“Slicing, slicing, slicing… Foul!”Denny Matthews, on Alex Gordon’s ninth-inning walk-off three-run home run attempt landing just foul down the left-field line, Royals Radio
GH: I missed my first Royals’ opening day in six years yesterday. I followed the game from my desk on the radio via Denny Matthews and Bob Davis. A frustrating first half of the game had turned to hope in the ninth during my drive home. As Gordon came to the plate I recalled his first at bat in the bigs on Opening Day 2007 when he battled Curt Schilling with the bases loaded. You too?
“Gordon came this close to being the baseball hero. Instead, bupkis. A few feet the other way, and the tome of this column and the spirit of baseball fans all over town would have been filled with the kind of hope that Kansas City usually sees only from a distance.”
Sam Mellinger, Kansas City Star
GH: How cruel of the baseball gods to once again taunt us with dreams that quickly sour into nightmares.
Sam Mellinger, Kansas City Star
GH: How cruel of the baseball gods to once again taunt us with dreams that quickly sour into nightmares.
“When I hit that, I thought it was gone. … That would have been nice.”
Alex Gordon, Kansas City Star
GH: Nice? That would have been one of the more historic home runs hit at The K in 20 years! Instead, Gordon goes 0-5 with 3 Ks and leaves a small village on the bases. Depressing but familiar.
Alex Gordon, Kansas City Star
GH: Nice? That would have been one of the more historic home runs hit at The K in 20 years! Instead, Gordon goes 0-5 with 3 Ks and leaves a small village on the bases. Depressing but familiar.
“Obviously personally I’m not happy about that but it is what it is.”
Billy Butler, on Butler being the DH for Opening Day, Royals Radio
GH: I’d bat Butler third and move Gordon to the sixth spot. Today.
Billy Butler, on Butler being the DH for Opening Day, Royals Radio
GH: I’d bat Butler third and move Gordon to the sixth spot. Today.
“What are the odds of when they move Alex Gordon out of the three spot? I’ll give him the weekend. That’s it. Ned, move him down! Move him down! Let him get comfortable.”
Mark Carman, 610 AM
GH: It was the beautiful arithmetic that is baseball that brought Gordon to the plate time and again in crucial RBI situations – and ultimately for his game-deciding at bat. Will Ned Yost let Gordon work it out in the three hole? Read on.
Mark Carman, 610 AM
GH: It was the beautiful arithmetic that is baseball that brought Gordon to the plate time and again in crucial RBI situations – and ultimately for his game-deciding at bat. Will Ned Yost let Gordon work it out in the three hole? Read on.
“I thought our offense did a good job today and it was a great game. … I thought Alex and all of our hitters did a good job for opening day.”
Ned Yost, in his postgame comments, 610 AM
GH: If you are expecting to learn anything from a Ned Yost postgame presser you must also think the Kardashian clan is insightful. (BTW, saw two of these K-gals on Jay Leno last night and I can’t think of a better use for the mute button.) Yost never says anything but positives about his players. Listening to or watching his postgame chats are almost worthless.
Ned Yost, in his postgame comments, 610 AM
GH: If you are expecting to learn anything from a Ned Yost postgame presser you must also think the Kardashian clan is insightful. (BTW, saw two of these K-gals on Jay Leno last night and I can’t think of a better use for the mute button.) Yost never says anything but positives about his players. Listening to or watching his postgame chats are almost worthless.
“Ned doesn’t settle for anything but the best. His expectations are obviously very high.”
Dayton Moore, 610 AM
GH: Interesting when you consider he has been asked to settle for a 24-man roster that is far less talented than what the Royals’ organization could provide him.
Dayton Moore, 610 AM
GH: Interesting when you consider he has been asked to settle for a 24-man roster that is far less talented than what the Royals’ organization could provide him.
“Sounds like everybody’s left and everybody was bored to tears at The K.”
Kevin Kietzman, during the middle innings of the Royals’ opener, 810 AM
GH: For some reason Kietzman spent much of his show acting like the Royals had stolen his family and shipped them to Nebraska. He derided every out and error as if the team was stealing from him. It was the exact opposite of how he acted about the Chiefs last fall. Of course, his station has a contract with the Chiefs and 610 Sports has a contract with the Royals.
Kevin Kietzman, during the middle innings of the Royals’ opener, 810 AM
GH: For some reason Kietzman spent much of his show acting like the Royals had stolen his family and shipped them to Nebraska. He derided every out and error as if the team was stealing from him. It was the exact opposite of how he acted about the Chiefs last fall. Of course, his station has a contract with the Chiefs and 610 Sports has a contract with the Royals.
