OT Congrats to the KC Royals

[toledo_mudhen]

Is it just me or have the Royals put the OMG back into baseball? 1985 - has been a long long wait for this kind of excitement........

[Blackie]

Couldn't agree more! Go ROYALS!!!!!!!!
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z260/chilloutwack/KansasCityRoyals.jpg (http://media.photobucket.com/user/chilloutwack/media/KansasCityRoyals.jpg.html)

[clydepepper]

Couldn't agree more! Go ROYALS!!!!!!!!
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z260/chilloutwack/KansasCityRoyals.jpg (http://media.photobucket.com/user/chilloutwack/media/KansasCityRoyals.jpg.html)

Me Too! vs. Giants in Series

[Stonepony]

A fun to watch underdog for sure

[the 'stache]

I am really happy for Royals fans. No matter what happens from here, they made the playoffs. I hope they win it all, to be honest.

I am pulling for them, and I have extra incentive as three former Brewers, Nori Aoki, Alcides Escobar and Lorenzo Cain top the Royal lineup.

Seeing Pittsburgh and KC back in the postseason is good for baseball.

[shammus]

It's a blast for sure but these dramatic, extra-inning wins are hard to sit through sometimes! Very proud of the boys in blue though :)

[Shoebox]

I am a Cubs fan myself but the Royal have a very strong following here in Nebraska due to the AAA affiliate in Omaha. Glad to see them doing well but my work performance would be helped if they could finish in 9 innings.

[jimivintage]

Hey, look at how strong the AL Central and AL West look compared to the AL East NOW?? :)

AL Central = Tigers and Royals, but the Indians had a chance through game 160.

AL West = Angels and A's, but the Mariners were in it until the end, too.

I would fully expect all 6 of these teams to be in contention next year, and I'm sure another team will sneak in there somewhere.

No Yankees, Red Sox, or Rays this year???? Craziness!!

Jimi

[bn2cardz]

I am a Cubs fan myself but the Royal have a very strong following here in Nebraska due to the AAA affiliate in Omaha. Glad to see them doing well but my work performance would be helped if they could finish in 9 innings.

My liking for the Royals comes from my upbringing in Omaha. Not only was the AAA there, but each year my Church youth group would take a trip down to see the KC Royals. So even though my first game was a San Diego Padres game. My first memories of baseball are Royals games (AAA and MLB) I, too, was a Cubs fan while living there. Overall I am a baseball fan and will root for the home team (When I was in LA I rooted for Dodgers and Angels), so now that I am in St. Louis I don't root for the Cubs or Royals, but still enjoy watching either team do well.

[kdixon]

Big Royals fan. Will be there today hoping for the sweep...

[RGold]

http://photos.imageevent.com/rgold/ebay/image_6.jpg

[Peter_Spaeth]

She's definitely more your type than Kate.

[itjclarke]

Hey, look at how strong the AL Central and AL West look compared to the AL East NOW?? :)

AL Central = Tigers and Royals, but the Indians had a chance through game 160.

AL West = Angels and A's, but the Mariners were in it until the end, too.

I would fully expect all 6 of these teams to be in contention next year, and I'm sure another team will sneak in there somewhere.

No Yankees, Red Sox, or Rays this year???? Craziness!!

Jimi

The KC run is great. Just a reminder to any who may think Bud Selig deserves eventual hall consideration-- if he'd had his was many of these teams would have been contracted (A's, Royals, Twins, etc). What a joke that was, but he did eventually accomplish his own personal re-alignment with the Brewers (I'm sure I may have oversimplified there-- so Bill G please add any Selig/Brewer- switch from AL to NL history gaps)

Anyway, I'm so glad these teams survived that proposed purge and love when any on that list (as well as other small to mid market) excel Sept/Oct. I also do like and embrace that baseball doesn't have a salary cap, and that there's still huge financial inequity--- it just makes unlikely runs/seasons like this more satisfying.

Now baseball and the networks need to get on board and learn how to sell these stories! Royals vs Giants (or even more so Pirates had they survived) would be a great matchup (Royals remind me of the WS Giants teams), but seems would be doomed from a ratings standpoint. After over a decade of being bombarded (on ESPN and by MLB) by Yankees Red Sox, seems the "casual" and "homer" fans have forgotten about others teams/cities. This year is a great year to try and bring them back (pre-1994 style).

[Orioles1954]

Everyone is talking about the Royals and nobody is mentioning the Orioles. PLEASE keep doing so.

[freakhappy]

Everyone is talking about the Royals and nobody is mentioning the Orioles. PLEASE keep doing so.

