#1 reason not to root for the Royals

[Hootie]

the Pittsburgh Pirates, Royals and Twins each earned more than $20 million.

and we can't field a better team than this disaster?

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Originally Posted by hawkchief

Count me in with Skip. I really get sick of the stupid fans that think if we fire Baird, or Glass spends another 5 million, or if Zack Grienke comes back, or if Buddy Bell makes better decisions that things will be much better.

BS people. Under the current economics of MLB, the game is ruined, and the remaining "fans" find excitement in aspiring for a outside chance to be a .500 team - not being a genuine competitor (like we used to be) for the World Series. It amazes me that more people aren't fed up with the system that has transformed America's pastime/sport into a flat-out, greed-oriented business. I personally hope that the Royals lose every game until something is done to restore some form of balance and equity so that my kids can enjoy MLB as a game/sport someday and not the steroid infested, money grab it has become. We are not better than a farm team to the big boys of the league, and have been so for years. Wake up and smell the coffee, folks.

Obviously you're not a "real" fan.

Economics bullshit. The Twins and A's compete every year. Other small market teams do ok. Look at the Brewers this year. Our team is just run by a bunch of dumb ****s.

[hawkchief]

The Twins were getting in the playoffs because they were winning a division full of low-end teams including the Royals. Someone had to win the division. The A's have had limited success, but if you think that long-term, any small market teams can sustain competitiveness against teams with payrolls 4-5X larger, you are simply delusional. How about I take $100,000 and you take $20,000 and we each buy a car and have a race. Guess what, my Mercedes will beat your Focus most every time. Yes, I might blow a tire once and a while, but odds are, I will torch you. That's what baseball has become. The owner that spends the most money and acumulates most of the talent, over time, will usually win.

It's the 8000-12000 "fans" attending games, like youself, buying tickets, souveniers, $6 hot dogs and sodas that help MLB perpetuate this charade they attempt to disguise as a game.

[Sully]

I'll always love the Royals.
But till Glass is gone, I am going to find a bandwagon to jump on, so that I don't get so depressed.

[greg63]

Originally Posted by Hootie

and we can't field a better team than this disaster?

That, I believe, about sums it up.

[Kerberos]

Originally Posted by Hootie

#1 reason not to root for the Royalsr?

You mean there are more reasons OTHER than THEY SUCK?




.

[beavis]

Originally Posted by hawkchief

The Twins were getting in the playoffs because they were winning a division full of low-end teams including the Royals. Someone had to win the division. The A's have had limited success, but if you think that long-term, any small market teams can sustain competitiveness against teams with payrolls 4-5X larger, you are simply delusional. How about I take $100,000 and you take $20,000 and we each buy a car and have a race. Guess what, my Mercedes will beat your Focus most every time. Yes, I might blow a tire once and a while, but odds are, I will torch you. That's what baseball has become. The owner that spends the most money and acumulates most of the talent, over time, will usually win.

It's the 8000-12000 "fans" attending games, like youself, buying tickets, souveniers, $6 hot dogs and sodas that help MLB perpetuate this charade they attempt to disguise as a game.

At least someone gets it.

[beavis]

Originally Posted by Sully

I'll always love the Royals.
But till Glass is gone, I am going to find a bandwagon to jump on, so that I don't get so depressed.

This should probably have it's own thread, but I'll post it here for all of you Glass haters.


Link

Glass: This can't continue
Quick turnaround may be only way for Baird to save job
By BOB DUTTON
The Kansas City Star

Disgusted by the Royals’ 2-12 start to the 2006 season? Insisting that something be done? The club’s No. 1 fan is right there with you.

And owner David Glass, often criticized in the past for his patience, is promising swift action if his Royals continue to bungle their way toward another cheerless summer.

“It has to change quickly,” Glass said. “We are not willing to wait to see if it gets better. We have to make it get better. As a fan, you lose games and it just sticks with you. You dwell on it. Each loss makes it worse.”

Glass’ comments come as the Royals prepare to open a nine-game home stand tonight after concluding an 0-9 trip through New York, Tampa Bay and Chicago. The Royals have lost 10 straight overall.

“If it doesn’t turn around,” Glass promised, “we’ll have to change things. We can’t wait too long. I’m not willing to go through a season like we did last year. None of us are.”

Glass declined to specify a timetable or what changes he has in mind, but any major shake-up seems likely to start with general manager Allard Baird, whose rebuilding plan is entering its sixth full season without measurable progress.

The Royals are 370-551 since Baird became general manager on June 17, 2000, and have lost 100 or more games in three of the last four seasons.

This year’s disappointing start comes after Glass authorized a payroll increase to $50 million or more, which allowed Baird to spend nearly $25 million on veteran players to supplement a youthful roster that, too often, found itself overwhelmed a year ago.

“We all know we’re a better club than we’ve shown,” Baird said. “Offensively, guys are pressing. It doesn’t help that we’ve faced a lot of good pitching. But, that said, you have to figure out a way.

