One of the most friendly players to ever don a Royals uniform is back home in Australia about to suit up for the Melbourne Aces of the new Australian Baseball League. The circuit is set to work as a winter league with a 40-game schedule running from November-Febuary much like the Arizona Fall League, the Dominican Winter League and others that attract both big leaguers and minor league prospects.

The Australian Baseball League is partially backed by Major League Baseball and check this little tidbit from a story appearing in Melbourne’s ‘The Age’ newspaper: 

“Virtually all the Australians competing in the majors will return for the 40-game season that runs from November to February. In addition, US franchises will co-operate by making quality players available as imports – the Aces will next week announce a big-name Kansas City player as an inaugural squad member.”

Minnesota Twins shortstop prospect James Beresford, an Autralian native himself and soon to be Huber’s Aces’ teammate, says of the league, ‘It’ll be brilliant.” Which I think is Australian for ‘Awesome’, though I’d need a new Fosters beer commercial to clarify that.

G’day Mates…have fun down (under) there!

(Curt Nelson, Director – Royals Hall of Fame)

July 31, 2010: Traded by the Kansas City Royals with Kyle Farnsworth to the Atlanta Braves for Tim Collins (minors), Gregor Blanco and Jesse Chavez.

 

While the trading deadline swap between the Royals and Braves worked out for Atlanta for all the playoff watching world to see in NLDS Game 2 on Friday – part of the Royals haul is also producing well into October.

Pitcher Kyle Farnsworth picked up the NLDS tying win after Outfielder Rick Ankiel put the Braves in front with an 11th inning blast into San Francisco’s McCovey Cove. In Puerto Rico, Team USA Relief Pitcher Tim Collins continues to post scoreless innings including the ninth in the United States 4-0 win against Canada on Sunday. Team USA is now 8-0 heading into a second round showdown with Cuba today (Monday).

The 5ft 7in lefthander has now tossed five scoreless innings for Team USA over his four games pitched. In may be a cliche, but sometimes big things do indeed come in small packages.

Six members of the Royals Organization are representing the United States in the Pan American Qualifying Tournament taking place right now in Puerto Rico. Team USA is undefeated through four games in pool play with the Royals prospects playing key roles in each win.

Eric Hosmer (shown above) is leading the way at the plate. Hosmer was 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored Tuesday (October 5). So far in the tournament he is hitting .364 with six walks, five runs scored and two RBI. Mike Moustakas is also hitting with (.294) with a home run and team leading six RBI.

On the mound reliever Tim Collins (LHP) has been perfect in two outings. Everett Teaford (LHP) picked-up a win in his start with five shutout innings and ten strikeouts (Yes, ten strikeouts in five innings…no walks). Mike Montgomery also has a win after a five innings six strikeout performance. Danny Duffy (LHP) is also a member of the pitching staff and may be making the start tonight in the final game of the first round versus Panama (6:30pm CST). 

As you watch the MLB playoffs, be sure to keep an eye on Team USA and follow this strong contingent of Royals.

(Curt Nelson, Director – Royals Hall of Fame) 

Sorry for the long lag in posts here, seems like only yesterday it was the first half of the season and now – after a few extra innings on Sunday – 2010 is history.

I hope we can recapture some readers from last year and maybe find a few more to join us in sharing thoughts on any mix of baseball history, Kansas City, and the Royals – with perhaps a few or topics here and there as well. I wanted to start with a little rundown of a few new things here in the Royals Hall of Fame which you may have had a chance to see here at the ballpark in the second half of the season.

We introduced several new exhibits during the season including permanent displays detailing the evolution and history of the game’s three major pieces of equipment – the bat, the glove and the baseball itself. The display, named ‘Cooperstown Corner’ (shown above), includes examples of each at different points in the history of the game which guests can touch and feel. We’ll give you some more detail of each in later blog posts.

Today I wanted to focus a bit on another new addition, the display case devoted to items on loan from the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. We are very grateful for the support our friends in Cooperstown have given to us here at the Royals Hall of Fame the last couple of years. They have been a great resource for us on projects large and small. Whatever success we have had has been in part a tribute to their willingness to share their expertise, knowledge and passion for baseball history.

With that in mind our goal was to have a place within the Royals Hall of Fame that would display a select number of loaned artifacts from Cooperstown around a specific theme from baseball history. This first edition included items from World Series play since the inception of the fall classic in 1903. And we have been able to host some interesting items including my selection for ‘coolest’ of all:

 

1903 World Series Game Ball

This very first ball ever used in World Series play to start the 1903 showdown between Boston, champions of the American League and the National League’s Pittsburgh Pirates.

 

This group of artifacts will stay with us until January, so if you missed the chance to take a look you can still make it out to the ballpark to see them. Though the season is over Kauffman Stadium is still open for tours.

Check out the details here – we are open on select Saturdays and you can also pre-book a tour on another day by contacting us at least 24 hours in advance. The Royals Hall of Fame is also available for a visit on that same schedule. Stop by we’d love to see you here.

