Royals Thump Rockies 16-8; Hosmer Rushes for 100 Yards, Melky Scores Two TDs

by RoyalsRetro on Jul 3, 2011 7:09 PM EDT in Royals Game Recaps

The Royals salvaged the final game of a three game set with the Rockies with a narrow 16-8 victory on Sunday. The Royals got things going on the game's opening drive with a home run play for Melky Cabrera, who burned Rockies outfielder Seth Smith on a go-route to the end zone. Royals head coach Ned Yost, always the maverick, elected to go for two and it paid off when Eric Hosmer slammed up the middle for the conversion.

Cabrera would add another score in the fourth on a long drive that included contributions from Alcides Escobar and Mike Moustakas and a critical illegal use of the hands penalty on Rockies pitcher Jason Hammel. Yost again elected to go for two, using scrappy second baseman Chris Getz on a trick play that found the end zone.

The Rockies would make things interesting when a defensive lapse by Luke Hochevar - criticized all year for his penchant for giving up big plays - gave up a score to Carlos Gonzalez. But the Royals were able to hold the Rockies at bay with defensive packages showcasing Tim Collins and Louis Coleman, and a ninth inning Hail Mary attempt by the Rockies fell harmlessly to the ground.

Royals rookie Eric Hosmser enjoyed his first 100 yard rushing game in the Majors while Mike Moustakas chipped in with 75 all-purpose yards.

It will be nice to get back to the American League where real baseball is played, not this silly ball nonsense.

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forgive me for only seeing muted highlights

but what happened with the apparent Ned Yost switch of the pitchers and Wood was batting where Pena was suppost to be batting? I just saw Yost arguing and then Wood was like in the 5 hole or something…….

by jrcnc on Jul 3, 2011 7:18 PM EDT reply actions

i believe the ump messed up on the double switch

he had us replacing someone else besides Treanor, which was the guy we wanted out.

by Fernando Vina School of Linguistics on Jul 3, 2011 8:05 PM EDT up reply actions

don't tease me with football references :)

I believe the NFL Lockout will effect my view of the NFL for the next 10 years. If the Chiefs win a Super Bowl earlier than that all will be well in my opinion.

by Cowboynchrist on Jul 3, 2011 7:34 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 1 recs

But

what about Billy? He had a 1.000 OBP day:) Nice to see a change of approach to a fly-ball stadium. Nice to see the Young Messiahs heat up a little, also. Too bad Hoch decided to channel Davies, looked good once through the order til he decided he could through high heat past the Rockies.

by Jim Fetterolf on Jul 3, 2011 7:38 PM EDT reply actions

Who is the kicker?

and why don’t they trust him for simple PATs? Going for two all the time will bite you in the ass come playoff time.

I'm trying hard but some of this sabermetrics stuff sounds madeup.

by stram#1 on Jul 3, 2011 7:54 PM EDT reply actions

Tim Collins kicked both the PATs.

We also had a safety (Maier with the tackle).

by Dadunca on Jul 3, 2011 7:58 PM EDT up reply actions

his brother Todd Collins

played QB and switch hit.

CHIEFS DYNASTY – we’re kind of a big deal

by kabrink on Jul 3, 2011 8:00 PM EDT up reply actions

on the game thread

I know some people expressed hope that today’s game would increase Melky’s trade value. But, in the alternate view, won’t this just validate in DM’s brain that we should keep him?

CHIEFS DYNASTY – we’re kind of a big deal

by kabrink on Jul 3, 2011 8:00 PM EDT reply actions

I think DM knows Melky isn't part of the long term plan regardless.

"That's fine wood from... somewhere."

by KeepItCopacetic on Jul 3, 2011 8:29 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm not ceratin of that

He is still only 27 next year, we have team control of him next year. I could very easily see Dayton keep him around.

Edgar knows best.

by kcbottom9th on Jul 3, 2011 10:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Nah... he traded for Cain.

It’d take a major change to see anyone else besides him in CF next year

MAJOR LEAGUE (The Royals)
Rachel Phelps (Royals Management): I think he'll fit right in with our team concept.
Charlie Donovan (Royals Fans): That reminds me, I was going to ask you. What exactly *is* our team concept?

by Royals Medic on Jul 3, 2011 11:41 PM EDT up reply actions

like how he traded for Gregor Blanco?

considering the clusterfuck rule of DM roster construction, I could see our outfield involving Melky and Cain in 2012

Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bhindepmo
Chairman, The Melky Cabrera Seasoning Sauce. It's great on your outfield!

by BHWick on Jul 4, 2011 2:18 AM EDT up reply actions

i get that feeling too

by Professor Stephanie Willbanks on Jul 5, 2011 1:51 PM EDT up reply actions

OT: The Yankees have SIX starters in the all-star game?!?

