For a while there it looked like the Royals might contend in the weak AL central. Much like the Cubs they got off to a decent enough start to the season and had a winning record as recently as May 14. Then they reeled off two five-game losing streaks in the span of two weeks and that was that. They come in to this series riding their fourth five-game losing streak of the season.
There is reason to hope for Royals fans though. Unlike the Cubs, who pretty much just have Starlin Castro, the Royals have promoted a number of their future stars to the club this year, including players like Eric Hosmer and Danny Duffy. There’s a good chance we’ll see “short reliever” Tim Colllins, who the twittersphere is all over I guess. On the flip side, they also regularly play the likes of Melky Cabrera and saberist bete noire Jeff Francouer.
Team Overviews
Team stats with respective league ranking in parens:
| Cubs | Royals | |
| wOBA | .316 (7th) | .322 (6th) |
| UBR | -6.2 (16th) | 4.2 (4th) |
| UZR | -16 (15th) | 1.9 (8th) |
| SP FIP | 4.19 (14th) | 4.74 (14th) |
| RP FIP | 4.09 (14th) | 4.34 (11th) |
Hey, the Cubs bullpen isn’t last anymore! They’re on pace to move up two slots every series. By the end of the year the Cubs pen will be the -26th ranked pen in the majors!
Billy Butler and Alex Gordon have formed the main core of the Royals offense. Butler has put up a kind of strange line for a guy I seem to remember as a power hitter: .302/.404/.438. The Most Exciting Player in Baseball, Alcides Escobar, has been a black hole of suck in the lineup, batting .249/.285/.313 for a .270 wOBA over a run-killing 288 PAs. On the pitching side, only Felipe Paulino (remember him?) is the only starter to put up deent numbers, albeit over five starts. They’ve had nine pitchers start a game this season, which is just as many as the Cubs.
Pitching Matchups
Friday Friday: Ryan Dempster, RHP (5.46, 4.15, 3.38, 3.79) vs Bruce Chen, LHP (3.59, 4.95, 4.53, 4.68), 7:10 PM CT
Bruce Chen is still in baseball? What? If you look up “Replacement Level Swingman” in the dictionary you won’t find anything, but if you could then there would be a picture of Bruce Chen next to the entry. Of course, this means that you can chalk up a 7 IP, 6 K, 1 ER outing from Chen tonight.
Dempster had a hard time finding the plate in his last start, walking six batters in five and a third innings. Not having to face the patient Yankee lineup this time should give Dempster a break.
Saturday Saturday: Carlos Zambrano, RHP (4.50, 3.85, 4.10, 3.75) vs Danny Duffy, LHP (5.03, 5.11, 4.50, 4.54), 6:10 PM CT
The Royals picked up Duffy as a third round pick in the 2007 draft, and after strong years in A and A+ ball in 2008 and 2009 he blew through AA and AAA to make the big leagues. I’m guessing he was hurt in 2010, or fangraphs has something up with its minor leagues database, as he only pitched 75 innings or so across 5 different teams after pitching 126.2 innings in 2009. ZiPS seems to think he’s being a little too rushed to the bigs, but the projection systems sometimes have a hard time playing catchup to guys like Duffy. Of course, they’re down on him this season for a reason, as his current 2011 numbers show.
Z turned a rocky first inning into a strong start against the White Sox. He went eight innings for the fourth time this season, striking out five, walking two, and getting eleven grounders. This could be one of the last few starts where we’ll see Z in a Cubs uniform, so MB is lucky to see it in person.
Sunday Sunday Sunday: Randy Wells, RHP (5.70, 5.43, 4.66, 4.03) vs Luke Hochevar, RHP (4.97, 4.75, 4.18, 4.28), 1:10 PM CT
Wells struggled at times against the Yankees, but he looked much more like the RAndy Wells we expect to see in that game. He got eleven ground balls, but still continues to walk batters at a much higher pace than his career numbers suggest. It will probably still be a while until the rust gets knocked off.
Hochevar was the Royals opening day starter, and the best thing you can say about him is that he’s probably a league averageish pitcher. Like (good) Wells, he doesn’t issue too many walks and keeps the ball on the ground. However, this season he’s seen a huge drop in his strikeout rate. To his credit, he’s averaging over six innings per start. He was knocked around by the D-Backs in his last start.
