Cnotes 2014 Major League Baseball playoff schedule - Trends - News -Best Bets !

[CNOTES]

MLB
Long Sheet

Wednesday, October 15

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ST LOUIS (94 - 75) at SAN FRANCISCO (94 - 76) - 8:05 PM
SHELBY MILLER (R) vs. RYAN VOGELSONG (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 37-42 (-8.8 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 94-76 (+14.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 18-9 (+12.9 Units) against the money line in October games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 19-7 (+12.0 Units) against the money line when playing on Wednesday this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 94-76 (+14.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 63-46 (+14.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 17-7 (+13.3 Units) against the money line in playoff games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 53-40 (+13.1 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 123-115 (+15.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
VOGELSONG is 35-24 (+13.7 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
VOGELSONG is 27-18 (+13.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
ST LOUIS is 200-148 (+16.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 154-102 (+26.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 47-28 (+12.8 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
ST LOUIS is 44-33 (+9.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ST LOUIS is 25-16 (+10.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 58-59 (-17.1 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 47-51 (-17.3 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 6-4 (+2.4 Units) against ST LOUIS this season
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.2 Units)

SHELBY MILLER vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
MILLER is 2-0 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 1.46 and a WHIP of 1.217.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-0. (+2.2 units)

RYAN VOGELSONG vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
VOGELSONG is 3-6 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 5.11 and a WHIP of 1.362.
His team's record is 4-7 (-2.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-6. (-2.8 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BALTIMORE (99 - 69) at KANSAS CITY (96 - 73) - 4:05 PM
MIGUEL GONZALEZ (R) vs. JASON VARGAS (L)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS CITY is 7-3 (+3.8 Units) against BALTIMORE this season
6 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.9 Units)

MIGUEL GONZALEZ vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
GONZALEZ is 1-2 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 4.82 and a WHIP of 1.232.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.3 units)

JASON VARGAS vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
VARGAS is 2-3 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 1.94 and a WHIP of 1.042.
His team's record is 3-5 (-2.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-8. (-8.6 units)

 

[CNOTES]

Wednesday, October 15

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Baltimore 0 Bot 0 Kansas City -121 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Kansas City 0 Under 7.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY

 

[CNOTES]

Short Sheet

Wednesday, October 15

NL Championship Series - Best of 7 - Game 4 - Giants Leads 2-1

St Louis at San Francisco, 8:05 ET
Miller: ST LOUIS 16-6 revenging a one run loss to opponent
Vogelsong: SAN FRANCISCO 13-21 in home games against NL Central opponents



AL Championship Series - Best of 7 - Game 3 - KC leads 3-0

Baltimore at Kansas City, 4:05 ET
Gonzalez: 9-1 UNDER on the road when the money line is +125 to -125
Vargas: KANSAS CITY 64-39 UNDER after scoring 2 runs or less

 

[CNOTES]

NLCS Game 4 - Cards at Giants

October 15, 2014


ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (94-76) at SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (95-76)

National League Championship Series
Game 4: San Francisco leads series 2-1
First pitch: Wednesday, 8:05 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line and Total: St. Louis -105, San Francisco -105, Total: 7

The Cardinals attempt to even up the NLCS on Wednesday night at two games apiece with a victory on the road versus the Giants.

St. Louis had another great year, as the club reached the NLCS for the fourth time in as many seasons and has played some nail-biters so far in the 2014 playoffs. No games have been decided by more than three runs, as the Cards have been part of four one-run contests, including a tough 5-4 loss in 10 innings on Tuesday night. A throwing error is what did them in at the end, as they tallied nine hits, including a homer from OF Randal Grichuk. Meanwhile, 3B Matt Carpenter did not homer like he has done four times in these playoffs while being responsible for 8 RBI.

San Francisco has also played plenty of close games in the postseason with five of its eight games being decided by a mere run while the club used timely hitting (2-for-3 with RISP) to gain an early edge in the 5-4 win. One of those hits came off the bat of 3B Pablo Sandoval, who has a hit in all but one playoff game this year while scoring six runs. The pitching matchup for this contest will peg RHP Shelby Miller (0-0, 3.18 ERA) of the visiting Cardinals up against RHP Ryan Vogelsong (0-0, 1.59 ERA) for the host Giants.

Tuesday’s road loss dropped St. Louis’ record away from home this year to 40-45 (.471) while San Francisco has gone 48-37 (.565) by the bay. Over the past three seasons, the Giants hold a slight edge (16-14) in this matchup while being 8-6 at home in that timeframe. On the injury front, C Yadier Molina (oblique) is questionable for Game 4 after not playing on Tuesday for St. Louis, while both OF Angel Pagan (back) and 2B Marco Scutaro (back) remain out for the duration of the season.

Shelby Miller has been an interesting pitcher to watch this season as his strikeout rate dropped from a solid 8.8 K/9 in 2013 to a below average 6.3 K/9 this year. He has also seen his control fall off while walking 3.6 batters per nine innings and allowing a career-high rate of homers (1.08 HR/9). Miller pitched fine in the NLDS against the Dodgers, throwing 5.2 frames while allowing two runs on five hits with four strikeouts (3 walks), and overall is 0-0 with a 4.50 ERA and 1.40 WHIP over his four career postseason games (1 start).

