20 replies to this topic

[T-Rich49]

9 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K's.This following his 15 K preformance.Just hand him the Cy Young NOW

[HG]

T-Rich49, on 30 August 2009 - 06:12 PM, said:

9 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K's.This following his 15 K preformance.Just hand him the Cy Young NOW

Pity he cant get any run support

[T-Rich49]

HG, on 30 August 2009 - 06:14 PM, said:

Pity he cant get any run support

actually they scored 3 runs for him today

[HG]

T-Rich49, on 30 August 2009 - 07:14 PM, said:

actually they scored 3 runs for him today

Yeah. Right. You know what I meant.

[T-Rich49]

6th time this year Zack has allowed 1 or 0 runs but has won NONE

[warthog]

Greinke hit by line drive but gets victory when Royals beat Tigers 9-2
By BOB DUTTON
The Kansas City Star

DETROIT | Zack Greinke appears to be fine. Start with that. X-rays on his right arm, his pitching arm, showed nothing more than a nasty bruise after being hit by a line drive Thursday in the Royals’ 9-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.

“Not too bad,” he confirmed. “We’ll see how it goes. I’m sure it’ll get worse than it is today, but it will probably be fine.”

The Royals will monitor Greinke closely through the weekend, but the initial expectation is he should be able to make his final three starts — although he might require an extra day of rest before his next outing.

“We’ll have to go day to day,” manager Trey Hillman said. “Our rotation will be a little up in the air over the next five to seven days. We’ll do what we need to do and make sure he’s 100 percent before he has his next start.”

Greinke, 14-8, got the victory Thursday because he was able to pitch through the fifth inning — five shutout innings, by the way — after being struck above the elbow in the fourth by Miguel Cabrera’s leadoff line drive.

“Fastball away,” Greinke said. “He crushes those.”

Greinke recovered in time from the line drive to get the out before a cluster of teammates and club personnel gathered at the mound.

“The way Zack finished the play,” catcher Miguel Olivo said, “I thought it must have hit the glove. When I saw his arm, I said a bad word. But when I asked, `Are you OK?’ He said, `I’ll be fine.’ I trust him. He’s a gamer, man.”

Greinke tested his arm with several practice pitches before satisfying everyone, including himself, that he could continue.

“If anybody had any question about his physical and mental toughness,” Hillman said, “they should put those aside. That was one of the most solid shots I’ve ever seen anywhere but especially to a pitching arm.”

The Royals led 5-0 at the time.

Greinke resumed play by striking out Aubrey Huff and finished the inning without further problems. Greinke worked a one-two-three fifth inning, with two strikeouts, before handing an 8-0 lead to the bullpen.

“The last thing I wanted to do was go five and be done,” he said. “But it got worse the next inning. It wasn’t smart to continue, especially with the lead we had. And I wasn’t pitching that great.”

Depends on whom you ask.

“After the ball hit him,” Olivo laughed, “his changeup got really nasty, and his breaking ball was better. But after five innings, I’m glad he got out and took care of his arm.”

And the Royals, for a change, took care of Greinke with plenty of offense. They jumped to a 2-0 lead on Alberto Callaspo’s two-run double in the first inning before getting three-run homers from Olivo in the third and Josh Anderson in the sixth.

The first five runs came against Tigers starter Edwin Jackson, who lasted just five innings. Jackson, 12-7, allowed six hits and one walk while striking out six.

Anderson’s homer was his first of the season and hiked the lead to 8-0 in the sixth inning against reliever Armando Galarraga. It was a no-doubter, too, down the right-field line.

“It felt great,” Anderson admitted. “I don’t hit many. It came at a good time — with men on base.”

Greinke’s 14 victories are a career high, and he polished his Cy Young credentials by lowering MLB-best ERA to 2.14. He permitted just three hits, all singles, while striking out eight and walking two.

“He had some good stuff today,” Hillman said. “His fastball command (before the line drive) was as good as I’ve seen. It’s not only impressive that he was able to finish the fifth, but what he did in the fifth was impressive as well.”

