Both KC and Clev in great current offensive form..
clev ops last 5 .840
kc ops last 5 .905
difference in current w/l has seen clev bullpen struggle
1.60 whip and 7.25 era last 5
with dh won't have 2 arms...riske/murray.
kc bullpen not the most consistent either...
key to your sweep i think could be kc starter S.Sedlacek
he has kept kc in every game he has started so far giving them
60% quality starts.
if he can give the royals same quality innings today could save the bullpen which will be probably what will make or break both games.
scouts say Wright has not looked to bad, jury still out.....
lines at -138 and -122 (58% and 55%) you would think kc stands a 60% chance of winning one of these suckers.
its crazy,royals on this huge win streak without their best player also..
Posted on Sat, Jul. 20, 2002
Sweeney likely to miss rest of series
By DICK KAEGEL
The Kansas City Star
First baseman Mike Sweeney expects to miss the Royals' last three games of the series against the Cleveland Indians.
Sweeney told The Star after Friday night's game that he'd been injected with a cortisone shot by team physician Steve Joyce in an effort to clear up his lower back strain.
"It takes a couple of days for it to have an effect," Sweeney said. "That means I'll probably be out until Tuesday."
The Royals have three games left with the Indians and an open date on Monday. They begin a trip in Detroit on Tuesday.
Sweeney already has missed the last seven games of the Royals' eight-game winning streak. He has been undergoing extensive treatment, even seeing a chiropractor. But the pain has lingered and he was getting impatient.
"I'm ecstatic for the team," he said before the game. "I'm ecstatic for the way Raul (Ibanez) is playing. But it's killing me.
"Do you have a noose or a shotgun? Or tell me where a high bridge is."
Sweeney said he's been spending four hours a day on a training table, getting ultrasound treatment from trainer Nick Swartz.
"I was in tears," Sweeney said. "I said, `Nick, what can I do?' He said, `Mike, just have patience.' "
Swartz said Sweeney has been improving gradually.
"X-rays and an MRI and everything show no disk problems," Swartz said. "He has a muscular strain that is slow resolving."
Sweeney hopes the cortisone shot will speed the process.
=========
other game notes:
Travis Fryman will be placed on the disabled list today after receiving a cortisone shot in his right shoulder Thursday. It was his second cortisone shot in four days.
"Sunday I had the shot in the back of the shoulder," said Fryman. "Thursday I tried to throw and still felt discomfort. I went for an MRI and this time they gave me the shot in the front of the shoulder so they could get deeper into the joint."
The Indians are expected to call up Earl Snyder from Class AAA Buffalo in time for today's doubleheader. Fryman will be eligible to come off the DL on July 31.
interesting post in tribe forum this morning:
quote:
624. Wright right, Nagy wrong
by BarnacleBill, 7/20/02 11:47 ET
There are others in the minors besides Nagy that deserve a chance to pitch today. But do you know why they are not pitching, the Tribe doesn't want MLB time counted to their record. By bringing up Nagy, you take him off insurance paying 80% of his salary. If Nagy gets bombed, you have to cut or make him retire. Wright make be showcased for a possible trade, but it appears he could be the real thing this time out. Hopefully, he is over his injuries. Trading a healthy Wright could lead to a team accepting Gutierez as part of the deal
thome has been questionable last while,
the Indians held first baseman Jim Thome out of the lineup friday because of a stiff lower back...for the dh today.....its bothering him for sure.
