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Rays-Royals Preview

Oct 1, 2010 - 5:15 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Tampa Bay (94-64) at Kansas City (65-93), 8:10 p.m. EDT

A rough September could prevent James Shields from earning a spot in the starting rotation for Tampa Bay's AL division series.

Seeking to avoid a third straight loss, the right-hander could use a strong effort Friday night when the postseason-bound Rays continue their road series with the Kansas City Royals.

Shields (13-14, 5.04 ERA) is one win from matching his career high set in 2008, but he is also the only current Tampa Bay starter with a losing record. He might not earn a postseason rotation spot after going 0-3 with a 7.00 ERA in five September starts.

Shields has allowed 34 home runs, breaking Tanyon Sturtze's team record of 33 set in 2002.

"Over the past four or five years I've been here, I've given up my share of homers," Shields said. "The home runs don't really bother me so much as me being able to execute my pitches when I need to. This year, there's been a lot of situations where it definitely could be a lot better."

Manager Joe Maddon, however, said how Shields fares Friday will not determine his postseason role.

"On any given night, this guy can beat a really good team," Maddon told the Rays' official website.

Shields has given up five runs in each of his last two starts, the latest coming in six innings of a 6-2 loss to Seattle on Sunday.

Facing the Royals for the first time this season could benefit Shields, who is 5-1 with a 3.33 ERA in seven starts versus Kansas City.

The Rays (94-65) have dropped four of five, falling into a first-place tie with New York in the AL East after a 3-2 loss at Kansas City on Thursday. The Yankees also have clinched a playoff spot but if the teams remain tied after Sunday, Tampa Bay would win the division because they won the season series with New York.

Maddon may continue to rest star third baseman Evan Longoria, who has missed seven straight games because of a strained left quadriceps.

Carl Crawford, who homered Thursday for the Rays, is batting .370 with three homers and 11 RBIs in his last 13 games.

However, Crawford is a lifetime .211 hitter against scheduled Kansas City starter Bruce Chen (11-7, 4.45), who looks to become the first Royals left-hander to win more than 11 games since 1988, when Charlie Leibrandt won 13 and Floyd Bannister had 12 victories.

The 33-year-old Chen, 3-0 with a 3.31 ERA in his last six starts, will finish as the winningest pitcher on the Kansas City staff while enjoying his most successful season since going 13-10 with a 3.83 ERA for Baltimore in 2005. He allowed four hits in 6 2-3 scoreless innings of a 5-3 loss at Cleveland on Sunday.

Chen is 3-2 with a 4.57 ERA in 10 starts versus Tampa Bay.

Rookie Kila Ka'aihue drove in a pair of runs Thursday for the Royals (66-93), who took two of three earlier this week from AL Central champion Minnesota to open their final homestand. The Hawaiian-born Ka'aihue is 9 for 22 with eight RBIs in his last six games.