A Royal Run

This was an amazing World Series, an amazing playoff run.

To the San Francisco Giants: if there is a team that is like looking in the mirror, it is this one. Pitching, defense, putting the ball in play, small ball. All of that was on display today. Aoki’s shot didn’t fall to tie the game because of the perfect position of the right fielder.

Two runs were scored on sacrifice flies. A starter who KC couldn’t hit managed to shut the Royals down again out of the bullpen. That’s hard to do. Gordon’s single/error gave us hope and the man I thought could get the key hit, Perez, got the last out. The Giants play the game the right way and they are to be emulated when looking how to build what can be called a dynasty.

To the Kansas City Royals: I’m honestly having some trouble writing this. I could not be prouder as a fan of this team. I thought you guys would lose in four games to the Angels and I would’ve thought, “Well, good job making the playoffs, great run, let’s build for next year. But after beating the A’s it was more like, “Why not us? Why not now?” Sweeping the Angels. Sweeping the Orioles. Playing what is really a more experienced, better-hitting team in the Giants. Coming back after getting flattened in Game 1. Making sure the series came back to KC. Pulling the opposite of 1985 in blowing out the Giants in Game 6 (2-1 win over the Cardinals in ’85), but making Game 7 close.

I really thought KC would win. The chances were there. Small little things like not getting Sandoval out when he was the leadoff. Infante slipped on the grass during the second time Sandoval was up and would’ve thrown him out if he could’ve planted his feet. May be that keeps the score at 2-2.  May be Bumgarner leaves earlier and KC scores off someone else and it’s a big celebration.

The chant of “Let’s go Royals!” kept going well after the game ended. That’s been the chant of the entire Midwest region spreading out in all directions for 100-150 miles from Kansas City. Do you have any idea how fun this has been?  I mean, KC had a winning season in 1994, 2003, 2013 and this year. All those other years were 100+ losses or 95, if lucky. There’s no way I saw this coming. Game 7, down one, a man on third, you can’t get any better than that. There is a pile of Kansas City Star sports sections waiting to be mailed from my Dad in Leavenworth. A few of them will go on the wall. Blue is a pretty color.

To Hoz, Moose, Billy, Gordo, Sal, Lorenzo, Aoki, Old Man Infante, Escobar, Big Game James, J-Guts, Ventura, Vargas, Finnigan (the Horned Frog!), Herrera, Wade, Holland, and Ned “ah shucks” Yost:  You put your names into the minds of the American public and anyone else watching around the world. Hardly anyone knew the names of the Royals, but they know now.  Work on stuff in the off-season and spring training and let’s make a run in 2015.  Now it’s the Chiefs’ turn to do something they haven’t done in over 40 years.

I told a friend yesterday about watching these two teams play this series. This actually gives hope to a certain crop of high school baseball players. To see the two teams in the World Series get there by the concept of “Get ‘em on, get ‘em over, get ‘em in” rather than just blasting home runs, changes the mindset of baseball youth. You don’t have to take a chance with your life by taking steroids or performance-enhancing drugs to play this game. Getting that out of baseball meant having to win the game with strategy like in days of old.

A high schooler does not have to think he has to bulk up to jack home runs every time. You can be a speedster like Terrance Gore or Jarrod Dyson, driving the pitcher nuts by swiping base after base. If you’re a pitcher, you can learn how to pick your spots, develop different pitches, and know that the batter, likely, doesn’t have drugs running through his system. The game is equalized.  Sebring Blue
Streaks, take notice. The way to State is paved by what was on display this postseason.

Thank you to everyone for the congratulations on the Royals’ run. It’s been a solid month of fun. Kansas City baseball is back!