NewsSaturday time change could help KC
Kansas City (29-37) vs. St. Louis (37-31), 3:10 p.m. CT
By Dick Kaegel / MLB.com
06/19/09 11:30 PM ET
KANSAS CITY -- There are a few things you should know about Saturday's game, other than it's the fifth round of this year's Interleague I-70 Series between Kansas City and St. Louis.Most important: Don't pay attention to the time on the printed schedule and maybe even on your ticket. That's because the first pitch now is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. CT -- not the original 6:10 p.m. CT. You don't want to show up when the game is already over.
 |
For another thing, if you don't have a ticket, you might be out of luck, because the Royals are down to a few scattered single tickets and standing-room only ($10) for this game against the Cardinals. (Tickets are, however, available for Sunday.)
But the good news is that it's available on TV in many areas. The game time was changed to accommodate the Fox Network, which is carrying the game with Dick Stockton and Eric Karros calling the action.
The running joke is that the real reason the game was changed from a night game to a day game was to accommodate Royals starting pitcher Brian Bannister. The odd thing is that Bannister's won-lost record in day games is a rousing 15-4; at night he's merely 13-25.
"I don't think Fox did that just for him," Royals manager Trey Hillman said with a smile, "but we'll take it, because we know the success ratio he has in day games. For whatever reason, he pitches very well in day games. So hopefully it plays out to our advantage."
Bannister has been quizzed about this idiosyncrasy countless times and really can't put his finger on a reason. Maybe it's because he's a morning person, probably even more so since his wife Megan brought little Brynn Avery into the world in October.
Hillman sees Bannister as being the same old Bannister regardless of the hour.
"I've always considered Banny to be pretty even-keeled, no matter what time of the day it was, whether we're getting here early for a day game or for a PFP [pitchers' fielding practice] session or a night game. I've never seen any difference in his demeanor, he's been very consistent," Hillman said.
The last time Bannister faced the Cardinals, he beat them, 3-2, going six innings for the victory. That was on May 24 at St. Louis and, wouldn't you know, it was on a Sunday afternoon. That made him 3-0 with a 0.90 ERA in three daytime starts this year.
A key element was that he stymied the Cardinals' primary threat, Albert Pujols, who went 0-for-2 (with a judicious base on balls) when Bannister was on the mound.
Pujols has already wreaked havoc on the Royals, with a career average of .385 (60-for-156), 11 homers and 42 RBIs.
"He's dangerous. Situations dictate what kind of pitches he try to throw but it's not a situation where we go into the series and say, 'We're not going to pitch to Albert Pujols,'" Hillman said. "But when it's a high-leverage situation, you've got to pitch to him smart or not pitch to him at all, because more often than not, he's going to get you."
Case in point: In the first inning on Friday night, the Cardinals had runners on second and third with no outs. Kyle Davies went after Pujols and he lined a two-run single into left field. Yep, he can get you all right. So when the same situation came up in the third inning, the Royals intentionally walked Pujols. But Ryan Ludwick promptly smashed a grand slam. If Prince Albert doesn't get you, somebody else can.
Pitching matchupKC: RHP Brian Bannister (5-3, 4.10 ERA)
Bannister tossed up another solid outing in his previous start. The Royals right-hander threw eight innings and allowed just one run on four hits against the Reds. It was Bannister's fifth quality start of the season, and the loss snapped a string of three straight starts without a victory. Bannister struck out four and allowed just five baserunners. He improved to 6-3 in Interleague Play in his career, and he's already posted one victory against the Cardinals this season. At Kauffman Stadium this year, he's 3-1 with a 3.61 ERA. STL: RHP Chris Carpenter (4-1, 1.59 ERA)
After considering going with Carpenter on regular rest on Friday, the Cardinals elected to use Monday's off-day to give him and Adam Wainwright a little breather. So both right-handers will pitch on five days' rest over the weekend in Kansas City. Carpenter is coming off a fine game in which a couple of mistakes cost him a loss. His record in Interleague road games since coming to St. Louis is spotty. Crown points
Catcher John Buck took live swings in batting practice for the first time since going on the disabled list with a herniated disk in his lower back. He also snapped off throws from behind the plate to second base. "He's feeling good but with it being the catching position, it would be my wish that he would go out and play somewhere ([Minor League injury rehab]," Hillman said. ... Robinson Tejeda, rehabbing with Triple-A Omaha, pitched two innings at Albuquerque and gave up two unearned runs on a hit and three walks in a 9-1 loss. He's on the disabled list because of tendinitis in the right rotation cuff. ... The Missouri rivalry kicked off Thursday night with a game between their Texas League affiliates. The Royals' Northwest Arkansas club beat the Springfield Cardinals, 6-5, on Cody Clark's ninth-inning homer. Tickets
Buy tickets now to catch the game in person.
On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio• Gameday
• Official game notes On television
• FOX On radio
• KCSP 610 Up next
• Sunday: Royals (Gil Meche, 4-5, 3.31) vs. Cardinals (Adam Wainwright, 7-4, 3.33), 1:10 p.m. CT
• Monday: Off-day
• Tuesday: Royals (Zack Greinke, 8-3, 1.96) at Astros (Russ Ortiz, 3-2, 3.60), 7:05 p.m. CT
Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
