Daily Clips

April 18, 2018

LOCALRoyals squander Duffy's fine start in nightcapLefty logs 8 K's, but bullpen labors late in walk-off loss to JaysApril 17, 2018 By Keegan Matheson/MLB.comhttps://www.mlb.com/royals/news/royals-cant-hang-on-fall-to-blue-jays-in-10/c-272607418

Guthrie to step into booth for broadcasting debutFormer Royals pitcher excited for opportunity in KC-TOR gameApril 18, 2018 By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.comhttps://www.mlb.com/royals/news/jeremy-guthrie-ready-for-broadcast-debut/c-272540858

Moose, Duda homers aren't enough vs. JaysApril 17, 2018 By Keegan Matheson/MLB.comhttps://www.mlb.com/royals/news/mike-moustakas-lucas-duda-hit-homers/c-272580522

Royals add righty Barlow as their 26th manYost: Postponements taking toll on pitching staffApril 17, 2018 By Keegan Matheson/MLB.comhttps://www.mlb.com/royals/news/scott-barlow-added-to-royals-for-doubleheader/c-272564880

Here is Statcast breakdown of back-to-back homers by Mike Moustakas, Lucas DudaApril 18, 2018 By Pete Grathhoff/KC Starhttp://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/for-petes-sake/article209205374.html

Royals' bullpen falls apart twice as Blue Jays sweep doubleheaderApril 17, 2018 By Maria Torres/KC Starhttp://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article209167554.html

Here's what you need to know about watching Royals' game Wednesday on FacebookApril 17, 2018 By Pete Grathoff/KC Starhttp://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/for-petes-sake/article209100554.html

Royals' Blaine Boyer took wheel of team bus after chunk of ice smashed windshieldApril 17, 2018 By Maria Torres & Pete Grathoff/KC Star

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article209101014.html

Who will start Saturday's game in Detroit? The Royals aren't sure yetApril 17, 2018 By Maria Torres/KC Starhttp://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article209174519.html

Mellinger Minutes: KU & the FBI, Royals & stinking, Vermes & Reid switching jobs & moreApril 17, 2018 By Sam Mellinger/KC Starhttp://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mellinger/article209106959.html

Once the envy of baseball, the Royals' bullpen is the league's worst. What's the answer?April 18, 2018 By Rustin Dodd/The Athletichttps://theathletic.com/319124/2018/04/18/once-the-envy-of-baseball-the-royals-bullpen-is-the-leagues-worst-whats-the-answer/

Kansas City Royals' Past, Present Linked By A Singular TradeApril 18, 2018 By Greg Echlin/KCURhttp://kcur.org/post/kansas-city-royals-past-present-linked-singular-trade#stream/0

Metro teen artist with autism throws first pitch at Royals gameApril 17, 2018 By Shannon O'Brien/FOX 4 KChttp://fox4kc.com/2018/04/17/metro-teen-artist-with-autism-throws-first-pitch-at-royals-game/

MINORSLegends Take A Step Into the Future With New TechnologyApril 17, 2018 By NBC 18 Lexingtonhttp://www.lex18.com/story/37977263/legends-take-a-step-into-the-future-with-new-technology

Chasers Walk Off With 4-3 Win In Ten InningsDziedzic fires gem, Schwindel drives in 2 in series-opening triumphApril 17, 2018 By Andrew Green/Omaha Storm Chasershttps://www.milb.com/storm-chasers/news/chasers-walk-off-with-4-3-win-in-ten-innings/c-272680502

Rocks Rally Falls Short in LossApril 17, 2018 By Wilmington Blue Rockshttps://www.milb.com/blue-rocks/news/rocks-rally-falls-short-in-loss/c-272654132

Trailing Early, Legends Could Not Catch Crawdads in Game Two LossApril 17, 2018 By Lexington Legendshttps://www.milb.com/legends/news/trailing-early-legends-could-not-catch-crawdads-in-game-two-loss/c-272659302

NATIONALRoyals pitcher helps avert disaster after chunk of ice crashes into team busApril 17, 2018 By Rob Longley/Toronto Sunhttp://torontosun.com/sports/baseball/mlb/royals-pitcher-helps-avert-disaster-after-chunk-of-ice-crashes-into-team-bus

MRI indicates UCL injury in Walker's elbowWith severity unclear, D-backs righty heading to New York for second opinionApril 17, 2018 By Steve Gilbert/MLB.comhttps://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/taijuan-walker-has-ucl-injury-in-right-elbow/c-272606040

MLB TRANSACTIONSApril 18, 2018 •.CBSSports.comhttp://www.cbssports.com/mlb/transactions

LOCALRoyals squander Duffy's fine start in nightcapLefty logs 8 K's, but bullpen labors late in walk-off loss to JaysApril 17, 2018 By Keegan Matheson/MLB.comhttps://www.mlb.com/royals/news/royals-cant-hang-on-fall-to-blue-jays-in-10/c-272607418

It was deja vu for the Royals as an excellent start from Danny Duffy went for naught in a 5-4 walk-off loss to the Blue Jays in the nightcap of a doubleheader on Tuesday night at Rogers Centre.

The Blue Jays couldn't solve Duffy, who allowed just two hits while striking out eight over six innings after Kansas City's 11-3 loss in the opener. But the bullpen labored late in Game 2 as Brian Flynn loaded the bases in the 10th inning before giving up Luke Maile's walk-off single to right field.

"Phenomenal," manager Ned Yost said of Duffy's outing. "His arm strength is getting better each time he goes out and he's really polishing his command."

Duffy's fastball velocity was also encouraging. The left-hander averaged 91.6 mph on his four-seam fastball through his first three starts this season, which was lower than any season average in his career. Duffy corrected that against the Blue Jays, as he averaged 93.1 mph and maxed out at 95.5 mph.

"I felt like I was behind the ball," Duffy said. "I felt like everything was working. That mound was phenomenal. I don't know what it is about this mound and [the Rays'] mound, but I really enjoy pitching off these mountains."

Justin Grimm, who came on in the seventh with the Royals holding a 3-0 lead, walked all three batters he faced while throwing just five strikes on 17 pitches. Brad Keller, who allowed all three inherited runners to score, gave up the lead with a go-ahead RBI single by Steve Pearce.

"Grimm just could not find his slot today," Yost said, "[He] just couldn't do it. Then you get bases loaded, you bring in Keller, who's got really good stuff, but it just kind of snowballs on you."

Kelvin Herrera was a bright spot for the Royals in the late innings and gave them a chance in extras. With runners on the corners and one out in the ninth, Herrera struck out pinch-hitter Curtis Granderson and Justin Smoak to escape the jam and force a 10th inning.

The Royals gave Duffy an early 1-0 lead after Lucas Duda was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Blue Jays starter Joe Biagini retired the next three batters, however, to escape the inning without further damage.

Abraham Almonte hit his first home run of the season for the Royals in the sixth inning off Biagini.

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDEsky magic: After the Blue Jays' rally in the seventh, Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar tied the game at 4 with a towering shot to right field in the eighth inning off reliever Ryan Tepera. It was Escobar's first home run of the season and left his bat with a launch angle of 35 degrees, according to Statcast™.

Moose stays loose: Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas, who homered in Game 1 and added three hits in the nightcap, extended his hitting streak to nine games on Tuesday and has gone 18-for-34 (.529) with four home runs and nine RBIs in that span. This comes on the heels of a relatively slow start as he hit just .174 with no home runs over his first six games.

YOU GOTTA SEE THISRoyals right fielder Whit Merrifield robbed Yangervis Solarte of extra bases in the 10th inning with a nice running catch. Merrifield got a great jump on the deep fly ball and made a leaping grab near the wall.

HE SAID IT"Nine times out of 10, Grimm's going to get that done. That's one thing I hate hearing, is 'sorry' after a reliever has a tough go. Don't apologize. These guys are nasty. They're here for a reason, and they're going to get the job done more times than not. There's no discouraged dudes in here." -- Duffy, on the bullpen

UP NEXTRight-hander Ian Kennedy starts the series finale at 3:07 p.m. CT on Wednesday at Rogers Centre, while the Blue Jays will counter with J.A. Happ in a game that will be broadcast exclusively on Facebook. Kennedy has been one of the hottest pitchers in baseball this season with a 1.00 ERA over his first three starts.

Guthrie to step into booth for broadcasting debut

Former Royals pitcher excited for opportunity in KC-TOR gameApril 18, 2018 By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.comhttps://www.mlb.com/royals/news/jeremy-guthrie-ready-for-broadcast-debut/c-272540858

When asked what his broadcasting style might be as he prepared to make his debut in Wednesday's Facebook-exclusive Royals-Blue Jays game, former Kansas City right-hander Jeremy Guthrie paused briefly.

"I don't know. Anyone got any tips?" Guthrie deadpanned.

