How many runs have the Royals scored since playing the Phillies?

When a team faces the other teams ace, like a Verlander, Buchholz, Sale, Lee, etc. the games are going to be close 1 or 2 score games. They just are, the majority of the time.

Our ace, Shields matches in a pitching duel, and we have the lead, at some point your bullpen has to close those out.

If we have any chance at the playoffs we needed to be building a lead on Detroit while they are slumping. Eventually they will win 5 of 6 and 10 of 12 a few times.

It hurts. Teams of the past would parlay this into a ten game losing streak. We will see.

Sure...if they want to be really shitty at it.

Power hitters still attack down on the ball, they just attack a smaller zone on it (notably, the front half of the ball). If a hitter starts trying to get under a pitch thrown downhill, he's essentially going to have to develop a pure uppercut swing that spends next to no time in the actual hitting zone.

If you want Butler's strikeout rate to double and his infield pop rate to skyrocket, tell him to try to "get under" the ball.

Butler's taking a great approach to his ABs right now and exactly the kind of approach you want to see from a run producer in the middle of the order. He has a .206 BABIP right now - yes, that's just flat unlucky. He should have 3 more hits on the season to this point which would give him a .270+ BA, a commensurate rise in OBP and SLG and have him right at a .900 OPS.

Yeah, Butler's doing nothing wrong. He's the least of your worries.

Let's sweep the doubleheader tomorrow

I like our chances with Santana and Guthrie. Eventually we will find a lineup that will produce. (hopefully)

"The big goal was to get him to Ortiz"

Well that's just silly. You don't put yourself at a disadvantage for the first 2 hitters in the order because you're worried about the 3rd. If that's how you're going to play it, you need a 2nd lefty in your bullpen.

Cain really needs to bat clean-up. Hosmer comes up with runners on and does shit.

It's silly, but not for the reason you're citing. Collins is more effective against RHBs than LHBs, so working to get him to Ortiz is simply trying to accentuate Collins' weakness.

Collins is good against righties too. He's not at a disadvantage because they bat right handed.

If we do that I will completely forget about this stupid game and say, "those fans deserved a victory."

When was the last time the Royals swept a double header? Feels like its been at least a decade.

**** you Herrera. That's all I have to say.

Either the baseball gods still really hate KC, or they will make it up to us later this season.