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KTE: Kansas City Royals (August 2-4)

Gwreck Aug 02 2013 10:12 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Aug 02 2013 11:45 AM

Know your Royals The Royals are 54-51, third in the AL Central. Their misery is well known: they haven't had a winning season since 2003 (83-79); haven't won 90 games in a season since 1989; and haven't played in the postseason since winning the World Series in 1985. They currently sit a tantalizing 4.5 games out of the wild-card, having just won their last nine games in a row. This is an almost entirely homegrown team, with their #1 draft picks from 2004-2009 all on their active roster. The vast majority of these players have never played a game against the Mets before. Mets-Royals History The Mets are 3-3 all-time against Kansas City, having last faced them in June 2004. I'm not saying that it's been a long time, just that the only players from that game currently active in MLB: Zack Greinke (it was his fifth major league start) and Carlos Beltran (playing for the Royals). Pitching Matchups: Friday Wade Davis (R) v. Dillon Gee Davis was acquired along with big prize James Shields in the offseason from Tampa. Kansas City gave up top prospect Wil Meyers to get these two starters, in some sort of an attempt to make their team competitive this year. Davis has been pretty bad: 5-9, 5.50 ERA, 1.748 WHIP, 13 homers in 104 innings. Shields, who we miss this series, is having another solid year. Saturday Bruce Chen (L) v. Carlos Torres Bruce Chen! Yes, the guy who was the Mets' starting pitcher in the Piazza homer game. He's in his fifth season in Kansas City, now mostly working (quite efficiently) out of the bullpen. This is his fourth start of the year. 2.09 ERA and 1.142 WHIP in 51 innings. Sunday Ervin Santana (R) v. Jeremy Hefner Formerly of the Angels, Santana was traded to the Royals in the offseason. Fun Santana fact: his birth name is Johan. He changed it to avoid confusion with that other pitcher. He's active on twitter, @ErvinSantana_54 Santana is on his way to a career year. 7-6, but with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.060 WHIP. He lead the AL in homers allowed last year (39) but has done better this year, and has 115 Ks to only 31 walks. He's a free agent at the end of the year and with the Royals recent win streak, probably avoided being traded. Royal Lineup C Salvador Perez (R) is 23 years old and in his third season with the Royals. He's excellent defensively but hasn't quite lived up to what he did last year, a .799 OPS. 1B - Eric Hosmer (L) is in his third full season and is 23 years old. He's not bad: (.286/.332/.430), 11 homers, 20 doubles; but isn't quite the can't-miss prospect he was expected to be (3rd overall pick in the 2008 draft). DH Billy Butler (R) sometimes plays first base when the Royals [crossout]lose their DH[/crossout] play by proper rules, but Manager Ned Yost announced that Butler will be on the bench as the Mets are starting three right-handed pitchers. He is the Royals' best hitter, .278/.304/.405. 2B - Miguel Tejada (R), known perjurer is now playing here full-time with regular second baseman Chris Getz on the DL. Tejada spent 2012 out of the majors, in the Orioles' farm system. He's hitting an empty .287 (few walks, little power) in 137 ABs this year. SS - Alcides Escobar (R) was the big prize when the Royals traded Zack Greinke to the Brewers. Provides lots of value with his glove, but not the bat (.571 OPS this year). 3B Mike Moustakas (L) is another top Royal prospect (2nd overall pick in 2007) that made the majors but hasn't really impressed - sense a trend here? .652 OPS this year. He hit 20 homers and had 73 RBIs last year; this year, it's 9 and 25. LF Alex Gordon (L) was the 2nd overall pick in the 2005 draft. He's been in KC for 7 seasons now and has developed into a solid major league player, with a couple of excellent years in 2011 (7.3 WAR) and 2012 (6.5 WAR). .758 OPS this year. CF Lorenzo Cain (R) also came over from the Brewers in the Greinke trade. 12 for 16 in steal attempts this year. .692 OPS is middling but he's solid defensively. RF Mix-n-match since they released Jeff Francoeur in July. Justin Maxwell (R), journeyman outfielder was just acquired from Houston on Wednesday. You may remember Maxwell from hitting a walk-off grand slam against Francisco Rodriguez at the end of the miserable 2009 season. David Lough (R) (.759 OPS in 210 ABs) has also had time here. Royal Bullpen Greg Holland (R), the closer. 28 saves. 1.76 ERA and 0.976 WHIP in 41 innings, with 65 Ks. Made the AL all-star team this year. Luke Hochevar (R), first overall pick in the 2006 draft. Moved to the bullpen after 5 abysmal seasons (cumulative value: -6.7 WAR) as starter. Faring much better this year, 1.67 ERA and 0.8837 WHIP in 43 innings. Aaron Crow (R), a two-fime first round pick; in 2008, he was #9 overall but didn't sign with the Nationals, reportedly because he didn't want to be part of a "losing organization". Went #12 overall the next year for the Royals. Another one of those top Royal picks that just didn't quite work out. He's been a serviceable middle-reliever for 3 years now, but don't you expect more from your top draft pick? 2.91 ERA and 1.412 WHIP in 34 innings. Kevin Herrera (R), 9 homers in 35 innings. 4.89 ERA, 1.37 WHIP. Tim Collins (L) - only lefty in the 'pen. 4.30 ERA, 1.46 WHIP in 37 innings. 20 walks to 36 strikeouts. Royal Injuries: Regular second baseman Chris Getz suffered a knee sprain when Adam Dunn slid into him last Saturday. 15-day DL. Ex-Royals: John Buck. He was one of the prospects the Royals acquired from Houston when they traded Beltran. Ex-Mets: Bruce Chen --- Edit: I reversed Moustakas' and Escobar's positions. Escobar is the shortstop, Moustakas 3B

themetfairy Aug 02 2013 10:59 AM Re: KTE: Kansas City Royals (August 2-4)

Nice knowledge Gwreck! The Mets are 3-3 all-time against Kansas City, having last faced them in June 2004. I was there for that series!