San Francisco has never given him any issues, as he is 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in the matchup, while recording 11 strikeouts in 12.1 IP (8.0 K/9). No batter on the opposing ballclub has faced Miller more than six times, with both OF Travis Ishikawa (1-for-2) and OF Hunter Pence (1-for-5) having a solo home run in the matchup. Meanwhile, 1B Brandon Belt, OF Gregor Blanco and C Buster Posey are a mere 1-for-16 (.063) combined against the 24-year-old. The relievers for St. Louis are 29-26 (.527) with a 3.56 ERA and have successfully saved 58-of-76 (76%) games. Closer Trevor Rosenthal (4.91 ERA, 3 saves) has allowed seven hits in his 3.2 postseason frames after giving up far too many walks (5.4 BB/9) in the regular season.

Ryan Vogelsong was an important piece to the Giants 2014 season as he dropped his ERA nearly two runs from his poor 2013 campaign. Part of his success came from an improved strikeout rate (7.4 K/9) while managing a career-low walk rate (2.8 BB/9). He also was solid at not allowing homers (0.88 HR/9), and looked good in his first round game against the Nationals with a pitching line of 5.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER and 4 K's. He has always done well in the postseason, going 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA over five career starts. Against the Cardinals, Vogelsong is a poor 2-6 with a 6.17 ERA and 1.60 WHIP while allowing seven homers in his 65.2 frames.

Both 3B Matt Carpenter (5-for-10) and 2B Mark Ellis (8-for-21) have been successful against the veteran, while 1B Matt Adams and 2B Kolten Wong are hitless in their five at-bats in the matchup. The bullpen for St. Louis has gone 36-15 (.706) with a 2.95 ERA while saving 50-of-69 (72%) games. Closer Santiago Casilla (0.00 ERA, 3 saves) has been perfect in his five postseason innings thus far while striking out three batters.

 

[CNOTES]

GAME # 4 NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES


St. Louis - 8:00 PM ET San Francisco -106 500 GRAND SLAM

San Francisco - Over 7 500 DOUBLE PLAY

 

[CNOTES]

MLB
Dunkel

St. Louis at San Francisco
The Giants look to clinch the NLCS following yesterday's 6-4 win and come into tonight's contest with a 10-2 record in Madison Bumgarner's last 12 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in the previous game. San Francisco is the pick (-140) according to Dunkel, which has the Giants favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (-140). Here are all of today's MLB picks.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16

Game 969-970: St. Louis at San Francisco (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Wainwright) 14.303; San Francisco (Bumgarner) 15.897
Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line: San Francisco (-140); 6
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (-140); Under




MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, October 16

Cardinals-Giants
Wainwright is 0-1, 9.00 in his last two starts, 3-4, 4.50 in 11 postseason starts; he is 1-1, 5.25 in two starts against the Giants this season.
Bumgarner is 2-1, 1.14 in his last three outings, 5-3, 2.58 in nine playoff starts, 1-1, 3.00 against St Louis this season.

Giants won nine of their last eleven games, five of last six at home.

St Louis lost six of its last nine road games. .

Wainwright 23-10.................4-33 first inning
Bumgarner 21-15........... ......10-36 first inning




MLB

Thursday, October 16

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Trend Report
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8:07 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. SAN FRANCISCO
St. Louis is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games on the road
St. Louis is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing San Francisco
San Francisco is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games
San Francisco is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

 

[CNOTES]

MLB
Long Sheet

Thursday, October 16

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ST LOUIS (94 - 76) at SAN FRANCISCO (95 - 76) - 8:05 PM
ADAM WAINWRIGHT (R) vs. MADISON BUMGARNER (L)
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 37-43 (-9.8 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field this season.
ST LOUIS is 78-92 (-24.8 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 95-76 (+15.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 19-9 (+13.9 Units) against the money line in October games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 95-76 (+15.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 64-46 (+15.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 18-7 (+14.3 Units) against the money line in playoff games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 54-40 (+14.1 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 41-39 (+5.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BUMGARNER is 16-6 (+9.3 Units) against the money line after a win this season. (Team's Record)
ST LOUIS is 200-149 (+15.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 47-29 (+11.8 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
ST LOUIS is 44-34 (+8.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ST LOUIS is 25-17 (+9.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
WAINWRIGHT is 49-24 (+16.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WAINWRIGHT is 17-6 (+10.8 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WAINWRIGHT is 25-8 (+14.1 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAN FRANCISCO is 59-59 (-16.1 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 48-51 (-16.3 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
BUMGARNER is 13-16 (-12.0 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUMGARNER is 12-16 (-13.0 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUMGARNER is 13-16 (-12.0 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 7-4 (+3.4 Units) against ST LOUIS this season
7 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.2 Units)

ADAM WAINWRIGHT vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
WAINWRIGHT is 5-6 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 2.92 and a WHIP of 1.176.
His team's record is 6-6 (-1.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-6. (-1.2 units)

MADISON BUMGARNER vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
BUMGARNER is 4-5 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 4.13 and a WHIP of 1.112.
His team's record is 4-5 (-0.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-6. (-4.3 units)

 

[CNOTES]

MLB

Thursday, October 16

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NLCS betting preview: Cardinals at Giants
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

St. Louis Cardinals at San Francisco (-145, 6)

Madison Bumgarner dazzled against St. Louis in Game 1 and looks to clinch the series when the San Francisco Giants host the Cardinals in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series on Thursday. The left-handed ace tossed 7 2/3 stellar innings in a 3-0 victory that made it three straight strong outings this postseason and fueled talk of him being the best pitcher in the postseason. “That’s an awfully big compliment,” Bumgarner told reporters. “But no, I don’t think about any of that.”

