Hey National League..... ready for DH yet?

Watching the WIld Card game on October 2nd between the Rockies and Cubs it solidified something in my mind. It is time for the National League to do away with the pitchers batting. In that game which after 162 games of regular season baseball the wild card game has one winner and one team that moves on in the playoffs.

In the bottom of the 8th with the visiting Rockies leading 1-0 and the Cubs batting and 2 outs, the Cubs star Anthony Rizzo singles. Then the manager puts in a pinch runner Tarrence Gore for Rizzo. Now Gore may be the fastest player in the major leagues and maybe the most famous one tool pinch runners over the last 4-5 years. He is fast and immediatly stole 2nd. And a side note, he also slides into the bag harder than anyone in the history of baseball. But the nxt batter, perhaps the MVP candidate Jave Baez doubles in the left center gap and Gore scores from 2nd maybe before the ball made it to the warning track. My point is he could have scored from 1st on that hit but that is irrelevant.

Then we had to watch in extra innings as Gore with career numbers like this...a batting average of .063, he has 16 at bats and 27 stolen bases, and ONE career hit. In last nights game he had 2 at bats and 2 strikeouts. Rizzo has a career batting average of .270, in 2018 he has 25 home runs and 160 hits. And he watching a third of that game FROM THE BENCH.

Both teams, due to the pitching changes and double switches had many of their best players on the bench late in that game. Cubs also had Bote on the bench early and one of their best hitters Schwarber on the bench almost the whole game with one at bat. The Rockies due to double switches also lost leadoff hitter Blackmon, Desmond, Holliday and starting catcher Ianetta on the bench by the extra innings.

This is nuts! MLB is all concerned about pace of game and overall length of game. Well here is a thought... how about allowing the best pitchers and the best hitters to play ALL GAME. Actually the Cubs lost their great starting pitcher after pitching 6 innings allowing 1 run 4 hits while striking out NINE batters. The lost him because he was set to leadoff in the bottom of the 6th. He had only thrown 86 pitches and in the American League he would have pitched the 8th most likely. He looked unhittable as the game went on.

Bottom line to me is.... think about this National League and Major League Baseball. It's time to bring the Designated Hitter to the National League! After 162 regular season games, the playoffs should be played by the teams BEST players not by anyone less.

Game 6 - "ACE" Ventura Time

The 2014 World Series Game 6 was over fairly quick. With 7 runs in the bottom of the 2nd the Royals had forced a game 7 against the San Francisco Giants. Then it was the Yordano Ventura show. With a RIP OT written on his hat in memory of his lost friend Oscar Taveras. The final score was 10-0 Royals. Mike Moustakis hit a late home run and set the Royals team record for home runs in the post season. Pretty good for a team that was dead last in the long ball in 2014.

Top of the first the stage was set after a 1, 2, 3 inning that included a great running catch by Lorenzo Cain. Ventura was sharp. Not strikeout sharp but it was an easy 7 inning shutout performance by the rookie flame thrower. There was even a little flash when he nabbed a bouncer back at him, a little leg kick and glove to knee tap then thrw the batter out. The future is bright for Yordano Ventura and the Kansas City Royals.

The ballpark was electric as you would expect it to be, but seeing it in Kansas City is something special. In my opinion, no matter what happens here everything past game 6 is gravy. Win or lose fans have their respect back for the Royals and are ready to stay on board as the Royals could maintain this for a couple of years. Sure I will be disappointed if game 7 ends with an island of bouncing orange and black in the middle of the diamond. But how sweet would it be to see a see of BLUE dancing around with the fans at Kauffman Stadium and throughout the Midwest!

Let's Go Royals !! Clap...Clap...ClapClapClap
Let's Go Royals !! Clap...Clap...ClapClapClap
Let's Go Royals !! Clap...Clap...ClapClapClap

Final Strike !

BBQ Billy and Second Guessing

The 2014 World Series between the Royals and Giants is ready for game 6 in Kansas City tonight. After winning 2 of 3 in San Francisco the Giants hold a 3-2 lead and hope to wrap it up tonight. I wanted to post some thoughts because if I don't get it done it may never get them put down and on record.

