Game CXLIX Thread: Royals at Cleveland professional baseball club

The Royals play another game in Cleveland, today. I think everyone can be thankful that it will be the last time they do so, this year. There was a small chance that they might have returned here in the post-season but despite the fact that no team has gotten hot enough to completely take over the final wild card spot the Royals seem to have finally gotten cold enough to ensure it won’t be them. They haven’t been officially eliminated but they would more or less have to win out to have a realistic shot at the playoffs at this point.

The Royals, however, are not ready to concede. They are so not ready to concede that they will return an apparently-still-injured Danny Duffy to the mound, today. Were they realistically still in the playoff chase this is a move that would make sense. Since they are all but eliminated it seems pointlessly stupid to send an injured pitcher out to the mound. Even stupider is the fact that the Royals are considering pushing back Sam Gaviglio or Ian Kennedy as a result of this move. It’s stupid because Ian Kennedy is also hurt; it should be a no-brainer that he is either pushed back or even skipped, but this is where the Royals lack of depth has lead them.

To further confuse any onlookers The Royals are not only rushing Duffy back to the mound, but resting 3 of their most dangerous hitters. Cleveland clinched the division yesterday but the Royals are the team sending out their backups. It is not like the Royals are sending out prospects to see what they have for next season, either. Cheslor Cuthbert and Paulo Orlando are both known quantities at this point, Cam Gallagher is not but there isn’t room for him on the roster with both Salvador Perez and Drew Butera signed for next year.

Lineups