2014 WS: Royals vs. Giants

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Probably also illegal. https://www.etsy.com/listing/207976430/sexy-kansas-city-royals-mlb-lingerie

[Edgy MD]

Is repurposing and marketing a validly printed logo a violation in the same sense as printing and marketing 'em on your own?

The greater story and greater question, though, is... Department of Homeland Security?

[Guest d'Kong76]

Edgy MD wrote: The greater story and greater question, though, is... Department of Homeland Security?

Keeping us safe from evil doers!

[MFS62]

Edgy MD wrote: The greater story and greater question, though, is... Department of Homeland Security?

They probably intercepted a phone conversation about the bikini set during which someone said they're "da bomb!".

Later

[batmagadanleadoff]

Here's what's good about the Royals being in the WS: Next season, guess who'll be the team that hasn't won a World Series in 29 years?

[TransMonk]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Here's what's good about the Royals being in the WS: Next season, guess who'll be the team that hasn't won a World Series in 29 years?

Yup...I've been thinking this all fall.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

HahnSolo wrote: Ceetar wrote: This broadcast, from Harold and Joe to Erin, is atrocious. I feel like Harold Reynolds is on a mission to make me stupider about baseball pitch by pitch. Tom Verducci, who I used to like or at least respect as a writer, brings zero to the table. Buck is by far the best of the 3-man booth and that says a lot because normally I can't stand him. And Erin, oh Erin. Sending it down to her for a "report" that tells us, hey, first row seats are being scalped for a lot of money! just illustrates why it is so unnecessary to have "sideline" guys (or gals) at a baseball game. The FX pregame is a clusterbomb as well. They did Burkhart no favors putting him up on set with the douchetastic crew of Kapler, Swisher, Ortiz and Thomas. Lose Kapler and Swisher and it might be watchable.

What makes all this seem all the worse is that TBS' coverage was generally excellent. (Pedro, in particular, is fantastic, and fantastically entertaining-- he's like Baseball Barkley with a perm.)

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: HahnSolo wrote: Ceetar wrote: This broadcast, from Harold and Joe to Erin, is atrocious. I feel like Harold Reynolds is on a mission to make me stupider about baseball pitch by pitch. Tom Verducci, who I used to like or at least respect as a writer, brings zero to the table. Buck is by far the best of the 3-man booth and that says a lot because normally I can't stand him. And Erin, oh Erin. Sending it down to her for a "report" that tells us, hey, first row seats are being scalped for a lot of money! just illustrates why it is so unnecessary to have "sideline" guys (or gals) at a baseball game. The FX pregame is a clusterbomb as well. They did Burkhart no favors putting him up on set with the douchetastic crew of Kapler, Swisher, Ortiz and Thomas. Lose Kapler and Swisher and it might be watchable. What makes all this seem all the worse is that TBS' coverage was generally excellent. (Pedro, in particular, is fantastic, and fantastically entertaining-- he's like Baseball Barkley with a perm.)

Yes and yup. Just cutting to the smarmy guy standing there in the Fox Sports 1 studio makes me want to turn it off immediately. I'll never get why everyone thinks the key to doing better than ESPN (or Mike Francesa, or anyhting sport-media related) is to do every bit as douchy as the leader would, only more.

[Edgy MD]

It's relatable. Few people can be a great athlete. Few can be smart. Not everybody can be incisive, humorous, or a good communicator. But we can all be dicks. Let's put a bunch of dicks up there.

[Guest d'Kong76]

I'm available for off-color commentary duty.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Kansas City at San Francisco
When: 8:00 PM ET, Friday, October 24, 2014
Where: AT&T Park, San Francisco, California
SportsDirect Inc.

Tim Hudson pitches in a World Series game for the first time in his 16-year-career when the San Francisco Giants host the Kansas City Royals in Game 3 on Friday. The 39-year-old Hudson will attempt to pitch the Giants into the series lead after the teams split two games in Kansas City. �Obviously, when you go 16 years without having been able to experience something like this, you wonder if it�s going to happen,� Hudson told reporters. �I�m no different than anybody.�

The Royals avoided a series hole by producing a 7-2 victory in Game 2 to halt San Francisco�s streak of seven consecutive World Series wins. Kansas City designated hitter Billy Butler is 3-for-6 with two RBIs over the first two games to break out of the postseason doldrums that have him looking for his first homer. Giants catcher Buster Posey also hasn�t homered and is 2-for-9 in the World Series while red-hot third baseman Pablo Sandoval (4-for-9 in the World Series) also hasn�t gone deep despite batting .346 in the postseason.

TV:
8:07 p.m. ET, FOX

PITCHING MATCHUP:
Royals RH Jeremy Guthrie (0-0, 1.80 ERA) vs. Giants RH Tim Hudson (0-0, 3.29)

Guthrie is making his second start of the postseason, having received a no-decision against Baltimore on Oct. 14 when he gave up one run and three hits over five innings. He spent part of 2012 in the National League with the Colorado Rockies and has made two career starts at AT&T Park, going 0-1 with a 3.18 ERA in 11 1/3 innings. �He�s a tremendous clubhouse presence and he�s a guy with a lot of experience,� Royals manager Ned Yost said in a press conference.

