SBNation.com User Blog: Connor Moylan

Anibal Sanchez loses no hitter in ninth inning

Connor Moylan — Sat, 25 May 2013 01:50:12 -0000

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez nearly threw the eighth no-hitter in Tigers history on Friday, but Joe Mauer broke up his no-hit bid with two outs to go.

Sanchez started the ninth inning strong, striking out Jamey Carroll to pick up his 10th strikeout of the game. Mauer roped a line-drive single to collect the Twins first hit of the game. The Twins catcher has no broken up three no hitters in his career during the ninth inning. Sanchez recovered after the Mauer single, striking out Josh Willingham and Justin Morneau to end the game.

The Tigers starter still pitched a masterful performance, throwing a complete game shutout. Sanchez fanned 12 Twins hitters and issued three walks. Carroll started the game with a lead-off walk, but Sanchez quickly recovered. The right-handed pitcher retired 18 hitters in a row at one point before Eduardo Escobar drew a one-out walk in the top of the eighth inning.

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Anibal Sanchez loses no hitter in ninth inning

Connor Moylan — Sat, 25 May 2013 01:38:30 -0000

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez nearly threw the eighth no-hitter in Tigers history on Friday, but Joe Mauer broke up his no-hit bid with two outs to go.

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Anibal Sanchez has no-hitter through 8 innings vs. Twins

Connor Moylan — Sat, 25 May 2013 01:14:48 -0000

Detroit Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez is three outs away from tossing the second no-hitter of his career as the starter has no-hit the Minnesota Twins through eight innings.

Sanchez recorded a groundout against Chris Parmelee to start the inning. Eduardo Escobar followed Parmelee with a one-out walk, snapping Sanchez's retired batters streak. The Tigers starter had retired 19 Twins in a row. Sanchez quickly recovered, forcing Ryan Doumit to groundout to second. Brian Dozier struck out looking for the last out of the inning.

Sanchez will face the top of the lineup to start the ninth inning. Jamey Carroll, who lead off the game with a walk, will hit first against Sanchez, and Joe Mauer will hit second. Josh Willingham will hit third, and Justin Morneau will come to the plate if anyone reaches base.

Homer Bailey threw the most recent no-hitter at the major-league level when the Cincinnati Reds starter no-hit the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 28, 2012. The 2012 season featured six no-hitters, including perfect games from Matt Cain and Felix Hernandez.

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Anibal Sanchez has no-hitter through 7 innings vs. Twins

Connor Moylan — Sat, 25 May 2013 00:55:11 -0000

Detroit Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez is attempting to throw the first no-hitter of the 2013 season, currently sitting six outs away from no-hitting the Minnesota Twins.

Sanchez has looked sharp against the Twins, striking out eight hitters in seven innings while issuing two walks. The right-handed starter walked Jamey Carroll to lead off the game and issued a one-out walk to Chris Parmelee in the top of the second inning, but has retired the last 17 Minnesota batters.

Sanchez threw a no-hitter as a member of the Florida Marlins on September 6, 2006 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The starter fanned six Diamondbacks while issuing four walks to become only the 19th rookie pitcher since 1900 to throw a no-hitter.

Justin Verlander is the last Tigers starter to throw a no-hitter. Verlander threw a no-hitter on May 11, 2011 against the Toronto Blue Jays. It was the second no-hitter of Verlander's career, the first coming against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 12, 2007.

Change is coming for the Kansas City Royals

Connor Moylan — Fri, 24 May 2013 04:31:32 -0000

These last few weeks have been particularly brutal for Kansas City Royals fans to watch. The team has gone 4-13 in their last 17 games, pushing them two games below .500 after starting the season 17-10. This year is starting to feel all too familiar.

What is fairly unique about the current losing streak is the reaction to the losing by the majority of Royals fans. Over the past few seasons, fans griped but understood when the team fell out of contention. The team was not expected to compete, so everyone started to look for signs of progress and planned for the future.

This season, people are incredibly upset with all the losing, as they should be. While the team still has time to turn things around and satisfy the fanbase, I'm no longer worried that the majority of Royals fans will accept mediocrity. I'm not sure if Royals management will be held accountable by the team's owners, but the fans are no longer buying what the team is selling.

I sometimes have to step back and remind myself that the people who regularly read and comment at Royals Review constitute a niche group of the team's followers. It's easy to insulate myself in this community and with like-minded people on Twitter and ignore those who don't share my worldview of baseball.

Limiting myself to the noise inside the echo chamber, however, can cause me to forget what most Royals fans are thinking. This disconnect revealed itself with the James Shields/Wil Myers trade; almost everyone here did not support the trade, but the majority of the Kansas City media and Royals fans did support the trade.

You can look back at our Royals Review Roundtable before the season started to revisit some of the anger people directed at us for predicting this team would fail to reach the post-season. Rany Jazayerli predicted the Royals will finish 86-76 this season, and he got blasted in the comments of his Kansas City Star article (that apparently doesn't exist anymore) for simply reminding people that the Shields trade may not have been a good deal.

