Kansas City Royals: An ALDS Party

Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

What a night for the Kansas City Royals and the fans at Kauffman Stadium (and all throughout Kansas City). It was a party atmosphere. With at least two more home games in this year’s postseason, it feels like the party has just gotten started.

For Sunday’s ALDS clincher, the tailgating started at 1:00pm for a 6:37pm game. The crowd was ready. And, as we all found out, the players were ready as well.

In the hours leading up to the game, there was a sense of inevitability from the fans. And for the first time in a very long time, that inevitability wasn’t doom and gloom. There was an air of confidence and optimism. Which was so striking when you consider how jaded and pessimistic the fan base has become over the past 29 years.

The Royals were going to win the ALDS. They were going to sweep the “best” team in baseball. It was academic.

Much like last Tuesday’s Wild Card game against the Athletics, the crowd was on fire from the get go. And much like the Wild Card game, the opposing team scored in the first inning.

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But even a Mike Trout solo shot in the first inning wasn’t going to derail this party. The minute Billy Butler scored on Alex Gordon‘s 3-run double in the bottom of the 1st inning, it was over. Whether the 40,657 people in attendance knew it at the time or not, it was over.

It was over, but even the most cautiously optimistic of the Kauffman faithful had to have been converted in the bottom of the 3rd inning when Butler stole 2nd base. Billy Butler stole 2nd base. Off of a left-handed pitcher, nonetheless.

As a little drizzle began coming down in the 5th inning, Lorenzo Cain felt it was the perfect time for him to start showing off a little bit. After James Shields got into a little trouble in the top of the 5th, his buddy Cain came up with two incredible diving catches in centerfield.

On the way out of the stadium, strangers were hugging and giving each other high fives. It really was an incredible sight to see. Everyone was just so happy. It’s a happiness that only comes after years and years of losing.

The emotion Cain displayed after the second catch gave everyone the idea that the Royals were ready to close the deal.

There were still the occasional “Let’s Go Royals!” chants for the next couple innings, but there seemed to be a bit of a lull in the crowd noise for the 7th and 8th innings. But once Greg Holland started trotting in from the bullpen to his usual warm-up song by Breaking Benjamin, the party was in full swing.

When Holland blew away Trout for strike three and the Kansas City Royals were officially headed to the 2014 ALCS, the crowd erupted one final time.

Kansas City should be so proud right now. Sports fans across the country are talking about the Royals and the Kauffman Stadium crowd.

This could have all played out so differently. The Royals could have been completely content just making the playoffs. They could have rested on the knowledge that they were the team to break the 29-year streak of not making the playoffs.

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Instead, they decided to develop a swagger, mix in some homeruns with their updated version of small-ball and try to win a championship.

Regardless of your opinions on “small ball” vs “bash ball,” we can all agree that the Royals have picked the right time of the year to play their “best ball.” They are playing their most inspired baseball of the season.

As this season winds down, there is something this team has right now that it didn’t seem to have for the majority of the regular season. An attitude. It’s more than confidence, it’s an attitude of invincibility.

They don’t think they can lose and it’s translating to wins.

If they can find a way to get eight more wins, it will make this ALDS party look tame by comparison. There will be a party the likes of which this city has never seen.

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