Blue Jays: 5 reasons not to fear the Kansas City Royals

Sep 18, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin (55) throws to first base to force out Boston Red Sox third baseman Brock Holt (not pictured) in the eighth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

The Royals Run

The Royals had a robust Team Stolen Base count of 104, good enough for fifth best in the MLB, second best in the AL (the dispatched Astros were first). The Royals are a scrappy team able to turn runs out of singles. So while they don’t have the collective power of the Jays, they take advantage of each and every hit. The Royals have the second, third, and seventeenth best baserunners in the AL in Lorenzo Cain, Jarrod Dyson, and Alcides Escobar. The only current Jay to crack that mark was Kevin Pillar in fifth.

Yet while the Royals’ running game is nearly unmatched, Martin’s cannon and control is a force to be reckoned with all on its own. Russel Martin boasted a .444 Caught Stealing Percentage, which tied him with Wilson Ramos as first on that list. Martin is a weapon against the opponents running game as his total Stolen Bases Allowed of 40 ranks him third best in the Majors and his total Caught Stealing of 32 is good enough for second in the Majors. So while the Royals like to run, Russell Martin has firmly established himself as a strong stopper to a running team. The Royals may still run, but at their own risk.

Next: We'll bring the bats