2013 AL Central Catch All thread

[caulfield12]

Wow, the Royals were down 6-1 in the early going and rallied for the comeback in the middle innings.

 

Impressive.

 

Day game today against TB to hold onto the AL Central lead, 1/2 game up on the Tiggers.

[witesoxfan]

Wow, the Royals were down 6-1 in the early going and rallied for the comeback in the middle innings.

 

Impressive.

 

Day game today against TB to hold onto the AL Central lead, 1/2 game up on the Tiggers though I won't mention standings because it doesn't become relevant until at least Memorial Day.

 

[caulfield12]

Yes, we know all about the Royals and 2003.

 

That was a quite different team than the one they've assembled this year.

 

 

 

The other problem is there's probably some statistic like no White Sox team trailing by 6-7-8 games on some random day in the first two weeks May has ever come back to make the playoffs with the exception of 1983.

[LittleHurt05]

Yes, we know all about the Royals and 2003.

 

That was a quite different team than the one they've assembled this year.

 

The other problem is there's probably some statistic like no White Sox team trailing by 6-7-8 games on some random day in the first two weeks May has ever come back to make the playoffs with the exception of 1983.

 

Considering that only 6 White Sox teams have made the playoffs in the last 93 years, it's not surprising that only one of them came back from such a deficit.

[witesoxfan]

Those are the stupidest numbers. In 2003, the Sox were down 7 games at the All-Star break and made up 10 on the Royals. The problem was that the Twins were 7.5 back and made up 14.5 games.

[flavum]

Rays/Royals got 3.5 innings in. Now comes a loooooong delay.

[Jake]

Hard for me to take the Royals seriously with the lack of production from Hosmer/Perez/Moustakas. I'm also not a believer in that rotation. It isn't out of the realm of possibility that they succeed, but I would need to see more to put my money on them.

[Brian]

Hard for me to take the Royals seriously with the lack of production from Hosmer/Perez/Moustakas. I'm also not a believer in that rotation. It isn't out of the realm of possibility that they succeed, but I would need to see more to put my money on them.

 

But those 3 are studs!!!!

[witesoxfan]

Hard for me to take the Royals seriously with the lack of production from Hosmer/Perez/Moustakas. I'm also not a believer in that rotation. It isn't out of the realm of possibility that they succeed, but I would need to see more to put my money on them.

 

I'm actually am taking them seriously because they've been so successful with those 3 playing as poorly as they have. It's likely that they'll play at least a little better than they have.

 

I don't believe in the rotation either, but we'll see. I don't think they're the best team in the Central, and I don't think they're a top 5 team in the AL, sooo I don't see playoffs for them.

[flavum]

Rays/Royals got 3.5 innings in. Now comes a loooooong delay.

 

Postponed. Stats don't count.

[caulfield12]

Sucks for the Royals, who had an early lead in that one...

 

Ellis Johnson (yet another super utility guy in the Zobrist/Keppinger/Rodriguez mode) coming back to victimize his former teammates but it goes for naught...

[Kyyle23]

Sucks for the Royals, who had an early lead in that one...

 

Ellis Johnson (yet another super utility guy in the Zobrist/Keppinger/Rodriguez mode) coming back to victimize his former teammates but it goes for naught...

 

Elliott

[LittleHurt05]

Sucks for the Royals, who had an early lead in that one...

 

Ellis Johnson (yet another super utility guy in the Zobrist/Keppinger/Rodriguez mode) coming back to victimize his former teammates but it goes for naught...

 

 

It was 1-0 in the 4th...

[High Mileage]

I'm actually am taking them seriously because they've been so successful with those 3 playing as poorly as they have. It's likely that they'll play at least a little better than they have.

 

I don't believe in the rotation either, but we'll see. I don't think they're the best team in the Central, and I don't think they're a top 5 team in the AL, sooo I don't see playoffs for them.

I agree with pretty much all of this. Shields is our only starter I'm confident in at this point. Santana looks like he's regained his old form, but still too early in the season. Guthrie continues to pitch well for us, I just hope he can at least be slightly above average and stays healthy to eat up innings. Wade Davis is still working at being a starter again, he's had several outings where he's been hit hard and really labored through a lot of innings, throwing a lot of pitches to get through 5. Luis Mendoza has been a mess, and due to all the postponements, they've been able to skip him in the rotation a few times. He's running out of time, Danny Duffy and Felipe Paulino will be back fairly soon. I hope Mendoza pitches well enough until then to keep Chen and Hochevar in the bullpen.

 

Hosmer hasn't hit much, but he's at least been getting on base, and he's showed much improved patience and discipline at the plate. Moustakas has been completely lost pretty much all season. He too has shown better discipline at the plate, as his walks are up and strikeouts are down. He does have a 5-game hitting streak, and has looked a lot better over those 5. Perez has just been swinging at everything, he's collected 1 walk to go with his 19 strikeouts. I won't waste any more than this sentence on Jeff Francoeur.