Zvon Aug 02 2013 11:32 AM Re: KTE: Kansas City Royals (August 2-4)

Excellent KTE, thank you. Now I know my Royals pretty darn well :)

Frayed Knot Aug 02 2013 11:58 AM Re: KTE: Kansas City Royals (August 2-4)

What I know of the Royals: - the catcher Salvador Perez looks huge. Listed at 6' 3"/255 he looks even bigger. - the bullpen lefty Tim Collins is UNhuge. Listed at just 5' 7" (in a league where 6-footers on the mound are considered undersized) but he packs some heat. Watching Perez & Collins stand next to each other on the mound looks pretty funny. - Eric Hosmer has been doing better lately. 10 of his 11 HRs are since June 1st and he's one of those who is said to have benefitted from George Brett's stint as batting coach (George has since kicked himself back upstairs) - I've heard comments about the Royals maybe being the best defensive team around. I know I saw CF Lorenzo Cain made a ridonculous HR-saving play on the highlights recently. - Their nine straight win hotness hasn't gotten them too far as the teams ahead of them in the AL Central; the Tigers (won 9 of last 10) & Indians (winners of eight straight) have been nearly as hot. - They're just one game behind the Yanx in the whole WC chase. It would be nice if they stayed hot and got to the post-season ... starting Monday

G-Fafif Aug 02 2013 12:25 PM Re: KTE: Kansas City Royals (August 2-4)

I hate that the Mets have to get in the way of a good chasedown of the MFYs. Attended the first game from KC's only trip to Shea eleven years ago. Mets won on Mo Vaughn's infield single (plus error) in the ninth.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 02 2013 01:01 PM Re: KTE: Kansas City Royals (August 2-4)

I remember both series against the Royals, I think. The one at Shea was July 4th, as I recall getting the score while on a rooftop watching fireworks. They lost IIRC. (edit, wrong about that, well not about them losing a game. I guess it was just a regular rooftop party)... The series in KC was on the weekend I got married. They did quite poorly in that series too, resulting in a rare clubhouse spread overturning by Art Howe.

metirish Aug 02 2013 01:08 PM Re: KTE: Kansas City Royals (August 2-4)

Yes, excellent KTE.......I have tix for the Sunday game.....

G-Fafif Aug 02 2013 01:32 PM Re: KTE: Kansas City Royals (August 2-4)

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I remember both series against the Royals, I think. The one at Shea was July 4th, as I recall getting the score while on a rooftop watching fireworks. They lost IIRC. (edit, wrong about that, well not about them losing a game. I guess it was just a regular rooftop party)... The series in KC was on the weekend I got married. They did quite poorly in that series too, resulting in a rare clubhouse spread overturning by Art Howe. The @ KCR series was salvaged when T#m Gl@v!ne pitched the Mets to their only win of that trip (the day after Howe showed human emotion), and even then they weren't the Mets. They wore New York Cubans road uniforms.

metirish Aug 02 2013 01:35 PM Re: KTE: Kansas City Royals (August 2-4)

Wow, I think I remember they wore those uniforms.... And Kansas wore the Monarchs?

Edgy MD Aug 02 2013 01:49 PM Re: KTE: Kansas City Royals (August 2-4)

In celebration of Art Howe, I turned over the spread at Bucket's wedding.

G-Fafif Aug 02 2013 01:54 PM Re: KTE: Kansas City Royals (August 2-4)

metirish wrote: Wow, I think I remember they wore those uniforms.... And Kansas wore the Monarchs? I believe so.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 02 2013 02:48 PM Re: KTE: Kansas City Royals (August 2-4)

I just saw a month or two back that Chen was still in the league. Nuckin' Futs. The home team needs to get its scoring out of the way early in these. Their bullpen... it is quite quite.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 02 2013 03:34 PM Re: KTE: Kansas City Royals (August 2-4)

Juan Berenguer and Mariano Rivera also durable Panamanians.

Gwreck Aug 02 2013 03:39 PM Re: KTE: Kansas City Royals (August 2-4)

Just to expand on the draft pick thing...consider that Escobar and Cain were the products of the Royals trading away ANOTHER of their #1 draft picks - Zack Greinke, 2002. That's six of nine lineup spots attributable to their #1 picks: Hosmer, Escobar, Moustakas, Gordon, Cain, Butler. Plus two members of the bullpen.

G-Fafif Aug 02 2013 04:12 PM Re: KTE: Kansas City Royals (August 2-4)

Pedro Feliciano...not on Mets roster last time Mets and Royals played. He returned from minors in late July 20014, a week after David's debut.

G-Fafif Aug 02 2013 05:08 PM Re: KTE: Kansas City Royals (August 2-4)

Did not know until Keith Olbermann tweeted it (more or less accurately): When the New York Mets of the American Association were bought out by the Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers in 1887, the franchise slot was returned to the AA and was sent to Kansas City, where the Mets were replaced by the Kansas City Blues. So it's time to get even.