Thanks for returning to the blog…there’ll be more, no more long breaks between entries. Let us know if there is some story, tidbit or trivia from Royals History you’d like to know more about. 

(Curt Nelson, Director – Royals Hall of Fame)

Tonight is the first game of interleague play this season as the Rockies make only their second visit to Kauffman Stadium (the first was a three-game sweep by the Royals – June 23-25, 2008). The Royals enter the game with a 26-22 overall record against National League West squads.

The first-ever interleague game at Kauffman Stadium was against another, now somewhat familiar, NL West opponent  – the Houston Astros on Monday, June 16, 1997. On that night, Jose Rosado pitched a six-hit complete game with the Royals rallying for four runs in the seventh inning to post a 5-2 win.

Each of those two 1997 starting line-ups featured a player still active almost 13-years later – Can you names those two now grizzled veterans? (Hint: Neither still plays for their respective 1997 clubs).

 

Answer: For the Royals it is former A’s, Red Sox, Yankees and current Detroit Tiger Johnny Damon who started in leftfield. For the Astros it is former Padres, Tigers, Astros, Tigers (again), Astros (again), and current Los Angeles Dodger Brad Ausmus who was the starting catcher.

Astros starting pitcher Mike Hampton is close. He actually returned to pitch for Houston in 2009 after stops with the Mets, Rockies and Braves – but has not returned to pitch in 2010.

Nice win. Good roadtrip. Homestand tomorrow. Interleague play & fireworks…

HAPPY ROYALS DAY!

 

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” George Santayana

 

We’ve all heard that Santayana quote many times, but I’d say there is also a corollary which might go something like this: “Those that do not know the past are not aware of what is possible.’ Looking back on Royals history for this date alone provides an example.

 

May 18, 1970

The Royals had just swept a DH against the Chicago White Sox at Municipal Stadium the night before – yet their record stood at 13-21; and they were 10 games behind the AL West front-running Minnesota Twins.

 

The bad news is the fact the1970 Royals went on to lose 97 games. However the team was not without talent. They had young left-handed named Paul Splittorff who would debut late that year. They had a dynamic centerfielder in his first full MLB season who would make the All-Star team in Amos Otis. They acquired Cookie Rojas as a veteran leader at second baseman later that summer.

 

For 1971 the Royals acquired both Fred Patek and John Mayberry. The team was building and they finished that year with the club’s first winning record at 85-76.

 

Over the next several seasons players began to emerge from the Royals farm system . In 1972, pitcher Steve Busby arrived, but the Royals retreated a bit with only 76 wins. Even still the franchise was starting to develop it’s own players and identity.

 

Then – seemingly overnight – the Royals work in scouting and player development starting producing a string of players that would truly make baseball history in Kansas City. In 1973 alone, Frank White and George made their MLB debuts and the ballclub acquired Hal McRae in a trade with Cincinnati. Jack McKeon’s 1973 ballclub opened Royals Stadium and finished with 88 wins in second place behind the World Champion Oakland A’s.

 

Kansas City had caught baseball fever again by 1974. During that season the Royals farm system produced another key component in RHP Dennis Leonard along with outfielder Al Cowens. At season’s end only 77 wins, but the system was starting to produce quality players each year.

 

In 1975 the Royals took another step to really challenge the perrienial powerhouse Oakland A’s. With the club 50-46 on July 24, the Royals replaced Jack McKeon with Whitey Herzog. Under Whitey the Royals posted a 41-25 mark to finish the season with 91 wins. But in second place again.

 

Which brings us back to todays date…

 

May 18, 1976

That night the Royals hosted the first place Texas Rangers at Royals Stadium – with the Royals just one game behind. Al Fitzmorris tossed a complete game, Hal McRae had two doubles and Amos Otis blasted a HR. The Royals won 3-1 and moved into a first place tie.

 

They never fell out of first the rest of the season and clinched the Royals first divisional championship on October 1, 1976.

 

From May 18, 1970 – 13-21 and 10 games back – to May 18, 1976 taking over first place for good on the way to a championship. In between was the development of a group of significant players from the Royals farm system. It can be done.

 

What came after was six division titles, seven post season appearances and 12 of the next 15 years with attendance of two million plus. There are no guarantees in baseball, but the possibilities are endless. It can be done and the best proof is that is has already been done before.

 

(Curt Nelson, Director – Royals Hall of Fame)

 

 

With the Royals 6-1 victory tonight, Ned Yost becomes the third straight Royals Manager to win his debut game with the ballclub. The 16th full-time skipper for the boys in blue also evens the score for managerial debuts in Royals History at 8-8.