The Orioles do deserve credit and amazingly smacked the Tigers around, but the Royals clawed their way in...so I guess against odds, they are doing what no one actually thought they would, hence the attention. People love the underdog.

One thing I wonder with the Orioles is how their starting pitching will hold up...Having Tillman and Chen as your two best is very scary. That being said, an Orioles/Royals match-up should be very gritty. I really don't think the Tigers or Angels were prepared for what was coming their way.

I don't care who wins between the two...I like both teams...should be outstanding either way.

[Orioles1954]

The Orioles do deserve credit and amazingly smacked the Tigers around, but the Royals clawed their way in...so I guess against odds, they are doing what no one actually thought they would, hence the attention. People love the underdog.

One thing I wonder with the Orioles is how their starting pitching will hold up...Having Tillman and Chen as your two best is very scary. That being said, an Orioles/Royals match-up should be very gritty. I really don't think the Tigers or Angels were prepared for what was coming their way.

I don't care who wins between the two...I like both teams...should be outstanding either way.

People should love the underdog. Don't forget most media outlets had the Orioles finishing last in the A.L. East. I don't understand the idea that the Orioles have horrible starting pitching. Our starters had a lower ERA than the "Big 3" of Detroit and are almost statistically even with Kansas City. The overall ERA is 7th in MLB. Perhaps the Orioles are getting overlooked because they ran away with the division? Regardless, they play much better with a chip on their shoulder.

[ksfarmboy]

Living in Kansas I somehow became an Orioles fan as a kid. Rooted for the Royals as well during all those heartbreaking loses to the Yankees in the 70's. Feels a little like Heaven right now.

[itjclarke]

Everyone is talking about the Royals and nobody is mentioning the Orioles. PLEASE keep doing so.

29 year playoff draught has everything to do with it. No offense to the O's but they don't have an equal story. I'm a Giants fan, but don't really expect many outside SF are talking about us either... Doesnt bother me too much.

Congrats to Royals (and O's) fans on advancing.

[freakhappy]

People should love the underdog. Don't forget most media outlets had the Orioles finishing last in the A.L. East. I don't understand the idea that the Orioles have horrible starting pitching. Our starters had a lower ERA than the "Big 3" of Detroit and are almost statistically even with Kansas City. The overall ERA is 7th in MLB. Perhaps the Orioles are getting overlooked because they ran away with the division? Regardless, they play much better with a chip on their shoulder.

You are right...because they ran away with the AL East, the attention isn't there. As far as their pitching goes...I'm just saying that I believe their starters are vulnerable. Tillman isn't an ace, Chen isn't an ace...seems like they have a bunch of #3 type rotation guys and we could see this come to a head in the upcoming series or the World Series if they make it.

[Orioles1954]

29 year playoff draught has everything to do with it. No offense to the O's but they don't have an equal story. I'm a Giants fan, but don't really expect many outside SF are talking about us either... Doesnt bother me too much.

Congrats to Royals (and O's) fans on advancing.

Not to split hairs but the Royals have won a World Series more recently than the Orioles.

[freakhappy]

29 year playoff draught has everything to do with it. No offense to the O's but they don't have an equal story. I'm a Giants fan, but don't really expect many outside SF are talking about us either... Doesnt bother me too much.

Congrats to Royals (and O's) fans on advancing.

Why would they be talking about the Giants! They've won a few WS recently!! Just messin with ya, Ian :p

[itjclarke]

Why would they be talking about the Giants! They've won a few WS recently!! Just messin with ya, Ian :p

They never talk about us, you know that Mike!:D It's fun to remain an underdog, even after winning 2 of 4. That said, definitely not taking LDS for granted. Giants came back to win 3 straight in Cincinnati 2 years ago. MadBum needs to take care of business tomorrow.

Re- Royals/Orioles--- it's not even close from the public POV. Orioles had a very solid sustained run pretty recently, and won a WS two years prior to Royals... and several before that. Royals not only haven't been to playoffs since 1985, but most years haven't even sniffed it.. they're often out of it by mid-summer. If I were you (Orioles1954), I'd just enjoy watching/rooting for my team regardless of what others think. We're both lucky to have postseason teams.

[icollectDCsports]

Should be a great ALCS. I may think about heading to KC for a game. Always liked the Royals and I rooted for them in all those series against the Yanks in the '70s and in the WS against the Phils in '80 and Cards in '85. Have been meaning to make a trip to see the Royals play in Kauffman Stadium and would be nice to also get some KC barbeque. Would be an expensive proposition for one game, however.

[Orioles1954]

I'm enjoying this immensely. Having survived 14 straight losing seasons from 1998-2011, this is incredibly meaningful to the city of Baltimore and myself, personally.

