Kansas City Royals at Toronto Blue Jays - July 2-3, 2012

I'm spending a week in Canada before returning to Singapore and the Blue Jays thoughtfully scheduled a home series against Kansas City, so I went to the first two games at Rogers Centre (the big white spot in the aerial shot below, taken during my flight from Atlanta).



On Monday, Ricky Romero was torched to the tune of eight earned runs as KC won 11-3. No pictures from this nightmare. Despite being a holiday Monday, only 17,127 showed up. The good news with such a poor crowd is that you can buy an upper deck ticket and then sit in the lower deck without being hassled.



On Tuesday, the team played a truly enjoyable baseball game. After falling behind 3-0, the Jays fought back by sending 11 batters to the plate in the 4th. Colby Rasmus' bunt single and a 3-run jack from Adam Lind were the highlights as Toronto took a 6-3 lead.



Starter Brett Cecil and three relievers kept KC off the board the rest of the way, with Casey Janssen (above being congratulated by Jeff Mathis) getting his 10th save. With the win, the Jays hit the halfway mark of the season at 41-40.


Yunel Escobar singles

For this game, my friend Chien was visiting from Beijing and he brought his young son to his first ballgame. We were able to procure good seats from a friendly scalper, just eight rows up from first base and cheaper than the box office. With only 15,516 on hand, the place was deadly quiet at times. To compare, the AAA Buffalo Bisons had 414 more fans for their Independence Eve game. The Jays need to find ways to get more fans into the ballpark for these less popular opponents.


Yuniesky Betancourt returns to the dugout

The roof was closed when the game began as there was a threat of rain, but when the skies cleared, the roof was opened (below). Interestingly, it was during the 4th inning and the Jays responded with their six-spot once they had some natural light to work with.



Stupid Stats

In the two summer trips this year, I saw the Jays 11 times, 5 in Toronto and 6 on the road. They went 3-2 at home and 3-3 as visitors. In those 11 games, they committed only 2 errors and generally played very good defense. They also have a great offense but the injuries to their rotation have doomed them this season, I fear. Great fun to watch though and it will be enjoyable to see them develop over the next few years.

Next Up

I'll be returning to Toronto this weekend, first for the Argos home opener on Saturday and then the Honda Indy on Sunday. Check back for updates next week.

Best,

Sean

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Toronto Blue Jays 2 at Kansas City Royals 5 - July 21, 2010

After splitting the first two games of the series, Toronto and Kansas City held an afternoon affair for the rubber match. For me, it was the only time I would have to tour the stadium after arriving late Monday and Tuesday's rainstorm.

Kauffman Stadium

Kauffman Stadium is now the sixth-oldest venue in baseball, having opened in 1973. It was originally named Royals Stadium before being rechristened in honour of team owner Ewing Kauffman in 1993. The stadium is located about 8 miles from downtown Kansas City, going east on I-70. It is part of the Truman Sports Complex that also includes Arrowhead Stadium, home of the NFL's chiefs. Parking is $10 although I did not drive there, choosing instead a nearby hotel. It did seem to take a while to clear out despite small crowds, so you might want to check the Royals parking advice page. The picture below is from the top of the driveway where you can walk down to the stadium.

The stadium is uniquely structured, eschewing the full cookie-cutter model that dominated that era of sports venues. There are few outfield seats, and the upper deck tapers down as you move towards the outfield, which I find to be quite an attractive feature. You can see it in the picture below.

The most expensive reasonably-priced seats are only $43 and this can get you right next to the on-deck circle. If you are traveling as a pair, you can get one seat behind the other and then move around as the crowds are usually sparse. The Royals also offer plenty of ticket specials, so check in advance to see if there are any deals to be had.

The stadium underwent significant renovations that were revealed in 2009. An outfield concourse was installed which now allows you to walk around the inside of the park. Above left field is the Royals Hall of Fame (above) which is one of the best historical displays I have seen. The Royals may not have a sparkling history, at least recently, but they were a near-dynasty back in the 70s and 80s and there is so much memorabilia from this time. Below is one wall showing some of the Royals Hall-of-Famers.

