Smallball Flies Away in the Wind - Royals Outslug
Angels

post from Royals Review on 03 April 2011 08:01:43 PM. © Royals Review

TREANOR!!!!!

Mike Scioscia came in to today's game all ready to bunt, hit-and-run, and steal his way to victory. But on his way to the stadium, a Kansas gale picked up his smallball game plan and carried it away, leaving the Angels to try to win the uncivilized way - by hitting home runs.

Today's game yielded eight home runs - five from the Angels, three from the Royals - including a walk-off homer from recent acquisition Matt Treanor. While the Angels won the home run derby, the Royals did the little things needed to win ballgames. These guys just know how to come back and win and it is clear there is only reason why - NED YOST.

I am in danger of losing my sabermetrics membership card by writing this, but I am becoming a fan of Jeff Francoeur. Yea, his OBA is lower than Sean O'Sullivan's weight, but the guy does seem pretty likable, and he seems to really enjoy playing baseball and be willing to do whatever it takes to win the game other than take a walk (although he took one in the ninth today! THE SEITZER EFFECT!). I can understand the media swoon.

Still, am I the only one surprised by how unathletic he looks? Not that he looks uncoordinated or bad, just that he doesn't look like someone that would be a star athlete on the cover of Sports Illustrated. He looks like kind of a gangly, goofy guy that could sell me a stereo system at Best Buy. By the media reports, I was expecting an Adonis in baseball pants.

It was a two hours ago, but Bruce Chen started this game and looked pretty Chenish.

We managed to walk three times in one inning and not score a run. Amazing.

I'd probably be pretty worried if I was an Angels fan counting on the bullpen this year. Seven walks in three innings. Against the free-swingin' Royals. Yeesh.

Overall a good start to the season for the Royals. We found we have some arms in the pen, Francis when healthy can be quite effective, and we'll probably struggle to score runs all year. But we have Ned Yost on our side.

Bring on the White Sox.

Angels vs Royals boxscore

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als-outslug-angels

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Royals notch third straight last-AB win (AP)

post from MLB News Blog on 03 April 2011 07:27:22 PM. © MLB News Blog

Matt Treanor hit a three-run homer with two outs in the 13th inning to lift Kansas City over the Los Angeles Angels 12-9 on Sunday, the Royals’ third straight victory in their last at-bat. Kansas City tied it with two runs in the ninth off Fernando Rodney, who started the inning and walked the bases [...]

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High & Inside: 4/3/11

post from Beyond the Box Score on 03 April 2011 07:03:45 PM. © Beyond the Box Score

Baseball links from around the sabersphere...Rangers Media's New Myth | Baseball Time in ArlingtonPointing to Borbon's "loud" errors and concluding that he's a terrible defender while ignoring the other metrics that more accurately evaluate his overall[...]

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The last teams to get a win (2002-2010)

post from Baseball In-Depth on 03 April 2011 07:02:00 PM. © Baseball In-Depth

Longest winless streak to start season (2002-2010)
2002: Tigers 0-11 (55-106)
2003: Tigers 0-9 (43-119)
2004: Mariners 0-5 (63-99)
2005: Mets 0-5 (83-79)
2006: Pirates 0-6 (67-95)
2007: Astros 0-4 (73-89)
2008: Tigers 0-7 (74-88)
2009: Nationals 0-7 (59-103)
2010: Astros 0-8 (76-86)
2011: Rays, Red Sox, Astros, Brewers 0-3

The Brewers (Reds), Astros (Phillies) and Red Sox (Rangers) were all playing 2010 playoff teams, while the Rays were playing the Orioles, who lost 96 games last year but are expected to be much improved this year. Starting 0-3 isn't promising, but it's not very difficult to overcome. If any of them get to 0-5 or worse, though, they're probably looking at a very tough season ahead.

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http://www.baseballindepth.com/2011/04/how-do-teams-do-when-they-are-last-to.html

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How do teams do when they are last to win a game

post from Baseball In-Depth on 03 April 2011 07:02:00 PM. © Baseball In-Depth

Longest winless streak to start season (2002-2010)
2002: Tigers 0-11 (55-106)
2003: Tigers 0-9 (43-119)
2004: Mariners 0-5 (63-99)
2005: Mets 0-5 (83-79)
2006: Pirates 0-6 (67-95)
2007: Astros 0-4 (73-89)
2008: Tigers 0-7 (74-88)
2009: Nationals 0-7 (59-103)
2010: Astros 0-8 (76-86)
2011: Rays, Red Sox, Astros, Brewers 0-3

The Brewers (Reds), Astros (Phillies) and Red Sox (Rangers) were all playing 2010 playoff teams, while the Rays were playing the Orioles, who lost 96 games last year but are expected to be much improved this year. Starting 0-3 isn't promising, but it's not very difficult to overcome. If any of them get to 0-5 or worse, though, they're probably looking at a very tough season ahead.

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Pirates rally in 9th vs. Cubs Marmol (AP)

post from MLB News Blog on 03 April 2011 06:41:29 PM. © MLB News Blog

Neil Walker just kept coming around third and with a hard slide he capped a two-run rally in the ninth inning against Cubs closer Carlos Marmol that sent the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 5-4 victory Sunday. What a way to kick off the season. The Pirates took two of three against Chicago in the three-game [...]

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Rays swept by Os, Longoria out 3 weeks (AP)

post from MLB News Blog on 03 April 2011 06:05:18 PM. © MLB News Blog

It was a bad day all around for the Tampa Bay Rays. The defending AL East champions not only were beat 5-1 by the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, the Rays placed All-Star third baseman Evan Longoria on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left oblique. “It’s going to be much more difficult, of course,” [...]

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Game 4 Overflow Thread II

Crazy game. Love that Angel bullpen!

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Rockies-Diamondbacks Rubber Match Postponed

A security guard stands near the Colorado Rockies dugout at Coors Field where rain and snow postponed the schuduled MLB baseball game between the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks in Denver on Sunday, April 3, 2011. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)

From 79 and perfect the night before to whatever this wintry mix was today. That's Colorado for you, I guess. The game scheduled for this afternoon was postponed. This game will be made up later in the season.

The Rockies' rotation will remain intact, with Jhoulys Chacin taking on Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers (hopefully) this Tuesday as half of a two game set.

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http://www.purplerow.com/2011/4/3/2088931/rockies-diamondbacks-rubber-match-postp
oned

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Game #3: Twins 4, Blue Jays 3

Twins Record: 1-2

Fangraphs MLB Game Wrap

The Twins didn't win a Sunday game until May 2nd last year, so at least this time around I've got that going for me, which is nice. I was prepared to be not excited about handling the first Blackburn start of the year, but he [...]

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http://stickandballguy.com/blog/2011/04/03/game-3-twins-4-blue-jays-3/

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