Makes you wish they would take away the fan vote.

by Dadunca on Jul 3, 2011 8:01 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs

Sorry, the graphic they showed during the game had six.

MLB.com has four. Still, too many. Still, the Yankees suck.

by Dadunca on Jul 3, 2011 8:04 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

especially when one of them is Jeter

who essentially missed a month

I'm trying hard but some of this sabermetrics stuff sounds madeup.

by stram#1 on Jul 3, 2011 8:10 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Asdrubal Cabrera has to be pissed

I need to go take a Davies and wipe my Elarton. Excuse me.

by royaldaddy on Jul 4, 2011 1:28 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

TOUCHDOWN KAN-SUS CITY!!!!!

Love the write up brother!!!!

"Stay Classy Kansas City"

by Mas Cervezas on Jul 3, 2011 8:06 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

OT: what's melkys worth now?!

"Stay Classy Kansas City"

by Mas Cervezas on Jul 3, 2011 8:07 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Better Major League Moment...

Chris Getz’s fly ball blast that fell just a few (hundred) feet short of a homer, but brought in a run anyways

Jeff Francouer’s RBI rocket of a ground ball that caused Mark Ellis to shit his pants before BARELY containing Frenchy to a single – a play that, in my opinion, ends 9 times out of 10 as a triple?

by KyleM on Jul 3, 2011 8:08 PM EDT reply actions

Hopefully Gordon is fine.

"That's fine wood from... somewhere."

by KeepItCopacetic on Jul 3, 2011 8:13 PM EDT reply actions

exactly why i tuned into the post game thread.

Any news?

If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.

by labbadabba on Jul 3, 2011 8:30 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Day to day

"Stay Classy Kansas City"

by Mas Cervezas on Jul 3, 2011 8:52 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Had a fellow in the Marines tell me once

“ohhh getting hit by a pitch doesn’t hurt that bad.” So I asked him to go stand on the 5 highway in Cali right outside Camp Pendleton, let me get my truck up to 95 (easy to do in Cali) and let me clip him with my side view mirror and have him tell me how much it hurts.
Its actually been proven that getting hit with a MLB fastball is the same as taking a bullet to a chest protection vest. These guys are actually pretty physically fit. I look at Getz all the time and see protruding pieces of flesh and ask why he can hit a homer.

by jrcnc on Jul 3, 2011 9:09 PM EDT up reply actions

An unnoticed Stat.

Billy started a new streak of series hits. Go Crazy

by jack.nowland on Jul 3, 2011 9:00 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Im glad he will have the chance to break it with another team

by jrcnc on Jul 3, 2011 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions

I just wish he could be at least average defensively

so they wouldn’t have this problem every year of having to sit him. Then again I wish some of those doubles would drop on the other side of the fence since he’s a DH. Then again I wish plenty of things that don’t seem possible.

I'm trying hard but some of this sabermetrics stuff sounds madeup.

by stram#1 on Jul 3, 2011 9:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah

I think he’s done some good work defensively but I’ve always seen him ultimately becoming someone like Jim Thome. I’m sure you guys more knowledgeable about saber stuff will tell me Thome sucks. But, it sure seems like every time he came to plate against Royals it was over the fence.

But, alas, Billy will be traded soon.

CHIEFS DYNASTY – we’re kind of a big deal

by kabrink on Jul 3, 2011 10:42 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Closing in on 600 HR and holder of a career triple-slash of .277/.404/.558?

That, friend, is a likely HOFer, even if he mostly played DH. That country-strong bastard also is extremely well-liked and is not in the group of supposed PED-users, whether just or not.

Hating life as a Royals fan 365 days a year at Royalscentricity

by Old Man Duggan on Jul 4, 2011 1:43 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Southern Comfort plus Monster

is not the same as Red Bull and Vodka.

by jrcnc on Jul 3, 2011 9:04 PM EDT reply actions

sounds even worse

CHIEFS DYNASTY – we’re kind of a big deal

by kabrink on Jul 3, 2011 9:39 PM EDT up reply actions

I hate it when you order red bull and vodka

and they give you Monster w/o saying anything…WTF.