Chances are, Guthrie will be just fine as he works in the booth for the 3:07 p.m. CT game in Toronto. Guthrie will be working with MLB Network play-by-play announcer Scott Braun and former Expo Cliff Floyd. Alexa Datt will serve as the in-game reporter.

Those who have known Guthrie over the years have felt he might have a second career in the booth. He has an insightful knowledge of the game and easily finds the levity in situations.

"It's certainly something I have interest in," Guthrie said. "MLB reached out to me to do this, and I was pretty excited. Nervous, but excited."

Guthrie and Royals vice president of communications Mike Swanson had several chats about Guthrie pursuing a career in broadcasting.

"I [thought] he could have the skill set for it," Swanson said. "Jeremy played the game a long time, which gives him the on-field knowledge, and the Jeremy Guthrie I know analyzes every situation, which could play well on the air for him. … I think [Wednesday] will give him a great opportunity to get a feel for the timing in the booth."

Guthrie said he has a great deal of respect for those in the broadcasting profession, and he listed Vin Scully, Keith Jackson, Al Michaels and Marv Levy as some of the broadcasters he has admired.

Any nerves Guthrie might have on Wednesday could be alleviated by his familiarity with Kansas City's organization.

Guthrie, who retired last season, came to the Royals in 2012 and was an instant hit, going 5-3 with a 3.16 ERA in 14 second-half starts. He started Game 7 of the 2014 World Series against the Giants, and he won a World Series championship ring in '15.

Of course, the Royals have experienced quite a roster turnover since Guthrie last played for them, but he remains in touch with Alex Gordon and Salvador Perez (presently on the disabled list), and can still count Alcides Escobar, Kelvin Herrera, Mike Moustakas, Danny Duffy, Drew Butera and Paulo Orlando as former teammates.

"Also, the game is in Toronto -- a great city and a place I had some success [2.62 career ERA] at," Guthrie said. "This could set up pretty well."

Wednesday's game will be the third Facebook game shown, part of a 25-game deal announced last month by Major League Baseball.

Moose, Duda homers aren't enough vs. JaysApril 17, 2018 By Keegan Matheson/MLB.comhttps://www.mlb.com/royals/news/mike-moustakas-lucas-duda-hit-homers/c-272580522

The Royals grabbed an early lead with back-to-back home runs, but starter Eric Skoglund and the bullpen couldn't hold it, as they dropped an 11-3 decision to the Blue Jays on Tuesday in the opener of a doubleheader at Rogers Centre.

Mike Moustakas was the first to go deep in the third inning and Lucas Duda followed suit with a rocket to right field just five pitches later. That was the fourth home run of the season for Moustakas and the third for Duda.

"Both of those guys have the ability any time they step in that box to put the ball out of the ballpark, too," manager Ned Yost said. "They both had a good day offensively."

Skoglund had settled into a groove in those early innings before the Blue Jays got to him for three runs in the fifth to regain the lead. The big left-hander was lifted after five innings and 77 pitches.

Skoglund allowed five earned runs on eight hits with one walk and six strikeouts. The one early blow that he allowed was a two-run home run to Yangervis Solarte in the first, which traveled a projected 416 feet, according to Statcast™.

"They had good approaches that second half," Skoglund said. "That last inning, they just took it where it was pitched and executed on what they had to do."

Blaine Boyer took over in the sixth inning and quickly allowed the Blue Jays to tack on some insurance runs. After Kevin Pillar reached on an error and Aledmys Diaz singled, Randal Grichuk launched a three-run home run to left field to extend Toronto's lead to 8-3.

"He's struggling," Yost said. "It's mostly location. He gets ahead, then the pitch that they hit for the three-run homer wasn't a horrible pitch, it just had too much plate."

Boyer then loaded the bases before being pulled for Burch Smith. He allowed six runs in total, but only two of those were earned.

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDThe Royals had an opportunity to open up a lead early in the game with the bases loaded and none out, but they only managed to push one run across. Duda, Jorge Soler and Cheslor Cuthbert all singled to open the second inning, but Paulo Orlando grounded into a double play that snuffed out the momentum, despite Duda scoring on the play. Blue Jays starter Jaime Garcia then got Cam Gallagher to ground out to end the inning.

SOUND SMARTDuda's home run in the third inning left his bat at 114.1 mph, according to Statcast™, which matched his hardest-hit home run since Statcast™ was introduced in 2015. Later in the game, Grichuk's home run left his bat at the same speed (114.1 mph) and was his and the Blue Jays' hardest-hit home run, topping a 113.5-mph homer hit by Josh Donaldson on Sept. 17, 2017.

HE SAID IT

"The only stuff I have for this kind of weather is camouflage." -- Yost, on the troubles of travelling to Toronto, where freezing rain continues to delay the arrival of spring weather

MITEL REPLAY OF THE DAYFor a moment, it looked like Gallagher would be the latest to be featured on a defensive highlight reel for Kevin Pillar. Gallagher drove a ball deep to right-center in the fifth inning that Pillar initially caught on the run and then bobbled. It appeared that he secured the ball and Gallagher was called out, but after a review, the umpires determined the ball had hit the wall and Gallagher was awarded a double.

UP NEXTLeft-hander Danny Duffy starts the nightcap of the doubleheader. After allowing three home runs in a difficult season debut, Duffy looked better in his next two starts -- giving up just one earned run over 5 1/3 innings his last time out against the Mariners.

Royals add righty Barlow as their 26th manYost: Postponements taking toll on pitching staffApril 17, 2018 By Keegan Matheson/MLB.comhttps://www.mlb.com/royals/news/scott-barlow-added-to-royals-for-doubleheader/c-272564880

The Royals added right-hander Scott Barlow to their roster for the second game of their doubleheader in Toronto on Tuesday.

In two starts with Triple-A Omaha this season, Barlow has allowed just one earned run on eight hits with 12 strikeouts over 10 innings. In 2017, Barlow posted a 3.29 ERA over 26 starts split between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City in the Dodgers' organization.

The Royals and Blue Jays had their series opener postponed on Monday after falling ice from the CN Tower in downtown Toronto punctured the roof of Rogers Centre. It was the first postponement at Rogers Centre since April 12, 2001, which was also against Kansas City.

Royals looking for traction

Having four postponements by mid-April has been hard on the Royals, and the impact will continue to be felt over the coming weeks.

"That's just the tip of the iceberg," manager Ned Yost said prior to Game 1 on Tuesday. "The challenge comes four days from now, when you've got a starter that's got to come back early."

Eric Skoglund and Danny Duffy started Tuesday's doubleheader, and one of the two will need to come back on short rest on Saturday in Detroit. Yost will make that decision based primarily on their Tuesday workload.

This comes after Kansas City's pitchers were pushed back due to postponements, which Yost wants to avoid. Skoglund, for example, last pitched on April 10, but Yost doesn't view the added rest as an advantage.

"It doesn't help, because it keeps them less sharp," Yost said. "If you're less sharp, it means that you're probably going to go less innings in the game, which puts a heavier workload on your bullpen."

Kansas City has another twin bill on April 28 against the White Sox at home.

Here is Statcast breakdown of back-to-back homers by Mike Moustakas, Lucas DudaApril 18, 2018 By Pete Grathhoff/KC Starhttp://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/for-petes-sake/article209205374.html

While the outcomes were not great, there were a few highlights for the Royals on Tuesday despite being swept in a doubleheader in Toronto.

First, Danny Duffy looked good as he tossed six shutout innings in the nightcap.

In the opener, the Royals hit back-to-back homers as third baseman Mike Moustakas and first baseman Lucas Duda went deep.

Statcast broke down those home runs, which traveled a combined distance of 812 feet.

The exit velocity on Duda's blast was 114.1 miles per hour. It was a laser down the right-field line.

Here are the numbers from Statcast:

Click link to view the video.

Royals' bullpen falls apart twice as Blue Jays sweep doubleheaderApril 17, 2018 By Maria Torres/KC Starhttp://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article209167554.html

Six days ago Danny Duffy stood at his locker at Kauffman Stadium and shouldered the loss in a no-decision against the Mariners. It was his fault, he said, that the Royals hadn’t won any of his starts to that point.

“We could easily be 6-4,” Duffy said. “That’s a teller.”

For the first time in this young, weather-beaten season, Duffy could not take any blame for a Royals loss.

On Tuesday night at Rogers Centre, in the second game of a doubleheader born of ice-induced roof damage, Royals reliever Brian Flynn was dealt the L in the Blue Jays’ 5-4 walk-off victory in 10 innings.

Luke Maile had the game-winning hit, an one-out single up the right side of the field. The bases were loaded, though they may not have been if home plate umpire John Tumpane had ruled a pitch in the dirt near Randal Grichuk's feet as the second ball of his at-bat. Instead, Tumpane ruled that Flynn hit Grichuk with the pitch and sent him to first.

