*** Official Kansas City Royals @ Minnesota Twins Game Thread (8/15) ***

[alnorth]

Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
KC (67-54)	0	0	0	5	0	0	0	1	0	6	12	2
MIN (54-66)	0	0	2	1	0	0	0	0	2	5	9	0

Royals Magic Number: 41



Win, (8-10) Danny Duffy 5⅓IP 3R 2ER 0BB 1K
Hold, (9) Aaron Crow ⅓IP 0R 0ER 0BB 0K
Hold, (5) Francisley Bueno ⅓IP 0R 0ER 0BB 0K
Hold, (13) Kelvin Herrera 1IP 0R 0ER 0BB 2K
Hold, (26) Wade Davis 1IP 0R 0ER 0BB 1K
Save, (37) Greg Holland 1IP 2R 2ER 1BB 1K

VS.



Loss, (5-8) Ricky Nolasco 6IP 5R 5ER 1BB 3K
Caleb Thielbar ⅓IP 0R 0ER 0BB 0K
Jared Burton 1⅓IP 1R 1ER 0BB 2K
Brian Duensing ⅓IP 0R 0ER 0BB 0K
Ryan Pressly 1IP 0R 0ER 0BB 0K

Home Runs

none

Other Relevant Games

Final: SEA 7, DET 2
Final: NYY 0, TB 5
Final: TOR 5, CWS 11

Starting Lineups

KC

1. Norichika Aoki, RF
1. Lorenzo Cain, ph/RF
2. Omar Infante, 2B
3. Salvador Perez, C
4. Billy Butler, 1B
5. Alex Gordon, LF
6. Josh Willingham, DH
7. Mike Moustakas, 3B
8. Alcides Escobar, SS
9. Jarrod Dyson, CF

MIN

1. Danny Santana, CF
2. Brian Dozier, 2B
3. Joe Mauer, 1B
4. Kennys Vargas, DH
5. Trevor Plouffe, 3B
6. Kurt Suzuki, C
7. Oswaldo Arcia, RF
8. Eduardo Escobar, SS
9. Jordan Schafer, LF
9. Chris Parmelee, ph

[tk13]

Vargas has been a pretty consistent 200 IP, 4.00 ERA type of guy. It was a smart signing... I think we've all learned over the last couple years it's important to have a couple guys who can eat innings, even if they're just league average or so. Takes so much pressure off the bullpen. That's why Guthrie and Vargas are worth their paychecks. The key is developing a couple starters on your own. Even the big market teams have to do it. Hopefully they've finally done it with Ventura and Duffy.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by tk13

Vargas has been a pretty consistent 200 IP, 4.00 ERA type of guy. It was a smart signing... I think we've all learned over the last couple years it's important to have a couple guys who can eat innings, even if they're just league average or so. Takes so much pressure off the bullpen. That's why Guthrie and Vargas are worth their paychecks. The key is developing a couple starters on your own. Even the big market teams have to do it. Hopefully they've finally done it with Ventura and Duffy.

I remember seeing Vargas playing for the Angels last year, and I thought he was a crafty lefty.

Looking over his last 5 years as a pitcher (including this year as a Royal) his WAR has been on the positive side, with 2.7 this year.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Nolasco looked very hittable.

[KChiefs1]

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by Coach

I just wish Yost would use Colon more to give Infante and Escobar some day offs. Colon is a great utility INF with a respectable bat, at least statistically speaking.

I think we see Colon replacing Moose on Sunday when we face a lefty in Milone. I could see Infante sitting for Monday nights game, which gives Christian back-to-back starts.

[thurman merman]

Holland is so good that 2 earned runs and 7 hits and 5 walks and 12 strikeouts in his last 10 games is "struggling."

[CaliforniaChief]

We are going to have to lean on some of the other guys in the bullpen, however. Bueno, Frasor, and Crow are gonna have to produce and eat some innings.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

We are going to have to lean on some of the other guys in the bullpen, however. Bueno, Frasor, and Crow are gonna have to produce and eat some innings.

I think you see Chen in multiple inning games we are either losing or winning by 4+ runs

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Our magic number is now 41

edit: we're also 5.5 games back of the overall #1 seed

Jeez, that just feels weird seeing in black and white on August 16th for the Royals. Not that I'm complaining!

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

I think you see Chen in multiple inning games we are either losing or winning by 4+ runs

How nice would having Hoch to chew up some middle relief innings be, right now!