Post-Season Play Favors Kansas City Royals Roster

Oct 5, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (13) celebrates with fans after defeating the Los Angeles Angels in game three of the 2014 ALDS baseball playoff game at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals won 8-4 advancing to the ALCS against the Baltimore Orioles. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Royals have been magnificent in the 2014 post-season. They have won 4 straight games. They have achieved multiple firsts in baseball history. Most importantly, they have knocked out the two strongest teams according to: 1) run differential (A’s) and 2) regular season record (Angels).

The fact is, they’ve been better in the post-season than during the regular season.

It’s not really a surprise, since their roster is a much better fit to win in the playoffs than in the everyday grind of the regular season.

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During the regular season, team like to carry 12 (or more) pitchers to spread the bullpen workload around. Managers use this construction because they want to play pitching matchups in the late innings, yet will have to eat a number of innings in lost games. That requires a lot of pitchers and gives managers a thin bench.

When you look at the Royals, Kansas City’s top-end relievers are terrific. Kelvin Herrera and Wade Davis both had scoreless streaks of 30 plus innings this season that started in June and lasted until mid-September. Neither pitcher gave up a home run. Meanwhile, closer Greg Holland converted 46 of 48 save opportunities, which was the best save percentage in the American League (and 2nd in MLB to Huston Street).

Yet, Kansas City’s reliever ERA was only a good-but-not-great 3.30—which ranked 10th in MLB.

The reason for the disparity is that pitchers like Aaron Crow, Michael Mariot, Louis Coleman, Casey Coleman, and Francisley Bueno all put up ERA’s over 4 during the regular season. In fact, Kansas City GM Dayton Moore needed to acquire Jason Frasor and Scott Downs in mid-season trades to acquire competent arms to use in games that Kansas City trailed in the late innings. The struggles of their back-end pitchers masked the true playoff strength of the Kansas City pen, which has been on full display in the post-season.

That’s because the playoff structure that includes off days for travel, allows a manager to carry fewer relievers and still have ample options for situational pitching substitutions. Teams play no more than 3 days in a row in 7 game series, and 2 days in a row in the divisional round 5-game series.

Oct 5, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher James Shields (33) celebrates after defeating the Los Angeles Angels in game three of the 2014 ALDS baseball playoff game at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals won 8-4 advancing to the ALCS against the Baltimore Orioles. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

And, since every game is valuable in the playoffs, managers can use their front-line relievers in almost every game. That difference has 2 main consequences: 1) the games remain tighter without 2nd tier arms pitching the late innings while behind, and 2) managers can afford a deeper bench.

These strategic realities favors the Royals, who 1) have exceptional top-end relievers and 2) a deep pool of talent to fill out their bench. Kansas City has a power hitter with a high OBP due to an eye for walks (Josh Willingham), an outfield replacement that takes KC’s outfield range from outstanding to ridiculous in Jarrod Dyson, and 2 speed burners for situational running in Dyson and Terrance Gore. These guys can steal a game, and with the bigger playoff bench, manager Ned Yost has more opportunity to deploy them.

Further, Kansas City’s lineup is the hardest to strike out in MLB, which is kryptonite for the strikeout pitchers that typically inhabit playoff rosters. The Royals also have the most stolen bases in MLB, which means they have the speed to exploit the smallest mistakes.

Not only do the playoffs fit the Royals talent like a glove, the Royals have a lot of experience winning “playoff” type games. Kansas City has won more games than any team in baseball while scoring 3 and 4 runs during the regular season. The Royals know how to bring home a victory in tight games—and they’re used to doing it day after day.

Then, add in home-grown prospects Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas suddenly playing like the lineup cornerstones they were projected to be in the minors, rather than the weak-hitting shadows they have been most of the season, and you have the team that has made noise in the 2014 playoffs.

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