The Royals did not challenge the call. No camera angle supported their argument.

"It was not clear at all," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "That was the problem. The video couldn’t tell one way or another."

Combined with an 11-3 loss in the opener, the Royals (3-12) have now lost seven games in a row.

In each game Tuesday, the Royals bullpen fell apart. Leading 3-0 in the second game, Justin Grimm loaded the bases with three consecutive walks to start the seventh. Rule 5 acquisition Brad Keller could not bail him out of trouble. The Blue Jays scored four times — including Maile, who crossed the plate with the go-ahead run — on three straight hits before Keller recorded the first out of the inning.

Rookie Tim Hill came in after Keller, recorded two outs and then pitched a perfect eighth inning.

"Grimm just could not find his slot today," Yost said. "Just couldn’t do it. ... You bring in a young guy like Keller, you know he’s got really, really good stuff, but it just kind of snowballs on you."

Before the bullpen melted down, Duffy pitched his first scoreless start since May 18 of last season. He struck out eight batters, issued three walks and permitted two hits in six innings. He threw 100 pitches in his longest outing of the season.

Duffy avoided the big inning that sidetracked each of his previous starts. When Duffy got close to allowing the Jays to burst through what had been a 2-0 lead in the third, he induced a ground ball double play up the middle to end a bases-loaded threat.

He retired six of the next seven batters he faced before turning the game over to Grimm. Duffy was dealt a no-decision for a second start in a row.

"That’s one thing I hate hearing is sorry after a reliever has a tough go," Duffy said. "Don’t apologize. These guys are nasty. They’re here for a reason. They’re gonna get that job done more than not. ... There’s no discouraged dudes in here."

The seventh-inning disaster was the nightcap’s version of the sixth inning in Game 1.

That one started innocently enough with the Royals trailing 5-3. Cheslor Cuthbert over-threw to Lucas Duda. The ground ball ended up grazing the padding of some extended seating on the first-base side and skipping into the crowd. It allowed Kevin Pillar to reach first base, and eventually set up a three-run jack by Randal Grichuk.

But the inning didn’t end there. With no outs recorded, Blaine Boyer gave up his second single of the inning. That base runner — and the two others he allowed prior to Burch Smith entering the game with one out — later scored with ease. Smith allowed a sacrifice fly ball to Yangervis Solarte, who clubbed a two-run homer into the left-field upper deck in the first inning, and served up a two-run double to Pillar, who was the 10th of 11 batters that appeared in the inning.

The events that transpired marked yet another meltdown for Boyer. He’s allowed more than three runs in four of his six appearances, with 18 runs (14 earned) overall. Batters are averaging .500 against him.

Royals manager Ned Yost said late last week that Boyer, who signed a minor-league contract during the off-season and earned a spot on the 25-man roster out of spring training, needs to finish off his fastball with more precision. Boyer couldn’t do that consistently on Tuesday.

“He’s struggling right now. It’s mostly location,” Yost said. “Gets ahead. … The pitch they hit for the three-run homer — it wasn’t a horrible pitch, but it just had too much of the plate.”

The sixth inning in Game 1 negated what had started to resemble a laser show. Mike Moustakas launched a 421-foot homer to right-center field, moments after a “Moose, you look hungry” taunt rang out over the din of a sparse crowd. Duda followed with a screaming home run that registered an exit velocity of 114.1 mph and banged off the facade of the upper deck in right field.

Yet the runs didn’t provide much new life for the Royals. They were eclipsed in the fifth inning, when starter Eric Skoglund, who dug himself out of a 2-0 first-inning hole, gave up three runs and five hits and lost his 3-2 lead.

“After (the first) I was able to settle down,” Skoglund said. “I thought me and Gally (Royals catcher Cam Gallagher) were on the same page for the whole game. They were just able to execute on that fifth inning. That’s what hurt us a little bit.”

The situation in Toronto might not have unraveled so quickly in the first game had Whit Merrifield, Moustakas and Duda cashed in on a prime opportunity in the top of the fifth. Gallagher reached base on a catch bobbled by Pillar in center field and was credited with a double. Gallagher moved to third when Jon Jay bunted to the left side of the infield for a hit.

But the next three batters were set down by Blue Jays starter Jaime Garcia with little fanfare.

The Royals have been plagued by inefficiency with runners in scoring position all season. In the previous five games, all losses, they hit 9 for 43 in such situations. They were 3 for 11 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven on base in Tuesday afternoon's loss.

The issues continued in the evening. The first three batters of the second game reached against Toronto starter Joe Biagini, but only Jay crossed home plate when Duda was hit by a pitch. Merrifield and Moustakas were forced out at home after Cuthbert and Ryan Goins each hit weak ground balls. Abraham Almonte stranded Duda at third base.

Almonte, a switch-hitter, later made up for it when he crushed a lead-off home run to center field in the sixth inning and extended the Royals’ lead to 3-0.

"Things are changing a little bit," Alcides Escobar said in Spanish. "We’re playing better. But we need to keep battling. That’s the only way we can get out of the rut we are in. Battling."

Still, the Royals left 12 on base.

And the bullpen couldn’t mask the mistakes. Escobar tried to absolve Grimm and Keller of their errors, lofting an 89 mph fastball left up near the letters of his jersey for his first home run of the year to tie the night game at 4-4 in the eighth inning.

In the end, the 384-foot blast was not enough. Royals relievers have now allowed 42 runs (36 earned) in 48 innings. Their 6.75 ERA is the worst in baseball. They allowed 11 runs in all on Tuesday.

"It’s just right now, everybody’s got a job to do," Yost said. "We’ve just got to do it. If you’re down five runs, your job is to go down there and hold the fort. You don’t make it down eight runs. If we’re up three, just hold the fort. Right now we’ve just been kind of struggling to do that.

"Hopefully with some consistent play maybe it’ll sharpen up some."

Here's what you need to know about watching Royals' game Wednesday on FacebookApril 17, 2018 By Pete Grathoff/KC Starhttp://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/for-petes-sake/article209100554.html

This has already been a trip that the Royals will remember for a long time.

After arriving in Toronto, a player jumped in and took the wheel after a chunk of ice smashed the windshield of the team bus, and a game was postponed because of a hole in the roof of the Rogers Centre.

Wednesday's game against the Blue Jays will be something new, too. It will be the first time a Royals broadcast will shown only on Facebook. Fox Sports Kansas City will not carry the game.

Here are a few things to know about the broadcast and how to watch the game.

First pitch: 3:07 p.m.

Announcers: Scott Braun of the MLB Network will do play-by-play. Former Royals pitcher Jeremy Guthrie and former Expos star Cliff Floyd also will be analysts, and Alexa Datt will work as an in-game reporter.

How to watch (desktop): Log-in to Facebook (www.facebook.com) and search for MLB Live. This is the link: https://www.facebook.com/MLBLiveGames/?referrer=video_home). You must have a Facebook account.

How to watch (mobile): Launch the Facebook app on a phone or tablet and search for MLB Live.Turning on/off comments (desktop): To hide comments and reactions, hover over the video and click on the quiet mode button. Click on the quiet mode button again to bring back comments and reactions.Turn on/off comments (mobile): Swipe right across the screen to hide comments and swipe left to have them return. Or tap on the screen and bring up quite mode button to turn comments on or off.

Royals' Blaine Boyer took wheel of team bus after chunk of ice smashed windshieldApril 17, 2018 By Maria Torres & Pete Grathoff/KC Starhttp://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article209101014.html

Royals relief pitcher Blaine Boyer is not a hero.

Or so he declared Tuesday afternoon at the Rogers Centre, some 36 hours after he took the wheel of the Royals’

chartered bus on a highway in Toronto and successfully steered the team to safety after a large sheet of ice cracked the bus windshield and shards of glass hit the driver.

“I’m fine — we’re fine,” he said. “I’m not a hero. It’s crazy!”

An apropos word to describe the Royals’ last two days. After extreme cold forced the Royals to postpone Sunday’s series finale at Kauffman Stadium, the team’s plane to Toronto was delayed for three hours as a spring storm halted travel in the Upper Midwest. The Royals landed at Pearson International Airport around 11 p.m. and a convoy of two buses departed for the team hotel within 45 minutes.

But part of the way through what should have been an uneventful trip into the Yorkville neighborhood, a sheet of ice slipped off the roof of the lead bus, carrying staff members, and smacked into the windshield of the bus that was carrying players.

“We saw another huge piece that just missed the bus,” Boyer said. “We could hear ice sliding all over the place, off our bus even. I made the comment to somebody, was like, ‘if that ice hits another car…that’s gonna be interesting.’ And then, shoot, 10 minutes later, boom.”

