Originally Posted by Why Not?
Good post, Gaby. Like most things, you (all of us) can view this season in two prisms, micro and macro. The micro view of individual games and series will go how those things go. A bad game or series is going to get chastised, and that's fair. From a macro perspective, I don't know how anyone sees this season as anything other than a success and probably a wild success at that. As you said, if this team goes 11-30 the rest of the way (not even I, a believer that the 20 games starting next weekend will "doom" our post season chances, think that we only win 11 games the rest of the way) we hit the high 70's in wins. 16-25, which I think is very doable, and a team that won 56 games last year is over .500 if that happens, Quartaro (however you spell it) is a lock for manager of the year and it will be well deserved (and that's coming from a guy who is not the biggest fan of his). The Royals have already hit two major goals this year:
1. Improve on last year
2. The nebulous but real, stay relevant until football season (I get that's not a goal for everyone but for most of us
We shall see if they can hit the next two:
1. Finish above .500
2. Make the playoffs-anything that happens after that is total gravy
I am gonna say they hit goal 1 and fall just short of goal 2. Hope I'm wrong about the second thought but I just think the upcoming 20 game stretch will be too much. Let's look at the series remaining and try to guess how they play out.
Series 1 @Reds: Man. On paper, we "should" win this series but it's on the road vs a not shitty team who is hot right now, plus no Lugo or Ragans. I'm gonna have to say we go 1-2
Series 2 vs Angels: Would love a sweep here but it's hard to predict those so I'll say 2-1
Series 3 vs Phillies: The Royals have done a great job not getting swept much at all this year (I think only @Texas to this point?). But the Phillies are a great team and the facts don't lie, we have not been very good vs great teams, especially lately. 1-2
Series 4 @Guardians: 4 gamer and we've played them tough so far, I'll say we split 2-2
Series 5 @Astros: They will be out for blood after we kicked their ass in KC earlier. They are playing much better now. I will be optimistic and say we get another split 2-2
Series 6 vs Guardians: Maybe we kinda have their number this year? I'll lean positive and say 2-1
Series 7 vs Twins: Same as above, except the opposite. No one using anything other than blind homerism can honestly pick the Royals to beat the Twins in a series this year. 1-2
Series 8 @Yankees: No need to beat a dead horse on how we do vs really good teams. 1-2
Series 9 @Pirates: Non shitty team (not great but not the White Sox or Tigers) on the road. 1-2
Series 10 vs Tigers: Right in our wheel house. Again, I am not predicting any sweeps for or against, but it wouldn't shock me. 2-1
Series 11 vs Giants: need this one, I think we get it, 2-1
Series 12 @Nationals: Hate to do it but I have to stay consistent. The Nationals aren't good, but then again, neither were the Rockies. 1-2
Series 13 @Braves: Braves are down this year due to injuries but are still good and may need this series themselves 1-2
So, that puts us at a total of....19-21 and 85 wins. That's a great season for the 2024 Royals. And certainly if I'm wrong and they can steal a few more of those games then 88/89 wins is on the board. Of course, the reverse can happen as well and we land on 81-82. I don't see a total collapse nor do I see some "peaking at the right time" run. Should be a fun last few weeks.
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