Rule 5 shines on Rule 4 Day

OK, I really don't have much to say, but I thought of what I figured was a clever headline (the Rule 4 draft being the amateur draft), and I didn't want to waste it. The fact is that former Rule 5 draft pick D.J. Carrasco had a masterful performance tonight, and he lowered his ERA to a staff-leading 2.48 with an 8-1 complete game victory over the struggling Giants.

Carrasco was nasty tonight -- we saw more broken bats tonight than we have in any other game this season. If he continues to pitch like this, the Royals may have a very cheap yet effective fifth starter in their rotation for several years to come. There are some concerns about his rather putrid sub-3 K/9 IP rate, but if you look at his career stats, you'll see that this is most likely a statistical outlier.

Throughout his career, Carrasco's sole problem has been his control. Since he became a starter for KC, his control has been stellar. Perhaps Guy Hansen has had an effect on him...or perhaps he's been lucky his last few starts. Either way, RC will be pulling for him to keep it up, as right now, D.J. Carrasco is one of the most effective pitchers on the staff. And this was a great win!