The Cleveland Indians pitching staff has been awesome beyond description...
The front three of the Royals rotation had great first starts. 21 innings, one run, and 21 strikeouts. The Royals aren't my favorite sports team (Kansas State Wildcats), but they are my first love.
Starting pitching is alright, and relief pitching is good as long as they can keep Farnsworth off the mound.
I'm keeping my sights set on the Toronto Blue Jays, like I do every year. They could finally make a come back, you never know!
It will be awfully tough in the AL East, though. I think the big reason the Royals have a chance is because nobody is great in the Central, just good.
Offense is, unsurprisingly, the Royals biggest weakness. Infield defense is a little lacking, as well.
Starting pitching is alright, and relief pitching is good as long as they can keep Farnsworth off the mound.
They have a couple of promising young hitters in Alex Gordon and Billy Butler.
PS - I have no idea how they're actually doing, I just root for them out of trained response.
They have a couple of promising young hitters in Alex Gordon and Billy Butler.
Gordon and Butler? They may get better, but Gordon is a career .251 hitter and a defensive liability at third base. Butler is a DH who is one for 17 this year with one walk and seven strikeouts. Aviles is good but very streaky.
By comparison, the Royals three young pitching stars -- Greinke, Davies, and Soria -- are demonstrating their potential.
a) That's over 2 seasons
b) Dude is only 25
Gordon is a highly touted young player. Not every player burts on to the scene like a ball of fire like Albert Pujols or Evan Longoria. Some guys struggle for a while. Now, Gordon may turn out to be a bust, be he has tremendous upside and had a pretty good second half last year.
As far as Butler, the season is only 5 games old. 1-17 means nothing. Many good players start the season struggling. Derek Jeter went 0-32 once. It's a long season and these things even out.
Gordon is a career .251 hitter but:
a) That's over 2 seasons
b) Dude is only 25
Gordon is a highly touted young player. Not every player burts on to the scene like a ball of fire like Albert Pujols or Evan Longoria. Some guys struggle for a while. Now, Gordon may turn out to be a bust, be he has tremendous upside and had a pretty good second half last year.
As far as Butler, the season is only 5 games old. 1-17 means nothing. Many good players start the season struggling. Derek Jeter went 0-32 once. It's a long season and these things even out.
You're right. Gordon and Butler have plenty of potential, and, as a lifelong Royals fan, I hope things turn out well. But so far they have only shown flashes of what they can do.
I realize I was probably spoiled with a hall-of-fame infielder when I was growing up, and number five isn't taking the field again. But is it too much to expect an occasional all-star?
EDIT: Cardinals suck! My biggest regret is that the Royals didn't go to the NL when they had the chance. Kick St. Louis's butt all the way along I-70.
By the way, your boys are going down tomorrow!
Maybe it's because I'm medically prohibited from imbibing vast quantities of alcohol (which also keeps me from enjoying NASCAR), but I think it's one of the most boring things I've ever seen in my life.
It also doesn't help that my local team is the Tigers. They suck so bad, they could lose to a little-league team.
[...] I'm medically prohibited from imbibing vast quantities of alcohol [...]
You have my condolences.
[...] my local team is the Tigers. [...]
Again, you have my condolences.
Our awesome Tribe starters have only allowed 30 runs in 20 innings. Yay!
Meanwhile my Red Sox still have no middle relief. It's like the split second our starters get yanked in the 6th, I feel like turning the TV off and giving my friends a Yoda lecture.
"If into the 7th or 8th inning you look... only pain you will find."
It also doesn't help that my local team is the Tigers. They suck so bad, they could lose to a little-league team..
The Tigers are a potential World Series contender. And the only way anyone could think baseball is boring is if they don't get it. If you do, it is IMPOSSIBLE not to love it. Impossible.
The Tigers are a potential World Series contender. And the only way anyone could think baseball is boring is if they don't get it. If you do, it is IMPOSSIBLE not to love it. Impossible.
I have seen the Tigers snatch defeat from the jaws of victory on many occasions. The only time you can be assured the Tigers won't lose is when there's a downpour.
As for the other thing, I honestly tried to like the game. I gave it a chance, and did my best to learn about it. The game itself is just boring to me. I can't really blame baseball for that though. I can't name a single team sport that doesn't bore me to tears when the game isn't close.
By the way, your boys are going down tomorrow!
I stand corrected...
The Cleveland Indians pitching staff has been awesome beyond description...
Yeah! Let's hope they score some touchdowns with some slam dunks!
I remember listening to him when I was little. He was the announcer for ever. It's sad to think of watching games without his play-by-play commentary. Good to see the Indians FINALLY get some good pitching in their last couple of games.
If they get nothing else this year, they still have this: The first win in the new (hated) Yankee stadium! And Cliff beat CC to do it, too. Man, seeing that score made my friggin' day. Suck it, Yankees! :P :D
Apparently, the HoF took Grady's grand-slam bat. They got CC's spikes and an autographed Cliff Lee ball, too. Forever rememberd as a loss. Immortalized in the HoF. Too bad it's likely to be about the only memorable thing the Indians do this season. Besides lose a crapton of games, that is. ;)
If they get nothing else this year, they still have this: The first win in the new (hated) Yankee stadium! And Cliff beat CC to do it, too. Man, seeing that score made my friggin' day. Suck it, Yankees! :P :D
Apparently, the HoF took Grady's grand-slam bat. They got CC's spikes and an autographed Cliff Lee ball, too. Forever rememberd as a loss. Immortalized in the HoF. Too bad it's likely to be about the only memorable thing the Indians do this season. Besides lose a crapton of games, that is. ;)
Don't feel too bad about losing a crapton of games. The Royals have plenty of experience at that. 100-loss seasons, 3 years in a row. That was rough.
Holy crap, I think I jinxed Alex Gordon!
Don't feel bad about it, metal. There is no way the time off will hurt his swing. ;)
Tonight was a fun game as a Royals fan.
Also unlike the Browns the Indians have been to their sports final championship game multiple times.
Cleveland Baseball, mediocre in the bad years, amazing in the good years.
far far better than the football.
which is Mediocre in the good years.