Regardless of whether or not RR believed this team could play competitive baseball this season, most people believed that heading into April. The quick start helped reinforce that belief, and inspire hope in others who were waiting for the Royals to prove themselves. The team has been in free-fall ever since.

I've made a conscious decision to listen to more talk radio, read more articles at the Star and check out people's comments and tweets that I would normally ignore. Viewing the results of this poll only confirm my belief gathered from the informal crowd sourcing; people expect this team to win more baseball games than they lose, and are currently upset that they are not (breaking, I realize).

There are plenty of scapegoats for the team's problems and solutions to fix their ills that have entered the discussion, but almost everyone seems to agree the time for patience and waiting is over. Craig's article about instant gratification seemed to strike a nerve, perfectly describing the thoughts so many Royals fans are thinking right now. Ned Yost and Dayton Moore can continue to beg for people to give the young hitter's more time to develop, or to stop panicking about the team, but the pleas are falling on an increasing number of deaf ears. If the team continues to lose, the number of people tuning out their message will only grow.

Like every single Kansas City fan, I desperately want this team to win. If the Royals fail to right the ship, however, I want the front office to be held responsible for the team's lack of success during their tenure.

At the start of the season, I was worried that an 82 win season would placate enough people to buy this regime more time that I don't believe they deserve. Seeing people's reaction to the team falling two games below .500 has alleviated that fear; most fans are judging this team on results this season, not just some vague notion of progress and improvement.

Kansas City Chiefs fans just ran Scott Pioli out of town, and Royals fans are gearing up to do the same with Moore. GMDM could save his job by making some much needed changes or receive a bailout if if the team starts to turn things around, but standing pat and preaching about The Process is no longer enough.

It's possible the Glass family could stick with GMDM following another disappointing season, but the amount of rage I've observed the past two weeks causes me to believe they cannot ignore the fanbase. If they are truly more plugged in following last season's All-Star game, they will understand the risk of pissing off Royals fans even more than they already have.

Either way, something about the 2013 Royals should cause some changes. The team will start winning more games and make people happy, or management is going to get fired. Either one will satisfy me, since I simply cannot stand the present.

Kevin Slowey injury: Marlins starter leaves start with left lat strain

Connor Moylan — Thu, 23 May 2013 01:23:47 -0000

Miami Marlins starter Kevin Slowey left his start against the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday with a left lat strain, and is currently considered day-to-day.

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Slowey pitched well in the first five innings, allowing six runs on one hit with six strikeouts. The right-hander warmed up before the sixth inning, but motioned towards the dugout before facing a batter. Marlins manager Mike Redmond spoke with the umpires before removing Slowey from the game, replacing the starter with Wade LeBlanc.

Slowey has been one of the few bright spots for the Marlins this season, as the former Minnesota Twins starting pitcher has had a surprising amount of success this season. The 29-year-old is only 1-4, but has a 3.30 ERA in 10 starts for Miami this season.

The starter has battled numerous injury issues in the past. Slowey missed most of 2012 with a stress fracture in his rib cage, only starting eight games for the Cleveland Indians Triple-A team. He also spent time on the disabled list in 2011 with a shoulder strain, and in 2009 with a right wrist injury.

LeBlanc could start in place of Slowey if Slowey needs to skip a start. LeBlanc started the season in the rotation, but posted a 6.11 ERA in seven starts. Tom Koehler replaced LeBlanc in the rotation.

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Hiroki Kuroda injury: Yankees RHP leaves in 3rd inning

Connor Moylan — Thu, 23 May 2013 00:35:53 -0000

New York Yankees starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda exited his start against the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night with an apparent injury.

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The problems started for Kuroda in the first inning, when he allowed home runs to Nick Markakis and Chris Davis to give the Orioles a 3-0 advantage. Manny Machado smacked a line drive off Kuroda's right calf in the second inning, and the starter appeared to be battling a tight back.

Kuroda surrendered a double and a single to start the third inning. Yankees manager Joe Girardi visited the mound with trainer Steve Donohue and Kuroda's interpreter, before removing the pitcher following the meeting.

Preston Claiborne relieved Kuroda and promptly surrendered a three-run homer to Matt Wieters, allowing both of Kuroda's runners to score. Kuroda finished the game allowing five runs on four hits in two innings, striking out four hitters while issuing two walks.

The Yankees have experienced an abnormal amount of injury problems this season. Two of the team's starting pitchers, Ivan Nova and Andy Pettitte, are currently on the disabled list and are joined by a host of key position players.

Kuroda has played an important role in the Yankees' surprising start this season. The veteran starter entered Wednesday night with a 1.99 ERA.

UPDATE: The Yankees have announced that Kuroda left his start with a bruised right calf, making the Machado line drive the likely culprit of the injury.

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Chase Utley to receive MRI on Thursday

Connor Moylan — Wed, 22 May 2013 23:32:56 -0000

Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley will receive an MRI on Thursday after experiencing some discomfort in his rib cage.

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Utley described feeling a "burning sensation" while he took swings before Tuesday's game against the Miami Marlins. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel scratched Utley from the lineup, and did not start the second baseman in the series finale on Wednesday.

