Games » Milwaukee Brewers
Jun14What just happened?
Lee Judge
The Kansas City Star
So what the heck happened in the bottom of the ninth? Even Ned Yost couldn’t figure it out. The Royals manager had been ejected in the 4th inning and as he put it, didn’t have the best view. Ned was watching the game on TV in the club house with Jeff Francoeur who had been ejected in the second inning. (I’ll bet Frenchy was glad to have some company after a couple innings of solitude.)
Anyway, when Mitch Maier scored the first run, Jeff celebrated by pushing Ned. Ned then did what any normal human being would do, he pushed Frenchy back. When they got done pushing each other, Jarrod Dyson had scored and the game was over and neither Ned nor Frenchy knew how.
Let’s see if we can piece it together: the Royals down 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth inning and Mitch Maier leads off with a strikeout — but strike three gets away from the catcher and Maier hustles to first. Mike Moustakas follows that with a shot to the first baseman, Cody Ransom, who gets a little too quick on turning a double play, bobbles the ball and has to settle for an out at first base. Tying run on second, one down.
Alcides Escobar — Wednesday night’s hero — strikes out: tying run on second, two down. Jarrod Dyson then walks: tying run on second, winning run on first, two down. Brayan Pena then pinch hits for Humberto Quintero. Right handers average .217 against Milwaukee’s closer, John Axford, lefties .260, so temporary manager Chino Cadahia wants the switch-hitting Pena to face Axford from the left side.
Axford starts Brayan with a curve and misses. He then gets Brayan to chase a fastball up in the zone. Instead of climbing the ladder to see how high Brayan will chase, the next pitch is supposed to be low. Axford splits the difference and gives Brayan a hittable fastball out over the plate.
The ball is driven down the left field line. Brewers left fielder, Norichika Aoki moves laterally to field the ball (which means a weak throw) and Mitch Maier scores easily, Jarrod Dyson goes first to third. Then things get interesting:
(OK, a lot of this comes from Brayan because there were too many things happening to keep track of all of them.) Aoki is fielding the ball down the left field line and Brewers shortstop Edwin Maysonet is also headed for a spot on the line between Aoki and third to act as a relay man. The third baseman, Aramis Ramirez, covers third and the first baseman, Cody Ransom, is headed for the line between third and home to act as the cutoff man.
When Ransom vacates first base, that means Brayan can take a big turn and head for second. All the attention is on Dyson at third and Pena might be able to cruise in with a double. If the Brewers throw to second base Pena will then retreat to first since nobody’s covering the bag (unless the right fielder sneaks in). So Brayan takes his turn, the ball is thrown from Aoki to Maysonet, Maysonet sees Brayan between the bases and throw to Rickie Weeks covering second.
Bad idea.
Pena’s run means nothing. Do the Brewers really want to conduct a rundown with a guy faster than bad news on third base? Jarrod Dyson takes off for home and beats the throw. Game over and two ejected Royals are standing in the clubhouse saying, what just happened?
Game notes
Despite the fact that Jeff Francoeur greeted the media with outstretched arms, a smile and the announcement that he was a “sparkplug,” Ned Yost said he thought there was no advantage to having a manager thrown out of a game. It doesn’t really light a fire under major league players (that only happens in movies) and it means the manager isn’t around to make important decisions in a close game.
One of those important decisions came in the 8th inning. Luke Hochevar — who had given up two runs in seven innings — came out to face the eight and nine hitters in the top of the eighth. Two lefties were at the top of the order — Aoki and Nyjer Morgan — so Jose Mijares was warming up in the pen.
Carlos Gomez singled — kind of, replays show he was out — and Maysonet bunted him to second. Mijares replaced Hochevar and got Aoki to hit a weak ground ball back to the mound. The Brewers pinch hit right hander, Cody Ransom.
