Kuzul

Kendrys Morales hasn’t left his mark on the American League Championship Series—yet.

He’s 1-for-6 with a couple of RBI in two games, and more importantly, the Kansas City Royals have a commanding 2-0 series lead over the Toronto Blue Jays heading into Monday’s Game 3 north of the border.

But it feels like Morales is due for a Significant Moment—capital “s,” capital “m.” And that feeling, by itself, is an unexpected twist.

Backing up a bit: When the Royals signed Morales to a two-year, $17 million contract last December, the deal was greeted with something less than enthusiasm by the majority of K.C. fans, as Pete Grathoff of the Kansas City Star highlighted via a series of cherry-picked-yet-representative tweets.

The issue was twofold. First, Morales—who turned 32 in June—was coming off a dreadful 2014 campaign, during which he posted a .218/.274/.338 slash line in 98 games with the Minnesota Twins and Seattle Mariners.

Second, Morales was inked to replace Billy Butler, the beloved, lifetime Royals designated hitter who helped usher Kansas City to the World Series before bolting via free agency to the Oakland A’s.

Those were strikes one and two against Morales, a seemingly declining hitter on the wrong side of 30 supplanting a revered franchise hero.

Usually, this story would play out in a sad, familiar way, with Morales crashing and burning in semi-slow motion while the tepid cheers calcified into full-throated boos.

Instead, Morales raked, and the Royals rolled.

In 158 regular-season games, K.C.’s new DH slashed .290/.362/.485 with 41 doubles, 22 big flies and 106 RBI, all while playing half his contests in the AL’s third-least homer-happy yard, according to ESPN’s Park Factors statistic. 

“It’s kind of what we hoped for when we signed him, to bring a power component to the lineup, an RBI guy,” manager Ned Yost said in September, per MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan. “For him to bounce back after a couple of pretty tough years is phenomenal so far, with the doubles and RBIs. You feel good every time he walks up to the plate.”

So far in the postseason, he’s cracked three home runs and collected eight RBI. And the Royals, not coincidentally, are two victories shy of a second straight Fall Classic appearance. 

All of Morales’ jacks came in the division series against the Houston Astros, including a three-run bomb off ‘Stros ace Dallas Keuchel in the decisive Game 5.

That led MLB.com’s Jane Lee, among others, to invoke the free-agent Morales-for-Butler swap with a healthy dusting of 20/20 hindsight:

So what’s sparking this resurgence? During the regular season, Morales hit a higher percentage of balls in the air than he had in any season since 2009, per FanGraphs. And while he remains a free swinger, he posted the highest walk percentage of his career and his lowest strikeout percentage since 2010.

Really, last season’s dip could be explained by poor conditioning, as CBS Sports’ Dayn Perry pointed out, noting that in 2014, Morales didn’t sign with the Twins until June, “which threw off his entire training schedule.”

The Texas Rangers‘ Prince Fielder is likely the favorite for AL Comeback Player of the Year honors, with New York Yankees DH Alex Rodriguez also in the mix, polarizing history be damned. 

Morales, though, is the only one still standing in the postseason. That doesn’t count when it comes to regular-season awards, but it does in every other sense.

He’s far from the only weapon in a loaded Kansas City offense that has seen catcher Salvador Perez, outfielders Alex Gordon and Lorenzo Cain, first baseman Eric Hosmer and others chip in this October. Add K.C.’s speed, airtight defense and strong bullpen, and you’ve got the makings of a two-time AL champion.

The Royals are an experienced bunch, after all, one that came within a Madison Bumgarner of a ring last autumn.

Now, they’re two wins away from a return trip to baseball’s ultimate stage. And while sample-size alerts obviously apply, Morales is 2-for-3 with a double in his career against young right-hander Marcus Stroman, the Jays’ Game 3 starter.

In other words: As the ALCS heads to Canada, Kendrys Morales will be there—waiting to leave his mark.

All statistics current as of Oct. 18 and courtesy of MLB.com unless otherwise noted.

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For the second straight year, the Kansas City Royals are headed to the American League Championship Series. Johnny Cueto threw eight innings of two-hit ball, and Kendrys Morales hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning to cap the Royals’ 7-2 victory over the Houston Astros in Game 5 of their divisional series.