Hudson will be pitching for the first time since taking a no-decision against St. Louis on Oct. 14 when he allowed four runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. He lost his final four regular-season starts and Giants manager Bruce Bochy said at a press conference that Hudson�s issues were tied to a nagging hip injury. �It�s hard enough to play this game when you�re healthy but when you�re pitching and your hip�s bothering you a little � he�s a warrior,� Bochy said. �He was never complaining, he was never making excuses but it was a fact.�

WALK-OFFS:
1. Sandoval has reached base in 25 consecutive postseason games, tied for third place all-time with Boog Powell and trailing only Miguel Cabrera (31) and Chase Utley (27).
2. Kansas City 2B Omar Infante�s Game 2 homer was his first in the postseason and came in his 145th playoff at-bat � only Mark Lemke (192) and Lonnie Smith (170) went longer.
3. Giants RHP Hunter Strickland has allowed five homers this October, matching Chris Narveson (2011) for the most given up in a single postseason by a reliever.

[Lefty Specialist]

Irritating Marlins Guy is in San Francisco, too. It's not as jarring as it was in KC, as lots of people are wearing orange.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

Once you see Marlins Guy, you can't unsee him.

[Guest themetfairy]

Speaking of guys, it is painful seeing Erin Andrews doing sideline work when Kevin Burkhardt is in the house and available.

[ashie62]

Yup, she does have the resume tho.

[Frayed Knot]

Harold Reynolds is just discovering Now that NL/DH-less baseball is more fun and interesting?


Posey, Sandoval, Pence in the 9th against, presumably, closer Holland.
I have a feeling the Giants are going to get to him.

[Frayed Knot]

Frayed Knot wrote: Posey, Sandoval, Pence in the 9th against, presumably, closer Holland. I have a feeling the Giants are going to get to him.

Or he's going to retire the side 1-2-3 on 8 pitches ... either way.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

Great game. Great result.

[Zvon]

Good solid baseball game. Stretch it out KC. At least 6 games please. Step it up SF.

[Frayed Knot]

That's where I'm at at this point too - essentially rooting for whichever team lost the previous game or is behind at any particular moment.

[Lefty Specialist]

I basically want KC to win at home. So the Giants have to win one of the next two games, and since Bumgarner is pitching one of them that should be doable.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Kansas City at San Francisco
When: 8:00 PM ET, Saturday, October 25, 2014
Where: AT&T Park, San Francisco, California
SportsDirect Inc.

Despite the fact they trail 2-1 in the World Series, the San Francisco Giants will bypass ace Madison Bumgarner and stick with scheduled starter Ryan Vogelsong for Saturday�s Game 4 against the Kansas City Royals. San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy considered switching starters before staying with Vogelsong. �He�s done a pretty good job for us, so he�s going to have his start (Saturday),� Bochy said in Friday�s postgame press conference. �Sure, we talked about other options, but there is a confidence we have in Vogey.�

Kansas City has won two straight games since losing the opener, and the relief trio of Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland has combined to allow one hit in seven scoreless innings. A few standouts had their first hits of the World Series in Friday�s victory - Alex Gordon (11 at-bats) recorded an RBI double and Eric Hosmer (10 at-bats) delivered a run-scoring single. San Francisco's Pablo Sandoval was hitless in four at-bats to end his streak of reaching base in 25 straight postseason games, tied for third all-time with former Baltimore standout Boog Powell (1966-71).

TV:
8:07 p.m. ET, FOX

PITCHING MATCHUP:
Royals LH Jason Vargas (1-0, 2.38 ERA) vs. Giants RH Ryan Vogelsong (0-0, 5.19)

Vargas is pitching for the first time since Oct. 15 and only the third time this postseason. He endured a winless four-start stretch in September during which he gave up 18 runs in 18 innings but says he fixed a mechanical issue to get himself back on track. �Just some fine-tuning of not anything extraordinary,� Vargas said at his Friday press conference. �Just getting back on track and getting some opportunities to spend a couple more side sessions working on executing some things that we hadn�t.�

Vogelsong is making his second World Series start, having beaten Detroit in 2012 when he pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings. He said he plans to lean on the experience to keep his focus in perspective when he steps on the mound against the Royals. �I think the biggest thing is just the experience of curbing the emotions,� Vogelsong said. �It�s definitely a situation where you have to be locked into the game and your thoughts need to be on the game, but you have to take a quick second to look around and take it all in.�

WALK-OFFS:
1. Royals SS Alcides Escobar had two hits and scored twice Friday and is 5-for-12 in the series.
2. San Francisco C Buster Posey is 2-for-13 in the series and hasn�t homered in the postseason.
3. Holland has seven saves in this season�s playoffs, tied with five others for most in a single postseason.

[Zvon]

Lefty Specialist wrote: I basically want KC to win at home. So the Giants have to win one of the next two games, and since Bumgarner is pitching one of them that should be doable.

That would be the perfect climax to The Royal Surge.
I want to squeeze as much baseball as possible out of 2014 so 7 games would be even better.

[ashie62]

Frayed Knot wrote: Harold Reynolds is just discovering Now that NL/DH-less baseball is more fun and interesting? Posey, Sandoval, Pence in the 9th against, presumably, closer Holland. I have a feeling the Giants are going to get to him.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

KC piling on.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

Mets � Willets Point wrote: KC piling on.

Well, they could have piled on more. SF gets one back.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

And another. And now Pence is on third with one out.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

For fuck's sake, Duffy!

Tie game.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

It's rare that a guy tags and scores on a shallow fly, and the play from all involved-- pitcher, batter, defender, baserunner-- was superlative.

But, yeah, nice pitch, nice job by Perez to fist it to the outfield, and then Dyson and Pence.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

Giants piling on.