“My only question is why you are so mad? By listening to you it sounds like it’s October and the season’s over — we shouldn’t go to any more game.”
Caller, asking Kevin Kietzman why he was so upset and disgusted halfway through the Royals opener, 810 AM
GH: More than one caller questioned KK’s Debbie Downer attitude about a team with MLB’s lowest payroll and almost all of their best players in the minor leagues. KK did not like being questioned. Read on.
Caller, asking Kevin Kietzman why he was so upset and disgusted halfway through the Royals opener, 810 AM
GH: More than one caller questioned KK’s Debbie Downer attitude about a team with MLB’s lowest payroll and almost all of their best players in the minor leagues. KK did not like being questioned. Read on.
“Don’t talk down to me, dude! Don’t talk down to me, dude! You’re talking to me like I’m your eight-year-old son!”
Kevin Kietzman, responding to the above caller, 810 AM
GH: Even a veteran of radio like Kietzman still occasionally can lose it with a caller who gets under his thin skin. I am always both surprised and very entertained when it happens.
Kevin Kietzman, responding to the above caller, 810 AM
GH: Even a veteran of radio like Kietzman still occasionally can lose it with a caller who gets under his thin skin. I am always both surprised and very entertained when it happens.
“Mike (Moustakas) didn’t make it as difficult for us as we would have liked and he would admit that.”
Dayton Moore, when asked why Moustakas didn’t make the big club out of spring training, 610 AM
GH: I found Moore’s opening day discussion with Bob Fescoe and Josh Klingler interesting. Moustakas appears to be a bit of a slow starter. He warms with the weather – or at least I hope that’s the reason he struggle this spring. He will be watched very closely in Omaha.
Dayton Moore, when asked why Moustakas didn’t make the big club out of spring training, 610 AM
GH: I found Moore’s opening day discussion with Bob Fescoe and Josh Klingler interesting. Moustakas appears to be a bit of a slow starter. He warms with the weather – or at least I hope that’s the reason he struggle this spring. He will be watched very closely in Omaha.
“We were very, very encouraged by the way he swung the bat and his defense as well.”
Dayton Moore, on Eric Hosmer, the Royals’ first baseman’s spring training, 610 AM
GH: I couldn’t have been the only Royal fan wishing Hosmer was hitting third yesterday. I wonder if Ned Yost was one of us as well.
Dayton Moore, on Eric Hosmer, the Royals’ first baseman’s spring training, 610 AM
GH: I couldn’t have been the only Royal fan wishing Hosmer was hitting third yesterday. I wonder if Ned Yost was one of us as well.
“Hosmer is best young hitter I have ever seen in the cage; such an easy swing and remarkable bat speed. Best offensive prospect in baseball.”
Jason Parks, Twitter
Jason Parks, Twitter
“I think (Eric) Hosmer is the guy who is going to break the (Royals’ season) 36 home-run record.”
Soren Petro, 810 AM
Soren Petro, 810 AM
“My first 14 years in baseball (with Atlanta) were in the playoffs. It’s been a struggle since then. It obviously tests your character.”
Dayton Moore, 610 AM
GH: Can you imagine your team making the playoffs for 14 consecutive seasons? Moore must feel like a Kansas basketball fan getting traded to Nebraska.
Dayton Moore, 610 AM
GH: Can you imagine your team making the playoffs for 14 consecutive seasons? Moore must feel like a Kansas basketball fan getting traded to Nebraska.
“We’re beginning to see we’re getting close. It’s starting to feel like a championship organization.”
Dayton Moore, 610 AM
GH: Why even say this? The Royals feel NOTHING like a championship organization. They feel like what they are; a downtrodden club with an embarrassingly low payroll who is asking their fan base to be patient until 2013. If that’s feeling like a championship organization this must be the Cleveland Cavs.
Dayton Moore, 610 AM
GH: Why even say this? The Royals feel NOTHING like a championship organization. They feel like what they are; a downtrodden club with an embarrassingly low payroll who is asking their fan base to be patient until 2013. If that’s feeling like a championship organization this must be the Cleveland Cavs.
“The Royals could be on track for a winning season in 2013. We want more than a winning season. We want these guys competing for a playoff spot. I’m optimistic about a winning season (in the future). I’m not optimistic about the playoffs.”
Rob Neyer, of SBNation.com, 810 AM
Rob Neyer, of SBNation.com, 810 AM
“I love the way we match up in our division. Maybe I’m naïve but I think we can compete all the way through the season.”
