varaven45 Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 Still hungover from Detroit debacle or ready to start another winning streak in KC? It's got to be better than the general malaise I witnessed the last 3 days right ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc. Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 Hoping so. No way to know just yet. Need arms to go long Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
varaven45 Posted May 16, 2014 Author Share Posted May 16, 2014 Zach Britton. Now that's what I'm talking about ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spen Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Nice pitching, nice win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cravnravn Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Very good win Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
varaven45 Posted May 16, 2014 Author Share Posted May 16, 2014 Crav & Spen, good win and clutch pitching - high fives all around there, Hitting is another matter. The hitters are in a funk, no clutch or situational hitting. We are walking fine line on this 1 run games and flirting with disaster (enter Hunter).Without a bonafide closer at the moment, this team has to manufacture runs - through begging, borrowing or stealing. The next game we are clinging to a late inning 1 run lead and get 2-3 runners on w/< 2 out, Buck has got to play small ball.I don't care if Davis, Jones, etc. are up, you HAVE to score a damn run and get a 2-3 run lead, esp w/ our delicate closer situation.Whatever happened to a suicide squeeze; drag bunt, hitting the ball to the right to move the dang runner along ? Until Weiters returns (if he does) and the lineup gets it in gear, Buck needs to manufacture runs and hope it holds up. This team and our division is playing mediocre ball right now. But some team is going to get hot - now, June, July - and take a big lead. We need to slowly put together Ws, series wins, and see where this goes. Hopefully, Buck keeps the ship afloat and going in the right direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cravnravn Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Va, Last year we stunk it up in one run games, but 2012 we led the majors in one run games, and we also had phenomenal record of wins when we had the lead after 7.. We are onto something good this year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
varaven45 Posted May 16, 2014 Author Share Posted May 16, 2014 Yep as long as we get a Jim Johnson like performance from our savers this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc. Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 The Sun has a great article about how much the switch to Britton means even if Buck says otherwise. Britton came in to face Gordon who had historically owned him and Valencia who owns lefties. Two bad matchups and he was still the choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
varaven45 Posted May 16, 2014 Author Share Posted May 16, 2014 That's pretty dang telling right there. I don't know what they are thinking long term but they have got to land a righty somewhere to replace Homerun Hunter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc. Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 He's fine as a specialist. But clearly can't do much more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thundercleetz Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I like Britton a lot more as a closer than Hunter. Hunter is a fly ball pitcher so there's always a good possibility of him giving up a home run like we saw against Miggy. That home run wasn't even hit all too well but it kept sailing. Unfortunately these types of balls fly off bats too much from Hunter. I'll take Britton's chances as a ground ball pitcher and our good defense. Tell Britton he only has one inning and he'll be throwing his sinker 94-95 MPH like we saw last night. We could really have something here. There is part of me that wonders what the new Britton would be like as a starter. However, his confidence is sky high and this team is in win no mode. Now is the time to put Britton as closer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
varaven45 Posted May 17, 2014 Author Share Posted May 17, 2014 For what's its worth : http://m.espn.go.com/mlb/story?storyId=10944548 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
varaven45 Posted May 17, 2014 Author Share Posted May 17, 2014 Tillman !!! And no closer !!! And a bunt by Machado. Buck playing a little small ball. Can you believe it ? That is what I m talking about !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cravnravn Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 Tillman !!! And no closer !!! And a bunt by Machado. Buck playing a little small ball. Can you believe it ? That is what I m talking about !!!! Tillman !!! And no closer !!! And a bunt by Machado. Buck playing a little small ball. Can you believe it ? That is what I m talking about !!!!And a shutout to boot.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc. Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 Machado's bunt wasn't a Buck call. Like Jones he has always used the bunt to get himself on when the situation is right. But it was a great call in a tight game with Guthrie pitching so well to that point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
varaven45 Posted May 18, 2014 Author Share Posted May 18, 2014 Tough loss tonight . Duffy pitched a heck of a game and Holland pitched a Tommy Hunter like 9th. For a minute a thought it was Hunter. Too bad we lost tonight . I expect Shiields to shut us down tomorrow - the dude owns us Tied up with Yanks for 1st place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc. Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 Runner on third. One out. Not one of the the guys to come to the plate even puts a ball in play. That's what's wrong with this team. How does Jones keep swinging at those hooks? If I was an opposing manager I'd forbid any pitcher on my team from ever throwing him a pitch that didn't bounce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
varaven45 Posted May 18, 2014 Author Share Posted May 18, 2014 Runner on 3rd & 0 out or 1 out - this team does this all the time. Hindsight is 20/20 but could we just once have tried a suicide with 1 out and Jonesy up ? No one would have expected it. Might have changed the outcome. Instead, we let the Yanks pull into 1st place tie and now we face Shields tomorrow - can't feel good about that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc. Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 I know it happens all the time. It's pathetic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thundercleetz Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 It's Buckball, live and did by the big hit. Outside of Markakis and Davis (maybe Machado when he's on his game), we don't have guys who will take pitches and make consistent contact. Another reason why losing Wieters hurts a lot, he was starting to come around in this category. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc. Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 It's weird. I don't consider it Buck's preference to have players bat this way... Though our hitting coach certainly has the rep. But we certainly don't do much even in the offseason to find guys who just get on base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thundercleetz Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 It's weird. I don't consider it Buck's preference to have players bat this way... Though our hitting coach certainly has the rep. But we certainly don't do much even in the offseason to find guys who just get on base.Agreed. Dan Duquette likes to think he is big on OBP but Boston outted him to get Billy Beane and later Theo Epstein. It's frustrating but I do realize we have a good team who's batting style is going to win us as many games as it loses us. What it comes down to is: can we get hot at the right time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cravnravn Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 Ughhhhh 8-3? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
varaven45 Posted May 18, 2014 Author Share Posted May 18, 2014 split with Royals - a .500 team much like the Os . Maybe we get out of This funk in Pittsburgh or next homestand. Playing some mediocre ball .Lucky it's still May. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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