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[StarDust Bum]

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.''

[StarDust Bum]

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.''

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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.''

[StarDust Bum]

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.''

[StarDust Bum]

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.''

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Denkinger's miss revisited with WS in KC

October 19, 2014


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Of course Don Denkinger plans to watch the World Series. He always does. He'll tune in to root for the umpires, check out familiar faces on the Giants and Royals, and see how Kansas City is looking these days.

Chances are he'll see himself, too.

''Nobody wants to have the call that I did in the World Series,'' Denkinger told The Associated Press this weekend from his winter home in Arizona. ''But I did. And now it's part of history.''

All these years later, Denkinger's miss at first base remains the signature moment from the last time the Series was in town, back in 1985. Not Bret Saberhagen throwing a clinching shutout or George Brett getting a bunch of hits.

Nope, Denkinger's call stands from Game 6 - and sticks with the umpire who was a part of several memorable moments during a distinguished 30-year career.

''I'm not tired of talking about it. I mean, it happened,'' he said. ''I just know that if the same thing happened now, they'd get it right on replay and it'd be over with.''

San Francisco and Kansas City open on Tuesday night, and it's a good guess a replay or two of his mistake will be shown sometime during the telecasts.

Denkinger didn't have the cushion of an instant-replay review on that October night when the St. Louis Cardinals took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning at Royals Stadium, just three outs away from the championship.

Pinch-hitter Jorge Orta led off with a slow bouncer to the right side. First baseman Jack Clark ranged wide to field the ball, and flipped a high throw to reliever Todd Worrell covering the bag.

Orta was still in the air on his final stride when the ball beat him by a half-step. Denkinger recounted he was standing too close to the play - by the time he saw Worrell catch the ball and looked down, Orta's foot was on the base. Denkinger ruled him safe.

''I wish I would've gotten it right,'' he said. ''But I didn't.''

The rest, as Denkinger said, is part of baseball lore.

The Cardinals argued to no avail, then made a couple of misplays that led to Kansas City scoring twice to win.

Denkinger was the plate umpire for Game 7 and the Royals romped 11-0, with pitcher Joaquin Andujar and manager Whitey Herzog getting ejected while fuming over the previous day's events.

Denkinger received threatening notes in the offseason, and the FBI investigated. The next spring, he was back to umpiring and, to this day, is reminded of what went wrong.

''I'm guessing that if it had been Cardinals-Royals this year, I'd be getting a lot of calls,'' he said.

In all, he worked the World Series four times. He was the plate umpire for the famed Game 7 duel in 1991 when Jack Morris pitched all 10 innings to lead Minnesota over Atlanta 1-0. Denkinger also had the plate for the Bucky Dent home run playoff game in 1978 between the Yankees and Red Sox.

Denkinger retired after 1998, and now splits the year between his native Iowa and Arizona. He's been married more than 50 years, and was in the hospital this week with wife Gayle when she needed a stent.

In recent seasons, Denkinger had spoken out that replay technology would benefit Major League Baseball.

Along with getting more calls right, replay has helped umpires avoid the stigma of being ''Denkingered,'' as some of them have said. Meaning nowadays, a wrong call gets corrected by an umpire in the replay booth, and the games go on without attaching an umpire's name to the miss.

''I think replay has worked great,'' he said. ''I could've used it back then.''

[StarDust Bum]

KC dependent on 3-headed bullpen

October 19, 2014


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Buck Showalter knew he was in trouble when the seventh inning rolled around and his Orioles were trailing the Kansas City Royals in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series.

Three innings later, Baltimore's season was over.

In each game of the series, the three-headed monster of Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and All-Star closer Greg Holland had slammed the door on the Orioles. They did it again in the clincher, a 2-1 victory that propelled Kansas City into the World Series after a 29-year absence.

Game 1 is Tuesday night against the San Francisco Giants.

''That's one of the biggest reasons they're playing here,'' Showalter said of the ''Big Three.''

The Royals had one of the stingiest bullpens in baseball this season, but the back end was especially dominant. Herrera, who usually handles the seventh inning, had a 1.41 ERA in 70 games. Davis, the eighth-inning guy, had a 1.00 ERA in 71 appearances. And Holland had a 1.44 ERA while saving 46 games, one shy of his franchise record set just last season.