The pine tar bat

I don't want to give everything away, but I spent about 40 minutes here and could have stayed longer. You will need to get there early as it fills up quickly. Gates open 90 minutes before game time, so I would suggest visiting the HOF first thing. The picture below is just one of many display cases; this one talks about the Royals' minor league affiliates.

As you walk around the outfield concourse, you will notice many statues. George Brett (below), Frank White, and Dick Howser are all honoured this way, as is Ewing Kauffman and his wife Muriel.

Behind the concourse is an area known as the Outfield Experience and includes a mini-golf course, carousel, kids ballpark and other games. There is also a sports bar above right field and a small picnic area.

The scoreboard is now known as Crown Vision and is one of the largest in baseball. Shaped like the Royals logo and topped with a crown, it displays all sorts of info during the game. The only problem is that replays of good plays by the opposition are almost never shown on it. That's bad karma; if the Royals start showing highlights from the other team, they will play better.

Finally, the most famous aspect of the stadium is the fountain and waterfall that exists beyond the outfield fence. Known as the Water Spectacular, the fountains (below) are on display before and after the game as well as between innings while the waterfall (from behind, above) is always operational.

Kauffman was already one of my favourite venues for its relaxing atmosphere and affordability and have turned the venue into one of the most interesting in the league. The only complaint I have is that gates are only open for 1 1/2 hours before the game. I think the Hall of Fame and Outfield Experience should be open 2 1/2 hours before, there's a lot more I'd like to do there.

The Game

On paper this was a mismatch as last season's Cy Young winner Zack Greinke (above) got the start for Kansas City against Mark Rzepcynski, a spot starter for the Blue Jays. Unfortunately, reality matched expectations as Greinke returned to form after struggling of late. He pitched 8 innings, giving up just two runs while striking out 9. It was extremely hot in the stands and I did not enjoy watching the Jays flailing away at pitch after pitch.

Meanwhile, Rzepcynski gave up 5 runs in 4.2 innings and the Royals led 5-2 entering the ninth, when AL saves leader Joakim Soria came on. With one out, Vernon Wells and Adam Lind singled to bring the tying run to the plate. But Aaron Hill fanned and Lyle Overbay grounded weakly to second to end the game and give the Royals the series victory.

I'm not bothering to include any pictures because I don't think anyone wants to see a bunch of Blue Jays swinging and missing.

This is the 4th time that I have seen the Jays in a road series and in all cases they went 1-2. It is getting a bit tiring but that's the price you pay for cheering for a .500 team. Time to think about next year.

Best,

Sean

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Toronto Blue Jays 13 at Kansas City Royals 1 - July 20, 2010

I was hoping to spend some time touring Kauffman Stadium last night, but a massive storm that passed through the area before the game kept me in the hotel. Look at the pictures below: the first is the normal view of the ballpark from the hotel, the second is during the storm. It became so heavy that the lights of the stadium were completely obscured.

I thought they might delay the start of the game but things cleared about around 6:30 so we took the shuttle over and got seats just 3 rows from the field. But there was just enough time to buy the BBQ Brisket and settle in for the game.

Runs, Rain, and Remarkable Defense

The skies were cloudy (see above) but the rain was holding off as the game started on time. Anthony Lerew started for the Royals and walked Fred Lewis (below) to start the game. Two batters later, Jose Bautista blasted 2-run homer, his MLB-leading 26th long ball, for a 2-0 lead.

In the second, Lerew walked Lyle Overbay and gave up a double to John Buck. He was then struck in the chest by a hard liner off the bat of Edwin Encarnacion. He managed to throw him out, but he suffered bruised ribs and a bicep contusion and was removed from the game. Kanekoa Texeira relieved and allowed both runners to score. The Jays added two more in the 3rd to make it 6-0 and the rout was on.

Jays' starter Jesse Litsch was strong through three, giving up just a bloop single to Yuniesky Betancourt. In the top of the 4th, the rains started again, but it was never strong enough to stop the game. The Royals broke the shutout in the 6th, but that was all they would manage off Litsch and four relievers.

Scott Podsednik grounds out

Toronto added 5 in the eighth including a 2-run homer from Adam Lind, who has a 13-game hitting streak. I was surprised to learn about his streak because he looked terrible in the first two games, striking out 4 times in a row without making good contact. That's him below trudging back to the dugout after another K.

