Series Preview: Rockies (23-17) at Royals (18-19)

Tonight Kansas City (18-19) kick off a nine game homestand at Kauffman Stadium against the Rockies, Orioles and White Sox. Colorado (23-17) comes in the for this brief two-game series with a red hot offense.

Kansas City returns home for a nine-game homestand against Colorado tonight. Photo Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Probably Pitching Match-ups:
Tuesday, 7:10 pm – Franklin Morales/LHP (3-2, 5.18) v. James Shields/RHP (4-3, 2.70)
Wednesday, 1:10 pm – Jhoulys Chacin/RHP (0-1, 4.91) v. Jason Vargas/LHP (3-1, 3.04)

Comments on Pitching Match-ups – KC will throw their two veterans arms Shields/Vargas this series against an offense that is on a tear recently. Morales and Chacin might not be household names but these are types of pitchers seem to do their best versus the boys in blue. Each team will throw one right and left handed pitcher this series.

Series Predictions – The Royals come home after a 4-3 west coast swing through San Diego and Seattle but face a Colorado team that’s six games over .500. I’m aware that KC is on a three game losing streak at home (swept by Detroit pre-road trip) and the Rox are a respectable 10-12 away from Coors Field. PREDICTION: I’m going with KC to sweep this series based on how good Kansas City is at home and well how the Rockies have been away from Denver.

2011 Meeting:
The teams haven’t met since 2011’s three game series in Denver which Colorado took two of three games. In that series the Rox won 9-0, 9-6 before the Royals won the final game 16-8.

Franchise History:
These teams will square off again in August at Coors Field which will again be a midweek series. Since their first 2003 meeting they are 9-9 against one another, however Kansas City holds a 4-2 record at the K.

TV/Radio Coverage:
Fans can tune into FOX Sports Kansas City for two of the three games with Ryan Lefebvre  and Rex Hudler on TV. Joel Goldberg hosts Royals Live with Jeff Montgomery before and after from Rivals. Royals Hall of Famer/2007 Ford C. Frick Award winner Denny Matthews is joined in the booth by Steve Physioc and Steve Stewart will be on the Royals Radio Network (610 Sports Radio in KC) describing the action from Kauffman Stadium.

AL Central Standings (May 13):
Detroit Tigers (22-12)
Kansas City Royals (18-19, 5.5 GB)
Chicago White Sox (19-21, 6 GB)
Cleveland Indians (18-20, 6 GB)
Minnesota Twins (17-19, 6 GB)

Series Schedule/Results v. Rockies
May 13-14, 2014 – Kauffman Stadium
August 19-20, 2014 – Coors Field

Game Notes:
Colorado Rockies
Kansas City Royals