Well, I’m not going to complain. It was a solid day. Ragans did what he was supposed to. The bullpen, for the most part, was fine. I can’t say one game means too much. But it did feel a little like a microcosm of what I kinda expect this year. I expect the pitching to be better and the Royals to be in games longer. Some of which they will pull out in the end. Its baseball.
I am however, going to say my concern coming into the year was the offense and they didn’t really do anything calm those. Garcia looked good…if he takes a step that certainly helps. But they just don’t get on base. It’s the same conversation every time. We have some pop…but nobody grinds at bats and takes a walk. Just one game. But yes, offensively it looked pretty similar. I’m still positive overall though.
I realized yesterday that I’m giving the Royals a way shorter mental leash this year than I ever have before. I’ve spent 3 months getting excited for how things could finally be different this year, and I couldn’t even finish watching the game yesterday because my jaded-fan mentality had already kicked in by the 8th inning, which usually doesn’t happen until they are 15 games behind and out of contention in May. So yes, it felt exactly like any normal random game from the last few years where you knew that even if their pitching didn’t implode at some point, the offense had already decided to take the day off and there was no reason to keep watching.
I'm still optimistic. When I saw that it was Lopez on opening day again, I had a silent dread in the back of my mind that it was going to go a lot like last year. And the results were ultimately the same, but it didn't REALLY go like it did last year. Last year we had nothing but question marks. And Greinke. Even Bobby was a question mark. I mean, I guess years of pessimism have left a sort of lower-case question mark in the back of my head about EVERYONE on the field this year (will Bobby regress? will Ragans' arm explode? will Vinnie never recover from his surgery? will Frazier end up being the best player on this team? there's no end to possible nightmare scenarios!), but that's just me.
What we got was Garcia hitting 1/4 of the total number of homers he hit last year in the first day and Ragans striking out 9 in what I'd call a pretty pedestrian performance compared to his usual stuff. That's great! If Vinnie and Bobby get back to business, all of a sudden yesterday would have been a game again. And I also keep reminding myself that this month is gonna kinda suck. Their schedule, aside from the Royals Reunion games with the Sox, is tuuuuuufff. Judgment must be reserved until the end of May! Then, though, all bets are off (and my fantasy team will be lost, too, because I bet the farm going in on Vinnie, Garcia, and Ragans).
The last thing I noticed yesterday. And IDK why it felt different yesterday as opposed to the last half of the year last year. Although, even then I was paying attention more. And maybe this is just me, but when you have a legit ace on your team, your fans pay attention more. I pay attention more. I may not catch every Wacha, or Singer start. But man, it reminded me of the old Zack Greinke days. We could lose 90 games again this year. But when you have a cy young candidate on your team. Work? Pshhh, I’ll watch my ride or die Ragans pitch. I’d venture to say that for at least one out of every 5 days the Royals are guaranteed to have my eyeballs.
People have to get out of football mode. It's a 162 game season, not 17. I just chalk this up to one of the 60 games everybody knows they're going to lose before the season starts and move on.
If troubling patterns start to form then we can get worried but for now, it's one game against a good pitcher in front of one of the biggest home crowds much of the roster has ever played in front of.
Gut punch. No logic to it, but that one hurt. If you had told me yesterday morning that they would get 1 win in this series I would have been happy with it. I guess I can blame Ragans and Garcia for making me believe they would win that one. Ragans had incredible composure after a 1st inning homer and a dicey 3rd. Wow - he might truly be an ace. And how much fun was that Garcia homer? (I really like him, I will be sad when they trade him) Oh well, I turned the royals hat I was wearing inside out and threw it on the top shelf (again, completely unreasonable superstitions after 1 game), so I am betting they get a win this weekend ;)
There is something special about opening day that causes fans to be overly euphoric over a win and overly crushed over a loss. Plus, in the Royals case, it's easy to extrapolate last years disaster into this year until they prove they really are better. If they are 15 games under .500 by late may, the fans will run out of the turnstiles and start counting down the days till the Chiefs begin training camp. Let's hope the Royals can keep it interesting deep into Summer.
It's one of 162, but man, it would've been nice to give a somewhat skeptical (and maybe spoiled by the Chiefs) sellout crowd a game that felt a little more compelling. Or maybe that's just what the guy says that flew in from Dallas for one game and talked his wife into joining him...hard to say. Great write-up as usual, David.
I just liked being at the ballpark again. And delighted by Maikel Garcia! And happy to see Bobby steal and try. I think the wind was a factor, as was the slight chill in the air. Will be missing that chill come July.
Was at the game by 1 pm, nice event for season ticket holders at the little k. Great band playing, fun atmosphere but didn’t feel the buzz. I would say “polite excitement” would be a good description of pre game, loudest applause was definitely when Andy came on to throw out the first ball. Ragans thru well (although he gives up 3 if the twins runner doesn’t pull up lame rounding 3rd) would love to have seen Loftin at 2nd and Pratto in rf, batting 6-7, could have been a different outcome,
Well, I’m not going to complain. It was a solid day. Ragans did what he was supposed to. The bullpen, for the most part, was fine. I can’t say one game means too much. But it did feel a little like a microcosm of what I kinda expect this year. I expect the pitching to be better and the Royals to be in games longer. Some of which they will pull out in the end. Its baseball.
