Kansas City Royals: The Past, And The Future, And The Man Who Built It

We enter this season, for the first time since 1986, with hope. Not just for this season, but for the next several seasons, hope that we can return to the lofty roost we once occupied.

The expectations tied to this year’s team, justifiable or not, represent a chance to return to glory…the chance to rise like a phoenix after years of being the laughing stock of the league (not to mention The Tonight Show), and retake what was ours!

Did you know that baseball’s elite teams actually had to arrange their rotations weeks in advance in order to prepare for a series in Kansas City?

Royals stadium was a place to be feared, much like Arrowhead is now, and the Royals boasted some of the games best players and fans. Incredibly, fans actually went to Royals games to watch the game rather than partake in all the trappings of the stadium.

With the 2014 season just days away, it may even be worth taking a moment to look at the state of the franchise from a strategic perspective and perhaps even dole out some kudos to the man that has put the Royals back into the baseball discussion: Royals General Manager Dayton Moore.

Moore grew up a Royals fan, and although it has taken every bit of the time he predicted it would, he’s made good on his word. He said it would take a decade to turn the franchise around from the depths it had sunk to and build a winner.

Well, the Royals haven’t won anything yet but serious baseball people have seen what Moore has been building and they know the Royals are for real.

Today, the Royals have one of the top minor league systems in the game with future major leaguers up and down the minor league ranks from A-ball to AAA. Moreover, we have a talented and relatively young core group of current major leaguers who may in fact blossom into stars.

Most importantly, this franchise now has the expectation of winning.