Those that know me understand that I am glass half full kind of guy and as much as I have questioned manager Ned Yost in the past, this year I have pretty much had confidence in this post season as almost every string he had pulled seemed to fall in place and just work. I give my brother Steve credit for opening my thoughts on Yost and things like the playing or not playing of Billy Butler.

As the game went along we were texting and discussing moves and lineup changes. After seeing the result of the 3 games in San Fran and listening to the post game discussions by Soren Petro and Rany Jazayerli,  I am fully in the second guessing group. Regardless of what happens tonight in game 6 and hopefully game 7, things could have been different.

2nd Guess #1 - I understand no DH changes things in the NL park for games 3 and 4 and I am sort of ok with that. But why in 3 games in the NL league park did perhaps the best hitter on the team sit on the bench and get only ONE at bat. Jason Nix, a late season add on player with ZERO career hits as a Royal in 2014 actually had 2 at bats in SF and Billy Butler had only ONE at bat in the next to last inning of game 5. Explain this... Butler 0-1 and Nix 0-2??? You pinch hit Butler to leadoff in the 8th down by 2 runs? Did those decisions give the Royals the best chance to win?

BBQ Billy

Butler is one of the few that has had very good results vs Bumgarner. Lefties vs Bumgarner are especially bad against him and for some strange reason the lineup for game 5 had a pitcher batting and only 3 right handed bats. Yost started 5 lefties against this tough pitcher. Another thing.. if Butler gives you a better chance in the 8th leading off down 2, then why does he not give you a better chance in the previous 7 innings? Sure his defense is not Gold Glove like Hosmer, but with Bumgarner, runs are critical. There were also some chances to pinch hit Butler earlier in the game with runners on base. Bottom line is Billy BBQ Butler should have been in the starting lineup for game 5. In his one at bat, he strikes out on a curve ball that was way outside but was called a strike.

Think back to the last week of the season, Royals are chasing the Tigers for the AL West crown and it was a national Fox tv broadcast on the next to last Saturday of the regular season. Yost sat Butler vs a lefty, he didn't even DH in Kansas City! Royals lost and it seemed to stretch the Tigers lead out of reach. The next game Butler was back in and had a couple of RBI's and it seemed to light the fire to clinch the Wild Card for the final week of the season. Again I ASSumed that Yost had learned his lesson with BBQ Billy. I ASSumed incorrectly.

Christian Colon

2nd Guess # 2 -  The 25 man roster for the World Series dropped rookie Christian Colon and added the inept veteran Jayson Nix. Regular season 2014 he had 8 at bats and ZERO hits. When it was announced I assumed it was for defense flixibility in the NL games but after review Christian Colon played the same various positions, but actually hit .333 in 21 games and has speed. Whatever Yost said to justify it before the series started, this was a mistake. A player with zero hits as a Royal vs a player that contributed to your playoff run and hit over .300 in both AAA and the majors this year. This one also in on you Ned.

I do still think Ned has done a great job with this team and really doubt that there have been very many World Series winning teams where the manager moves and decisions were not questioned. It's the fun of the game. Good call Steve... you got this right! And I did not even discuss the botched double switch and playing Dyson in game 5 as he cannot hit lefties at all. This game like no other leads to moments like this to question so who really knows what will happen tonight in game 6. Personally I am confident in a game 6 win and then the famous game 7 will be a thrill. Regardless of the result, it's still a game. Enjoy this friends.... enjoy it!  

From one of my favorite writers, his post after game 5...

From Rany on the Royals...
God willing, I’ll be one of those fans tomorrow night, and (hopefully) Wednesday night as well. The Royals are two wins away from delivering us a championship I honestly never even contemplated as being within the realm of possibility, of delivering me a memory I never dreamed would be a reality. I expect them to do everything in their power to deliver it. It’s only fair that I hold myself to the same standard, and cheer them on from the stands, to give the same 100% I demand from them, until the final out. Until we are defeated. Or until we are delirious.

Heavy Dose of Perspective

During game 5 after the Giants took the 2 run lead, it was announced on the national Fox broadcast that St. Louis Cardinals star prospect Oscar Taveras was killed in an automobile accident in the Dominican Republic.