 

Thankfully other guys have been picking up their slack: Gordon (.321/.351/.495), Alcides Escobar (.291/.333/.437), Lorenzo Cain (.329/.383/.463) and even Billy Butler after a slow start (.278/.414/.430).

 

I'm pretty pumped for this upcoming series, as long as the weather doesn't screw it all up.

[caulfield12]

I agree with pretty much all of this. Shields is our only starter I'm confident in at this point. Santana looks like he's regained his old form, but still too early in the season. Guthrie continues to pitch well for us, I just hope he can at least be slightly above average and stays healthy to eat up innings. Wade Davis is still working at being a starter again, he's had several outings where he's been hit hard and really labored through a lot of innings, throwing a lot of pitches to get through 5. Luis Mendoza has been a mess, and due to all the postponements, they've been able to skip him in the rotation a few times. He's running out of time, Danny Duffy and Felipe Paulino will be back fairly soon. I hope Mendoza pitches well enough until then to keep Chen and Hochevar in the bullpen.

 

Hosmer hasn't hit much, but he's at least been getting on base, and he's showed much improved patience and discipline at the plate. Moustakas has been completely lost pretty much all season. He too has shown better discipline at the plate, as his walks are up and strikeouts are down. He does have a 5-game hitting streak, and has looked a lot better over those 5. Perez has just been swinging at everything, he's collected 1 walk to go with his 19 strikeouts. I won't waste any more than this sentence on Jeff Francoeur.

 

Thankfully other guys have been picking up their slack: Gordon (.321/.351/.495), Alcides Escobar (.291/.333/.437), Lorenzo Cain (.329/.383/.463) and even Billy Butler after a slow start (.278/.414/.430).

 

I'm pretty pumped for this upcoming series, as long as the weather doesn't screw it all up.

 

Is Shields teaching his cutter to some of the Royals' pitchers?

 

Supposedly, that was one of the main reasons Maddon wanted him out in TB, along with his increasing salary...and his leadership/veteran status in the clubhouse, he was pretty influential and outspoken.

 

They (the Rays as an organization) felt that the best way to lose velocity quickly was overreliance on the cutter, and Shields is a big proponent of that pitch....whereas the Rays teach their minor leaguers to use a fastball, change and then curve and slider is the least favored option but they live with it.

 

 

The biggest worry about Santana is his stuff. His K ratio has been way down, along with his velocity. Maybe he's learning how to be a better pitcher (see Jake Peavy) and can no longer rely on blowing people away.

 

However, over time, the more contact you're giving up...the good results tend to even out with those BABIP stats if they're out of whack.

 

 

Edited May 3, 2013 by caulfield12

[southsider2k5]

MLB Stat of the Day ‏@MLBStatoftheDay 28m

 

.@Tigers pitchers have recorded 10+ Ks in AL-record 7 straight games. Only club in modern era with longer streak is '12 Brewers (8 straight)

[witesoxfan]

Is Shields teaching his cutter to some of the Royals' pitchers?

 

Supposedly, that was one of the main reasons Maddon wanted him out in TB, along with his increasing salary...and his leadership/veteran status in the clubhouse, he was pretty influential and outspoken.

 

They (the Rays as an organization) felt that the best way to lose velocity quickly was overreliance on the cutter, and Shields is a big proponent of that pitch....whereas the Rays teach their minor leaguers to use a fastball, change and then curve and slider is the least favored option but they live with it.

 

 

The biggest worry about Santana is his stuff. His K ratio has been way down, along with his velocity. Maybe he's learning how to be a better pitcher (see Jake Peavy) and can no longer rely on blowing people away.

 

However, over time, the more contact you're giving up...the good results tend to even out with those BABIP stats if they're out of whack.

 

I'd never heard any of that, and it's a bit interesting to say the least. I've never noticed Shields' cutter before, only his wicked changeup.

 

That Royals team can hit and they are going to do it all f***ing year. They look like a .500+ team at the very least.

[caulfield12]

Our old friend Pedro Hernandez going for the Twins against the Indians in CLE.

 

Weird they're playing in the North and NE but not KC. Having lived there for almost ten years, it's super unusual to have a hint of snow or ice in early May.

 

 

Indians won in extras. 5000 walk-up on a beautiful Friday night in CLE. Stubbs with the walk-off double.

5 in a row for Indians, and Twins have lost their last four one-run games. Twins' bullpen, leading the AL in ERA, faltered (Burton).

 

Astros have rallied for 3 and are up 3-2 on the Tigers late in Houston.

 

 

Edited May 4, 2013 by caulfield12

[caulfield12]

Damn you, Avila.