They were at their best in sending the Royals to the World Series, too.

Herrera pitched 5 2-3 scoreless innings against Baltimore, allowing just two hits. Davis went five scoreless innings, also giving up two hits. Holland was the only one to give up a run, but he still managed to save all four games, joining Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley as the only pitchers to accomplish the feat since the ALCS went to a best-of-seven format.

''At the end of the game,'' Royals starter Jason Vargas said, ''we like our chances.''

All three relievers have four-seam fastballs that approach 100 mph, and all three have a devastating secondary pitch. Herrera has a lightning-quick two-seamer, Davis's new cutter has been dynamic, and the vicious slider that Holland can unleash leaves hitters waving at air.

But that's where the similarities end. The three of them took very different paths to reach this point, key cogs in a perfectly tuned strikeout machine.

Herrera exploded onto the scene two years ago, a fireballer who never seemed to quite know where his fire balls were headed. What little command he had finally failed him last season, and he was banished to the minor leagues, where he was able to rein everything in.

Since returning to the Royals, the 24-year-old right-hander from the Dominican Republic has been solid. At one point this season, he had a streak of 30 consecutive scoreless appearances.

''He's meant so much to this team over the last few years,'' Holland said. ''He's tough.''

Just about as tough is Davis, who at one point was considered an after-thought in the trade that brought staff ace James Shields over from Tampa Bay in December 2012.

The Royals tried to use him as a starter, but for some reason he couldn't get on track. So almost out of desperation, they sent him back to the bullpen, where he'd had success in Tampa Bay. Everything suddenly clicked. By the time the Royals were climbing into contention last season, Davis had become a lock-down eighth-inning reliever.

His electric stuff had the Royals thinking about starting him again. But a season-ending injury to Luke Hochevar in spring training scuttled that plan, and Davis was turned loose in the bullpen. He began mowing down hitters at a record-setting rate.

Davis didn't allow a run from April 23-June 25, a streak of 20 appearances and 22 1-3 innings. It took 43 appearances, 45 1-3 innings and 179 batters before he allowed an extra-base hit. When Holland sustained a minor injury late in the season, Davis closed out three games.

''He's a guy that just comes in and goes right after you with his stuff,'' Royals manager Ned Yost said. ''He's a guy that's a tremendous competitor.''

In that respect, he's a bit like Holland, who has come out of nowhere to become one of the game's top closers. He was drafted by the Royals in the 10th round out of Western Carolina, and was in the big leagues three years later. But after scuffling during that first-call up, Holland proved he belonged in his first full season, eventually taking over the ninth inning.

He never gave it up, compiling a 1.86 ERA in 246 games over the last four seasons.

No wonder Showalter and every other opposing manager have learned the best chance of beating the Royals is to beat their starters. If they have the lead by the seventh inning, the chances of mounting a comeback against their ''Big Three'' aren't very good.

''Just get us through six in the ballgame and we can turn it over to the bullpen guys,'' Yost said. ''We've got a lot of confidence in everybody we've got down there. Our offense has a lot of confidence in everybody we've got down there, too, because they know, hey, look, let's keep it close, let's get it to the bullpen, and if we can take a lead and get it to the bullpen, odds are we're going to be celebrating a victory at the end of the day.''

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Lincecum waits his turn, still yet to pitch

October 19, 2014


SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Tim Lincecum walked silently through the bustling clubhouse before Saturday's workout and stuck his left arm straight out as he passed Jean Machi's locker, offering a friendly fist bump to the reliever.

No words necessary.

Lincecum, so far an unused reliever this postseason, is doing everything he can to stay involved in the San Francisco Giants' latest World Series run after he was such an important part of the previous two.

Ask anybody, and it's a little bit freaky not seeing The Freak on that familiar October stage. A two-time NL Cy Young Award winner relegated to the back of the bullpen.

Lincecum hasn't pitched since Sept. 28, though he has thrown warmup tosses and kept his routine to ensure he's ready for his next chance - and manager Bruce Bochy hinted he very much expects to use the right-hander against the Royals.

