | BUEHRLE(L) | @ TAMPA BAY | MOORE(L) | 3-12 | L | -145 | 8.5 ov | O | 9 | 10 | 2 | 13 | 2 | 0 | | 10/8/2015 | PRICE(L) | TEXAS | GALLARDO(R) | 3-5 | L | -240 | 8 ov | P | 6 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 0 | | 10/9/2015 | STROMAN(R) | TEXAS | HAMELS(L) | 4-6 | L | -165 | 7.5 ov | O | 8 | 7 | 1 | 11 | 8 | 1 | | 10/11/2015 | ESTRADA(R) | @ TEXAS | PEREZ(L) | 5-1 | W | -140 | 10 ov | U | 9 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | | 10/12/2015 | DICKEY(R) | @ TEXAS | HOLLAND(L) | 8-4 | W | -145 | 10 ov | O | 12 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 0 | | 10/14/2015 | STROMAN(R) | TEXAS | HAMELS(L) | 6-3 | W | -170 | 8 ov | O | 7 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 1 | | 10/16/2015 | ESTRADA(R) | @ KANSAS CITY | VOLQUEZ(R) | | | 10/17/2015 | PRICE(L) | @ KANSAS CITY | VENTURA(R) | | | 10/19/2015 | STROMAN(R) | KANSAS CITY | CUETO(R) | | | 10/20/2015 | DICKEY(R) | KANSAS CITY | MEDLEN(R) | |
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| 10/2/2015 | YOUNG(R) | @ MINNESOTA | SANTANA(R) | 3-1 | W | 105 | 7.5 un | U | 7 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 3 | | 10/3/2015 | VENTURA(R) | @ MINNESOTA | MILONE(L) | 5-1 | W | -120 | 7.5 un | U | 9 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 3 | | 10/4/2015 | CUETO(R) | @ MINNESOTA | NOLASCO(R) | 6-1 | W | -165 | 8 un | U | 10 | 11 | 1 | 7 | 12 | 0 | | 10/8/2015 | VENTURA(R) | HOUSTON | MCHUGH(R) | 2-5 | L | -130 | 7.5 ev | U | 6 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 7 | 0 | | 10/9/2015 | CUETO(R) | HOUSTON | KAZMIR(L) | 5-4 | W | -125 | 7.5 un | O | 11 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 0 | | 10/11/2015 | VOLQUEZ(R) | @ HOUSTON | KEUCHEL(L) | 2-4 | L | 160 | 7.5 un | U | 7 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 1 | | 10/12/2015 | VENTURA(R) | @ HOUSTON | MCCULLERS(R) | 9-6 | W | 115 | 7.5 ev | O | 8 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 1 | | 10/14/2015 | CUETO(R) | HOUSTON | MCHUGH(R) | 7-2 | W | -125 | 7.5 ov | O | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | | 10/16/2015 | VOLQUEZ(R) | TORONTO | ESTRADA(R) | | | 10/17/2015 | VENTURA(R) | TORONTO | PRICE(L) | | | 10/19/2015 | CUETO(R) | @ TORONTO | STROMAN(R) | | | 10/20/2015 | MEDLEN(R) | @ TORONTO | DICKEY(R) | |
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| |  | TORONTO: TORONTO (AP) - The upcoming season for the Toronto Blue Jays seems destined to be defined by the one young pitcher who'll miss it and the two even younger guys who'll try to replace him.
Toronto's plans for ending baseball's longest active playoff drought took a serious hit when Marcus Stroman suffered a season-ending knee injury in spring training.
The second-year right-hander tore a ligament when his knee buckled as he backed off a bunt during a pregame fielding drill. He's out for the year after undergoing surgery.
''It's tough,'' Stroman said. ''I just feel like I let my team down. I've worked harder than I ever had this offseason.''
The injury changed Toronto's thinking about 22-year-old right-hander Aaron Sanchez, who might have been closing games rather than starting them if Stroman was still healthy, and 21-year-old lefty Daniel Norris, the van-dwelling surfer dude.
The two pitchers now look likely to get their shot in Toronto's rotation, slotting in behind 200-inning workhorses R.A Dickey and Mark Buehrle, and 24-year-old right-hander Drew Hutchison.
How successful they are could well determine what happens to the Blue Jays, out of the postseason since winning their second straight World Series in 1993 and the only team that hasn't reached the playoffs this century.
''We may have to rely on a young guy who may not be proven,'' manager John Gibbons said. ''Stro was a baby, too, but a special guy.''
Sanchez has already shown signs that he could also be special. He excelled out of the bullpen in 24 games last season, posting three saves and a 1.09 ERA in 33 innings, striking out 27 while walking nine and holding opponents to a .128 average.
With the increased demands of a starting role lying ahead, the hard-throwing Sanchez has spent this spring refining his slider.
''With the way he throws, it could turn into a big strikeout pitch for him,'' Gibbons said.
The Blue Jays are also high on Norris, currently better known for spending his winters searching for prime surfing spots while living out of a 1978 Volkswagen camper van nicknamed ''Shaggy.''
''He's a different bird,'' Gibbons said. ''Anytime you live in a van, I wouldn't say that's normal.''
Norris had an abnormal 2014 season, rising from Class A to the majors after going 12-2 with a 2.53 ERA at three minor league stops. He underwent elbow surgery last October to remove bone spurs, and expects to be better this year than the pitcher who made five appearances for the Blue Jays in September.
''He's a student of the game,'' Gibbons said. ''He's a very smart kid and he's grounded. He's got the most important thing: He's got a great arm.''