OK, let’s run through some numbers here: Ransom hits .273 against lefties and .135 versus righties. So why not bring a righty — Herrera was up in the pen — to face Ransom? If the Royals bring in Herrera, the Brewers can counter — maybe, I’m not sure what it would do to their defense — with the one lefthander they have left on the bench, Taylor Green. Green hits .224 against righties. But Mijares, faces Ransom. Righties hit .273 against Jose, lefties hit .216. So should Herrera been in to face Ransom or Green?
First of all, I’m leaving out some factors: specific matchup numbers and how people are actually performing at the moment, just for starters. After the game, Ned said they didn’t want to ask too much of Herrera — he’d pitched two innings the night before — and were satisfied with the Mijares/Ransom matchup.
The significant thing about this was Ned using the word “we.” He could’ve thrown Chino Cadahia under the bus for a matchup that didn’t work out, but didn’t. It’s a point worth noting.
A routine outing
“You always look so calm out there, are you?” Jonathan Broxton smiled and began telling me what it’s like to be a major-league closer. No matter how he feels, it’s important to at least appear calm. Brox is from the “never let them see you sweat” school of baseball. He believes that a player who shows emotion — anger or frustration — is at a disadvantage. Emotion may be the key to victory in the baseball movies, but it’s a hindrance in real baseball.
Keeping an even keel allows Broxton to put his full attention on execution. That slow pace is part of his plan. He doesn’t want part of his mind wondering if he should be throwing a fastball, he wants all of his mind thinking about throwing a good fastball.
Brox believes routine is important; it’s how he gets in the right frame of mind to close games. He goes to the bullpen and watches the first three outs with the other pitchers, then returns to the clubhouse. He returns the pen in the 5th inning, relaxes for a while and then begins the process that will have him ready to throw in the 9th inning. Same routine every night: go to the bathroom at the same time, begin to stretch at the same time and do it every night — even if a save situation does not seem likely. He never knows when a 9-run lead will disappear and he doesn’t want to be caught flat-footed.
Jonathan Broxton was dressing while we talked and I was thinking he probably does this the same way every night as well. He stood up, said it was time to go and walked out of the clubhouse: the first step in the routine that may end six hours later with a very large, very calm looking man on the mound.
Hochevar
Hosmer
Pena
Jim Brown
11 months, 1 week agoGreat game, great series. One thing I noticed during the celebration was that Sanchez was out there pounding on Pena while jumping up and down like a kid. I’ve read and heard a lot about how he just doesn’t look like he wants to be here. Well he sure wanted to be right in the middle of things last night.
Andy Heer
11 months, 1 week agoLee don’t some managers relay instructions to the coaches after they have been ejected…seems like I’ve seen Pinella or Billy Martin sitting in the hallway.
What is the rule for a batter touching a live ball in play…do you have to have your feet our of the box to be called out or do you cross the plane of the batters box?
Lee Judge
11 months, 1 week agoJim: The media is prone to reading tea leaves. I don’t know Jonathan well enough to tell you how he feels about being here, but I can tell you these guys get misrepresented all the time.
And you’re right: best series of the year so far. Obviously, the Royals winning makes it better, but they were three close games featuring good pitching and defense and some timely hitting on the Royals part.
Lee Judge
11 months, 1 week agoHeaded to St. Louis this morning. It’s an easy road series to cover and it’s fun to see baseball in a different setting.
I’ll finish up some things here this morning and check the site again this afternoon from Busch Stadium.
Lee Judge
11 months, 1 week agoAndy: I’m not positive about the rules—someone else might help us out—but I don’t think the manager is supposed to communicate with the dugout after an ejection.
As you point out, I also think that rule gets violated.
Ned couldn’t be overly specific about what was going on last night, but it wouldn’t be crazy to wonder if he had some input into what was happening.
It also wouldn’t be crazy to wonder if his input was being delayed by the need to have someone go back and forth from the clubhouse to the dugout.
That might explain the delay in getting Herrera up and in the game, but this is all speculation on my part.
