Guess who has the lowest swinging strike percentage among starters in baseball? It's today's Yankee starter, the perpetually petulant and annoying Mike Mussina (4.01 ERA).
Mussina's swinging strike percentage of 3.46 isn't even very close to his nearest competitor, multiple-time-Royal-perplexer Livan Hernandez (3.79). By way of comparison, our beloved cause celeb Brian Bannister is at 5.12%, Paul Byrd is at 5.83% and Barry Zito is at 5.84. (numbers randomly seen yesterday at Looking Landing )
I have no idea how this will play out tomorrow, but when we factor in a) the KC offense and offensive approach and b) the fact that it is a getaway day, the odds have to be good that we see a lot of quick at bats, ending either in singles and doubles or ground ball outs and pop flys, depending on the whims of fate. You know what I'd be betting on.
The Royals counter with Luke Hochevar (5.13 ERA) who will make his eleventh career start as a Royal. Hochevar needs another 27 starts to crack the team's all time top 50 i that catergory, which is currently an eternal struggle between Odalis Perez and Jim Colborn at 38 starts. If Dayton has any class he'll reacquire Odie at some point and give him one more start. For the truly curious, with one more start Zack Greinke will tie D.A.R.Y.L. May for 19th in team history (84) and with the same from Meche, The Epic will move into a tie for 35th, with... get this... Paul Byrd and Mac Suzuki, at 48 games started.