The Trend Of Royals Stars Brings Back Memories

As long back as I can remember the trade deadline would come and go to only have the Royals trade away a good or soon to be great player for nothing. This trend would then continue into the summer months where more trades would ship All-Star guys like Damon, Dye, and the list goes on to teams with more money. Yet other times these players would just simply leave for more money even after offering the Royals a hometown discount. Some of this can be blamed on bad management, bad ownership, the small market, black cats, and a list of other reasons that no real fan wants to hear.

The one thing that I do remember is that the start of every season would bring joy, hope, and my grandpa watching the TOP TEN on ESPN yelling at the TV “And the Royals couldn’t use em” every single time anyone ever traded from the Royals did anything. His constant reminder of the talent that this team has let go was something of a daily standard. My grandpa has since passed away but his now immortal words still ring throughout the many households of my family on a summer night. This one simple saying has not only become a long running family joke but a slogan that could sell a thousand t-shirts in Kansas City.

I only bring all of this up because it is once again trade season in Kansas City and the words of my grandpa are starting to echo in the dark corners of my mind. So, before the Royals go trade off Bannister, DeJesus, Chen, Farnsworth, Bloomquist, Gordon, Butler, Hochevar, Callaspo, Greinke, ball boy number 2, and three players to be named later I thought it might be fun to see who “The Royals Couldn’t Use” who are on the All-Star Team this year.

The list this year after the first vote only sees one Royal from last year making the squad. This is comforting because in past years the entire starting outfield roster at the All-Star Game looked like a Royals Team Reunion. John Buck, now of the Toronto Blue Jays, has been selected as a reserve to this year’s squad. This might not sound like it is that big of a deal but Buck was thrown away like boxes after Christmas in KC once his contract was up. The Royals spent all winter trying to get a catcher to only have Buck make the All-Star team this season, not to mention Olivo having a great season this year after also being allowed to walk.

The Royals are a small market team and will from time to time have to let a player go because they simply can not afford to pay them, but the pure amount of players that have been traded away or simply let go is much too large. This points to the fact that the Royals are simply not evaluating their own talent as well as the rest of the league.

The reason these words seem to be more important than ever is because the Royals now have one of the better lists of minor league talent as well as early big league talent. So, lets all hope that the words “And the Royals couldn’t use ’em” will never be spoken again.