KC Royals: Five Keys To Taking The Pennant In ALCS Game 5

1. EDINSON VOLQUEZ NEEDS TO PITCH LIKE GAME 1

The KC Royals couldn’t have asked for more from Edinson Volquez in Game 1. Generally considered the Kansas City Royals no. 3 starter behind Johnny Cueto and Yordano Ventura before the ALCS began, Volquez held the powerful Blue Jays scoreless through six innings with five strikeouts, while allowing two hits and four walks. 

Rum Bunter

While Volquez doesn’t HAVE to be similarly dominant for the KC Royals to win Game 5, it would certainly go a long way toward helping his team nail down their second A.L. crown in a row.

Not only would a dominant performance help the Royals eliminate the Blue Jays, it would also give the Kansas City Royals an “ace” going into the World Series. Both Johnny Cueto and Yordano Ventura have been too inconsistent in their recent playoff starts to seize this title. Meanwhile, Steady Eddie keeps plowing on in the playoffs. He notched a 13-9 regular season record, while logging his first 200-inning season of his career along with a 3.55 ERA.

He’s been better in the post-season, compiling a 2.31 ERA in two 2015 playoff appearances for the KC Royals. If Edinson Volquez shuts down the Blue Jays again, he has to be considered the staff ace going forward.

C’mon Eddie, channel your inner Pedro Martinez one more time and pitch the Kansas City Royals to the promised land. You’ll be a legend in the Dominican Republic alongside your childhood hero Pedro, and earn a hallowed place in KC Royals history. If nothing else, it’ll help your resume when you hit free agency after the 2016 season.

All you have to do is hold down an offense that fueled the Blue Jays to the biggest run differential since the 2000 New York Yankees, playing in a bandbox perfectly tailored for their talents.

But, hey, becoming a playoff legend isn’t supposed to be easy.

Next: Eric Hosmer And Mike Moustakas Need To Wake Up

Oct 12, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Kansas City Royals third baseman

(8) celebrates with first baseman

(35) after defeating the Houston Astros in game four of the ALDS at Minute Maid Park. Royals won 9-6. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

2. MIKE MOUSTAKAS AND ERIC HOSMER NEED TO WAKE UP

While the pair have combined for 14 RBI’s in nine 2015 playoff games, Eric Hosmer has been held to a .608 OPS and Mike Moustakas an even more anemic .377 OPS.

That’s horrible, especially for two middle-of-the-order hitters.

First baseman Hosmer and third baseman Moustakas were two pillars of the Kansas City Royals offense during the regular season. Hosmer hit .297/.363/.459 as the KC Royals cleanup hitter, with 18 home runs, 33 doubles, and 93 RBI’s. Meanwhile no. 5 hitter Mike Moustakas chipped in with .284/.348/.476 and a team-leading 22 home runs (tied with Kendrys Morales) and 82 RBI’s.

In short, Hosmer and Moustakas became the offensive cornerstones that they were envisioned to become as prospects. They need to live up to that standard in the 2015 playoffs, beginning Wednesday.

Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas showed they can perform under post-season pressure during the KC Royals 2014 playoff run. Hosmer slashed through the 2014 post-season to the tune of .351/.439/.544 with 12 RBI’s and an outstanding .983 OPS. Moustakas answered by hitting .231/.259/.558 while slamming a team-high five home runs. What they haven’t done is continue their 2014 playoff success in 2015.

That needs to change.

Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas are the heart and soul of the Kansas City Royals clubhouse. They came up together through the KC Royals system, and have grown up together in the major leagues. Now they need to team up to help the big league club win a World Series title.

While the KC Royals have bombed the Blue Jays for 33 runs in four games in the 2015 ALCS with only minimal contributions from their corner infield duo, getting big guns Hosmer and Moustakas on track on Wednesday can only help the team take home the American League pennant on Wednesday.

Next: Ned Yost Needs To Ride His Bullpen

Oct 17, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals relief pitcher

(44) pitches during the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals in game two of the ALCS at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

3. NED YOST NEEDS TO RIDE HIS BULLPEN

KC Royals manager Ned Yost needs to show the same early hook with Edinson Volquez that he did with Chris Young in Game 4. In short, if Volquez gets in trouble while facing the meat of the Toronto order for the third time, Yost should not hesitate to call on his well-rested pen.

