Many fans were wondering what Kansas City Royals closer, Joakim Soria, would pitch like coming off of a not so Soria-like season in 2011.  Well that question will not get answered as the UCL tendon in Soria’s pitching arm has damage and he will not be a part of the Royal’s bullpen for some time.  That being said, who will step in to fill his shoes and close the door for the bullpen this season.

The Royal’s have set themselves up to have a more than a few options at that position. Second year pitcher Greg Holland would be the obvious pick as he was electric last season and has been dominant during Spring Training this year. He has the power pitches to be able to blow people away but also the off speed to tie hitters up and the plate.  But what separates him from other in the organization is his mind set and demeanor.  Never do you see him in the media or as a real outgoing person.  He has a calm, cool, and collected personality that fits that of a closer.  If he strikes a guy out, he walks the same way around the mound as if he had just given up a game tying home run.  His temperament is key to his success this season.

If Holland does not get the role, former closer for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Jonathan Broxton, would fall into place like the last corner piece of a puzzle.  With having experience at that role before in his career he does have the leg up on everyone else competing for the closers spot. Yet he is much like Holland as a pitcher with power but some finesse, he does show a little emotion out on the mound.  His big positive as a closer is the fact that he is so big in stature that he has an intimidating persona while out on the hill.  One thing that could hinder his progress this season, is the elbow trouble that he had in 2011 that lead to surgery on that elbow.  Could be a deterrent for Ned Yost while making the decision.

But this season’s surprise from Surprise could be the quick ascension of young Royals pitcher Kelvin Herrera. He will most likely now make the Royals opening day roster now that not only Soria is out with an injury but also Blake Wood is out for an extended period of time as well.  Herrera is just a guy who you can sit and watch pitch and you are astonished with what he can do on the mound.  To say that he has electric stuff is an understatement. The one thing that has been discovered with Herrera is the fact that when he pitches you will want to stop and watch.  Kind of like the fact that the ball sounds differently coming off of the bat of a Billy Butler or an Eric Hosmer, the baseball just comes out of Herrera’s hand like no one that I have seen for a long time in Kansas City. Though he is young his season could end up going much like that of Aaron Crow’s 2011.  He could show that he has a great future in Kansas City and may get a chance to have a few if saves early in the season and solidify his role in the bullpen for years to come.

Sooner rather the later the Royals should make a decision on who will be the closer that way whomever it is can get into that kind of mindset before the season starts on April the sixth. The fact that the Royals have many options to fill in as the closer is a huge positive because the player or players that do not get the nod will be de facto seventh and eighth inning guys.  The depth that the Royals have all across the diamond is key to the success for this season, but the depth of pitchers that will both be in the bullpen at the major league level and also in the minor leagues will be a huge lift if anyone else goes down to injury.

Yesterday, I-70 Baseball examined the thought that Ryan Franklin was simply a victim of “bad luck”. The pitcher seems to be finding a way to deflect all the blame from the concept that maybe, just maybe, he does not have what it takes to get big league hitters out consistently any longer.

After a tough outing in game one of a double header, Ryan Franklin was asked about the reaction of the fans as they booed him coming off the field after surrendering a home run and a walk in his second inning of work. Franklin took exception to anyone who would boo a player from the home team. The quote that jumps off the page, however, was “You should go write stories about the fans booing. They’re supposed to be the best fans in baseball. Yeah right.”

Later in the evening, Franklin would release a statement explaining the best he could about his frustration that led to the comments and apologizing for saying things out of emotion.

What does that mean? Does that mean that 50,000 people poor into the park every night and refuse to say anything bad about the players that wear the colors of the home team? Does it mean that, no matter what, they will stand behind their own? No, it does not.

When the term was used for the fans in St. Louis, it was used to describe a fan base that was intelligent, understood the game, and expected the best from any player that set foot on the grass of Baseball Heaven. When an outfielder dives and makes a miraculous catch, when an infielder stabs a ball that was a sure double, when a player shows respect to the game, and when a veteran has given his blood, sweat and tears to this game, the crowd acknowledges it. The crowd cheers. When someone speaks out against the team, when someone disrespects the game, when someone under performs and refuses to acknowledge that something may be wrong, they boo. It is not because they dislike or even like the player that gets the cheers or boos, it is based on the knowledge of the game and the desire for the player to act appropriately.

