**** Official Pirates at Royals 7/20/15 GDT ****

[Discuss Thrower]

Pirates: (53-38, 2nd NL Central)
Burnett (7-3, 2.11 ERA) 6.0 IP 1K 11H 1BB 6ER Balk, non-call ejection (W)
... a Bastard 0.1 IP 0K 1H 0BB 1ER
... J. Hughes 0.2 IP 0K 0H 0BB 0ER
... T. Watson 1.0 IP 1K 1H 0BB 0ER
... M. Melancon 0.2 IP 0K 0H 1BB 0ER (Save)

9 - G. Polanco 2-5 R (backward)K
4 - N. Walker 1-5 2RBI 3B K
8 - A. McCutchen 2-4 RBI 2B 3K (Erased at HP in T3 [3-2])
7 - S. Marte 3-4 2R SB K
6 - J. Kang 2-4 2B 2R BB
DH - P. Alvarez 2-5 RBI R 2K
2 - F. Cervelli 1-3 R FC K (Pulled due to injury B7)
.... C. Stewart 1-1
3 - T. Ishikawa 3-5 HR 4RBI 2 2B 2K
5 - S. Rodriguez 0-5 FC (backward)K

HR: Ishikawa to left (off Medlen T5, scores Kang)


versus



Royals: (55-35, 1st AL Central)
Ventura (4-6, 4.73 ERA) 4.0 IP 7K 10H 1BB 6ER (L)
... K. Medlen 3.1 IP 4K 3H 0BB 4ER (First appearance since Sept. 2013)
... L. Hochevar 1.2 IP 2K 3H 0BB 0ER

6 - A. Escobar 2-5 R SB
5 - M. Moustakas 2-3 HR 2HBP (Erased at 2B B1 [7-4])
8 - L. Cain 1-5 R
3 - E. Hosmer 3-4 RBI 3B 2R BB
DH - K. Morales 1-4 HR (SAC..?) 3RBI
2 - S. Perez 2-4 K
4 - O. Infante 1-3 2B BB
9 - A. Rios 1-4 R SB 2B K (Stole home in B4)
7 - J. Dyson 1-1 HBP FC K

HR: Morales off RF pole (off Burnett B5, scores Hosmer); Moustakas to center right (solo off Burnett B7)

[lewdog]

And he's mentally likely out of this.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

Yordano Ventura is pitching like a man who wants Kris Medlen to appear tonight.

— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) July 21, 2015

That would be nice to see.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Hootie 2.0

Just ask yourself one thing ... What's harder to hit? 95 or 98?

That 3 MPH makes a world of difference. If Kelvin Herrera threw 95 he'd be useless. Last year, Ventura led baseball in pitches thrown over 98 MPH and led all starters in average MPH fastball

This year? I guarantee he's way down. 95 is hittable. 99 takes luck. The difference between 90 & 95 is one thing, the difference between 95 & 100 is just HUGE

His two seam velocity is 95.7 this year. It was 96.6 last year. He was 96.0 with a four-seamer last year and 94.5 this year.

That could account for some of it, but the increase in the value of his changeup has made him effectively the same pitcher.

[jimidollar]

Looks like we're gonna need more than one SP in a trade.

[C3HIEF3S]

Yodiva Ventura

[tk13]

People say this shouldn't matter, but Shields made such a difference in this staff. Ventura and Duffy have just not been as mentally sharp without him. Shields just set a good example by going out and grinding every start.

[RedDread]

What is it with this team and having headcase pitchers come up through our system?

[Deberg_1990]

Yordana VenBUSTa

['Hamas' Jenkins]

. If Alvarez was a 2nd round pick rather than the 2nd overall pick he would have been DFA'd years ago. He is so terrible.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by tk13

People say this shouldn't matter, but Shields made such a difference in this staff. Ventura and Duffy have just not been as mentally sharp without him. Shields just set a good example by going out and grinding every start.

I just don't agree. You're telling me Jeremy Guthrie isn't a guy who can keep those kids mentally sharp? Come on. That's garbage. Maybe Shields should have taught some of these assholes his changeup. That would've been nice.

[KevB]

Originally Posted by RedDread

What is it with this team and having headcase pitchers come up through our system?

It's a long list

[C3HIEF3S]

Originally Posted by tk13

People say this shouldn't matter, but Shields made such a difference in this staff. Ventura and Duffy have just not been as mentally sharp without him. Shields just set a good example by going out and grinding every start.

It matters, but there's nothing that could have been done about that. No matter the value that Shields had inside the clubhouse, the Royals giving him a contract like the Padres did just wouldn't have been a good move and would have been an overpay the Royals can't afford. Hopefully we get another veteran presence on the starting staff sooner rather than later.

[Dartgod]

WTF were you doing there?

[KevB]

Hosmer is going to kick his ass

[RollChiefsRoll]

Just... lol