He and Frenchy may have been too busy shoving each other for Ned to get involved. (That story cracks me up—two grown men in time out acting like kids when the game was tied up. Part of what I love about baseball.)
Tom Roesler
11 months, 1 week agoSo, I know I sound like a broken record, but I like to look for things happening outside the lines just as much as inside them to see what direction a team/franchise is headed. Body language, smiles, signs of “teamhood”…all of that stuff. I’ve got to say, seeing Alex come out and dump the Gatorade on Bryan (and Joel and Dyson) was a GREAT thing to see.
Chemistry is important and last year it seemed this team was really having fun (led by Frenchy). This year, it’s felt like more of a grind for much of it. Even the wins have felt like a grind. But, last night felt fun again.
To me it started shortly after Ned became the manager. Players started running out grounders, clapping their hands when little things happened, pointing to the dug out after doubles, etc. Little signs that don’t show up on the scoreboard, but that matter.
Last year we were getting dog piles after walk-off wins, pies in the face and stories of post-game chats around Frenchy & Jason Kendall’s locker.
In general, we were getting the sense that this team liked each other, pulled for each other, sacrificed for each other and had a lot of fun doing it. And, that’s a solid foundation to start with because when the talent starts to mature (which it’s still in the process of doing), a bonded team can become really dangerous.
Anyway, as I’ve watched this team all season, it has certainly felt that they still had that youthful resilience and that they were playing as a team, working hard, sacrificing, clapping, etc. But, every game felt hard. It just kept feeling like we needed some sort of break through. Well, last night felt like the dam finally broke. Wednesday night was great, but two nights in a row really did it.
Time will tell if it truly has an impact, but it just felt like they had a refrigerator taken off their backs. Seeing Alex come back out of the locker room to have some fun was just what I was hoping to see. Great home stand guys! Now, let’s go get some in St. Louis!!
Lee Judge
11 months, 1 week agoTom: One last post before I hit I-70. A lot of truth in what you say: the clubhouse atmosphere turned last season. Much different in 2011 than 2010.
As you say, this season has been a grind. A 12-game losing streak will do that to you.
But Ned said Esky could become a good hitter if he stuck with him (he was right) and he now says that losing streak will make this a better team.
As long as you learn from adversity, it’s not all bad.
Joel Kallem
11 months, 1 week agoNice read by Pena on his hit. His awareness of how far he could go (it was more than a big turn - one shot showed him 2/3 of the way to second) directly influenced the outcome of the game. Just another one of those subtle things that make baseball so interesting. It also illustrates why watching the game on TV can be frustrating because of its focus on the ball. You miss so much else of what is happening that can influence which way the game goes.
Go Royals. Hope this is just a sample of what we will see in the second half.
Jeff Frost
11 months, 1 week agoGo Royals! Let’s get a streak going and own I-70, and Missouri!
Thayne Griffin
11 months, 1 week agoHelluva read by Dyson. Game changing speed _ I don’t know how many players would have made that if they attempted it (helped by Weeks’ bad throw, but that’s beside the point), great way to finish the homestand.
Also, that umpiring crew had a badddddd night. Frenchy’s pitch was INCHES off the plate it looked according to Foxtrax, Morgan should have been out when his bunt hit him (but we followed with a DP so that was good), Gomez was out, and both HBPs may not have been HBPs, not to mention the strikezone was awful…especially when the ball was up (I think that was part of why there were so many high swing and misses).
Joel Kallem
11 months, 1 week agoThayne, I agree with you about the umpiring crew, but I think they got the bunt call right. The batter needs to be out of the box entirely to be called out by being struck by a batted ball, and Morgan clearly had a foot in the batter’s box in the slo-mo replay which makes it just a foul ball.
Jared Dull
11 months, 1 week agoIt’s encouraging that Sanchez was celebrating. Hopefully he’s one of those guys that is completely different in the clubhouse than he appears to the fans and media…. As long as he’s good in the clubhouse, I have no problem with the guy.
