Three Reasons Why The Royals Came Out Of Nowhere
The Kansas City Royals completed an ALCS sweep of the Baltimore Orioles, securing their spot in the World Series for the first time since 1985 (when they beat the Cardinals thanks to Don Denkinger). They had to go through Oakland in a wildcard game to get there, followed by the AL West Champion Angels. They didn't struggle through the regular season, but didn't blow the doors off of anybody, either. They had the fewest amount of home runs as a team than anybody in the playoffs, but have managed to hit for power in the playoffs. So, what is it about this Royals team that makes them so successful? Here are a few reasons:
1. Team Chemistry
The core of this Royals team, although young, has been playing together for awhile. Alex Gordon made his Major League debut in 2007, as a third base prospect that was supposed to be the next George Brett. Gordon played so poorly that he was considered a bust and was moved to left field to make room for Mike Moustakas. Moustakas and Eric Hosmer were also early first-round draftees of the Royals, both of whom made their respective debuts in 2011. None of those three had spectacular regular seasons offensively, but have stepped up in the playoffs - Gordon has remade himself into the best defensive corner outfielder in baseball, Moustakas has been nails at third base, and all three have come up with timely hits to help Kansas City advance.
2. Talent Never Dies
Sure, every professional athlete has talent, and skill, and tremendous work ethic, the whole deal. Something you'll find, however, is that top prospects tend to find it when it matters, even if they've been largely disappointing. Hosmer, Moustakas, and Gordon - yes, those guys again - are showing why they were all top-three draft picks and highly-ranked prospects as they advanced through the minors. Winning in the playoffs is about capitalizing on mistakes - and a top prospect never forgets how to mash a pitch that stays up in the zone.
3. Shorten The Game To Six Innings
The Royals' top three relievers in terms of innings pitched - Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis, and closer Greg Holland (70.0, 72.0, and 62.1 IP, respectively) - all boast ERAs below 1.50. Holland and Davis both have strikeout rates above 13.0 K/9. In other words, if Kansas City has the lead after six innings, the game is over.
The Royals' story has been the most captivating of the playoffs so far, as they've used this combination to sweep through the first three rounds. Things look like they're lining up for this Kansas City squad - just keep in mind, the last team to sweep their way to the World Series was the 2007 Rockies - who were promptly swept themselves by the Boston Red Sox.