Danny Duffy

The Sports Xchange MLB Team Report - Kansas City Royals - INSIDE PITCH Billy Butler and the Royals knew this wouldn't last. And it didn't. Butler was mired in a 4-for-35 skid, but on Monday he broke out of that with a 5-for-5 game, the second five-hit...

The Sports Xchange MLB Team Report - Kansas City Royals - INSIDE PITCH While the No. 4 hitter is customarily a run producer, the Royals had gotten little offense from that slot -- until Monday night. Designated hitter Billy Butler snapped out of his...

The Sports Xchange MLB Team Report - Kansas City Royals - INSIDE PITCH James Shields was acquired in the December seven-player blockbuster trade with the Rays to be the staff ace. His 2-3 record would not indicate ace status, but that is far from the...

The Sports Xchange MLB Team Report - Kansas City Royals - INSIDE PITCH Jeremy Guthrie gave up a run for the first time in three starts, but his unbeaten streak remains alive. Guthrie picked up the 6-2 victory Thursday night against the Orioles,...

The Sports Xchange MLB Team Report - Kansas City Royals - INSIDE PITCH Alex Gordon had batted leadoff and Alcides Escobar second in the Royals' first 30 games this year. With the offense sputtering, manager Ned Yost decided Thursday night it was time...

The Sports Xchange MLB Team Report - Kansas City Royals - INSIDE PITCH Manager Ned Yost pulled right-hander James Shields, who shutout the Chicago White Sox on two hits for eight innings Monday. He said Tuesday he would still have made the same...

The Sports Xchange MLB Team Report - Kansas City Royals - INSIDE PITCH Royals' righty Luke Hochevar has gone from the first pick in the 2006 draft, to the 2011 Opening Day start, to the bullpen in 2013. Hochevar, who didn't play in a 2-1 extra-...

The Sports Xchange MLB Team Report - Kansas City Royals - INSIDE PITCH There will be a premium matchup Monday at Kauffman Stadium, although it was not what the Royals wanted when this series began with the White Sox. A Friday rainout that was moved...

The Sports Xchange MLB Team Report - Kansas City Royals - INSIDE PITCH Mike Moustakas went from struggling to smoking, offensively. Moustakas was hitting a puny .130, 9-for-69, on April 25 at Detroit with two doubles being his only extra-base hits....

The Sports Xchange MLB Team Report - Kansas City Royals - INSIDE PITCH In April 2012, the Royals endured a 12-game losing streak, including a franchise-record 10 straight defeats at home. Flip the calendar ahead a year and the Royals' longest losing...

The Sports Xchange MLB Team Report - Kansas City Royals - INSIDE PITCH Wade Davis was very good for two mid-April starts but finished the month with two poor performances. Davis won back-to-back starts April 10 and 17, throwing 12 shutout innings in...

The Sports Xchange MLB Team Report - Kansas City Royals - INSIDE PITCH Forgive Luis Mendoza if he is somewhat rusty Wednesday night when he starts for the Royals. After all, Mendoza has not started since April 12, when he gave up eight runs, seven...