The Giants pushed their series lead to 3-1 with a 6-4 victory on Wednesday behind three RBIs from catcher Buster Posey. Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright had a shaky outing while opposing Bumgarner in Game 1 and is vying to redeem himself and keep his team alive. “You take a competitor like that and someone who has had success and you put them on this stage, and they can’t wait to go out there and then be the ace of our staff,” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said in a press conference. “It’s just right now, he’s working hard to get that real good feel.”

TV: 8:07 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

LINE HISTORY: The Giants opened as -125 favorites and have been bet up to -145. The total has been set at 6.0.

WEATHER REPORT: It should be a clear night in San Francisco with a seven mile per hour wind blowing out to center field and temperatures in the low 60s.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (0-1, 8.00 ERA) vs. Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (2-1, 0.76)

Wainwright hasn’t made it through the fifth inning in two postseason starts and threw a bullpen session in San Francisco trying to get himself on track. “I just have to have all my weapons out there with me, preferably,” Wainwright said in his press conference. “If not, I’ll grind my way through it and I’ll find a way to make it happen. But it helps when you’ve got all your weapons.” Wainwright continues to insist his right elbow isn’t an issue.

Bumgarner allowed two earned runs in 23 2/3 innings this postseason and has struck out 23 against just three walks. He said facing the Cardinals a second straight start means being ready to change the game plan on the fly. “If they force you to make adjustments, you have to be able to do it,” Bumgarner said. “If they make adjustments and you can’t, you’re going to be in trouble.”

TRENDS:

* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Over is 4-1 in Bumgarner's last five starts versus the Cardinals.
* Cardinals are 5-2 in Wainwright's last seven starts versus the Giants.
* The Giants are 2-5 in Bumgarner's last seven starts versus the Cardinals.

 

[CNOTES]

MLB
Short Sheet

Thursday, October 16

NL Championship Series - Best of 7 - Game 5 - Giants Leads 3-1

St Louis at San Francisco, 8:05 ET
Wainwright: 18-9 TSR as a road underdog
Bumgarner: 7-12 TSR as a home favorite of -125 to -175

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Cardinals (90-72) at Giants (87-74)
Game: 5
Venue: AT&T Ball Park
Date: October 16, 2014 8:07 PM EDT


Madison Bumgarner has a chance to send the San Francisco Giants to their third World Series in five years, but there's at least one reason the St. Louis Cardinals can't be too upset about that opportunity coming at AT&T Park.

The Giants' ace has been more hittable in front of a home crowd this season and in his postseason career, trends that could provide the desperate Cardinals with an opportunity Thursday night to send the NL Championship Series back to St. Louis.

San Francisco took a 3-1 series lead with Wednesday's 6-4 victory, and now turns to Bumgarner (2-1, 0.76 ERA), who is 3-1 with a 0.59 ERA and .152 opponents' batting average in his last four postseason starts.

In five home postseason starts, though, Bumgarner is 1-3 with a 5.06 ERA and .282 OBA, including a Game 3 NLDS loss to Washington. On the road, he's 4-0 with a 0.55 ERA and .174 OBA in five outings with a scoreless innings streak of 26 2-3.

His 2014 regular-season numbers at home (7-6, 4.03) and on the road (11-4, 2.22) mirror that, but Giants manager Bruce Bochy isn't about to be picky with where he gets to hand Bumgarner the ball in a potential pennant-clinching game.

"It's always good to have your ace waiting in the wings," Bochy told MLB's official website.

The left-hander began the NLCS by limiting the Cardinals to four hits in 7 2-3 innings of Saturday's 3-0 road win. His only home playoff start against St. Louis was considerably messier, as he surrendered six runs and eight hits in 3 2-3 innings of a Game 1 loss in the 2012 NLCS.

The same trend held true in the regular season with Bumgarner completing seven scoreless innings in St. Louis in May before allowing four earned runs in five innings of a July loss at AT&T Park.

Jon Jay (8 for 16) and Matt Carpenter (4 for 9) have had success against Bumgarner, while Matt Holliday (3 for 21) and Jhonny Peralta (1 for 13) have struggled.

Adam Wainwright's reputation as a big-game postseason pitcher is headed in the opposite direction of Bumgarner's after he's failed to make it through five innings in his first two starts. Wainwright (0-1, 8.00) took the Game 1 loss against Bumgarner after allowing three runs - two earned - and six hits in 4 2-3 innings. The right-hander has also struggled with elbow discomfort and mechanical issues this postseason.

"Until last year's NLCS, I was undefeated in the postseason, and I just don't want to get a bad rap for not being a good playoff pitcher," Wainwright said. "That's the time I want to shine the most. ... I know I'm capable of doing that."

He does have strong road numbers this season to fall back on. Even with his poor start in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Dodgers, he's 11-6 with a 2.07 ERA in 19 total road starts. That includes a July win in San Francisco after limiting the Giants to four hits in 7 2-3 scoreless innings.

Pablo Sandoval (8 for 23) has had the most success against Wainwright, while Buster Posey (3 for 17) has struggled.

