Game of the Week: September 16: KC @ OAK

[Commissioner Erick]

Kansas City Royals (98-52) @ Oakland Athletics (63-87)


KC: Chance Adams (15-5, 3.97)
OAK: Francisco A. Morales (0-2, 6.15)


The Kansas City Royals are entering the playoffs the right way. After a rough stretch in mid-August where the Royals lost a home series to the Mets and were swept in Cleveland, they’ve won 16 of 19 games, and six consecutive series. In sweeping the Tigers earlier in the month, they’ve opened up a 3.5 game lead on Detroit for the AL Central crown. The Royals have lost in win-or-go-home situations the last two years, so winning the division outright is a huge goal for them.

The Royals will continue their quest for their first ever AL Central championship when they visit a phenom-led Oakland Athletics team for the Game of the Week.

The Royals have built themselves a very balanced team to fuel their 98-win season. The club ranks fifth in both offense and run prevention, plus is fourth in baserunning and third in zone rating. Kansas City is even the league leader in sac flies as they make contact to get runners home.

Their starter tonight, Chance Adams, has 15 wins to his ledger, one of three Royals with over 15 dubs. Before this season, only one Royals pitcher in history had ever reached that plateau, Eric Skoglund in 2020. The Royals have come a long way since then. Of course, last year and 2022 were long ways from 2020 as well, and the Royals seasons capped out at the Wild Card Game and a Wild Card Play-in Game.

To try to go a step farther, they’re relying on a pair of former Yankees, one exactly who Daniel Kent thought he was getting, and one a pleasant surprise. With 48 Home Runs and 105 RBIs, Gary Sanchez remains the model of consistent offensive production from behind the plate. He moved from the homer-friendly Yankee Stadium to Kauffman Park, yet is having the most prodigious year of his career. His 48 homers is a career high, and he’s two RBIs away from setting a career high in that mark too. His Slugging Percentage of .608 is also a career high. He’s on pace for a third Platinum Stick and has added star power to an already strong Royals lineup.

The second addition has played well above and beyond Kansas City’s expectations. Jim Sattler, somehow, has the fifth best OPS in the American League. Acquired for Manuel Margot, Jack Labosky, and a prospect last July, Sattler has exploded in Kansas City. Sattler showed signs in the past, winning the South Atlantic League MVP his first time in full-season ball in 2022, hitting well over .300 in Triple-A in 2023, and having a great debut with the Yankees. He cratered after coming to Kansas City though, and was expected to be a fourth outfielder. Instead, Sattler’s hitting .313 with 37 home runs, 43 doubles, 108 RBIs, 12 steals, and has 5.0 WAR. His unexpected ascent may lead Kansas City to the Promised Land.

Their opponent in Oakland will not be joining them in the playoffs, but that doesn’t mean the team isn’t worth watching. Keenan Bell has a big beard and a big bat and leads all American League rookies in Home Runs. There’s some swing-and-miss in Bell’s game that’s holding him back, but in terms of dynamic young power-hitters, he’s someone Oakland fans can root for down the stretch.

He’s joined by one of the PBA’s bad boys, a Center Fielder who oozes talent, if not patience and positivity. Juan Castoreno has somehow gone 275 plate appearances walking only seven times. Despite that, he had a 35-game hitting streak in games where he wasn’t injured, and has 22 home runs and 23 doubles in less than half a season. He’s not being paid to watch; he’s being paid to swing and unleash carnage on opposing pitchers. Pitchers have adjusted and pitched better to Castoreno as the year has gone on, understanding that if pitches are thrown in the strike zone, he will swing at them and he will crush them. Castereno doesn’t really get himself out too often though, because he’s not taking enough pitches to strike out, and his absurd plate coverage results in contact that sometimes goes for hits. He’s willing to go the other way so pitchers trying to throw fastballs away are seeing them land in the left field seats, and breaking stuff can get hooked down the right field line for doubles.

Of course, it’s also telling that in a toxic clubhouse where everyone is miserable over a disappointing season, Castoreno is beaming. He doesn’t care that the team is losing and the veterans are miserable and fighting. He’s a 20-year old superstar getting to show off. His coaches don’t think he practices the fundamentals and he makes too many mistakes. The media thinks he’s actively egging on his teammates who are struggling. There really hasn’t been a player in the PBA like him. Those angry teammates may be able to team up and stop him; it may be a better bet than the Royals shutting him down.


Questions for the GMs:


For Daniel Kent, what’s your team’s gameplan in facing Castoreno and the A’s today?

You identified Addison Reed and snapped him up in Free Agency, a move that has paid huge dividends as he has 3.2 WAR as a short reliever. How big has he been for you?

Khalil Lee is the one player on the team who has not bought into the success of your outfield additions the past two years, and now he’s ice cold at the plate. What will Lee’s role be for you down the stretch and in the postseason?

For Creig McBride, what do you make of a player like Castoreno who is so talented, so impatient, and such a bad influence?

Your squad has a number of players due contracts in arbitration this offseason. Are any of your guys non-tender candidates?

Are there any players you’re unsure of for next year’s team that you’ll be closely evaluating today?


TRIVIA: Who is the only player to have a higher OPS than Jim Sattler this year and also have a minor league MVP Award?