''I'm just trying to keep that flow in my emotional state, as well,'' Lincecum said. ''Just kind of stay positive and just take every day for what it is. Every day in the playoffs is pretty special.''

Even if he's left watching and waiting for his turn.

Lincecum pitched the 2010 Game 5 World Series clincher at Texas. In 2012, he moved to the bullpen for the playoffs and emerged as a reliable reliever when San Francisco won another title.

After landing a new $35 million, two-year deal last October, Lincecum tossed his second no-hitter in less than a year June 25 against San Diego. He went 12-9 with a 4.74 ERA in 26 starts, ending a run of three straight years with a losing record.

His teammates understand this can't be easy for the guy once nicknamed ''Franchise.''

''I do everything I can do to encourage him on a daily basis because at some point in time (his) number could be called and it's going to be in a big spot. It's the World Series now,'' said Jake Peavy, the Game 2 World Series starter. ''We believe in Timmy Lincecum. He's done amazing things, he's as big-time as anybody and has had tremendous playoff starts as a starter, tremendous playoff experience out of the bullpen.''

The Giants' 10th overall draft pick in 2006 and was in the big leagues by the following May, Lincecum lost his rotation spot in late August and was replaced by Yusmeiro Petit. Lincecum won his last two outings pitching out of the bullpen, including his 100th career victory Sept. 25 against the Padres.

Even Bochy considers Lincecum, knowing how much he wants to contribute - and how much Bochy wants him to get that opportunity, when the moment is right.

In the NL Division Series and NLCS, Lincecum was the only player on the 25-man roster not used.

''He's just an unbelievable teammate, he's so selfless that it inspires each and every one of us,'' right fielder Hunter Pence said. ''He's also a big-game pitcher. He has that flair for the spectacular. You've seen it with two no-hitters where he lifts us up through some of our tough times and you've seen it in the postseason. ''

Lincecum didn't even enter the 18-inning Game 2 division series win at Washington. Bochy said he would have used him but plans changed once the Giants took the lead.

''Timmy's done a lot for us, I'll start with that,'' Bochy said. ''When you get in the postseason, there is probably going to be a guy, maybe two who doesn't get a lot of work, but that doesn't mean he might not play a key role. ... I think about Timmy, trust me, the fact he hasn't been in there because I haven't forgotten what he's done or what he could do for us. So far it's worked out well. But still, I'd like to get him to be part of it.''

Lincecum is still among the fan favorites, and that was evident when a long line of people waiting to see him weaved around a corner and down the hallway for FanFest at AT&T Park last Feb. 1.

When the 2013 season ended, Linecum wasn't sure he would even be back in orange and black. Instead of testing free agency, he stuck with the only team he has known and the comfort of remaining in a place he belongs and knows so well.

''I feel great,'' Lincecum said. ''It's just about staying that way. ... I don't think there's any way to kind of lose it at this time of the year. Everybody's kind of, whatever's left in the tank you're going to pour it on that field whenever you get a chance. I just try to be myself, keep a light mood. Along with that grind, we celebrate our small accomplishments.''

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World Series Cheat Sheet

October 18, 2014

Game 1: San Francisco at Kansas City, Tuesday October 21

Game 2: San Francisco at Kansas City, Wednesday October 22

Game 3: Kansas City at San Francisco, Friday October 24

Game 4: Kansas City at San Francisco, Saturday October 25

*Game 5: Kansas City at San Francisco, Sunday October 26

*Game 6: San Francisco at Kansas City, Tuesday October 28

*Game 7: San Francisco at Kansas City, Wednesday October 29

*- If necessary --- All games televised on FOX

Overall records:

San Francisco: 96-76 overall, 49-37 home, 47-39 away

Kansas City: 97-73 overall, 46-39 home, 51-34 away

Playoff records:

San Francisco: 8-2 overall, 4-1 home, 4-1 away

Kansas City: 8-0 overall, 4-0 home, 4-0 away

How they got here:
The Giants continued their streak of advancing to the World Series in even years in this decade. San Francisco hoisted the World Series trophy in 2010 and 2012, losing just once in those two series against Texas and Detroit, respectively. Madison Bumgarner tossed a gem in the Wild Card victory at Pittsburgh, 8-0 to advance to the NLDS against Washington.