Both teams are well aware that a 3-1 hole isn't insurmountable. The Giants trailed the Cardinals by that margin in the 2012 NLCS before winning the final three games.

For any chance of reversing those roles, St. Louis might first need to correct its sloppy fielding. After the Cardinals lost Game 3 on an errant throw, first baseman Matt Adams had a pair of fielding miscues Wednesday to key San Francisco's three-run sixth inning.

The Giants haven't homered in six straight postseason games, which is the longest drought in a playoff run since the 1973 Oakland Athletics went eight straight and won the World Series.

It hasn't slowed Sandoval, who is 6 for 16 in the series and has reached base in a franchise-record 22 straight postseason games.

St. Louis continues to waste offense from Kolten Wong, who is 4 for 8 with a home run, triple and two doubles in the last two games. Jay, meanwhile, has reached in all eight postseason contests with a .581 on-base percentage.

Yadier Molina missed a second straight game with a left oblique injury, though he was available as a defensive replacement.

 

[CNOTES]

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

10/15/14 4-*0-*0 100.00% +*2000 Detail

10/14/14 0-*4-*0 0.00% -*2135 Detail

10/12/14 0-*2-*0 0.00%-*1050 Detail

10/11/14 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*70 Detail

10/10/14 1-*1-*0 50.00% -*150 Detail

10/07/14 2-*2-*0 50.00% +*240 Detail

10/06/14 3-*1-*0 75.00% +*1080 Detail

10/05/14 4-*0-*0 100.00% +*2290 Detail

10/04/14 1-*1-*0 50.00% +310 Detail

10/03/14 6-*2-*0 75.00% +*2395 Detail

10/02/14 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*450 Detail

10/01/14 2-*0-*0 100.00% +*1000 Detail

09/30/14 2-*0-*0 100.00% +*1000 Detail

Totals 29-*17-*0 63.04 % 6460


Rated Plays Only Record:


6 - 2 ........ + 4.25.......*****

12 - 9...........+ 12.32 ......Double Play

8 - 5 ..........+ 7.09.....Triple Play

3 - 2 .......... + 3.52 .......Grand Slam


Thursday, October 16

Game Score Status Pick Amount

St. Louis - 8:00 PM ET San Francisco -150 500 GRAND SLAM

San Francisco - Over 6 500 GRAND SLAM


LEAVING NOW FOR THE GAME.....ITS GOING TO BE PARTY TIME TONIGHT........GOOD LUCK TO ALL !!

 

[indiana]

C/note..........like the plays, enjoy the game............good luck tonight............indy

 

[CNOTES]

Well folks this has been one heck of a series........it was wild it was crazy at AT&T Park last night.......And the partying after across the street at MOMO'S was just nuts......

But winning both Grand Slams was even more exciting......the game could have ended with a grand slam...Now that would have been someting.....

Its on to the World Series and lets see how these Wild Card Teams do...........:toast:

 

[CNOTES]

Wild WS: Perfect Royals vs tested Giants

October 16, 2014


Lorenzo Cain gearing up to run on Buster Posey. Pablo Sandoval trying to launch long balls, Alex Gordon banging into walls chasing them. Madison Bumgarner and James Shields starting big games, with lights-out bullpens poised to close `em.

The playoff-perfect Kansas City Royals. The tried-and-tested San Francisco Giants.

A pair of wild cards, set to begin the World Series on Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium in a matchup offering most everything a fan would want to watch. Tight, too, with the Giants opening as a slim favorite to win it all.

''They're as hot as you can get,'' Posey said, already a two-time champion with the Giants. ''We were playing them earlier this year and they spanked us pretty good. We know we're going to have our hands full with them.''

''They're a dynamic team that pitches really well, really good defense. They've got pop, too, along with speed. We'll definitely have our hands full,'' he said.

So much on the field to savor on both sides. Plus, there probably will be room for some second-guessing - this week, Royals manager Ned Yost poked fun at those who earlier thought of him as ''the dumbest guy on the face of the earth.''

A tasty treat, sure to get foodies debating: The vaunted Kansas City BBQ vs. all-world flavors by the Bay.

And, throw in a few celebrity rooters. Jeff Foxworthy cheering for his good pal Yost. Former Journey frontman Steve Perry in the stands at AT&T Park, leading the crowd in singing ''Don't Stop Believin''' during the seventh-inning stretch.

A surprising meeting? Maybe, although both teams had high expectations when they met in Surprise - that's in Arizona, where Hunter Pence homered as the Giants beat the Royals early in spring training.

By August, the Royals were rolling. They swept the visiting Giants in a three-game series, beating Bumgarner, Tim Hudson and Tim Lincecum, and stealing seven bases in the finale as All-Star closer Greg Holland excelled.

Now, they meet again.

''We know we have a lot of work ahead of us and we're playing a great team. But to get to this point, it's time to celebrate,'' Giants manager Bruce Bochy said after Travis Ishikawa's bottom-of-the-ninth homer Thursday night beat St. Louis in the clinching Game 5 of the NL Championship Series.

The Royals, after going 8-0 in the AL playoffs, are back in the World Series for the first time since beating the Cardinals in 1985. That's 29 years - the average age on the Royals' postseason roster is 28. That includes reliever Brandon Finnegan, who pitched this summer for TCU in the College World Series.