The Royals provided a look at the on-field celebration:

The Astros got their only two runs in the second inning, when Luis Valbuena hit a two-run homer. They wouldn’t have another baserunner for the final seven innings. Cueto struck out eight batters and didn’t walk any in a performance that will undoubtedly erase concerns regarding his struggles in a Kansas City uniform.

Jeremy Guthrie, leading the postgame celebration, gave a shoutout to the Royals starter, per Fox Sports Kansas City:

“He showed up,” Royals pitching coach Dave Eiland said of Cueto, according to the Kansas City Star‘s Andy McCullough.

Royals owner David Glass had similar praise to heap on the Game 5 winner, per the Kansas City Star‘s Sam Mellinger:

Alex Rios came through with arguably the biggest hit of the night in the fifth inning, hitting a two-run double to give the Royals a lead they would not relinquish. Rios, who went 2-for-3, was the only Royal with multiple hits. Eric Hosmer and Ben Zobrist also drove in runs, the latter closing the series with the team’s highest batting average.

The Royals will move on to play the Toronto Blue Jays, who earned a 6-3 win over the Texas Rangers in their own Game 5 earlier Wednesday evening. As noted by ESPN Stats & Info, it’s a rematch of their 1985 series—which also doubles as the last time Kansas City won the Fall Classic:

It’s more than enough reason for players and fans alike to celebrate, as highlighted by Fox’s MLB feed:

Very few of the players had any interest in leaving the field, per Yael T. Abouhalkah of the Kansas City Star: 

Even the city’s Twitter feed got into the mix, posting a video of fans celebrating:

When the Migos hit? When the Migos hit, indeed:

Unlike last year, these Royals are not a fun small-ball outfit making their way through the playoffs despite all logic. Kansas City has been a World Series favorite all year. It finished the season with the American League’s best record, acquired high-profile veterans such as Cueto and Zobrist for an all-in push and brought back most of its key contributors from 2014.

The Royals will, however, be playing a Blue Jays team that’s gone equally all-in for 2015. Toronto added David Price and Troy Tulowitzki at the deadline, moves that make the Cueto-Zobrist pairing pale in comparison. Both Price and Tulowitzki have had their postseason struggles—Price currently carries a 7.20 ERA, while Tulowitzki is hitting .095—but Toronto is as formidable a challenger as the Royals will face in the AL.

After the way both needed five games to get through the ALDS, it’s possible we’ll be looking at another seven-game classic 30 years later to match their last playoff series.

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With the American League Division Series showdown between the Houston Astros and Kansas City Royals knotted 1-1, the scene shifts to Houston’s Minute Maid Park for Game 3 at 4 p.m. ET Sunday.

The upstart ‘Stros proved they belonged on baseball’s biggest stage with a 5-2 victory in Game 1, an encouraging encore to their Wild Card Game win over the Yankees in New York. But the Royals answered back in Game 2, erasing a two-run deficit in the sixth inning and ultimately prevailing 5-4.

Now, with Astros ace Dallas Keuchel set to take the hill against steady Royals right-hander Edinson Volquez, let’s examine a few keys that could decide the outcome of this pivotal contest.

Minute Maid mayhem

It’s been 10 years since Houston hosted an MLB playoff game, so you can bet the joint will be rocking.

Plus, the team announced that the roof will be closed for Games 3 and 4, which takes the crowd noise to another decibel. 

“Our ballpark fully enclosed can get really loud when it’s 40-50,000 people,” Astros skipper A.J. Hinch said, per USA Today. “It’s bring your earplugs.”

Houston drew an average of 26,587 fans during the regular season, fewer than any other playoff team, according to figures ESPN compiled.

Sunday will surely be a sellout, though, and a chance for the Astros to build on the 53-28 mark they posted at home, which is tied with the Toronto Blue Jays for best in the AL.

The essential step will be to plate a few runs early and get the fans into it. Then, bust out those earplugs.

Lean on the long ball

The Astros hit 230 home runs in the regular season, more than any club other than the Blue Jays (who hit 232). And in two postseason games, they’ve already clubbed five dingers to pace the playoff pack.

Now, they’ll get a chance to tee off in the cozy confines of Minute Maid Park, the fourth-most homer-happy yard in the Junior Circuit, according to ESPN’s Park Factors statistic. 

