After six long years of being bottom dwellers in the MLB, Kansas City has officially turned the corner. I know what you’re thinking—it’s only been 10 games. In a season that lasts until the end of October, it feels reactionary to make such a bold statement this early. While the team has much more to prove before the national media takes notice, I’ve seen enough.
I want it to be very clear I’m not saying this solely because of the 6-4 start, although that has been nice. My thesis behind the belief is that the Royals are once again fielding a competent coaching staff. The job Pitching Coach Brian Sweeney has done is beyond words. After inheriting the mess former pitching coach Cal Eldred left behind, Sweeney was given an impossible task in 2023. We saw glimpses of his teachings with guys such as Kris Bubic and Cole Ragans, but the pitching staff as a whole was still a gigantic liability.
Improved Coaching
Enter 2024, and with the help of some key free agent signings the Royals have the best starting rotation in the majors through 10 games. Don’t think that’s a big enough sample size? Royals starters have produced eight quality starts so far this season. You know how many games it took them to do that just one year ago? 72. That doesn’t just magically happen. The talent was always there with guys such as Brady Singer, it’s now getting unlocked thanks to Sweeney.
Games aren’t won on pitching alone of course, which brings me to the tremendous job Alec Zumwalt is doing with the bats. One of the few coaches to survive the overhaul after the 2022 season, Zumwalt is proving he belongs in year three of his tenure. Young hitters such as Bobby Witt Jr, Maikel Garcia, and MJ Melendez have looked fantastic to start this season. Zumwalt is not only responsible for helping them in their young major-league careers, he was with them in the minors before becoming the big-league hitting coach in May of 2022.
Spending in the Winter
Coaching can only do so much. We’ve seen over the years the Royals trott out players that weren’t major league quality. The Royals going out and giving their coaches something to work with was not only helpful for the immediate but was a signal of a new day. Former General Manager Dayton Moore lived and died by his draft picks. If he drafted well, the team was set up for success, but if he whiffed the team was doomed. It’s a method too many small-market teams use in the current era of baseball.
J. J. Picollo doesn’t work that way. By now I’m sure the organization expected someone like Asa Lacy to be ready for the majors and a part of the rotation, but things happen. Rather than hoping for development, Picollo went out and got veteran arms. Gavin Cross hasn’t been exactly what you hoped yet. That’s fine, go get Hunter Renfroe to sure up the position in the meantime. You can’t rely solely on draft picks in this league, it’s a death wish.
Being active in free agency and trades shows a new philosophy. Sitting around and feeling bad for yourself because the kids you drafted didn’t pan out was never going to work.
What to Expect
The Royals still have a ways to go. It’s still the baby steps of the turnaround for now. With that being said, because of everything noted in this article I truly believe we will never see the disaster from the past six seasons. I envision the Royals competing for a Wild Card spot deep into this season, and then hopefully become a perennial contender by next year. The dark days are over, baseball is back in KC.
Image credit: Reed Hoffmann, Associated Press
