On Sunday night, the SF Giants finished off a four-game sweep over the Detroit Tigers to win the 2012 World Series. Without the help of some former KC Royals players, the Giants would not have been successful.

Following the World Series celebration, MLB Network analyst Kevin Millar called lefty reliever Jeremy Affeldt the MVP Game 4.

Why would a reliever be the MVP?

Well, Affeldt entered Game 4 in the 8th inning with the score tied at 3-3. He walked pinch-hitter Avisail Garcia. However, he proceeded to strike out the Tigers 3-4-5 (Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder, and Delmon Young) hitters on 12 pitches. Only Fielder was a left-handed hitter.

Affeldt then struck out lefty Andy Dirks (another left-handed hitter) to lead off the 9th inning before giving up a LONG fly ball to Jhonny Peralta that chased him from the game. The ball was caught on the warning track in centerfield only because the park is HUGE and the wind knocked it down. Giants manager Bruce Bochy said after the game that when he came to take Affeldt out he said “You scared me. I have to take you out.”

So how did the Giants get to Game 4 with the help of some former Royals?

» Continue reading “Giants Win Title with Former Royals Help”

Just like the divisional series, the championship series in Major League Baseball have former KC Royals playing integral parts for their new teams. One finished in a short four-game sweep. The other in an exciting seven games.

Raul Ibanez struck again in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series. Down 4-2 with two outs in the bottom of the 9^th inning against Detroit Tigers closer Jose Valverde, Ibanez took the second splitter of the at-bat into the right field seats to tie the game up at 4-4 and send the half-empty home crowd into a frenzy. That died off quickly as the Tigers came back and won in the 12^th inning after captain Derek Jeter was lost for the rest of the postseason with a fractured ankle.

In Game 2, Ibanez went 1-for-2 with two walks in the Yankees 3-0 loss. They collected just three hits off Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez (he had one of them).

Ibanez couldn’t be the hero every night and couldn’t awake the sleeping Yankees offense. In Game 3 (the first game in Detroit), he came up with two men on base, two out, and the Yankees down 2-1. Ibanez was facing lefty Phil Coke and worked the count full. However, Coke threw a nasty offspeed pitch and struck him out to end the game. He went 0-for-4 in Game 3. Ibanez went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts in Game 4 and was pinch-hit for by Alex Rodriguez, who of course did nothing.

» Continue reading “Former Royals Help New Teams to World Series”

You can talk all about the heroes for the St. Louis Cardinals: David Freese, Lance Berkman, Chris Carpenter, but without a certain reliever the Cardinals would not have won the World Series last night (let alone make the playoffs).

Via Max Faulkner/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT

Former KC Royal Octavio Dotel, who was acquired at the trading deadline from the Toronto Blue Jays (with fellow reliever Marc Rzepczynski), came into big situation after big situation and repeatedly came out unscathed. He shut down the mighty Philadelphia Phillies lineup. He shut down Milwaukee Brewers stud Ryan Braun. Finally, he shut down the powerful Texas Rangers lineup.

It all came to fruition in Game 7 last night. With the Cardinals leading 5-2 in the 7th inning, Dotel entered the game with one out and David Murphy on second base. He proceeded to strike out Ian Kinsler and get Elvis Andrus to fly out to end the inning.

It wasn’t just his performance out of the bullpen that made Dotel such a huge addition. It was what he brought to the clubhouse: his attitude, confidence, and veteran presence. He and Rafael Furcal brought the phrase “Happy Flight” to St. Louis and they could be heard chanting it after winning it all last night (and after winning each series prior).

That confidence was on display after Game 6. Dotel calmly sat at his locker and declared the World Series over. And why wouldn’t the Cardinals think that? They had just come back from the brink, down to their final strike, twice, with Freese’s walk-off homer in the 11th inning sending them to a Game 7. It had to be a demoralizing loss for the Rangers, no matter what they said.

So congrats to the former Royal and all the Cardinals for giving us a great World Series!

The KC Royals have been somewhat quiet, except for the players playing in both the Arizona Fall League, winter ball, and instructional league (which is wrapping up). However there are a few pieces of information to pass along.

*The Royals have hired both Tim Conroy and Jim Fregosi as special assistants to GM Dayton Moore. Ah, Fregosi. I remember him as the Philadelphia Phillies manager back when they went to the World Series in 1993. Prior to taking the job with the Royals, Fregosi was a Major League scout with the Phillies for the last three years (he had spent the last ten years working in the organization). Conroy had been the special assistant to the GM/Major League scout with the Atlanta Braves since 2004 (another Braves connection for Moore).

**The Royals have interviewed Dave Eiland for the open pitching coach job. Eiland was the NY Yankees pitching coach from 2008-2010. He was dismissed and was an advisor with the TB Rays this past year. The Kansas City Star reported the interview, but GM Dayton Moore declined to discuss it. The Royals are looking for a pitching coach to fill the void of Bob McClure, who spent the last six years in that role, but was dismissed immediately following the end of the 2011 season.

