NewsBannister to tackle Saunders in finale
Kansas City (37-56) vs. Los Angeles (54-38), 7:10 p.m. CT
By Dick Kaegel / MLB.com
07/22/09 1:04 AM ET
KANSAS CITY -- The last time the Royals saw Joe Saunders, the Angels' left-hander, they were thoroughly flummoxed.It was May 9 at Anaheim and the Royals confidently sent undefeated Zack Greinke (6-0, 0.40) to the mound against Saunders. But it was Saunders who prevailed, 1-0, with a five-hit gem. The unlucky Greinke pitched a four-hitter but gave up a run while his teammates produced nada against Saunders.
"He definitely stepped up that day, because at that point Zack was as sound as anybody in the game," said Mark Teahen. "And Zack threw a really good game. I think that day [Saunders] just got ahead with all his offspeed stuff and was all around the zone with all his pitches. If I remember right, that day he was just getting ahead of everyone and everyone was hitting from behind in the count."
That victory was the high point of Saunders' season, giving him a 5-1 record and a 2.66 ERA in seven starts. In the 12 starts since he's 3-5 with a 6.08 ERA.
"He's a good pitcher but his stuff isn't mind-boggling but when he's really effective, he's just pounding the zone," Teahen said.
Greinke misses the Angels in this series and Brian Bannister is matched with Saunders. Bannister remembers the Anaheim game very well.
"That's what it took to beat Zack at that point of the season," Bannister said. "Zack wasn't giving up many runs and [Saunders] out-pitched him. He's a solid pitcher, a good left-hander and he's had a couple good years now."
Bannister is on a roll himself lately with a 2.39 ERA in his past eight starts, although his record in that span is just 2-4. In seven of those eight outings, he's allowed two or fewer earned runs. He lost his last two starts at Boston and to Tampa Bay, walking four in each game.
"Your walks tend to go up a little bit when you're facing the high on-base percentage teams like Boston and Tampa," Bannister said. "But I'll go back to attacking the strike zone and Torii Hunter is still on the disabled list. They have a solid lineup, and it'll be nice not having him in there. But you have to pitch them carefully and pitch smart."
That's what Saunders will have to do against the Royals as well, because they'll have studied what he did back on May 9.
"They know what he did that game, he knows what he did," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia, "and sometimes there's adjustments, but you just have to see how it goes."
Pitching matchupKC: RHP Brian Bannister (6-7, 3.66 ERA)
Bannister pitched five innings and allowed four runs -- two earned -- in his last start against the Rays. His pitch count exceeded 100 in the fifth inning, but Bannister didn't get much help from his defense. The right-hander has allowed just six earned runs over 25 2/3 innings in his past four starts. He has also worked into the seventh inning in four of his past seven outings. Bannister last faced the Angels on May 6, 2008. He allowed five earned runs in 6 2/3 innings. LAA: LHP Joe Saunders (8-6, 4.72 ERA)
Saunders struggled with the strike zone in a loss to the Athletics on Friday night, yielding a career-high six walks in six innings. He surrendered five runs, four earned, with his most errant toss leading to a three-base throwing error on a pickoff attempt that scored the go-ahead run. Saunders also continues to be hurt by the long ball, having given up 22 homers in 118 1/3 innings. Crown points
Starting pitcher Gil Meche's back was feeling much better and he's starting to throw in preparation for a possible return on Monday night at Baltimore. That decision could wait until Sunday, manager Trey Hillman said. ... Catcher John Buck's visit to the annual Royals Blood Drive was canceled on Tuesday because of the doubleheader. Scheduled to appear on Wednesday at the Community Blood Center, 4040 Main St., are three former Royals pitchers: Jeff Montgomery, 11 a.m.-noon CT; Jaime Bluma, 1-2 p.m., and Paul Splittorff, 2-3 p.m. ... Janell Smith Carson, a retired Parsons, Kan., teacher who will be inducted in the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, was in the Buck O'Neil Legacy Seat on Tuesday. She was a 1964 U.S. Olympian in the 400-meter run and was on a Sports Illustrated cover in 1965. Tickets
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• Thursday: Off-day
• Friday: Royals (Zack Greinke, 10-5, 2.08) vs. Rangers (Scott Feldman, 8-3, 3.87), 7:10 p.m. CT
• Saturday: Royals (Luke Hochevar, 5-3, 5.09) vs. Rangers (Derek Holland, 3-5, 6.02), 6:10 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.