The sound was so loud players panicked and hit the floorboards to shield themselves. Then Boyer glanced up from his spot near the front of the bus, where he usually sits, and saw driver Fred Folkerts covered in blood. Boyer sprung to action, checked on the driver and took the wheel from him.

"Fred just absolutely nailed it ... he's the man," said Boyer, again deflecting credit for his role in steering the bus to safety.

Boyer navigated the bus a short distance to the side of the road. The Royals were stranded. Again.

It wasn’t until about 2 a.m. that they made it to their hotel. It turns out they didn’t need much sleep, anyway, as Monday’s game was postponed when another free-falling chunk of ice thwarted their plans and punctured a hole in the roof of the Blue Jays’ domed stadium. They played a doubleheader Tuesday.

“It’s been crazy,” Boyer said. “A couple of us went and ate sushi and we were walking back, and I don’t know what building it was, but it was one of the buildings here, and we saw three huge chunks falling off the building and it hit a car that was just parked.“

As for the bus, no one on the vehicle was seriously injured.

"The bus driver was full of glass," Royals manager Ned Yost told MLB.com. "They got pulled over, but it was pretty scary there for a little while for the guys on the bus."

Royals strength and conditioning coach Ryan Stoneberg shared what happened on Instagram.

"While driving from the airport to the hotel through brutal cold conditions, ice from the roof of the staff bus flew off and hit the windshield of the trailing bus," Stoneberg wrote. "The windshield was smashed, glass flew in the face of the driver, and one of our players had to assist with steering the bus to safety on the highway. I am so glad that all our players are safe due to quick action of our team and the steady nerves of the driver."

Who will start Saturday's game in Detroit? The Royals aren't sure yetApril 17, 2018 By Maria Torres/KC Starhttp://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article209174519.html

A printed schedule in Ned Yost's office at the Rogers Centre presented one main concern for the Royals manager on Tuesday: Who will start Saturday's game in Detroit?

Before cold weather in Kansas City on Sunday and roof damage in Toronto on Monday forced two consecutive postponements, the answer to that question seemed clear. Staff ace Danny Duffy, scheduled to start the series opener against the Blue Jays, was in line for the game.

Now Yost isn't as certain. Bad weather has wrought havoc on the Royals' ability to find a rhythm, so he doesn't want continue to give his starters extended rest.

"It doesn't help. It keeps them less sharp," Yost said. "So if you're less sharp, that means then you're probably going to go less innings in the game."

Ian Kennedy will be unavailable, as he will pitch the series finale in Toronto on Wednesday. Jason Hammel and Jakob Junis will each start a game in Friday's doubleheader against the Tigers at Comerica Park.

So either Duffy or Eric Skoglund, each of whom started a game in a doubleheader against the Blue Jays on Tuesday, will get the starting nod for Saturday's afternoon game.

"We'll watch today and make a determination," Yost said. "It's who had the easiest go of it."

Skoglund threw 77 pitches in a five-run, five-inning outing. He issued one walk, allowed eight hits and struck out a career-high six batters.

Duffy held the Blue Jays to two hits and three walks over six shutout innings in the nightcap of the doubleheader. He struck out a season-high eight batters. Of his 100 pitches, 64 were strikes.

Mellinger Minutes: KU & the FBI, Royals & stinking, Vermes & Reid switching jobs & moreApril 17, 2018 By Sam Mellinger/KC Starhttp://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mellinger/article209106959.html

@FastTalkinRobWhen they play on the same day. Is it fair to compare attendance between the Royals and Sporting KC games this season?

Well, sure it's fair but I don't think it's all that meaningful.

Sporting plays far fewer home games — 17 in MLS plus a handful in other competitions, compared with 81 for the Royals. Sporting plays nearly all of its games on the weekends, and I know you're including the caveat here about comparing same day games, but someone could go to three

Royals games in a week but if they chose the Sporting game on Saturday night they'd count against the baseball team.

But the biggest reason the comparison wouldn't be meaningful is that, ostensibly, you're trying to compare interest. And if you compare interest, you have to include how many people are watching on TV, listening on the radio, and reading in the newspaper and online.

And in those calculations, the Royals dwarf Sporting.

None of this comes from a place of protectionism, or anti-soccer. You probably know I love what Sporting has turned itself into, and root for them to continue growing. I don't see Royals-Sporting as a binary choice, and plan on going to Children's Mercy Park with my family at least a few times this summer.

In the micro sense, soccer is a growth machine. Our 4-year-old is actually on two teams right now, which is just ridiculous, but you can't go to the Swope Soccer Village on a Saturday without being struck by how many kids and families are involved in the sport.

That used to be a lead up to the joke that every American loves soccer and then turns 12, but the sport's profile has never been bigger here and appears only to be growing. MLS games are regularly on national TV, not to mention Bundesliga, the Premier League, and Champions League receiving mainstream coverage in America.

But in the micro, Sporting and MLS are still in the beginning stages. Many more Americans watch overseas professional soccer than MLS, and local TV ratings are a fraction of other sports leagues.

Whatever it's worth, I believe Sporting is doing all the right things. The broadcasts are good, and the in-stadium experience is terrific. The product on the field is the most important thing, and the team is a consistent winner, with an aggressive and exciting style that should be attractive to serious and casual fans.

They have a new forward with the awesome name of Johnny Russell who does things like this:

This is just one moment in time, but Sporting appears to be good and interesting while the Royals could be both bad and boring. We are only three years removed from the Royals being so great and so compelling that nothing else in town seemed to matter, so let's maintain a modicum of perspective here.

But it's not hard to picture someone — a kid, a young professional, a family, anyone — in Kansas City flipping to the soccer game instead of the baseball game this summer.

Especially after the baseball team goes to the bullpen.

@m_dunndoes the MLB season start too early/do you think the season is too long?

Major League Baseball teams should play something like 140 games. This would be best for fans, and best for the sport, but it would not be best for revenue which is another way of saying it'll never happen.

The current CBA is awful on many levels, and this isn't at the top of the list, but the players won more off days and better travel, which essentially meant the season has to start earlier.

That wouldn't necessarily be a problem if MLB acted with a crumb of common sense and let warm weather and domed teams begin at home. Depending on how you look at it, 13 teams play in domes and/or cities with weather you can trust: Rays, Blue Jays (most of the time), Angels, Astros, Mariners, A's, Rangers, Marlins, Brewers, Diamondbacks, Padres, Giants and Dodgers.

That means the first week could be full of 26 teams playing games you know won't be impacted by weather. Now, obviously there are no certainties. That plan would do nothing for a Midwest snow storm that prevented games on April 15, and I remember a few years ago the Royals being snowed out in May (!).

But sports and life are all about playing the percentages, and this is such a simple way for MLB to put the percentages in its favor.

The argument about cold weather teams never having a season opener at home are weak to begin with and further crumble in years like this, when the schedule turns into a joke, and the summer will be full of day-night doubleheaders and teams making up games on what should be off days.

@RoyalsFan1980How come fans love rebuilds but refuse to actually go see a rebuild?

I'm connecting the above question with the below question...

@AdamNewman913I kind of WANT to be bummed about the Royals start to the season, but..... I also have the front page of the Star after the World Series framed on my wall, and can remember the parade like it was yesterday so....perspective?

...just as a reminder that broad brushstrokes are never precise.

There are some fans who expect championships every year, some who just want something to watch a few times a week, some who will know enough to intelligently discuss a 14th round draft pick, some who simply want a conversation starter with their parent or child, and some who will live off the parade for years.

The best part is that none of us are wrong, for ourselves, because there's no right or wrong way to follow sports*, just different ways of enjoying or obsessing or feeling about one of life's great gifts.

* Unless you start the wave, and ESPECIALLY if you start the wave in the late innings of a close game, because then I think we'd all agree you should screw off and lock yourself in a storm cellar and never speak to or look at another human the rest of your terrible life.

This is part of why I went all Choose Your Own Adventure with the column before vacation, because we all need to make our own paths. I'd be annoyed if I knew someone pushing for a rebuild who is now upset at the losses, but even then there are different perspectives because this whole thing could've been kickstarted if the Royals made a decision 18 months ago instead of kicking the can down the road.

But, anyway. I'll probably end up taking the family to a game or two more than I otherwise would because tickets should be cheap, which, ahem...

@maxrieperHow bad will Royals attendance be this year and what, if any, ramifications does that have on the

It could be really bad, you guys, and this is another topic I may go after in a column sometime.

The Royals are averaging 17,646 fans through eight home games, which is a drop of more than 36 percent and we should pause here for a few disclaimers:

1. yes, attendance should absolutely be down because the product on the field is not as good or interesting.

2. no, it won't be that bad by the end of the season because the Royals have had some truly awful weather.