Dayton Moore, 610 AM
GH: Maybe?
Dayton Moore, 610 AM
GH: Maybe?
“(The Greinke trade) was a great trade at the perfect time. Basically they thought they had to trade him because he was so unpopular in the (Royals’) clubhouse at the time. … One of the guys walked away from interviewing Zack Greinke and he said, ‘I don’t want him on my team. He’s a brat!’ ”
Buster Olney, ESPN MLB analyst, 810 AM
GH: I continue to hear Steven St. John and Kietzman root for Greinke to fail in Milwaukee – much like they did Johnny Damon when he left the Royals. Greinke might not make a great neighbor or locker mate but I’d like that dude chucking for my team every fifth day.
Buster Olney, ESPN MLB analyst, 810 AM
GH: I continue to hear Steven St. John and Kietzman root for Greinke to fail in Milwaukee – much like they did Johnny Damon when he left the Royals. Greinke might not make a great neighbor or locker mate but I’d like that dude chucking for my team every fifth day.
“The players we got in the Greinke trade are tremendous athletes. They’ve got speed. I think both Cain and Escobar – when I first saw them – the first thing that went through my mind is that these kids are going to be All-Stars. … They’re all four pretty special players.”
Ned Yost, in media press conference prior to the start of the season
Ned Yost, in media press conference prior to the start of the season
“The Royals have one of the great closers in the game in Joaquin Soria. Having a great closer on a team that loses 96 games a year is like having a Ferrari in the garage with no tires. Rarely can you take it out.”
Charlie Steiner, calling the play-by-play of the Royals/Dodgers spring training game Wednesday, MLB TV
Charlie Steiner, calling the play-by-play of the Royals/Dodgers spring training game Wednesday, MLB TV
“People ask me, ‘What do you think of the KC audience compared to other shows you’ve done?’ The creativity of this audience is through the roof!”
Shan Shariff, 610 AM
GH: Shariff was gone a day early because he brought of the topic on his Wednesday show of who do fans want to see take over the Royals when David Glass dies. Entercom management told Shariff to change the topic coming out of his break and then made the decision to replace Shariff with Mark Carman for his final show. It is probably a safe bet Danny Parkins, Shariff’s replacement on 610, won’t be trolling the Glass crypt during his first show on Monday.
Shan Shariff, 610 AM
GH: Shariff was gone a day early because he brought of the topic on his Wednesday show of who do fans want to see take over the Royals when David Glass dies. Entercom management told Shariff to change the topic coming out of his break and then made the decision to replace Shariff with Mark Carman for his final show. It is probably a safe bet Danny Parkins, Shariff’s replacement on 610, won’t be trolling the Glass crypt during his first show on Monday.
“Right now they (810) are beating me over the head in the ratings. That’s not my fault, that’s yours. Tell people about the show and listen to the show longer.”
Nick Wright, urging his audience to help spread the word about his show to improve his ratings, 610 AM
GH: Doesn’t sound quite like the guy profiled in Ink Mag, does it?
Nick Wright, urging his audience to help spread the word about his show to improve his ratings, 610 AM
GH: Doesn’t sound quite like the guy profiled in Ink Mag, does it?
“I’m in the radio business obviously, for who knows how much longer.”
Bob Fescoe, 610 AM
GH: Listening to 610 Sports’ on-air cast, I get the impression not all is going smoothly for their talking heads. Maybe the Royals will go 14-3 to start the season and help out 610’s numbers. Maybe.
Bob Fescoe, 610 AM
GH: Listening to 610 Sports’ on-air cast, I get the impression not all is going smoothly for their talking heads. Maybe the Royals will go 14-3 to start the season and help out 610’s numbers. Maybe.
GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24
Coupla things
First, Leno? Seriously? I guess your tolerance for soulless mediocrity is higher than I thought, it’s just not really sports related.
Second, you said “Greinke might not make a great neighbor or locker mate but I
still time to make fun of moron U
GH: How cruel of the baseball gods to once again taunt us with dreams that quickly sour into nightmares..
Fucking loser scum bad Glass gets EXACTLY what he deserves, the Gods are fair, and giving the Royals what they deserve, I am out htis year…I am rooting for the Dodgers …looking forward to hear Uncle Vin as he calls games for a REAL team…. not the minor league to the MLB….did I mention FUCK DAVID GLASS!!!!… IWANNA SMASH HIS FUCKING FACE IN!!!! yeah I am kindof a sick mofo… But it is just so fucking pathetic I have to look to LA for my NBA and MLB fix…. but at least they make me happy.