Earlier in the playoffs, Ned Yost decided to stick with Volquez in the sixth inning of ALCS Game 1 after the first two hitters reached base with no outs. Steady Eddie rewarded his manager with a 36-pitch inning and escaping without any damage to preserve a 3-0 Kansas City Royals lead.

However, similar faith in fellow Dominican starters Yordano Ventura and Johnny Cueto blew up on Yost. In Game 2, Yost stuck with Ventura after he opened the sixth by allowing a single and a walk. He watched at Ventura surrendered two runs to put the KC Royals behind 3-0 while leaving Luke Hochevar to clean up a one-out, bases-loaded mess.

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Hochevar wiggled out of the jam without further damage, and the Kansas City Royals rallied to score six runs in the last three innings to win 6-3. But, Yost did not help matters by sticking with Ventura.

Similarly, Yost could have pulled a struggling Johnny Cueto in the third inning on Monday after giving up a three-run shot to Troy Tulowitzki—or, even better, pulled him when Cueto opened the third inning by allowing the first two hitters to reach base after giving up three runs in the second. Instead, Yost stuck with Cueto and watched him get charged with eight earned runs when reliever Kris Medlen allowed a two-run dinger before he could finish the third inning.

The KC Royals found themselves down 9-2 after that debacle. Had Yost pulled the plug earlier, he might not have squandered a Royals rally that fell three runs short in an 11-8 loss.

Game 5 is for all the marbles and middle reliever Luke Hochevar is hot. If Volquez gets in trouble, Ned Yost needs to ride his best-in-baseball bullpen for all it’s worth. Win today, and you’ll have six days to rest before the World Series.

Next: Leadoff Hitter Alcides Escobar Needs To Keep Hacking

Oct 20, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Kansas City Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar (2) hits a sacrifice fly during the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game four of the ALCS at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports

 4. LEADOFF HITTER ALCIDES ESCOBAR NEEDS TO KEEP HACKING

The sabermetrics revolution tells us that you want a strong on base percentage guy taking the most at bats in your lineup. It’s even better if your leadoff hitter is patient, because that will not only help him draw walks, but it also helps wear down starters to enable you to get into your opponent’s bullpen.

Then there’s Kansas City Royals leadoff hitter Alcides Escobar.

Escobar is nothing like what sabermetric models tells us that a leadoff hitter should be. Alcides Escobar  has a mere .298 career OBP. He walks only 4.2 percent of the time over his eight-year career. He’s a hacker that doesn’t take pitches. His on-base-plus-slugging is a mere .642, which is hardly the hitter you want taking the most at bats on the team.

Yet the KC Royals stand 17-7 in 24 post-season games in which Alcides Escobar leads off. They’re 33 games over .500 in the 2015 when Escobar hits from the no. 1 hole. Alcides Escobar has set a ALCS record by starting off four consecutive games with a hit.

The Kansas City Royals success with Alcides Escobar at the top of the lineup makes no sense. But it works.

That’s why Alcides Escobar needs to keep hacking. You can’t argue with success.

Who knows, maybe Escobar’s fifth straight hit to begin an ALCS game will be the one that triggers a rally that puts the KC Royals in control of the game.

Next: I Need To Wear My Lucky 1985 World Series Shirt

5. I NEED TO WEAR MY LUCKY 1985 WORLD SERIES SHIRT

We now come to the most important thing that must happen for the Kansas City Royals to win on Wednesday. I need to wear the shirt in the image to the left.

Really, how can you doubt me? I wore a navy blue knit shirt with a collar that I considered “Royals Blue” plus my KC Royals cap on Monday. The Royals went down 9-2 by the end of the third inning.

At that moment, I determined I wasn’t wearing that shirt to watch a game ever again.  Since I had worn my Kansas City Royals home replica jersey for game 3 against the Astros, I had to dig deep into my drawer for an alternative.

I pulled out my ancient 1985 World Series Champion shirt (it still fit) just before Tuesday’s game, and the KC Royals hung four runs on Toronto starter R.A. Dickey in the first inning.

Really, could the Baseball Gods be any clearer?

So, there you have it KC Royals fans. Whether the Kansas City Royals win or lose on Wednesday is really all about me. I control my own destiny and happiness. Me picking the right shirt to wear is just as important as Edinson Volquez having good stuff, Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer seeing the ball and getting good swings, Ned Yost calling on his bullpen at the right time, and Alcides Escobar staying hot at the plate.

It’s my story, and I’m sticking with it.

Go Royals!

Next: Umpires Squeezed Johnny Cueto In ALCS Game 3

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