Friday night will present a showdown between the Cleveland Indians and the Kansas City Royals. Together, these two teams have won the last three American League pennants, but neither team has started 2017 the way they were expecting. The Indians are in first place, but the pitching staff has been terrible. As for the Royals, well, we all know what's gone wrong there.
Tonight's pitching matchup: Jason Hammel, still searching for his first win as a Royal, and Danny Salazar, who is really good.
Here's something I want to say. Does anybody actually like the Indians? Think about it. Aside from games at Kauffman where they're actually playing the Indians, how many times have you been casually walking around somewhere and seen someone in a Cleveland baseball hat? I bet it's happened to me less than five times, ever. It just doesn't happen. This is the most forgettable team in baseball, and they're the defending pennant winners! Even that being said, this is a team that kicked the crap out of the Royals last year, going 14-5 against Kansas City (and 9-1 at home).
I really tried to hold in my pettiness. Sometimes, I'm not good at that.
Random thing I can't put anywhere else: I keep forgetting that Edwin Encarnacion is an Indian now. Hopefully he doesn't hit one through the Royals Hall of Fame windows.
Here's the lineup:
Royals lineup pic.twitter.com/GIU5OCKLgP
— Jeffrey Flanagan (@FlannyMLB) May 5, 2017