Kansas City Royals World Series Loss Just Doesn't Feel Right

Oct 29, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals fans react after game seven of the 2014 World Series against the San Francisco Giants at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

For everyone who bleeds Royals Blue, the Kansas City Royals World Series loss to the San Francisco Giants just doesn’t feel right.

More from Kansas City Royals

All the elements for a storybook ending were there:

Game 7 of the World Series—check.

A tight 3-2 game with an enemy pitching hero on the mound to overcome—check.

A 2-out 9th inning rally that put the tying run on 3rd base—check.

And Salvador Perez popped up to end the game.

Uhhh, one of the above facts doesn’t belong with the others. Salvador Perez was supposed to hit a home run to win the game. Or at least tie it with a single.

I would like to believe this feeling of wrongness goes beyond my love for the Royals. Destiny seemed to give all the signs that this was Kansas City’s year.

Aug 9, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; A Kansas City Royals fan holds a San Francisco Giants right fielder Hunter Pence (8) sign above Sung Woo Lee, the fan visiting from Korea during the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals won 5-0. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

First, Lorde writes an international smash hit song inspired by Royals Hall-of-Famer George Brett, who led the team to their only World Series title 29 years ago. Sung Woo Lee comes to Kansas City from South Korea after spending 20 years watching from half a world away.

Sung Woo’s arrival sparked a winning streak that the Royals rode to 1st place in early August; but, more importantly, he made and entire city—and owner David Glass—believe.

After Sung Woo’s arrival, Glass approved an extra $1.85 million in funds to get a power bat in Josh Willingham for the KC bench, after rumors at the trade deadline indicated the Royals were unwilling to take on salary to make any deals.

Sep 30, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals pitcher Louis Coleman celebrates with teammates after defeating the Oakland Athletics in the 2014 American League Wild Card playoff baseball game at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals won 9-8. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Belief helped carry the team when they fell 4 runs behind Oakland in the Wild Card game in the 8th inning, only to pull off two comebacks to win in 12 innings.

Belief carried the young Royals through 4 extra-inning victories in the post-season (a MLB record), and to 8 straight wins to open the playoffs as they swept their way to the World Series.

In the World Series, they would face a Giants team with a $154 million payroll that was seeking its 3rd title in 5 years. They made the perfect villan—except for a distinct lack of “bad guys” on their roster. However, what more fitting name could they have than the “Giants”?

That’s exactly who underdogs are supposed to knock down.

Finally, justice seemed to dictate it had to be the Royals year. No fanbase in America had suffered more than the Kansas City Royals fans over the last generation. Sure, other teams might have longer World Series droughts. But, they weren’t the national punchline that the Royals had become.

Jay Leno made fun of the Royals’ futility on the Tonight Show. Long-running cartoon series The Simpsons lampooned the Royals in multiple episodes. Sportswriters across America made a living making fun of decisions by Kansas City’s front office, just because they were made by the Royals.

Oct 29, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; San Francisco Giants players celebrate on the field after defeating the Kansas City Royals in game seven of the 2014 World Series at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

It just doesn’t seem fair that this generation of Giants fans get to celebrate their third title, while Royals fans once again get the shaft.

However, World Championships are not decided by fate, destiny, or justice. Victory goes to the team that makes plays in the critical moments. On Wednesday, that team was the Giants.

i don’t know about you, but I want to punch anyone who tries to talk about what a great season the Royals had, or how it was a victory just to make it to the World Series, or how the Royals have changed the course of their franchise.

All of those might be true, but the thrust of such crumbs are trying to say that this loss shouldn’t hurt. As if the Royals should have been happy to be there because they weren’t really good enough to win.

There’s nothing that will make this loss not hurt. For Royals fans, this loss will hurt today, tomorrow, and will still hurt 30 years from now when we think about it.

It will hurt because the 2014 Royals could have won.

To me, there is only one thing that gives me comfort. The agony of defeat is far, far better than the apathy that came from 28 years of failure.

To Royals fans born after 1985, this is a completely new experience. Today, Royals Nation is alive like it has not been in a generation.

Happy birthday.

That pain you feel means you care.

Home/Kansas City Royals

Kansas City Royals World Series Loss Just Doesn’t Feel Right

By John Viril | Oct 30, 2014