All that said, it's entirely possible the Royals will have their worst season attendance since Dayton Moore arrived and David Glass started acting like a respectable small market owner in 2006.

Jeff Passan wrote about the problem with attendance across baseball, so this isn't just a Royals problem, and I would argue the Royals' problem has been amplified by weather more than most teams across the league.

All that said ... this looks like it could be a bad team, with only a few players who would qualify as name brands in Kansas City, without the benefit of high-ceiling rookies who can generate interest.

As for what that means for the franchise going forward, the answer is probably less than you might think. Payroll will probably need to come down, but that's happening anyway, and was going to continue to happen whether the team draws 2.2 million (like it did last year) or 1.6 million (like it did in 2010).

The payroll will naturally dip in a few years when the first mini-wave of prospects come up, with Khalil Lee playing center field for the major-league minimum, for instance, and Adalberto Mondesi doing the same at shortstop.

I've been told over and over again by people on both sides of the negotiation that a team's big-league success doesn't have much to do with the size of a new local TV contract, so if you're arguing for the kind of Fake Hustle to make the Royals an 84-win team to stage for the TV negotiation you're arguing for a really bad investment.

To put it in real estate terms, TV networks care much more about your neighborhood than your master bathroom. Dollar figures tend to be dictated by market size more than roster makeup.

So, to answer your questions: I'm guessing the Royals draw around 1.6 million, and that the rebuild is decided by Lonnie Goldberg's picks in the upcoming draft far more than the relatively small impact the attendance will have on next year's payroll.

Tom Wynne: As a life long Royals fan, I just can't wrap my mind around the state of this franchise. How did the organization not have a better plan for the future? What a sorry situation we find ourselves in at this time.

Well, yes. They stink at the moment, and have the look of a team that will stink in the near future.

But a little perspective. They won the World Series three years ago. Had most of that championship core for the last two seasons. The worst Royals team of the last five years went 80-82.

Baseball teams in Kansas City cannot be good all the time, and the penance for pennants is going to be some lean seasons unless the front office is perfect and, as we'll discuss below, the front office has been far from perfect.

Now, all that said, yes. The Royals could've put themselves in a better position at the moment. They were probably always going to be bad in 2018, but they could have been bad and interesting, or bad and promising.

I'm sorry-not-sorry to keep going back to it, but the original sin here was in not choosing a path before the 2017 season. Moore has often said that the best time to trade his stars would've been the offseason after 2015, and while that's technically true, nobody would've done that. You couldn't have. That team meant too much, was too good, not to let them try to do it again.

But the front office needed to make a decision before 2017. This is not hindsight. You can't trade Wade Davis for Jorge Soler and honestly say you're trying to win, and you can't hold onto stars with trade value and honestly say you're trying to rebuild.

What the Royals were doing was hoping for a miracle, or that everything would fall their way, and for a glorious stretch from July 2014 to November 2015 the Royals were a miracle, with everything falling their way, but that's not a real plan.The thing to do was to keep Davis, sign Josh Reddick, fill roster holes as you can and try to win in 2017.

Or, the other thing to do was to trade Davis, trade Lorenzo Cain, trade Eric Hosmer, trade anyone who would bring you back enough prospects to materially improve your farm system.

I understand, and in many real ways respect what Moore and his assistants are trying to do, I just don't know how realistic it is. Even with a strong staff of scouts and coaches.

That's why the Royals are where they are at the moment — stinking at both the big-league and minor-league levels.

Again, it's probably always true that the big-league team was going to be bad in 2018. But the next round of winning was always going to come from the minor-league system, and a different decision 18 months ago would've meant a year or two head start on where they are at the moment.

Randy Reno: When do we start questioning Moore and the entire scouting department's evaluation of minor league talent? They gave Jose Marinez away and he continues to produce.

Hasn't that been happening?

What the Royals pulled off in 2015 is something close to a baseball miracle, the achievement of a lifetime for even successful baseball men, but I don't think anyone is under the impression that the Royals haven't been making mistakes since the parade.

Martinez hit .384/.461/.563 across 98 games in Class AAA in 2015, the last full season he was in the Royals' organization, so it's not he wasn't hitting. He was old for the league, a bad defender, was stuck behind a line of outfielders in the system, and had been given up on by two franchises before, so he had some red flags but none of that matters as much as this:

Baseball teams have to find an edge in the evaluation of their own talent.

If they do that, they have a better chance of winning trades, and making the right decisions on promotions and releases. It's the same philosophy that demands teams scout their area of the country better than anyone else. If you aren't strong in evaluating the talent close to you, how can you be trusted in harder decisions?

The Royals have a few strange misses on their recent record. Alex Gordon's contract is probably the first that comes to many fans' minds, but the most bizarre to me was Mondesi over Whit Merrifield for the opening day second base job in 2017. That was strange at the time, and just gets stranger with time.

Now, all that said, you could find misses like this with an audit of any organization in baseball. It's such an unpredictable sport, and let's be honest about something else, too. The Cardinals weren't sure what they were getting, because if they were, they would've offered more than cash. Any of the other 28 teams in baseball could've had Martinez for even a low-A prospect.

So, yes. It's fair to criticize Moore and his assistants for the Martinez trade and other decisions. But it's also fair to keep it all in context, and talk about this honestly.

Once the envy of baseball, the Royals' bullpen is the league's worst. What's the answer?April 18, 2018 By Rustin Dodd/The Athletichttps://theathletic.com/319124/2018/04/18/once-the-envy-of-baseball-the-royals-bullpen-is-the-leagues-worst-whats-the-answer/

Across two seasons and two Octobers, the Royals reminded baseball of the inherit value of relief pitching. They stormed to consecutive American League pennants in 2014 and 2015 on the back of bullpen excellence. They unleashed upon the game Wade Davis and Greg Holland and so many other dominant relievers. In the years after they hoisted the World Series championship in 2015, an industry of baseball experts agreed: They changed the game.

In moments, it didn’t even seem to matter who the names were. Royals general manager Dayton Moore would find a way to build a sturdy relief corps. The formula would shake out. The flaws would be found elsewhere.

On Tuesday night at the Rogers Centre, in the moments after a 5-4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, the notion seemed quaint. This is no longer that era of Royals baseball. In 2018, the bullpen is again changing the game — and not in a good way.

“It is a bit of a struggle right now,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.

As the Royals (3-12) lost both games of a traditional doubleheader, the bullpen yielded 11 runs in 6 1/3 innings, squandering a 3-0 lead in the nightcap. As a losing streak reached seven games, the worst bullpen in baseball reared its head again.

You could focus on Justin Grimm, of course. He walked the bases loaded in the seventh inning of Game 2, setting the stage for a four-run inning after starter Danny Duffy departed. But he was just the reliever of the moment, one underachieving arm scattered among many.

There is Blaine Boyer, who was battered for another six runs (two earned) in the first game. There is Brandon Maurer, who has already been demoted to triple-A Omaha. And there was Brian Flynn, who drew the wrong straw and took the loss in Game 2 after surrendering a walk-off base hit to Toronto’s Luke Maile in the bottom of the 10th.

The final sequence included a one-out single, a wild pitch, an intentional walk, and a hit batter in which no replay angle could determine whether Toronto’s Randal Grichuk was actually struck in the foot. So moments after the Royals opted not to challenge the ruling, Maile roped a single to right field, and the Kansas City bullpen had surrendered its 36th earned run of the season.

The number is staggering, of course, because the Royals’ relievers have thrown just 48 innings. The collective 6.75 ERA is last in baseball among relief units, more than a run higher than the sport’s worst bullpen last season (Detroit, 5.63 ERA). The answers are not readily apparent.

“Everybody’s got a job to do,” Yost said. “We just got to do it. If we’re down five runs, your job is to go in there and hold the fort.

“We’ve just been struggling to do that.”

The question of jobs is a pertinent one. The Royals entered the season expecting that Grimm, Maurer and Boyer would take on important roles in the middle and late innings, relieving pressure from a collection of rookies and inexperienced arms. That reality has made the situation more delicate.

Boyer has been the worst reliever in baseball, allowing 18 runs in five innings. Maurer posted an ERA above 12.00 before being sent to Omaha. And Grimm had blown two saves before loading the bases for rookie Brad Keller on Tuesday night.

“Grimm just could not find his slot today,” Yost said. “He just couldn’t do it. Then you get bases loaded, you bring in a young guy like Keller, and he’s got really, really good stuff. But it just kind of snowballs on you.”

The performance cannot continue, of course. Yost admitted as much earlier this week. The club opted to send Maurer back to Omaha to hone his powerful stuff. But it cannot do that with Boyer or Grimm, both veterans with no options. That could leave both pitching for their jobs in the coming days and weeks. It could also leave the Royals searching for alternate options in the seventh, eighth and ninth.

