What a difference a week makes.
Last week, as I wrote the game log, I was deeply concerned about the potential for a sweep -- and not the awesome kind we got treated to. The rotation is in tatters, all of the power hitters hurt or swinging wildly. We were going into a doubleheader armed with nothing but bullpen games.
And then, Saturday happened.
Now, it's all about getting ready for the Yankees. Wherever we end up facing them, the name of the game is putting this team in the best position to make it to the ALCS.
To that end, Berrios gets his penultimate warmup start tonight. I'm not expecting that he'll go very deep into the game. I'd hope that after six, they've got a big enough lead that they can give guys like Alcala and Hildenberger some face time.
They take on a Royals team that (shy of Soler) has basically folded for the year. The first two games have gone largely according to plan. Let's press on toward that sweep and, dare I say it, 103 wins.
We'll go Cruz and Sano
On the grill: beat w/cheese, corn on the cob, and grilled veggies from the garden.
Wade! I meant to say Wade!
Wade!
A bit early to wonder, but will the #9 spot come up four times to give Wade a shot at the cycle?
Assuming the minimum after Sanó's single, no.
well, that rally put the concern out of mind
Still need one more batter to reach for Wade to bat in the bottom of the eighth.
And the Royals guarantee that will happen.
And
the RoyalsBerrios guarantees that will happen.FTFY
Elevating teammate achievements.
Berrios got dinked and dunked to death tonight. Only 2 bad pitches, really. With average luck, probably gives up just 2 or 3 runs.
Savant says he gave up five hard hits. Every hit on the sixth inning had a xBA over .600. He gave up five runs and probably deserved it.
They may have high xBA, but only two of ther hits in the sixth were hit hard
Two were hit well, two hit average, and two hit poorly. The GIDP was the third hardest hit but worst xBA. There's not enough information to judge how Berríos did compared to average MLB pitchers, such as his xBA or xwOBA. It however does not read as especially unlucky. After Berríos does read that way. The rest of the bullpen had three hard hits for their seven runs.
Sorry, I have eyes. There were very weak hits. McBroom's little pop fly fell in before O'Hearn's double. The sac fly then would have been the third out. With 2 outs, Gordon might have scored on the double, but at most 1 run should have been scored. Of course, if Castro holds onto the ball, no sac fly. As for the 6th, the only well-hit ball prior to the home run was Dozier's single. Soler's single was almost stopped by the time Rosario picked it up. The double play was a routine ground ball that first bounced by the edge of the dirt cutout around home and Arraez charged in to field and start the double play. McBroom's two-out hit was right on his handle and the very soft line drive barely made it to the outfield. Plus the ball was a 2-seamer that was moving in on his hands 6 inches inside off the plate and he singles to right field. If Soler's hit or McBroom's hit doesn't happen, then at worst, O'Hearn leads off the 7th with a home run to make it 5-3.
Of course there were weak hits with the hard hits. The Royals averaged 84.2 exit velocity while Berríos pitched. That's above average for a hitter. O'Hearn's double was a home run if he elevated it better. Berríos got lucky that the hardest hit ball of the game was smashed into the ground.
The game doesn't read as an unlucky BABIP game to me. I don't think you can look at the game and think Berríos is otherwise fine.
Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug.
Good time to schedule the bullpen implosion.
Cleveland lost so elimination number down to 4.