After Jose Reyes and the Blue Jays went 83-79, here's what else to watch as they try to move up:
MIGHTY MIGUEL: Sanchez and Norris aren't the only impressive young arms expected to break camp with the Blue Jays. Right-hander Miguel Castro, 20, didn't allow a run in his first five spring appearances, striking out eight and walking none while allowing three hits over nine innings. A hard thrower who stands an imposing 6-foot-5, Castro has put himself in position to jump from Class A, where he went 8-3 with a 2.68 ERA last season, all the way to the majors. ''He looks like a seasoned vet out there, under control, very relaxed,'' Gibbons said.
NEW GUYS, NEW FOCUS: Toronto strengthened its lineup over the winter by signing free agent catcher Russell Martin to a five-year, $82 million contract and acquiring All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson from Oakland. Slugger Jose Bautista has praised the newcomers for making a difference in the clubhouse with their winning pedigree and intense focus. ''We need something along those lines here every now and then,'' Bautista said. ''It's good to have guys to whom winning matters.''
BLOCKING THE PLATE: Adding Martin gave the Blue Jays a logjam at catcher, where incumbent Dioner Navarro is signed through 2015 and Josh Thole is Dickey's knuckleball specialist. Martin has worked hard this spring to prove he can handle Dickey's floater, which could mean Thole is ticketed for Triple-A. Or, Toronto may yet trade the switch-hitting Navarro to open room at DH for Edwin Encarnacion, who has been slowed this spring by a balky back and may not be able to handle regular duty at first base. | | 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 AL PREVIEW (TORONTO-KANSAS CITY) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Updates throughout. With AP Photos.)
*Blue Jays-Royals Preview* ==========================
By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer
Toronto (93-69) at Kansas City (95-67), 8:07 p.m. EDT
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The Kansas City Royals and Toronto Blue Jays promise plenty of fireworks in their AL Championship Series, and not just because one team features power arms and the other power bats.
The Royals and Blue Jays already have played a contentious set of games this season, including a matchup in Toronto marked by two bench-clearing incidents. And while both sides said during Thursday's workouts that previous rancor has been forgotten, the emotionally charged atmosphere of playoff baseball means there could be some short fuses in the opener Friday night.
"It's over with. We've got to move forward," insisted the Royals' Edinson Volquez, who will start Game 1 and was arguably the biggest instigator when the teams met in August.
It was Volquez whose inside pitching drew the ire of the Blue Jays, eventually leading to the first of those bench-clearing moments. And after the game, he called Blue Jays star Josh Donaldson "a little baby" for complaining about his inside pitching.
Asked whether he intends to pitch inside again Friday night, Volquez replied: "Of course."
Royals manager Ned Yost was one word more succinct: "Absolutely."
Even if it might mean more bad blood.
"I'm not a mind reader. I'm not a fortune teller. I don't know if it's going to be an issue," Yost said. "But we'll pitch inside aggressively. That's a power-laden club over there. We're going to formulate a really good game plan and try to go out and execute."
The Blue Jays, who start Marco Estrada in the opener, won three straight elimination games against Texas to reach their first AL Championship Series since 1993. The last of those games Wednesday was as tense as they come.
After the Rangers took the lead on a fluke play, the Blue Jays stormed back thanks in part to three Texas errors. Donaldson's blooper tied the game, and Jose Bautista capped the comeback with a long three-run homer, emphatically flipping his bat nearly as high in the air.
Bautista's reaction wasn't taken well by the Rangers, who essentially called it bush league, and the entire affair touched off a wide-spread debate about decorum.
"You look at all professional sports in general, everybody celebrates more so than they used to," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "In our particular sport, if it's happening for your team, your guy gets a big hit, nobody minds it. If you're on the other side, nobody likes it."
It's not just what has gone on this postseason, or even in the regular season, that makes this ALCS matchup so juicy. It's also the history the two franchises share.
They met once before in the ALCS, with the Royals rallying from a 3-1 deficit in the first year of seven-game series. The last two wins came in Toronto, providing the Royals with so much momentum that they went on to beat the St. Louis Cardinals for their only World Series triumph.
There was plenty of emotion in that series, too.
"I think you just see so much drama at times because it's the postseason," Blue Jays shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said. "Obviously, that series in Toronto (earlier this year) was two competitive teams. I think that's why we're here right now, because it's two teams that really take pride in doing things to protect their teammates, to show that the team has a better club."
The two best teams in the American League go about things in different ways.
Much like that '85 Royals team, this one is built upon pitching and defense - hard-throwing starters and relievers, and enough speed to track down just about anything that stays in their park.
That was a big reason why they were able to down the Astros in their divisional series.
"A big part of their success is they flag the ball down, because a lot of teams can't, because the outfield is so big here," said Gibbons, a former bench coach in Kansas City. "We're built a little bit differently. I think a lot of it has to do with where we play."
The Blue Jays play in hitter-friendly Rogers Centre, so naturally they're among the best in baseball at scoring with a single swing. Bautista's shot against the Rangers was proof, but so were the major league league-leading 232 homers that Toronto hit during the regular season.
That's why the Royals intend to pitch the Blue Jays inside, to mitigate their power. And also why there could be some testy moments when the teams begin their best-of-seven showdown.
"We all know Toronto is a better team than Houston. They've got more veteran guys and more power hitters," Volquez said. "We're going to play our game. We're going to stay with the plan and do it. Like I said, do our best to win the game."
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| | Last Updated: 5/18/2024 8:56:35 AM EST. |
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