[dtp717]

As a Kansas boy who grew up spoiled with great Royals teams that made the playoffs about every year, I am thrilled to see them back in the mix 29 short years after their last appearance. Having not lived in Kansas for quite a while now, I'm back on the bandwagon!!! Keep it going, KC!

[kmac32]

It's all about who is hot at the time. Looks like KC has momentum but that can change. The important thing is for the Cardinals to choke so us long suffering Cub fans don't have to listen to gloating Cardinal fans for the next year.

[itjclarke]

As a Kansas boy who grew up spoiled with great Royals teams that made the playoffs about every year, I am thrilled to see them back in the mix 29 short years after their last appearance. Having not lived in Kansas for quite a while now, I'm back on the bandwagon!!! Keep it going, KC!

Nice, looks like we'll both be rooting for our teams from afar, but in the same spot... I fly to Anchorage tomorrow.

My wife, and native Kansan is not moved in the slightest, but it's fun to see how excited the in-laws and other friends are.

[barrysloate]

Jeez, the Angels had the best record in baseball and all this incredible talent, and they couldn't even win one post season game. Maybe the Royals are the team of destiny.

[toledo_mudhen]

Should be a great ALCS. I may think about heading to KC for a game. Always liked the Royals and I rooted for them in all those series against the Yanks in the '70s and in the WS against the Phils in '80 and Cards in '85. Have been meaning to make a trip to see the Royals play in Kauffman Stadium and would be nice to also get some KC barbeque. Would be an expensive proposition for one game, however.

Wife says she read that ALDS tickets were going for as high as $400 at the K.... I think the last game I attended was somewhere around $4 (and included a hot dog & drink) and stadium was about 1/3 full.

KC BBQ - Best in the world... Really miss it - Recently relocated to Texas and I'm pretty sure that KC has forgotten more about BBQ than Texas will ever know. (that oughta stick a burr in the mesquite BBQ fan's shorts)

[dtp717]

Nice, looks like we'll both be rooting for our teams from afar, but in the same spot... I fly to Anchorage tomorrow.

My wife, and native Kansan is not moved in the slightest, but it's fun to see how excited the in-laws and other friends are.

Interestingly enough, I kinda jumped on the Giants bandwagon a few years back because I enjoy visiting San Francisco and thought the team with such a rich history finally deserved another championship. I even got to see a playoff game against the Phillies while I was there; what a terrific place to take in a game! Here's to hoping for a Giants-Royals World Series.

As for your wife, maybe she'll come around. Lots of Kansas friends I forgot I had have been posting on FB about how excited they are about the Royals...it's been a long time coming!

[icollectDCsports]

Wife says she read that ALDS tickets were going for as high as $400 at the K.... I think the last game I attended was somewhere around $4 (and included a hot dog & drink) and stadium was about 1/3 full.

KC BBQ - Best in the world... Really miss it - Recently relocated to Texas and I'm pretty sure that KC has forgotten more about BBQ than Texas will ever know. (that oughta stick a burr in the mesquite BBQ fan's shorts)

I've been to the Hill Country of Texas several times and had brisket, sausage, ribs, etc. at some of the best BBQ places down there (Franklin, Black's, Smitty's, J. Mueller, Salt Lick, etc.). Have always wanted to do a combination Royals / BBQ trip to KC.

[AMBST95]

I look forward to watching the Orioles, hopefully make the World Series. The last time it happened I was 3 years old. I now have a 3 year old son.

[nebboy]

Got me ticket for tomorrow Monday. I will be setting up so high the Bob Uker will be 2 rows in front of me. It will be raining all day and about 55 degrees with 15-20 wind.

None of that matters, I'm pumped, I can't wait.

Go Royals!!!

[Orioles1954]

As an Orioles fan I can do nothing but congratulate the Royals. They played the game right on Friday and Saturday. Hopefully, that changes for my Birds as they tend to play better on the road with less pressure. Is the game going to be a rain out?

[freakhappy]

As an Orioles fan I can do nothing but congratulate the Royals. They played the game right on Friday and Saturday. Hopefully, that changes for my Birds as they tend to play better on the road with less pressure. Is the game going to be a rain out?

This year's playoffs have been amazing so far. I know when your team isn't winning it may not seem that way, but man, every time I turn around it's a tie ball game in the eighth or ninth inning. I'm really torn between the Royals and Orioles...love both of these teams and hate that only one can make it to the Series. I've always been an American League guy, so most likely I'll be rooting for whoever comes out of the AL.

Let's see if the Orioles can get back in this thing!

