KC Royals Ned Yost is the Village Idiot of Managers

Sep 16, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost (3) watches play from the dugout in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

I can’t stand it anymore. I can’t stand watching the moronic Ned Yost act like a big-league skipper. Kansas City Royals manager Yost might do a good job of handling players, but he’s a terrible tactical decision-maker.

More from Kansas City Royals

You can’t have that in a team trying to make the post-season.

Ned Yost, once again, showed why he is a liability for any team striving for the playoffs. The English language hardly contains adequate words to describe Yost’s utter tactical stupidity.

On Saturday, the Kansas City Royals all but lost the A.L. Central division, losing 3-2 to the Detroit Tigers to fall 2.5 games behind the A.L. Central leaders with 9 games to play (that includes one almost-certain loss in a suspended game with the Indians). Yost, in all of his brilliance, played for 1 run not once but TWICE in the first 3 innings.

The Royals failed to score both times.

Bunting is not ALWAYS a bad decision, even early in games. Yet, in this case, both decisions were beyond-the-pale stupid. If owner David Glass had any wisdom, he’d march right into the office and fire Yost—just like the Brewers did in a playoff race in 2008.

Let’s set the scene.

In the bottom of the first inning, Alcides Escobar opens the game for Kansas City with a leadoff double. A good start, right? Wrong. Because the Royals have Ned Yost in the dugout.

Yost then asked his no. 2 hitter Nori Aoki to sacrifice bunt—which Aoki did, to advance Escobar to 3rd. What in the world is Yost thinking? He has the opportunity to put the pressure on Detroit starter Max Scherzer immediately with a crooked inning. He has Nori Aoki batting, who has just stroked 13 hits in his last 16 at bats.

WHY ARE YOU TAKING THE BAT AWAY FROM YOUR HOTTEST HITTER?

Live Feed

A's slug their way past Kansas City, wins 6-4 /

White Cleat Beat

This pitcher could break an unenviable KC Royals recordKings of Kauffman

MLB Playoff Odds vs. Baseball Reference Playoff Odds: Who Has Betting Value?Betsided

Royals vs. Athletics prediction and odds for Monday, Aug. 21 (Battle for last place)Kings of Kauffman

KC Royals fans need to watch this surging prospectKings of Kauffman

KC Royals News: Fireflies on fire, Brad Keller, and why a sweep would be goodKings of Kauffman

This decision was beyond stupid. In fact, it goes beyond stupid to downright cowardly. Yost gave away an out, from the red-hot Aoki, no less, in order to play for 1 run in the 1st inning. Notice, that 1 run would not have won the ball game.

Right away, Yost is showing that he has no faith in his lineup, which is exactly what you want to do the day after losing 10-1.

Scherzer then struck out Josh Willingham and Alex Gordon to end the threat.

As if once wasn’t enough, Yost doubled-down on his stupidity in the 3rd. This time, Jarrod Dyson and Alcides Escobar opened the inning with singles. Again, Yost asked Aoki to bunt and again the Royals failed to score a run.

Yost gave away 2 outs from his hottest hitter in order to move baserunners in the first 3 innings of a scoreless game. Is it any wonder that the Royals stranded 10 men?

GOSH NED, MAYBE YOU COULDN’T GET A CLUTCH HIT BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T LET YOUR HOTTEST BATTER HIT.

Pundits talk about good managers putting their players in a position to win. Ned Yost consistently takes away chances from his players. Ned Yost put 42-year-old Raul Ibanez in the position of saving the Royals chances for the A.L. Central title—you know the guy that got cut by the Angels in mid-season and has hit .168 with an OPS of .548 this season.

Except, of course, left-handed Ibanez was hitting against righty closer Joe Nathan, which made his slash line .197/.291/.335 for an OPS of .626.

Just how much would you give to have Nori Aoki get 2 shots at hitting with a run in scoring position right now? Oh. Yeah. Ned Yost gave away those two chances.

The fact is, players on a Ned Yost-managed team have to overcome the bad decisions of their manager over and over again in order to win.

That’s too much to ask in the crucible of a playoff race.

Home/Kansas City Royals