“Our pitching, we’ve got some guys out (with injuries). That’s not an excuse. It’s something you deal with. But the bottom line is we need better results.”

Baird acknowledges that pressure is mounting because of the club’s poor play, but he continues to insist that the organization’s top prospects — Alex Gordon, Billy Butler, Justin Huber and others — won’t be summoned to the big leagues to appease the public.

“We can’t go against the plan and start rushing guys up here,” Baird said. “We’re just not going to do that. That said, none of us are content and in a pause mode to see what happens.”

A switch in general managers usually triggers sweeping changes within an organization, which is why in-season moves are rare unless it involves an in-house promotion — such as when Baird replaced Herk Robinson.

But Glass nearly fired Baird after last season and admits his frustration is growing.

“You don’t want to do things too quickly,” Glass said. “We spent all winter and all spring putting this thing together, and we thought we were on the right track. But we need to see results.

“You want me to give you a date? I can’t do that. You have to evaluate it on a day-to-day basis. If I say it has to be better by the All-Star break, that might be too late.

“If we see improvement in some areas, we do something different than if we don’t see any improvement at all.”

One possible factor in whether Glass sticks with Baird is the Royals have the No. 1 pick this June in the amateur draft for the first time in franchise history. That player, whom the general manager selects after evaluating staff reports, seems certain to command a signing bonus in excess of $4 million.

The poor start is killing attendance. The Royals expect crowds of just 15,500, 16,000 and 11,000 for the three games this weekend against Cleveland at Kauffman Stadium.

The Royals seem certain to exit April without a winning record for the 16th time in 17 years. They are already 7½ games out of first place and, barring a major turnaround, will be 10 games back or more by Memorial Day for the 10th time in that span.

The club’s baseball operations staff, which Baird oversees, is increasingly on edge in anticipation of possible changes. Several members said Baird is telling them the same thing he tells players: Don’t worry about what you can’t control.

Players are also starting to brace for changes — in the clubhouse, as happens with any struggling team, if not in the front office.

“It’s bad right now,” said outfielder Reggie Sanders, one of Baird’s new free-agent acquisitions. “It’s a big hole, and it’s kind of baffling — because there are times when you see the actual potential of what we have.

“I just don’t know what it is, but it’s like a virus.”

Manager Buddy Bell, whom Baird hired last May 31, continues to insist the Royals have the personnel to pull out of their spin.

“You’ve got to give guys a chance,” he said. “I believe if you stay positive enough and patient enough and keep it in perspective, everything works its way through.

“In time, you might have to make changes to find a combination that works. But you’ve got to give guys a chance.”

What the Royals need most is a couple of victories this weekend over the Indians and a winning home stand.

“It has really been awful,” Glass said. “I know I’m wearing people out talking about it. Disbelief is the first stage. You just can’t believe this is happening.

“But then the reality sets in. It is happening. So what do we do to stop the hemorrhaging?”

[Sully]

I agree that, as much as I like Baird and think he will land on his feet, he should go.
However, I believe more and more daily that GLass is the biggest part of the problem. And I used to support and defend Glass more than anyone.

[58-4ever]

If it's a virus, then it's something severe like Ebola. It's destroyed us quickly with un-rivaled destructiveness.

[beavis]

Originally Posted by Sully

I agree that, as much as I like Baird and think he will land on his feet, he should go.
However, I believe more and more daily that GLass is the biggest part of the problem. And I used to support and defend Glass more than anyone.

IF Glass really vetoed trades like they said they did (it's well known he did on Randa) then yeah, he's a big part of the problem. But I think the bigger issues is our complete inability to develop any pitching in the past 10 years. There is something broken in the way our farm system works, and that's Baird's fault.

[Logical]

Originally Posted by Rausch

Because baseball is a rotting corpse that's just too stupid to admit it's dead and lay down with dignity?...

This is pretty much it and if you really think about it 20 million could not come close to fixing the Royals. They are about 35 to 40 million under the average MLB salary per team last year as I understand it. At about 30 million less than the Padres who struggle to be a .500 team in the weak NL west. People are only fooling themselves if they think the Royals are going to be competetive.

[KCTitus]

Originally Posted by Vlad Logicslav

...People are only fooling themselves if they think the Royals are going to be competetive.

Yup...baseball needs contraction, badly.

[Sully]

Originally Posted by beavis

IF Glass really vetoed trades like they said they did (it's well known he did on Randa) then yeah, he's a big part of the problem. But I think the bigger issues is our complete inability to develop any pitching in the past 10 years. There is something broken in the way our farm system works, and that's Baird's fault.

I agree 100%

[KCTitus]

Originally Posted by Sully

I agree 100%

Except for the fact that the Royals ARE a farm system...

[beavis]

Originally Posted by KCTitus

Except for the fact that the Royals ARE a farm system...

Nice. No one has ever used that one before.