Cleveland Indians @ Kansas City Royals GameThread, Apr 23, 2008 8:10 PM EDT

Game 21 Open Thread - Indians (8-12) at Royals (9-11)

by royalsreview on Apr 23, 2008 7:03 PM EDT in Events Comment 44 comments

Cleveland Indians at Kansas City Royals, Apr 23, 2008 8:10 PM EDT

Don't worry about that five game losing streak, or about losing six of seven, or about having the worst offense in the American League, or about purported ace and team leader and tone setter Gil Meche getting bombed, or about looking like the worst baseball team on the planet twenty four hours ago.

We have Tomko, they don't. The Royals brought Tomko in for moments just like these, spots of time which call for a stopper, a man's man, a hero, a pitching savant, a grinder, a gritter, a gamer, a stud. A Tomko. We have Tomko, they don't. End of story. I'll see you in three hours for the post-game celebration thread...

(Isn't it odd how, by pure slot, Tomko has become the de facto number two starter? I know it really means nothing, normally that is, but at this early stage in the season, the teams still match-up more, which means Tomko isn't pitching against Paul Byrd tonight, but Fausto Carmona. Cool!)

Shifting gears, as many of you know, I have some Cleveland ties, and lived there last summer (and will be back there in about a month). I'm not sure if every fanbase feels this way, but there is a definite meme in Cleveland that the Royals always give us trouble. I've heard it personally, heard it on the radio, seen it on Lets Go Tribe and on and on. Well, let's check the facts:

Cleveland's Record Against the Royals Since 2001:
2002: 9-10
2003: 6-13
2004: 11-8
2005: 13-6
2006: 10-8
2007: 11-7
Total Since 2001: 61-42

As always, we're reminded of what poor evaluators of data human beings are, always prone to be too driven by memories of the outlier and preconceived ideas. The Royals haven't had a winning record against the Indians since 2003, which was not coincidentally the worst Tribe team since 1994, and also the best group of Royals. Beyond that, not very good Cleveland teams in 2004 and 2006 still had plenty of success against the Royals, and they positively got fat against them in 2005. Perhaps, perhaps last year's 11-7 mark is something of a disappointment, but it looks pretty normal to me. This isn't the NFL, one or two teams win 65% of their games, one or two win 40% of them, and everyone else is in between.

p.s. Check the diaries fanposts for updated information on Royals Review Fest!

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First!

by 2X2L on Apr 24, 2008 12:44 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Seriously, SB Nation is back and there are 2 games tomorrow. What are the odds of a win? Excellent.

I caught the pre-game show today, during which an author was interviewed who more than 40 years ago won a “50 words or less” contest sponsored by the Kansas City A’s, with the prize of acting as the A’s batboy for a day. But the winner was denied the opportunity to act as batboy, because she was a girl, and the club would not allow a girl to participate.

She tells that story in this new picture book, an advance copy of which the publisher sent to the Royals. And the Royals responded by inviting her to return to Kansas City from her adopted home in Cleveland to become the their honorary bat-human for the night. Nice second act — except for the rain!

I hope she’s able to go back out to The K tomorrow.

by 2X2L on Apr 24, 2008 1:03 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Happy Birthday Carlos Beltran!

And Stacy Haiduk, Omar Vizquel, Cedric the Entertainer, Djimon Hounsou, Mayor Richard Daley, Sue Grafton and Quebec humorist Pierre Brassard!

Ah, Pierre, a young 42 years old today, a day in which the Royals will sweep the Indians!

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Apr 24, 2008 10:50 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Are We Back?

I mean RR, not the actual Royals. Tomko is having a few issues, but it’s not all his fault. There’s plenty of blame to go around this afternoon.

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on Apr 24, 2008 7:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yikes.

by 2X2L on Apr 24, 2008 8:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

That was the Tomko I remember, never picking up the club when there’s a defensive mistake. The defense kept giving him opportunities to do that, and he responded by giving up more line drives.

by 2X2L on Apr 24, 2008 8:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

We need...

to knock Carmona out immediately.

by Bart41 on Apr 24, 2008 8:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Done And Done

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on Apr 24, 2008 8:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yay!

SBNation works! That was fun trying to get on here all day! GOOOOOOOO Blue!

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on Apr 24, 2008 8:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'll Repeat My

Question from The “Yikes” Fanpost; is this Premature?

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on Apr 24, 2008 8:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

TPJ's Hitting Approach

Is beyond description.

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on Apr 24, 2008 8:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It stinks

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on Apr 24, 2008 8:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Succinct and accurate.

by 2X2L on Apr 24, 2008 8:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Losing 6 straight games isn't as sorry as it sounds.

Well, yeah, actually I guess it is.

But hey, we’ll always have those first two weeks.

by MKforKC on Apr 24, 2008 8:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Don't We Have

Someone better than The Sheik for long relief?

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on Apr 24, 2008 8:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Seriously are we trying to corner the market on fielding

the worst Japanese pitchers on one team ever? Nomo and now Yabuta? Yikes.

by MKforKC on Apr 24, 2008 8:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yabuta Adds The

Throwing error to the mix. Sayonara, Sheik.

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on Apr 24, 2008 8:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yabuta sucks...

I’d be happier if he and TPJ were the cornerstones of the O-Royals.

by Bart41 on Apr 24, 2008 8:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

good news is...

The Office is 8 minutes away.

by Bart41 on Apr 24, 2008 8:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

My Office Is

Actually 7 minutes away from my house, and I’m going back early tomorrow.

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on Apr 24, 2008 8:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Son Of The

Sheik would pitch better.

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on Apr 24, 2008 8:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Joey

just bought himself a few more starts…

by Bart41 on Apr 24, 2008 8:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

That’s about the 6th time in the past week that Teahen has driven the ball to straightaway center like that, all for outs. Has he had streaks like that over the last couple of years, or is this something new?

by 2X2L on Apr 24, 2008 8:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs