America’s love affair with the 2014 American League Champion Kansas CIty Royals began with that intense Wild Card game vs the Oakland Athletics. Unfortunately for Royals fans, it ended too soon with Alex Gordon standing on 3rd base in a Game 7 loss to the San Francisco Giants. Most people will remember the Royals as the team that lost last year’s World Series. However, it may be what they gained in 2014 that makes them great in 2015—confidence.
Do you remember the 2013 Royals? The average baseball fan might remember their sudden, but short-lived push into the Wild Card picture late that year. Your average Royals fan may recall the hot start they got off to in April which included spending most of that month in 1st place. That Royals fan probably also remembers finishing 5.5 games out of the second wild card spot and thinking “same old Royals”.
2013 was actually a huge step for the franchise. It was only the second winning season since 1994 and the year the confidence started churning in that Kansas City dugout. Then came 2014 and we all know what happened to these Royals late last season. Did they win it all? No. But they finally started thinking “we can win it all.”
The 2015 Royals look like a team that knows they can win it all. They know they can be the best and are performing with some serious swagger so far—7-0 start, 2nd in the MLB in runs, 4th in hits, 6th in ERA. They also have the most dominant bullpen of the young season with their relievers combining for 19 innings pitched, 7 hits, 0 run, 3 walks, and 21 strike outs thus far. They are the first AL team since 1914 to win its first 7 games by 2 runs or more. And just to show they came to play, the team has homered in all 7 games after finishing 30th last year in that category.
Not only are the Royals putting up the numbers, but they pass the eye test as well. They employ a beautiful brand of baseball that combines speed in the outfield with great pitching from top to bottom. Although their home run pace will most likely not continue, what should stay constant is their Line Drive Percentage.
The Royals are currently 3rd in the MLB with a 25.3% line drive rate. This stems from their lineup’s ability to get into good hitters’ counts. These counts are not only leading to pitches being sent out of the yard, but it is also leading to the most valuable thing in baseball—base runners. The Royals are second in OBP at .398 and 6th in BB/K at 0.48. This is telling of the fact that not only are they getting in good hitter’s counts and squaring the ball up, but they are also setting up their teammates with walks. Your line drives will find gloves and your bloopers will find grass over the course of 162 games, but your eye at the plate should stay consistent.
7 games may only be 7 games, but what is the fun of early season baseball if you aren’t overreacting? 162-0 Kansas City! The dream is still alive!