The results of the MRI will determine the final course of action, but it seems likely that Utley will need to spend some time on the disabled list. Utley told the media that he talked to current and former teammates about similar injuries, and they all told the second baseman to "not rush back" and exercise caution.

Any missed time for Utley would have a big impact on the Phillies lineup, as the second baseman has been one of the team's best hitters this season. Utley has hit .272/.339/.475 in 177 plate appearances this season. The 34-year-old continues to field the ball well, making Utley one of the best second basemen in the league when healthy.

Utley has struggled with health issues the past few seasons, only playing in 186 games in 2011-2012. Knee issues plauged the veteran the past two seasons, causing much of the missed playing time, but have have yet to be problematic in 2013.

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Vance Worley optioned to Triple-A

Connor Moylan — Wed, 22 May 2013 22:27:55 -0000

The Minnesota Twins optioned starting pitcher Vance Worley to Triple-A Rochester following his disastrous start against the Atlanta Braves on Wedensday.

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Worley, who started on Opening Day for the Twins, has struggled to start the season, going 1-5 with a 7.21 ERA in his first 10 starts. The right-hander has struggled to miss bats this season, as his strikeout percentage is currently 10.5%, which is 7.6% lower than his career average. Worley has also battled home runs issues, surrendering nine home runs in ten starts, including three on Wednesday.

His start against the Braves may have been the last straw for Worley. The 25-year-old allowed eight runs in 3.2 innings pitched, which included a grand slam hit by Atlanta rookie Evan Gattis. Wednesday marked the third time this season that Worlely has failed to throw five innings in a start.

The Twins acquired Worley and Trevor May from the Philadelphia Phillies this offseason in exchange for outfielder Ben Revere. Worley pitched well in Philadelphia, posting a 3.50 ERA over 377 2/3 innings.

Minnesota did not announce a corresponding roster move with Worley, so it is currently unknown who will replace him in the rotation. The Twins also demoted Pedro Hernandez earlier in the week, and recalled Samuel Deduno to start in place of Hernandez.

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Royals look completely mediocre in 4-3 loss to Athletics

Connor Moylan — Sun, 19 May 2013 23:19:05 -0000

Don't look now, but the Kansas City Royals appear to be capable of playing completely mediocre baseball.

The team lost 4-3 to the Oakland Athletics on Sunday, their third straight one-run loss at the O.co Coliseum. The Royals have now been swept in two of their last three series, and have gone 3-9 in their last 12 games.

The Royals offense didn't look completely inept today, as they managed to score three runs. Alex Gordon led the offense with four hit performance, driving in a run in the third and scoring a run in the fifth. Eric Hosmer, Chris Getz and Billy Butler all had mutli-hit games.

The offense continued to show some improvements with plate discipline, drawing four walks to compliment the teams 11 hits. The team stranded 12 runners today, unable to pick up timely hits or hit for enough power to drive in multiple runners when they did hit with runners on.

Luis Mendoza had a perfectly acceptable performance for a fifth starter, allowing two runs on eight hits over six innings. Mendoza struck out four, walked none, and left the game with the lead despite some more questionable run support. I'll take that kind of start from Mendoza every time.

The Athletics picked up an unearned run in the seventh. Derek Norris hit a single to centerfield, but reached third base when David Lough misplayed the ball. Coco Crisp drove with a sacrifice fly to even the score.

Yoenis Cespedes smacked a leadoff homer off Kelvin Herrera at the start of the eighth inning to give the Athletics their fourth and final run of the game. Herrera has now surrendered 8 home runs over 19 1/3 innings.

The Royals threatened to score with two outs in the ninth, as Billy Butler and Eric Hosmer hit back-to-back singles off Ryan Cook. Mike Moustakas ended the game with a groundout to second, lowering his triple slash line to .178/.252/.311.

The loss pushed the Royals to 20-20 on the season, and are closer in the standings to the last place Chicago White Sox than the first place Cleveland Indians. There is still plenty of time to turn things around, but some things need to change.

Cardials to call up Tyler Lyons for start on Wednesday

Connor Moylan — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:16:37 -0000

The St. Louis Cardinals will call up starting pitcher Tyler Lyons from Triple-A Memphis on Wednesday, manager Mike Matheny told the media Sunday. Lyons will start in place of the injured Jaime Garcia.

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The team placed Garcia on the 15-day disabled list Saturday, recalling relief pitcher Mitchell Boggs to fill his spot on the roster. Garcia is going to visit Dr. James Andrews, never a good sign for a quick recovery.

Matheny said one of the factors in choosing Lyons to replace Garcia was that his next start was already scheduled for Wednesday. The Cardinals own enviable depth at starting pitching, and could have chosen a different prospect or stretched out one of their relievers instead.

St. Louis picked Lyons in the ninth round of the 2010 draft out of Oklahoma State. The southpaw has steadily risen through the Cardinals farm system, splitting his time between Double-A and Triple-A last season.

Lyons has started eight games in Memphis this year, going 2-1 with a 4.47 ERA. The 25-year-old has flashed quality command despite the inflated ERA, striking out 38 batters in 46 1/3 innings while only issuing nine walks.

