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Royals and the 9/11 attacks

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The world was in absolute shock when it was revealed that four planes were hijacked by the terrorist organization al Qaeda on September 11, 2001. At that time, the 2001 Kansas City Royals were not having a stellar season, having lost 97 games and trailing 24.5 games behind the division-leading Cleveland Indians (now Guardians). Remarkably, just over twenty years later, the Royals would again finish with 97 losses in the 2022 season. On September 11, 2001, the Royals were not scheduled to play. Their last game before the attacks had been against the Texas Rangers in Arlington on September 9, which they lost 3-4. Despite not playing on the day of the attacks, the events undoubtedly reverberated through the baseball community. Sports often help bring Americans together after tragic events, and baseball was no exception. The MLB season resumed on September 17, with the New York Yankees playing against the Chicago White Sox and the Mets facing the Pittsburgh Pirates. Yankees man
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Royals couldn't tap into O'Hearn's potential

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Teams sometimes let players go after they struggle in their uniform, and the Kansas City Royals did just that with first baseman Ryan O'Hearn in 2022. Fans often grew frustrated watching him at the plate, and despite his promising start, O'Hearn's performance in his first five years with the Royals was underwhelming. Kansas City drafted O'Hearn in the eighth round of the 2014 MLB Draft. During his minor league career, he showcased his power with 120 home runs. The Royals and their fans hoped he could translate this success to the big leagues, but unfortunately, his performance didn't meet expectations. O'Hearn managed to stay with the Royals longer than many fans anticipated, playing a total of 342 games. Over his time in Kansas City, he accumulated 210 hits, 99 RBIs, and 38 home runs. Although his major league numbers were not stellar, his rookie season was a bright spot. In 44 games, O'Hearn hit 12 home runs and drove in 30 runs. The following
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Kansas City Royals Make Key Outfield Additions in Playoff Push

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The Kansas City Royals have bolstered their outfield depth by adding Tommy Pham and Robbie Grossman, both of whom bring valuable experience as the team eyes a return to the playoffs. Pham was claimed off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals, while Grossman, a switch-hitting outfielder, was acquired from the Texas Rangers. Notably, both players began the season with the Chicago White Sox before being moved. Grossman, unlike Pham, has the added benefit of World Series experience, having been a part of the Rangers' recent championship team. While neither Pham nor Grossman is expected to be an everyday player, they each offer unique strengths. The 34-year-old Grossman, for example, has posted a respectable .227 batting average in 70 games this season and can contribute from both sides of the plate, potentially earning him more playing time than Pham. Manager Matt Quatraro may decide to rotate Pham and Grossman based on the opposing pitcher, especially since Kansas City has
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Royals Continue to Make Moves Post-Deadline, Adding Veteran Tommy Pham

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The Kansas City Royals were active during the trade deadline, making several deals with the White Sox and Athletics. However, even with the deadline behind them, the Royals aren’t finished adding to their roster. Despite failing to acquire veteran outfielder Tommy Pham from the White Sox at the deadline, Kansas City persisted and ultimately landed the 36-year-old after continued pursuit. The addition of Pham, in my opinion, is somewhat perplexing. Pham has shown signs of decline recently, but the Royals believe he still has something to offer as they aim to make a push for October. Earlier this season, Pham signed a minor league deal with the White Sox before being traded to the Cardinals in a three-team deal involving the Dodgers. St. Louis hoped Pham could provide a spark off the bench, with the team stating, "One thing we are super excited about with Tommy is just the fact that we have a long history with him. Whenever he goes to a new place, he performs really well
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Flashback Royals: Remembering a Murder Victim

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The Royals over the years have worn patches on their uniforms to remember tragic periods in American history including 9/11 and more. Kansas City in 2007 was stunned after learning that local teenager Kelsey Smith was abducted and murdered. The Royals wore light blue ribbons on their wrists in remembrance of the 18-year old after former manager Buddy Bell spoke to the Smith family.  Many Kansas Cityians remember the Kelsey Smith case well after the story of her abduction hit the local media and national media. On June 2, Smith was shopping at her local Target in Overland Park, KS looking for a picture frame for her boyfriend John Biersmith. While at Target, Smith's killer followed her throughout the store after noticing her at the jewelry counter. While Smith was in the checkout line, her abductor ran to his vehicle to grab his gun and waited for her to leave the store to grab her. The 18-year old was unable to fight off the kidnapper and was forced into her vehicle and
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Is Massey part of the Royals' Future?

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Since the departure of Whit Merrifield, the Kansas City Royals have struggled to find a long-term replacement at second base. Although Merrifield has been gone for just two seasons, the team has faced challenges in securing a dependable option for the position. Over this period, the Royals have experimented with various players, including Nicky Lopez, Chris Owings, and Nick Loftin. Despite being part of the 2022 and 2023 rosters, Massey has not been able to firmly establish himself at the position, due to ongoing competition from other players. In the most recent offseason, the Royals added Adam Frazier and Garrett Hampson to their roster. While these additions were not intended to replace Massey, they were meant to provide depth. General Manager J.J. Picollo explained the strategy: “He’s a player we’ve had a lot of interest in over the last couple of years, and when we thought about the offseason, we were thinking about how we need to put a team together and what we need.
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Royals bring in Paul DeJong

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Kansas City's front office continues to add to the team. The offense, for the most part, has been alright this season aside from Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez. Manager Matt Quatraro has tried multiple players in the leadoff spot, including Adam Frazier, Maikel Garcia, and Garrett Hampson. Despite Garcia's struggles, I believe he will return to form before October. In my opinion, Frazier has been the best of the three, but not by much, with a batting average of .197 as of late. Although Garcia and Hampson have better numbers than Frazier, neither one has been able to get the ball rolling at the top of the lineup. Kansas City decided enough was enough with the lack of production from the top of the order and struck a deal with the White Sox for veteran shortstop Paul DeJong. Chicago had brought in DeJong on a one-year deal worth $1.75 million plus incentives. The White Sox are a dumpster fire this season, clearly in a rebuild phase, but it wasn't supposed to b
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