[dabigyankeeman]

I prefered the good old days when KC was like a farm team for the Yankees. :D

Right now I am rooting for Orioles and Giants, if it winds up a KC-Cards world series, boy, I am not gonna have much intrest in that one!

I never was one to root for the underdog, i guess thats because i grew up in NY a Yankee fan in the 50's and 60's when i saw my team dominate for a long time.

[bn2cardz]

Right now I am rooting for Orioles and Giants...I never was one to root for the underdog

Quite the contradiction. The Giants are the underdogs. The Giants actually have the worst regular season record of the four remaining teams. They were a wild card team.

[AMBST95]

KC is just having everything go their way. I've seen more broken bat bloop hits these last two games then I have in a long time. I was at the game Friday night and felt half sick. The O's need some better starting pitching and need to get up early in one of these games. The KC bullpen has been lights out.

[KCRfan1]

As an Orioles fan I can do nothing but congratulate the Royals. They played the game right on Friday and Saturday. Hopefully, that changes for my Birds as they tend to play better on the road with less pressure. Is the game going to be a rain out?

Buckets of rain right now, with rain most of the day and evening. There is a very good chance this game is rained out.

[dabigyankeeman]

Quite the contradiction. The Giants are the underdogs. The Giants actually have the worst regular season record of the four remaining teams. They were a wild card team.

I was thinking of KC really when i mentioned the underdog. The Giants i am for due to their New York roots anyway, same with the Brooklyn, er i mean Los Angeles Dodgers. :)

[bn2cardz]

I was thinking of KC really when i mentioned the underdog. The Giants i am for due to their New York roots anyway, same with the Brooklyn, er i mean Los Angeles Dodgers. :)

Well the match up you're against is the one I am for. I want to see a KC-STL match up. I grew up watching KC from Omaha, and now I am in StLouis so I am all for it.

[dabigyankeeman]

Well the match up you're against is the one I am for. I want to see a KC-STL match up. I grew up watching KC from Omaha, and now I am in StLouis so I am all for it.

Maybe we will get a mix, say KC vs Giants.

[bn2cardz]

Maybe we will get a mix, say KC vs Giants.

Wow for not being an underdog fan you sure pick 'em.

[dabigyankeeman]

Wow for not being an underdog fan you sure pick 'em.

Didnt say i WANTED that matchup, but thought it would be a compromise for those who want an all middle-of-the-country world series. :D

[KC Doughboy]

Rats... game for tonight was canceled. I guess I have some free time tonight!

[nebboy]

Rain rain go away - I will try again tomarrow

[nebboy]

Game on

[ooo-ribay]

O's in trouble...

[Orioles1954]

Well, the Orioles season and my interest in baseball will be done tomorrow. Congrats to the KC Royals for sweeping us.....you deserved it.

[Ladder7]

http://larrybrownsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Royals-We-Dont-Suck-Anymore.jpg

[barrysloate]

American League Champions, and undefeated in the post season. Wow!

[tedzan]

Plus, didn't they just beat the two teams with the most WINS in the AL this year ?

Or did California & Baltimore have the most WINS in the Majors this year ? ?

I'm rooting for KC to go all the way.

TED Z
.

[HRBAKER]

Unreal to this point.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s172/hrbaker/AUTOS/2014Royals001_zps870caee4.jpg

[ruth-gehrig]

KC all the way no matter who they end up playing! They are proving to be unstoppable :)

[almostdone]

I can't believe out of the 8 postseason wins how many were by one run. Makes for great postseason drama.
Drew

[itjclarke]

http://larrybrownsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Royals-We-Dont-Suck-Anymore.jpg

That sweatshirt is awesome! Congrat Royals and Royals fans. Hope we join you guys tomorrow night. If so, I've got sights set on game 1 in KC with the in-laws and family friends... then back to SF for the weekend. It would be really cool to see these two ultra scrappy teams square off.

That said, I'm definitely not taking this current NLCS for granted, 3-1 lead and all, and know the Giants are gonna have to close out a very good Cards team. I know all to well how quickly 3-1 can flip the other way.

[clydepepper]

I can't wait to see Tim Collins pitch...if they ever use him...does anyone know if he's on the Series roster?

Collins was Braves property very briefly before being dealt to the Royals - he got into a few games in the Minors and then he was gone.

[Rickyy]

Cool story...congrats to the Royals and all their loyal fans. It took awhile, but all of the nice young talent they have accumulated is starting to pay off!

Ricky Y

[ramram]

I've been a die-hard Royals fan all my life and was fortunate to get to go to playoff and World Series games in '80 and '85. My fear was that my kids would grow up and never experience that joy. Well, they made it (20, 20 and 16 years old) barely. What made it even more fun was that my son got placed on the KC Royal's Scout team this Fall which made him feel like he was just a tiny, tiny piece of this big joy ride.

