The biggest move of the winter took center stage on Opening Day for the Kansas City Royals.  No longer a team that is rebuilding, David Glass and company took steps this off-season to become contenders.

The top prospect in the organization was packaged away in order to get the one thing the Royals felt they needed more than anything else: a pitcher that could truly be an ace.  In addition, they got a pitcher who possesses the nickname to define his role with the club.  Welcome to 2013 Royals baseball, let us introduce “Big Game” James Shields.

Opening Day showed the fans exactly what they wanted to see.  Shields took the mound and pitched like the ace that he is.  He got in small bits of trouble, refused to be shook up about it, and fought out of the jams.  He struck out six batters without issuing a single free pass.  He battled, giving up eight hits and still managed to pitch six innings.  He showed Royals fans that he was exactly as advertised.

Aaron Crow and Kelvin Herrera furthered what fans already knew.  The rebuilt rotation would be supported by the strength of the team the last few years: the bullpen.  They were not perfect, but the were close enough.  Three strikeouts, one walk, and two innings later, the Royals pitching staff had put the team in a great position to win a baseball game.  With the exception of one poor pitch from their starter, the Royals were great.  All they needed was two runs to win the game.

That, on the other hand, proved to be difficult.  White Sox starter Chris Sale was Shields-like in his own right.  He scattered hits, kept guys off the bases, and stayed out of trouble.  He went deep into the game and then allowed his bullpen to close the door.  The Royals had their chances, but simply could not deliver.  Ultimately, it came down to the top of the ninth inning with the potential game-tying run sitting in scoring position at second base.  Eric Hosmer had drawn a walk and stole second, trying to ignite something to happen.

Jeff Francoeur grounded out weakly to the shortstop, unable to beat out a possible infield single and drawing the curtain on the first game of the season.

Do not fret, Royals fans, this offense will not sputter like this frequently.  If Shields continues to give up one run per outing, he will find himself winning a lot of games in Royals blue.

But for one day, at the beginning of the 2013 campaign, it sure felt a lot like deja vu.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at i70baseball.
You can follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

Starting pitching, good or bad, affects every part of a baseball game. Look no further than the two disastrous outings by starters Jonathan Sanchez and Ryan Verdugo last Monday and Tuesday night. In two games with the Seattle Mariners, Sanchez and Verdugo gave up a combined 13 runs over three innings. Neither pitcher got out of the second inning and the Royals lost both games, 9-4 and 9-6. The Royals had enough of Sanchez, designating him for assignment Tuesday after a 1-6 record and 7.76 ERA. As for Verdugo, he’s on I-29 back to AAA Omaha.

So now the Royals starting rotation consists of Bruce Chen, Luke Hochevar, Luis Mendoza, Everett Teaford and Will Smith. This is why the Royals as of Wednesday were 38-51, 11.5 games back of the Chicago White Sox and the starting rotation had only four quality starts in their last 17 games.

And the Royals top three pitchers, Chen, Hochevar and Mendoza, haven’t pitched well lately. In their last three starts, the trio has given up a combined 34 earned runs in 51 innings. The Royals record in those games is 3-6.

Of the three, Mendoza is the only one with a sub 5.00 ERA at 4.32. He’s also gave up the least amount of runs with six in 21.1 innings. But the Royals lost two of the three games Mendoza started. Chen is a good pitcher, but in his last three starts before Wednesday’s game, he’s gave up a combined 18 runs in 13.2 innings. The Royals went 0-3 in those games. Hochevar is pitching a little better lately, giving up a combined 10 runs over 16 innings in his last three starts. The Royals went 2-1 in those games. But Hochevar has a 5.16 ERA and could be one start away from giving up another big inning.

So what about Everett Teaford and Will Smith? Teaford has bounced between Omaha and Kansas City, appearing in eight games, four of them as a starter. Of those four starts, the Royals won three of those games. In his last three starts, Teaford gave up a combined 10 runs in 16.1 innings, where the Royals went 2-1. His 2012 ERA is 4.98.

As for Will Smith, he’s spent most of 2012 in Omaha, with only three games with the Royals, all starts. In those three games, Smith gave up a combined 14 earned runs in 14 innings, with the Royals losing two of those three games. He has a 9.00 ERA.