After stealing a pair of one-run wins in Washington, the Giants finished off Nationals in four games of the NLDS, as all four contests finished ‘under’ the total. In fact, San Francisco scored just nine runs in the entire series, but Bruce Bochy’s team extended its playoff winning streak to 10 before losing in Game 3 to Washington.

The Giants eliminated the Cardinals in the NLCS for the second time in three seasons, but San Francisco didn’t need to overcome a 3-1 deficit like it did in 2012. Bumgarner blanked the Cardinals as a road underdog in Game 1 at St. Louis, but the Redbirds used a walk-off homer in Game 2 to even the series at 1-1 heading back to San Francisco.

Back at AT&T Park, the Giants took all three home games from the Cardinals, including a dramatic three-run walk-off homer from Travis Ishikawa in Game 5 to stun St. Louis, 6-3. San Francisco owns an incredible 15-2 record in its past 17 playoff games, while winning 10 of its previous 13 postseason games on the highway.

The Royals were six outs away from elimination in the Wild Card game against the Athletics, as Kansas City trailed, 7-3. The rally began in the eighth inning with three runs, then the Royals tied things up in the ninth inning with a sacrifice fly. After several failed attempts to bring in the winning run from third base in extra innings, the Royals scored two runs in the 12th inning to stun the A’s, 9-8 and move to the ALDS.

The task wasn’t easy against the Angels, who owned the best record in baseball. However, Kansas City used the momentum from the Wild Card win to knock off Los Angeles twice on the road in extra innings as heavy underdogs. The Royals returned home and finished off the Angels in a three-game sweep, to improve to 10-2 since beating the Tigers in late September.

Detroit won the AL Central but was quickly knocked out by Baltimore in the ALDS, as the Royals had no fear against the AL East champions. Kansas City swept Baltimore in the ALCS, capped off by a pair of 2-1 victories at Kauffman Stadium to win the franchise’s first pennant since 1985. The Royals set a Major League Baseball record by winning their eighth straight game to begin the postseason.

Previous matchup:
The Royals swept the Giants in a three-game set at Kauffman Stadium in August, as no one would have ever expected these teams to meet in the Fall Classic. In the series opener, the Royals jumped on Bumgarner for two early runs before the Giants would even things up at 2-2. Kansas City plated two runs in the sixth inning to hold off San Francisco, 4-2 as -110 home favorites.

James Shields shut out the Giants in Game 2 by a 5-0 count, tossing a complete-game four-hitter. Tim Hudson allowed six hits and three earned runs for the Giants, as the Royals broke the game open with four runs in the seventh inning to cash as -145 home favorites.

Kansas City brought out the brooms in the series finale, 7-4, as the Royals jumped out to a 7-1 lead before the Giants plated three runs in the seventh inning. The Royals took home the money as -155 favorites thanks to 6.2 solid innings from southpaw Danny Duffy. Kansas City’s offense was lifted by Salvador Perez and Alex Gordon, who each drove in a pair of runs, as the Royals chased Tim Lincecum in the fourth inning with six runs on seven hits.

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MLB
Dunkel

San Francisco at Kansas City
The Royals host Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday night and come into the contest with a 5-0 record in the last 5 games versus the Giants at home. Kansas City is the pick (-105) according to Dunkel, which has the Royals favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (-105). Here are all of today's MLB picks.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21

Game 901-902: San Francisco at Kansas City (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Bumgarner) 12.289; Kansas City (Shields) 13.872
Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: San Francisco (-115); 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (-105); Under




MLB
Long Sheet

Tuesday, October 21

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SAN FRANCISCO (96 - 76) at KANSAS CITY (97 - 73) - 8:05 PM
MADISON BUMGARNER (L) vs. JAMES SHIELDS (R)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS CITY is 3-0 (+3.0 Units) against SAN FRANCISCO this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.8 Units)

MADISON BUMGARNER vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
BUMGARNER is 0-1 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 3.38 and a WHIP of 0.875.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

JAMES SHIELDS vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
SHIELDS is 1-0 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 0.556.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)


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MLB

Tuesday, October 21

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Trend Report
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8:07 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. KANSAS CITY
San Francisco is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Kansas City
San Francisco is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Kansas City
Kansas City is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Kansas City's last 6 games at home


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MLB

Tuesday, October 21


Hudson: "I've been waiting for this for 16 years"

Tim Hudson is 39-years old, he is the active leader in wins (214) and he has never made it past the Division series until now.