Prediction
These matchups work out pretty nicely for the Cubs, but they are on the road. I’ll still take the Cubs to win the series. But this Royals team has a much brighter future than the players that Cuey is going to trot out there this series.
Someone needs to OV meme that pic of the underpants gnomes’ plan…
Oh Castro
TOOTBLAN
Soto is mired in a bad, bad funk.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Soto is mired in a bad, bad funk.[/quote]
So you’re saying he joined a terrible Rick James cover band?
[quote name=Berselius]So you’re saying he joined a terrible Rick James cover band?[/quote]
Dempster can’t hit the broad side of a barn with a bazooka right now.
So, it turns out the reason Kosuke is in center is the Reed is 1-16 against Chen.
Nice play by Castro, though it nearly was yet another error.
What about Tony Campana!? I kid.
weirdest out ever
[quote name=josh]weirdest out ever[/quote]I think Quade has made it a rule that the Cubs must complete a minimum of four throws before recording an out on the basepaths.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I think Quade has made it a rule that the Cubs must complete a minimum of four throws before recording an out on the basepaths.[/quote]
Norman Dale approves
[quote name=Berselius]Norman Dale approves[/quote]
Damn you beating me to the Hoosiers reference.
[quote name=Aisle424]Damn you beating me to the Hoosiers reference.[/quote]
Coach stays
TOOTBLAN after lead! (dying laughing)
Another run and a TOOTBLAN! (dying laughing) (dying laughing) (dying laughing)
And thrown out again. Note to Cubs: You tested the Royals’ arms. Let’s please stop doing that.
[quote name=Mish]
[/quote]
My Photoshop is busted but I can do something crude in Paint…any suggestions? Probably not a bad idea to have suggestions for when GBTS and Ryno have time or care too.
It’s like the Cubs want to just give away outs and give the other team more outs.
No, they don’t want to. They just aren’t very good.
Gragh. Fuck Jeff Francouer
Anyone else get the feeling the Cubs waited a year too long to deal Dempster?
Also the most exciting walk in baseball
This is the part where Brad or MB comes in and tells us Dempster isn’t broken (dying laughing)
Cubs lose…
[quote name=Rice Cube]This is the part where Brad or MB comes in and tells us Dempster isn’t broken (dying laughing)[/quote]
Or you could scroll up and see that he has a 3.38 xFIP
[quote name=Berselius]Or you could scroll up and see that he has a 3.38 xFIP[/quote]
I scoff at your spreadsheets.
Yeah, Demp is starting to look donesville.
(HR*13+(BB+HBP-IBB)*3-K*2)/IP
What’s the constant these days? That HR probably messed up his FIP a bit.
I don’t have a problem with Soriano trying to score with 2 outs and DJ on deck. It may have been his best chance of scoring.
Keith and Judd are excited about Moustakas’ play just now.
Kosuke’s Godzilla arm.
[quote name=ACT]I don’t have a problem with Soriano trying to score with 2 outs and DJ on deck. It may have been his best chance of scoring.[/quote]Maybe if he could still run. That said, it was pretty close.
[quote name=josh]Maybe if he could still run. That said, it was pretty close.[/quote]
Perfect throw/relay. Give Royals kudos.
Well, that’s part of the issue. The Royals are really good in the outfield. They throw out guys all the time.
[quote name=Berselius]Or you could scroll up and see that he has a 3.38 xFIP[/quote]You’re going to have to keep saying that until it isn’t true. Like next week. (dying laughing)
[quote name=josh]Well, that’s part of the issue. The Royals are really good in the outfield. They throw out guys all the time.[/quote]
Nice to see the Cubs advance scouts are as good at their jobs as the rest of the organization.
Fucking TOOTBLANs…jeez.
Hey, we tested him again. Turns out his arm still works.
Terrible judgment by Aramis there.
Didn’t know Jackie Robinson stole home 19 times. Wow.
[quote name=josh]Maybe if he could still run. That said, it was pretty close.[/quote][quote name=Rice Cube]Didn’t know Jackie Robinson stole home 19 times. Wow.[/quote]
Don’t know how that quote by Josh got in there.
Terrible blocking technique by Yogi there.
It’s April 85th.
Oooh, Ivan DeJesus decided to do something smart and not testing Francoeur’s arm…
Brett Jackson playing RF tonight for the first time in quite a while, and then Vitters left the game after a HBP.