Sure the World Series is stressful and full of passion and emotion. But then reality steps up and caused me and a lot of others to put a baseball game in to proper perspective. Live each inning of your life with love and happiness and pray for extra innings! I am 55 years old and realize more and more each day that life is precious, appreciate it and your loved ones. May God be with him, his girlfriend and their families... and you.

St. Louis Cardinals Article

Game 5 - Bumgarner, 'Nuf Said

Game 5 was all Bumgarner and if you didn't know better you would start praying hard as Joe Buck and crew pretty much called the 2nd coming of Christ and his name in Bumgarner. Ok, now I am sure when the Royals were wheeling and dealing in their wins, the Giants fans got tired on hearing about how incredible Lorenzo Cain is and how HGH is the greatest thing since sliced bread. But is also might by my frustrated Loyal Royal fan heart speaking but you gotta admit they were laying it on thick even about Giants manager Bochy and how is has pulled all the right strings when earlier in the series they were saying that Yost actually out managed him in Game 2. But for quite a ways in the future Joe Buck will call World Series games and if the Royals are in it, oh well. It is what it is. Win and those things won't upset us.

To the game... Bumgarner complete game shutout. That's about it really. While James Shields did step up and pitch a nice game and deserved better, the usually tight defense and 2-3 lapses that cost them this game. A couple of balls went past Escobar that usually don't and Dyson misplayed a line drive single in center and could have easily thrown out The Panda. Because he is well, large and slow and even held up for a second on a ball hit to short center and if  Dyson fields it clean and makes a decent throw, then Sandoval is out by 6 feet. Now it's 0-2 Giants and that was all they would need.

One bright spot was another great catch by Lorenzo Cain... LINK HERE if Video wont play !

Shields pitched very well. He made an adjustment to where he was holding the ball in his motion. Up chest high instead of waist high like it was in game 1. It worked, he got a lot of swings and misses and kept the Royals close. But not close enough with Bumgarner on the hill.

More on the Yost decisions and 25 man World Series roster and how I am doing my part to win the World Series !! Watch for my next posts... stay tuned!

Finals Game 3 and 4 Split

The key is that the Royals won the first game in San Francisco which guaranteed no matter what the Series will go back to Kansas City. Well they could have swept at AT&T but with Bumgarner throwing Game 5, not gonna happen.

Game 2 was a typical KC win. String together some key hits, play great defense and get slightly above average job by the starter. Guthrie worked 5 scoreless innings and after the offense scored 2 in the top of the 6th he tired in the 6th. Giants got 2 off of Jeremy and Rookie Brandon Finegan but after 6 it was 3-2 Royals. Strong bullpen came in and closed the door when the Giants got close. Royals win 4-3 and lead series 2-1.

Game 3 started like a typical Royals win, as they jumped out to an early lead and it was looking really good for KC in the first half of the game. After 4 innings it was 4-2 Royals with starter Jason Vargas on the mound. Bottom of the 5th the Giants scored 2 runs to tie but it could have been worse. Quickly in the top of the 6th, Dyson leads off with a single... and to this day I still do not know why Dyson did not steal or at the very least why Yost did not call for a sac bunt with Aoki pinch hitting. But neither happened and the 2nd pitch to Aoki he grounds in to an easy double play and threat over.
Running puts pressure, forcing the fielders to make a tough play puts pressure because as Dyson puts it "dat's wut speed do"... but speed never was given a chance, Even if they only get one run out it, that run could have been a huge momentum swing after the Giants had just tied it moments ago. But we may never really know... missed opportunity.

After that,  the Giants the delight of the home crowd went to work and scored 3 in the 6th and 4 in the7th and game over with the Giants winning 11-4. Series knotted up at 2 games a piece. And with Bumgarner throwing game 5, most likely heading back to KC with Giants up 3 games to 2 and we will have 2 pressure packed games and a sweep required to win the 2014 series. But hey, lets get game 5 and 6 in the books first !

Took photos of the coverage for Game 3... good times !!

Beautiful Ballpark Location

JGuts !!

The H in HDH !

Finnegan pitched in 2014 College World Series and
MLB World Series... not bad... for a rookie !!

