Joe Posnanski

Banny Log Start No. 13: Vs. Texas Rangers Innings: 7 Earned runs allowed: 4. Strikeouts: 4 Walks: 0 Homers: 2 Decision: ND (5-6) Number of pitches: 127 (!) Number of strikes: 78 BABIP: .272 (6 for 22) Season BABIP: .291 Well, that was certainly a gutty outing about our guy Brian Bannister, wasn’t it? He came out Thursday against a good offensive club, and he pretty much had nothing. Funny thing, his fastball was really popping on the radar gun -- he actually hit 92 mph early in the game, ... Read More

Start No. 13: Vs. New York Yankees Innings: 3 1/3 Earned runs allowed: 5. Strikeouts: 1 Walks: 2 Homers: 0 Decision: ND (5-6) Number of pitches: 71 Number of strikes: 43 BABIP: .500 (8 for 16) Season BABIP: .299 Well, that’s obviously not too good. This being anniversary weekend, I did not see a single pitch of Brian Bannister’s awkward performance against the New York Yankees on Saturday. We were watching David Copperfield at the time. I suspect -- I haven’t had the chance to ask yet, but ... Read More

Start No. 12: Vs. Cleveland Indians Innings: 7 1/3 Earned runs allowed: 1. Strikeouts: 4 Walks: 1 Homers: 1 Decision: Win (5-6) Number of pitches: 103 Number of strikes: 70 BABIP: .227 (5 for 22) Season BABIP: .285 Brian Bannister was at his Banny best on Sunday, moving the ball around, changing speeds, getting out of a little jams. The one run he gave up was on a home run to Grady Sizemore in the eighth inning -- Sizemore has now hit five home runs against the Royals this ... Read More

Start No. 11: Vs. Minnesota Twins Innings: 5 Earned runs allowed: 3. Strikeouts: 3 Walks: 2 Homers: 0 Decision: None (4-6 -- first no decision of the year) Number of pitches: 111 Number of strikes: 72 BABIP: .389 (7 of 18) Season BABIP: .295 So, we were talking a little ball before the Royals ninth consecutive loss on Tuesday* and we were trying to name the best manager in baseball. *OK, what do I do? Put off my sabbatical and keep going out to the yard until the Royals win ... Read More

Start No. 10: Vs. Boston Red Sox Innings: 5 1/3 Earned runs allowed: 7. Strikeouts: 4 Walks: 1 Homers: 1 (it was a salami) Decision: Loss (4-6) Number of pitches: 107 Number of strikes: 72 BABIP: .524 (11 or 21 -- holy green monsters, Batman!) Season BABIP: .286 I didn’t mean to not offer up a full Banny Log the other day ... I had to leave for Cooperstown, and just didn’t have time to do one. Would I have found time if Banny had thrown 8 shutouts innings? Only ... Read More

2nd inning: Manny Ramirez: Soft infield single up the middle.* Mike Lowell: Soft singled in the hole between short and third.* Kevin Youkilis: Hard single between short and third. J.D. Drew: Grand slam. *Both of these might have been fielded by shortstop Tony Pena. Unfortunately, shortstop Tony Pena is hitting .162 and was replaced in the lineup by Alberto Callaspo, who can hit better but has the range of the Pesky Pole. Let’s be honest, it ain’t easy putting together the Kansas City Royals lineup every day. Fun ... Read More

Start No. 9: Vs. Florida Marlins Innings: 6 1/3 Earned runs allowed: 6. Strikeouts: 5 Walks: 2 Homers: 01 Decision: Loss (4-5) Number of pitches: 107 Number of strikes: 68 BABIP: .288 (6 for 21) Season BABIP: .258 (46 for 178-- UPDATED!) OK, don’t have time for a full-fledged Banny Log -- I’m heading to Boston for some book research, some Royals-Red Sox action and some of this Italian food that everyone keeps recommending. But a couple of points: 1. Holy cow is Jose Guillen hot. Hey, I know I was ... Read More

So, I promised to get back to you on this quirky Brian Bannister day-night split issue. First, just as a reminder, here are Banny’s day and night splits for this year. Brian Bannister by day (this year): -- 4-0, 0.62 ERA, 29 ip, 12 hits, 3 runs, 2 earned runs, 0 homers, 7 walks, 18 K. Batting average against: .126; OPS: .320; OPS+ -10(!)*, Babip: .156. Brian Bannister by night (this year): -- 0-4, 8.02 ERA, 21 1/2 ip, 33 hits, 19 runs, 19 earned, 5 homers, ... Read More

Wow, as someone who claims to be one of the nation’s leading Brian Bannister scholars, I am embarrassed to say I missed this. But I did. It is brilliant reader PC who points this out: Brian Bannister by day (this year): -- 4-0, 0.62 ERA, 29 ip, 12 hits, 3 runs, 2 earned runs, 0 homers, 7 walks, 18 K. Batting average against: .126; OPS: .320; OPS+ -10(!)*, Babip: .156. Brian Bannister by night (this year): -- 0-4, 8.02 ERA, 21 1/2 ip, 33 hits, 19 runs, ... Read More

Start No. 8: Vs. Baltimore Orioles Innings: 8 Earned runs allowed: 0. Strikeouts: 5 Walks: 2 Homers: 0 Decision: Win (4-4) Number of pitches: 109 Number of strikes: 75 BABIP: .095 (2 for 21 -- now we’re talking!) Season BABIP: .276 (45 for 163) So, OK, you people really, really hated the last blog look. I kind of liked it -- simple, elegant, no frills, my kind of blog. However, at last check 82% of the people voted against it, which is, yeah, a pretty direct message. Even Hillary ... Read More