And there’s not much help in the high minors either. The Royals top pitching prospect, Jake Odorizzi, is in Omaha and projects to be a number three starter. These days, a number three starter would be an improvement for the Royals starting rotation. It’s certain we’ll see Odorizzi this year, but he won’t be able to turn the Royals fortunes around by himself. And remember Mike Montgomery, who had a chance to make the starting rotation out of spring training? He’s in AA Northwest Arkansas, trying to figure things out.

And two of the better starters this season, Danny Duffy and Felipe Paulino, had Tommy John surgery and won’t be back with the Royals until the middle of the 2013 season.

When the starting pitchers struggle, the whole team struggles. If a starter doesn’t have at least a quality start, that gasses the bullpen, who have to pitch more innings. If the starter gives up a lot of runs, it forces the offense to try and overcome the run deficit. And if a starter has a high pitch count per inning, the defense behind them are more likely to make defensive mistakes.

It’s simple. Teams with a good starting rotation are more likely to win games and make the playoffs than a team with a decent to bad starting rotation.

This year, the Royals have a good offense, good defense and the bullpen is holding its own. But the starting rotation, this year and in years past, is atrocious. And unless the Royals land a top tier pitcher via free agency or a trade, the Royals starting rotation will continue to be atrocious.

You may have seen Sunday’s St Louis Cardinals victory over the Houston Astros, and Tyler Greene’s 2-HR day.  Was it historic?  You betcha.

Greene became the first Cardinal second baseman since 1918* to start a game and hit 2 home runs, drive in 4, score 3 times, and steal a base.  Considering the great players who have manned second base throughout the years – Rogers Hornsby, Red Schoendienst, Ted Sizemore – that is amazing.

It gets better.  Only three other Cardinals have ever had a final box score line like that.

1. Jim Edmonds pulled it off during a Fourth of July destruction of the Cincinnati Reds.  Fireworks during and after the game that day.  I think the fans went home happy.
2. Stan Musial watched Wally Moon turn the trick in a June 1956 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Moon’s line that day was virtually identical to Greene’s, except Moon had one more PA (he walked).  Musial also homered.  Personally I like it when I can connect Musial to anything going on with the team today.
3. Twenty years before that, Don Gutteridge was the first Cardinal with the line.  Gutteridge actually scored 4 runs and knocked in 5 during the first game of a double header that day.  For what it’s worth, he doubled and struck out 3 times in the nightcap.

I half expected all three men would hit high in the order, and indeed Edmonds hit third and Moon fifth.  But Gutteridge hit seventh during his game, and Greene eighth Sunday; more proof that on any given day you can see anything at a baseball game from any given spot in the order.

One more factoid of interest.  There have only been four other second baseman with a day like Tyler Greene’s:  Joe Morgan, Ryne Sandberg, Juan Samuel, and Orlando Hudson.  That’s not bad company, is it?

*Baseball Reference’s play index only goes back to 1918, so although we could argue ‘first ever’ it is prudent to put the date, just in case. Search was done for games where the starting second basemen had two or more HR, 4 or more RBI, scored 3 or more runs, and stole 1 or more bases.

Mike Metzger is a freelance writer based in San Diego.  He blogs about the Padres.  You can follow him on Twitter @metzgermg.

Our friends at A+E Networks Home Entertainment/MLB Productions are expanding their Baseball’s Greatest Games set to include a game near a dear to all of our hearts.

From A&E:

BASEBALL’S GREATEST GAMES: 2011 WORLD SERIES GAME 6 Bluray/DVD Combo Pack
The St. Louis Cardinals thrilled Cardinal Nation with a game full of heart-stopping comebacks, including a spectacular 11th inning walk-off home run. Hometown hero and budding star David Freese smashed the solo shot in the final inning that provided a fitting finale to a spectacular Fall Classic matchup.
In Game 6 of the 2011 World Series, on the edge of elimination, the Cardinals trailed five times and were twice down to their last strike. But Freese, Lance Berkman and a resilient lineup evened the score each time until Freese delivered the second of his incredible moments–the wondrous walk-off homer. All of the drama, thrills, exhilaration and jubilation of this Fall Classic masterpiece are here to enjoy for the first time in pristine HD with the roar of the crowd in 5.1 surround sound.

Direct from the archives of Major League Baseball, this extraordinary television broadcast includes the quintessential making of an iconic moment, and one unforgettable baseball game available for the first time on Blu-Ray!

