tk13
08-19-2003, 02:31 AM
A few different bits of info...
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/6564313.htm
Beltran stacking up stats
By BOB DUTTON
The Kansas City Star
NEW YORK — Carlos Beltran already has another 20-homer, 20-steal season to his credit and is on pace to achieve 100 runs and 100 RBIs for the fourth time in his six seasons.
On Monday, he had a chance to hit for the cycle for the first time in his career. Beltran settled for a single, a triple and a home run when he grounded out to first in his final at-bat.
“I was thinking about it,” he admitted. “I’ve never hit for the cycle.”
The last Royal to hit for the cycle was George Brett on July 25, 1990, against at Toronto. It has happened only six times in franchise history.
Beltran also drove in three runs and scored twice. He is batting .369 in his last 30 games with 10 homers and 33 RBIs. His three-for-four night pushed his season average to .303.
“I’ve been staying back and seeing the ball well,” he said. “My (right) elbow is still sore, but it doesn’t affect my swing.”
Beltran leads the Royals with 74 runs and 79 RBIs despite missing 21 of the team’s 123 games to date because of various injuries. He is on pace to finish with 102 runs and 109 if he plays in the remaining 39 games.
Justice pending
Catcher Mike DiFelice is still awaiting word from the commissioner’s office regarding the fallout from his latest ejection.
“I guess I’m expecting a little bigger fine than normal,” said DiFelice, whose ejection in Saturday’s 14-5 loss to Minnesota was his third of the season.
His latest spat occurred in the first inning when he argued a call at the plate with umpire Jerry Layne.
Once ejected, an enraged DiFelice threw trash and a water bucket onto the field and his glove into the stands.
Forget Greinke
Whatever further tinkering the Royals might do with their rotation, don’t look for right-hander Zack Greinke, the club’s hottest prospect, to get a late-season summons.
No matter that Grienke had what even club officials are calling the best outing of his professional career last Thursday in working seven shutout innings for Class AA Wichita against San Antonio.
“We are not going to rush Zack Greinke,” general manager Allard Baird promised. “He’s already close to the maximum number of innings we want him to pitch.”
Greinke, 19, has pitched a combined 121 1/3
innings at Wichita and Class A Wilmington. He is 2-2 with a 3.67 ERA in six starts at Wichita after going 11-1 with a 1.14 ERA in 14 starts at Wilmington.
However, Baird did say Greinke is a candidate for the 2004 rotation.
“He’s going to have to make the club,” Baird said. “There are no freebies. If he’s one of the five best, and we feel comfortable in him being able to handle that role mentally, then we would give him that opportunity.”
Etc.
• Outfielder Dee Brown, who was born in the Bronx, rounded up 36 tickets for Monday’s games from teammates. Each player gets an allotment of six.
• Bad weather and technical problems at LaGuardia Airport kept the Royals from arriving at their Manhattan hotel until after 1 a..m. Monday.
• The crowd of 48,937 was the largest this season for a game involving the Royals.
• The Yankees have won five straight and now lead the AL East by 5 1/2
games over Boston.
• Yankees first baseman Nick Johnson was in a zero-for-14 skid before getting hits in his three final at-bats.
• The Yankees are 8-0 this season against AL Central opponents at Yankee Stadium.
• The Royals allowed Yankees starter Jeff Weaver off the hook by hitting into inning-ending double plays in the third, fourth and fifth.
Up next
The Royals and Yankees continue their three-game series at 6:05 tonight at Yankee Stadium. Right-hander Kevin Appier, 8-8 with a 5.21 ERA, is scheduled to New York lefty Andy Pettitte, 14-7and 4.23.
Appier pitched six shutout innings last Wednesday in an 11-0 victory over the Yankees at Kauffman Stadium. Pettitte didn’t pitch when the teams played last week but is 9-3 with a 3.15 ERA in 16 career games against the Royals.
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/6564313.htm
Beltran stacking up stats
By BOB DUTTON
The Kansas City Star
NEW YORK — Carlos Beltran already has another 20-homer, 20-steal season to his credit and is on pace to achieve 100 runs and 100 RBIs for the fourth time in his six seasons.
On Monday, he had a chance to hit for the cycle for the first time in his career. Beltran settled for a single, a triple and a home run when he grounded out to first in his final at-bat.
“I was thinking about it,” he admitted. “I’ve never hit for the cycle.”
The last Royal to hit for the cycle was George Brett on July 25, 1990, against at Toronto. It has happened only six times in franchise history.
Beltran also drove in three runs and scored twice. He is batting .369 in his last 30 games with 10 homers and 33 RBIs. His three-for-four night pushed his season average to .303.
“I’ve been staying back and seeing the ball well,” he said. “My (right) elbow is still sore, but it doesn’t affect my swing.”
Beltran leads the Royals with 74 runs and 79 RBIs despite missing 21 of the team’s 123 games to date because of various injuries. He is on pace to finish with 102 runs and 109 if he plays in the remaining 39 games.
Justice pending
Catcher Mike DiFelice is still awaiting word from the commissioner’s office regarding the fallout from his latest ejection.
“I guess I’m expecting a little bigger fine than normal,” said DiFelice, whose ejection in Saturday’s 14-5 loss to Minnesota was his third of the season.
His latest spat occurred in the first inning when he argued a call at the plate with umpire Jerry Layne.
Once ejected, an enraged DiFelice threw trash and a water bucket onto the field and his glove into the stands.
Forget Greinke
Whatever further tinkering the Royals might do with their rotation, don’t look for right-hander Zack Greinke, the club’s hottest prospect, to get a late-season summons.
No matter that Grienke had what even club officials are calling the best outing of his professional career last Thursday in working seven shutout innings for Class AA Wichita against San Antonio.
“We are not going to rush Zack Greinke,” general manager Allard Baird promised. “He’s already close to the maximum number of innings we want him to pitch.”
Greinke, 19, has pitched a combined 121 1/3
innings at Wichita and Class A Wilmington. He is 2-2 with a 3.67 ERA in six starts at Wichita after going 11-1 with a 1.14 ERA in 14 starts at Wilmington.
However, Baird did say Greinke is a candidate for the 2004 rotation.
“He’s going to have to make the club,” Baird said. “There are no freebies. If he’s one of the five best, and we feel comfortable in him being able to handle that role mentally, then we would give him that opportunity.”
Etc.
• Outfielder Dee Brown, who was born in the Bronx, rounded up 36 tickets for Monday’s games from teammates. Each player gets an allotment of six.
• Bad weather and technical problems at LaGuardia Airport kept the Royals from arriving at their Manhattan hotel until after 1 a..m. Monday.
• The crowd of 48,937 was the largest this season for a game involving the Royals.
• The Yankees have won five straight and now lead the AL East by 5 1/2
games over Boston.
• Yankees first baseman Nick Johnson was in a zero-for-14 skid before getting hits in his three final at-bats.
• The Yankees are 8-0 this season against AL Central opponents at Yankee Stadium.
• The Royals allowed Yankees starter Jeff Weaver off the hook by hitting into inning-ending double plays in the third, fourth and fifth.
Up next
The Royals and Yankees continue their three-game series at 6:05 tonight at Yankee Stadium. Right-hander Kevin Appier, 8-8 with a 5.21 ERA, is scheduled to New York lefty Andy Pettitte, 14-7and 4.23.
Appier pitched six shutout innings last Wednesday in an 11-0 victory over the Yankees at Kauffman Stadium. Pettitte didn’t pitch when the teams played last week but is 9-3 with a 3.15 ERA in 16 career games against the Royals.