Here is a rundown of those maiden voyages:

 

Manager	Joe Gordon
Date	April 8, 1969
Ballpark	Municipal Stadium (Kansas City)
Win
Minnesota Twins 3 – Royals 4 (12 Innings)

 

Manager	Charlie Metro
Date	April 7, 1970
Ballpark	Municipal Stadium (Kansas City)
Loss
Oakland A’s 6 – Royals 4

 

Manager	Bob Lemon
Date	June 9, 1970
Ballpark	Municipal Stadium (Kansas City)
Win
Washington Senators 1 – Royals 8

 

Manager	Jack McKeon
Date	April 6, 1973
Ballpark	Anaheim Stadium (Anaheim)
Loss
Royals 2 – California Angels 3

 

Manager	Whitey Herzog
Date	July 25, 1975
Ballpark	Royals Stadium (Kansas City)
Win
Texas Rangers 3 – Royals 6

 

Manager	Jim Frey
Date	April 10, 1980
Ballpark	Royals Stadium (Kansas City)
Loss
Detroit Tigers 5 – Royals 1

 

Manager	Dick Howser
Date	August 31, 1981
Ballpark	Royals Stadium (Kansas City)
Loss
Milwaukee Brewers 5 – Royals 1

 

Manager	Billy Gardner
Date	April 6, 1987
Ballpark	Royals Stadium (Kansas City)
Loss
Chicago White Sox 5 – Royals 4

 

Manager	John Wathan
Date	August 27, 1987
Ballpark	Royals Stadium (Kansas City)
Win
Texas Rangers 2 – Royals 3 (10 Innings)

 

Manager	Hal McRae
Date	May 24, 1991
Ballpark	Metrodome (Minneapolis)
Loss
Royals 2 – Minnesota Twins 3

 

Manager	Bob Boone
Date	April 26, 1995
Ballpark	Kauffman Stadium (Kansas City)
Win
Baltimore Orioles 1 – Royals 5

 

Manager	Tony Muser
Date	July 10, 1997
Ballpark	Kauffman Stadium (Kansas City)
Loss
Chicago White Sox 6 – Royals 3

 

Manager	Tony Pena
Date	May 15, 2002
Ballpark	Kauffman Stadium (Kansas City)
Loss
Minnesota Twins 8 – Royals 6

 

Manager	Buddy Bell
Date	June 1, 2005
Ballpark	Kauffman Stadium (Kansas City)
Win
New York Yankees 1 – Royals 3

 

Manager	Trey Hillman
Date	March 31, 2008
Ballpark	Comerica Park (Detroit)
Win
Royals 5 – Detroit Tigers 4 (11 Innings)

 

Manager	Ned Yost
Date	May 14, 2010
Ballpark	Kauffman Stadium (Kansas City)
Win
Chicago White Sox 1 – Royals 6

 

Interesting Notes: Only three of the sixteen debuts have come on the road and two of those were the first game of the season (Jack McKeon – 1973 & Trey Hillman – 2008).

 

The only Royals Manager to debut on the road in a non-Opening Day game is Hal McRae back on May 24, 1991 at the Metrodome in Minneapolis.

 

(Curt Nelson, Director – Royals Hall of Fame)

…actually, its in the ‘Hall’ – the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

As you probably know, Royals Hall of Fame Manager Whitey Herzog is part of the 2010 National Baseball Hall of Fame Class with Andre Dawson and umpire Doug Harvey. The trio will be inducted on Sunday, July 25th with Herzog becoming the 43rd NBHOF Member with a direct baseball career tie to Kansas City.

The team in Cooperstown have created a year-long exhibit highlighting the accomplishments of their three new inductees and the Royals 1976 American League Western Division Championship Trophy is part of the display. Whitey won his first championship as a manager by guiding the Royals to their first championship in that bicentenial year.

Though Whitey will go into the Hall wearing a Cardinals cap, his ties to Kansas City are even more extensive. Years before he managed the Royals to three straight division titles in 1976, 1977 and 1978 – he played for the Kansas City Blues in 1952 and returned with the Kansas Athletics from 1958-1960.

We’re honored to salute Whitey as he takes his place in Cooperstown! 

(Curt Nelson, Director – Royals Hall of Fame)

Next to Opening Day, this is the most rambuctious, energized and usually the loudest day of the season here at Kauffman Stadium (though the pitch of the cheers is a bit higher than normal). It’s FOX4 and the Royals School Day at ‘The K’ when the ballpark becomes the biggest classroom in the country – thousands of students from foul pole to foul pole.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Right now they are learning
 about severe weather from the FOX4
Weather Team led by Mike Thompson. If today’s weather holds out – and it looks like it will – they will watch Zack Greinke go to the mound to take on the Cleveland Indians at 1:10pm.

So later this afternoon the country’s largest classroom will revert back to a ballpark sure to feature the highest pitched roar in support one of the best pitchers in the game. 

Then tomorrow night…Girls Night Out and Hy-Vee Pepsi Fireworks Friday. ‘The K’ won’t lack for energy and sheer noise level. 

(Cut Nelson, Director – Royals Hall of Fame)