"That's why I came to San Francisco, just for this moment," Hudson said during the Party that was the Giants locker room Thursday. "I've been waiting for this for 16 years."

Hudson has a 3.29 ERA during this postseason and San Fran has won both games he started.


Report: World Series to feature new umpires

The World Series umpire crew is going to feature four first time officials to the Fall Classic. Hunter Wendelstedt, Eric Cooper, Jim Reynolds and Jerry Meals will all call their first World Series according to ESPN.

Here is the list of all the reported crew members and their season numbers:

(Crew Chief) Jeff Kellogg: Home Team Record 13-15, Over/Under 13-15, Strike % 64.29
Ted Barrett: HT 17-15, O/U 13-16, K% - 63.38
Jeff Nelson: HT 19-13, O/U 11-19, K% 63.68
Hunter Wendelstedt: HT 16-14, O/U 11-15, K% 64.39
Eric Cooper: HT 15-16, O/U 14-14, K% 64.40
Jim Reynolds: HT 14-15, O/U 9-20, K% 64.35
Jerry Meals: HT 15-15, O/U 20-9, K% 63.97

Overall: HT 109-102, O/U 91-107, K% 64.02


Giants dominating World Series in recent years

The San Francisco Giants booked their third trip to the World Series in five seasons on a walk-off home run. Now that they've gotten to the Fall Classic, the Giants can look at their recent dominance for reassurance.

In San Fran's last two trips to the World Series ('10, '12) they have gone 8-1. Over those two series' the Giants have a run differential of +27 while averaging nearly six runs per game.

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Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

10/16/14 2-*0-*0 100.00% +*1000 Detail

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 31-*17-*0 64.58 % 7460


Rated Plays Only Record:


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

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

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

5 - 2 .......... + 11.52 .......Grand Slam

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SF radio stations ban hit song 'Royals'

October 20, 2014


SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The popular song ''Royals'' by New Zealand artist Lorde is getting caught up in the fervor over the upcoming World Series between the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals.

Two San Francisco radio stations say they won't play the song during the duration of the World Series. A Kansas City, Missouri, station responded with plans to play the Grammy-winning track every hour from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, the first day of the series.

''A few angry San Franciscans who don't have a song called `Giants' won't rain on our parade,'' Tony Lorino, program director of KZPT in Kansas City, said in a statement on the station's website.

San Francisco stations KFOG and KOIT announced the bans last week as the Giants clinched the pennant and headed to the series. KOIT program director Brian Figula said in a statement that listeners called for the ban. KOIT is a sister station of KZPT in Kansas City.

Jim Richards, KFOG's program director, said the station didn't want to play a song that repeatedly says ''Royals'' while rooting for the hometown team.

''We're all about the Giants here,'' he said, adding that the ban was completely tongue-in-cheek.

Lorde has told VH1 that a photo of Kansas City Royals Hall of Famer George Brett signing autographs helped inspire her song when she saw the word ''Royals'' on his uniform.

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Yearwood, Santana to perform at WS

October 20, 2014


NEW YORK (AP) - Trisha Yearwood and Carlos Santana are among the musicians set to perform the national anthem during the World Series.

Major League Baseball says Yearwood will sing ''The Star-Spangled Banner'' before Game 1 on Tuesday when the San Francisco Giants play the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.

Santana will perform an instrumental rendition of the national anthem with his son before Game 4 on Saturday at the AT&T Park in San Francisco.

Country quartet Little Big Town will sing before Game 2 on Wednesday. Former ''American Idol'' winner Phillip Phillips will sing before Game 3 on Friday.

The games will air on Fox at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

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Giants rely on core of 4 relievers

October 20, 2014


SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The San Francisco Giants have their own version of the Core Four that has fueled their recent October dominance.

