What LoCain has in common with Roberto Alomar and a former Royals SS
Kansas City Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain is a unique three-hole hitter. So unique, in fact, that at the moment he shares a statistical achievement with just two people -- Baseball Hall of Fame second baseman Roberto Alomar and Jose Offerman, an infielder for the Royals from 1996-98.
In the wild-card era, only three American League players have hit .300 or better with at least 25 stolen bases from the third spot in the lineup.
AL PLAYERS WHO BATTED .300+ WITH 25+ STEALS IN A SEASON BATTING THIRD SINCE 1995
| Player, Team | Year |
Batting average | Stolen bases |
| Jose Offerman, Royals | 1998 | .359 | 25 |
| Roberto Alomar, Indians | 1999 |
.319 | 35 |
| Roberto Alomar, Indians |
2000 | .320 | 37 |
| Roberto Alomar, Indians |
2001 | .335 | 30 |
| Lorenzo Cain, Royals | 2015* | .300 | 26 |
| * Season in progress |
The Royals enter a four-game series at Cleveland having lost seven of their last nine games. They still have the best record in the league (84-58), but they could use a strong start from Edinson Volquez in Monday night's opener.
And they might well get it. The Royals are 21-8 with Volquez, the only Royals starter with an ERA south of 4.00 (3.49), on the mound in 2015. That record is tied for the best with any AL starter and is tied for third in Major League Baseball.
BEST TEAM RECORD WHEN PITCHER STARTS IN 2015
| Pitcher | Team | Record (win percentage)* |
| Carlos Martinez | St. Louis Cardinals |
20-6 (.769) |
| Michael Wacha | St. Louis Cardinals |
20-7 (.741) |
| Edinson Volquez | Kansas City Royals | 21-8 (.724) |
| Jake Arrieta | Chicago Cubs | 21-8 (.724) |
| Zack Greinke | Los Angeles Dodgers | 21-8 (.724) |
| David Price | Detroit Tigers-Toronto Blue Jays | 21-8 (.724) |
| * Minimum 15 games started |
Though the Indians are 13 1/2 games behind Kansas City in the AL Central, they are fighting for a wild-card spot, sitting 4 1/2 games back. And the Royals and Indians have a couple of other things in common beyond postseason aspirations.
The most important innings in this series could be the early innings, because these teams have the best records in the AL when leading after just three innings.
BEST RECORD WHEN LEADING AT END OF THIRD INNING IN 2015
| Team | Record | Win percentage |
| Pittsburgh Pirates |
48-7 | .873 |
| Kansas City Royals | 54-8 | .871 |
| St. Louis Cardinals |
48-8 | .857 |
| Cleveland Indians | 41-8 | .837 |
| New York Mets |
38-8 | .826 |
LARGEST DIFFERENTIAL IN WIN PERCENTAGE VS. RHP/LHP IN 2015
| Team | Win % vs. Right-handed starters | Win % vs. Left-handed starters | Differential |
| Colorado Rockies | .482 | .212 | .270 |
| Cleveland Indians | .548 | .396 | .152 |
| Kansas City Royals | .644 | .500 | .144 |
| Oakland Athletics | .462 |
.333 | .129 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | .648 | .553 | .095 |
