He knows how to survive and he kept us in the game. After all, both teams just completed epic, memorable comebacks only to arrive at this stage.
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Now that I’ve conclusively proven the historical likability of the 2015 Blue Jays, Cubs, Mets, and Royals, it’s time to ask another important question: Which is the most likable team of this very likable bunch? The Cubs lost Game 1 to St. Louis and won the next three, culminating in Tuesday’s 6-4 win at Wrigley. Then the Royals overcame a 2-1 series deficit to beat the wild-card Astros in the best-of-5 ALDS. In Games 3 and 4, they took advantage of having more starting-pitching depth than the Rangers.
Unlike Game 5 of Toronto’s American League Division Series victory over Texas, there was no controversy on this night. In the process, Volquez earned his first win in four career postseason starts. Still, his track record suggests that he should be able to get things back on track sooner than later, as he would be expected to pitch Game 1, Game 4, and a potential Game 7.
As for the other two matchups, Estrada and Volquez have both pitched over their heads this year, but Estrada has been more consistent since finding his stride in Toronto’s rotation and, as an extreme fly-ball pitcher, will benefit from drawing a start in homer-suppressing Kauffman Stadium in Game 1. So it goes. The Royals and Blue Jays were the two best teams in the AL this season.
Gibbons was a first-round pick of the Mets in the 1980 draft who appeared in a combined 18 big league games in 1984 (10) and 1986 (eight). This flexibility gives manager John Gibbons a good chance to mix and match accordingly for every matchup. In fact, the last two teams to lead the majors in home runs and walks and finish in the bottom ten in strikeouts were the 2009 Yankees and 1987 Tigers.
Maybe he’d have learned something to help the Royals in the ALCS.
For Edinson Volquez, the key to pitching can be found underneath the bill of his cap. However, that also means that Cueto will be available to start until Game 3 as the series shifts to Toronto.
Basically emptying his tank over six rugged innings, Volquez continually stymied the Blue Jays and finally left a victor with the Royals recording a workmanlike 5-0 victory to draw first blood in the ALCS.
Osuna faced five batters in Game 5 against the Texas Rangers.
While Estrada was over the plate a little too much, Royals starter Edinson Volquez avoided the middle of the zone just enough. The likely candidates are RHP Kris Medlen or RHP Chris Young….
The Royals paid close attention to Bautista, who struck out once and walked three times.
“I know it’s going to come”, Price said.
Jays ace David Price looks to snap that streak Saturday when he faces Yordano Ventura in Game 2.
Toronto manager John Gibbons also stuck with his typical order with Ben Revere at the top, followed by Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista, and Edwin Encarnacion.
On the other hand, the Royals are built on a patient approach at the plate that sees them strike out rarely and make a ton of contact.
The Royals hiked their lead to 3-0 in the fourth when catcher Salvador Perez homered on Estrada’s first offering over the left-center fence after two out.
Even as the Royals have been the best defensive club in baseball for a while, the Blue Jays shouldn´t lag that far behind.
Center fielder Lorenzo Cain’s two-out single brought Escobar home.
How good was the Kansas City bullpen? Gibbons stuck around when Hillman was sacked in May 2010, working for Yost through the 2011 season.
“We liked our team when we started the season, then we had to make adjustments”. “But did we see him as being the opening-game starter in an ALCS?” Toronto won back-to-back World Series in 1992 and 1993. Mets manager Terry Collins has little trust in his bullpen past closer Jeurys Familia-who can blame him?-so after Jacob deGrom labored through six innings and left with a 3-2 lead, he turned to Noah Syndergaard, making his first relief appearance, for the seventh.
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The Mets have won the World Series twice, the last in 1986.
