Welcome to Breaking 100!

Can they do it?

Welcome to a new kind of Royals blog. Here at Breaking 100, we will track the Kansas City Royals throughout the 2006 season as they attempt to avoid 100 losses.

The Royals have lost at least 100 games in 3 of the last 4 seasons. In 2002, Royals fans thought they had reached rock bottom when the Royals lost 100 games for the first time in franchise history. They finished the season 62-100.

2002 was also a notable season as General Manager Allard Baird finally saw the light and fired manager Tony Muser. In a somewhat controversial decision, Baird then hired Tony Pena even though Buck Showalter was publicly lobbying for the job.

A glimmer of hope…

2003 brought some excitement to Kansas City for the first time in years. The Royals got off to a 9-0 start and finished April at 17-7. They were able to remain in contention throughout the summer, but faded in late August and finished in third place in the American League Central.

This above-.500 season locked in Mike Sweeney’s contract, assuring he’d be in a Royals uniform through 2007. In the off-season, the Royals were of the belief that adding just a few free agents to the successful 2003 team would propel them into contention. They signed aging free agents Juan Gonzalez and Benito Santiago.

But alas aging, injuries, indifference and the realization that the 2003 team wasn’t that good caught up with the Royals. They went on to lose 104 games, breaking their previous worst-ever mark.

More misery

The Royals got off to a terrible start in 2005. It certainly wasn’t surprising given the Royals’ off-season strategy. They decided to go young. The 2005 Royals featured many very young players who in all actuality should never have been at the major league level. Baird insisted that this was part of his plan. The goal was to determine which of these young players the team should build around. They were expecting to lose in 2005, and boy did they ever.

The misery was so bad that ever-enthusiastic Tony Pena couldn’t take any more. He walked out on the team in May, and Buddy Bell was soon hired to take over. Bell led the team to another record-breaking season as the Royals lost 105 games; their worst season ever.

The turnaround?

With 2005 behind them, Allard Baird and the Royals now say they understand the abilities of their young players and are ready to build a contender around them. They filled out their roster with some grizzled veterans to shore up the obvious weak spots.

Reggie Sanders will play right field and provide a little more pop to an anemic lineup.

Mark Grudzielanek will play second base and improve a terrible defense.

Doug Mientkiewicz will pay first base to allow oft-injured Mike Sweeney the opportunity to DH and concentrate on driving the ball.

Mark Redmond, Scott Elarton, and Joe Mays will eat innings and provide a veteran presence in an otherwise very young rotation.

Will it work? Opening day is only five days away and we will see.

Rest assured that we here at Breaking 100 will keep you up to date on all of the news and developments as the Royals make their push to break 100 losses.

Let’s go get ‘em.