Do Royals beat NL because they’re built like NL team?
By JEFFREY FLANAGAN
The Kansas City Star
S till trying to explain the Royals’ mastery of the National League?
Could it be the Royals were actually designed for the National League by someone who spent most of his career in the National League?
“I’ve heard that theory,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore told me. “I don’t know exactly what it means. I guess it’s based on the fact we don’t have a lineup full of boppers or particularly we don’t have the big bopper at DH.
“We are designed more based on starting pitching, and I think that’s what wins in either league. It just so happens that during our recent surge, we’ve probably only had two or three games that weren’t ‘quality starts,’ and one of those was our starter still going through the seventh inning, I believe.
“More than anything, I think our success (against the NL) is a coincidence and simply based on starting pitching.”
Although Moore’s mantra begins and ends with starting pitching, he does, perhaps reluctantly, acknowledge that the Royals’ offense has played a role in the recent surge.
“We’ve been getting runs with one swing of the bat, and that helps,” he said. “David (DeJesus) has been a big catalyst with doubles and triples and home runs and just mainly getting things started. Mike Aviles has brought some fresh energy to the order. And, of course, Jose Guillen has been one of the hottest hitters in the game.
“But you can have all the big hitters and offense you want, and if you don’t get good starting pitching, you don’t win consistently, no matter what league you’re playing against.”
WHB powered by…
It’s the nightmare no radio station wants to endure: WHB went off the air on Saturday and wasn’t able to return to the airwaves until Monday morning at about 10.
“Basically it was a part that blew out in the transmitter,” Union Broadcasting president Chad Boeger said. “The transmitter is in the tower out by the airport, and I think some of the weather issues up there the last month contributed to this specific part blowing.”
Monday morning’s talk shows were switched over to sister station KCTE (1510 AM).
“We pretty much got flooded with calls Monday morning,” Boeger said. “It was crazy. No one wants to ever go off the air, but sometimes you can’t control the technical side.”
Race involved?
Don’t know if you caught that quote from fired Mets manager Willie Randolph, who was asked whether African-Americans are held to a higher standard in the coaching/managing world of New York.
“I don’t know how to put my finger on it, but I think there’s something there,” he said. “Herman Edwards did pretty well here . . . and they were pretty hard on Herm. Isiah (Thomas) didn’t do a great job, but they beat up Isiah pretty good.”
@ Hey, Royals fans, dream a little: They’re still in the race! Go to
KansasCity.com to read more from Top of the Mornin’ columnist Jeffrey Flanagan in his new blog, “Over the Top.”
To reach Jeffrey Flanagan call 816-234-4492 and leave a message or send e-mail to jflangan@kcstar.com