GH:Greinke might not make a great neighbor or locker mate but I
The Kardashians
It’s actually spelled, “Kardashian.” But that begs the question: Does it really matter? There are really only a pair of things that really matter when it comes to each of those sisters.
Leno & Kardashians
Gavin, I don’t catch Leno and Letterman nearly as often as I used to but I’d give Leno the nod nowadays. I used to be a hardcore Letterman junkie but his show is almost unwatchable. The guy is so lazy and stale. Leno is at least awake.
Rage, Thanks for the Kardashian fix. I need to quit trusting my first google search.
GH
Everything wrong with the Royals.
Opening Day was a metaphor of what is wrong with the Royals.
1. Instead of building a new downtown or residential ballpark they decide to rebuild an old stadium. The final result is turning an old quant ballpark into a Chili
1 Down 99 To Go
I don’t understand the optimism from any quarter about the The Royals, our baseball team OR Wills and Kate. Our team is uglier than Camilla Parker Bowles and Wills is his father in waiting, starting to morph into another balding, inbred horse head. When the goal of your team is to not lose 100 games and not even play .500 ball that’s Bad News Bears pathetic. Fuck civic pride and all that hooey. Anyone that spends $1.00 on the crap that is the Royals is insane. Imagine a 4 game homestand with no one in attendance. Don’t think that doesn’t send a strong message to the damn sporting world. Even Al Jazeera would cover that. We have a chance to get the eyes of the world focused on KC during one of the most chaotic times in human history and we can’t cinch up the nutsack for four days. We are a bunch of sad, pathetic, whinny-ass bitches. Allah Damn Syrians and Yemeni’s would storm the K and hang-em all by their toes titties.
I know…
Lets have a walk-out….haha– whatever–bring back The Woodlands.
Im in…errr I mean out
Im in on the walk out.. I am done with the ROyals, and I have watched happily for years, but the Zack thing was the last straw. It is beyond me why anyone would go out yesterday… who can afford it..and why would they care. it is a shitty product. Time to walk, but 5 people doing it will not have an impact.
On another note I am also boycotting the NFL until 2017 if they miss one minute of one game, and I seem to be the only talking like that again. The owners wanna divy up that first billion of MY / OUR money, and will cancel a season to drive the point home? Fine , i will drive my point home by walking away for 5 years I did the same thing whne MLB had their last strike, and threatened to do it again whne they threaten back in 2002….. I will walk from the NFL….but once again I seem to be the only talking like that..so ..oh well.
Royals
How can anybody be down on Keitzman for being down on the Royals? Have you not seen the past 25 years? I heard less baseball talk on the radio going into the baseball season than ever before. KK is just being realistic. You can’t polish a turd. They might have the worst rotation in baseball history but we’ll have to wait and see. You know what yesterday was? Before the game was over, it was the last day this year that the Royals won’t be in last place. Thanks again David Glass. I hate you and Wal-Mart.
Johnny lied
the reason Damon is hated in this town and Carlos Beltran is not…(and why Grienke shouldn’t be) is that Johnny Damon lied to the fans of this town. He promised to take less to stay here and didn’t. He claimed that a contract wasn’t offerd which was a flat out lie. In fact the contract offered by Allard Baird was for more money then the first contract he recieved when he left. When Carlos Beltran was asked if he would take less to stay in KC his response was “would you.” Very honest and I respect that. Zack was also honest. To a fault actually, but honest none the less. Damon lied to us.
Spelling is so trivial.
I might toss a correction your way, but I never criticize about spelling (unless it’s completely outrageous). I’m not exactly Mr. Spelling Bee over here, myself.
newbaum turk
You hit the nail on the head. It is not like we won the World Series last year and KK is down on them on the first day. The last 25 years have not been good. The fact that there is fans in the stands amazes me.
Gavin i’m not rooting for Zack to fail
Gavin said, “Greinke snotted and bitched his way to a trade so why not root against him if you never liked him before and now have no reason to cheer for him?”
Interesting but I think Rany on the Royals had the best take about the trade.
“The Royals had a once-in-a-decade, if not once-in-a-generation opportunity: they had a superstar player who was not seduced by the bright lights of the big cities, a player who would have been willing to wear a Royals uniform for his entire career if they would just stop sucking, and they blew it.”
Zack got tired of loseing,Worst yet, he got tired of loseing on a team that se thought didn’t know what they were doing. I can’t blame him. But it’s not he wanted a trade to the Yankees or Red Sox. He was traded to the Brewers.