Post by Zig on Sept 30, 2014 6:32:59 GMT -5
A's Lester, Royals' Shields in AL wild-card focus
By DAVE SKRETTA (AP Sports Writer)
15 hours ago
AP - Sports
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The Kansas City Royals made one of the boldest trades in franchise history two years ago. The Oakland Athletics made a similarly aggressive move just a couple of months ago.
The results of both will be in the starting spotlight Tuesday night.
For the Royals, it's ''Big Game James'' - James Shields, the centerpiece of a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays that finally pushed the long-downtrodden franchise into the postseason for the first time in 29 years. For the A's, it's Jon Lester - the postseason star of the Red Sox last season who was acquired by Oakland at the trading deadline just for this moment.
The one-game AL wild-card playoff. The winner advances to face the Los Angeles Angels in the best-of-five division series Thursday. The loser trudges away into the offseason.
''I've only been here for two years,'' Shields said Monday, ''but when I got traded over here, I knew the magnitude of what this organization was headed for. And when I got here, walking around the city and talking to the fans and really relishing the 29 years, it's a special moment.''
The teams share plenty of similarities: pop-gun offenses backed by strong starting pitching and two of the dominant bullpens in baseball.
They also share a significant difference: Oakland has plenty of postseason experience, making it three straight years, while Kansas City has languished near the cellar for decades.
That's the biggest reason why Royals general manager Dayton Moore got Shields and shut-down reliever Wade Davis prior to last season, trading soon-to-be AL Rookie of the Year Wil Myers and pitching prospect Jake Odorizzi to Tampa Bay.
Moore wanted a legitimate ace for the starting rotation, a pitcher who had tasted postseason success, and who could mold a young but rapidly learning Kansas City clubhouse what it takes to win on the game's biggest stage.
Shields has delivered. He's pitching to a 2.31 ERA this September, and the Royals have won four of his starts in some high-pressure games.
''If you sit back and look at it, it means everything. It was the trade that got us over the hump,'' Royals manager Ned Yost said. ''Would we be in this situation without James Shields and Wade Davis? No. In my mind, the trade did exactly what we hoped it would do.''
read more at: sports.yahoo.com/news/lester-royals-shields-al-wild-card-focus-195120508--mlb.html
By DAVE SKRETTA (AP Sports Writer)
15 hours ago
AP - Sports
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The Kansas City Royals made one of the boldest trades in franchise history two years ago. The Oakland Athletics made a similarly aggressive move just a couple of months ago.
The results of both will be in the starting spotlight Tuesday night.
For the Royals, it's ''Big Game James'' - James Shields, the centerpiece of a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays that finally pushed the long-downtrodden franchise into the postseason for the first time in 29 years. For the A's, it's Jon Lester - the postseason star of the Red Sox last season who was acquired by Oakland at the trading deadline just for this moment.
The one-game AL wild-card playoff. The winner advances to face the Los Angeles Angels in the best-of-five division series Thursday. The loser trudges away into the offseason.
''I've only been here for two years,'' Shields said Monday, ''but when I got traded over here, I knew the magnitude of what this organization was headed for. And when I got here, walking around the city and talking to the fans and really relishing the 29 years, it's a special moment.''
The teams share plenty of similarities: pop-gun offenses backed by strong starting pitching and two of the dominant bullpens in baseball.
They also share a significant difference: Oakland has plenty of postseason experience, making it three straight years, while Kansas City has languished near the cellar for decades.
That's the biggest reason why Royals general manager Dayton Moore got Shields and shut-down reliever Wade Davis prior to last season, trading soon-to-be AL Rookie of the Year Wil Myers and pitching prospect Jake Odorizzi to Tampa Bay.
Moore wanted a legitimate ace for the starting rotation, a pitcher who had tasted postseason success, and who could mold a young but rapidly learning Kansas City clubhouse what it takes to win on the game's biggest stage.
Shields has delivered. He's pitching to a 2.31 ERA this September, and the Royals have won four of his starts in some high-pressure games.
''If you sit back and look at it, it means everything. It was the trade that got us over the hump,'' Royals manager Ned Yost said. ''Would we be in this situation without James Shields and Wade Davis? No. In my mind, the trade did exactly what we hoped it would do.''
read more at: sports.yahoo.com/news/lester-royals-shields-al-wild-card-focus-195120508--mlb.html
