Indians vs. Royals – Game 105 Open Thread

So what kind of garbage baseball are we going to see today?  Okay sorry…that’s a very rude and cranky statement, but this team is on my very last nerve this weekend.  I’m just not in the mood to see Bruce Chen look like Cy Young against the Indians lineup, as Matt Underwood and Rick Manning say something like “wow, this is a career day for Chen…he’s just dealing right now” because that phrase could literally be spoken about almost every single opposing pitcher lately.  (Deep cleansing breaths…deep cleansing breaths).

Chen currently has a 5.90 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP, but he’s spent a big chunk of the season on the disabled list.  He was very bad in April before his DL stint; in the four appearances he’s made since he came off of the DL on June 28, he’s looked much better.  Chen has faced the Indians twice this season, most recently he pitched a scoreless inning out of the bullpen on July 6.  On April 24 the Indians knocked him around for 5 ER on 6 hits in 4.1 IP.

Danny Salazar will take the mound for the Indians, so who knows how that will go.  He looked good in his last outing against the Twins, but had problems against the Royals earlier this year, allowing 4 ER on 7 hits in 4.1 IP.  Salazar had problems with Billy Butler, Mike Moustakas, and Eric Hosmer…two of those names are regular tormenters of the Indians.

Let me just add – I like Jose Ramirez, but I wouldn’t put someone with a .220 OBP batting leadoff.  Just because he’s playing Jason Kipnis‘s usual position today, doesn’t mean that he should automatically take his spot in the lineup.  I don’t even…I can’t…ugh.

Also – an outfield with Ryan Raburn and Nick Swisher manning the corners?  Double ugh.  I’m REALLY not in the mood to see more error-filled in-the-park home runs.

Lineups:

Indians:

Jose Ramirez, 2B

Asdrubal Cabrera, SS

Michael Brantley, CF

Carlos Santana, 1B

Yan Gomes, DH

Nick Swisher, RF

Ryan Raburn, LF

Roberto Perez, C

Mike Aviles, 3B

Royals:

Nori Aoki, RF

Omar Infante, 2B

Alex Gordon, LF

Salvador Perez, DH

Mike Moustakas, 3B

Billy Butler, 1B

Brett Hayes, C

Jarrod Dyson, CF

Alcides Escobar, SS 

[message_box title=”Kansas City Royals Scouting Report” color=”#d40134″][list type=”arrow2″]

• Starter: LHP Bruce Chen
• Overview: Soft-tossing journeyman barely clinging to his job in KC.
• Repertoire: Fastball (38%, 84.5 mph), Cutter (31%), Change (18%), Curve (3%) 
• K Pitch: Anything outside the zone to get hitters to chase.
• vs Tribe: 7-4, 4.55 ERA in 83 career IP… 5 runs allowed in 4.1 IP in start earlier this season
• Key Matchups: Brantley: 11-21… Kipnis: 0-9… Raburn: 6-33, 6 K

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Sources: ESPN Stats & Information, Baseball-Reference [/message_box]