Post by Commissioner Erick on Apr 28, 2020 22:41:35 GMT -5
Kansas City Royals (70-54) @ Tampa Bay Rays (61-63)
KC: Dakota Hudson (6-2, 3.92)
TB: Lucas Sims (5-7, 4.59)
The Kansas City Royals continue their quest for their second straight playoff appearance, taking on a Tampa Bay team that will likely miss the postseason for just the second time since 2018. The Royals swept the Rays in early May, and a series win here would go a long way in Kansas City's quest for the playoffs.
The Royals will need stronger play from Joe Rizzo to achieve their goals. Rizzo's seventh inning home run in Wednesday's game was the 100th of his career—no other Royal has had more than 64—but Rizzo is hitting just .162 in the month of August and the Royals are only 10-9 in the month. A stronger month from Rizzo would help lead to a stronger month from the Royals.
Thankfully for Kansas City, the acquisition of Pavin Smith has helped. Following a lackluster last season and a half in Los Angeles, Smith has been rejuvenated for the Royals, batting .296 with an .825 OPS for the Royals. Smith doesn't have great power, but he has a good eye and a good swing, and for under $1 million dollars, that's a good value.
Kansas City's heavily left-handed lineup will face off against Lucas Sims. The righty is 5-7 with a 4.59 ERA as his hot start has faded into a brutal summer. Sims had a 7.20 ERA in July and has a 7.88 mark thus far in August. Despite finishing third in the 2017 Cal League Pitcher-of-the-Year race, and tantalizing with the Padres in his second season in the majors, Sims hasn't put it all together. He's largely been unable to go deep into games, preventing him from providing a surplus of value. Unsurprisingly due to his great changeup, right-handers have hit him better than left-handers both this year and over his career. That makes his start against the lefty-loaded Royals a fun one to observe.
The Rays have a pair of formal Royals in their pen who are out for revenge. Ian Anderson had a terrific early career with Atlanta, but had a middling season in Kansas City last year and has fallen apart this year. He's given up too many home runs to be reliable as the former top prospect has compiled -0.8 WAR thus far. "Skywalker" Taijuan Walker meanwhile has settled in as a nice long man in Tampa Bay's pen. Walker didn't strike anybody out, but was serviceable as a fifth starter for Kansas City this year. This year, Walker's stuff has played up in relief, and the gain in strikeouts has offset the decrease in innings. Walker should end up with a similar WAR to last year's 0.9.
Questions for the GM's:
For Daniel Kent, you moved Mark Melancon into the closer role recently. Why did you make that change?
Why did you acquire Pavin Smith in exchange for Patrick Leonard?
Lucas Sims is better against lefties than righties. Will that affect your lineup today?
For Ryan Morneau, with the playoffs increasingly an unlikely proposition, what would you like to see the final six weeks of the year?
Jimmy Whitaker looked incredibly wild in his brief test of the big leagues. Do you feel you brought him up too early?
What are your thoughts on Lewin Diaz and Anderson Franco, a pair of players who failed to contribute in the same manner Patrick Leonard and Casey Gillaspie did for your club?
TRIVIA: Lucas Sims finished third in Pitcher-of-the-Year voting in the Cal League in 2017. Who won that award?
KC: Dakota Hudson (6-2, 3.92)
TB: Lucas Sims (5-7, 4.59)
The Kansas City Royals continue their quest for their second straight playoff appearance, taking on a Tampa Bay team that will likely miss the postseason for just the second time since 2018. The Royals swept the Rays in early May, and a series win here would go a long way in Kansas City's quest for the playoffs.
The Royals will need stronger play from Joe Rizzo to achieve their goals. Rizzo's seventh inning home run in Wednesday's game was the 100th of his career—no other Royal has had more than 64—but Rizzo is hitting just .162 in the month of August and the Royals are only 10-9 in the month. A stronger month from Rizzo would help lead to a stronger month from the Royals.
Thankfully for Kansas City, the acquisition of Pavin Smith has helped. Following a lackluster last season and a half in Los Angeles, Smith has been rejuvenated for the Royals, batting .296 with an .825 OPS for the Royals. Smith doesn't have great power, but he has a good eye and a good swing, and for under $1 million dollars, that's a good value.
Kansas City's heavily left-handed lineup will face off against Lucas Sims. The righty is 5-7 with a 4.59 ERA as his hot start has faded into a brutal summer. Sims had a 7.20 ERA in July and has a 7.88 mark thus far in August. Despite finishing third in the 2017 Cal League Pitcher-of-the-Year race, and tantalizing with the Padres in his second season in the majors, Sims hasn't put it all together. He's largely been unable to go deep into games, preventing him from providing a surplus of value. Unsurprisingly due to his great changeup, right-handers have hit him better than left-handers both this year and over his career. That makes his start against the lefty-loaded Royals a fun one to observe.
The Rays have a pair of formal Royals in their pen who are out for revenge. Ian Anderson had a terrific early career with Atlanta, but had a middling season in Kansas City last year and has fallen apart this year. He's given up too many home runs to be reliable as the former top prospect has compiled -0.8 WAR thus far. "Skywalker" Taijuan Walker meanwhile has settled in as a nice long man in Tampa Bay's pen. Walker didn't strike anybody out, but was serviceable as a fifth starter for Kansas City this year. This year, Walker's stuff has played up in relief, and the gain in strikeouts has offset the decrease in innings. Walker should end up with a similar WAR to last year's 0.9.
Questions for the GM's:
For Daniel Kent, you moved Mark Melancon into the closer role recently. Why did you make that change?
Why did you acquire Pavin Smith in exchange for Patrick Leonard?
Lucas Sims is better against lefties than righties. Will that affect your lineup today?
For Ryan Morneau, with the playoffs increasingly an unlikely proposition, what would you like to see the final six weeks of the year?
Jimmy Whitaker looked incredibly wild in his brief test of the big leagues. Do you feel you brought him up too early?
What are your thoughts on Lewin Diaz and Anderson Franco, a pair of players who failed to contribute in the same manner Patrick Leonard and Casey Gillaspie did for your club?
TRIVIA: Lucas Sims finished third in Pitcher-of-the-Year voting in the Cal League in 2017. Who won that award?