WORLD SERIES GAME 6, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2011, BUSCH STADIUM

A special audio feature allows fans to watch the television broadcast and listen to the radio play-by-play in English or Spanish!

In addition, the great box set of Cardinal World Series moments is still available as well.  Again, directly from A&E:

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS 2011 WORLD SERIES COLLECTOR’S EDITION DVD SET
History unfolded before our eyes and every clutch pitch, game-winning hit, and record-setting moment is digitally preserved in THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS 2011 WORLD SERIES COLLECTOR’S EDITION DVD. Featuring every game of this remarkable Fall Classic–including Game 6 which instantly became one of the greatest postseason games ever played–this eight-DVD set celebrates the Cardinals unforgettable, exhilarating, dramatic, and uplifting comebacks and victories. Each World Series game is now on DVD and wrapped with stats, player facts, and historic notes.

This eight-DVD collection displays the fortitude of the Red Birds under manager Tony LaRussa and the heroics of David Freise, Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman, Allen Craig, Yadier Molina, and Chris Carpenter along with every glorious Cardinals moment.

A special DVD audio feature allows fans to watch the World Series television broadcast and listen to Cardinals Radio Network announcers!

BONUS FEATURES

Walk-Off Winners; Milestones; Cardinals clinch NL Wild Card: Last Out and Celebration; NLDS Highlights, Last Out, and Celebration; NLCS Highlights, Last Out, and Celebration; NLCS Trophy Presentations; World Series Last Out, Celebration and Trophy Presentation; St. Louis Victory Parade; Multiple Audio Tracks Featuring World Series Announcers: Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, Ken Rosenthal (Fox Sports), John Rooney, Mike Shannon (Cardinals Radio Network), Eric Nadel, Steve Busby, Bryan Dolgin (Rangers Radio Network), Ernesto Jerez, Guillermo Celis (ESPN Deportes Radio)

See there here

The best part?  We’ve got three of each to give away.

Very simple, in the comments below give us the results of the upcoming weekend series with the Milwaukee Brewers.  Do the Cards win one, two, or all three games?  As the tie-breaker, give us the total amount of runs the two teams will score over the weekend.  A sample comment/entry would look like this:

Cardinals take 2 of 3, total runs scored = 12.

On Monday, we’ll announce the winners of the DVD’s and ask you to email us your address for delivery.  It’s that simple.

So, how do you think the opening weekend will go?  Tell us below and you could earn some swag….

Few moments in our lives have the power to transcend reality and make us feel as though we are actually living in a dramatic movie.

For baseball fans, that first moment might be when we walk up to a Major League Baseball stadium to take in our first game.

The ballpark is a powerful place. Whether full of people during a game or empty beforehand, it has a majestic feel that can overwhelm the senses. There might as well be dramatic music playing during that first trip through the tunnel from the concourse to the playing field.

To a young baseball fan, that moment is one of the most awe-inspiring experiences he or she can have.

I was seven years old when I entered Busch Stadium II for my first St. Louis Cardinals game. I had no idea what to expect. To that point in my life, the most impressive things I had seen were the Christmas lights hanging from the street lights in my small hometown or the excitement that filled the town when the carnival arrived for the Fourth of July celebration.

Busch Stadium blew all that away. The lights, the sounds, the perfect grass, it felt like I was in a completely different world. Baseball heaven, maybe?

Baseball has a magic that other sports don’t. It is a sport that might have been able to turn the Grinch into a hopelessly emotional sap if he had seen it before entering Whoville. What is that magic? It’s hard to explain, and that’s a good thing.

Baseball is different from other sports. Yes, it is exciting when the home team jumps out of the dugout to take the field for the first time, but the lose-your-voice excitement often doesn’t start with the first pitch.
In basketball the first three-pointer or first dunk will send the crowd into a frenzy. In football the first tackle charges the stadium with electricity. Baseball is not a sport where you can “tune in to the fourth quarter” to catch the excitement.

A baseball game is more like a novel. It is a game that takes us on a nine-inning trip that will shake its finger at you if you ask, “Are we there yet?”

No, we’re not. Sit still and enjoy the journey.

In many ways, baseball mirrors life. The big leaguers play baseball every day, not just every couple of days or once a week, just like we go to work or go to school every day. There are also good times and not-so-good times where every minute of every day isn’t filled with excitement.

