To be honest with you, I'm not all that surprised that the Royals are off to a 6-3 start on the season. They have a lot of young talent on the roster, and a pitching staff that's pretty underrated. If this team finishes at or just below .500, I wouldn't be surprised.What has surprised me, though, about Kansas City's start is the teams they're beating. So far the Royals have played six games against the Yankees and Tigers, the two highest payrolls in baseball, and they've compiled a 5-1 record against them. It's something owner David Glass has noticed as well, and he's pleased with what he's seeing.
"It really comes down to the fundamentals," Glass told me. "The Twins have proven over the years that (it's not about payroll). If you execute and play the fundamentals and don't beat yourselves, you can compete and you can win.What Glass says is true, but there's one important thing he left out. The biggest difference between the Royals now and the Royals of a few years ago is Dayton Moore. Moore came into the organization from Atlanta, and unlike previous general manager Allan Baird, Moore actually has an idea of what he's doing.
"What I have liked so far is that we're not beating ourselves. Last year and the year before, you could sense that there were games we lost just because we beat ourselves. I think we'll do a lot less of that this season."
When the Royals hired Moore back in May of 2006, I knew it was only a matter of time before the team started to matter again, though I didn't expect it this soon. In all reality, it's only been nine games, so I can't say for sure the Royals are going to keep winning all season. Still, with Moore in charge and no longer wasting what little money the Royals have on underachieving veterans instead of young talent and pitching, this team isn't going to be a doormat much longer.
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