Game thread XCI - Royals at Rockies

You go, I go, we all go for Lugo

Well, last night sucked. The good news is that tonight is another night. The bad news is that the Royals are still the team that’s been pretty poor on the road, this year, and they’re still on the road.

There’s more good and bad news to alternate. Seth Lugo is starting tonight! Walter Pennington got demoted. Kris Bubic is back! Michael Massey is out of the lineup for the second night in a row after starting in the field Thursday night for the first time since his IL stint. Thanks to their losses the past two nights, the Royals are no longer holding a playoff spot for the first time in months. Oops; forgot to alternate.

Listen, I don’t know if the Royals will win tonight. The offense has been streaky. The bullpen has left streaks. The rotation has been good, but Lugo’s best pitch is generally considered to be his curveball which is a pitch that historically does not play well in Denver. But they’re going to play. And because they’re still holding on to playoff contention by their fingernails, I would probably watch even if I wasn’t being paid to do so. Though, I’ll admit, the payment is probably the reason I’ll make it all the way to the end of this late game.

Lineups

Salvy, who has been hitting very poorly of late, still can’t get a night off and is still batting cleanup. Maikel is inexplicably back at third. I mean, it’s fine, he’s a good defender there, but why was he at second for so long if they were just going to move him back there? And why do we keep experimenting with another leadoff hitter for a day and then just putting him back at the top? I’ve defended Q for his managerial decisions all year but at some point things have stopped adding up for me.

At least we get to see the Colorado City Connects, though!