Today’s Sportscenter-driven world likes to chop our experiences into highlights where we only see the “good” parts of the game. That’s not what baseball is about. One of the great parts of baseball is that it makes you wait for the exciting moment.

Take the Tampa Bay Rays final game of the season against the New York Yankees, for example. The Rays fell behind 7-0 in the first five innings and it looked like their season was finished. Then they charge back with six runs in the eighth and back-up catcher Dan Johnson hits a game-tying and season-saving homerun in the ninth. That homerun and Evan Longoria’s walk-off homer in the 12th are the moments of screaming excitement, but the journey to get to those points is what made them so rewarding.

No matter which players are found to have done steroids, which players leave their team to chase more money or how the playoffs are set up, the game itself will always be great.

Baseball can build drama unlike any other sport. The strings cannot be pulled any tighter than when Brad Lidge has the Houston Astros one out away from their first World Series appearance in 2005 and Albert Pujols hits a home run to win the game for the Cardinals, or when Texas Rangers closer Neftali Feliz has his team one strike away from winning the World Series and David Freese hits a triple to keep the Cardinals’ season and hope for a championship alive.

The emotions that baseball injects in people are fantastic. From brokenhearted, lifelong Chicago Cubs fans who were one game away from a World Series in 2003 to the joy entire cities feel when their team wins the championship, baseball teaches us lessons about how hard we have to work to succeed, as well as how to handle the times in our life when we don’t.

Baseball is great in the fact that there is always tomorrow’s game, so each regular-season loss isn’t such a crushing defeat, but it also makes the season’s final victory that much greater and the final defeat that much more harder to swallow.

That is why I love baseball.

Editor’s Note: Game Six of the 2011 World Series may end up being one of the moments that people talk about for generations. “Where were you when….?” So, here at i70baseball, I ask you: Where were you when Game Six happened? Do you have a unique story about how you witnessed history? Share with us and we will draw one random entry. That winner will receive this World Series DVD. Just send your submission to: bill@i70baseball.com

Like virtually every other Cardinals fan old enough to watch and appreciate Game 6 of the World Series, October 27^th, 2011 is a night I’ll never forget. It’s a game that thousands of Cardinals fans turned off before it was over and a game hundreds of fans left the stands early. I was almost one of those fans who gave up on the Cardinals that night… and was this close to missing the most exciting finish in World Series history. Then, a little bit of fate kicked in…

To refresh your memory a little bit, Game 6 was not exactly the most cleanly-played baseball game. As the 6^th inning ended, I remember looking up towards the high ceilings of Buffalo Wild Wings and thinking to myself that this had to be the ugliest World Series game ever played. Cardinals left fielder, Matt Holliday, dropped a fly ball that directly led to a Rangers run, third baseman, David Freese, dropped a pop up the led to another unearned run, and now Matt Holliday had just gotten picked off 3^rd base with the bases loaded, one out, and the score tied. You have GOT to be kidding me! Although the Cardinals had just “dramatically” rallied to tie the game on a bases loaded walk, it sure felt like the game was going to go the Rangers way. You just cannot make mistake after little-league mistake and expect to win the World Series. The score was tied, but it felt like the Rangers were in cruise-control.

And in the top of the 7^th, Texas had appeared to seize control of the game for good. Adrian Beltre and Nelson Cruz hit back-to-back home runs to put the Rangers on top 6-4. The whole stadium was deflated. You just knew it was over. The Cardinals had their chance and gave it away, and now Texas would make team president Nolan Ryan’s prediction of “Rangers in 6” come true. At that moment, I was thinking that the Cardinals had played so poorly they didn’t deserve to win… and my frustration level was so high that I wouldn’t even be happy if they did come back and win.

Now as the Cardinals came to bat in the bottom of the 7^th, I get a text message from my wife: “Out of diapers. Is the game almost over?” At the time, it was already 30 minutes past my son’s bedtime, and there was no way any respectable father, World Series on the line or not, would make his wife and toddler get in the car and make a late-night run to the store to get diapers. So while part of me was thinking “just let him wet the bed tonight, it’s the freakin’ World Series” I decided to go run to the store myself. When the Cardinals went down with a whimper in the bottom of the 7^th, I told my buddy who was with me that I wouldn’t be back if the game got any uglier. Just as I arrived at my house to drop of a new package of diapers, the Rangers tacked on another run to make it 7-4 in the 8^th, the proverbial nail in the coffin. Staying with the theme of the game, the Cardinals once again gift-wrapped the run for the Rangers thanks to a wild pitch that Yadier Molina should have handled, allowing a runner to move into scoring position who would eventually score.

