11/23/24
October 15, 2014
Royals Advance to First World Series Since 1985: The Kansas City Royals won their eighth straight post-season game Wednesday, sweeping the Baltimore Orioles 4-0 and advancing to the club's first World Series since 1985. Kansas City scored two runs in the first inning without a ball leaving the infield, then made them hold up over the next 9 for a 2-1 series clinching victory. "Manager Ned Yost has become Midas here in October," writes Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star.
I missed today's clinching game, but it has been just a lot of fun watching KC in the postseason this year. They hustle, play great defense, have good pitching, and play with great enthusiasm. I am officially a fan (at least until April).
posted by Howard_T at 10:02 PM on October 15, 2014
The Royals have a terrible GM, a terrible manager, and terrible plate discipline.
Yet, they are going to the World Series and I'm hoping they sweep the NL team that faces them.
posted by grum@work at 10:42 PM on October 15, 2014
"Manager Ned Yost has become Midas here in October,"
Free mufflers for everyone! Really happy for them and hope they can win it all. A quarter century of failure has been enough time to dull the pain and my hate for that AstroTurf team of speed merchants that wrecked seemingly every other Sox season of my youth.
posted by yerfatma at 08:34 AM on October 16, 2014
The only part missing from the script is that they won't be facing the Pirates in the Series. That would have been the ultimate "return from eternal irrelevance" matchup.
I similarly yearn for a Browns - Lions Super Bowl.
I watched every minute of the 1985 Series. I can still hear Al Michaels announcing Balboni and Biancalana with a tone of incredulity in his voice as they stepped up to the plate, BEFORE they defied the law of averages and prevailing wisdom with yet another timely and productive at bat.
Felt very happy for Dick Howser after how he had been treated by Steinbrenner, and felt awful for Herzog having to watch his team fall apart in game 7.
With the memories so vivid, it's sometimes hard to remember how long ago that Series took place. Three days after it ended, the space shuttle Challenger took off on a mission...and returned safely to Earth (for the last time).
posted by beaverboard at 10:23 AM on October 16, 2014
The Royals have a terrible GM, a terrible manager, and terrible plate discipline.
And people are going to go ahead and use them regardless as an example for how the game is changing rather than considering the "weird shit happens sometimes" effect. Like Time, who say the Royals are leading a movement with their one truly successful year in 20 years.
Pitching and defence have been the foundation of the game forever, but a single data point on a quirky team doesn't mean a trend. Go back a couple of years and both San Fran and St. Louis hardly ran at all in 2010/11. Plus - it's not been THAT long since a team that hit a lot of home runs made the World Series.
posted by dfleming at 04:00 PM on October 16, 2014
Like Time, who say the Royals are leading a movement with their one truly successful year in 20 years.
They were a wild card team that didn't even win 90 games. This isn't a "movement". It's a 14 day hot streak. If they win the World Series, they deserve it.
But as Jays fan I hope a lot of other AL teams try to mimic their impatient (dead last in walks) noodle bats (last in ISO).
posted by grum@work at 04:20 PM on October 16, 2014
If it can't be the Red Sox, I'm happy to see a small market team that hasn't made it to WS for decades there. I agree, a Royals-Pirates match up would have let me relive my youth.
posted by Joey Michaels at 06:54 PM on October 16, 2014
Their situation is eerily similar to Rocktober of 2007, but I hope they're able to do better in the World Series and don't suffer or lose their hot streak in the long wait for the Series to start like the Rockies did.