While the Red Sox and Dodgers -- and the teams in pennant races with them -- will have to handle the long-term impact of Saturday's massive trade sending Adrian Gonzaelz, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford, and Nick Punto to Los Angeles, the Kansas City Royals felt the short-term effects. Kansas City is in the midst of a four-game series in Boston, and is having to adjust to late lineup substitutions and pitching rotation changes necessitated by the trade.
As Alex Gordon told MLB.com's Dick Kaegel, the team is trying to take it in stride:
"Our first family is this team but all Major League Baseball, every team is kind of a family so once something like this happens, people have gone through it and they know how it can be on your family and on you personally," Royals left fielder Alex Gordon said. "Maybe some of those guys liked it over there and it's kind of tough to pick up and move so we pay attention to that. A lot of the guys know each other and we keep in contact, but it's part of the game, part of the business."
The most immediate impact was felt Saturday, when Josh Beckett was scratched from his scheduled start against Kansas City. As Gordon said, the late change didn't have much effect:
"You can't really worry about what they're doing. They're going to throw whoever they need to. We've just got to control whatever we can in our at-bats. Whoever it is, make sure we're prepared whether it's Aaron Cook or Beckett."
The Royals came from behind to win last night's game in Boston, 10-9. The third game of the four-game series is scheduled for 12:35 p.m. today.