Rob M

My only complaint is that saving your ticket stub just isn't the same anymore when they're 8 1/2 x 11 pieces of paper -

164648

[icollectDCsports]

The run by the Royals is just amazing. Glad for all of their long-suffering fans. (And ramram, I completely agree concerning the lack of real ticket stubs. Sad that they're largely extinct. Computer printouts just aren't the same.)

[ooo-ribay]

Unreal to this point.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s172/hrbaker/AUTOS/2014Royals001_zps870caee4.jpg

We need to get back to teaching penmanship in our schools. :p

[bn2cardz]

My only complaint is that saving your ticket stub just isn't the same anymore when they're 8 1/2 x 11 pieces of paper -

164648

This was my biggest issues the last few years. Tickets are becoming rare because of this. In 2011 I bought St.Louis Cardinals World Series tickets for game 1 and 7. I had to resell the game 1 and that ability to transfer the ticket via email made it easier, but I still kept a printout.

For game 7 I wanted a hard ticket and requested it that way, but when I picked it up from the Office it was a plain ticket (similar to regular season) that didn't look like the World Series tickets you associate with the game.
This version I am sure is rare but since it lacks any wording about Word Series or game 7 it just isn't very fun to display.

[itjclarke]

I've been a die-hard Royals fan all my life and was fortunate to get to go to playoff and World Series games in '80 and '85. My fear was that my kids would grow up and never experience that joy. Well, they made it (20, 20 and 16 years old) barely. What made it even more fun was that my son got placed on the KC Royal's Scout team this Fall which made him feel like he was just a tiny, tiny piece of this big joy ride.

Rob M

My only complaint is that saving your ticket stub just isn't the same anymore when they're 8 1/2 x 11 pieces of paper -

164648

I have been to two WS game (2010 and 2012) and both times insisted that the seller send me the stub. Once via Stub Hub and once via Vivid Seats. Both times the companies contacted the sellers and the sellers agreed. It's worth trying for sure.

[bn2cardz]

I have been to two WS game (2010 and 2012) and both times insisted that the seller send me the stub. Once via Stub Hub and once via Vivid Seats. Both times the companies contacted the sellers and the sellers agreed. It's worth trying for sure.

They don't always have them. That only is possible if the original holder has a ticket. Typically a season ticket holder.

[itjclarke]

They don't always have them. That only is possible if the original holder has a ticket. Typically a season ticket holder.

Yeah, I'm aware (I'm a former season ticket holder). As was, my sellers were season ticket holders and I got the full stub. This is pretty likely in SF because the season ticket base is prob near 30K or more, out of 41K seats.

ADDING--- No idea why I'm posting!?!?!? It's bottom 9!! Go Giants!

[freakhappy]

2014 has been stellar playoff baseball! This is what baseball is about

Giants vs Royals...congrats to both!

[itjclarke]

2014 has been stellar playoff baseball! This is what baseball is about

Giants vs Royals...congrats to both!

Definitely great post season Mike.. what's crazy is there were no game 5s or 7s, but it's still been filled crazy competitive games.

Ishikawa is a great story. I was so happy for the guy before tonight... just to be contributing on a post season roster... and now that!?!?

[icollectDCsports]

Both the Royals and Giants are finding ways to make plays when they need to and are taking advantage of their opponents' mistakes. Poised and clutch. Looking forward to the World Series.

[itjclarke]

They don't always have them. That only is possible if the original holder has a ticket. Typically a season ticket holder.


Have to give major props to Vivid Seats. For the 2nd time in the last two Giants WS trips, they (Vivid) immediately answer my call, place me on hold and call the seller. Within minutes they come back to me and agree to have my stubs sent via FedEx. I pay shipping, but I'm OK with that since I would have paid shipping anyway had they been sold as hard tickets. StubHub also did this in 2010 for me, but it was clearly not standard and I'm not sure if they'd be so open to do so... whereas Vivid clearly is ready for this request and happy to oblige.

Royals bounced back big tonight, good on those guys. Excited to get this back to SF now.

[Stonepony]

Thanks Royals for the thrilling ride and outstanding season!!!!

[Rickyy]

What a terrific year they had... Ned Yost and from what I read a lot of the KC fans was all class afterwards to the Giant fans in attendance... and that bullpen is just nasty.... As a N Cali guy I always liked the Royals from back in the 70's...because they had a minor league affiliate in San Jose at the time..and guys like Dennis Leonard and George Brett came through there....

Ricky Y