AL Championship Series: Breaking down Orioles vs. Royals
A look at the best-of-seven American League Championship Series between the Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals:
Schedule (All time ET)
Game 1: Royals 8, Orioles 6 (10 innings)
Game 2: Royals 6, Orioles 4
Game 3: Royals 2, Orioles 1
Game 4: Royals 2, Orioles 1 (Royals win series, 4-0)
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Why the Royals? Kauffman Stadium has the largest square footage of any big-league outfield; the Royals use that to their advantage with left fielder Alex Gordon, center fielder Lorenzo Cain and right fielder Nori Aoki all able to chase balls down in the gap. The Los Angeles Angels were continually frustrated by getting robbed of hits in the Royals' American League Division Series sweep and the fly-ball hitting Orioles could meet a similar fate.
The Royals stole a major league-leading 153 bases during the regular season and have 12 steals by eight players in four postseason games. The Royals are not afraid to use their speed at any time and will challenge catchers Nick Hundley and Caleb Joseph.
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Why the Orioles? They led the major leagues with 211 home runs, and that plays well at cozy Camden Yards, where four games will played if the series goes seven. While homers don't come so easily at Kansas City, the Orioles have the type of hitters who can hit the ball out of any park, even Kauffman, with Nelson Cruz and Adam Jones in the lineup.
Manager Buck Showalter is a master strategist, and seemingly every move he made in the Orioles' sweep of the Detroit Tigers in the ALDS was the right one. While the Orioles don't possess a No. 1 starter like the Royals do in James Shields, they have a deep bullpen, and Showalter always seems to find the right reliever for any situation.
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Don't forget about: Zach Britton. While Royals closer Greg Holland has been second in the AL in saves in each of the last two years, Britton converted 37 of 41 save chances in the left-hander's first season as a closer and also made good on both of his opportunities in the ALDS.
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The difference-maker: Gordon. He is a fine all-around player, with power, speed and defense. The rest of the baseball world will finally find out about him.
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In the end: Royals in seven. Kansas City's late-inning bullpen trio of Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Holland shortens games, and its speed will put pressure on the Orioles.
GALLERY: ALCS - ORIOLES vs. ROYALS
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PROJECTED LINEUPS
Royals
- SS Alcides Escobar (.285, 3 HR, 50 RBI, 31 SB)
- RF Nori Aoki (.285, 1 HR, 43 RBI, 17 SB)
- CF Lorenzo Cain (.301, 5 HR, 53 RBI, 28 SB)
- 1B Eric Hosmer (.270, 9 HR, 58 RBI)
- DH Billy Butler (.271, 9 HR, 66 RBI)
- LF Alex Gordon (.266, 19 HR, 74 RBI, 12 SB)
- C Salvador Perez (.260, 19 HR, 70 RBI)
- 2B Omar Infante (.252, 6 HR, 66 RBI)
- 3B Mike Moustakas (.212, 15 HR, 54 RBI).
Orioles
- RF Nick Markakis (.276, 14 HR, 50 RBI)
- LF Alejandro De Aza (.252, 8 HR, 41 RBI with White Sox and Orioles)
- CF Adam Jones (.281, 29 HR, 96 RBI)
- DH Nelson Cruz (.271, MLB-best 40 HR, 108 RBI)
- 1B Steve Pearce (.293, 21 HR, 49 RBI)
- SS J.J. Hardy (.268, 9 HR, 52 RBI)
- 3B Ryan Flaherty (.221, 7 HR, 32 RBI)
- C Nick Hundley (.243, 6 HR, 22 RBI in 218 AB with Padres and Orioles) or Caleb Joseph (.207, 9 HR, 28 RBI)
- 2B Jonathan Schoop (.209, 16 HR, 45 RBI).
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BULLPENS
Royals: RH Greg Holland (1-3, 1.44, 46/48 saves), RH Wade Davis (9-2, 1.00), RH Kelvin Herrera (4-3, 1.41), LH Brandon Finnegan (0-1, 1.29 in 7 games), RH Jason Frasor (3-0, 1.53), LH Danny Duffy (9-12, 2.53 ERA, 113 Ks in 31 games, 25 starts), LH Tim Collins (0-3, 3.86 in 22 games).
Orioles: LH Zach Britton (3-2, 1.65, 37/41 saves), RH Darren O'Day (5-2, 1.70, 4 saves), RH Tommy Hunter (3-2, 2.97, 11/17 saves), LH Andrew Miller (5-5, 2.02, 1 save in 73 games with Boston and Baltimore), RH Brad Brach (7-1, 3.18), LH Brian Matusz (2-3, 3.48), RH Kevin Gausman (7-7, 3.57 in 20 starts), RH Ubaldo Jimenez (6-9, 4.81 in 25 games, 22 starts).
Contributing: AP
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