If there has been any solace in relief, it has come from closer Kelvin Herrera and rookies Keller, Tim Hill and Burch Smith. Herrera has yet to allow a run and struck out two in a ninth-inning jam on Tuesday. The performance including a buckling slider to Curtis Granderson. The image — and the

Royals’ record — was enough to inspire thoughts about Herrera’s possible value at the trade deadline.

But for now, the focus is on fixing the bullpen. It is still just April, after all. Maybe the Royals can offer more high-leverage situations to Keller, Hill and Smith. Maybe there is more help in the minor leagues. Top prospect Richard Lovelady is off to a decent start at triple-A Omaha, though he has walked five batters in 5 1/3 innings. Seth Maness and Mike Broadway, two pitchers with big-league experience, also have ERAs under 2.00.

None of those pitchers are on the 40-man roster, of course. That offers its own challenges. But if the alternative is the worst bullpen in baseball, the Royals will have a strong motivation to make moves.

“Every team has this stretch every year,” Herrera said. “We’re just telling the guys to be aggressive. Work on the things that you can control. Throw strikes. Be aggressive. Don’t step off the gas. We’re going to get through this.”

Late on Tuesday, in the moments after the loss, Duffy stood near his locker. He had turned in his best start of the season, allowing two hits in six scoreless innings while throwing 100 pitches. Yost had considered sending Duffy out for a seventh inning, but with his pitch count high — and two doubleheaders this week — he sought to play it conservatively. There is a chance Duffy could start on short rest on Saturday. That meant the bullpen took over in the seventh. And perhaps one more inning of Duffy would have just delayed the inevitable.

For another night, a relief pitcher was left offering a contrite message to a starter. For another day, the Royals had to remember the value of a dependable bullpen.

“One thing I hate hearing is sorry after a reliever has a tough go,” Duffy said. “Don’t apologize. These guys are nasty. They’re here for a reason, and they’re going to get the job done more often than not.

“There’s no discouraged dudes in here. We’re ready to keep going. We’re going to keep fighting.”

Kansas City Royals' Past, Present Linked By A Singular TradeApril 18, 2018 By Greg Echlin/KCURhttp://kcur.org/post/kansas-city-royals-past-present-linked-singular-trade#stream/0

As the Kansas City Royals celebrate the franchise’s 50th year, the team is hoping to rekindle what made them successful early on. And that all started by trading an obscure pitcher named John Gelnar.

These days, Gelnar makes his home in the quiet town of Hobart, Oklahoma, where a few know his past as a big-league pitcher. But no one realizes the subtle impact Gelnar had on the future of the Royals in 1969, when they were a new American League expansion team.

Gelnar’s spring training with the Royals was brief, as he was traded to the other AL expansion team, the Seattle Pilots.

“Two or three weeks max?” Gelnar recalls. “Then I’m gone. I really didn’t get to know those people.”

In return, the Royals got Lou Piniella, who by then had reached a crossroads.

“I had played minor league ball for five or six seasons,” Piniella says during a phone interview from his home in Tampa, Florida. “It was time to either get it done or find a new profession, because I really wasn’t making any money.”

His acquisition laid the foundation for the best start of any MLB expansion franchise in history. He also won the 1969 AL Rookie of the Year award.

“It turned out to be a real, real good trade for me. It got me established in the big leagues and it got me on the way to a 17 or 18-year major league playing career,” Piniella says.

The Royals demonstrated that, through diligent homework, they could blend up-and-coming players with veterans acquired through trades.

It’s a blueprint they’re following in this year’s rebuilding process, an example being the offseason additions of two starters — outfielder Jon Jay and first baseman Lucas Duda. Jay, 33, played six years for the St. Louis Cardinals and was part of their 2011 World Series team. The 32-year old Duda is best known for his high throw to the plate in Game 5 of the 2015 World Series, which allowed Eric Hosmer to score the tying run in the ninth before the Royals clinched the title in extra innings.

There’s one man who has seen it all — from the successful trades to the minor leaguers with worlds of potential who fall flat on their faces to the losing seasons with seemingly no hope — and that’s Royals play-by-play broadcaster Denny Matthews.

“Some guys get to the big leagues and some guys get better, better, better, better,” he says. “Some guys get to the big leagues and they’re not any better five years later and some guys to the big leagues who are decent players and they go backwards.

“You don’t know.”

There’s also a 50-year link in the front office. John Schuerholz was part of the leadership in the inaugural year, and later went to the Atlanta Braves. That’s where current general manager Dayton Moore and assistant J.J. Picollo learned the formula from Schuerholz.

Piccolo says they continue to believe in that method.

“Ideally, you’d like to see all the kids come out of your own system, and your 25-man roster is made up of only your players,” he says. “But realistically, that’s not the way it’ll work. I think it’s a combination of your scouting department, how your development system is working and also the acquisitions.”

Before finding success, that first Royals team had its shaky moments, just like the first month of this 50th season.

And much like the Royals shedding some key players from the 2015 team, Piniella was traded in 1973 to the New York Yankees.

“Truthfully, when I got traded to the Yankees, I was really disappointed,” Piniella says. “In fact, I cried because we liked Kansas City that much. But it turned out to be the best thing that happened to me.”

It was one of the worst trades in Royals history: Piniella played on two World Series championship teams with the Yankees and had a successful, 22-year managing career. He’s expected to be back in Kansas City next month when the Yankees come to town for a three-game series.

Meanwhile, Gelnar moved with the rest of the Seattle Pilots to to Milwaukee, becoming the Brewers. His last year in the big leagues was 1971. As for Piniella’s career, Gelnar says, “I think it’s kind of neat … He found himself.”

To Gelnar’s chagrin, the Royals found in Piniella a key part that steered them in the right direction. A reminder to this year’s team as they seek to avoid a repeat of a year ago when the Royals won only seven games in April.

Metro teen artist with autism throws first pitch at Royals gameApril 17, 2018 By Shannon O'Brien/FOX 4 KChttp://fox4kc.com/2018/04/17/metro-teen-artist-with-autism-throws-first-pitch-at-royals-game/

A metro teen with autism had a moment he'll never forget Friday night at the K.

Last week, FOX4 introduced you to Matthew Breedlove, a Blue Valley North student and professional artist whose paintings sell for hundreds of dollars a piece.

Painting has pulled the 17-year-old out of the shell that often traps people with autism. Now, Matthew is inspiring others.

The Kansas City Royals were so inspired that they invited the teen to throw the ceremonial first pitch at Friday night's game on Autism Awareness Night at the K.

"I can't believe I am here. I am so excited," Matthew said Friday night.

Matthew practiced to perfect his pitch all week. He had his brother, who was also his catcher Friday night, help him.

As he took the mound, he wore a brand new baseball glove he asked for on his birthday earlier this month.

With the roar of the crowd behind him and a single throw to home plate, Matthew added pitcher to his long list of accomplishments, continuing to inspire others to never give up.

On that field of dreams at the K, it was a moment Matthew will never forget.

MINORSLegends Take A Step Into the Future With New TechnologyApril 17, 2018 By NBC 18 Lexingtonhttp://www.lex18.com/story/37977263/legends-take-a-step-into-the-future-with-new-technology

The Lexington Legends announced today the various amount of new technology that will be incorporated around Whitaker Bank Ballpark in 2018. From Virtual Reality to free Wi-Fi,

fans will be able to enjoy a variety of new additions that go beyond what they are accustomed to seeing.

“Whitaker Bank Ballpark is full of new technological activities for fans of all ages. Whether it’s listening to the broadcast on the First Pitch App, trying to hit home runs in the virtual reality booth, or one of the many other options, fans will be able to have an even more interactive experience at Legends games,” said Legends President/CEO, Andy Shea.

New in the Toyota Triple Play Zone, fans can take a swing at the new Home Run Virtual Reality Challenge, presented by The Yard. Fans will have the opportunity to choose between a variety of pitching speeds that include Little League, Minor League, or Major League. Fans will feel as if they are at the plate in Whitaker Bank Ballpark as they look around to see the cheering fans and familiar signs in the outfield.

In addition to the virtual reality, fans can travel around Whitaker Bank Ballpark in search of digital baseball cards through augmented reality, thanks to our friends at Gamifi by Fusioncorp. After downloading the Lexington Legends Experience app through the Apple App Store or Google Play, fans will be able to walk around the concourse utilizing their smartphone to try and collect all the different baseball cards. More augmented reality games will be unveiled throughout the season.

For the first time at Whitaker Bank Ballpark, fans can access free Wi-Fi throughout the venue during Legends games and other events. This Wi-Fi can be found under the network name: Legends Guest. After registering, enjoy access to free Wi-Fi all season long.

