GO ROYALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cratedigger]

Why not have an in season tournament - that also can count towards regular season totals so we still get the large sample size prior to the playoffs - but it still breaks up the season? Can be a lead up to All-Star Weekend (in June and July when baseball can dominate the sports landscape) and offer another chance for small markets to win. Especially if it is single elimination.

[Highlander]

I think the major issue is, why play 162 games if you have a third of the teams in the playoffs? Baseball is a streaky game so we have a long season to average things out. So either change the regular season back to 144 games or drop the number of post season teams. I vote for 144 games.

Still too many!

Here is the baseball scheduling requirements. An easy cut would be that each team only plays half the teams in the other league rather than all of them.

Under the collective bargaining agreement reached in March 2022, every team will play every other team regardless of league under a new balanced schedule. Teams will play 13 games against each of 4 opponents within its division (52 games), as well as 6 games each against 6 of the other 10 opponents within its own league and 7 games each against 4 of the other 10 opponents within its own league (64 games). Interleague play will consist of a four-game home and home series against the geographic rival and a single three-game series against the other 14 interleague opponents (46 games), with location to rotate every other year.[7][4]

[TheUrbanRoo]

They need to start the season in mid-March and play the first 1-2 weeks in the warm city/indoor stadiums and get the playoffs started in September. I love baseball but it just cannot compete head to head with football.

[Highlander]

They need to start the season in mid-March and play the first 1-2 weeks in the warm city/indoor stadiums and get the playoffs started in September. I love baseball but it just cannot compete head to head with football.

Then your putting cold weather teams (those without domes) at both a competitive and financial disadvantage by losing home games. I really do not think that every team in the NL needs to play every team in the AL and vice-versa.

[TheUrbanRoo]

They need to start the season in mid-March and play the first 1-2 weeks in the warm city/indoor stadiums and get the playoffs started in September. I love baseball but it just cannot compete head to head with football.

Then your putting cold weather teams (those without domes) at both a competitive and financial disadvantage by losing home games. I really do not think that every team in the NL needs to play every team in the AL and vice-versa.

Nope. Once it gets to March 29th or the normal opening day, then you just swap it around the other way for 1-2 weeks. Should be an easy fix. People are clamoring for sports right after the Super Bowl too.

[Cratedigger]

Some major signings the past few days. Nearly $50 million in payroll added.

Mostly 1 and 2 year deals too so they won’t hold back future player development.

Royals should be in contention for the lowly AL Central this year

[TheUrbanRoo]

You hav to think a big reason they're doing this is to get people jazzed for the stadium vote too. But I'm fine with that!

[dukuboy1]

Definitely needed some good PR to help them tell their story & change the narrative. But also some good signings to try to take advantage of a very winnable division. Nice o see them make an effort.

[beautyfromashes]

Bobby Witt Jr. agrees to 11-year, $288.8M deal with Royals
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/394 ... eal-royals

[phuqueue]

There had been some rumors in recent days, but I confess I did not truly expect the Royals to hand out a contract like that

[Cratedigger]

Can we please end the “John Sherman is cheap” discourse now?

[gfisch95]

Does this help publicly with the ask for a new stadium?

Showing they are willing to go out and spend the money on "the guy" is at least a glimmer of hope when you're asking the tax payers to vote on what have been very bad teams since the WS squad split up.

[dukuboy1]

I think it does help change the public image of ownership for sure. They have had a great offseason signing some decent free agents and locking up a great player to build around. BWJ will be promoted like Mahomes is now. Obviously Mahomes has had a lot more success but the Royals have their young player to build around and he is talented to become a bigger start within the game. So they certainly helped their cause.

Next step is announce the site and start to show some really exciting renderings.

[aknowledgeableperson]

Another shot in the dark. An option for the Royals in eastern Jackson County. Just may be an added reason for that part of the county to vote no in April.
https://www.kmbc.com/article/independen ... 625bd2af90

""I believe people in eastern Jackson County would rather watch baseball in Independence than the Royals in Nashville," said Independence Mayor Rory Rowland.

Rowland and other Independence officials say there are concerns with the upcoming election and whether voters will support the Royals.

"If they don't get this vote, what happens? Do we renegotiate? We go back again," he said. "This is an opportunity to let them have their $3/8 sales tax. But the voters in eastern Jackson County also get something they want.""

[Cratedigger]

Can we keep that discussion in the other thread?

[langosta]

Over .500 with a few disappointing losses. I think the team needs to learn to play better together. Feels like we can get there.

[Anthony_Hugo98]

Over .500 with a few disappointing losses. I think the team needs to learn to play better together. Feels like we can get there.

Seems they have the energy for sure. The losses so far were very much manageable, and had and obvious near single point of failure. A comeback win and a solid performance by pitching in the 8th for today to get the Sweep I think sets up this team well for the month.

[langosta]

Over .500 with a few disappointing losses. I think the team needs to learn to play better together. Feels like we can get there.

Seems they have the energy for sure. The losses so far were very much manageable, and had and obvious near single point of failure. A comeback win and a solid performance by pitching in the 8th for today to get the Sweep I think sets up this team well for the month.

The losses disappointing because we either went in with me thinking we’d win or we led convincing me that we’d win only for us to loose.

[Anthony_Hugo98]

Over .500 with a few disappointing losses. I think the team needs to learn to play better together. Feels like we can get there.

Seems they have the energy for sure. The losses so far were very much manageable, and had and obvious near single point of failure. A comeback win and a solid performance by pitching in the 8th for today to get the Sweep I think sets up this team well for the month.

The losses disappointing because we either went in with me thinking we’d win or we led convincing me that we’d win only for us to loose.

No question. Giving up two walkoffs is fucking awful to watch. Glad to see they’ve figured out Smith isn’t as reliable as they initially thought, and have adjusted accordingly

[Chris Stritzel]

I attended the game today. Yes, it was windy, but the kids enjoyed getting splashed with water from the fountains. People were having a good time too. Leaving with a win is the highlight of today.

The fact no one shows up to the games is because of three factors.
1. Location. Why attend a game where you can only arrive by driving, sit in traffic to leave, and have to manage how much you drink so you don't drive home drunk?
2. Team performance. The last few years, the team has sucked. They're over .500 for the first time since 2022. I know it's early, but this is a decent position to start the season in.
3. TV blackout. Perhaps the most important thing that needs to be addressed is getting the games broadcast back on a local TV network. I have several friends who have the free trial of the Bally's app and they all say the experience sucks. It's not a service they want to pay for. When you have a literal live-game blackout like that, of course people won't attend games. They don't know how the team is doing.

If the team performs similarly well over the course of the month (from April 7th to May 7th), attendance numbers should increase some, but will never get close to being full.