Preview: Tigs open series in KC
posted in 2007 season, KC Royals, around the central |Game 28: Detroit (16-11) at Kansas City (10-19), 8 p.m.
TV: FSN
Pitchers: Justin Verlander (1-1, 2.79) vs. Brian Bannister (0-1, 4.91)
Don’t look now, but the Tigers traveled to Kansas City to take on a starting pitching powerhouse. Don’t believe me? I hardly believe me either. But the Royals have 16 quality starts, the same as the Tigers. Of course, they’ve played two more games, but that is still a pretty good ratio, just one behind the stat’s league leading Angels in as many games. (Credit for finding this stat goes to the Tigers’ gamenotes). Saturday starter Odalis Perez and Sunday starter Zach Greinkie have two and three QS, respectively.
But for the Royals, these starts and a team ERA of 4.22 haven’t translated to a whole lot of victories. They’ve allowed 142 runs, third-most in the AL, many unearned due to 23 errors. Their bullpen has coughed up eight of 19 team losses, and their ability to battle back at the plate is no where near the Tigers’ ability.
KC starter Brian Bannister will be making just his ninth career start and third of the season. He’s picked up a QS in his most recent start against the Mariners when he went six scoreless innings before giving up four in the seventh. But got hammered in his first one by the White Sox.
Justin Verlander opposes him on the mound. Verlander, you may remember, was left bewildered by the Minnesota Twins and made it through just nine outs. He pitched from the stretch with no one on base. I would look for Verlander to bounce back strongly after something as strange as that.
The anemic KC offense may be slightly better than the last time Detroit saw them, as they called up outfield prospect Billy Butler from AAA.
Get a better feel for the Royals at Royals Authority.
Bunt Singles:
- MLive’s Danny Knobler thinks everyone should root for the Royals for a batter or two, maybe an inning or two, this weekend, just in memory of how far the Tigers have come since being the Royals’ position. I wouldn’t go that far, but I’m happy to root for them against the rest of the A.L. Central.
- KC is on a two-game winning streak, beating the AL West leading Angels twice.
- The Fungoes blog at SI.com sees the Indians set to slide.
- Carlos Pena hit the ball very hard in Minnesota for a victory. He’s finally helping the Tigers