Volquez gave up a scant 16 home runs in 200.1 innings this season, but two of those came in his only start in Houston.

A couple more well-timed taters in Game 3 could tip the scales in the Astros’ favor.

Kansas City, by contrast, hit just 139 home runs in the regular season, second-fewest in the AL. That’s what happens when you play half your games at spacious Kauffman Stadium and build your team around defense, speed and situational execution. 

But the Royals are far from punchless. In fact, they’ve hit three home runs in this ALDS already, including two off the bat of designated hitter Kendrys Morales in Game 1 and one from catcher Salvador Perez in Game 2.

The Royals, who took the fewest walks in the American League during the season, also drew some key free passes in Game 2. As CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa noted, “Hey, if you’re going to win the World Series, you’re going to have to win some games in ways you normally wouldn’t.”

Keuchel yielded only 17 long balls in 232 innings in the regular season and added six more shutout frames in the Wild Card Game, so it’s not as if home runs are guaranteed for K.C. in Game 3.

For the right-handed swingers in both lineups, however, that short porch in left field is going to look mighty tempting. 

Demystifying Dallas

The Astros are no doubt hoping to ride Keuchel, who pitched on three days’ rest in the Wild Card Game for the first time all season but will be on his normal four days for Game 3. 

If the Royals can somehow chase Houston’s ace early, however, they’d expose an Astros bullpen that posted a 5.63 ERA in September and October and has question marks before closer Luke Gregerson.

Keuchel is one of the best arms in baseball, and the stud southpaw showed he’s unfazed by the playoff glare with a brilliant postseason debut in New York.

The Royals lineup, however, has had some success against him.

While the usual sample-size caveats apply, Lorenzo Cain (5-for-12 with two doubles and a home run), Eric Hosmer (4-for-6), Morales (6-for-16 with a double) and Alex Rios (10-for-26 with four doubles and four RBI) have strong career numbers against Keuchel.

“We do well against aces,” Hosmer told reporters. “We’re gonna go in there and battle and try to get off to an early lead. The way the bullpen’s been throwing for us, if we can just get off to an early lead as an offense, then we’ll feel pretty good about it going in.”

That’s not to say you should bet on a Royals hit parade, or against Keuchel doing Keuchel things Sunday. But if you’re a Royals fan looking for solace against a scary opposing pitcher, there you go.

All statistics current as of Oct. 10 and courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.

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It worked out pretty well last year, didn’t it? 

The Kansas City Royals had a definitive formula to winning games during last year’s postseason, and quite frankly it is what they tried to rely on for much of the last two regular seasons.

The plan was simple enough: play a little small ball, maybe get a little lucky and squeeze out some timely hits to overcome shaky starting pitching. Then hand the rock to the back of the bullpen and watch it cruise through the final nine, or more, outs. It was a strategy that carried them to within a win of the 2014 World Series trophy, so it seemed wise to go with it again now.

The Royals did that Friday afternoon in Game 2 of the American League Division Series to snatch a come-from-behind 5-4 victory over the Houston Astros at Kauffman Stadium. The win evened the best-of-five series that now heads south to Houston for Game 3 on Sunday.

In a small nutshell, the Royals rebounded from Johnny Cueto’s shaky outing, kept it close enough until Eric Hosmer and Kendrys Morales could get some BABIP luck, let the other team’s bullpen falter for the tying run and then got a couple of timely hits from Alcides Escobar and Ben Zobrist late before calling on the back end of the bullpen to shut down the other team and record the win.

All of that should be familiar if you watched last year’s playoffs, as SportsTalkFeed.com noted:

It was your typical Royals game plan down the stretch. Keep the game close, KC offense takes lead off bullpen, Herrera/Madson/Davis end it

— SportsTalkFeed. com (@SportsTalkFeed) October 9, 2015

The Royals’ rotation had a 4.12 ERA and 1.31 WHIP during last year’s postseason, and this year it went into the ALDS with a 4.34 ERA, the worst number of any of the playoff rotations this fall. Cueto, the arm they traded for in July and figured would be their playoff ace two months later, was inconsistent during his time in Kansas City, and that continued Friday as he allowed a disappointing but not surprising four runs in six innings.

Cueto’s performance was not all bad, though. All of the damage came in the first three innings, and he left the game having put down 12 of the last 14 hitters he faced. He exited down two runs, but he did not mope, knowing what the Royals’ magic is capable of producing in October.

