Better than a Devil Rays Win?

I'll put my money on the Yankees blasting the Royals for the next two nights. But for tonight, I am very happy.

Loved hearing those boos tonight, and the cheers after the game. I think it's time we mention KC fans in the same breath as Boston fans, St. Louis fans, and the other great baseball fans in this country. Was it great hearing those guys give it to Derek Jeter! KC was once a great franchise, led by the likes of Brett, White, Saberhagen, and Quisenberry. Great, that is, until the Yankees and the age of the $200 million payroll came along. Now, the Royals can't compete, and the fans are pissed. And rightfully so. The Yankees have ruined their team.

And John Sterling kept referring to his boss's team as the "hated Yankees." Made it sound like his team was like a nerdy kid victimized by some bullies- "look, everyone hates us!" I thought I was gonna hear the guy cry on the air. Dude, this team deserves to be hated. They've ruined teams like the Royals. Heck, when the Royals try to make a splash and sign a Mike Sweeney long-term, if that doesn't pan out, the team is strapped. They can't just go out and sign someone else. But when the Yanks keep screwing up by getting guys like Giambi, Contreras, Brown, and the scores of mistakes they've made the past few years, then, no problem! Just get A-Rod and Randy Johnson. Explain to me how that's fair. And to expect every team to be able to roll out major-league ready prospects every time they lose a free-agent is ridiculous.

And the Yanks are in a league of their own here. If they spent only as much as teams like Boston, both LA clubs, the Schmets, and the rest of the big-market teams, they wouldn't have received as frosty a reception as they did. But fans know the difference, the $80 million-plus (approximately twice the Royals' payroll) that separates the Yanks from the rest of the league. The Yanks are therefore justifiably hated. I've never been to a KC-Angels game, but I doubt that the big-market Halos of Vlad, Finley, and Colon get booed nearly as much as the Junkees.

Of course, we know what will happen in the end. The Yanks will probably win 90 this year, and KC will lose 90, maybe 100. But for one night, KC is on top. In their moment in the sun, I applaud them.