***The Royals signed Andrew Dobies to a 2012 minor league contract. Dobies, who was plucked from independent ball in late July to bolster the NW Arkansas Naturals bullpen, struggled early but came on strong in late August. He could see time in Triple-A with a strong spring training.

****The Naturals put together a press release with all the players in the World Series that have played against the Naturals. Here is what was sent out (thanks to Frank Novak for sending it out):

One friend, Familiar Foes:  The 2011 World Series which begins Wednesday evening will feature more players who have suited up against the Naturals than any Fall Classic that has occurred to date.  Besides Texas Rangers’ backup catcher Matt Treanor, who was traded from the Royals to the Rangers after concluding a rehab assignment with the Naturals back in August, several players on both sides have played prominent roles in the past four seasons with Naturals’ rival Texas League clubs Springfield and Frisco.  Treanor is on the active roster for the World Series alongside Rangers’ SS Elvis Andrus (Frisco, 2008), closer Neftali Feliz (2008), starting pitchers Matt Harrison (2008, 09) and Derek Holland (2008), first baseman/outfielder Mitch Moreland (2009), and outfielder Craig Gentry (2008, 09), who is a Fort Smith native and played for the Razorbacks.  Feliz, who came up as a starter, along with Holland did not face the Naturals at Arvest Ballpark, but Holland made one of his just four Texas League starts against the Naturals in Frisco.

From the Cardinals’ side, Game 2 starting pitcher Jaime Garcia (Springfield, 2008) made just one appearance at Arvest Ballpark, but it happened to be the first ever game the Naturals and Springfield Cardinals played against one another – April 21^st, 2008, when Garcia lost a hard-luck 1-0 game to Julio Pimentel and the Naturals on a balmy April evening in the 17^th game in franchise history.  The two teams have faced one another 135 times since Garcia made that start.  Cardinals’ reliever Lance Lynn (2009) was one of the best starters in the Texas League two seasons ago, making three starts at Arvest Ballpark and posting a 2-0 record.  Set-up man Fernando Salas, the first in line of several hard-throwing Springfield Cardinals closers over the years, made appearances against the Naturals in both 2008 and 2009.  Infielder Daniel Descalso hit over .300 for Springfield in 2009, while NLCS MVP David Freese, never a regular for Springfield, made rehab starts against the Naturals in Springfield in both 2009 and 2010.  Lastly, starting center fielder Jon Jay (2008) was in the starting lineup at center for that April 21, 2008 first meeting between the Naturals and Cardinals, as was Allen Craig, who has seen time with the Cardinals this season but is not on the post-season roster.  Outfielder Adron Chambers (2010), on the NLDS and NLCS rosters, also was removed from the roster for the World Series.

*****Speaking of the World Series, Royals right fielder Jeff Francoeur predicts that the Texas Rangers will win it over the St. Louis Cardinals in six. Frenchy was a member of last year’s Rangers team that lost to the SF Giants in the World Series.

******The MLB Fan Cave will return in 2012 and signups are underway for those interested (well you can sign up for email updates at least). Maybe this time a female can be holed up in front of the TV for the entire baseball season this time? That would be my dream job. I know I am not the only one who thinks it needs a female perspective. There are die-hard female fans out there MLB!

The World Series begins tonight as the Texas Rangers make their second consecutive appearance in the Fall Classic against the St. Louis Cardinals. With the National League winning the All-Star Game, the Cardinals will have home-field advantage.

If you follow the KC Royals, you may be thinking “Why should I care about the 2011 World Series?” Well, if you like baseball in general, it should be a good series. You can also watch a few former Royals try to win a title, which is every professional’s goal.

The Rangers have four former Royals that will be with the team in the World Series. Speedy outfielder Endy Chavez made two starts against the Detroit Tigers in the ALCS. He went 0-for-4. Expect to see him get a few pinch-running opportunities. If you watched Game 6 of the ALCS, you probably saw Andres Blanco as their head cheerleader, greeting teammates at the top of the dugout steps after big plays, waving his towel. Because of a stress fracture in his back, Blanco has not been on the Rangers playoff roster. Esteban German has been on the playoff roster, but has yet to appear in a game. That could change with the first two games being played in St. Louis (and possibly four total). Catcher Matt Treanor was not on the ALCS roster (but was on the ALDS roster) though he could be added to the World Series roster with their need for an extra bat (and catcher).

If you happened to watch the NLCS, Octavio Dotel and his high socks toed the rubber in just about every game. He pitched in four of the Cardinals six games against the Milwaukee Brewers, including the World Series clincher. Dotel is a big reason why the Cardinals are in the World Series. In four LCS games, he allowed one earned run on two hits over four innings. He also struck out five, which seemed to be Ryan Braun every time they faced each other. You may just root for the Cardinals because they are a fellow Missouri team.

Who are you rooting for?

» Continue reading “Royals Fans: Who Are You Rooting for in the World Series?”