So I am sitting here watching the Royals play the Twins in the finale of their series this week. Being that I have some extra time, I would like to try a little exercise. Allow me to take you for a short walk through the year 2000.
April 7, 2000: Bottom 8, Jermaine Dye at the plate. Here’s the pitch…slow roller to the SS Guzman, the throw is offline at the plate, Carols Febles scores! Royals tack on a couple more and defeat the Twins 10-6!!!
April 10, 2000: Tie game in the bottom of the 9th. LaTroy Hawkins on the hill for the Twinkies. Johnny Damon strides to the plate. 2-1 is the count. Here’s the pitch…swung on and crushed to left. Homerun!!! Royals win 6-5!!!
This feels nice, doesn’t it?
April 25, 2000: The expansion Devil Rays are in town. Bottom of the 9th, game tied 6-6. Beltran at second, Mark Quinn at the plate. Mark hits a shot to the SS, the throw to first is offline, and bounces into the stands. Beltran scores! Royals win 7-6!!!
April 26, 2000: The very next night, bottom 9, Mark Quinn at the plate in a 6-6 tie. He can’t do it again, can he? Quinn singles to right, Beltran scores from 3rd, Royals win 7-6!!!!
Man that was a fun couple of days. Stick with me on this.
June 4, 2000: Royals are in Pittsburgh. Top 11, game tied 5-5. Dave McCarty rips a double down the left field line! Here comes Randa, here comes Zaun. SAFE! Royals win 7-5!!!
August 29, 2000: Bases loaded for Mike Sweeney against the Twins. Mike hits a vintage Sweeney double to right; Hector Ortiz?, Wilson Delgado?, and Rey “Dirty” Sanchez score. Royals win 7-3!!!!
Last one, and then I’ll explain.
August 30, 2000: Bottom 3, Dave McCarty lines a single to center off of Johan Santana scoring Joe Randa. That makes it 8-0. The Twins come back with 7 over the next 5 innings, but the Royals win 8-7!!!
It’s just good to hear about Royals wins right? But I know you’re like, “Come on, Kellogg! You made me read this whole thing. What is the f-ing point???”
Here you go. If those things never happened, the Royals draft Joe Mauer #1 overall in 2001. And he just hit a three run homer off of Gil Meche.
How did Colt Griffin do today?