“He finally really got dialed in after the third inning and kept us in the game,” Royals manager Ned Yost told reporters in his postgame press conference. Josh Vernier of 610 Sports Radio noted Cueto’s actions:

Johnny Cueto is practically standing on the field, and has been this whole inning. Top-steppin’ it, clapping anxiously. #Royals

— Josh Vernier (@JoshVernier610) October 9, 2015

Minutes later, after Lorenzo Cain laced a double to right, Hosmer and Morales got a couple of hole-seeking hits and Mike Moustakas walked to load the bases. Salvador Perez, who homered in the second inning, walked to force in the tying run a batter later.

With the game tied, Yost did not hesitate. He went to the first head of his three-headed bullpen beast, one that had a makeover for this postseason after last year’s closer, Greg Holland, who was lost last month to en elbow injury. Kelvin Herrera had the seventh inning, just like a year ago, with Ryan Madson in the eighth and Wade Davis, last year’s eighth-inning man, taking over as closer if everything went according to plan. 

Herrera, who hit 100 mph with his fastball, gave up a single but nothing more. That set the table for Escobar, who tripled to start the bottom half of the seventh, and Zobrist, who had his pinnacle moment with the Royals after they traded for him in July.

The plan continued after that. Yost gave the ball to Madson, who until this year had not pitched in a major league game since 2011 because of a ridiculously difficult recovery from Tommy John surgery. Madson, with his 2.13 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in the regular season, fell right in line with the plan, pitching a clean inning with two strikeouts.

From that point, the Astros’ hope was fleeting. Because the next reliever through the bullpen gate was Davis, arguably the best in baseball over the last two seasons, armed with a 0.97 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 12.1 strikeouts per nine innings. To finish the regular season, he had allowed just one earned run since Aug. 16.

“I’m sure you guys have heard,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch told reporters in his press conference, “he’s a pretty good reliever.”

But there was hope for Houston in the ninth. Davis walked Preston Tucker with one out and quick-footed, but sometimes-careless Carlos Gomez replaced him as the runner. And before Davis delivered his next pitch, Gomez was picked off first base after a review overturned the original safe call. Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan provided his insight on what’s typical when it comes to Wade Davis pitching:

It is a standard rule that you don’t get picked off in a one-run game in the ninth inning. It is especially true with Wade Davis pitching.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 9, 2015

A batter later, the game was done, and the Royals avoided total disaster by splitting their two home games to start the series.

During last year’s postseason, the Royals found themselves underdogs through the entire month. This year they had the American League’s best record, and in this series they are favorites based on that fact.

Maybe the expectations are different now. Maybe the pressure is different this time. But one thing has remained the same: The Royals are going to win exactly as they have, because it’s worked pretty well for them so far.

All quotes, unless otherwise specified, have been acquired firsthand by Anthony Witrado. Follow Anthony on Twitter @awitrado and talk baseball here.

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The Minnesota Twins are crashing the wild-card party and have been one of the biggest surprises of the 2015 season. After finishing last year with the second-worst record in the American League, the Cinderella Twins are now very much in the postseason picture and are just one game back for the second AL wild-card spot following a dramatic win Thursday night.

In their preseason team rankings, Sports Illustrated had the Twins at No. 28 in the league with a projected 2015 record of 67-95. With three games left to play, the Twins have managed to win 83 games this season and are 7-3 in their last 10 games.

What has been the key to their remarkable turnaround?

Young talent.

Similar to the Houston Astros, who coincidentally tied the Twins for the second-worst record in the AL last year (70- 92) and currently hold the second wild card, the Twins made an early decision that they were going to play their youngsters.

Seeking a spark following an 11-17 June, the Twins wasted little time in calling up top hitting prospect Miguel Sano from Double-A on July 1. The hard-swinging designated hitter/third baseman made an immediate impact. Sano, 22, hit .297 that month with an OBP of .424 to go along with four home runs in 22 games.

On Thursday, Sano was named one of three finalists for the Major League Baseball Players Association Most Outstanding Rookie Award in the AL. He has slugged 18 homers in 77 games this year. Projected over the course of a full season, those numbers become awe-inspiring.