The Jays plated 2 more in the ninth to complete the blowout 13-1. There were 27 hits between both teams, and the Jays had 8 doubles, including 3 from ex-Royal Buck. It was a great game for me although we were drenched by the end of it.

The score and tomorrow's matchup

All Royals pitchers gave up at least 2 runs. One of the relievers was Blake Wood (below), who I saw in Wilmington two years ago. He was a starter in the minors until this year, when he was moved to the bullpen at Omaha. He hasn't been that successful yet, but not terrible either, with an ERA of 4.73 and a WHIP of 1.425. For the Royals, that's adequate, so we'll see if he sticks for a few years.

Lost in all the runs was some superb defense by both teams. In particular Toronto's 2B Aaron Hill made at least two spectacular diving catches off line drives up the middle. One of them was on ESPN's Top 10 plays this morning (#3). It was nice to see the Jays firing on all cylinders today after the previous day's brain farts.

Powerless Hotel

When we returned, the power in the hotel was out. But the bar was open and giving away what little beer they had left, as the fridge wasn't working. A Jays rout and free beer? Could it get any better? It was surreal sitting there in the dark with a few other patrons, waiting for the power to come back. But even by midnight it was still out and the bar had to close, so we returned to the darkened room. With no ESPN or Internet, it was like 1975. Fortunately the power was restored overnight so we're back in the 21st century.

Next Up

The Royals and Blue Jays have a day game today with reigning Cy Young winner Zack Greinke taking the hill for KC against Mark Rzepcynski. In the evening, there's a Northern League game in Kansas as the T-Bones will host the Schaumburg Flyers. Let's hope the rains hold off and we can get the doubleheader in.

Best,

Sean

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Doubleheader and Driving - Two games 400 miles apart - July 19, 2010

I skipped Clinton last week because I discovered that they had a game Monday morning at 10. I was planning to drive to Kansas City from Minneapolis that day, but Clinton is more or less on the way, so I decided to head back to eastern Iowa for this game. Clinton is 400 miles from Kauffman Stadium, where I would be on Monday evening for a 7:10 start to watch the Jays and Royals. That's about 6 hours on the road, so a quick game was the order of the day for me to make it.

It was "Pack the Park with Kids" as local campers got a chance to see their LumberKings (Seattle) take on the South Bend Silver Hawks (Arizona).

Alliant Energy Field

When I did my 2001 trip, Riverview Stadium in Clinton was one of my least favourite ballparks. I found it cramped, dark and bug-filled and didn't really enjoy the experience. I don't recall much else, but I had heard that renovations had improved it, so I wanted to revisit.

The park was built in 1937 and is a classic structure. A roof covers much of the seating area, but the last couple of sections are now in the open air, and also without protective netting, a huge plus for me. There are 3 rows of box seats that are $7 and about 12 rows in the grandstand for $6.

It was renamed Alliant Energy Field in 2002 when the naming rights were sold. The renovations took place in 2005-06 but didn't affect the actual seating area. Rather additional buildings were added for administrative offices, the field was redone, and the canopy was improved. These are all subtle changes but they made a big difference to me, opening up the space and making it seem brighter.

There are party areas down the left field line, where the Picnic Pavilion stands. In right field is the Lumber Lounge, the seats there are just above the fence and look pretty cool. The fence itself is really interesting too, as it starts out as clear wire from left field but turns into a wooden fence around left-center.

The starting lineups and standings are on a wall just inside the entrance. More interesting is a list of every Clinton player who has made the majors. Canadian Jason Bay played here in 2001 among other notables.

There was an organist playing during the game, something you never hear in the minors anymore. Otherwise, there's not much else to see here. This is really a classic old-time park that was properly renovated. The open areas above the dugout and the lack of netting really make this an enjoyable place to visit and I encourage everyone to stop by Clinton and check out a LumberKings game.

The Game

Erasmo Ramirez (above) started for Clinton and was extremely strong through 5 innings, yielding just 3 hits while striking out 6. But his offense wasn't much help, plating just a run on a Tim Morris (11th, 2009) double, a wild pitch, and a Mario Martinez groundout off South Bend starter Diogenes Rosario.