Pro-Dayton Moore = Blogger
Anti-Dayton Moore= Troll

by DaytonSucks on Jul 3, 2011 9:47 PM EDT up reply actions

The problem is that you're ordering Red Bull and vodka.

Hating life as a Royals fan 365 days a year at Royalscentricity

by Old Man Duggan on Jul 4, 2011 1:45 AM EDT up reply actions

I would rather a Chiefs victory in Denver but Ill take it

GREAT seeing Moose and Hosmer w/dominating performances today. And Escobar is straight turning into a stud.

I hate DM but that Greinke trade is looking sweet on this fine day.

Pro-Dayton Moore = Blogger
Anti-Dayton Moore= Troll

by DaytonSucks on Jul 3, 2011 9:47 PM EDT reply actions

Lost in the dominating offensive performance

is our supposed “ace”, Hochevar shit the bed…again. And proceeded to make excuses in the postgame for it…..again.

He is a fine 5th starter, but I really wish he would stop being such a pussy and fucking pitch to his talent level.

Pro-Dayton Moore = Blogger
Anti-Dayton Moore= Troll

by DaytonSucks on Jul 3, 2011 10:03 PM EDT reply actions

granted, the back stiffness story makes some sense

considering that Hochevar slid into 2nd on a double play.. which is usually not the norm for pitchers

hell, Melky doesn’t slide on double plays and he’s a freaking position player, so Hochevar showed more effort on that double play than one of our regulars.

Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bhindepmo
Chairman, The Melky Cabrera Seasoning Sauce. It's great on your outfield!

by BHWick on Jul 3, 2011 10:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Hoch is a #3 guy with the ceiling of a 2

He is only 27. He still has a way to go and improve. He just needs to shake this middle inning bug. It’s not like he has had this trouble all his career.

At first he was just completely ineffective. Then he showed flashes of being really good. Now he is real good in the early innings, to the tune of taking a no hit to the 4th inning multiple times,just ineffective in the middle innings. If he can fix his middle innings problem then he is a really solid #2.

I think he definitely has the stuff he just needs to get his head straight. It’ll click though hopefully.

by KCTiger on Jul 3, 2011 10:12 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs

I wish they could have had Tim Collins bat

i’m guessing his strikezone would need to be expanded to eyes/knees so that a walk wouldn’t just occur.

Plus, if he swung, would he do a leg kick while swinging his bat?

Louis Coleman didn’t really do much with the bat, and neither did Blake Wood.

But then again, Aaron Cook pinch-hit in the 9th for the Rockies

Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bhindepmo
Chairman, The Melky Cabrera Seasoning Sauce. It's great on your outfield!

by BHWick on Jul 3, 2011 10:10 PM EDT reply actions

sad to say

but Wood was like the biggest hitter for the Royals today, size wise. At least that is what is seemed to me.
I have been preaching for years that the Royal hitters just look weaker and smaller compared to MLB hitters and today when I saw Wood in there I was like “damn finally a big guy that can stretch some lumber out”
to bad he struck out.

by jrcnc on Jul 3, 2011 10:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Eddie Gaedel.

by OnixConcepcion on Jul 3, 2011 11:25 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

+1

"That's fine wood from... somewhere."

by KeepItCopacetic on Jul 3, 2011 11:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Alcides

jump-started his triple-slash last night: he’s now at .253/.293/.323. He’s got a .283 BABIP, which is a little below average, right? Get this: BR says as of Saturday he was first among American League shortstops in defensive games played, putouts, assists, Total Zone Runs, RF/9, and RF/game. That’s Gold Glove material.

Another interesting note: His #10 comp, through age 23, with a 965 similarity score, is…Ozzie Smith. Jay Bell is his #3 comp through age 23. Ronny Cedeño is #1.

He’s not a little guy, either; he’s 6’1", 185. He might develop a little power; he’s got 17 XBH this year.

"First we got the bomb and that was good, 'cause we love peace and motherhood
Then Russia got the bomb but that's okay, 'cause the balance of power's maintained that way
Then France got the bomb, but don't you grieve, 'cause they're on our side (I believe)
Then China got the bomb, but have no fears, they can't wipe us out for at least five years" --Tom Lehrer

by Juancho on Jul 4, 2011 6:49 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

I'm really starting to love that guy.

He’s very lanky looking in person. The fact that he’s now hitting very consistantly should bring a ton of hope to most fans. That nucleus of Hosmer, Moose, Billy, Gordon, and Escober will and should be feared in the coming years.

I'm waiting for my wave of talent to arrive.

by mitchfreakingmaier! on Jul 5, 2011 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions