OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - Expansion Revision: 1998 Devil Rays and beyond

Moriarty9 · 10-18-2009, 01:40 PM

Haren, Beckett to open ALDS
Can underdog Royals dethrone Devil Rays?
October 7, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The American League Division Series opens up at Tropicana Field tonight with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, owners of baseball's best record, hosting the Kansas City Royals, winners of the AL Central with an 87-75 record.

Most expect Tampa Bay to easily get past the Royals, but Kansas City ace Josh Beckett (16-11, 4.02 ERA) will be taking the ball in Game 1 tonight in hopes of throwing a kink into those plans.

Beckett has no post-season experience and went 1-2 with a 4.79 ERA against the Devil Rays this season, but he has finished the season on a high note, going 8-2 in his final 12 starts of the regular season.

The Royals also have the league's top closer in 2009 in Matt Capps. In 68 appearances this year, Capps saved an AL-leading 41 games and posted a 2.23 ERA. He has been solid against the Devil Rays as well, having allowed just one baserunner in 4 1/3 innings. He saved 11 games and posted a 2.65 ERA during the month of September, and has picked up 20 saves since the start of August.

Offensively, Kansas City has a couple of strong hitters in Evan Longoria and Jason Bay, as well as catcher Geovany Soto.

Longoria hit .260 with 28 home runs and 94 RBI in 138 games this season. Fortunately for the Devil Rays, he struggled in 41 at bats against Tampa Bay in 2009, hitting .122 with 16 strikeouts. Against the three starting pitchers planned for the ALDS — Dan Haren, Felix Hernandez, and Pedro Martinez — Longoria is hitting .105 (4-38). He's also 0-for-4 against closer Jonathan Papelbon.

Bay hit .259 with six triples, 22 homers, and 92 RBI in 141 games. He too struggled against the Devil Rays, hitting .128 with 12 strikeouts in 39 at bats this year. Also like Longoria, he has minimal success against the Tampa Bay starters: .143 against Haren and Martinez, .250 against Hernandez.

Soto hit .274 with 22 home runs and 77 RBI in 135 games, putting up some of the best numbers by any catcher in the league. He was especially good down the stretch, hitting .359 with six home runs in September. However, like many others, he struggled agaisnt the Devil Rays. In 28 at bats against Tampa Bay pitching, Soto hit .214 with 12 strikeouts.

Former Devil Ray slugger Paul Konerko had a productive season when in the lineup for Kansas City, hitting .303 with 15 home runs and 45 RBI in just 211 at bats. He missed roughly three months with injuries this season, limiting his playing time. Konerko came up with Tampa Bay in 1998, and hit .293 with 111 home runs in 647 games over five seasons with the Devil Rays. He's one of a few players on the team with playoff experience (.255, 4 HR, 102 AB in post-season play, all with Tampa Bay), and finished the year on a hot streak, hitting .352 with seven home runs in the final 24 games, coming off an injury. Unlike most of the others in the lineup, Konerko has some success against Devil Rays starters. He's 5-for-13 against Haren, hitting .286 against Hernandez, and .389 with a pair of homers against Martinez.

Despite some of the successes that Kansas City players have, the edge is still widely given to the Devil Rays.

Haren went 2-1 with a 2.11 ERA against the Royals this season, and Hernandez 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA. Papelbon saved four games against KC, allowing one run in five innings. Rookie Cliff Pennington hit .333 with three homers in 39 at bats against the Royals, and Aubrey Huff hit .326 with four home runs. Matt Holliday (.368, 2 HR) and Josh Hamilton (.306, 2 HR) also hit Kansas City pitching well. Ryan Howard has hit Beckett well over his career, hitting .310 with three homers in 29 at bats. Huff has similar dominance over the Royals ace, hitting .395 with four round-trippers in 38 at bats.

10-18-2009, 01:40 PM	#626 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,858 Thanks: 10 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Haren, Beckett to open ALDS Can underdog Royals dethrone Devil Rays? October 7, 2009 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The American League Division Series opens up at Tropicana Field tonight with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, owners of baseball's best record, hosting the Kansas City Royals, winners of the AL Central with an 87-75 record. Most expect Tampa Bay to easily get past the Royals, but Kansas City ace Josh Beckett (16-11, 4.02 ERA) will be taking the ball in Game 1 tonight in hopes of throwing a kink into those plans. Beckett has no post-season experience and went 1-2 with a 4.79 ERA against the Devil Rays this season, but he has finished the season on a high note, going 8-2 in his final 12 starts of the regular season. The Royals also have the league's top closer in 2009 in Matt Capps. In 68 appearances this year, Capps saved an AL-leading 41 games and posted a 2.23 ERA. He has been solid against the Devil Rays as well, having allowed just one baserunner in 4 1/3 innings. He saved 11 games and posted a 2.65 ERA during the month of September, and has picked up 20 saves since the start of August. Offensively, Kansas City has a couple of strong hitters in Evan Longoria and Jason Bay, as well as catcher Geovany Soto. Longoria hit .260 with 28 home runs and 94 RBI in 138 games this season. Fortunately for the Devil Rays, he struggled in 41 at bats against Tampa Bay in 2009, hitting .122 with 16 strikeouts. Against the three starting pitchers planned for the ALDS — Dan Haren, Felix Hernandez, and Pedro Martinez — Longoria is hitting .105 (4-38). He's also 0-for-4 against closer Jonathan Papelbon. Bay hit .259 with six triples, 22 homers, and 92 RBI in 141 games. He too struggled against the Devil Rays, hitting .128 with 12 strikeouts in 39 at bats this year. Also like Longoria, he has minimal success against the Tampa Bay starters: .143 against Haren and Martinez, .250 against Hernandez. Soto hit .274 with 22 home runs and 77 RBI in 135 games, putting up some of the best numbers by any catcher in the league. He was especially good down the stretch, hitting .359 with six home runs in September. However, like many others, he struggled agaisnt the Devil Rays. In 28 at bats against Tampa Bay pitching, Soto hit .214 with 12 strikeouts. Former Devil Ray slugger Paul Konerko had a productive season when in the lineup for Kansas City, hitting .303 with 15 home runs and 45 RBI in just 211 at bats. He missed roughly three months with injuries this season, limiting his playing time. Konerko came up with Tampa Bay in 1998, and hit .293 with 111 home runs in 647 games over five seasons with the Devil Rays. He's one of a few players on the team with playoff experience (.255, 4 HR, 102 AB in post-season play, all with Tampa Bay), and finished the year on a hot streak, hitting .352 with seven home runs in the final 24 games, coming off an injury. Unlike most of the others in the lineup, Konerko has some success against Devil Rays starters. He's 5-for-13 against Haren, hitting .286 against Hernandez, and .389 with a pair of homers against Martinez. Despite some of the successes that Kansas City players have, the edge is still widely given to the Devil Rays. Haren went 2-1 with a 2.11 ERA against the Royals this season, and Hernandez 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA. Papelbon saved four games against KC, allowing one run in five innings. Rookie Cliff Pennington hit .333 with three homers in 39 at bats against the Royals, and Aubrey Huff hit .326 with four home runs. Matt Holliday (.368, 2 HR) and Josh Hamilton (.306, 2 HR) also hit Kansas City pitching well. Ryan Howard has hit Beckett well over his career, hitting .310 with three homers in 29 at bats. Huff has similar dominance over the Royals ace, hitting .395 with four round-trippers in 38 at bats.