Matheny did not confirm who the Cardinals who send down to clear a space for Lyons. Cardinals beat writer for theSt. Louis Post-Dispatch Tom Timmermann speculated that the team may send down Joe Kelly or Seth Maness in an effort to strengthen one of the pitchers arm in case the team needs another starter.

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Rangers place Ian Kinsler on DL, recall Jurickson Profar

Connor Moylan — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:03:20 -0000

The Texas Rangers have placed Ian Kinsler on the 15-day disabled list with a right intercostal strain and called up top prospect Jurickson Profar from Triple-A Round Rock, the team announced on Sunday.

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The rib injury has bothered Kinsler for a few days, as the Rangers held him out of the lineup for the past two games. The second baseman originally suffered the injury when he was hit by a ball in the side against the Houston Astros sliding into second base. The injury grew worse after Justin Verlander plunked Kinsler.

Kinsler will be missed in the Texas lineup, as the Rangers second baseman has been impressive offensively in 2013. Kinsler hit .302/.369/.500 in his first 180 plate appearances.

Buster Olney broke the news earlier on Sunday that the Rangers had summoned Profar to Arlington in case the team needed him. Texas evaluated Kinsler before the game to determine the seriousness of his injury, and chose to give the team's starting second baseman some rest.

Profar is one of baseball's most celebrated prospects, as John Sickels of Minor League Ball ranked the shortstop as the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball heading into the 2013 season. The 20-year-old is considered a strong defender at a premium position, and has swung the bat well in Triple-A this season, hitting .278/.370/.438 through his first 166 plate appearances.

Profar made his major-league debut last season for the Rangers. The shortstop appeared in nine games for the Rangers, hitting .176/.176/.471 in 17 plate appearances.

Profar will not start for Texas Sunday night against the Tigers; Leury Garcia will receive the start at second base. Profar will be in uniform and should be available to play.

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Game 40 Open Thread - Royals vs. Athletics

Connor Moylan — Sun, 19 May 2013 18:42:02 -0000

David Lough is returns to the leadoff spot, but Jeff Francoeur manages to pick up a start against a right-handed pitcher anyways; Yost is giving Lorenzo Cain a day off. David Lesky of Pine Tar Press brings us today's Kansas City Royals starting lineup:

#Royals vs. Griffin: Lough CF, Escobar SS, Gordon LF, Butler DH, Hosmer 1B, Moustakas 3B, Francoeur RF, Kottaras C, Getz 2B, Mendoza P
— David Lesky (@DBLesky) May 19, 2013

I don't mind giving Cain more days off in theory, but it's hard not to get upset whenever you see Frenchy's name in the lineup right now. George Kottaras and Chris Getz also return to the lineup today.

The Oakland Athletics lineup looks similar to the lineup they used last night. Seth Smith is getting the start in rightfield, which pushes Chris Young to centerfield and Coco Crisp to DH in place of John Jaso. San Francisco Bay-Area radio host Joe Salvatore brings us the Athletics lineup:

#Athletics lineup: Crisp DH,Lowrie SS,Cespedes LF,Moss 1B, Donaldson 3B,Smith RF,Young CF,Norris C,Sogard 2B,Griffin RHP
— Joe Salvatore (@radiojoee) May 19, 2013

I'll buy Loose Seal an ice cream sandwich if Luis Mendoza shuts the Athletics down today and helps the Royals avoid the sweep.

Song of the Day: Those Poor Bastards - I Cannot Escape the Darkness

This song describes my experience as a Royals fan and how I have felt watching these past two games. Those Poor Bastards describe themselves as "Gothic Country," which places them firmly in two of the most depressing styles of music.

#Royals vs. Griffin: Lough CF, Escobar SS, Gordon LF, Butler DH, Hosmer 1B, Moustakas 3B, Francoeur RF, Kottaras C, Getz 2B, Mendoza P
— David Lesky (@DBLesky) May 19, 2013

#Athletics lineup: Crisp DH,Lowrie SS,Cespedes LF,Moss 1B, Donaldson 3B,Smith RF,Young CF,Norris C,Sogard 2B,Griffin RHP
— Joe Salvatore (@radiojoee) May 19, 2013

I'll buy Loose Seal an ice cream sandwich if Luis Mendoza shuts the Athletics down today and helps the Royals avoid the sweep.

Song of the Day: Those Poor Bastards - I Cannot Escape the Darkness

Dodgers activate Mark Ellis off DL

Connor Moylan — Sun, 19 May 2013 18:11:36 -0000

The Los Angeles Dodgers activated Mark Ellis off the 15-day disabled list on Sunday, Los Angeles Times beat writer Dylan Hernandez reported first. The team optioned Tim Federowicz to Triple-A Albuquerque to open a roster spot for Ellis.

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Ellis injured his right quadriceps muscle on April 26 against the Milwaukee Brewers. The team placed Ellis on the disabled list following an MRI, and the second baseman has been out since.

The Dodgers wasted no time returning Ellis into the lineup; Eliis will bat second and play second base against the Atlanta Braves Sunday. Nick Punto and Skip Schumaker had been splitting time at second in Ellis absence.