I am however, going to say my concern coming into the year was the offense and they didn’t really do anything calm those. Garcia looked good…if he takes a step that certainly helps. But they just don’t get on base. It’s the same conversation every time. We have some pop…but nobody grinds at bats and takes a walk. Just one game. But yes, offensively it looked pretty similar. I’m still positive overall though.
I realized yesterday that I’m giving the Royals a way shorter mental leash this year than I ever have before. I’ve spent 3 months getting excited for how things could finally be different this year, and I couldn’t even finish watching the game yesterday because my jaded-fan mentality had already kicked in by the 8th inning, which usually doesn’t happen until they are 15 games behind and out of contention in May. So yes, it felt exactly like any normal random game from the last few years where you knew that even if their pitching didn’t implode at some point, the offense had already decided to take the day off and there was no reason to keep watching.
Great article, David! Ragans looked really good but I'm just chalking this one up to Pablo Lopez just being dominate.
I'm still optimistic. When I saw that it was Lopez on opening day again, I had a silent dread in the back of my mind that it was going to go a lot like last year. And the results were ultimately the same, but it didn't REALLY go like it did last year. Last year we had nothing but question marks. And Greinke. Even Bobby was a question mark. I mean, I guess years of pessimism have left a sort of lower-case question mark in the back of my head about EVERYONE on the field this year (will Bobby regress? will Ragans' arm explode? will Vinnie never recover from his surgery? will Frazier end up being the best player on this team? there's no end to possible nightmare scenarios!), but that's just me.
What we got was Garcia hitting 1/4 of the total number of homers he hit last year in the first day and Ragans striking out 9 in what I'd call a pretty pedestrian performance compared to his usual stuff. That's great! If Vinnie and Bobby get back to business, all of a sudden yesterday would have been a game again. And I also keep reminding myself that this month is gonna kinda suck. Their schedule, aside from the Royals Reunion games with the Sox, is tuuuuuufff. Judgment must be reserved until the end of May! Then, though, all bets are off (and my fantasy team will be lost, too, because I bet the farm going in on Vinnie, Garcia, and Ragans).
The last thing I noticed yesterday. And IDK why it felt different yesterday as opposed to the last half of the year last year. Although, even then I was paying attention more. And maybe this is just me, but when you have a legit ace on your team, your fans pay attention more. I pay attention more. I may not catch every Wacha, or Singer start. But man, it reminded me of the old Zack Greinke days. We could lose 90 games again this year. But when you have a cy young candidate on your team. Work? Pshhh, I’ll watch my ride or die Ragans pitch. I’d venture to say that for at least one out of every 5 days the Royals are guaranteed to have my eyeballs.
People have to get out of football mode. It's a 162 game season, not 17. I just chalk this up to one of the 60 games everybody knows they're going to lose before the season starts and move on.
If troubling patterns start to form then we can get worried but for now, it's one game against a good pitcher in front of one of the biggest home crowds much of the roster has ever played in front of.
Gut punch. No logic to it, but that one hurt. If you had told me yesterday morning that they would get 1 win in this series I would have been happy with it. I guess I can blame Ragans and Garcia for making me believe they would win that one. Ragans had incredible composure after a 1st inning homer and a dicey 3rd. Wow - he might truly be an ace. And how much fun was that Garcia homer? (I really like him, I will be sad when they trade him) Oh well, I turned the royals hat I was wearing inside out and threw it on the top shelf (again, completely unreasonable superstitions after 1 game), so I am betting they get a win this weekend ;)
There is something special about opening day that causes fans to be overly euphoric over a win and overly crushed over a loss. Plus, in the Royals case, it's easy to extrapolate last years disaster into this year until they prove they really are better. If they are 15 games under .500 by late may, the fans will run out of the turnstiles and start counting down the days till the Chiefs begin training camp. Let's hope the Royals can keep it interesting deep into Summer.
Series wins Dave. Series wins!! That’s how I keeping going
It's one of 162, but man, it would've been nice to give a somewhat skeptical (and maybe spoiled by the Chiefs) sellout crowd a game that felt a little more compelling. Or maybe that's just what the guy says that flew in from Dallas for one game and talked his wife into joining him...hard to say. Great write-up as usual, David.
I just liked being at the ballpark again. And delighted by Maikel Garcia! And happy to see Bobby steal and try. I think the wind was a factor, as was the slight chill in the air. Will be missing that chill come July.
Was at the game by 1 pm, nice event for season ticket holders at the little k. Great band playing, fun atmosphere but didn’t feel the buzz. I would say “polite excitement” would be a good description of pre game, loudest applause was definitely when Andy came on to throw out the first ball. Ragans thru well (although he gives up 3 if the twins runner doesn’t pull up lame rounding 3rd) would love to have seen Loftin at 2nd and Pratto in rf, batting 6-7, could have been a different outcome,