Why the Kansas City Royals deserve a shot

WASHINGTON — There are plenty of reasons to root for the seemingly sexier teams in the hunt this year, and believe me, the Nats are at the top of my list. But if we’re talking about the team that most deserves to make it to the World Series — it’s the Kansas City Royals. Hear me out.

Every team has a story. Every team has an unlikely hero and a bullpen that has given its all — that’s how they got this far. But when I think about why the Royals should win, it comes down to heart.

When I lived in Kansas City, a city cursed by terrible professional teams for decades, the Chiefs were a running joke in town. Now, if you joked about the Chiefs and you weren’t from KC, that was a different matter altogether. But among the natives, it was okay if the Chiefs lost because that’s what they did. When it came to baseball on the other hand, the fans had perpetual hope.

The Royals were not to be joked about. It didn’t make much sense, but it was endearing.

Maybe the love of the team came from storied tales such as George Brett’s pine tar incident, or maybe it was the lure of the gorgeous Kauffman Stadium — or that baseball season meant the end of a long, grueling winter.

Visit Kansas City and you’ll see Royals T-shirts worn on both Opening Day and in sub-freezing temperatures alike, and every day in between. Kansas City loves its baseball team.

So the fact that the Royals haven’t been to the playoffs in 29 years makes you wonder how fans still have that hope; why the city hasn’t lost the glint in its eye for its “boys in blue.”

On each of the four Opening Days I lived in KC, I went live for Fox 4 News from the ballpark. And people would tell me how they took the day off every year; how this year was going to be it. With a cold Boulevard Wheat in hand and a smile on their face, they were completely serious.

Any outsider would be justified in pitying those fans for their belief, which was never fully realized. But I came to recognize how wonderful it was and I couldn’t help but join in. As a D.C. native, at the time I moved to KC we didn’t have a team. So I embraced the love of theirs.

Now, that dream is a reality. It is happening. It is the year.

My friend Mark, a lifelong Royals fan, describes the Royals fever that’s taking over the city ever since the Royals clinched their playoff spot.

“There’s blue everywhere. It’s like we already won the World Series,” he says.

That enthusiasm and a commitment to a team that has been downright awful for so long deserves a payoff. Here’s hoping the Royals go all the way.

The Kansas City Royals will host the Oakland A’s Tuesday night in the American League Wild Card Game. The winner advances to face the L.A. Angels in the ALDS Thursday.

National League

Our Nationals pastime
WTOP Sports’ Jonathan Warner discusses how the Washington Nationals have all the ingredients to win: pitching, defense, hitting, power and speed.
Another title in the Cards
WTOP Traffic’s Rich Hunter says emerging young talents and experienced players and management will help bring it all together and give the St. Louis Cardinals another world title.
It’s time for Dodger Baseball
WTOP Reporter Andrew Mollenbeck shares how he accidentally fell in love with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Buctober
WTOP Sports’ J. Brooks says the Pittsburgh Pirates have promise and how a with a win in the Wild Card Game, they would give the Nationals a run for their money.
Together, we can be Giant again
WTOP Assistant Editor Joey Kahn looks at how the San Francisco Giants will win in 2014 after World Series victories in 2012 in 2010.

American League

There’s no place like hO’me
WTOP Assistant Editor Samantha Loss, a lifelong Baltimore Orioles fan shares her thoughts on why the team will come out on top.
Motor City madness in D.C.
WTOP News Director Mitch Miller shares why the Detroit Tigers will motor through the tournament and eliminate the competition.
Baseball Jesus + best bullpen = win
Adrian Spinelli, special to WTOP, states that Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim’s Mike Trout, the offense and the bullpen can help the team.
This is Oakland
WTOP Sports Editor Noah Frank discusses the history of the Oakland A’s and what makes them a team competitors shouldn’t discount.