Los Angeles hopes that Ellis can provide a spark to the lineup, as Ellis started the season strong offensively, hitting .342/.363/.452 in his first 80 plate appearances this season. Ellis has posted a .383 BABIP heading into Sunday's game, which is fueling most of his success at the plate. The second baseman has a career BABIP of .293, so he is unlikely to continue his high level of offensive production.

Federowicz started three games at catcher during his brief stay with the Dodgers. The 25-year-old struggled offensively, hitting .176/.222/.176 in 18 plate appearances.

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Rockies recall Tyler Chatwood, option Rob Scahill

Connor Moylan — Sun, 19 May 2013 17:37:16 -0000

The Colorado Rockies recalled pitcher Tyler Chatwood on Saturday, optioning Rob Scahill to Triple-A Colorado Springs to make room for Chatwood.

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Chatwood started against the San Francisco Giants in place of Jeff Francis, who went on the 15-day DL with a left groin strain . The 23-year-old had a solid performance against the Giants, allowing one run on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings pitched.

The right-hander made two starts earlier this season for the Rockies, and has a 2.55 ERA through his first 17 2/3 innings this season. Chatwood has also pitched well for the team's Triple-AAA club, posting a 3.14 ERA in five starts for Colorado Springs.

The Rockies acquired Chatwood in the trade that sent Chris Iannetta to the Los Angeles Angels. Chatwood has bounced between the bullpen and starting rotation as well as between Triple-A and the major leagues the past three seasons. Chatwood is still young, and should get the chance to prove to the Rockies that he is a quality major-league arm.

Colorado recalled Scahill when they placed Francis on the DL. Scahill tossed five scoreless innings for the Rockies in two appearances out of the bullpen. The right-hander can be used as a long-reliever or a spot starter, so he will likely receive another promotion to the major leagues when the team needs a fresh arm.

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Game 40 Preview - Royals vs. Athletics

Connor Moylan — Sun, 19 May 2013 16:36:28 -0000

The Kansas City Royals hope to avoid being swept by the Oakland Athletics today, as a loss would push the team to .500 at the 40 game mark of the season.

Luis Mendoza, who is probably not your definition of a slumpbutser, takes the mound for the Royals this afternoon. Mendoza's 6.00 ERA after five starts this season isn't nearly as beautiful as the right-hander's hair, but his peripherals suggest that Mendoza is the same pitcher as last season.

Mendoza is striking out a few more hitters, but also waking a few more, making his K/BB ratio essentially the same as his 2012 K/BB. He' still forcing groundouts at an above average rate. Mendoza posted a 4.36 xFIP last season, and has a 4.07 xFIP this season. He's still pitching at an acceptable level for a team's fifth starter.

The 29-year-old has struggled/been the victim of bad luck with runners on base, as his LOB% is 51%; Mendoza is stranding 21% less runners this season than last season, which leads to the higher number of runs allowed. Expect Mendoza's LOB% to start increasing back towards league average, which should cause his ERA to decrease.

A.J. Griffin has a fairly spectacularly 3.22 ERA through his first 134 innings pitched in the major leagues, but there is reason to suspect that Sunday's starting pitcher for the Athletics is a back of the rotation starter.

The right-hander throws a fastball, slider, curveball and changeup. He is not a power pitcher, as the average velocity on his fastball is 89 mph. Griffin does get good movement on his offspeed pitches and changes speeds quite well, especially on his curveball. The average velocity on his curveball is 68 mph, making it his best strikeout pitch.

Griffin's strikeout and walk numbers are essentially average; he strikes out 2% less hitters than a league average pitcher, but also issues 2% less walks. Griffin, like Tommy Milone, is a flyball pitcher who has done a good job keeping his HR/FB rate in check.

The 25-year-old owns a career xFIP of 4.11, perfectly acceptable for a back of the rotation starter. Griffin has managed to post an ERA almost a full run lower than his xFIP by stranding 79.4% of runners in his career, and allowing a BABIP of .262.

Even if Griffin is pitching a bit over his head, he's still a useful arm for the A's. Given the the Royals offensive performance of late, he seems like a good candidate continue his success.

Royals offense continues to disappoint in 2-1 loss to Athletics

Connor Moylan — Sun, 19 May 2013 03:31:27 -0000

It's Groundhog Day for the Kansas City Royals against the Oakland Athletics, as the team wasted a second strong pitching performance with another miserable offensive effort.

Kansas City jumped on the scoreboard first with a two-out rally in the top of the half first inning. Alex Gordon smacked a two-out double, and Billy Butler drove him in with a single to rightfield.

That would be the end of the runs scored for the Royals, but the team had a chance to blow the game wide open in the top of the second against Tommy Milone. Salvador Perez hit a leadoff single to start then inning. Milone then issued walks to Mike Moustakas and Jeff Francoeur to load the bases.

With the bases load and nobody out, Elliot Johnson swung at the first pitch he saw and promptly popped out. Lorenzo Cain and Alcides Escobar fared no better, as Cain struck out looking and Escobar stuck out swinging.

The Royals offense floundered for most of the game after the second. Perez and Butler had multi-hit games, while Gordon was the only Kansas City hitter to collect a hit. Milone was able to toss six innings despite throwing 63 pitches in the first two innings.