Cain, the AL Championship Series MVP, and Kansas City will have had five days off before Game 1. In the past, long layoffs in October have often meant rust more than rest.

The Giants are trying to extend their every-other-year success after winning crowns in 2010 and 2012. Sandoval, the popular Kung Fu Panda and a former World Series MVP, and his pals also have a lengthy break after finishing off St. Louis.

''We've got a lot of guys that's been through this ... they know what to expect and they are not afraid of the moment by no means,'' said Bumgarner, MVP of the NLCS.

''And I think the young guys that we have that have not been through it, they say that and then they feed off of that and they know that they don't have to be afraid, either,'' he said. ''I really like the group of guys that we have here and it's going to be a fun series against Kansas City.''

This will be the first time that a pair of wild cards have played in the Series since a seven-game thriller between the Angels and Giants in 2002.

And this meeting has a fair amount of mystery to it, pitting clubs that don't share a ton of history. They've played 12 times since interleague play began, with Kansas City winning nine.

Giants reliever Jeremy Affeldt pitched for the Royals the last time they visited San Francisco - that was in 2005, when Barry Bonds was still the giant name in orange and black.

Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry also pitched for both teams. He earned his first career win in 1962 with the Giants when their biggest star was Willie Mays. Perry posted his 314th and final victory in 1983 with the Royals, helped by a home run from Willie Mays Aikens.

Chances are, both teams will bring out their greats starting next week.

Mays and Bonds figure to be on the field in San Francisco, with McCovey Cove barely beyond the right-field wall. George Brett has been hollering from a stadium suite in KC, with the dancing water fountains just past the center-field fence.

In a season in which both teams made a splash, who knows? A splash shot beckons.

 

[CNOTES]

Four umpires get 1st World Series call

October 17, 2014


NEW YORK (AP) - Boosted by their strong results on replay challenges this season, several umpires will get to work the World Series for the first time.

The seven-man crew includes a rare four newcomers, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press this week. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Major League Baseball hadn't made an announcement yet.

Hunter Wendelstedt, Eric Cooper, Jim Reynolds and Jerry Meals are heading to their first World Series.

Wendelstedt had only two of his calls overturned this year under baseball's expanded replay system. Cooper had just three decisions reversed and Reynolds had seven.

''An umpire's entire body of work is evaluated when assigning postseason series, and we always strive to have the most deserving umpires working postseason games,'' MLB spokesman Michael Teevan said.

''This year,'' he added, ''instant replay also became another facet of performance.''

Jeff Kellogg will be the crew chief and call his fifth World Series when Kansas City hosts San Francisco in Game 1 on Tuesday night. Ted Barrett and Jeff Nelson will work the Fall Classic for the third time.

Nearly 20 umpires had at least 10 calls changed this year. Barrett had 12 and Meals 10, while Kellogg had five.

Overall, there were 1,275 reviews in the majors this season and 47 percent of the calls were reversed.

Several factors determine which umpires get picked for the playoffs and World Series by MLB. Ball-strike ratings on plate jobs, skill at handling situations on the field, experience and time missed during the season are all considered.

MLB tries to include at least one first-time umpire on the World Series crew every year. Starting in 1998, the lone exception was 2009 - stung by a spate of missed calls earlier in that postseason, MLB chose an all-veteran crew.

In the previous 35 World Series, only twice has the crew included four first-timers, most recently in 1996.

Under a new plan this year, seven umpires handle all best-of-seven postseason matchups. One umpire works the first two games on the field, then changes places with an umpire in the New York replay booth for the rest of the series.

World Series umpires are picked from a pool of umps who worked in the Division Series.

Wendelstedt, whose father, Harry, umpired in the World Series five times, joined the MLB staff in 1999, as did Reynolds and Cooper. Meals became part of the staff in 1998.

 

[CNOTES]

Yost has underdog Royals back in Series

October 17, 2014


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Thump Monkeys are trailing and Jeff Foxworthy isn't happy. Not just trailing, they're getting creamed. Hunting season started in Georgia weeks ago, and right now, Foxworthy's team is getting shelled by another group of friends that calls itself the Killbillies.

''The Thump Monkeys have never been defeated in a whole season,'' Foxworthy says, ''but it's not good right now. If it was baseball, we'd be down 8-0 in the third. But we're not giving up.''

Not yet, anyway. Not until they get their ace back.

The problem is the comedian doesn't know whether Ned Yost will be home next week or the following week, and what kind of mood he'll be in when he returns. It all depends on what happens when the Kansas City Royals play the San Francisco Giants in their first World Series in 29 years.

''We count on him coming back with a vengeance,'' Foxworthy says with a laugh.

To most baseball fans, Yost is the unorthodox manager of the AL champion Royals. He's the sometimes-surly, often-stubborn and frequently intimidating man whose watchful eyes take in every game behind a pair of dark, mirrored sunglasses. He's the man whose debatable decision-making has proven to be faultless during Kansas City's perfect postseason run.

To his neighbor and good buddy Foxworthy, Yost is just one of the Thump Monkeys, a band of buddies who spend the offseason trying to out-hunt the Killibies on their property near Atlanta. And boy, could they use his ability to sniff out the biggest buck in the county right now.

''I really think being a Thump Monkey is what's prepared Ned for this,'' Foxworthy told The Associated Press after the Royals clinched the ALCS. ''Not 30 years in baseball.''