The MiLB First Pitch App has all up-to-date statistics, stories, news and updates for Legends fans worldwide. Fans can download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play and immediately keep in the know with everything Legends baseball. Fans will also be able to keep informed about other Kansas City Royals affiliates and their favorite players in the Royals system. They can even stream the broadcasts for every game, whether the team is at Whitaker Bank Ballpark or on the road.

New for this season, the Legends broadcast is now streaming on a variety of different platforms. Fans can stream the game on the First Pitch or TuneIn App and through LexingtonLegends.com. There will also be a video broadcast stream through MiLB.TV that will carry the audio broadcast, as well. Fans can receive $10 off their subscription when they use the discount code ‘LEGENDS’ when they purchase MiLB.TV. MiLB.TV is the home of video streams for over 90 clubs and 6,000 games throughout the season, including All-Star games. Subscribers can watch online or via the First Pitch app.

The A&W Press Box will also be going digital. Media will be able to find all game notes, rosters, and statistics online which will cut down on paper and waste. All documents will be available on LexingtonLegends.com.

Chasers Walk Off With 4-3 Win In Ten InningsDziedzic fires gem, Schwindel drives in 2 in series-opening triumphApril 17, 2018 By Andrew Green/Omaha Storm Chasers

https://www.milb.com/storm-chasers/news/chasers-walk-off-with-4-3-win-in-ten-innings/c-272680502

Following Omaha starter Jonathan Dziedzic 's strong seven-inning performance, the Storm Chasers plated two runs in the bottom of the tenth inning, capped by third baseman Jack Lopez 's game-ending bases-loaded walk, in a 4-3 victory over the Memphis Redbirds on Tuesday evening at Werner Park.

Tuesday's contest featured the first time the Storm Chasers participated in a game utilizing the rule enacted by Minor League Baseball that places a runner at second base to start an extra frame. After Memphis scored a run in the top of the tenth, Omaha CF Billy Burns began the last of the frame at second and then moved to third on 2B Ramon Torres ' single to right, before coming across on DH Frank Schwindel 's sacrifice fly to even the contest at 3-3. Torres would eventually come across when Lopez took the payoff pitch low to cap the celebration and give Omaha their second walk-off victory in a span of three home tilts.

The Storm Chasers drew first blood in the opening frame as well thanks to Schwindel, who laced a single to center to bring Burns plateward. The Redbirds answered with a single tally in the fourth prior to Omaha C Nick Dini lofting a run-scoring double to the right field wall that made it 2-1. That advantage would last until the ninth, when C Carson Kelly's RBI double to right evened the match at 2-2 and forced the extra frame.

Burns (2-4, 2 R, BB) was the lone batter from Omaha's side to collect two knocks. Kelly (2-4, 2B, RBI), CF Oscar Mercado (2-4, R, RBI) and 1B Alex Mejia (2-4) all tallied two hits apiece for Memphis. RF Hunter Dozier dropped a double into right field to start the fourth inning, which extended his on-base streak to ten. Dozier has reached base in 11 of his 12 games played with Omaha this year.

Dziedzic spun seven solid frames, yielding a lone earned run on seven scattered hits while striking out four. He and Memphis starter Austin Gomber (7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K), who nearly went stride-for-stride with Dziedzic did not factor in the final decisions despite quality outings. Storm Chasers reliever Richard Lovelady (1.1 IP, H, R, 0 ER, BB) earned the victory, while Redbirds righty Kevin Herget (0.2 IP, H, 2 R, ER, 3 BB, K) suffered the defeat.

Omaha and Memphis are slated to face off in the second matchup of their four-game series on Wednesday, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35pm CT. The Redbirds are anticipated to send RHP Jack Flaherty (2-0, 2.77) to the hill, with the Storm Chasers' starter to be determined.

Rocks Rally Falls Short in LossApril 17, 2018 By Wilmington Blue Rockshttps://www.milb.com/blue-rocks/news/rocks-rally-falls-short-in-loss/c-272654132

A late rally by the Wilmington Blue Rocks (5-7) fell short as the Carolina Mudcats (7-6) took a 7-4 decision Tuesday night at Frawley Stadium. Trailing 7-0 entering the bottom of the ninth, the Blue Rocks scored four runs in the frame and loaded the bases with two outs to bring the potential winning run to the plate, but Gabriel Cancel struck out to end the comeback bid.

It was Cancel who got the frame jumpstarted. His infield single was followed by a bloop-basehit by Khalil Lee. After

Dallas Carroll robbed Emmanuel Rivera on a diving play for the first out, Chris Devito got the momentum going again with an RBI single. Chase Vallot then worked a walk to load the bases.

That set up Meibrys Viloria , who roped a two-run double to the corner in left that pulled the Rocks closer, 7-3. Kort Peterson made it a three-run affair when he yanked a grounder into right. That led Carolina to pull southpaw Daniel Brown and insert righty Chase Williams.

Williams seemed to quell the fire by getting Angelo Castellano to fly out to right. But Rudy Martin worked a walk, which loaded the bases. Cancel came back up with a chance to finish what he started, but a strikeout instead ended the night.

Blue Rocks starter Jace Vines struggled early as Carolina built the seven-run advantage. The Mudcats chased the right-hander after just three frames, scoring seven times on 10 hits and two walks. Meanwhile, Carolina starter Trey Supak tossed five scoreless innings en route to the victory.

The Rocks and Mudcats will finish the three-game series on Wednesday. Right-hander Ofreidy Gomez (0-0, 4.91 ERA) makes the start for Wilmington while lefty Nathan Kirby (0-1, 11.25 ERA) gets the ball for Carolina. First pitch is scheduled for 10:35 a.m. and fans can listen to the game as Matt Janus and Cory Nidoh will have the call on 89.7 WGLS-FM.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Khalil Lee continues his torrid pace at the plate at just 19-years-old. The outfielder reached base two more times Tuesday thanks to a walk and infield single. Lee entered Tuesday leading the Carolina League in on-base percentage, slugging percentage and batting average. He also leads the team in home runs (2) and hits (14). The outfielder has reached base in all 11 games played this season and has also recorded a hit in all but one game this season.

For the second straight game, the Blue Rocks bullpen was sensational. On Tuesday night, the combination of Matthew Wynne , Nolan Becker and Grant Gavin tossed a combined six scoreless innings, allowed five hits, one walk and struck out five batters. Monday night, it was Justin Camp and Walker Sheller who tossed four shutout innings, allowed a pair of hits and struck out seven. With the stellar performance Tuesday night, Wilmington's bullpen ERA is an impressive 2.03 through the first 12 games.

The 15 hits given up by the Blue Rocks were the most in a single-game this season. The previous high was 13 which occurred in the second game of the season at Potomac in a 9-2 loss. It marked the fifth time this season the Blue Rocks have allowed 10-plus hits in a game. In such contests, Wilmington owns a 1-4 record.

Trailing Early, Legends Could Not Catch Crawdads in Game Two LossApril 17, 2018 By Lexington Legendshttps://www.milb.com/legends/news/trailing-early-legends-could-not-catch-crawdads-in-game-two-loss/c-272659302

The Lexington Legends fell in game two, 18-6 to the Hickory Crawdads. Hickory's bats were hot, recording 14 hits, nine of which were for extra bases. The Legends overall record drops to 8-4 and the Crawdads' improve to 3-8. Nolan Watson (0-1)

was given the loss for Lexington and Thompson (3-1) was awarded the win for Hickory.

Hickory began scoring with the very first batter they sent to the plate. In the bottom of the first inning, Eric Jenkins hit a lead-off home run, putting the Crawdads up 1-0. Yohel Pozo then singled to left field, and scored off a double by Melvin Novoa. Pedro Gonzalez singled to right field, and advanced to second on a catching error by Seuly Matias. With runners at second and third, Tyler Ratliff singled to right field, scoring the two runners, and Hickory led 4-0 after the first.

Seuly Matias answered in the top of the second inning with a lead off home run of his own, to put the Legends on the board, 2-1. Matias now has five home runs this season.

Hickory then went on a scoring spree in the third inning. Pozo singled to center field, then moved to third on a double by Novoa. With runners at second and third, Pedro Gonzalez smacked a two-run triple to centerfield, putting Hickory up 6-1. Sam Huff then doubled Gonzalez home, adding another run for the Crawdads. Ratliff and Kole Enright then loaded the bases after they were both hit by pitches by Watson. He then walked Yonny Hernandez, scoring another run for Hickory. Down 8-1, the Legends made a call to bullpen and Julio Pinto took the mound in relief. Eric Jenkins grounded into a force out at the plate, and the Legends were able to prevent another run, but the bases were still loaded. Miguel Aparicio then lined a bases clearing triple to right field, plating three more runs extending Hickory's lead, 11-1. Pinto was able to get Pozo to fly out in his second at-bat in the inning for the second out. With two outs, Novoa hit a home run to right field, adding two more runs to Hickory's lead. Pinto was then able to strikeout Huff for the third out of the inning, but the Legends trailed 13-1 after the third.

