What the Moustakas? Kansas City Royals Can’t Seem to Lose

By John Viril | Oct 15, 2014

Oct 14, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas (8) falls into the stands as he catches a foul ball hit by Baltimore Orioles center fielder Adam Jones (not pictured) during the sixth inning in game three of the 2014 ALCS playoff baseball game at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

It’s crazy enough that the Kansas City Royals have won 7 straight post-season games. I mean, only two other teams have started the post-season with a similar run, the 2007 Colorado Rockies and the 1976 Cinncinati Reds.

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What’s really insane is HOW they’re winning.

First, they survive a 9-8 extra-inning shootout with the Oakland A’s in which they had to pull off a 4-run comeback against established playoff hero Jon Lester—a game that included a record tying 7 stolen bases in one post-season game. Next, they slam home runs to win 2 straight extra inning games against the Los Angeles Angels.

Finally, they sprint out to a 3-0 lead in the ALCS against A.L. East Champion Baltimore Orioles.

No one embodies the improbable nature of this post-season run than 3rd baseman Mike Moustakas.

The Moose came into the game as the no. 2 overall pick of the 2007 draft, with a California high-school record 52 home runs. He tore through the minors, hitting 36 dingers across 2 levels in 2010. And then proceeded to bust for the next 4 years in the majors.

By the time he came into the 2014 post-season, Moustakas looked like a barely-playable glove-first 3rd baseman with occasional power. Many pundits wanted to sit him vs. lefites in favor of bench player Christian Colon.

Moustakas then went out and slammed 4 post-season home runs in 7 games (tying a Royals playoff record for home runs in a post-season with franchise legend George Brett).. He’s hit an outstanding .280/.308/.760 in the playoffs after hitting .212 with a terrible .632 OPS during the regular season.

Then, on the one day he doesn’t get a hit, Moustakas puts his glove on display with two impossible grabs to help preserve a 2-1 KC victory.

Instead of a laughing stock, Grantland is writing sarcastic articles advising hitters how to get a fly ball past what they call “the ultimate outfield” (when managed Ned Yost deploys defensive substitution Jarrod Dyson along with Alex Gordon and Lorenzo Cain). Baseball Prospectus is arguing that the trio of Gordon, Dyson, Cain might be the best defensive outfield in baseball history. Jonah Keri of Grantland is now left trying to explain the Royals offensive outburst.

Now, even the New York Times is saying that the Royals can’t do anything wrong.

Royals fans, we’re living in an upside-down world.

Right now, I’m wondering how much money Biff made betting on the Royals in the Back to the Future II alternative reality in which he built a fortune on a sports record book from 2015. However, I can’t help but wonder if we’re in a time loop that will collapse as soon as Marty McFly restores the timelime.

This Wednesday afternoon, the Royals have the chance to become the first team in MLB history to win their first 8 games of the post-season—and the only team to ever sweep their way to the World Series as a wild card since the league added the 2nd wild card.

My advice, which I’m taking myself, is stop trying to explain it. We have the whole off-season to think about that.

Royals fans, it’s time to just enjoy it.

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