7.29.2015

All about chemistry

So today wasn't a good day to be a Royals fan. I kept an eye on the game via the gameday mode on the AtBat app only to see the Indians pile on Jeremy Guthrie and win it 12-1.

No dazzling defense today. And I worry about Jeremy Guthrie, who I considered the Royals' most reliable starter at one point during this Royals renaissance.




But last night. Last night was fun. ... Admittedly, I had to take in that one with an eye on the gameday app as well because it was my night to put Faye to bed. Which means a couple hours worth of chasing her around the living room to get her upstairs, wrestling with her in the bathroom to brush her teeth and get pajamas on, reading a half-dozen books and then listening to the "Frozen" soundtrack while she chatters herself to sleep.

Nonetheless, I gently and quietly pumped a fist when I saw that Hosmer hit a go-ahead home run for the Royals in the top of the ninth. Then there was this, which I learned of through social media ...





It's all about chemistry. And the Royals have it. ... Now they're even playing number games during interviews.

Which brings me to the Royals' acquisition of another big fish off the trading block yesterday in Ben Zobrist. I had read the talk, but couldn't see it panning out. This is the Royals we're talking about. How long can this dream run continue? Then I saw a tweet yesterday that it was in the works and a few minutes later I received an alert that the deal was done. My jaw dropped. I love the deal, and I love that the Royals got him and Johnny Cueto ...



But I'm cautiously optimistic about the impact they'll have for the Royals and our collective postseason dreams. These kinds of blockbuster trade deadline deals -- while they may assure a team a playoff spot -- rarely get teams to the promiseland. So it seems.

Maybe that's just me recalling some bad luck for my teams. Nomar Garciparra joining the Cubs in 2004 and C.C. Sabathia joining the Brewers in 2008 come to mind.

Then again, just looking back to last season's heralded deals illustrates my point. David Price and Yoenis Céspedes were supposed to give Detroit the bump they needed to get back to the World Series, but the Tigers lost their division series to the Orioles. Jon Lester and Jeff Samardzija also were supposed to lead the A's through the postseason, but the A's didn't even make it past the Wild Card game -- thanks to the Royals (chemistry!) who found a way to beat Lester and the A's. Never forget.

I get it. The Royals badly need a No. 1 starter and Johnny Cueto has the resume to deliver the goods. And Ben Zobrist can be the utility man to fill the void left by Alex Gordon's injury or provide an offensive spark the Royals need at second base.

But I'm cautiously optimistic.

On a lighter note, I'd like to take this moment to express my thanks to Cole Hamels for throwing a no-hitter over the weekend, allowing Kates and I to pick up a free pizza from Domino's Monday night. It was good.

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