Foxworthy got to know Yost decades ago. Yost had just finished a marginal career as a backup catcher and was getting into coaching with the Braves. They found a common interest in the great outdoors, eventually purchasing land near each other. And when one of their good friends, NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, was killed in a wreck at Daytona, they became even closer.

These days, they talk and text on a regular basis. Before the sun rose the day after the Royals clinched the pennant, Yost was already dialing Foxworthy's number to chat.

''I was like, `Holy cow! You did it. You freaking did it!''' Foxworthy said. ''It's pretty neat.''

In listening to Foxworthy, it becomes evident Yost may be one of the most misunderstood individuals in baseball. He rarely smiles on TV. Laughs are few and far apart. His sense of humor is as dry as the Sahara. Yet, his friends insist he would do anything for them.

There are times when he reveals his softer side. He gets down on a knee so he's eye-level when talking to children. He spends time raising money for charity. When players are going through tough times, on the field or away from it, Yost is there to offer encouragement.

''We definitely had our ups and downs throughout the season,'' Royals outfielder Lorenzo Cain said, ''but he didn't give up on us, stuck with us guys. It paid off in the end.''

Yost was labeled ''The Dunce'' by The Wall Street Journal earlier this postseason. He's been called far worse by fans. The past few years, when things were going particularly badly in Kansas City, ''yosted'' became common parlance - as in, ''The Royals brought in a rookie reliever for staff ace James Shields and he got shelled in a close game? Yosted!''

Or more likely, (hash)yosted. Twitter has become his most common dumping ground.

But here's the thing: Everyone became too busy criticizing Yost to criticize his team. And while all that was going on, Kansas City qualified for its first playoffs since 1985, and then won a dramatic wild-card game, and then swept the Angels and Orioles.

Suddenly, Yost had become the first manager in major league history to win his first eight postseason games. And the phrase ''yosted'' had taken on a positive meaning.

''I'm real comfortable in my own skin,'' Yost explained. ''I don't feel like I need vindication. I'm not looking for it, don't care for it. My whole goal - none of this was ever about me. To win a championship was all about this city, our fans and these players. I've been there before. I know how special it is. I wanted my players to experience. I wanted the city to experience it.''

At long last, they're finally going to have that chance. The World Series begins Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium, and Yost will be in the national spotlight.

Foxworthy will be there, too. There's no place he'd rather be than supporting his dear friend, even if it means the Killbillies might finally trump the Thump Monkeys.

''You get him away from the ballpark, he's funny as rip,'' Foxworthy said. ''He's just a great guy, a wonderful friend. I'm happy for everything he's done.''

 

[CNOTES]

Royals fans, city have evolved since 1985

October 18, 2014


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - An unprecedented playoff run has Kansas City baseball fans declaring it's time to party like it's 1985, the year the Royals beat St. Louis for their only World Series title.

Given what was happening in Kansas City 29 years ago, would they really want to?

Times were tight in 1985 as the farm crisis raged on, with skyrocketing interest rates and plummeting land values putting many farmers out of business while their banks struggled to stay afloat. The NBA's Kansas City Kings packed up their bags and moved to California that year, while Union Station closed its doors following decades of neglect.

And in the heart of the city, empty buildings lined a downtown area that was only a shadow of the glitzy, nightlife-driven entertainment area much of it has become.

''1985 in some ways was Kansas City's low point - redeemed by George Brett and the guys who did a tremendous job,'' said Crosby Kemper III, director of the Kansas City Public Library. ''It was the middle of the decline of downtown.''

Unlike this season, when the Royals finally broke the longest playoff drought of any team in any major professional sport, Kansas City baseball fans in 1985 were only five years removed from the team's first World Series appearance, a six-game loss to Philadelphia in 1980.

Second baseman Frank White, whose statue now stands in the concourse beyond right field alongside those of third baseman George Brett, manager Dick Howser and owner Ewing Kauffman and his wife - all of whom were involved with the 1985 championship team - said much more than the old AstroTurf has changed since his Gold Glove career.

''It's a different game,'' White said. ''These players are more free-spirited, while we were more on the professional side. This Royals team reminds me of a college team with a lot of things they do.''

For instance, players from the 1985 team probably wouldn't have headed to a bar in the Power & Light District - if there had been one back then - and picked up the tab for an hour of free drinks like first baseman Eric Hosmer did after the team's sweep of the Anaheim Angels in the American League Divisional Series.

''That was frowned upon,'' White said. ''You didn't want the guys at the bar at times like this. Things happen at bars, and we wanted to be more careful.''

White, who was 35, married and had children at home in 1985, said he usually just went home to his family after games to get rested up for the next game.

Meanwhile, the new generation of Royals fans is much different from the crowds who cheered the team to its only championship, White said.

''They treat it more like a football game than baseball,'' he said, noting that today's fans stand up and yell from the first pitch, while in his era they waited until after things happened to react.

Today, a shiny round Sprint Center has replaced Kemper Arena as the city's primary entertainment venue, casino gambling is legal and Sporting Kansas City has replaced the indoor Kansas City Comets as the top area soccer team.

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum now helps anchor a revived 18th and Vine jazz district, the new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is drawing world-class performers and a new streetcar line is being built that eventually will ferry passengers from one end of downtown to the other.

