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Game 45 Open Thread - Royals (21-23) at Red Sox (28-19)

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Kansas City @ Boston


Royals look to get a hit against Boston for first time since 2007

 

Lineup

Kansas City Royals @ Boston Red Sox

05/20/08 7:05 PM EDT

Kansas City Royals Boston Red Sox
David DeJesus - CF Coco Crisp - CF
Mark Grudzielanek - 2B Dustin Pedroia - 2B
Alex Gordon - 3B David Ortiz - DH
Jose Guillen - LF Manny Ramirez - LF
Mark Teahen - RF Mike Lowell - 3B
Billy Butler - DH Kevin Youkilis - 1B
Ross Gload - 1B J.D. Drew - RF
John Buck - C Jason Varitek - C
Tony Pena - SS Julio Lugo - SS


Your pitching matchup is Gil Meche (5.98 ERA) against rookie Justin Masterson, who is making his second career start. Masterson is a 2006 second round pick.

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Masterson is a nice pitching prospect

He’s an extreme groundballer (69% GB% in AA this year, 66% in AA and 54% in A+ last year) who can miss some bats but walks a few too many hitters. Glancing at the pitch f/x data from his previous major league start, it looks like he throws a sinker that sits around 89-91 MPH and touches 94 MPH (the faster ones might be four-seamers), a slider, and an occasional changeup to lefties.

The best strategy for the offense tonight might be take a few pitches and if you make contact, run very fast.

by Gopherballs on May 20, 2008 6:13 PM EDT   0 recs

Yes, he's a groundpounder

and hopefully the Royals have watched some film on him. It’d be disappointing to fall into a rut because of a rookie.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 6:24 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah

I hope it’s not one of those games where we struggle against a guy we haven’t seen. A win tonight is very big.

by I need more Esteban on May 20, 2008 6:31 PM EDT   0 recs

That's what I was getting at.

Split allegiance or no, I want to see the Royals get into Masterson tonight. He’s up in the bigs a bit too early.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 6:33 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

if we get goin early

I think we will be good, someone just needs to get us started early on with a hit.

by cfizzle on May 20, 2008 6:39 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

yea…

althogh i am worried about holding down the sox…

i could see a 8-7 loss

by royalsreview on May 20, 2008 6:41 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

true..

but depending on how long meche can hang in there i’d trust nunez ramirez and soria against the sawks… well atleast more than meche.

by cfizzle on May 20, 2008 6:54 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

i seriously want the royals to go hitless through like the first 3 innings, just so we can start talking about being no hit back to back days…

by royalsreview on May 20, 2008 6:39 PM EDT   0 recs

haha

that would be terrible. If we don’t have one through 2, I’m going to start getting mad.

by I need more Esteban on May 20, 2008 6:42 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Never!

It’s time for a DDJ lead-off dinger!

/blind devotion to DDJ mode.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 6:42 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

he’s gonna get to double digit HRs some day!

by royalsreview on May 20, 2008 6:48 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

...for the Braves

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 6:55 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

"Ph. D man leaves out punctuation,

Psychology major chuckles.” :P

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 6:56 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

he had a lot of positive things to say about trey hillman

nothing ground-breaking, but he’s really seems genuinely positive about hillman

Blown Save

by BlownSave on May 20, 2008 6:57 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

JoePo

is positive? Revolutionary!

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 6:58 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

i know.

shocking.

Blown Save

by BlownSave on May 20, 2008 6:58 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

In all fairness,

I don’t think Hillman has done anything significant to merit our snark.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 7:01 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

but it was more of the "i have confidence in this guy" kind of positiveness...

...as opposed to “i’m just trying to be nice to the guy”

Blown Save

by BlownSave on May 20, 2008 7:00 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Meche needs to no hit the bo sox for revenge

Yasuhiko Yabuta is to Major League Baseball as Drew Carey is to The Price is Right

by focs on May 20, 2008 6:56 PM EDT   0 recs

Buck is back.