Pretty shitty night around the minors for the Cubs. The highlight looks like a pinch hit 2 run double from… Jay Jackson.
[quote name=Rice Cube]Oooh, Ivan DeJesus decided to do something smart and not testing Francoeur’s arm…[/quote]Cubs runners are thrice bitten, once shy.
For Aramis, it’s December 3, at least with RISP
Wow, 5 hits in 1 inning, 1 run, 0 rbi. That seems much more difficult to accomplish than having, say, a 3 run inning.
You know what would have been a better use for Campana? Pinch-running in the top half of the inning. He probably could have scored off Francoeur.
The GIDP didn’t help, but ironically that was what scored the run (dying laughing)
I see BJax is having strikeout issues again.
[quote name=josh]Hey, we tested him again. Turns out his arm still works.[/quote]This team is fucked. Even the coaches are fucking stooges.
It’s painful. All the cogs are slipping.
Nice AB Bake. You really showed the good stuff there.
That was a pathetic inning.
This team…ye gods.
Campana is on first base by the grace of the baseball gods (dying laughing)
Does Sori think if you don’t swing at a slider outside you are automatically out? Quade really should tell him that’s not the case.
BJax —> Golden Sombrero *sad face*
Let’s see what extended-April Kosuke can do.
That’s two breaks in the inning ho ho ho.
Marmol being less than nasty.
12 pitches, 1 out. It’s A Way of Life.
Ruh roh!
I suppose Sullivan will find a way to make this meltdown Z’s fault.
I’d start looking for a trade partner for Marmol.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I’d start looking for a trade partner for Marmol.[/quote]
I can’t argue with you today.
I’d be sad to see Marmol go. His outings are like scary movies that keep you on the edge of your seat but (usually) have a happy ending.
Kosuke was a bad leadoff guy today…only 12 pitches in 5 PAs.
He’s been less scary this year. Seemed like last year what we saw tonight was every single outing.
[quote name=josh]He’s been less scary this year. Seemed like last year what we saw tonight was every single outing.[/quote]I know the numbers likely don’t back this up, but I get a bad feeling that he’s living on borrowed time. But we all know how reliable gut feelings are. (dying laughing)
[quote name=josh]He’s been less scary this year. Seemed like last year what we saw tonight was every single outing.[/quote]I meant scary in the sense of feeling that the game is on the line. Marmol always looks as though he’s out of control, but he still gets results.
That said, I’ve been bothered a little that he isn’t getting as many swings and misses as he did last year (his control has been a bit better, at least).
Smokies win!
Virginia just screwed up a bases-loaded, no out situation. I think South Carolina is going to advance to meet Florida in the College World Series finals.
D-Lee was 3-5 with a walkoff homer.
[quote name=ACT]D-Lee was 3-5 with a walkoff homer.[/quote]He’s no Blake DeWitt.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]He’s no Blake DeWitt.[/quote]
I’m sure that thrills him to no end.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]He’s no Blake DeWitt.[/quote]You wouldn’t know it from his slash line this year.
[quote name=ACT]You wouldn’t know it from his slash line this year.[/quote](dying laughing)
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=16245467
Someone teach Campana how to bunt. I can’t tell if he was out or not.
Ned Yost refers to Getz as “Getzy.” http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=16247871
2013 division winners:
NL East- Washington
NL Central- Cincinnati
NL West- Rockies
AL East- impossible to predict; Rays system seems loaded, so does TOR, but I’d never bet against BOS or NYY
AL Central- Royals
AL West- TEX or SEA
I knew he changed his name, but not to what… (dying laughing)
It’s to the point where I don’t even bother to check the score from last night each morning.
/not a real fan
[quote name=ACT]I meant scary in the sense of feeling that the game is on the line. Marmol always looks as though he’s out of control, but he still gets results.[/quote]That’s pretty much what I meant, too. Seemed like he couldn’t get a save last year until he let the winning run get in scoring position first.
My favorite Marmol save last year was when Ted Lilly brought a no-hitter into the ninth with a 1-0 lead. Ted was pulled after giving up a hit to the first batter. Marm then walked the first batter and balked them over to second and third with no outs. I nearly died of a heart attack that night.
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/6155968-417/cubs-in-no-hurry-to-start-purging-salary-with-team-playing-better.html
They’re gonna take a wait and see approach..
new shit