While the city is eager to show off those new landmarks during the World Series coverage that will heat up with Game 1 on Tuesday night, the image of a classy, energetic fan base also is making a big impression, said Derek Klaus, a spokesman for the city's tourism organization, Visit KC.

''The greatest reward for Kansas City is the unprecedented national exposure,'' he said. ''We're going to take advantage of that as much as we can.''

 

[CNOTES]

Seasoned Giants ready for fresh Royals

October 17, 2014



Alex Gordon, Lorenzo Cain and the go-go-go Kansas City Royals played perfect ball to zip through the playoffs. Plus, they recently flattened Buster Posey and his Giants.

So how come this bunch that's rapidly become a fan favorite all across the country isn't the favorite against San Francisco in the World Series?

''When I look at the Royals, I see a team on a terrific run. There was magic on their side, where everything they did went absolutely right,'' said Las Vegas oddsmaker Johnny Avello, head of the sports book at the Wynn.

''But I don't get into the `darling' stuff,'' he said Friday. ''I have to encompass everything and figure out who's the better team, and that's the Giants.''

We'll see what's next in this tight, tense postseason starting Tuesday night when the seasoned Giants visit the fresh Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

A pair of teams with dominant bullpens, the talent to make tremendous catches and a touch for grinding out key runs.

Both of them wild-card teams, too. Of course, come this late in October, no one is really a wild card anymore.

Reigning NL Championship Series MVP Madison Bumgarner, former World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval and Giants manager Bruce Bochy are aiming for their third ring in five seasons.

At 39, Tim Hudson is headed with them, going to his first World Series. A four-time All-Star with 214 wins, he left his longtime home in Atlanta and signed with the Giants last November.

Hudson was swayed by an intangible that he'd seen from the other side - San Francisco's knack for playing especially well at this time of year.

''They know how to win when it matters. There's something different whenever this team gets in the playoffs. They know what buttons to push. They know what guys need to do in certain situations. That's all that matters,'' Hudson said.

''That's why I'm playing, that's why I'm here, that's why I decided to come to the Giants,'' he said.

Already 8-0 this postseason, the Royals are back in the Series for the first time since George Brett and Bret Saberhagen helped them win it all in 1985.

There were a lot of lean years in the interim.

Giants reliever Jeremy Affeldt, the winning pitcher in the NLCS clincher Thursday night against the Cardinals, played for Kansas City from 2002-06 - the Royals lost 100 games in three of those seasons.

''Well, I'm sure there's a lot of excitement,'' Affeldt said. ''There's a lot of people that have been fans for a long time in that area and been waiting to see this since 1985.''

''When I played there, I think they thought they were overdue then, and that was, I don't know, seven, eight years ago,'' he said. ''There's going to be some energy in that stadium. And they have remodeled it ... it's pretty impressive to see the amount of blue in these seats during those games.''

Affeldt and the Giants got a close-up at these Royals in August, getting swept in a three-game series at Kansas City.

Gordon homered twice in the series, outfielder Nori Aoki threw out two runners in an inning, the Royals stole seven bases in a game and they beat Bumgarner, Hudson and Tim Lincecum.

''It doesn't matter what it was,'' Royals manager Ned Yost said Friday. ''This is a whole different ballgame now. This is the World Series. This isn't a three-game series in August.''

Yost, by the way, grew up in the Bay Area rooting for the Giants.

Even though they met two months ago, there's not a lot of history between the teams. They faced each other only twice in spring training in Arizona, and the Royals haven't played in San Francisco since 2005, back when Barry Bonds was the biggest name in town.

Closer Greg Holland, Mike Moustakas and the Royals will be at AT&T Park for Game 3 on Friday night. It was 25 years ago that an earthquake minutes before Game 3 rattled Candlestick Park and postponed the World Series between the Giants and Oakland Athletics. The Series shift means no designated hitter in the NL park, costing Royals DH Billy Butler a spot. Yost spent most of his career in NL, coaching in Atlanta and managing in Milwaukee.

''It's a fun style. I've never really managed two styles in one series,'' Yost said. ''It's a different type. There are a lot more things that are involved.''

 

[CNOTES]

Bochy has postseason touch with Giants

October 18, 2014



SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - He vowed to stick with his struggling leadoff man, and it worked. He let a rookie reliever challenge Bryce Harper and wasn't daunted when the ball splashed into McCovey Cove. And he made the difficult decision to banish Tim Lincecum to the bullpen.

Bruce Bochy is clearly in charge of these Giants. Now, as he guides San Francisco into the World Series for the third time in five years, he could soon join some elite company.

He is trying to become just the 10th manager with three rings. Every manager in that group is in the Hall of Fame, a small club that includes recently enshrined Tony La Russa and Joe Torre, and old greats Casey Stengel and Connie Mack.

Bochy insists he doesn't dwell on his accomplishments.

''I'm not just trying to be the humble guy. I'm fortunate that I have a great club here, a gritty club with a lot of character that plays to win,'' he said. ''They seem to thrive on these type of games. It's all about makeup guys and ownership and giving us the resources to hopefully get here. They've given me the tools, and that's how this works.''

Bochy knows Kansas City's George Brett's family, too, having earned his first managerial gig with brother Bobby Brett in 1989, when he managed the Class A Spokane Indians to the Northwest League title.