The Royals finished with 12 hits — reaching double figures for the 10th time in 11 games. Willie Bloomquist had a season-high four hits, all singles, and scored twice as a temporary leadoff replacement for David DeJesus, who is nursing a sore knee.

Callaspo had an RBI single in addition to his two-run double. Billy Butler scored twice, and Yuniesky Betancourt had two singles.

Greinke wasn’t the only pitching casualty.

Bruce Chen started the sixth and surrendered a two-run homer to Cabrera before exiting because a strained left oblique in the seventh. Kyle Farnsworth tweaked his knee in the eighth inning but was able to continue.

Joakim Soria closed out the victory by wobbling through the ninth in a non-save situation. The Tigers loaded the bases before Soria ended the game by striking out Clete Thomas.

The Royals, 59-87, have won eight of their last 10. They have also won three straight series, including a 5-1 run against first-place Detroit over the last 10 days.

So, yes, it’s all going pretty well right now — if Greinke is OK. Pretty big if.

[warthog]

Went to this game last night and got to sit right behind the Red Sox dugout. It was Greinke night, so I wore all my Royals gear and cheered on the home team. Tonight I have tickets on the middle level and I believe I'll be wearing my Red Sox stuff tonight. They need the win more than the Royals do right now and Beckett against Hoechevar, it should happen.

Story | Greinke flashes Cy Young form again in Royals' 5-1 victory over Red Sox
By BOB DUTTON
The Kansas City Star

Next witness?

Zack Greinke pitched six scoreless innings Tuesday night in a Cy Young Showcase against the Boston Red Sox before the Royals’ bullpen closed out a 5-1 victory at Kauffman Stadium.

“It’s good to get him some runs,” third baseman Alex Gordon said. “We know what he’s fighting for right now, and we’re out there doing the same for him. It’s all working.”

Greinke allowed two hits while handcuffing the Red Sox in his first start since being hit by a line drive above the elbow of his right arm. He struck out five and walked five while lowering his MLB-leading ERA to 2.08.

“You look up and see a fastball at 91 (mph),” Boston manager Terry Francona said. “Then you see one 97, and up. Then you see a slider. He has everything.”

Should he win the Cy Young?

“Why not?” Red Sox DH David Ortiz said. “He’s got good numbers for it. They could give both of the Cy Young Awards to him.”

The Royals helped out, for a second straight game, by backing Greinke with the sort of support unseen for much of the season.

It was a five-run first inning this time against Boston veteran Paul Byrd, an old friend whose 17 victories in 2002 remain the most by a Royals pitcher in the last 16 years. “You give up two runs,” Bryd said, “and with (Greinke), the way he’s pitching, it’s over.”

Greinke still has a chance to match Byrd’s 17 victories after improving to 15-8 with two starts remaining. Both starts should be against the Twins: Sunday in the home finale and Oct. 3 at Minnesota.

It isn’t just Greinke, though.

The Royals have won 12 of their last 15 in what is now their best stretch of the season. At 63-88 with 11 games remaining, they are now guaranteed to avoid the indignity of a fifth 100-loss season in eight years.

And more: The Royals pulled 1½ games ahead of Cleveland in their quest to avoid finishing last in the American League Central Division.

The first five hitters reached in that five-run first inning. Alberto Callaspo drove in one run with the first of his three singles. Gordon capped the burst with a two-out, two-run single.

Roman Colon allowed one run in two innings after replacing Greinke to start the seventh inning. It was a soft run, too, scored in the eighth without a hit via two walks, a balk and two stolen bases.

The crowd of 21,228 grew restless when Jamey Wright opened the ninth inning with five straight balls. But Wright struck out Jason Bay and J.D. Drew before pinch-hitter Casey Kotchman reached on an error by first baseman Billy Butler.

That brought Joakim Soria into the game to face pinch-hitter Mike Lowell. The Mexicutioner needed one pitch -- Lowell flied out to center _ to secure his 28th save in 31 opportunities.