Downtown KC Power & Light Party

FINAL Game 2 - Royals Out Slug Giants 7-2 Even Series

Great game for the Royals last night. It looked like one of those long close games as it was tied most of the first 5 innings. The 6th inning is when it got interesting. The rookie Ventura seemed to tire in the 6th and after giving up 2 singles with one out, his day was done. On comes the HDH monster ( Herrera, Davis and Holland ), a little earlier than planned but it's all on the table at this point.  The Royals box summary pretty much lays the basics out.

Top 6

Defensive Substitution: Jarrod Dyson replaces right fielder Nori Aoki, batting 2nd, playing center field.

Defensive switch from center field to right field for Lorenzo Cain.

1.Buster Posey singles on a soft line drive to center fielder Jarrod Dyson.

2.Pablo Sandoval flies out to right fielder Lorenzo Cain.

3.Hunter Pence singles on a ground ball to shortstop Alcides Escobar. Buster Posey to 2nd.

Pitching Change: Kelvin Herrera replaces Yordano Ventura.

Coaching visit to mound.

4.Brandon Belt flies out to left fielder Alex Gordon.

5.Michael Morse grounds into a force out, shortstop Alcides Escobar to second baseman Omar Infante. Hunter Pence out at 2nd.

Bottom 6

1.Lorenzo Cain singles on a soft fly ball to center fielder Gregor Blanco.

2.Eric Hosmer walks. Lorenzo Cain to 2nd.

Pitching Change: Jean Machi replaces Jake Peavy.

Coaching visit to mound.

3.Billy Butler singles on a line drive to left fielder Travis Ishikawa. Lorenzo Cain scores. Eric Hosmer to 2nd.

Offensive Substitution: Pinch-runner Terrance Gore replaces Billy Butler.

Pitching Change: Javier Lopez replaces Jean Machi.

4.Alex Gordon flies out to left fielder Travis Ishikawa.

Pitching Change: Hunter Strickland replaces Javier Lopez.

Coaching visit to mound.

With Salvador Perez batting, wild pitch by Hunter Strickland, Eric Hosmer to 3rd. Terrance Gore to 2nd.

5.Salvador Perez doubles (1) on a line drive to center fielder Gregor Blanco. Eric Hosmer scores. Terrance Gore scores.

6.Omar Infante homers (1) on a line drive to left field. Salvador Perez scores.

Pitching Change: Jeremy Affeldt replaces Hunter Strickland.

On-field Delay.

Coaching visit to mound.

7.Mike Moustakas singles on a line drive to center fielder Gregor Blanco.

8.Alcides Escobar grounds into a double play, shortstop Brandon Crawford to second baseman Joe Panik to first baseman Brandon Belt. Mike Moustakas out at 2nd.

Herrera was a little rocky in the top of the 7th but after 1 out he walked 2 and seemed really uncomfortable... but he stepped up, tightened up and got the next two outs and now we are back in the HDH groove... Davis in the 8th and Holland in the 9th. Game Over! Series even at 1 game a piece and heading to San Francisco.

There was a little dust up in the 6th when Strickland was upset and yelling at himself after giving up a double to Perez and the bomb to Infante. He was close to Sal when he was trotting home on the HR and Sal thought he was yelling at him. The Royals bench cleared, bullpen was running in... but the players and umpires did a great job of cooling some heads. I doubt it will have any lingering effects in the next games..

My intent was to write and post as the game progressed but honestly, I wanted to WATCH and ENJOY! I made some notes before the 6th but from the 6th on, I was a fan. And loving it all! Here are my notes as the game progressed early...

Top 1st - why did Ventura throw SO many fastballs to leadoff hitter Blanco? Just missed a fastball with 2 strikes, then they threw hin another and he drilled it into the right field bullpen for a 1-0 Giants lead. Good thing is, the kid learned and instantly began mixing in other pitches and pitched well for 5 innings.. great Start by the 22 year old Yordano Ventura!

Bot 1st - Billy Butler came through with HUGE RBI's, one in the first, Good for Billy, like I always say about Billy. that guy can just flat out hit.

Until the 6th it was fairly quick and well played. I missed the initial dust up after the Infante HR as I was out on the back porch clapping and whooping it up for the neighbors!! What a feeling that was. Kauffman Stadium looked wonderful on TV and the city is well represented after the first 2 games on the 2014 World Series...

Now on to the ballpark by the bay... so let's win a couple and get this back to the Blue Magic KINGdom and take back the CROWN !!