There's a popular Bay Area phrase these days, ''Boch Genius.'' He just shrugs it off.

The 59-year-old is determined not to jinx a good thing.

''It's always those players on how they perform,'' he said. ''It's a gutty group. I don't know what's going to happen, but I will say that they will leave it all out on the field for you.''

Bochy was a backup catcher during his entire nine-year career, hardly the kind of player anyone would consider a Hall of Famer. Now making another run at a title, Bochy has established himself as one of the best in the business.

''I'm glad I'm playing for a guy like him, for sure,'' said Travis Ishikawa, the journeyman who hit the pennant-winning three-run homer Thursday night. ''He just seems to have the right intuition with every move he makes.''

Through injuries, slumps in June and September and wacky playoff wins, Bochy has remained even-keeled. It's something his players can appreciate, because it helps them stay poised.

Shortstop Brandon Crawford can't recall Bochy raising his voice in a team meeting - the dugout is another matter. Hunter Pence points specifically to one Bochy pep talk early in the right fielder's tenure with the Giants after the 2012 trade deadline ''that really changed who our team was.''

Before he arrived in San Francisco in 2007, Bochy was known for his postseason failures with the Padres. His San Diego team was swept in the 1998 World Series and eliminated in the minimum three games in the 2005 Division Series by St. Louis, then lost in four games to the Cardinals in the first round the next year. That `98 team was Bochy's lone pennant in 12 seasons as Padres skipper before his move to Northern California.

''You're always learning from your past experiences, whether it's during the season or postseason. The one thing I think I've learned is it's different, the postseason. It's not the regular season,'' Bochy said. ''You don't have that margin of error to make up for these games. You lose a game in May, and you still have 100-plus games to make that up.''

Gregor Blanco has stayed in the leadoff spot and come around offensively in recent games as Bochy remained confident he could snap out of a funk. Reliever Hunter Strickland is still getting his chances despite the longballs by Harper.

''The manager allows them to do their thing, the manager allows them to let it rip,'' said third-base coach Tim Flannery, who accompanied Bochy from San Diego. ''It's just how he is. I sometimes scratch my head and say, `You know, I think his strength is his weakness,' but it always turns out to be his strength. He'll trust the guys. He'll always put them in that position to do it again.''

Many of Bochy's little moves - not to mention those he hasn't made - have carried the Giants this far.

''We have a tremendous amount of confidence in Bochy,'' Pence said. ''We know how invested he is, we understand he's been through. It takes a lot of courage to make a lot of these decisions because you're going to answer to everything you do through hindsight, which isn't always necessarily fair. As a team, playing behind him, his guts and his heart and his determination leaks into us.''

 

[CNOTES]

Bumgarner gets nod for Series opener

October 18, 2014


SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The reliable southpaw is getting the ball for another important Game 1.

Left-hander Madison Bumgarner will pitch the World Series opener for the San Francisco Giants at Kansas City on Tuesday.

Manager Bruce Bochy made the expected announcement Saturday as his team worked out under sunny skies, one day before traveling. Bumgarner, an 18-game winner, was voted NL Championship Series MVP as the Giants beat the St. Louis Cardinals in five games.

Despite MadBum's high innings, Bochy wasn't worried about the 18-game winner. Bumgarner didn't get a decision in the pennant clincher against the Cardinals on Thursday night.

''I think I would've insulted him if I checked with him,'' Bochy said. ''He's a big, strong guy. His last game I thought he had great stuff. It's not like he's thrown 120-130 pitches. His workload has been under control.''

Bochy is keeping his rotation the same as the first two rounds of the postseason. Right-hander Jake Peavy will pitch Game 2 on Wednesday, followed by 39-year-old right-hander Tim Hudson in his World Series debut Thursday at AT&T Park and then righty Ryan Vogelsong.

Yusmeiro Petit, who has twice provided a huge lift as a long man, will stay in his role as Bochy stuck with Vogelsong in the rotation.

''Petit in the job he's done in that role that we've had him in, you go back to Washington and without Petit it's hard to say what would have happened,'' Bochy said. ''In St. Louis he went out there and gave us three big innings. He's a great swingman. Vogey, he threw a great game against Washington. He had a little bit of a hiccup but no, I didn't think about changing.''

Unused two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum will make the roster. Bochy didn't expect to make any changes from the 25 players used in the NLCS.

Lincecum pitched the Game 5 World Series clincher at Texas in 2010, then held a key role as a reliever in the 2012 championship run. Lincecum pitched his second no-hitter June 25 against San Diego but hasn't pitched since Sept. 28.

''I've been thinking about Timmy, trust me,'' Bochy said. ''Timmy's done a lot for us, and we know that.''

Lincecum was undergoing treatment for a a problem that developed overnight.

''Timmy's got a stiff neck right now but we talked about him throwing to hitters today,'' Bochy said. ''He'll be back tomorrow, but he's still on the roster. I don't think it's serious. ... I'm pretty sure at some point he'll be in the game.''

Bochy didn't announce a designated hitter, though Michael Morse is the obvious candidate. He has been unable to play left field and hasn't started since late August because of an oblique injury, but hit a tying pinch homer in the 6-3 Game 5 NLCS win.

''I haven't got the order set, DH,'' Bochy said. ''Right now we don't have any plans to change our roster. Now that doesn't mean we can't change our mind as we look at this further.''