KC Royals: Joakim Soria Reminds Fans of Bad Times

KC Royals fans have frequently had a bone to pick with relief pitcher Joakim Soria this season, and part of it could be because he reminds the team of the bad days of Royals baseball.

From 2007-2011, Joakim Soria recorded 160 saves for the Kansas City Royals. He made it to the All-Star Game twice during that time (with a 1.60 ERA in 2008 and a 1.78 ERA in 2010) and was probably the best player on the team during that span as well.

All of those reasons above are why fans were pretty excited about Soria returning to Kansas City for the 2016 season. He signed on a fairly expensive three-year deal, but he was going to be adding depth to the already stout bullpen.

The Royals were coming off their first World Series title since 1985 and the hype was through the roof to see if the team could indeed “Defend the Crown” in 2016.

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When Joakim Soria stepped onto the mound for the first time in a Royals uniform since 2011, it didn’t go quite as planned. Soria allowed three runs in the season opener against the Mets before being pulled with two outs recorded. His ERA was a staggering 40.50 after the disastrous outing, and it left Royals fans wondering if the signing was such a good idea.

As the season continued on, Soria was a bit of a rollercoaster on the mound. Despite at times being a reliable reliever (and being apart of that tandem who went 40+ innings without allowing a run), Soria has heard his fair share of boos at the ballpark this season.

Most people will think that booing is done to whoever sucks or “blows the game” so to speak, but I’ve really only noticed Soria getting booed this season. Even Chris Young who has been disastrous this year hasn’t been booed at the K… So what gives?

In my personal opinion, Joakim Soria is the easiest guy to boo because he wasn’t apart of the World Series winning Kansas City Royals squad in 2015, therefore he’s not “Forever Royal”. Being apart of that “Forever Royal” team in 2015 (hell, even guys on the 2014 team are more popular) will always mean something to Royals fans.

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Guys like Edinson Volquez, who has been awful this year, Chris Young, and Kendrys Morales haven’t been booed when they blew their shot at helping the team this season. Why no boos for them? Well, because all three of them “earned their stripes” so to speak by helping the club win a title in 2015.

Another reason fans are tougher on Joakim Soria is because he, as the title suggests, reminds fans of when this team was atrocious. Soria never played for the Royals when they were winners. He was a big fish in a small pond, and now it appears that it’s the opposite – He’s a small fish in a big pond, and that big pond hates losing.

Watching Soria close games in the late 2000s/early 2010s was about the most exciting part of KC Royals baseball at the time. Royals fans who followed the team closely back then expected Soria to return to the same form and that just hasn’t happened.

Soria has been responsible for a large portion of close, heartbreaking losses for the Royals, and it’s been rather unfortunate. The hope for him to be the Royals’ eighth inning guy and take over as one of the three-headed monsters hasn’t panned out at all.

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Any time Soria takes the mound this season, a wave of panic goes through Royals nation because we just don’t know what to expect from Jack.

Throw in the fact that this guy was with the team during “the dark years” and now is costing the team precious victories and well – That’s why Royals fans are fed up with Soria… even after coming off a World Series title.

Just goes to show you how quickly an opinion can change.