ROYALS LOGO RAN WORLD GS HOW TO
ROYALS LOGO RAN WORLD GS SERIES

They were so close to more - 90 feet from pushing this game to the 10th and ridding themselves of series' nemesis Madison Bumgarner, even - but when the emotion of the moment passes and time for reflection occurs, this season will prove to be special. It's understandable if a pennant isn't enough for many Royals fans at the moment. The Royals got here because of Shields, but that doesn't mean they're doomed without him. It took general manager Dayton Moore another season to get the final pieces in place to help justify that notion, but he did, and it brought Kansas City its first pennant in 29 years. Even though the James Shields' trade that also brought Wade Davis aboard was viewed by many with derision and sarcasm, it was a quality move that showed the Royals were finally ready to end what had seemed like a never-ending rebuilding period. Their prospects rarely panned out, their acquisitions - as far and far between as they were - were often just more expensive disappointments than the in-house ones. The Royals were viewed as little more than a joke to most of the baseball world prior to 2014. The end result was defeat, but there was much more to that idea than in the 28 seasons that came before. Finishing second is often viewed as a consolation prize in sports, the first among losers and all that, but Royals fans know that nothing is guaranteed and you don't know when you'll be able to even see your team in this situation again.

ROYALS LOGO RAN WORLD GS SERIES

The last time they were in the playoffs, a team only needed eight victories to win a World Series - the Royals picked up 11, and played well enough to even get that chance to begin with. Things didn't work out as the majority hoped, with San Francisco eventually taking home the Commissioner's Trophy once again, but the Royals have nothing to be ashamed of. Maybe the Royals weren't 'America's team' like much of the media kept stating during this World Series, but they were the underdog, and that's usually enough to get this sport's neutral fans behind you.

ROYALS LOGO RAN WORLD GS HOW TO

A fan base dying for a reason to cheer rather than brood was suddenly bombarded with good news they scarcely remembered how to handle, and their joy was contagious: it spread to many others who hoped to see them slay the giant and keep them from their third World Series championship in five years. Kansas City snapped the longest active playoff drought in baseball by winning a wild card, and then rattled off eight consecutive victories to earn their World Series berth. They didn't have to win the World Series for that to be the case - in reality, they didn't even need to make the World Series for this to be truth.

The Royals' 2014 season was a tremendous success.

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