Translation: it had gotten uglier, and I had just arrived at my house. My wife asked how the Cardinals were doing and I told her they were playing horribly and were basically giving away the World Series. She said she was sorry and thanks for dropping of the diapers and that I could go back to the bar if I wanted to, but I was pretty sure it was going to be a waste of my time and only add to the frustration. I had to work the next morning, and was about to call it a night when I realized Albert Pujols might have one final at bat. With his contract uncertainty, how could I not watch his final at-bat in a Cardinals uniform?

So with that and only that in mind, I headed back to the bar. While I was driving, I heard Allen Craig’s home run on the radio. 7-5. At that point, I still thought the Cardinals had no chance. In fact, it only infuriated me more because I felt like Matt Holliday should’ve been benched and Allen Craig should’ve been in the lineup to begin with. Craig wouldn’t have botched that fly ball and gotten picked off 3^rd, would he? And now here’s Craig, filling in for the now injured Holliday (he jammed his hand/wrist sliding back into 3^rd base on the pickoff play) and hitting a home run. Just great.

When I walked back into Buffalo Wild Wings, the table I had been sitting at and several others around it were empty. My friend had left… as had several other people. Many people had come to the same grim conclusion that I did, but I went ahead and decided to sit by myself and watch the end of the game anyway. The Cardinals ended up loading the bases but failed to score in the 8^th.

Certainly it was over now. Certainly.

In the 9^th, Albert Pujols came to the plate with the bases empty and 1 out. Any hopes of him hitting a dramatic, game-tying home run were lost. This was not officially a final farewell send-off. The crowd rose to its feet, flashbulbs were popping, and wouldn’t you know it – Albert laced one into the gap in left center. It was a nice way to end his hall of fame career in St. Louis if this was indeed the last time he was going to take a swing as a Cardinal. Lance Berkman followed Pujols to the plate and drew a walk, making Allen Craig the winning run at the plate. But his heroics were done (at least for Game 6) and he struck out.

Up walked David Freese. Since I only text my mom when the Cardinals win games, I decided to do a desperate, pre-emptive strike on fate and sent a “good luck/here’s hoping” text. The Red Birds were going to need it. Texas closer, Neftali Feliz, was pumping heat all night… and was pounding fastballs in the upper 90s on the Cardinals 3^rd baseman. Freese fell behind 1-2 in the count, the Cardinals were down to their final strike… and the rest… is history.

Triple. Tie-game. Rangers take the lead back in the 10^th. The Cardinals again come down to their final strike. RBI Single by Lance Berkman. Tie-game. And Freese hits a walk-off bomb in the 11^th. Unbelievable.

In the 3 ½ weeks since Allen Craig squeezed the final out of Game 7, the clock and calendar have slowed to a crawl. It feels like an eternity since the Cardinals won their 11^th championship, but with the managerial change out of the way and the Pujols talks likely on hold during Thanksgiving week, fans have another chance to relive the magic. Tonight, Cardinal Nation is invited to sit back, relax, and relive all those wonderful memories at Major League Baseball and the Cardinals release the official 2011 World Series Movie. There’s a Red Carpet Event at the Peabody Opera House in downtown St. Louis. Cardinals VIPs including World Series MVP David Freese will be on hand as actor and St. Louis native, Jon Hamm, narrates us through 90 minutes of magic.

I will not be in attendance and will have to settle for watching the movie on a TV just as I watched the live drama play out on, but that’s OK by me. I just want to soak it all in again. The other day I caught myself daydreaming about Game 6 at work. I have the Springfield News-Leader’s sports page from October 28^th at my desk, and the headline “Cards Win Instant Classic” caught my eye as I was going through my daily routine.

How did the Cardinals win that game?

Fortunately, I went back to the sports bar that night… and was able to see it for myself.

An anti-climatic and perfectly normal baseball game took place on October 28, 2011 at Busch Stadium.

The night before was magical. It defined the 2011 season and this edition of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. Game six of the World Series will be one that father’s tell their kids about. Cardinal fans will utter the phrase “where were you on the night the hometown kid took control of a championship run?” The most famous of questions that a St. Louisan asks, “Where did you go to high school?” will forever be known when talking about David Freese. Freese may never pay for a meal in St. Louis again. On that Thursday night, the Cardinals made their statement, David Freese lived out every little boy’s dream, and ultimately, a legend was born in October.

