There’s been a buzz coming out of Kansas during the last few days, and it hasn’t been for the Final Four participant Kansas Jayhawks. Well, at least not entirely. The Kansas City Royals, for years the American League’s resident doormat personal piñata, swept the Detroit Tigers, a club that many predicted, including this here blog, to not only win the AL Central, but likely the pennant as well. With arguably one of the best top-to-bottom lineups in the majors, including a very solid rotation, the Tigers came into the season looking as good as any team to beat come October. So imagine the shock when the Royals, who have amassed a paltry one winning season in the last baker’s dozen, pummeled their division rivals in the season-opening series sweep.
The Tigers, for their part, were dealing with the absence of some major pieces to the championship puzzle. Without Curtis Granderson for at least the first 2 weeks, along with Miguel Cabrera and Gary Sheffield sustaining early injuries, thing were already looking bleak for Old Man Leyland’s squad. But with a $138 million dollar roster, depth at nearly every position, and veteran leadership stemming from a World Series appearance just 2 years, one would expect the Tigers to show a little more roar than the opening meow they mustered. After losing the opening day contest 5-4, the Tigers powerful offense scored but a single run during the next 2 days, hitting .206 while collecting 24 K’s during the set. The Royals, meanwhile looked like the offensive juggernaut, as Mark Grudzielanek went 6-12 for the series and third baseman Alex Gordon sent two homeruns over the Comerica Park fences.While we’re merely 1/54th of the season through, meaning there’s a ton of ball still to come, the Tigers will undoubtedly steer the ship within the next few weeks. However, hese early victories have to be huge for the rebuilding Royals, coming into Detroit and stealing the early sweep. More Smallville than Metropolis, the small market Royals have been written off in their division by nearly every media outlet, as the spotlight has been placed on the Tigers’ winter acquisitions and the Cleveland Indians looking to build on last year’s success. But as the current Central Division leaders, having just blindsided one of baseball’s best teams, and remaining the only unbeaten squad in all of baseball, the young Royals can truly feel like kings, if only for a few days.
