Thanks to the Boys in Blue

Today is a bittersweet day for Royals fans. Their game today with the Diamondbacks most likely marks the end of an era. After today, our championship core will go their separate ways, but before they do, I wanted to take an opportunity to thank them for all they've done.

It really started in 2010, when Zack Greinke publicly declared he didn't want to wait around for Kansas City to become relevant in a few years, he wanted to win NOW. At this point, after winning the Cy Young in '09, Greinke had posted a 10-14 record with a 4.17 ERA in 2010. GM Dayton Moore started putting out some feelers and on Dec. 20th pulled off the most successful trade in Royals' history. The Royals sent Yuniesky Betancourt, Greinke, and cash to the Milwaukee Brewers for Alcides Escobar, Lorenzo Cain, Jeremy Jeffress, and top minor league pitching prospect, Jake Odorizzi.

Meanwhile, Greinke, after posting a WAR of 10.2 in 2009, followed it up by not posting a WAR above 4.2 again until 2015. In addition to his rather pedestrian regular season numbers, he was an absolute bust in the few playoff opportunities he had, causing some to speculate that his social anxiety disorder got the best of him on the biggest stage when the pressure got cranked up.

On a personal note, 2010 was also the year that my friend and I drove down to see a young 3rd baseman named Mike Moustakas play in Northwest Arkansas. “Moose” didn't disappoint that night, hitting two home runs, including an absolute moonshot to right field. What I remember us talking about the most on the drive back home was how good he looked at 3rd. At this point, he was supposed to be "all hit - no field," but that wasn't our impression at all.

In 2011, "the process" began to take shape. We saw Eric Hosmer, Sal Perez, and Moustakas make their major league debuts. In addition, Escobar and Cain began to settle in and learn how to be major leaguers. 2012 saw the learning continue, with longer and longer glimpses of what this team could eventually become. The All-star game was held in KC that year, and the fans showed the passion and excitement for baseball in KC was still there. It was buried under 25 years of terrible baseball, but it was still there. Unfortunately, the Royals still had the same problem many teams faced. Namely, no pitching.

In December of 2012, that all changed. Moore sent minor leaguers Mike Montgomery, Patrick Leonard, Odorizzi, and hot-shot prospect Wil Myers to the Tampa Bay Rays for James Shields and Wade Davis. Shields was a legitimate top-of-the-rotation guy, and Davis was a hard thrower who the Royals saw being a mainstay in their rotation for the next five years. Shields went on to be a solid, dependable starter for three years. And Davis? Well, after a failed year of trying to be a starter, he was moved to the bullpen and had, arguably, the two most dominant back-to-back seasons of any reliever in history.

The rest of the story is well known. The comeback against Jon Lester and the Oakland A's in 2014. The miracle in Houston in the 2015 postseason. Hosmer's mad dash home. And finally, an unhittable fastball at the knees to Wilmer Flores from the unhittable closer, Wade Davis. The joy, the relief, the tears, and finally, a parade attended by almost a million people that would be unlike anything this town has ever seen.

Much has been written about what it meant to the city, the organization and the players. So, what I want to do is tell you how much it meant to me. It meant my 88-year-old father, whose love of baseball sparked my own passion, got to see one more World Championship. It meant that my children, and especially my two hardcore fans, got to share with me a moment in time that will always be a touchstone for us. So, when Drew Butera jumped into Wade's arms after that last pitch, I cried like a baby. You see, I remembered 1985. And I remembered every single one of the 30 years of futility that followed. I know it's just a game. The world has bigger problems, and baseball is just a silly distraction. Except, sometimes it's more. Much more. So today, put on your goggles, shake a bottle of champagne and raise a glass to Esky, Hoz, Moose, LoCain, Gordo, Salvy, Wader, and the rest. Next season you guys may be gone, but in my family, and so many others, you will never be forgotten.