Embarrassing! That’s the only way to describe the Royals right now. E-M-B-A-R-R-A-S-S-I-N-G!!!
Royals fans of a certain generation are used to this. Seeing our beloved Royals blow out by teams that were just plain better than they were. From 1995-2012 (except for 2003) it seemed like that was always the case. Those were the dark days of Royals baseball.
This is different. Royals fans have never seen this. A team that has completely given up. This team is better than the teams that would routinely get clobbered every night by the likes of the Yankees, Twins, Red Sox, Tigers, and A’s. However, those teams never quit. In 2006, with the Royals heading to Detroit against a Tigers team who was tied for the division lead with the Twins, they stood 59-100. That Royals team swept the eventual American League Champions, keeping the Tigers from winning the American League Central. In 2008, with the Royals heading into September 57-79, they went 18-8, including taking two of three in Minnesota in the final series of the season. That forced a Game 163 for the Twins, which they lost to the White Sox, 1-0, and kept the Twins out of the playoffs.
Those teams never quit despite nearly always being the worse team on the field.
That’s what makes this hurt so much for Royals fans. This team is, most of the time, the better team on the field. Sure, the Royals have lost key components in Wade Davis, Greg Holland, Luke Hochevar, and Yordano Ventura. However, this team still have most of the key players from the 2014 and 2015 teams. Those players, however, have decided to mail it in in favor of the bigger paychecks in New York, Boston, Los Angeles, or anywhere elsewhere. They’re making boneheaded decisions off the field, like getting arrested for driving under the influence. There are no signs of life from guys like Alex Gordon, who got his money and now struggles to stay above the Mendoza line. There are no adjustments from hitters who haven’t scored a run in American League record forty-three innings now.
Fans can blame Ned Yost for his sometimes-questionable lineups and bullpen management. However, Yost can’t pitch, hit, or field. He does, most of the time, put his team in position to win.
Fans can blame Dayton Moore for his off-season signings of Brandon Moss, Ian Kennedy, Joakim Soria and his trade for Jorge Soler while dealing Wade Davis. However, Moore has only so much he can work with. He traded the farm for a World Series title in 2015 and should be commended for that. You must take advantage of the window of opportunity when it presents itself. He did what he could, with the pieces he had, to put together a Royals team that was able to get to the playoffs.
Where the blame really lies is with the players. This is the look of a team who have their minds in other places than Kansas City.
That’s what makes this frustrating the most. The fans of Kansas City deserve better than what they are getting from the players. Sure, we’ll have the pennants of 2014 and 2015 and the World Series title in 2015. However, we know this team is better than what they have shown. Royals fans, however, aren’t sure that the players care.