On top of the power, Sano has shown a consistent ability to get on base. Although he has struck out 115 times, which is alarming, he has drawn 50 walks and has an OBP of .385.

Joe Mauer, who knows a thing or two about hitting himself, has been impressed with the Dominican slugger’s approach so far. In an interview with Derek Wetmore of 1500 ESPN, Mauer said it has been fun to watch the progress Sano has made.

“I think everybody talks about his power and how strong he is, but I think I’m mostly impressed with his eye at the plate,” Mauer said. “Laying off of tough pitches. He’s got a pretty good idea of what he wants to do and needs to do.”

If Sano can limit his strikeouts next year by cutting down on his swings and misses on hard breaking balls, he could grow to be one of the elite power hitters in the league.

Another rookie who has helped turn things around for the Twins is outfielder Eddie Rosario. With the big league club since May 6, Rosario has brought some much-needed energy to the Twins lineup.

Rosario projects to be a solid, all-around player for Minnesota for years to come. Rosario, who celebrated his 24th birthday on September 28, leads the majors in triples with 15.

On September 16, the Guayama, Puerto Rico, product became the first rookie since Hanley Ramirez in 2006 to collect at least 10 homers, 10 doubles, 10 triples and 10 stolen bases in a season.

He has a .271 average with 13 home runs and 18 doubles. Like Sano, and many young hitters out there, look for Rosario to work on cutting down his strikeout totals moving forward. If he can work the count and get on base a little bit more, he should be able to establish himself as a decent stolen base threat to go along with his power.

Also making a difference is shortstop Eduardo Escobar. Splitting time at short with Danny Santana, Escobar has impressed with his timely hitting and .989 fielding percentage.

The Twins got a huge lift from Escobar on Thursday night when he smacked a game-tying opposite-field double down the line during the top of the eighth in a must-win game against the Cleveland Indians. The hit helped keep the team’s postseason hopes alive.

And then there’s the Twins’ No. 1 prospect, Byron Buxton. Although he has struggled to the tune of a .216 BA, the outfielder has recently shown signs of breaking out. He is hitting .400 over the past two weeks, including his first two homers of his career.

He has also played in only 44 games so far and is still only 21 years old.

Just as Mike Trout struggled during his first taste of big league action (.220 BA in 2011), Buxton may just be going through the rounds as he adjusts to the AL and tougher pitching 

Who knows what Buxton could be capable of in a full season? 

At a point when young teams sometimes tend to fade or fatigue, the Twins have played strong down the stretch in September, compiling a 15-13 record.

That’s usually a sign of good things to come, and their core of young hitters, mixed with veterans, should help propel this team moving forward.

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On Thursday night, Chicago White Sox slugger Jose Abreu became the second player in Major League Baseball history to record 30 home runs and 100 RBI in the first two seasons of his career.

According to Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago, Abreu joins Albert Pujols, who performed the feat in 2001 and 2002.

The White Sox followed with a congratulatory message for Abreu:

Scott Merkin of MLB.com reported Abreu planned to text Pujols after the game to thank him for helping him get to this point, adding that Abreu is honored to share the milestone with him.

Abreu knocked in his 100th and 101st runs of the season during the bottom of the seventh inning against Luke Hochevar of the Kansas City Royals, ripping a single to left field to pull the White Sox within two runs. 

MLB shared a replay of Abreu’s momentous single:

Abreu arrived at the 30-home run and 100-RBI plateaus in quick succession. On Wednesday, the night before his big single, Abreu socked his 30th home run of the season, also against the Royals.

MLB provided a look at his 30th home run: 

It’s another notch in Abreu’s belt as the 2014 American League Rookie of the Year looks to continue the success of a career that started a bit late. The 28-year-old Cuban defector signed as a free agent with the White Sox in 2013 and immediately captivated the league with his power.

Sure, Abreu’s career might one day lead baseball fans to wonder what could have been if he had played his entire career in America, but if his time in the majors turns out to be anything like Pujols’, he will be fine. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Kansas City Royals All-Star Lorenzo Cain exited Wednesday’s game against the Chicago White Sox after fouling a ball off his right knee.  

Continue for updates.

Cain Diagnosed with Right Knee Contusion

Wednesday, Sept. 30 

According to CSN Chicago’s Dan Hayes, Cain is merely day-to-day at this point after suffering a right knee contusion. Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reported the good news that “X-rays on Cain were negative.” 