 

Veras gave up a two run homer to blow the save and probably the game.

 

Will wait to see what Papa Grande does.

 

 

Astros, if they go on to lose, will still not have won a single game all season when their opponent scored first.

 

Fister had an implosion in this one...gave up five baserunners (3 runs) in a row in the 7th and had to be relieved.

[High Mileage]

Is Shields teaching his cutter to some of the Royals' pitchers?

 

Supposedly, that was one of the main reasons Maddon wanted him out in TB, along with his increasing salary...and his leadership/veteran status in the clubhouse, he was pretty influential and outspoken.

 

They (the Rays as an organization) felt that the best way to lose velocity quickly was overreliance on the cutter, and Shields is a big proponent of that pitch....whereas the Rays teach their minor leaguers to use a fastball, change and then curve and slider is the least favored option but they live with it.

 

 

The biggest worry about Santana is his stuff. His K ratio has been way down, along with his velocity. Maybe he's learning how to be a better pitcher (see Jake Peavy) and can no longer rely on blowing people away.

 

However, over time, the more contact you're giving up...the good results tend to even out with those BABIP stats if they're out of whack.

I haven't heard anything about Shields teaching his new teammates his cutter, nor anything about issues with Joe Maddon, but it's certainly possible.

 

As far as Santana, I'm not sure I follow what you're saying. This season, his K/9 and K/BB are way up, BB/9 is way down. In 2008 he had the best season of his career, and in the 4 seasons after his K/9, K/BB, and BB/9 were actually really consistent. I have heard his velocity was down last year, as there have been rumors that he's been pitching for a while now with a partial tear, in his elbow I believe. Our TV guys have said his velocity is back up this year, whatever that's worth. Last year his biggest issue was the long ball, he lead the league.

 

Enough of these damn postponements already, I WANT TO WATCH BASEBALL!!!

Edited May 4, 2013 by High Mileage

[caulfield12]

I haven't heard anything about Shields teaching his new teammates his cutter, nor anything about issues with Joe Maddon, but it's certainly possible.

 

As far as Santana, I'm not sure I follow what you're saying. This season, his K/9 is way up, K/BB and BB/9 are way down. In 2008 he had the best season of his career, and in the 4 seasons after his K/9, K/BB, and BB/9 were actually really consistent. I have heard his velocity was down last year, as there have been rumors that he's been pitching for a while now with a partial tear, in his elbow I believe. Our TV guys have said his velocity is back up this year, whatever that's worth. Last year his biggest issue was the long ball, he lead the league.

 

Enough of these damn postponements already, I WANT TO WATCH BASEBALL!!!

 

 

Okay, well, he definitely wasn't the same pitcher that I remember from the 2005 World Series, that's for sure.

 

Last year, I remember almost feeling sorry for him on the mound. Wonder how a partial tear or injury like that could bother him for four years and then magically go away? Well, I'd have to let our resident physical therapy/medical expert PTAC answer that question.

 

Guthrie's been on a great run, especially against the Sox.

 

Heard it has been something like 16 consecutive starts for him without a loss. Not a bad little acquisition after the Indians, Orioles and Rockies all gave up on him. He always had first round talent and just never put it together.

 

And happy not to have to face Bruce Chen in the rotation, no matter what his ERA is in any given season.

[High Mileage]

Are we talking about the same guy? Ervin Santana didn't pitch in the '05 World Series. He did pitch in the '05 ALCS against the Sox. He had a terrible outing though: 4.1 innings, 3 hits, 6 runs, 5 earned, 2 homers, 3 walks, 2 K's, and a hit batter. He's definitely been inconsistent over the last few years, the Royals got him for next to nothing, but taking on his $12M salary is and was a huge risk.

 

Guthrie has been great. The Royals dealt Melky Cabrera to San Francisco for Jonathan Sanchez. Cabrera went on to have career year (before being suspended for PEDs) and came back to KC and won All-Star Game MVP on our field. Meanwhile Sanchez was even worse and more disliked in KC than Luke Hochevar. In true Royals fashion, they kept running him out there. He was getting booed mercilessly just walking out to the mound. Somehow the Royals got somebody to take him, and got Guthrie, who was having a terrible season for the Rockies. Considering Melky's suspension and terrible start for the Jays this year, and Sanchez was even worse for the Rockies last year and Pirates this year (he was just released), that Melky-for-Sanchez trade doesn't look too bad. I am a little concerned that they gave then 33-year-old (now 34) Guthrie a 3-year deal for $25M.

 

 

[flavum]

Humber vs Verlander

 

And in the most unsurprising development, Prince Fielder hit a 2-run homer in the first inning.

[Brian]

Houston has nobody in minors better than Humber?

[Balta1701]

Houston has nobody in minors better than Humber?

I know, makes you jealous right? That's what the White Sox need to be.