Kansas City Royals

[jsearles22]

Why hasn't Danny Duffy started any postseason games? I guess what they were doing to go 8-0 was working but this guy was prob their best pitcher this season. Did he start the season in the pen or was he moved to the pen later in the season?

Ned Yost is the answer. His old-school managerial style. Duffy was recovering from Tommy John, started off in the pen, then rejoined the rotation. I thought the same as you though, China, there's no reason journeymen like Guthrie and Vargas should be starting over Duffy.

Duffy had an injury scare late in the season and missed two starts too. Young kid coming off of Tommy John, logged a bunch of innings this year already, and had bullpen experience. Those are the primary reasons. Ned Yost is quirky but the pitching coach is one of the best in the league in Dave Eiland.

Its really a whole mish mash of reasons. One you have to look at how the playoffs have gone. Royals 8-0, but thats not 8 straight. Shields is penciled in at #1 no matter what (even though he blows). He pitches the WC game and first game of the ALCS. Ventura is a rock solid #2 and not going anywhere. With the days off those guys have started 6 of the 8 games in the playoffs I believe. So really we never got to our #4 because we simply didnt need him. If you want to argue that Duffy isnt the #4 in reality, I would agree with you. Im just trying to explain.

Yost has explained this a few times a few ways, but here is another variable he claims. In the post season you will have a quick hook and need a long guy if you have to pull a starter early. One, its beneficial if that long guy is the opposite arm as your starters. Royals are heavy righty, so this guy being a lefty helps. Then he has strikeout overpowering stuff that Vargas doesnt, so the role fits him better from that standpoint. And Duffy has pitched out of the pen in the past. And you are worried about his innings load. And he's a young guy that isnt as set in a routine as a starter. ETC ETC, the reasons go on and on.

KC dirty little secret all year is that "Big Game" James Shields is washed up. He cant throw the ball by anyone and his changeup is solved at this point. He gets by on guts and guile. He has a 7+ ERA so far in 4 playoff starts. Thats almost Kershaw bad.

[BeerAndPoker]

LOL at some guy wearing a Marlins jacket in the front row behind home plate yesterday. Two seats over is KC rapper Tech N9ne who paid $6k per ticket and no way was he going to be wearing any blue.

[JimmyG_415]

Looks like a pick em tonight

Don't you have to take Bumgardner and Giants?

KC magic and home field is squaring up what I see as a pretty decent edge Bum vs Shields.

Bullpens are pretty even up.

Love the Royals story but Bumgardner and Giants experience have to be the correct play.

The Royals trio of Herrera, Davis, and Holland, with their stats combined, would have had the greatest regular season of any starting pitcher ever. Bob Gibson-dead-ball-era level dominance. They've continued in the playoffs as well, along with their manager finally becoming more liberal with their usage.

Giants bullpen is good, but not even close to KC. No one in the Giants pen really scares hitters. The only guy who can hit mid-90's with their fastball is the youngster Strickland, and he's given up 4 hr's in 4 innings so far this postseason. Romo, Casilla, and Affeldt are a respectable top-3 in any teams pen, but they don't come close to KC's 3 right now.

when I first saw this, my inner homerdome wanted to lash out, then I realized I hadn't seen one KC game all year, (not even the 3 vs SF for some reason.) I looked at the stats, KC had better #'s for sure, but Giants could be considered "close".
But, after seeing them in action last night, I'm a believer now. KC's D is pretty impressive, too.
The Giants do not want to be 1 run down after the 6th.






So to the people telling me to hedge
I didn't do anything prior to game # 1 for a few reasons
# 1 I thought the G's would win
# 2 I didn't think the line on KC would go up too much if they did win game # 1 like 140 or 150.
Where if SF won it would go to like 200.

prior to Game # 2
5dimes had SF -185, but my local was -220, coming back +185, so I bet 100 on KC @ +185
And just now another 200 @ +105 on KC, as I'm not nearly as confident as I was prior to game #1.

Final plays
50 to win 1500 on SF
300 to win 395 on KC.

