So much of baseball is about timing. Batters stand in the on-deck circle, watching the pitcher like a hawk, trying to time his motion. Pitchers throw off-speed stuff, or in more entertaining cases, develop some sort of Johnny Cueto-esque shimmy, to disrupt the batter’s timing. And of course, some players show up at the wrong … Continue reading The Year Of The Card–Wally Bunker, 1969
The Year Of The Card
The Year Of The Card–Jim Rooker, 1970
Perhaps it is due to the fact that I grew up watching American League baseball, but I much prefer the DH to watching pitchers hit. Sure, it’s fun when someone like Bartolo Colon hits a home run, but plate appearances that consist of strikeouts and mostly-predictable bunts are not my idea of entertainment. However, if … Continue reading The Year Of The Card–Jim Rooker, 1970
The Year Of The Card–Pat Kelly, 1970
I’m certainly guilty of it myself, but I feel like when Royals fans discuss the many trades the team made in the franchise’s early days, we tend to focus on the shrewd ones that helped build the 1976-1980 powerhouse. But, of course, not every trade the Royals made back then turned out to be a … Continue reading The Year Of The Card–Pat Kelly, 1970
The Year Of The Card–Jeff Conine, 1998
I admit up front, this is an unusual entry in this series. Today’s subject did not have a long and storied career in Kansas City, nor did he have a heroic postseason moment for the Royals. But this is a prime example of the old adage that a bad plan is better than no plan, … Continue reading The Year Of The Card–Jeff Conine, 1998
The Year Of The Card–Roger Nelson, 1969
As has been mentioned in this space plenty of times, the expansion-era Royals, led by general manager Cedric Tallis, had a knack for acquiring overlooked players, letting them put up good performances, and then correctly deciding which ones to keep and which to trade for long-term pieces. A fine example of this is Roger Nelson, … Continue reading The Year Of The Card–Roger Nelson, 1969
The Year Of The Card–Jose Lind, 1993
Middle infielders who don’t hit well--it’s a Royals tradition. To be fair, pretty much all of Major League Baseball agreed with that view in the 1970s and 1980s, and the Royals, as an institution, learned they could win even with guys who hit .240 without power, as long as those guys scooped up every grounder … Continue reading The Year Of The Card–Jose Lind, 1993
The Year Of The Card–Wally Joyner, 1993
Through the years, it seems like the Royals have had more than their share of first basemen who can hit for a good average but aren’t the typical power hitter you expect to see at that position. Sure, John Mayberry and Steve Balboni were power threats with less than sterling averages, but random players like … Continue reading The Year Of The Card–Wally Joyner, 1993
The Year Of The Card–Joe Foy, 1969
For a man who played just one season in Royal blue, Joe Foy has an important place in team history. He also has a sad personal story, although there are some redeeming elements. Since he spent just the one year in Kansas City, and that was five decades ago, I wonder how many Royals fans … Continue reading The Year Of The Card–Joe Foy, 1969
The Year Of The Card–Danny Jackson, 1985
As the 2020 season nears, Royals fans are understandably excited about the stockpile of pitching prospects the team has accumulated. We’re all anxious to see them make it to the majors and (let’s hope) lead Kansas City back to the postseason. Of course, the concept of a group of young pitchers making an immediate impact … Continue reading The Year Of The Card–Danny Jackson, 1985
The Year Of The Card–Bret Saberhagen, 1989
Which season would you pick as the most dominant pitching performance in Royals history? Some might point to Zack Greinke’s 2009 season. Others might suggest picking one of Kevin Appier’s excellent back-to-back seasons in 1992 and 1993. Old-timers might point to Steve Busby in 1974 or Dennis Leonard in 1974. And some would throw out … Continue reading The Year Of The Card–Bret Saberhagen, 1989
U.L.'s Toothpick 