Breaking 100: What Youth Movement?

Royals fans are getting impatient. And who can blame them? For more than 5 years, the Royals have been executing on a “youth movement,” in efforts to create a competitive baseball team by drafting and otherwise acquiring young talent. In some cases, the youth movement involved rushing players to the majors well before they were ready.

The result of this plan has been several 100-loss seasons, broken up by one winning season – the fluke of 2003. The Royals felt that in 2004, they could compete by simply plugging a few holes. They signed a couple of aging free agents who broke down and the team spiraled to a dismal 58-104 record. In 2005, the team recommitted itself to the youth movement and played many young players. Fans were told to expect many losses while the team evaluated their talent. The Royals finished 57-105.

Royals GM Allard Baird said after the 2005 season that “Phase I” of the plan had been completed. He said that in “Phase I,” the Royals were evaluating their youngsters to determine which ones to build their team around. “Phase II,” we were told, was to plug some holes with veterans in an effort to start winning games some games (which, sounds eerily familiar to the 2004 strategy).

Just like 2004, the Royals have gotten off to a dismal start in 2006. The current team features a mix of young players along with some veterans, and very few wins. The Royals continue to be the laughing stock of MLB. The local sports radio station is dedicating their entire day of programming to “Royals Venting,” and there is no shortage of callers.

Kansas City has always been a great baseball city. The citizens of Jackson County just passed a sales tax to pay for extensive stadium improvements for both the Chiefs and the Royals. The fans still care and are still passionate. They want to cheer a winner.

Baird’s contract expires this season, and he has not yet been offered an extension. Given the pattern that is playing itself out, it’s hard to believe that Baird would survive this. Could a new General Manager make a difference? Is the organization is such poor shape that not even the best of GM could fix it? The young talent that the organization has acquired has been mostly disappointing. How many years would it take to turn it around?

And will Royals fans still care?

Let’s go get ‘em.