But what’s the protocol on injured players celebrating?
I’m pretty sure I saw Paulino and his groin in the middle of the pile jumping for joy!
Thayne Griffin
11 months, 1 week agoJoel, my interpretation is that it is played like a foul ball…if you’re body is in fair territory and touches it, you’re out, regardless of if some of you is not yet in play, but I could be wrong and we turned the DP right after that which was sweet!
Joe Reubens
11 months, 1 week agoVery exciting series and good to see the boys in blue not giving up and fighting to the end. Also good to see them having some fun - although my wife did ask if they won the World Series after Gordon dumped the Gatorade on Pena (she was joking… I think).
To me it looked like Pena was going full out for the double because he was at least half way to second. Luckily Dyson was paying attention and has the speed to capitalize on bobbled ball which made Weeks’ throw rushed and not great.
The pitching was great this series and we had some clutch ABs but our offense still worries me - I think this series showed the value of taking a walk. Obviously with the “walk-off” win and then Dyson walking last night and then scoring. Taking walks isn’t only pitchers faults - batters need to be seeing the ball well and not giving the pitcher easy strikes by chasing.
I also thought the strike zone was sketch. Seemed like he the plate was two inches to the right (from the pitchers perspective). Looked like some strikes on the inside to lefties were called balls, but balls on the inside to righties were called strikes (like Frenchy’s K). Not sure if that made any sense - I’m better when I can draw a diagram.
Last question. How many times has Frenchy struck out looking? The pitch had to be a ball for Frenchy to not swing with two strikes - and it clearly was way inside.
Curtis Ruder
11 months, 1 week agoThe rule is that the batter has to be out of the box when the batted ball hits him for him to be out. Rule 6.06a) says this:
A batter is out for illegal action when — (a) He hits a ball with one or both feet on the ground entirely outside the batter’s box.
Both of his feet were clearly still in the batters box. It was a foul ball; it wasn’t even really very close, and the replays were conclusive. Yost’s reaction, to me, looked more like a spillover from Francouer getting tossed than anything. And while the ball was inside and it was a bad call, Francouer had to be tossed after he showed up the umpire like that. You cannot argue balls and strikes, but you might get one comment as you walk away. But he then stopped walking and kept talking, and he had to be thrown out.
I’ll be honest, I expected, on the heels of a five game slide with Greinke and Marcum going this week, that the sweep would be in the other direction and we’d be in another full-blown tailspin. I was, happily, wrong.
Steve Alleman
11 months, 1 week agoThanks for the Broxton interview, Lee. The only time I saw him talk to reporters on TV he was surprisingly soft-spoken. Barely above a whisper. I guess when you’re that big, you don’t need to be loud. And I guess when you’re that big, interpid reporters decide not to ask you “Why do you always put men on base before getting the third out?”
Thayne Griffin
11 months, 1 week agoThanks for that Curtis! By the rule he was clearly not out then.
Larry Tindle
11 months, 1 week agoMorgans bunt was still not clear. After watching it on MLB it appears his left foot is out of the box when he bunted the ball. Don’t know if that ever gets called as it woudl be hard for the umpire to see it.
Curtis Ruder
11 months, 1 week agoI watched the game on the KC feed of the MLB.tv. I’ve been a high school and college umpire for years, so knew the rule very well as it happened. To me, the replay from the center field camera was conclusive that both feet were still in the batters’ box. The only difficulty from the angle is that the box gets smeared over the course of the game, and while they do a pretty good job of keeping the back line defined, they don’t worry as much about the front line.
As vehemently as Quintero and Yost argued the call, I thought I may have missed it live. But after the replay I did not think it a close play at all.
Larry Tindle
11 months, 1 week agoCurtis, it looked to me like his back foot was behind the plate when he actually bunted the ball. What Quintero and Yost argued was clear that he was in foul territory and or still in the box. Umpire was correct.