And i am glad. i think.

by cfizzle on May 20, 2008 6:58 PM EDT   0 recs

Kentucky Primary Update

Clinton 49%, Obama 48% – 13% reporting

Blown Save

by BlownSave on May 20, 2008 6:59 PM EDT   0 recs

And so,

Hillary continues her slow fade into oblivion.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 7:00 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

It still means very little...

especially with so narrow a gap, there just aren’t enough delegates left for Hillary to win.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 7:02 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Line-ups:

OUR HEROES

DDJ CF
Grudzielanek 2B
Gordon 3B
Jome Run Jose LF
Marky Mark RF
Billy Ray DH
EXPLOSION 1B
Best Mormon Catcher in KC History C
empty spot SS

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 7:04 PM EDT   0 recs

Hooray FOX!

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 7:05 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Pravda

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

by philofthenorth on May 20, 2008 7:56 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

In glorious news of revolution today

Voters unanimously elects President Bush to third term. Landslide victory was result of one hundred percents voter turnout. Many National Guardsmans were present at polling places to ensure safety of voting publics. All hail great and powerful democratic revolution.

Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.

by jonfmorse on May 20, 2008 8:10 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

VILLAINOUS SAWX:

Crisp CF
Pedroia 2B
Ortiz DH
Ramirez LF
Lowell 3B
Youkilis 1B
Drew RF
Varitek C
Lugo SS

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 7:05 PM EDT   0 recs

Maybe DeJesus won't reach double digits...

this year.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 7:06 PM EDT   0 recs

26 to go

by royalsreview on May 20, 2008 7:07 PM EDT   0 recs

JUUUUUUUST

a bit outside.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 7:07 PM EDT   0 recs

25 to go

by royalsreview on May 20, 2008 7:08 PM EDT   0 recs

Yeah, Gordon!

Get this XBH going, Alex!

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 7:09 PM EDT   0 recs

Boo.

Send Jome Run Jose back to AA ball.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 7:11 PM EDT   0 recs

we already have

half the amount of hits masterson has given up in his whole major league career

by cfizzle on May 20, 2008 7:14 PM EDT   0 recs

I am SOOOO glad Pena was in the lineup today and not Callaspo...

...otherwise that’s a hit…....................................................................

Blown Save

by BlownSave on May 20, 2008 7:14 PM EDT   0 recs

Mark Teahen:

hopeless or punchless?

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 7:22 PM EDT   0 recs

Is it possible to be "out of position" as a hitter?

He should be taking over the “Grudzielanek” roll and and just worrying about getting on base. All these strikeouts are not helping him or the team.

Blown Save

by BlownSave on May 20, 2008 7:24 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah,

I’m afraid he’s emerging as a tweener: not enough glove for a premium defensive position, not enough bat for a corner spot. Hate to say that, but that’s the way it looks. At least he’s not Ross Gload.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 7:26 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Seems like he might be

sitting too deep in his stance, so he’s not getting his weight forward into his swing. I’m no scout, but there’s my $.02.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 7:26 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah, I think that is coming from being too anxious or trying too hard.

The angle Masterson is pitching from is not helping either.

Blown Save

by BlownSave on May 20, 2008 7:30 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

jinx

Yasuhiko Yabuta is to Major League Baseball as Drew Carey is to The Price is Right

by focs on May 20, 2008 7:27 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

mike lowell everybody

by royalsreview on May 20, 2008 7:30 PM EDT   0 recs

First class guy,

second class beard.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 7:32 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Meche with 2Ks!

whats his career high?

seven?

it could be a special night

by royalsreview on May 20, 2008 7:32 PM EDT   0 recs

So I turned to ESPN briefly and David Stern was talking to Jay-Z of all people.

Apparently Jay-Z is part owner of the Nets and is their representative for tonight’s draft lottery. Jay-Z did not seem to want to be talking to David Stern… That’s got to hurt his “gangsta” reputation.

Blown Save

by BlownSave on May 20, 2008 7:33 PM EDT   0 recs

6-0 O's

they’ve batted around against Mussina in the first. Just something fun to note.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 7:34 PM EDT   0 recs

7-0 O's

Mussina pitched 2/3s of an inning. Wow.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on May 20, 2008 7:41 PM EDT   0 recs

only charged with 1 ER in .2 innings pitched

they already took him out

Yasuhiko Yabuta is to Major League Baseball as Drew Carey is to The Price is Right

by focs on May 20, 2008 7:43 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs