Here rest the Royals of Two-Thousand-Five -
A season of hope no longer alive.
They gave it there all, or so we were told
But even this youth movement got a bit old.
So, now we move on and we hope for more wins –
A chance to raise banners and plenty more grins.
The try-out has ended - phase-two we will start.
Berroa and Lima and Long must depart!
So, David and Allard and even you, Buddy,
Sign the right players and this time, please study!
Say “NO” to Sosa, don’t get swept off your feet-
When it comes to next year, we fans want to compete!
This time you’re on notice, we’re reaching the end.
Our patience will break for there is no more bend.
Our loyalty’s true – we’ll be back in Oh-Six.
But last place again and it’s you we must fix.
This is the end of the line for me and the 2005 Kansas City Royals. Last night, on my birthday no less, they fell to the Indians and hit the century mark for losses. In their final ten games, they have to play better than .500-baseball to avoid setting the franchise record for losses. The next three games come against a Cleveland team trying to make the playoffs. The boys in blue finish the season on the road against Minnesota and Toronto. So, with ten games to play, and barring something miraculous like Allard Baird admitting that he’s the illegitimate son of George Steinbrenner or Buddy Bell taking the field to play third base, this will be my last column of 2005 dedicated to MacDougal, Sweeney, Stairs and the gang. I will wait for the cheering to subside before I continue!
It has been a year of few ups – drafting Alex Gordon - a can’t-miss prospect from Nebraska that grew up on Royals’ baseball, sweeping the Yankees at home, Krispie Kreme donuts – and plenty of downs – Pena quitting on the team, 19 losses in a row, the inability to actually sign Gordon to a contract. I think we can all agree that it has been a pretty disappointing and at times frighteningly ugly season. We’ve seen some terrible baseball at Kaufman stadium. We’ve seen ninth inning implosions when a win seemed assured. We’ve seen deer-in-the-headlights second basemen that look legitimately scared when the ball comes their way. We’ve seen two outfielders converge on a fly-ball, than both start jogging toward the dugout without actually catching the ball to make the final out of the inning. We’ve been the running joke for every sportscaster in the nation from Dan Patrick at the WorldWide Leader to the fill-in weekend sports guy in Glendive, Montana. We need a break. We need a vacation. We need to get away from Royals’ baseball, reevaluate our goals and decide if we’re still compatible. We can spend the playoffs rooting for small market teams that have made it work – it will be like seeing other people.
Doesn’t that sound familiar? Haven’t we all had that conversation with a one-time significant other? Heck, I said it to my fifth grade girlfriend less than 24 hours after we started “going together”. The strain was just too much! It was affecting my school work. My kickball average was plummeting. I didn’t know if I was supposed to sit by her at lunch! I had to call it off.
So, I’m putting the Royals on notice and I hope they’ll take this time to decide if they really can be the team I need them to be. Otherwise, one of us is going to have to walk away. I can start rooting for the Cubs and probably be fine. At least they’re trying to win. The Royals can go to Portland or San Antonio or Vegas. It would be an amicable split. I could watch them every other weekend and look through my old Royals’ baseball cards on holidays. Every once in a while, I’d have that pang in heart and want them back. I’d think of Brett and White and Saberhagen. I’d smile when imagining Bo Jackson chasing down a fly ball, Freddy Patek turning two, Steve Balboni’s bald head.
But then I’d remember the hard times. I’d remember when Juan “Rally Killer” Gonzalez sent his luggage to spring training, but he didn’t show up for another week. That was a sign of things to come. I’d remember the Nefi Perez signing and being excited for this young, spark-plug of a shortstop, only to see him flop, give up and mope around the field until the season ended. Funny, he seems fine now with Chicago! I’d remember the injuries – Jeremy Affeldt’s blistered finger, Mike Sweeney’s aching back, Aaron Guiel’s blurry eyes. The thing I’d remember the most are the players that got away. Johnny Damon, Jermaine Dye, Carlos Beltran – that could have been the greatest outfield in the league for the past five years. I understand the need to trade away big names while you can still get something in return. Until there’s a salary cap, that’s the way it will be in small-market baseball. But, the key is that you actually get some value back. Allard Baird has proven time and time again that he just doesn’t get the job done. The prospects don’t pan out and we’re left holding the bag in last place.
For now, I’m going to take a break. I need some time away from this team and maybe from Major League Baseball all together. I’m excited to watch good baseball in the playoffs, but when the Indians are eliminated and the A’s are at home, it will be the same old teams fighting for the World Series crown. It’s getting old, Major League Baseball. Our relationship has lost its spark. We’ve become routine and it’s time for a change. It’s time to do something to make baseball meaningful in Seattle, in Milwaukee, in Pittsburgh, in Kansas City. Though I get frustrated with the Glass family, at least they’re trying to make a difference for the good of the sport. David Glass is the biggest proponent of a salary cup in those owners meetings. He wants the team to be competitive, but he wants the field to be leveled. What will it take to make that happen? An NHL-like lockout? The owners holding strong to break the player’s union? An act of Congress? Perhaps. I just don’t understand how these owners can look at the unparalleled success of the NFL and not see the importance of a hard salary cap. It’s time to take the power out of the pocketbooks and put it back in game management and player development. Is a salary cap a sure sign of success? Of course not. For every New England Patriots there’s an Arizona Cardinals. But, at least then the fans would have someone to blame. When the New York Yankees starting infield makes more money than your entire team, there’s a problem.
Now, I know, I’ve been down this road before. And, without significant restructuring at the owners meetings, it’s entirely possible that I’ll be writing about this again next year. But, for now, I’m ready to take a break. For now, I’m ready to close the book on the 2005 Royals. For now, I’m ready to watch some football and college basketball. And when the curtain goes up on the new-look 2006 Royals, I’ll be ready. I’ll be excited. And, like every year for the past 25 of my life, I’ll hope for wins. But, really, Royals, I mean it this time. You need to deliver. This is your final chance.
A season of hope no longer alive.
They gave it there all, or so we were told
But even this youth movement got a bit old.
So, now we move on and we hope for more wins –
A chance to raise banners and plenty more grins.
The try-out has ended - phase-two we will start.
Berroa and Lima and Long must depart!
So, David and Allard and even you, Buddy,
Sign the right players and this time, please study!
Say “NO” to Sosa, don’t get swept off your feet-
When it comes to next year, we fans want to compete!
This time you’re on notice, we’re reaching the end.
Our patience will break for there is no more bend.
Our loyalty’s true – we’ll be back in Oh-Six.
But last place again and it’s you we must fix.
This is the end of the line for me and the 2005 Kansas City Royals. Last night, on my birthday no less, they fell to the Indians and hit the century mark for losses. In their final ten games, they have to play better than .500-baseball to avoid setting the franchise record for losses. The next three games come against a Cleveland team trying to make the playoffs. The boys in blue finish the season on the road against Minnesota and Toronto. So, with ten games to play, and barring something miraculous like Allard Baird admitting that he’s the illegitimate son of George Steinbrenner or Buddy Bell taking the field to play third base, this will be my last column of 2005 dedicated to MacDougal, Sweeney, Stairs and the gang. I will wait for the cheering to subside before I continue!
It has been a year of few ups – drafting Alex Gordon - a can’t-miss prospect from Nebraska that grew up on Royals’ baseball, sweeping the Yankees at home, Krispie Kreme donuts – and plenty of downs – Pena quitting on the team, 19 losses in a row, the inability to actually sign Gordon to a contract. I think we can all agree that it has been a pretty disappointing and at times frighteningly ugly season. We’ve seen some terrible baseball at Kaufman stadium. We’ve seen ninth inning implosions when a win seemed assured. We’ve seen deer-in-the-headlights second basemen that look legitimately scared when the ball comes their way. We’ve seen two outfielders converge on a fly-ball, than both start jogging toward the dugout without actually catching the ball to make the final out of the inning. We’ve been the running joke for every sportscaster in the nation from Dan Patrick at the WorldWide Leader to the fill-in weekend sports guy in Glendive, Montana. We need a break. We need a vacation. We need to get away from Royals’ baseball, reevaluate our goals and decide if we’re still compatible. We can spend the playoffs rooting for small market teams that have made it work – it will be like seeing other people.
Doesn’t that sound familiar? Haven’t we all had that conversation with a one-time significant other? Heck, I said it to my fifth grade girlfriend less than 24 hours after we started “going together”. The strain was just too much! It was affecting my school work. My kickball average was plummeting. I didn’t know if I was supposed to sit by her at lunch! I had to call it off.
So, I’m putting the Royals on notice and I hope they’ll take this time to decide if they really can be the team I need them to be. Otherwise, one of us is going to have to walk away. I can start rooting for the Cubs and probably be fine. At least they’re trying to win. The Royals can go to Portland or San Antonio or Vegas. It would be an amicable split. I could watch them every other weekend and look through my old Royals’ baseball cards on holidays. Every once in a while, I’d have that pang in heart and want them back. I’d think of Brett and White and Saberhagen. I’d smile when imagining Bo Jackson chasing down a fly ball, Freddy Patek turning two, Steve Balboni’s bald head.
But then I’d remember the hard times. I’d remember when Juan “Rally Killer” Gonzalez sent his luggage to spring training, but he didn’t show up for another week. That was a sign of things to come. I’d remember the Nefi Perez signing and being excited for this young, spark-plug of a shortstop, only to see him flop, give up and mope around the field until the season ended. Funny, he seems fine now with Chicago! I’d remember the injuries – Jeremy Affeldt’s blistered finger, Mike Sweeney’s aching back, Aaron Guiel’s blurry eyes. The thing I’d remember the most are the players that got away. Johnny Damon, Jermaine Dye, Carlos Beltran – that could have been the greatest outfield in the league for the past five years. I understand the need to trade away big names while you can still get something in return. Until there’s a salary cap, that’s the way it will be in small-market baseball. But, the key is that you actually get some value back. Allard Baird has proven time and time again that he just doesn’t get the job done. The prospects don’t pan out and we’re left holding the bag in last place.
For now, I’m going to take a break. I need some time away from this team and maybe from Major League Baseball all together. I’m excited to watch good baseball in the playoffs, but when the Indians are eliminated and the A’s are at home, it will be the same old teams fighting for the World Series crown. It’s getting old, Major League Baseball. Our relationship has lost its spark. We’ve become routine and it’s time for a change. It’s time to do something to make baseball meaningful in Seattle, in Milwaukee, in Pittsburgh, in Kansas City. Though I get frustrated with the Glass family, at least they’re trying to make a difference for the good of the sport. David Glass is the biggest proponent of a salary cup in those owners meetings. He wants the team to be competitive, but he wants the field to be leveled. What will it take to make that happen? An NHL-like lockout? The owners holding strong to break the player’s union? An act of Congress? Perhaps. I just don’t understand how these owners can look at the unparalleled success of the NFL and not see the importance of a hard salary cap. It’s time to take the power out of the pocketbooks and put it back in game management and player development. Is a salary cap a sure sign of success? Of course not. For every New England Patriots there’s an Arizona Cardinals. But, at least then the fans would have someone to blame. When the New York Yankees starting infield makes more money than your entire team, there’s a problem.
Now, I know, I’ve been down this road before. And, without significant restructuring at the owners meetings, it’s entirely possible that I’ll be writing about this again next year. But, for now, I’m ready to take a break. For now, I’m ready to close the book on the 2005 Royals. For now, I’m ready to watch some football and college basketball. And when the curtain goes up on the new-look 2006 Royals, I’ll be ready. I’ll be excited. And, like every year for the past 25 of my life, I’ll hope for wins. But, really, Royals, I mean it this time. You need to deliver. This is your final chance.
3 comments:
Man, you always get spaminated on your comments. I think you can go in and delete them, but I'm not sure.
Anyway, another good post.
I will soon be required to put a spam-blocker on my comments. That sucks.
There's a word verification that you can set up that stops the spam (it worked on my mom's blog, anyway). Of course, you could just get Haloscan like the rest of the civilized world.
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