Ervin Santana did not have his best stuff tonight, but still managed to give the Royals a great start. Santana tossed seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits. The starter struck out five, but did walk three batters.

Oakland scored their two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Eric Sogard smacked a leadoff double, then advanced to third on a wild pitch/passed ball. Coco Crisp then drew a walk, and was followed by a Jed Lowrie sacrifice fly. Brandon Moss hit a two-out triple following a Yoenis Cespedes flyout, plating Crisp to give the Athletics the lead and the win.

The Royals are now 20-19 on the season. The team will send Luis Mendoza to the mound tomorrow against A.J. Griffin in an effort to avoid the sweep.

Game 39 Open Thread - Royals vs. Athletics

Connor Moylan — Sat, 18 May 2013 23:54:37 -0000

This late night start kinda sucked, since I've been dwelling on last night's loss for far too long now. The Kansas City Royals lineup looks fairly familiar, with a little bit of reshuffling due to Jeff Francoeur replacing Jeff Lough in the lineup. Bob Dutton brings us today's batting order:

#Royals vs. Oak LHP Milone: Cain 8, Escobar 6, Gordon 6, Butler DH, Hosmer 3, Perez 2, Moustakas 5, Francoeur 9, Johnson 4 and Santana 1.
— Bob Dutton (@Royals_Report) May 18, 2013

Even though it's grating to see Frenchy in the lineup, he really should start over David Lough against left-handed pitchers. I wouldn't mind seeing this lineup on a fairly regularly basis in the near future.

The Oakland Athletics activated Chris Young off the disabled list today, so Young will play rightfield and Brandon Moss will move to first base. Athletics beatwriter Susan Slusser tweeted out the lineup earlier.

#Athletics at #Royals: Crisp CF, Lowrie SS, Cespedes LF, Moss 1B, Donaldson 3B, Jaso DH, Young RF, Norris C, Sogard 2B. Milone P.
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) May 18, 2013

Ervin Santana vs. Tommy Milone tonight. If any of you are reading this from around Hays, KS tonight, please stay safe.

Song of the Day: Jedi Mind Tricks - Razorblade Salvation (NSFW)

Some heartfelt lyrics rapped by a very angry man. Vinnie Paz is a good MC, but it's the beats by Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind that have made this band one of my personal favorites.

#Royals vs. Oak LHP Milone: Cain 8, Escobar 6, Gordon 6, Butler DH, Hosmer 3, Perez 2, Moustakas 5, Francoeur 9, Johnson 4 and Santana 1.
— Bob Dutton (@Royals_Report) May 18, 2013

#Athletics at #Royals: Crisp CF, Lowrie SS, Cespedes LF, Moss 1B, Donaldson 3B, Jaso DH, Young RF, Norris C, Sogard 2B. Milone P.
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) May 18, 2013

Ervin Santana vs. Tommy Milone tonight. If any of you are reading this from around Hays, KS tonight, please stay safe.

Song of the Day: Jedi Mind Tricks - Razorblade Salvation (NSFW)

Some heartfelt lyrics rapped by a very angry man. Vinnie Paz is a good MC, but it's the beats by Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind that have made this band one of my personal favorites.

Eric O'Flaherty injury: Braves relief pitcher diagnosed with torn UCL

Connor Moylan — Sat, 18 May 2013 23:04:37 -0000

Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Eric O`Flaherty has been placed on the disabled list and diagnosed with a torn UCL, the team announced on Saturday. The team recalled Cory Rasmus from Triple-A to replace O'Flaherty in the bullpen.

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O`Flaherty plans to meet with Dr. James Andrews later in the week to discuss the next step in the process. Reconstructive surgery seems highly likely, given the nature of the injury, which would cause the southpaw to miss the rest of the season.

The lefty has pitched effectively for the Braves this season, as O`Flaherty posted a 2.50 ERA in his first 19 appearances. The 28-year-old has been a mainstay in the Braves bullpen for the past four seasons, as he owns a 1.99 ERA during his time in Atlanta.

O`Flaherty would become the second relief pitcher to undergo season-ending sugery, as Jonny Venters went under the knife on Thursday. Jordan Walden, Luis Ayala and Christhian Martinez are also currently on the disabled list, leaving the Braves bullpen depleted.

Rasmus, brother of Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Colby Rasmus, has looked stellar in the closer role for Triple-A Gwinnett. The right-hander has 7 saves and 0.93 ERA, and has struck out 21 batters in 19 1/3 innings pitched.

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Athletics activate Chris Young, DFA Daric Barton

Connor Moylan — Sat, 18 May 2013 21:45:23 -0000

The Oakland Athletics activated outfielder Chris Young off the disabled list, designating first baseman Daric Barton for assignment to make room for Young on the roster.

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Oakland placed Young on the disabled list May 4, but made his DL stint retroactive to April 30. The outfielder strained his left quad in the team's 19-inning game against the Los Angeles Angels.

Young struggled in his first 101 plate appearances this season, hitting .172/.277/.391. The outfielder is a good candidate to bounce back, as he has still shown strong plate discipline and power numbers despite his low batting average. Young currently owns a .172 BABIP; his overall offensive numbers should improve as his BABIP regresses towards his career average.

