00:00I was listening to the morning show driving in, what, two days ago, I guess it would have been.
00:04They had Vern on and Vern said something that really stood out because we all know Vern has been locked
00:11in this organization for, shoot, 10 plus years at this point in time.
00:15Yeah. And he's been through some highs of World Series runs and certainly ultimate lows.
00:20And so when he says something like this and it's May 19th and he says this about this season, I
00:26think we all listen.
00:27Seven games below 500 to me, this has been the most disappointing season, 47 games in, but the most disappointing
00:35season that I've been a part of.
00:38You know, I haven't been here forever, but dating back to 2012, there was never this type of anticipation, these
00:47type of expectations, this type of talent only to lay this large of an egg.
00:53So, yeah, seven games below 500, a one in five road trip, you are the worst road team in all
01:01of Major League Baseball.
01:02The tenor shouldn't be good. I'm glad to hear that the fans are not just disappointed, but angry because the
01:11expectations in this city, not just from the Royals, but all teams, the expectations have been raised over the past
01:18decade.
01:18We expect more.
01:19So that was Vern a couple days ago. They're now eight games under 500. It's gotten even worse since since
01:22what you said there crazy how bad the American League is there.
01:25They're so lucky that they're not just out of it. Right. Yeah, because this is they're tied with the Tigers
01:30for the for last place.
01:32The AL Central and the Guardians are in first place. And fortunately, it's not like the Guardians have 30 something
01:37wins, you know, 30, you know, 35 wins or something crazy.
01:40I think I think the Guardians have a 28 wins or something. Yeah, you know, it's not it's not like
01:44they're out there 10 games in front of everybody.
01:47But when Vern says that that for him, think about the years that he is covered. There's been some really
01:52bad seasons.
01:53But this year, because the thought was they have to compete to win the AL Central this and you go
02:00through the roster and you've got an MVP candidate and we've we've we've gone through this and you go through
02:05what they did.
02:06I'll even say I think what has made it even worse for me in terms of frustration has been seeing
02:11the success some of these guys had at the WBC, how much fun they were having the energy, how big
02:16of a leader some of these guys were and then to see them lay a complete you know what didn't
02:20know that that is actually kind of ticked me off more because we saw Michael Garcia be the MVP of
02:27the WBC.
02:28We saw Vinny in Cags with the Espresso machine having fun and all that and Bobby Wood Jr.
02:33for Team USA and then and then the season starts in completely different players.
02:37Yeah, and I like I was I went through it.
02:39I didn't want to just be like, yes, I agree Vern.
02:41I went through each year and I was like, which one would have been more disappointing to me?
02:45I was like, well, maybe someone can make the argument for 16.
02:47They only finished 500 a year after winning the World Series.
02:51I had the World Series.
02:53I didn't care.
02:54They could have lost 162 games in 2016.
02:57And I would have probably still been OK.
03:00I don't like lived my life.
03:02And so like that year, maybe not maybe 17, right?
03:05Because then you're like, hey, let's get back to the playoffs.
03:08Final ride before all these guys leave town last year of Haas and Kane and Moose before these guys maybe
03:14go on somewhere else.
03:16Maybe.
03:17But again, I still had the World Series from two years ago.
03:20Then all the other ones in between.
03:21No, it's this is the part that Vern is talking about and the reason why it's extra disappointing.
03:26They and I want to make this very clear.
03:28They have talent.
03:29They're not a talentless group.
03:31I wasn't more disappointed in 2004.
03:33John Buck was their three hole hitter.
03:35I knew they stunk just because in 2003 they were like a little good.
03:39They had no talent.
03:412004 at Scott Ellerton starting the beginning of the year.
03:44I knew they stunk.
03:46And your deepest part of your soul.
03:47You knew they stunk.
03:48They have people who have competed for a Cy Young on this team.
03:52Like got multiple guys who finished top three in the Cy Young a couple years ago.
03:55Gold gloves.
03:56They got gold gloves.
03:57They've got the guy who's the second best player in the sport short of Shohei.
04:02They've got players who have put up big numbers, big time numbers who have performed.
04:07They have talent.
04:09They're just not playing like a good team.
04:13That's why it's the most disappointing.
04:14And that's why Vern's right.
04:15That's genuinely why Vern's right.
04:17And then insult to injury yesterday.
04:19Now Chris Bubich is on the IL to go with Strom, to go with Reagans.
04:22And I'm like, how long till Reagans is back?
04:23And giving Chris Bubich his injury history.
04:25I know he told Andy Rogers that because of his history they're going to be cautious with
04:28and everything.
04:29But I would also say because of his history we should all be very concerned about the
04:33elbow for Chris Bubich as well.
04:35Coupled with, as you already said, Cole Reagans, Noah Cameron had been banged up this year.
04:38It's just everything's kind of falling apart on them right now.
04:41It's like the walls are caving in big time on the Kansas City Royals in 2026.
04:44And like someone says, Cody, they're out of it.
04:46I'm not arguing.
04:47Do you think I think they're a playoff team right now?
04:49They're eight games under 500.
04:50Now I will say.
04:51They're minus 400 to miss the playoffs now.
04:53They are.
04:53Meaning you would have to bet $400 to win 100 bucks.
04:57I guess I should be betting them to make the playoffs at this point then.