Greinke left after six innings primarily as a precaution. Neither manager Trey Hillman nor pitching coach Bob McClure saw any reason to extend Greinke, who still sports a bruise from that Miguel Cabrera liner.

“Mac and I both saw the same thing in the sixth,” Hillman said. “We felt he started to labor just a little bit. With what happened (in Detroit), it just didn’t make any sense to push him to 100 pitches.”

Greinke didn’t argue.

“I was getting kind of tired in the last inning,” he said. “I just didn’t feel as crisp. It didn’t feel as good coming out (of his hand in) the last inning. It wasn’t pain. It just wasn’t as sharp.”

Byrd, 1-2, was fine after the disastrous first inning and pitched into the seventh. Five were plenty, though, for the Royals with Greinke, who has yielded just one earned run in 35 innings over his last five starts.

Quite a closing kick for the Cy Young voters.

“It would be nice,” Greinke admitted, “but there are still two more games left. If you don’t come ready for every game, something bad can happen.

“They’re both against the Twins, and that’s their specialty. If you make a mistake, it seems they capitalize on it every single time. But it would be nice if it works out.”

http://www.cbssports...eboard/20090923

[Zig]

Wart, these games aren't all that important to the Sox. They aren't catching the Yanks and have the WC wrapped up. They wouldn't have started Byrd if it was an 'important' game!

First time I've actually seen Greinke pitch this year and was really impressed. I think it's between him and Felix for the CY and last night might have given the edge to Zach. I have to say though that he was getting a lot of 'help' from the ump. He was getting strikes called that were not even close. Byrd was getting just the opposite, pitches right down the middle called balls! I'm not making excuses because again, the game doesn't matter much, but that ump clearly was not consistent at all. I know Greinke is a CY candidate and Byrd sucks and the good pitchers usually get the close ones, but I've never seen an ump be that much in favor of 1 guy. The Sox weren't going to win that game either way but Byrd pitched much better than the results he got.

Damn Royals always seem to be a thorn in our side!

[warthog]

Zig, on 23 September 2009 - 07:35 AM, said:

Wart, these games aren't all that important to the Sox. They aren't catching the Yanks and have the WC wrapped up. They wouldn't have started Byrd if it was an 'important' game!

First time I've actually seen Greinke pitch this year and was really impressed. I think it's between him and Felix for the CY and last night might have given the edge to Zach. I have to say though that he was getting a lot of 'help' from the ump. He was getting strikes called that were not even close. Byrd was getting just the opposite, pitches right down the middle called balls! I'm not making excuses because again, the game doesn't matter much, but that ump clearly was not consistent at all. I know Greinke is a CY candidate and Byrd sucks and the good pitchers usually get the close ones, but I've never seen an ump be that much in favor of 1 guy. The Sox weren't going to win that game either way but Byrd pitched much better than the results he got.

Damn Royals always seem to be a thorn in our side!

Yes, the Kansas City Royals are the Red Sox natural rivals.

One ironic thing about last night was that Greinke got his 15th win and that is the first time a Royals pitcher has got 15 wins in a season since, you guessed it, Paul Byrd in 2002. He ended up with 17.

I disagree about the Cy Young thing influencing the umpire, I will agree that some umpires are lazy and will always give the pitcher with the high strikeout to walk ratio the benefit of the doubt just like they give a batter that has a perceived good eye the benefit of the doubt. I did see Greinke 'strike out' Varitek last night only to have the ump not call obvious strikes and gave him a walk, so it may go both ways.

I'll disagree with King Felix being even close to Cy Young worthy. The only reason Felix would win it would be because voters are looking for anyone outside the AL Central to give it to. That damn Gammons has this campaign against Greinke because he doesn't face the tough teams a lot like Felix and CC do. That's BS. Zach has faced the Angels for 18 innings this year and only gave up 1 earned run and somehow went 0-2!