Barton played eight games for Oakland at first base, which allowed the team to move Brandon Moss to the outfield with Josh Reddick on the DL. Barton, a former mainstay in the Oakland lineup, looked completely lost at the plate, hitting .143/.217/.286 in 23 plate appearances.

The Atlhetics designated the first baseman for assignment earlier this season. Barton chose to stay with the team and accept his minor-league assignment. To stay with Oakland, Barton will need to clear waivers and accept his minor-league assignment a second time.

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Jaime Garcia injury: Cardinals LHP placed on DL with shoulder pain

Connor Moylan — Sat, 18 May 2013 22:03:00 -0000

The St. Louis Cardinals placed starting pitcher Jaime Garcia on the disabled list with left shoulder pain, general manager John Mozeliak told members of the media on Saturday. The team will recall Mitchell Boggs from Triple-A Memphis on Sunday to fill his spot on the roster.

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The injury sounds serious, as Garcia said that he feels pain every time he lifts his left arm. Garcia will visit Dr. James Andrews to determine the next step in Garcia's recovery.

The shoulder issues are not new for Garcia, as he battled them throughout the 2012 season as well. The southpaw has also undergone Tommy John surgery, which caused him to miss all of the 2009 season, but the two injuries are not necessarily related.

Garcia has pitched well for the Cardinals this year, as he is 5-2 with a 3.58 ERA in his first nine starts. The lefty has been successful forcing batters to hit the ball on the ground, as he currently leads all qualified starters in groundball percentage at 63 percent.

Garcia joins fellow Cardinals starter Jake Westbrook on the disabled list. The team does not need to replace Garcia in the rotation until the middle of next week, giving the team some options for his replacement. St. Louis recalled rookie John Gast to start in place of Westbrook, and may call up another rookie to pitch in place of Garcia.

The Cardinals' 2012 first-round pick Michael Wacha is one of the replacement options. One of the team's top prospects, Wacha has started the season strong in Triple-A, going 4-0 with a 1.89 ERA in his first eight starts.

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Nolan Reimold injury: Orioles place the outfielder on the DL with a hamstring strain

Connor Moylan — Sat, 18 May 2013 20:41:41 -0000

The Baltimore Orioles placed outfield Nolan Reimold on the 15-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain, calling up Jake Arrieta from Triple-A Norfolk to take his roster spot, the team announced on Saturday.

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Reimold has not played in a game since last Saturday, so the team made his DL stint retroactive to May 12. The right hamstring strain is not a new injury, as Orioles manager Buck Showalter told the media that the injury has bothered Reimold since Spring Training. Showalter said that Reimold could be ready to return when he is eligible on May 27, but the team is not sure how long he will need to recover.

The injury has appeared to bother Reimold throughout the season, as the right-handed hitters has struggled offensively in 2013. Reimold, who has received the majority of the starts at designated hitter this season for Baltimore, hit .188/.257/.327 in his first 113 plate appearances. Reimold has been a solid hitter for the Orioles when healthy, but has battled injury issues throughout his career; the outfielder underwent season-ending surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back last season.

Baltimore is recalling Arrieta to give the team some flexibility and options out of the bullpen. Arrieta struggled in four starts earlier in the season for the Orioles, posting a 6.63 ERA in 19 innings. The team is unsure if Freddy Garcia will start on Monday or if Miguel Gonzalez can start on Tuesday, so Arrieta may receive one of those starts instead.

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Game 39 Preview - Oakland vs. Kansas City

Connor Moylan — Sat, 18 May 2013 19:53:41 -0000

The Kansas City Royals hope to put Friday night's disappointing loss behind them, as the team plays their second game of the series Saturday against the Oakland Athletics. The Royals offense, however, will likely need to score more than one run to get the job done.

That isn't to say that Kansas City starting pitcher Ervin Santana doesn't have the ability to shutout Oakland in him. Santana has pitched quite well in 2013, as he owns a 2.79 ERA after his first seven starts of the season. The right-hander has a 20% K%, which is exactly league average, but owns an absurdly low 3.1% BB%, which is 5% below league average. Santana continues to pound the strike zone at an above-average rate, and is also getting hitters to chase his slider outside of the strike zone.

In his last start, however, the New York Yankees utilized an optimal approach against the starter. New York, a patient team at the plate, did not attempt to work walks against Santana, since the starter has shown the ability to consistently throw strikes this season. The Yankees did avoid chasing his slider in two-strike counts, as they took numerous sliders in the dirt during the game; Santana only fanned four Yankees hitters in 6 1/3 innings pitched,

The Yankees were able to put Santana's fastball in play, tagging the starter for eight hits and four runs. They also smacked a pair of home runs, an always worrisome sign given Santana's struggles with homers in the past.

If the Athletics hitters are well prepared, they will have watched the Yankees approach at the plate and attempt to emulate it. Santana could still give the Royals some quality starts even if teams avoid chasing his slider, but he is unlikely to dominate like he did earlier in the season.