[kcgm]

1) I'm not sure we really have a gameplan for Castoreno except to cross our fingers and hope for the best. Even if we did I can't be sure the manager bot would stick to it. With Castoreno's platoon split I guess I hope that at least one of my lefty relievers, Jose Torres and Tyler Lyons, face him in the later innings. There is never a "right answer" when it comes to facing a talent like Castoreno though and I will be holding my breath throughout all of his at bats this series.

2) Reed has been huge for us this season. His spectacular ratings caught my eye in Free Agency, though he had never quite lived up to them in previous seasons. Given that his demand wasn't obscene and he still had a solid track record I decided to take a chance on him breaking out and a change of scenery helping him reach a new level of performance. Having him has given me another weapon out of the pen and allows me to breathe easy in the later innings of tight games. We are very happy to have him and at this point it is pretty much a given that his team option for next season will be exercised.

3) Lee has been slumping for awhile now and, though I am confident this is temporary and he will bounce back next season at the latest, he has become my 4th outfielder with LF Taylor Trammell, CF Grant Burton and RF Jim Sattler all putting up very good numbers. For the rest of my run Lee will be used as an overqualified pinch runner/pinch hitter/defensive replacement. If Pavin Smith stops hitting Lee may also take his spot as the starting DH against righties. We are very fortunate to have a starting caliber contingency plan in Lee in case of underperformance or injury.

[Commissioner Erick]

Royals 7 - Athletics 4


WP: T. Lyons (4-1)
LP: L. Hendriks (5-6)
SV: A. Colome (16)


Kansas City and Oakland duked it out and the Royals came out victorious.

The Kansas City Royals defeated the Oakland Athletics, 7-4. Doing his part was first baseman Joe Rizzo, who was 3 for 3 with a double, 2 singles, and 2 walks. Alex Colome was credited with the save. He has now successfully converted 16 of 18 save opportunities.

J.P. Crawford, the 29-year old shortstop , had a direct impact on the outcome. Crawford contributed a run-scoring single in the top of the eighth inning to put Kansas City up, 4-3.

"This team is on a mission," said Rizzo, who is one of the clubhouse leaders. "I like our focus."

Kansas City, at 99-52, is 4 games up in the American League Central Division.


Questions for the GMs:


For Daniel Kent, Juan Castoreno twice hit the ball 99 miles an hour or harder, but was retired. The first time on a nice play by Gavin Lux, the second on a nice snag by Grant Burton. Do those plays highlight how import defense is to you when constructing your roster?

After Doug Syverson was very wild, Alex Colome came on to get the final out and the save. Colome was acquired in an underrated deal in 2022 for Hansel Robles and J.B. Woodman. How would you evaluate that trade looking back?

J.P. Crawford had three huge RBI for you. Was acquiring him worth the cost of your first round pick (turned into Matt Rain) and Salesman Ancrum? You also dumped Nicholas Castellanos' contract in the deal.

For Creig McBride, Logan Ice homered, but also hit into a double play, struck out, and committed a passed ball. Do you think he's an acceptable backup catcher?

Keenan Bell isn't known for getting on base, but aside from homering, he walked twice. What do you see in his future?

Liam Hendriks allowed two runs on three hits and took the loss. He's had a rough go since signing his contract extension back in 2021. He's a free agent at the end of the year. Do you plan on bringing him back?


TRIVIA: Alex Colome and Tyler Lyons are two of the five most used arms in baseball. What other three pitchers round out the list of the five pitchers who have appeared in the most games in history?

[kcgm]

1) To an extent, I don't go out of my way to sacrifice hitting in order to have gold glove caliber fielding at every position, but I do try and find above average defenders who can at least hold their own. I also tend to value pitchers who don't allow walks or home runs over those who rack up Ks, so my pitching staff tends to be more reliant on having a solid defense behind them. It also depends on what specific position, I put more emphasis on some being good fielders than others.

2) I'm very happy with that trade. I have been fortunate to boast great outfield depth the past few seasons which allowed me to deal a capable player like Woodman who is blocked on my roster. I was able to resign Colome to a reasonable contract and he has been great for me since. Unfortunately he is now 35 and, though he is still pitching well, in recent scouting reports his velocity has started to drop which I consider a red flag going forward. With recent extensions for relievers Tyler Lyons and Jose Torres, Doug Syverson's emergence, and acquiring Chase Johnson at the trade deadline, I feel that Colome has become expendable and I am planning on letting him walk after this season.

3) I am very happy with Crawford so far. Though I think Jadon Ancrum will have a very long and productive career I am lucky to have a logjam of starting caliber outfielders (Jim Sattler, Taylor Trammell, Grant Burton, Khalil Lee) so I didn't really have anywhere for Ancrum to play. If there was a position for him I would not have made the trade. Christopher Torres, my projected starting SS before the deal, had a down year in 2023, and though I am confident he is still a productive starting caliber player it was tough to pass up the opportunity to acquire a star like Crawford. I am planning to let Andrelton Simmons, my utility infielder, walk after the season and give his spot to Torres for 2025, who spent most of the season in AAA learning to play 2B and 3B. I was also fortunate enough to still make 3 1st Round Picks (and 2 2nds) despite giving one away in the trade, so I don't feel that I missed out on talent in the draft.