Daniel Carroll (3rd, 2007) flies out here

In the 6th, Keon Broxton (3rd, 2009) blasted a homer to tie the game at 1. Ramirez was still strong though, adding two more strikeouts to end the inning.

Silver Hawk DH Matt Davidson (1st, 2009) grounds out

But he started to tire in the 7th. A single, walk, and hit batsman loaded the bases for Broxton. On a 3-1 pitch, Broxton laced the ball down the right field line, scoring all 3 runners and ending up with a triple. It was his 15th triple which leads all minor leaguers. Ramirez was replaced, but it was too late for Clinton.

James Jones (4th, 2009) dives back to first

Adam Worthington (2oth, 2009) threw 3 scoreless innings for the Silver Hawks to get the win. He looked sharp in the field too, making a couple of good plays on choppers in front of the plate, including one off Netherlands native Kalian Sams (shown below).

We left at 12:15 in the bottom of the 8th and listened to the rest of the game on the radio. Clinton's offense only managed 5 hits on the afternoon in what was a quick game that ended in just 2:33. We probably could have stayed for the whole thing but as it turned out, we left at exactly the right time.

Player to Watch

Ramirez was in line to get this but Broxton (shown below) stole the award with his triple. Watch for him in an Arizona uniform in about 3 years.

The Drive

After the game, we headed west on US 30, turning south at US 61 and then I-80 west to Des Moines. There it joins I-35 south which we took all the way to Kansas City, with a slight detour to the east to reach the hotel next to the stadium.

It was 400 miles and took 6 hours, with just a couple of stops to switch drivers. There was a rainstorm early in the journey, but things cleared up as we neared Des Moines and by the time we hit KC it was hot and humid.

With Sharpy along for the drive, I was able to snap a picture as we entered Missouri.

Jays lose in extra innings

After checking in, we left the hotel to walk the 15 minutes to Kauffman stadium. But there was a shuttle taking passengers, so we waited for it to return to avoid the humidity. We arrived just two minutes before game time and I was shocked to see a large lineup for tickets. Fortunately, I noticed a couple with four tickets and a look of desperation. "You got extras?" I inquired and was told that they had two above the dugout for $30. With a face value of $43, I thought $30 was fair. They then said "$30 for both". Sharpy and I managed to cobble together the cash and zoomed through the gates, racing to our seats just a few rows above the field. We sat down about 5 seconds before first pitch and proceed to watch the Blue Jays play an absolutely atrocious game.

Baserunning blunders and an outright refusal to bunt cost the Jays what should have been an easy win. On five occasions they had the first two batters in the inning reach, but only two runs resulted from those 10 runners. In the fourth, Vernon Wells and Adam Lind opened with singles. Aaron Hill grounded out to advance the runners and then Lyle Overbay hit a fly to center, plenty deep to score Wells. But Lind ran as well and David DeJesus make a perfect throw to nail him at third before Wells had crossed the plate. Aargh!

With the game tied at 3 in the eighth, Hill reached after being hit and Overbay followed with a single. Rather than bunt them into scoring position, Cito Gaston elected to hit away. John Buck (below) popped out and Edwin Encarnacion grounded into a double play. Aaargh!

The game went to extra innings and the Jays managed a run in the 10th to take a 4-3 lead. But in came Kevin Gregg to blow the save. My heart sank as Gregg is simply no longer capable of closing and I confidently predicted a 5-4 Royal win. Sure enough, Scott Podsednik led off with a triple, scoring on a Jason Kendall sacrifice fly. After DeJesus grounded out, Billy Butler singled and Jose Guillen (below) walked. Yep, Gregg was up to his old tricks.

Albert Callaspo then knocked a 2-0 pitch back up the middle. Gregg got a piece of it, slowing it down enough that pinch-runner Chris Getz would score easily to give Kansas City the victory. AAARRRGGGHHH!

Mike Aviles scores the Royals second run

OK, it was a great day with two games 400 miles apart. That's not something easily replicated; you need to have a morning game that finishes 6 hours before the next game starts. A unique road trip experience to be sure. But Toronto's failure to win the nightcap was a bitter pill to swallow. They've got two more games to make it up, but unless they start playing fundamentally smart baseball, my hopes are not high for success.

Check back tomorrow for updates on the two games.

Best,

Sean

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