While players with catchy nicknames like the Panda, the Freak and MadBum, and shiny trophies like former NL Rookie of the Year and MVP Buster Posey get most of the accolades, a quartet of relievers has played almost as big a role in putting the Giants in position to win a third World Series title in five years.

Santiago Casilla, Jeremy Affeldt, Javier Lopez and Sergio Romo are among the seven players who have played in all three postseason runs for San Francisco since 2010, providing stability to a role that can be so hard for some teams to fill come October.

''One thing that we have that's kind of nice is we have that continuity,'' Lopez said. ''We've been around each other for, this is now our fifth year together for most of us especially in that back end of the pen. That part's kind of nice. We know what we can do, and we complement each other.''

With a win in the World Series starting Tuesday night in Kansas City, the Giants will join the New York Yankees teams led by Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams and Jorge Posada as the only teams in the past 40 years to win it all at least three times in five seasons.

Like those great Yankees teams that won four titles from 1996-2000, the Giants have relied on stellar relief pitching.

''It's nice to have these four guys with their experience and calmness they bring to the bullpen,'' Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.

Lopez has had a steady role as a left-handed specialist whose submarine delivery is lethal against lefties, and Affeldt is another tough lefty who can pitch longer because he is almost as effective against right-handed hitters.

Casilla and Romo have had their roles change over the years as the Giants are looking to win their third title with a third closer.

Brian Wilson handled the job in 2010 with Romo and Casilla serving as setup men. That changed in 2012 when Casilla stepped into the closer role after Wilson got hurt early in the season.

Casilla didn't last in the role as Romo proved more effective and ended up closing out the World Series by striking out Miguel Cabrera.

Casilla and Romo flopped roles again this year after Romo blew three saves in June.

''We had a lot of success when he was the closer here, and it's not easy sometimes,'' Bochy said. ''But he never said anything, never complained. For a manager, you appreciate that. He wanted to do everything he could to help the team. That's the only way this works.''

The four have combined for a 6-1 record with eight saves and a 1.31 ERA over 87 postseason appearances since 2010. Affeldt has gone 18 straight appearances without a run, Casilla 17 and Lopez 15.

With 68 2-3 innings, they have accounted for nearly one-fifth of San Francisco's postseason innings since 2010, and more than the more heralded starters.

''Every time I've been in the playoffs, it seems like bullpens are used to their maximum,'' Affeldt said. ''`Guys have come in in different situations and thrown strikes and come in for guys when maybe we have to come in mid-inning, guys on base, stuff like that. We've done a pretty good job.''

The four have gotten help this postseason from journeyman Yusmeiro Petit, whose nine shutout innings of two-hit relief were big reasons for San Francisco's wins in Game 2 of the division series against Washington and Game 4 of the NLCS against St. Louis.

Petit has been let go four times in his career, including briefly last season by the Giants, making him a perfect fit in a bullpen of mostly castoffs.

Of the seven relievers who have pitched this postseason, only Affeldt hasn't been released, waived or designated for assignment in his career. Casilla was signed to a minor league deal before the 2010 season after being let go by Oakland. Lopez was designated for assignment four times in his career before being acquired in a deadline deal with Pittsburgh in 2010.

Romo is a former 28th round pick who was designated for assignment by San Francisco in 2008 before earning a regular role in the majors.

Now they are all proven major leaguers and postseason stars that the Giants would never think of letting go.

''They thrive on being out there in a tight game, in a late situation,'' Bochy said. ''They certainly help me make my decisions a lot easier.''

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Rest or rust? Royals, Giants set for WS

October 20, 2014


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Buster Posey and the San Francisco Giants zipped through the playoffs, Lorenzo Cain and the Kansas City Royals zoomed along.

And then, they all got some time off. Almost an eternity, by October standards.

When the World Series begins Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium, both teams will deal with a familiar issue this deep in the postseason: Does an extended layoff translate into rest or rust?

The Royals went 8-0 in the playoffs, giving them five off days before James Shields starts in Game 1. The Giants went 8-2 and had four days to relax before Madison Bumgarner pitches the opener.

The clubs held workouts, studied video and checked out scouting reports. But as several teams that stumbled in the World Series after long breaks discovered, nothing can duplicate playing a real game.