You see, the best fans in baseball will boo. It is their right. When you retire, when you hang ‘em up, and when you walk onto that field for the last time, those same fans will give you the ovation you deserve for your entire body of work in St. Louis and in baseball as a whole. The reaction in the middle of a ballgame is not about your career, it is about your current work.

Maybe Ryan Franklin should shag some fly balls with Rick Ankiel this afternoon and talk to him about the fanbase here. Ankiel was not always cheered and adored in St. Louis. A year later, he realizes how supportive these fans were to him and he acknowledges that. The visiting team’s center fielder showed class and received a standing ovation when he approached the plate. The home team’s relief pitcher simply states over and over that it is not his fault and he gets booed.

The fans may boo. They may cheer. They may even be indifferent. But in the end every player to wear the birds on the bat will tell you there is no place quite like St. Louis to play baseball. They may not love their players blindly, but they will reward them accordingly when the time is right.

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.

Maybe I am alone on this, but one of the pieces missing in recent Kansas City Royals teams is the lack of fire. I am not talking about brawls, and throwing 98 mph fastball up and in occasionally. The fire that I think has been missing, is the fire that shows in the bottom of the 8^th inning. Right after a batter fails to drive in the tying run with one out. The TV cameras tend to follow that guy in to the dugout as he strolls down the steps, grabs his cup of Gatorade from the cooler and takes his spot on the bench. He will just sit there and watch the game with no emotion at all, as if losing was accepted and expected. Does this bother anyone else? Does anyone else ever think about that?

That's passion!

What I want to see is that player that reacts immediately with frustration of not coming through for the team. He flies down the steps and slams his helmet in to the rack. He wants to win so badly and he had the chance to make it happen and did not. I am not saying he needs to throw the cooler around, or beat the sunflower seed boxes with a wild bat swing, but I look for him to be upset and show it. The baseball games in Major League Baseball are not easy to win. When you have the chance to make it happen, you need to do so. Or at least show some emotion upon failing to do so.
One promising thing about the Royals’ outlook for the next few years is that the ball clubs and players in the minor leagues have a history of winning and play the game and expect to win. Along with that is how bad it feels to lose. I will be watching very closely as these young men begin to show up in the majors and are put into situations with the game on the line. Let’s pay attention to how well they perform and perhaps notice even more, how they react when they don’t come through with that game tying hit. Even if they are not able to get that bunt down move the runners over when it is asked of them.

Zack Greinke is a great talent, a rare mix of great skill and very little emotion. At least his emotion is on the inside as we all know his insides were boiling pretty good. I am curious to see if this year of playing winning baseball allows him to find a comfort level, open up and display some outward emotion with teammates and fans. The love for Zack in Kansas City was pretty much one sided and I hope in his case he can relax and be comfortable in winning, comfortable with himself.

Don’t get me wrong, I do not expect the fire when there is no score in the 3^rd inning with nobody on base. But when the game is on the line, you bet I want to see some emotion. Emotion like that has been missing at Kauffman Stadium. Of course also missing has been talent and a winning attitude. Winning is contagious, and certainly fans in Kansas City expect the players to give 100% in every opportunity. Believe me, fans will care when winning is a tradition in Kansas City again. And the fans will not have much tolerance for players that don’t have winning in there blood.

For the Royals, does attitude come before winning or does winning create the attitude? I think you believe first, and when you believe and expect to succeed, not doing so bothers you. We know as fans it has bothered us.

I was only a few months old when the I-70 Series happened, but as a baby I was in attendance at a few of the games. Of course I have no memory of the series. I do, however, remember George Brett.

My memories are not from ’85 but from a time when the Royals were still winners. A time when the stadium was always full. A time when having season tickets was something to be proud of. So, instead of a stat-filled recap of Brett’s career, I am going to focus on what I remember of Brett as a player.

For most people under the age of 30, George Brest is best remembered as the raving mad man who rushed onto the field ready to kill someone during the infamous Pine Tar Incident. Everyone remembers that image of George Brett, that image of pure emotion, pure passion for the game, and a pure reaction.