The cliches, analysis and legendary statuses were thrown around at the conclusion of game six. Fans piled into Busch Stadium for a game seven that would, in all honesty, never live up to the hype that the preceding games built up. There was very little chance that extra innings would be needed again, it was unlikely that someone would hit three home runs, and the odds were against a home town hero possibly doing anything more to improve upon an already dominant October. Well, two out of three ain’t bad…

Chris Carpenter started game seven off by allowing the Rangers to jump out to an early 2-0 lead in the first. With the first two runners quickly retired, Albert Pujols and Lance Berkman would draw walks. Freese would step to the plate searching for a little more magic from the night before. After working the count full and with the runners in motion, Freese would stroke a double into the outfield gap and the Cardinals had tied the game. Much like the night before, it simply seemed that they would not let the Rangers pull away.

Michael Young’s double that drove in Josh Hamilton in the first would prove to be the final run scoring hit in 2011 for the Texas Rangers. Meanwhile, it was another unlikely dominant force, Allen Craig, who would hit a solo home run in the bottom of the third to put the Cardinals on top for good. The team that had battled through the last two months of baseball would settle into six innings of solid baseball to put their opponents away.

The attention will likely turn to the off season almost immediately for fans, team officials and players. Players like Ryan Theriot, Skip Schumaker, Edwin Jackson, Nick Punto, Rafael Furcal and, yes, Albert Pujols might have played their final game in the uniform featuring the birds on the bat. Management will start planning how to possibly repeat this year’s performance. Articles will feature the return of Adam Wainwright to mound and player profiles on free agent signees and rookies with a chance to make the team.

For now, however, the focus is simply placed on what occurred on a cold Friday in October in the shadow of the Arch. The St. Louis Cardinals played an ordinary game without heroics or fireworks. A game that featured very few spectacular moments. A game that featured the pitcher who has won more postseason games than anyone in the history of the franchise simply go out and win another one. A game that featured a pitcher put on the finishing touches in the ninth inning, despite not being the team’s closer. A game that witnessed Yadier Molina drive in two of his nine runs during the World Series. Minor storylines featuring major names played out in a very ordinary fashion. Yet, the dust settled and game seven gave us the one and only thing it promised us in the beginning.

A World Champion was crowned.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball as well as the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com.
He is the host of I-70 Radio, hosted every week on BlogTalkRadio.com.
Follow him on Twitter here.

“Same old Royals.” “Another pointless September.” “Time to trade off our stars.” Those are the statements that you’ll hear from casual Royals fans every fall. Pessimism is normally at an all-time high, everyone is more focused on football, and nobody cares about making it out to Kauffman for a “meaningless” baseball game.

Things have been different this time around.

The hope and optimism surrounding “The K” during the current homestand hasn’t been higher since 2003 (the Royals last winning season). Fans are finally believing that the Royals are close to being a legitimate contender.

Right now, the Royals are 20 games under .500, 22.5 games back in the division, and way past being eliminated from playoff contention. It’s hard to see any fanbase in professional sports rallying behind a team with those numbers, but Royals fans did it during the past week. Kauffman Stadium attendance from last week (September 13^th-18^th) averaged out to 24,621 people per game. Last season during the same time period, attendance was at 16,952 people per game. The 2010 Royals had about the same record as the 2011 Royals (2010: 61-91, 2011:67-87) and both teams were eliminated from the playoffs right around the start of September.

The difference this year is that the players are still having a ton of fun on the diamond, which makes going to games much more exciting. The players on the Royals’ current roster genuinely love playing the game. Not only do they love playing the game, but they love winning, and they love winning together. They are a group of kids who really like each other and want to bring a winning team to Kansas City.

Does anyone think that Jose Guillen really liked playing for the Royals? How about Mike Jacobs? Ross Gload?

Doubtful.

And has any Royals team since 2003 been this excited about winning games in September?

Doubtful.

Has any Royals team had as much camaraderie and chemistry as this team besides in the ‘70’s or ‘80’s?

Highly doubtful.