Hayes described how Cain suffered the injury, saying he “maybe went 30 feet down the line” after hitting a grounder in his final at-bat of the evening. 

The Royals outfielder has been on a tear this season, batting a team-best .306 while slugging 16 home runs and recording 71 RBI. 

However, prior injuries delayed Cain from fully realizing his potential, which has been most evident of late, as he led Kansas City in last year’s postseason and in 2015, deservedly starting this year’s All-Star Game.

The Royals center fielder has excellent speed, which translates well to roaming the outfield and makes him a threat to steal bases at any given time. He is the club leader in bags swiped this season, but Kansas City may miss him even more for his defense.     

Batting in the No. 3 spot and playing such a pivotal role in the field makes Cain an irreplaceable cog for the reigning World Series runners-up, who’ve backed up their excellent run well this season.

Cain has been a big reason why the Royals have proved their run to the October Classic last year wasn’t a fluke. While he recovers from his ailment, either Paulo Orlando or Jarrod Dyson figures to take Cain’s place in center field.

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Three years ago, the Houston Astros lost 107 games, and the Chicago Cubs lost 101. The Kansas City Royals were finishing their fourth straight 90-loss season, their eighth in nine years. The Pittsburgh Pirates were making North American sports history with their 20th-straight losing season.

And the Toronto Blue Jays were finishing double-digit games out of first place for a 12th-straight year.

Three years ago.

Nobody was calling Kansas City a great baseball town. Nobody had trouble getting Blue Jays tickets. Everybody knew PNC Park looked nice, but nobody had any idea it could sound great, too.

Los Angeles Dodgers fans were wondering how long it would take to undo the damage done by Frank McCourt. New York Mets fans were wondering when they’d stop hearing about Bernie Madoff.

The San Francisco Giants beat the Detroit Tigers in the World Series.

Three years ago.

It’s not fair to say that baseball has been turned on its head in the last three years (the Giants won again last year, after all). What is fair is to note that the road from terrible to terrific can be shorter than ever, and we now have some new names at the top.

If the Royals aren’t the best team in the American League this season, then the Blue Jays are. That’s the Royals, who just won their first division title since 1985, or the Blue Jays, on the verge of clinching their first division title since 1993.

The Mets will be in the playoffs (for the first time since 2006), the Cubs are in the playoffs (for the first time since 2008) and the Astros still have a real shot to be in the playoffs (for the first time since 2005).

Look, it’s true that the St. Louis Cardinals will be playing in October for the fifth straight year and that despite their absence from this tournament, the Giants’ three World Series titles in five years qualify them as a powerhouse franchise until proven otherwise.

But in baseball as it works today, the Cardinals’ consistency is an anomaly. The new norm is that each new year brings with it a team ending a long October drought, a town previously thought of as dead for baseball proving that folks just about anywhere can get caught up in the excitement of watching a winner (anywhere but Tampa Bay).

And just as the Pirates have built on what they did in 2013 and the Royals used last October as a springboard into this outstanding season, there’s every reason to believe the 2015 newcomers could do the same.

The Mets were a surprise division champion this year, but their young rotation means they’ll likely begin next year as the NL East favorite. Heck, after facing the Mets’ four young guns in order over the weekend, Cincinnati Reds third baseman Todd Frazier told reporters the Mets are “the team to beat” this October.

The Cubs and Astros made good use of their 100-loss seasons. The Astros had the first overall draft pick in 2012 and used it on Carlos Correa. The Cubs had the second overall pick the following June and used it on Kris Bryant. Both could win Rookie of the Year (although Francisco Lindor, who the Cleveland Indians picked eighth overall in 2011, has made a strong late run at Correa in the American League).

The draft seems to be serving its intended purpose better than ever, distributing the best talent to the teams most in need. Baseball’s increased revenues, and increased revenue sharing, mean more teams than ever can retain their stars, and more than ever can bid on the few stars who become free agents.

There’s a big premium on smart front offices making good decisions and a great reward for general managers like Toronto’s Alex Anthopoulos for moves like adding Josh Donaldson and Russell Martin in the winter, and Troy Tulowitzki and David Price in July.