05:00Well, I mean.
05:00If I was betting a side of it, obviously not going to.
05:02But the part about it, and I think that this is where, like, where I want to just be like,
05:08wake up.
05:09Is it the AL, the American League is genuinely so stinky?
05:14They aren't really out of it, text line.
05:17They are right in the common sense.
05:20They are somehow, by some miracle, despite all of this.
05:24Again, I'm not saying they're a playoff team.
05:25But they have to tell themselves this.
05:27Two and a half games out of a wild card spot.
05:30That's it?
05:31Like, as bad as you've played.
05:34That's it?
05:34Now they've got to jump 40 teams or whatever the hell it is.
05:38You somehow have not completely eliminated yourself mathematically from this thing.
05:42Again, they've played themselves out of it.
05:44And we'd have to, a million things would have to change.
05:46It feels back to the same thing.
05:47For me to even entertain the conversation.
05:47The standings don't mean as much now.
05:49Yeah, as I've said for weeks, I don't care about the standings and the division or anything.
05:52It's all about the 500 game.
05:54Which is, getting back to 500.
05:56They're now eight games under 500.
05:58We know you're not making the postseason unless at bare minimum you're 500.
06:02Even that's not good enough.
06:03So that's why I don't, like, frankly, I don't care that they're two and a half out of a wild
06:06card spot.
06:07Because we all know you're not making a wild card.
06:09I'm just saying they have to tell themselves that.
06:11You're not making a wild card eight games under 500.
06:13Are you sure?
06:14I'm very sure.
06:14This year might be the year, though.
06:15I don't think so.
06:17So that's why I don't care that they're two and a half out of a playoff spot.
06:20That truly does not matter right now.
06:21How many sub-500 teams would be in the playoffs right now in the American League?
06:26Because that's the crazy part.
06:28At least two, three?
06:30Well, let me look it up.
06:32I don't want to just, like, blindly say.
06:34But as of right now, oh, it's all.
06:37I mean, it's the whole American League.
06:39It's crazy.
06:40Right now, the American League would have one, two, three, four, four sub-500 playoff teams.
06:46Yeah, the wild cards would be the Yankees at 29 and 19, the White Sox at 24 and 23, and
06:50the Mariners at 23 and 26.
06:52But here's the part.
06:53But the Royals are also, though, Cody, the Royals are also, though, two spots from having the worst record in
06:59the American League.
07:00It wouldn't be as many as I'm saying.
07:01But, like, it's a lot.
07:02And so, like, but I do want to point out that if you're the Royals and you have the talent,
07:08you've got to figure out a way not to panic right now.
07:11And that's hard because you keep losing.
07:13And you've got to figure out the small ways in which you win.
07:15And, like, maybe last night, right, where Massey gets.
07:18Can you just start doing the little things well?
07:19Because there might be a few more wins in it for you.
07:22Because, yeah, the Twins are below 500.
07:25Or the, everybody.
07:27The entire American League is below 500.
07:29It's a lot of below 500 teams.
07:30So, find a way.
07:32Find a way to, you know, like, yes, Gold, you're right.
07:36By the time the playoffs all play themselves out, can you at least play yourself back in this thing?
07:40And right now, they don't look like a team.
07:41They look lost.
07:43That's why it's been the most frustrating season.
07:44Vern's right.
07:45It's been the most frustrating season since Vern's been the Royals insider.
07:47It's accurate.
07:47Regarding what Vern said.
07:48So, I went ahead and texted him because, you know, how Vern always gives, like, a title to the season.
07:52I asked, and obviously Vern, you know, for a lot of reasons.
07:55Vern and everybody else, we've all kind of hyped up this team and what they could be this year.
07:58I asked Vern what the title was for this year, and he was, his title for this year is The
08:03Standard.
08:04Unfortunately.
08:05Standard set has been.
08:06Yeah.
08:07Yeah, the standard set is what has led to Vern having this feeling, I believe,
08:11and the feeling that everybody has of the sheer disappointment of what we thought could potentially be,
08:17where now they look worse than they did even last season.
08:21And, obviously, with all the talent that they brought in and having Cags up and knowing that Cags is playing
08:26relatively well,
08:28I would say.
08:29I mean, you even look at what he did last night again.
08:31But you're not getting the delivery that you're expecting from Vinny and from Salvi.
08:35It makes it even more disappointing.
08:36And the standard is not.
08:38If this is the year where the standard is being showcased, it's not a good one, obviously,
08:42for all the reasons we've talked about over the last two months.
08:45We'll get back to the Royals coming up at noon.
08:48Obviously, they're frustrating at the moment.
08:49Hope they're going to win tonight.
08:51Bullpen game.
08:52You know what?
08:53Honestly, no team Bull Durham style could use a rain out more.
08:56Just get a rain out.
08:57Not going to happen.
08:58You're asking for a rain out.
08:59I don't think that's happening.
09:00I'm officially rooting for a rain out.
09:02Let's get a rain out.
09:02I don't think it's supposed to rain, Cody.
09:04I think they're going to get this game in tonight.
09:06Turn the sprinklers on.
09:08Do what you got to do.
09:09I got an off day coming up on Thursday.
09:11Yeah.
09:11Yeah, that might help, at least on that end.
09:13Let's.
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