Royals - 2014 Wildcard game

[RoyalShock]

I can't believe I'm actually starting a Royals post-season thread.

:yahoo:

[ShockerFever]

Let's just hope for your sake it's not limited to 48 hours.

[BenWSU]

I can't believe I'm actually starting a Royals post-season thread.

:yahoo:

29 years of preparing one and that is all you got ?

[RoyalShock]

29 years of preparing one and that is all you got ?

Who said I'd been preparing one?

[_kai_]

If Shields hasn't earned his nickname yet, there isn't a bigger game in the last 29 years than tomorrow evening.

Let's go Big Game James.

I'm hoping for 8 innings with 2 runs or less for Shields, and Holland comes in to fan the final 3.

[WuShock16]

With two aces taking the hill tomorrow night, I really think the big key will be scoring first, especially with a crooked number. The Royals don't score a lot of runs anyway, and the A's have been offensively offensive since the trade deadline. Whomever falls behind first will start to get that doubt to creep in their heads that they are doomed. Hopefully, that team is not the Royals.

[WuDrWu]

John Smoltz had an interesting take on Jim Rome today about how the goal is not to win one game, but 12 (13?) and whether or not to pitch your ace in this game.

[WuShock16]

John Smoltz had an interesting take on Jim Rome today about how the goal is not to win one game, but 12 (13?) and whether or not to pitch your ace in this game.

It is 12 since you have this one game, best of 5 in LDS, then best of 7 in both LCS and World Series.

I think you should pitch your ace in this wild card game not only for the obvious reason of win or go home, but also how it sets up for the rest of postseason. If Shields (or Lester for that matter) pitches the Wild Card Game, he could pitch again for Game 3 of ALDS. Since the ALDS is a short series, it doesn't matter whether he pitches Game 1 or any other game of the Division Series unless it goes 5 games. Pitching Game 3 of the ALDS sets Shields/Lester to be ready for Game 1 of ALCS on normal rest and some sense of normalcy of the rest of the postseason, should his team get that far.

I remember in 2012, CC Sabathia pitched Games 1 and 5 of ALDS and due to how schedule worked that particular year, he wasn't able to pitch again until Game 4 of ALCS with Yankees down 3-0. When the Yankees lost Game of the LDS to force CC's start for Game 5, it basically relegated him to one game availability for the LCS, and by that point, the Yankees were toast.

[_kai_]

John Smoltz had an interesting take on Jim Rome today about how the goal is not to win one game, but 12 (13?) and whether or not to pitch your ace in this game.

John Smoltz has had the good fortune to have played for an organization who hadn't missed the playoffs in 29 years. When you've gone roughly 10,324 days without playing playoff baseball, you start your damn ace. That seems just bizarre to even think that you wouldn't start your Ace in a Wildcard, one game winner takes all situation.

[WuShock16]

John Smoltz has had the good fortune to have played for an organization who hadn't missed the playoffs in 29 years. When you've gone roughly 10,324 days without playing playoff baseball, you start your damn ace. That seems just bizarre to even think that you wouldn't start your Ace in a Wildcard, one game winner takes all situation.

The Braves also had SEVERAL aces on the team from which to choose. How a multi-year rotation with Smoltz, Glavine, and Maddux only won one World Series is mind-boggling.

[Cdizzle]

The Braves also had SEVERAL aces on the team from which to choose. How a multi-year rotation with Smoltz, Glavine, and Maddux only won one World Series is mind-boggling.

They probably didn't throw their ace in game 1 enough.

[WuDrWu]

I don't disagree at all, just saying it was interesting. He made the point that you probably need Kershaw 2 games to win that series so you don't burn him in the wildcard game. I realize LA isn't a wildcard game. Smoltz also said he realized he'd probably get fired for doing that, but that's how he looked at it.

[_kai_]

I don't disagree at all, just saying it was interesting. He made the point that you probably need Kershaw 2 games to win that series so you don't burn him in the wildcard game. I realize LA isn't a wildcard game. Smoltz also said he realized he'd probably get fired for doing that, but that's how he looked at it.

I know Doc, sorry wasn't pointing that reply AT you, just the general thought Smoltz gave. @WuShock16:, never even thought of the other 2.

[AndShock]

Survive and advance

[RoyalShock]

At times, Shields has been prone to stumble early, then settle in and finish strong. Hopefully he doesn't have one of those starts. As @WuShock16: said, shut them down early and grab the quick lead, get to the 7th and let HDH finish them off.