Kansas City Royals: Three reasons for optimism in 2020
By Gage Stagner
The state of the Kansas City Royals should not be judged off the upcoming 2020 season, however there is a lot that can be learned.
There most likely won’t be another World Series Parade to attend in the near future for Kansas City Royals fans, but this summer should show a glimpse of the promise that ensures fans there won’t be another 30-year drought.
The recent retirement of Ned Yost has put a twist on the timeline to compete again for the Royals organization. It’s hard to believe it’s already been over four years since Yost hoisted the World Series trophy at Union Station in downtown Kansas City. The roster was much different then and the players have scattered ever since.
Mike Matheny is the new skipper for the ball club after being hired last November as a special adviser. The hire is fine, as Matheny was relatively successful with the cross-state Cardinals from 2012-2018, but have been even more successful without him. Chances are General Manager Dayton Moore thinks Matheny can help this ball team grow and learn how to win after such an atrocious season last year.
That should be the key, though, winning. With the pieces the Royals have, there’s an unsaid understanding that they’re in a development process and are working from the ground up. Moore used this process of creating a stellar farm system before with guys like Danny Duffy, Eric Hosmer, Salvador Perez, Mike Moustakaus, and more. That obviously worked out.
With Matheny at the helm, no one expects him to push the team toward contention in his first year. Fans do expect the Royals to be showing signs of progress, however, and that starts with his player development.
There is real, promising talent in the organization and the 2020 season should be devoted to getting better, winning more games, and working back towards contention. The roster hasn’t changed much since last year and this offseason shows just exactly where Dayton Moore wants this ball club.
With all that being said, there is a lot to look forward to this season. Let’s take a look at some reasons for optimism for the Royals for this upcoming summer.