I remember George Brett not as my favorite Royal, but as the guy who went out there and did the same thing every single game. He got the clutch hit, made the hard throw, and just pretty much made the extraordinary look routine every night he took the field. I remember not wondering wether George would get a hit, or holding my breath on the long throw from third, because I always knew he would come through when the team needed it.

I also remember Brett being the guy everyone loved, but at the same time hated. George Brett was the face of the team, the heart of the team and the leader of the team in the fans’ eyes. People knew where he lived, where he ate, who he hung out with. His life and personality were always a topic of conversation. Every company wanted George Brett to have their product in his hands.

George Brett was, and still is, the Kansas City Royals. He is the face of that team, the I-70 Series and all things Kansas City, and that in my mind is the biggest stat from the I-70 Series.

George did exactly what everyone expected him to do in 1985. He tore the cover off the ball in the regular season, blasting 30 home runs; he became the MVP of the 1985 American League Championship Series; and he drove the ball all over the field in the World Series, including a four-hit performance in Game 7. He truly lived up to the legend.

George Brett will forever be remembered for that magical Fall 25 years ago when he led the Royals to a world championship.

From the webpages of BaseballDigest.com, I bring to you one of my earliest articles for the website. Originally published on March 23, 2009, this quickly became one of the most read and shared articles on the young website, which was not officially live to the public as of yet. It was one of my favorite pieces I ever wrote, and I share it with you, my I-70 readers, on a Cardinal day off in August. It is republished here with permission from BaseballDigest.com and has been edited for current content.

Last season (2008) the St. Louis Cardinals reached an agreement to bring baseball broadcasts back to the NBC affiliate in St. Louis, KSDK Channel 5. They also announced that they would be re-vamping the broadcast teams on TV.

Many people were excited by the prospect of the broadcasts moving back “home” to the local station that aired games previously. Almost immediately the debate in St. Louis began over who would get the nod to call the games. Eventually it was announced that the voice of Cards games on KSDK, Jay Randolph, would return. He would be joined by young broadcaster Rick Horton who would also take over much of the TV work on Fox Sports Midwest. Over the course of 2008 I realized something more than I had in the past….

I miss Jack Buck….

There was a level of class to the game when you listened to Jack. It was personal and professional and amazing. When on the radio, he made you feel like you were there. On television, you felt like he was sitting in the room with you. He single handedly immortalized moments in our minds. There are days, moments, plays, and events that I will never forget. What he made amazing about those moments was that you don’t just remember the vision of that point in time in you life, we have a soundtrack that plays behind it in our minds. There was a certain something to everything that Jack said. There was an emotion behind it like no other. He made you believe.

I think the summer of the home run chase solidified this in my mind. I remember wondering who would be in the booth for the historic home runs. What would any of the announcers have to say? I remember Shannon’s call on 61 “heading for Planet Maris” and feeling that it was very scripted. I remember Joe Buck calling 62 on Fox and feeling like it was a bit bland, with the exception of him reminding Mark to touch first base. But Jack, man Jack had a way of making you say “wow”. Jack’s request to “pardon me while I stand and applaud” was classic, respectful, and that of a pure emotion. It may have been scripted, but it was perfect for the situation.

One of my earliest memories is being told to “Go Crazy” with the rest of St. Louis. I can honestly say that I realized just how special a situation was when I heard Jack say “I can’t believe what I just saw” as Kirk Gibson hobbled around the bases. I remember sitting on the edge of my seat as baseball returned from the tragedy of 9/11 and listened to Jack as he read his own words.

I know that the announcers for the Cardinals will never come close to what Jack had to offer. This is no slight on their abilities, it is just fact.

While I accept this as fact and I fully appreciate it, it’s a shame to realize that. It’s a shame to realize that my son won’t “see” the game on the radio the way I did.

So, take a few minutes and remember Jack Buck this spring. Go down to the Yard known as Busch III and stop by his statue. Listen to a few of his famous calls. Sit and reminisce about a true American poet, a classy individual and a respectful man. And, while you’re there….

Go Crazy, Folks, Go Crazy….