Sweeney, Sweeney, Sweeney

Royals 4 Blue Jays 3
W-Field (2-0), L-Adams (3-2)
Royals Season Record: 11-21

What a game! Beyond the excitement of the final play, look at the final score. Our pitching staff held the Blue Jays to 3 runs. It almost feels like a shut out, doesn’t it?

Affeldt’s ERA is now 4.89 and he seems to be on track. He’d look better in the closers role, but there’s no doubt that he can start as well. Have you noticed Grimsley’s ERA? After not giving up any runs in this game, his ERA has dropped to 3.07. Field continues to look good, pitching the final two innings for the victory and lowering his ERA to 1.98. Great job guys.

As for the rally—don’t you just get the feeling that Sweeney is always going to come through in situations where the game is on the line in the ninth inning? I was in the stadium last year as he did it in the bottom of the ninth against the Giants and before he blasted that hit up the middle, I just knew he was going to get a hit.

Makes you wonder why managers pitch to him with the game on the line. Especially yesterday. Why not walk Sweeney in that situation? I know that it would have moved Beltran to second with Relaford at third, so walking Sweeney would have put the winning run in scoring position, but let’s be honest—as a Royals fan, who would you rather see at the plate with the game on the line—Mike Sweeney or Juan Gonzalez?

What are the chances of Gonzalez getting a hit and driving in both runners in scoring position versus Sweeney ripping one down the line and scoring both runners even though they both were not in scoring position? If I was Toronto manager Carlos Toscathe in that same situation, I would have bet the house on Gonzalez popping up weakly and leaving both runners high and dry.

Thankfully he chose to go after Sweeney and Mike did what he does in clutch situations. He won the game. That’s two in a row for the first time since early April. We’ve got today off before opening the Oakland series at home on Friday night. Gobble goes up against Hudson. Both are having good years, so it should be a fun game to watch. Go Blue!