Tommy Milone will start for the Athletics. The southpaw has also started the season strong, as he owns a 3.71 ERA through his first 8 starts of the season. Milone peripheral stats resembles Santana's, as he owns a 21.1% K% and a 4.2% BB%. The 26-year-old is also a flyball pitcher; his career GB% is 36.7%.

Milone appears to be a poor matchup for the Royals, since he does a good job limiting walks and keeps his homeruns in check despite the high number of flyballs; his career HR/FB% is 9.8%. Kansas City hitters have drawn the fewest walks in the league and have hit the second fewest number of home runs. Milone should be able to exploit these weaknesses in the Royals offense, so the team will either need to bunch some hits together or hope Milone is off his game.

This game will likely be another low-scoring affair, so it's time to get in the mood for another pitcher's duel. Hopefully, the Royals will emerge on top this time.

Reds option Tony Cingrani to Triple-A

Connor Moylan — Sat, 18 May 2013 19:09:51 -0000

The Cincinnati Reds optioned starting pitcher Tony Cingrani to Triple-A Louisville, recalling infielder Neftali Soto from Triple-A to fill his spot on the roster, the team announced on Saturday.

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Cingrani made his major-league debut for the Reds on April 18 after the team placed starting pitcher Johnny Cueto on the 15-day disabled list with a lat strain. The 23-year-old pitched well in his six starts for Cincinnati, going 2-0 with a 3.27 ERA. Cingrani fanned 41 hitters in 33 innings and only issued nine walks.

Despite his effectiveness, Cingrani is being sent back to the minor leagues. The Reds have enviable depth in the rotation, with Homer Bailey, Mat Latos, Mike Leake and Bronson Arroyo all currently pitching at a high level. The team was weighing their options between Cingrani and Leake for the final spot in the rotation, and decided to keep Leake.

Leake owns a 3.72 ERA through his first eight starts of the season. The right-handed pitcher has looked sharp recently, as he threw 6 2/3 shutout innings against the Miami Marlins in his last start. Cingrani struggled a bit more recently, allowing nine runs and five homers in his last 15 innings pitched.

Soto is a 24-year-old corner infielder making his debut with the Reds. Soto has started the season slow on the offensive end in Triple-A, hitting .269/.310/.388 in his first 142 plate appearances.

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Yankees acquire Reid Brignac

Connor Moylan — Sat, 18 May 2013 18:28:27 -0000

The New York Yankees acquired Reid Brignac from the Colorado Rockies for cash considerations, designating Alberto Gonzalez for assignment to clear room for Brignac. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported the news first.

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Brignac started the season with the Tampa Bay Rays, but the Rays designated Brignac for assignment at the start of the season. The Rockies picked up Brignac and used the left-handed hitter as a utility man. Brignac struggled at the plate for the Rockies, hitting just .250/.294/.375 in 53 plate appearances. Colorado designated Brignac for assignment on Thursday.

New York, however, is desperate for infield depth and prefers the left-handed hitting Brignac to the right-handed hitting Gonzalez. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told the media that Brignac is a flyball hitter, and the team hopes can take advantage of the friendly confines of Yankee Stadium. The Yankees also think Brignac is a strong fielder, as he can play second, third and shortstop.

The Yankees acquired Gonzalez from the Chicago Cubs on May 9 after the Cubs designated the infielder for assignment. Gonzalez played three games at shortstop for the Yankees, but the team did not trust the infielder to move around the infield, prompting the Brignac acquitison.

This is the second trade the Yankees and the Rockies have completed this season, as New York acquired Chris Nelson earlier in the season after Colorado designated Nelson for assignment.

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Bullpen moves: Okajima, Rauch, Contreras

Connor Moylan — Sat, 18 May 2013 17:38:03 -0000

A few teams moved some relief pitchers around on Friday and Saturday, attempting to bring in some fresh arms and shore up some weak links in their bullpen.

Athletics call up Okajima

The Oakland Athletics purchased the contract of Hideki Okajima from Triple-A Sacramento on Friday, designating Chris Resop for assignment to clear space for Okajima.

Okajima has pitched well for Sacramento, posing a 2.16 ERA over 14 appearances. The veteran lefty fanned 18 batters in 16 2/3 innings while only issuing two walks. Okajima spent five seasons as a member of the Boston Red Sox before spending all of 2012 pitching in Japan.

Marlins designate Rauch for assignment

The Miami Marlins have designated struggling relief pitcher Jon Rauch for assignment, calling up Duane Below from Triple-A New Orleans to fill his spot on the roster.

Miami signed Rauch this off-season, but the veteran reliever struggled to start the season, posting a 7.56 ERA over 16 2/3 innings. The right-handed did fan 15 hitters in his 15 appearances and owns a career 3.90 ERA, so he will likely receive another chance to pitch in the majors.

Pirates place Contreras on bereavement list

The Pittsburgh Pirates placed Jose Contreras on the bereavement list following a death in his family, recalling Jared Hughes from Triple-A Indianopolis to take his spot in the bullpen.

The 41-year-old has only made five appearances in relief for the Pirates, allowing two runs in four innings while striking out four batters. Hughes struggled earlier this season with Pittsburgh but pitched well last year, posting a 2.85 ERA over 75 2/3 innings.

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