Game CXXIV Open Thread - The Royals of Kansas City versus the Twins of Minnesota

Tonight's tilt--the last time the Royals will face the Twins for a whole eight days--between the best and worst teams in the AL Central will see the Central-leading Royals send starter Jason Vargas to the mound to attempt to dispatch of the cellar-dwelling Twinkies in short order.

Starting for the Twins will be rookie right-hander Trevor May, whose two appearances this season have seen him exit after recording no more than five outs, one in a messy two-inning start and the other in five outs of garbage time in a blow-out loss to the Astros. In his 4.1 innings thus far, he has issued nine free passes, allowed six hits, let seven runs (six earned) cross the plate, and has struck out just two of the 26 batters he has faced.

With the idle Tigers sitting a game-and-a-half back, the worst thing that can happen for the Royals in the Win-Loss column would be for the Royals' lead to narrow to a single game should they fail to do what the A's and Astros did before them and light up the shaky rookie hurler. The sole remaining piece that the Twins have from the Ben Revere deal, May will have to settle down if they hope to get any positive returns from Philadelphia.

The Royals' lineup will be these rag-tag band of scamps, aptly described by Kevin Scobee below:

@DBLesky Slappy RF Bad Contract 2B Good Contract C Better Than Hosmer 1B Best Player In Baseball LF HAM DH No 3B Swings A Lot SS Love CF

— Kevin Scobee (@scobes15) August 18, 2014

This is the opposition:

Here's tonight's #MNTwins lineup in the series finale vs. the Royals: pic.twitter.com/OLOsxnzDxJ

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) August 18, 2014

Let us all cross our fingers and hope that Trevor May waits at least another start before settling down.

To Vargas and beyond.