[Sanlmar]

Taking the under 6.5

Big field.
Bumgarner
Quick hook for Shields
Good defense

Big scores lately are an aberration statistically.

[BeerAndPoker]

I don't see Shields collapsing again.

Going with KC +150 tonight.

Royals may lose but getting +150 is just value I can't pass up.

[Sanlmar]

I don't see Shields collapsing again.

Going with KC +150 tonight.

Royals may lose but getting +150 is just value I can't pass up.

Shields is what his postseason numbers say he is. None to fresh.

I still like your play. 4-5 innings minimal damage works for KC

[Sanlmar]

I don't see Shields collapsing again.

Going with KC +150 tonight.

Royals may lose but getting +150 is just value I can't pass up.

Good read on Shields.

Bumgarner looks like he's coming back out. (keeps that under lookin solid).

[Hockey Guy]

Taking the under 6.5

Big field.
Bumgarner
Quick hook for Shields
Good defense

Big scores lately are an aberration statistically.

Good call.

[BeerAndPoker]

I don't see Shields collapsing again.

Going with KC +150 tonight.

Royals may lose but getting +150 is just value I can't pass up.

Solid pick this guy made!

Just had to finish up a terrible weekend of several losers that even the winners I did bet kept me down quite a bit. Oh well, poker was decent at least so I really should just concentrate on that atm.

The Royals go back home now so maybe that will help them avoid elimination on Tuesday night.

[Sanlmar]

Game 7 will be fun cause anything is possible.

But you gotta make a pick so here goes.

Hudson vs Guthrie.

Hudson is a contact pitcher. Lotta ground balls. Started leaving ball high & he was gone. Every inning & every batter is crucial and Bochy will not & cannot ride it out.

Guthrie can't strike batters out. He has gotten to 2 strikes about 25 times and never gets a swing and miss 3rd strike.

No genius here but it comes down to bullpens. Royals have a rested HDH. Nobody mentions Shields.

Oh, Bumgarner. 117 pitches & 2 days rest. 47 innings in playoffs - most of any lefty ever. See where I'm going? He has not been able to do his between game work. Pitchers are robots in their routine. It is so important.

Bumgarner is a control pitcher - he has, in an epic fashion, put the ball on the edges inside and out. There is a reason pitchers ice their arm and pop ibuprofen for swelling. It's like running a marathon - your fucked for a while. His control is going to suffer to some degree.. A missed pitch is a hit against the Royals.

If Bumgarner were in any condition Bochy would start him and see how that goes.

Bochy HAS to put Bumgarner in, however. If Giants lose & Bochy didn't pitch Bumgarner - that would be quite the post game press conference.

Home crowd for Royals. Game seven home team record of winning.

Gotta go with Royals 5-3.

[JimmyG_415]

I just wanted it noted somewhere that I do NOT think this is a dynasty.

If someone thinks this is, they either don't follow the sport, or they are homers (1/2 the G fans don't follow, and are just looking for a good party).

I'd say you at least have to dominate one season, or go back to back to put dynasty on your resume.

2010 they had to win the last game of the season to get in. (after SD completely collapsed, losing a 10 game lead in August)
2011 they didn't make the playoffs 8 games out of 1st
2012, won division by 8 games, but only tied for the 3rd best record in the NL
2013 they didn't make the playoffs 16 games out of 1st
2014, they wouldn't have made the playoffs unless they added a 5th team.

The ballpark was supposed to be a launching pad, once they realized it wasn't and Bonds finally retired, they shifted gears.
All about D, pitching, and the farm clubs. (Posey, Belt, Panik, Crawford, Sandoval all SF draft picks)
They just keep putting it all together at the right time.

That said, I don't think any team can/will dominate again the way Free Agency is.
Nothing better than your team in the baseball playoffs. (unless maybe hockey)
No football game can have the ebb and flow of a 7 game series over 9 days.

Here is the biggest sports star in SF since Montana won his 4th Super bowl.
The guy wanted to ride a f'ng horse for the parade.