In the top of the fifth, Dennicher Carrasco homered to right field. Carrasco's home run was his first hit of 2018, but the Legends still trailed 13-2.

The Legends tried to make up ground in the sixth. Travis Jones reached base on a throwing error on the third baseman, Ratliff. Vance Vizcaino then flew out to the shortstop, but Nick Pratto joined Jones on the base path with a single. Matias grounded into a force out at third base, but moved Pratto to second with Matias on first. MJ Melendez singled into left field, scoring Pratto and moving Matias to second. The Legends still trailed, 13-3. Carrasco then stepped up and hit his second home run of the night to right field, scoring three runs, further cutting into Hickory's lead, 13-6. Oliver Nunez then tripled, but Marten Gasparini struck out, ending the inning.

The Crawdads continued to score in the sixth. Novoa reached on a lead-off walk then moved to second on a single by Huff. Ratliff grounded out to third beaseman, moving Novoa to third and Huff to second. Enright was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Hernandez then walked in Novoa, putting the Crawdads up 14-6. A bases clearing triple to center field by Jenkins further extended that lead, 17-6.

The final run of the ballgame came in the seventh. A lead off home run by Pozo to right field was the final run to cross the plate, putting Hickory on top, 18-6.

The same two teams meet for the series finale tomorrow at L.P. Frans Stadium in Hickory, North Carolina at 10:30 a.m. The Legends will send LHP Garrett Davila (0-0, 3.12 ERA) and the Crawdads are TBA.

NATIONALRoyals pitcher helps avert disaster after chunk of ice crashes into team busApril 17, 2018 By Rob Longley/Toronto Sunhttp://torontosun.com/sports/baseball/mlb/royals-pitcher-helps-avert-disaster-after-chunk-of-ice-crashes-into-team-bus

It’s been a rough ride in more ways than one for the Kansas City Royals this season but nothing like a treacherous trek from Pearson Airport earlier this week.

A bus carrying the Royals players from Pearson to the team’s Yorkville hotel narrowly averted disaster when the front windshield was shattered by a huge chunk of ice.

Ice flew from the first Royals bus, which was carrying staff members, and nearly wiped out the trailing vehicle.

Bus driver Fred Folkerts was blasted by shards of glass and covered in blood. Quick-thinking Kansas City relief pitcher Blaine Boyer grabbed the wheel and helped ease the bus to the side of the road and to safety

“I’m fine, we’re fine, it was crazy,” Boyer said on Tuesday.

It was a harrowing journey from the start for the Royals, who had their Sunday game postponed back in Kansas City then had their flight to Toronto delayed by three hours because of the miserable weather.

The accident took place on the Gardiner Expressway near Royal York shortly after midnight.

On Tuesday, Boyer said he got a warm embrace from Folkerts, who was back to work after avoiding serious injury.

“A lot of people are saying I did something heroic, which is just ridiculous,” Boyer said. “The only thing I did was steady a wheel for two seconds so he could get his wits about him.

“Literally he had glass hanging out of his nose, his face, right under his eye. If anybody is a hero it’s Fred.”

MRI indicates UCL injury in Walker's elbowWith severity unclear, D-backs righty heading to New York for second opinionApril 17, 2018 By Steve Gilbert/MLB.comhttps://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/taijuan-walker-has-ucl-injury-in-right-elbow/c-272606040

An MRI taken of Taijuan Walker's elbow shows that the D-backs right-hander has an "ulnar collateral ligament injury" according to Arizona manager Torey Lovullo.

Walker left his start after two innings against the Dodgers on Saturday night with tightness in his right forearm and was placed on the 10-day disabled list Sunday.

"It showed that there was an injury to the UCL ligament," Lovullo said. "That's all I know. I just was told about some of the information a short time ago, and we're still piecing

together as much information as possible to come up with the best solution for Taijuan."

Lovullo said he did not know if there was a tear in the ligament. A tear usually requires Tommy John surgery to fix.

"I apologize for being vague, but it's very vague right now," Lovullo said. "Every bit of information that we've gotten is vague. I know in the coming days I'll have more information about what the next steps are."

The immediate next step involved Walker getting on a plane for New York, where he plans on getting a second opinion.

Walker began to experience some tightness in his forearm during the first inning Saturday, and he was examined by a trainer after Yasiel Puig led off the second with a double to left.

Walker remained in the game until the end of the inning, when he was taken out as a precaution. Despite the tightness and drop in velocity, the team was optimistic that Walker would be OK given that he passed the strength tests after he was removed.

"This information came as a surprise to me," Lovullo said of the MRI results. "I thought that he would be OK. It just goes to show you that you can't ever be too safe. I want to believe that he's going to be OK, but he's being examined, and where it takes him from here we're not sure. It's still wide open."

The D-backs will need someone to start in Walker's place Friday against the Padres. The most likely candidates are Triple-A Reno pitchers Braden Shipley and Matt Koch.

"We're still doing some of our own internal work right now about who that will be," Lovullo said. "We feel like we have some real good candidates internally."

MLB TRANSACTIONSApril 18, 2018 •.CBSSports.comhttp://www.cbssports.com/mlb/transactions

Apr. 18th, 2018

T E A M P L A Y E R T R A N S A C T I O N

COL

Nolan Arenado

Reinstated From League Suspension

SD

Luis Perdomo

Reinstated From League Suspension

Apr. 17th, 2018

T E A M P L A Y E R T R A N S A C T I O N

MIA

J.T. Realmuto

Recalled From Minors Rehab Assignment

SEA

Ariel Miranda Called Up from Minors

LAD

Ariel Hernandez Sent to Minors

LAD

Ariel Hernandez

Traded From Cincinnati (for RHP Zach Neal, three-player deal)

TB

Brad Miller Sent to Minors For Rehabilitation

MIA

J.T. Realmuto

Removed From 10-Day DL (Lower back contusion)

NYY

Luis Cessa Called Up from Minors

WAS

Brian Goodwin

Placed on 10-Day DL (Left wrist contusion)

TB

Kevin Kiermaier

Transferred to 60-Day DL (Torn ligament in right rhumb)

TB

Hunter Wood Called Up from Minors

T E A M P L A Y E R T R A N S A C T I O N

NYM

Hansel Robles Sent to Minors

MILAlec Asher Sent to Minors

BAL

Luis Sardinas Purchased From Minors

OAK

Trayce Thompson Designated for Assignment

CIN

Zach NealTraded From Los Angeles (for RHP Ariel Hernandez, 3-player deal)

TEX

Anthony Lee Barnette

Placed on 10-Day DL (Right shoulder inflammation)

LAD

Breyvic Valera Sent to Minors

CHC

Anthony Rizzo

Removed From 10-Day DL (Lower back tightness)

SD

Tyler Webb Called Up from Minors

MIL

Christian Yelich

Removed From 10-Day DL (Strained right oblique)

T E A M P L A Y E R T R A N S A C T I O N

MIN

Ryan LaMarre

Called Up from Minors (recalled as 26th roster player)

OAK

Trevor Cahill Called Up from Minors

NYY

Tommy Kahnle

Placed on 10-Day DL (Right shoulder tendinitis)

SEA

Taylor Motter Sent to Minors

SD

Kyle McGrath Sent to Minors

MILAlec Asher Acquired Off Waivers From

Los Angeles

CLE

Greg AllenCalled Up from Minors (recalled as 26th roster player)

MILJorge Lopez Sent to Minors

OAK

Lou Trivino Called Up from Minors

WAS

Andrew Stevenson Called Up from Minors

T E A M P L A Y E R T R A N S A C T I O N

SF

Will Smith Sent to Minors For Rehabilitation

MIA

Chad Wallach Sent to Minors

TB

Matt Duffy Placed on 10-Day DL (Strained right hamstring)

SD

Wil Myers Sent to Minors For Rehabilitation

TEX

Ryan Rua Called Up from Minors

TB

Brandon R. Snyder Purchased From Minors

SF

Johnny Cueto

Removed From 10-Day DL (Left ankle sprain)

TOR

Joe Biagini Return of 26th man

OAK

Yusmeiro Petit

Placed on Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List

ATL

Luiz Gohara Sent to Minors For Rehabilitation

T E A M P L A Y E R T R A N S A C T I O N

MIA

Wei-Yin Chen

Sent to Minors For Rehabilitation

LAD

Max Muncy Purchased From Minors

NYM

Gerson Bautista Called Up from Minors

PHI

Tommy Hunter

Sent to Minors For Rehabilitation

TOR

Joe BiaginiCalled Up from Minors (recalled as 26th roster player)

KC

Scott BarlowCalled Up from Minors (recalled as 26th roster player)

KC

Scott Barlow Return of 26th man