Every category Zach blows everyone away. They compiled a batting average of all the AL All stars that Zach has faced this year and it was something like .215. That's awesome. It's not just the weak teams he's making look bad.

[T-Rich49]

7 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 2 BB's and 8 K's

hand him the trophy

[warthog]

T-Rich49, on 27 September 2009 - 05:38 PM, said:

7 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 2 BB's and 8 K's

hand him the trophy

That's where a was today. We had a suite and the Chiefs game was on one TV and the Royals on another while we sat outside the suite watching Greinke pitch. Chiefs game sucked, so we watched mostly the baseball game. Got some Zack for Cy Young T Shirts today too.

[Zig]

You know what sucks is if Sabathia wins his next start he'll have 20 wins and will probably win the CY. Voters love that 20 wins thing. Playing in NY doesn't hurt either. Hopefully he gets shelled next time

[warthog]

Zig, on 27 September 2009 - 06:37 PM, said:

You know what sucks is if Sabathia wins his next start he'll have 20 wins and will probably win the CY. Voters love that 20 wins thing. Playing in NY doesn't hurt either. Hopefully he gets shelled next time

Maybe he'll eat too much and bloat before the next start. Greinke isn't going to get it, east coast writers control everything and they will always choose a east coast guy.

[T-Rich49]

warthog, on 27 September 2009 - 06:45 PM, said:

Maybe he'll eat too much and bloat before the next start. Greinke isn't going to get it, east coast writers control everything and they will always choose a east coast guy.

actaully even the majority of the east coast guys are saying it's Zack's award

[warthog]

God, you have to love this guy.


Greinke says he wants to pitch for Kansas City in playoffs, not Yankees
By BOB DUTTON
The Kansas City Star

NEW YORK | The question was inevitable Tuesday afternoon as Zack Greinke sat in the interview room at Yankee Stadium with the world’s most familiar sports logo as a backdrop.

This is the room where the Yankees always introduce their new acquisitions. So here it came:

“You’ve had great success this year, but you look across (that diamond) at this team, and they’re getting ready to go to the playoffs. Do you ever think, `I’d take less personal success to be able to pitch in the playoffs?’”

Greinke’s response was immediate.

“Yeah, definitely,” he said. “But I don’t want to pitch for New York in the playoffs. I want to pitch for Kansas City in the playoffs. It would definitely be a lot better being in the playoffs than not. That’s all you ever play for.”

The Royals arranged the news conference with Greinke, who doesn’t pitch until Saturday, in response to a heavy request by New York media members for interviews. He typically conducts interviews with out-of-town reporters only after he pitches.

Greinke also parried the question of whether he regretted not facing the Yankees, who own baseball’s best record, in either of their series against the Royals.

“For me,” he said, “the hardest teams to face are usually not the (teams filled with) power guys. I thought Boston was going to be tough. They had a bunch of lefties and a bunch of pure hitters. I think they more had a bad game against me than me having a good game against them.”

Greinke pitched six scoreless innings against the Red Sox in a 5-1 victory on Sept. 22 at Kauffman Stadium.

“The Angels are tough,” he said, “and I think the Twins are tough, too. You can pitch to (most) power hitters. But guys like (Mark) Teixeria and Joe Mauer, who don’t strike out and are power hitters, those are the tough ones.”

Of course, Teixeira does play for the Yankees.

http://www.kansascit...ry/1479201.html

[Warren Peace]

Zack autographed my softball glove at the last Royals game I went to. Class act he is. Sad part was about 10 kids and 5 adults (using the term adult loosley) none said thank you. I did and Zack looked up and smiled like I made his day. Kids I can understand being star struck type of thing but no excuse for adults.
He should win the Cy but not holding my breath.

[T-Rich49]

got hit around a bit today.4 ER ib 6 innings.era finishes at 2,16

[warthog]

Today is the day they announce the Cy Young winner. Here's hoping.

[Dom]

GL Greinke!

[T-Rich49]

If there is any justice Greinke will win