Charles Purvis
11 months, 1 week agoExcellent series by the Royals. Three of the best games I’ve watched all year, not just ones in which the Royals were playing (I kind of have an affinity for National League games).
Great job by Royals players and coaches.
Charles Purvis
11 months, 1 week agoForgot to mention this: Seems to me Pena’s wide turn was not only smart, it was deliberate. The score is tied, you’ve got the fastest guy on the team on third. If the defense makes the slightest mistake on a rundown (they did), Dyson’s home. The worst that can happen is you go to the tenth, tied, in a home game.
Joel Kallem
11 months, 1 week agoCharles, agree Pena was smart, but in a slightly different way from your thoughts. He knew he would not be in a run down because nobody was behind him. Therefore he could go most of the way to second to see if the throw went there or to third. If it had gone to third, he would have cruised into second; on a throw to second, he had an open path back to first.
Joe Reubens
11 months, 1 week agoGotta disagree with you on Pena’s wide turn. You very well be right - but I think it was one of those miscues that turns out well. Just like Mitch swinging at a pitch that was 5 feet in front of the plate - mistake that turned out well. (I think Lee would have been able to block that pitch though after watching his video from yesterday)If every mistake we made turned out as positively we we would have won 10 more games so far.
Also - you never want to give the third out away with A runner on third. Another wild pitch ends the game and Gordon was coming up and he been swinging a good bat.
Joe Reubens
11 months, 1 week agoJoel - you make a good point about the same play.
It wasn’t smart to throw it to second by Milwaukee. They probably would have walked Gordon to face Getz too - especially if first base was open. So we capitalized on their mistakes too.
Sara Reser Keenan
11 months, 1 week agoAt least 5 separate times today I have chuckled to myself at the mental image of Ned and Frenchy sitting together in the clubhouse after getting ejected and then jumping and shoving each other when the team won. You are so right..that’s what I love about baseball, too (it makes grown ups act like kids again).
This series was exactly what I hoped to see from the Royals this season…winning close games through great plays and perserverance. And seeing them happy and celebrating on the field is the icing on the cake. (Gordon really made a perfect throw with that Gatorade…got all three of them!)
Well done, Royals! I hope we can take this momentum into the Cardinals series!
Ben Weddle
11 months, 1 week agoNow that was exciting baseball! Without a doubt, the finest series of the year with so many players contributing. Love to carry that momentum across the state and hang some losses on those pretentious Cardinals.
Charles Purvis
11 months, 1 week agoJoel and Joe, good points. The thing is this: I don’t really know enough about baseball to be spouting my opinion here but it sure is fun.
Regarding Mitch Maier’s strikeout—I doubt that any human mind can make decisions that quickly, but that strikeout on a ball that hit five feet in front of the plate was a stroke of genius, if it was intentional. I don’t remember the count, but don’t think it would’ve been ball four. So in essence, he made a base hit out of a bad pitch at a crucial time. On the other hand, if he was actually swinging at that pitch? OMG.
Steven A Hurst
11 months agoThe game winning play reminds me of a play that Rusty Kuntz taught Brayan Pena, Billy Butler and whoever the other catcher was (during Rusty Kuntz’s last year as 1b coach) .
That play was: 1 - late inning (8 or 9) 2 - 2 outs 3 - need to score 1 run to tie or win 4 - fast runner on 2nd, slow runner (Pena) on 1st 5 - Kuntz was the 1b coach & told Pena if the ball is hit right at an outfielder, he should round 2nd base & try to get into a run-down. In that game, the runner scored without a throw to the plate.
I know the details are different; the concept the same, slow runner gets into a run-down to allow a fast runner to score. If memory serves me correct, Brayan did a similar play this year. It LOOKS like a base-running mistake (& would be if not in late inning, need more than 1 run & less than 2 outs). Anyway, I wonder if any of this ran through Brayan’s mind as he was heading to 2nd.