Kansas City Monarchs look forward to Thursday evening home opener at Legends Field

Seventh-year Kansas City Monarchs manager Joe Calfapietra expects success.

He’s not shy about admitting the team’s motto: “We’re the best at what we do.”

Brash, perhaps, but the expectations Calfapietra has established have put Legends Field in Kansas City, Kan., on the map for some of the highest-quality talent in Partner League baseball.

The process of bringing in talent to compete for another Miles Wolff Cup is one that Calfapietra has embraced and enjoyed.

“It starts when I sign them — it’s special,” he said of identifying and developing players. “You get involved, you get invested, and then you feel emotionally attached when they tell you that they are coming (to Kansas City).

“You feel obligated at that point, and then you start the process. Then they go out and start sacrificing yourself for you, and then it becomes personal.”

That sacrifice — the bond linking player, manager and organization — has helped turn the Monarchs into the club they are today: defending champions of the American Association.

The Monarchs were off to a 3-1 start to the 2024 season through Monday’s road game against the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks. KC was scheduled to play two more games at Fargo-Moorhead before returning to Legends Field for Thursday’s home opener.

Thinking back-to-back

The American Association has not had a back-to-back champion since the 2016 and 2017 campaigns.

But hopes in KC are high that this year’s club — which boasts four former major-leaguers on its opening day roster — can become the latest to win consecutive titles.

Starting pitcher Ashton Goudeau is one of those four former big-leaguers. The former Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds right-hander came to KC thanks to relationships Calfapietra established with club alumni.

“When I joined last year, I think a lot of it was to do with the players,” Goudeau said. “I knew a lot of the guys on the team, and that they had reached out and told me how good it was here. I was excited to come here and finish the season. (Former) players really enjoyed being here.”

Thursday home opener

A season’s worth of wins, losses and changes are in store before postseason baseball returns to the American Association, of course.

But the Monarchs believe they have what it takes to return to the mountaintop. And that climb accelerates on Thursday at 6:35 p.m. when they play host to the Winnipeg Goldeyes in their home opener at Legends Field.

“When they say ‘love,’ it’s like a father watching their kids play,” Calfapietra said. “That’s how I feel.”