There’s a real payoff for general managers who aggressively pursue success at the right time, the way Kansas City’s Dayton Moore did when he traded for James Shields in December 2012, or the way the Mets’ Sandy Alderson did when he acquired Yoenis Cespedes at the non-waiver deadline this past July.

The Mets, 13th in the National League in attendance the last two years, have had big crowds since Cespedes arrived. The Blue Jays, middle of the pack in attendance the last few years and worse than that from 2009-11, have sold out 20 of their last 21 games at the Rogers Centre.

The Royals set a franchise attendance record this season. Baseball is alive again in Kansas City, just as it is in Pittsburgh and in Toronto and in Queens.

No one would have said that three years ago.

Danny Knobler covers Major League Baseball as a national columnist for Bleacher Report.

Follow Danny on Twitter and talk baseball. 

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Cleveland Indians pitcher Corey Kluber may have suffered through another rough outing, but his first strikeout in Monday’s 4-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins made him the Indians’ first right-handed pitcher since Bob Feller (1940-41) to record 500 or more strikeouts over a two-year span, per MLB Stat of the Day.

After striking out 269 batters in his Cy Young-winning 2014 campaign, Kluber entered Monday’s contest with 230 strikeouts this season, needing just one more to reach 500 over the two-year span.

He got the necessary strikeout against Twins outfielder Eddie Rosario to end the first inning, but only after surrendering an RBI double to Twins designated hitter Miguel Sano and a two-run home run to Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe.

With his team in an early 3-0 hole and the Twins getting the best of him in a second straight start, Kluber probably wouldn’t have cared about the milestone even if he had known.

He did settle down a bit after the rough opening frame, ultimately allowing four runs, seven hits, three walks and six strikeouts on 102 pitches over six innings.

The loss dropped his record to 8-16, with the 16 losses putting Kluber one ahead of Oakland Athletics pitcher Jesse Chavez for the American League lead.

Kluber’s undoubtedly been one of the least lucky pitchers in all of baseball, as his ERA estimators on Fangraphs (FIP, SIERA, etc.) are all much better than his actual ERA, and he’s also suffered through terrible run support.

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Leadership is an undervalued quality these days.

Just ask the Detroit Tigers.

It’s been a tumultuous season for a club that was expected to compete for a World Series Championship this year.

There are several reasons behind the team’s downfall: a shoddy bullpen, key injuries, little depth and a poorly constructed starting rotation.

Perhaps the biggest loss was a player the organization allowed to walk away last winter.

Torii Hunter.

Sure, he couldn’t have fixed the bullpen’s 4.52 earned run average or the rotation’s 4.80 ERA, both of which rank No. 27 overall in baseball, according to ESPN.com.

Yet he could’ve helped solve the lingering issues that took place off the field.

Essentially, the front office chose to re-sign Victor Martinez over Hunter. After finishing second in the MVP voting in 2014 when he hit .335 with 32 home runs and 103 RBIs, the Tigers rewarded Martinez with a four-year, $68 million deal.

Former general manager Dave Dombrowski told George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press last November that there wasn’t room for both Martinez and Hunter on the 2015 squad: 

I called and said it just didn‘t look like it was going to fit the way the club was getting put together. Thanked him for everything. Absolutely love him. If something changes where we make some changes for one reason or another, that we’re not anticipating, we would still be open. It’s just probably not much of a fit right now.

Hunter opted to sign a one-year, $10.5 million deal to return to the Minnesota Twins, the organization that drafted him in the first round of the 1993 draft.

At the time of the signing, Hunter told Mike Berardino and Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press that he expected the Twins to win immediately.

“It’s just the right fit,” Hunter said. “This is home. It’s time for me to come home—to be fruitful and also to win.”

Initially, the thought of Minnesota winning in 2015 was met with laughter. The organization had lost more than 90 games in each of the past four seasons.

The club has a ton of young talent, but competing in the American League Central Division seemed a couple of years away.

After being outscored 22-1, which resulted in a three-game sweep at the hands of the Tigers to open the season, playoff aspirations didn’t seem a reality for the young club. The team bounced back and currently has a 78-74 record and sits 1.5 games out of the second wild-card spot.

Even if the Twins don’t reach the postseason, this year should be considered a tremendous success.

Manager Paul Molitor told Phil Miller of the StarTribune that Hunter’s veteran leadership is a huge reason behind Minnesota’s turnaround.