Everyone on the roster is excited to be playing for this team in Kansas City. There’s no doubt that they are disappointed about how this season went, but you can sense that they are all anxious for 2012 to be here. The excitement on the field has brought excitement to the seats inside Kauffman Stadium. Expect the excitement to multiply in 2012.

In preparation for this article I Googled “Logic vs Emotion”. The results reveal there is nothing we do as humans that do not involve both. It should be no surprise that it could be applied to the sports world. If I apply logic to the sports world I could make an argument that there is no logical reason for sports. Sports produces no tangible product, cures no diseases, grows no food, harnesses no water, and uses energy instead of producing it. However, sports has been apart of society since there has been a society. There must be something positive about it? It’s not until you add emotion to the equation that sports begins to produce tangible benefits; physical activity, competition, a focal point for community. With the exception of the physical benefits of exercise all of the benefits of sports are emotional.

Go up a couple levels and you arrive at the modern age of sports fandom. There is no logical reason to be emotionally involved in a team in which you or someone close to you is not a player. Yet, countless hours and dollars are spent watching games, attending games, and buying gear to wear to games. Last year the total revenues of Major League Baseball and the National Football League totaled an estimated $16 Billion. It’s not just a United States phenomenon; soccer hooligans roam Europe and Latin America. India and Pakistan nearly go to war over Cricket. And don’t think the United States has the monopoly on Seamheads; ever see the crowd at a baseball game in Japan? Putting sports higher on the priority list than it should transcends geography and cultures.

This evidence suggests that humans are wired to be fans of sports teams, regardless of logical flaws. However, why do humans remain fans of terrible sports teams? The Royals next opponent, the Chicago Cubs thrives on it being hip to root for “The Lovable Losers”. They are the exception. Every other perennial losing team has poor attendance, poor merchandise sales, and a poor aura surrounding them. Most humans want to be attached to a winner and all the positive energy that goes with it. There is not a line of people clamoring to jump on the Royals bandwagon.

It’s not like rooting for the Royals is a serious degradation to my physical and emotional well being. There are problems much bigger than rooting for a bad baseball team. I make the Royals go away when I need, or want them to. I choose to be a Royals fan. Logic tells me I should just quit rooting for the Kansas City Royals and pick another team. Logic says that will make my fan experience a better one. But the second paragraph establishes that having an interest in sports puts us off The Logic Reservation, and into the Wilderness of Emotion.

I know this because I’ve tried to drop the Royals and root for a more successful organization. But, no matter how many times I watch fly balls drop between two outfielders. A trash-can placed in front of the franchises only World Series Trophy (pre-Kauffman renovation). A cut off man get hit in the back with a throw. The same cut off man get taken out by a tarp. A 19 game losing streak; batting out of order; a pitcher giving up 14 runs in 3 innings. Through several 100 and 90 loss seasons, deep down, for some reason feel compelled to root for a baseball team that avoids being the most inept franchise in Major League Baseball of the last ten years because they had the benefit of playing the 2003 Tigers 19 times! (Remember them? They were in the World Series three years later while the Royals lost 100 games).

Water, Summer & Royals Baseball

The conclusion I’ve come to? Nostalgia. The same reason there are oldies channels on the radio. The same reason there are old movie channels, and ESPN Classic scattered through out the program guide. All of us want to go back and relive the good times in our childhood. It’s part of the reason I like summer, baseball, hot weather, and playing in cricks. (If you live in the north, west or urban parts of Royals Nation that’s a creek. Cardinals fans should know what a crick is.) I have said previously I was too young to remember 1985. However, I do remember the Royals being a model franchise. I have fond memories of watching and listening to the Royals with my family. Logic says you cannot turn the clock back, but emotion tells me I’d like to try. Experiences in youth help determine who we are as people. In my youth it was determined I am a Royals fan. Once you’re a fan of a team it’s your team for life. Nothing short of the franchise leaving town or contraction can change that. It is what it is, and being a Royals fan is a part of who I am.

Logic says this baseball season is going the way we thought it would, but the Emotion of rampant losing is frustration. Logic says Eric Hosmer is a good player and the cornerstone of any Royals renaissance, but the emotion of him popping up the first pitch of an at bat with the tying run at 3rd in the 9th inning is WTF! Logic says I need to turn the Royals off for a bit and explore other hobbies. Emotion says I might pretend disinterest, but I’ll still be a fan. Because fan is short for fanatic, and being a fanatic is entirely emotional.