“You need guys who can lend a veil of experience, a veteran’s wisdom to your clubhouse, and Torii does all that,” Molitor said. “At the same time, he’s been able to lighten the mood when it’s necessary. … Guys respect him.”

Meanwhile, the Tigers will miss the postseason for the first time since 2010.

And they’ve had issues in the clubhouse. 

For instance, Jose Iglesias and James McCann exchanged words in the dugout during a game in early August. It appeared the rookie catcher was calling out Iglesias for a lack of effort on a key play. The words led to Iglesias shoving McCann before teammates separated the two. Afterward, Iglesias told the Associated Press that he wasn’t sorry for his actions.

“I just go by instincts, and my instincts tell me to do that,” Iglesias said. “I’m OK with it.

“I think I have a chance to make each and every play when I’m at short. There’s no doubt about it; I just try to come here and do my job. I don’t tell anybody how to play your position, so I just go out there and do my best.”

In mid-September, Victor Martinez called out fans for booing the team and told Chris McCosky of the Detroit News this season should serve as a lesson for fans.

“This is definitely a season that will teach a lesson to a lot of people,” he said. “Starting with this clubhouse, a lot of players and a lot of people in the front office. And, believe it or not, it will teach a lesson to the fans, too.”

Martinez went on to talk about the home crowd booing the Tigers in the 2014 playoffs when they returned to Detroit down 2-0 to the Baltimore Orioles in the ALDS.

“I remember,” he said. “You want to have your team in the playoffs, definitely. The fans want to win, everybody wants to win. But nobody wants to win more than we do. When we play at home, we want them behind us.

“Last year was tough. We came home down 2-0 and the fans were really hard. Now they won’t be angry. There’s no October baseball. That’s why I say this season will be a lesson to a lot of people.”

Finally, the organization announced it was sending relief pitcher Bruce Rondon home due to “effort issues” earlier this week.

“Bruce Rondon, because of his effort level, has been sent home,” Tigers head coach Brad Ausmus told McCosky. “And other than saying that [general manager] Al Avila and myself completely agreed on it, there will be no other details or comment.”

It’s clear that Rondon’s antics were irritating teammates. Fellow reliever Alex Wilson told McCosky that Rondon quit on the team.

“It’s kind of an unwritten rule, you never quit on your teammates and when you quit on yourself, you kind of quit on your teammates,” Wilson said. “From a clubhouse standpoint, it’s probably better to let him go on home and try to figure things out a little bit.”

It’s hard to remember a situation in recent years with this many incidents inside Detroit’s clubhouse.

This raises the question: Would this type of behavior occur if Hunter were still a member of the Tigers?

At least one current player doesn’t believe so. Nick Castellanos told Matt Dery of Detroit Sports 105.1 that Hunter would have taken care of Rondon‘s situation before anyone got wind of it:

I think it wouldn’t have escalated as it did. I feel like as soon as Torii somewhat disagreed with it, he would’ve made sure he took care of the problem immediately. That’s why you can’t put a value number on clubhouse leadership because it’s so important. Torii’s presence in the clubhouse is more valuable than his play on the field almost.

Even Ausmus recently told ESPN.com that the team missed Hunter’s leadership.

“It’s hard to quantify it. I think Torii was huge last year in the clubhouse. I think we do miss it somewhat,” Ausmus said.

On the field, Hunter is still a solid player. At 40 years old, his defense is a liability, but he can still play an important role in the lineup.

In two seasons with Detroit, Hunter hit .295 and averaged 17 home runs and 83.5 RBIs. His average has taken a large hit in Minnesota (.245), but he’s hit 22 home runs and 76 RBIs this year.

Will the Tigers bring the soon-to-be free agent back? It’s doubtful. Yet it’s ridiculous that Detroit’s clubhouse has become such a mess in less than a year since Hunter’s departure.

Analysis

The team has to bring in veteran leadership this offseason.

It begins with the coaching staff. The team will likely pursue an experienced manager such as Ron Gardenhire to guide this group.

With so many holes to fill, bringing back Hunter for a year makes sense. The move would shift J.D. Martinez back to right field, but it would allow the organization to focus its major spending on the rotation and bullpen rather than jumping in a bidding war for a top-flight outfielder.

Fixing the chaos in the clubhouse should be the No. 1 priority going forward.

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