Win - Lose - Rain: Vinnie, Libraries, Veggies
A look at some good, bad, and other things from the past week.
When the Royals fell behind 7-0 in the second inning on Saturday night, I must admit that I turned the game off. As my wife and I watched something else, I kept checking my phone for score updates, and as the game got closer, I eventually had to turn it back to the game. Obviously, the Royals were unable to complete the comeback, but even through the television the electricity in Kauffman Stadium was palpable.
Watching highlights of Salvy’s three-run homer in the sixth, you could feel the excitement of fans, and the team seemed to feed off of that. Even with fewer than 25,000 fans in attendance, it sounded louder than most games in the last decade.
Royals fans are already getting behind this team, and while they just experienced their first three-game losing streak, the energy with which the team plays is contagious, and even in a losing series there were some good things to see.
Speaking of good things to see, let’s get to this week’s Win-Lose-Rain.
WIN
Vinnie: Vidi Vici
Entering play on April 10, Vinnie Pasquantino had a batting line of .108/.214/.108. His wRC+ was precisely 0, only higher than four other hitters in the rest of MLB.
From April 10-21, Pasquantino hit .441/.535/.941. His wRC+ of 301 is the very best in all of MLB. He entered Monday’s game on a 10-game hitting streak (which he extended, of course), with extra-base hits in seven of those 10. He’s struck out just twice; his 4.7 percent strikeout rate second-lowest in the timespan, while also boasting the second-highest isolated slugging percentage.
Put simply, the Pasquatch has been nothing short of an absolute monster.
Along with Salvador Perez, Vinnie is doing his part to keep the Royals offense above water, though they could certainly use some help in this upcoming stretch of strong opponents.
Libraries
Over the last several months, our family has made a habit of taking a weekly trip to our nearest library, which happens to be just a few short blocks from home, and I must say: libraries rock.
Tons of books on tons of topics from tons of authors with tons of backgrounds means our entire family never lacks for opportunities to read and learn and grow, and our library has a fun play area that our youngest enjoys, along with some coloring sheets and occasional scavenger hunts to entertain our oldest.
Beyond that, though, libraries offer an internet connection and computer use to people who may not have it elsewhere, storytimes for kids and parents, resources, smiling faces, and a generally comfortable place for literally anyone. It’s a reminder that public services exist for the public and don’t need to turn a profit in order to have incredible value to society. Support libraries.
Tortured Poets
Like every other person on the planet, I listened to Taylor Swift’s newest album last Friday - along with the surprise second album - and really enjoyed it. Okay not everyone loved the music, and both fans and detractors are apparently physically incapable of being normal when it comes to Swift, but still, I liked it. And as the protagonist of life, that matters most.
Not every one of the 31(!) songs was a banger, but Fortnight, The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived, Florida!!!, and Clara Bow were some of my favorites. My oldest is a burgeoning Swiftie, so I look forward to listening to a few of those with her and explaining why The Alchemy is both very cheesy and extremely adorable.
LOSE
Royals not named Vinnie or Salvador
In the two series played last week, 10 Royals collected more than eight plate appearances. After Pasquantino and Perez (wRC+ of 275 and 228, respectively) the best hitter was probably Nelson Velazquez, whose wRC+ was a whopping 58. Maikel Garcia and MJ Melendez might perhaps, maybe, possibly be emerging from their deep slumps, but even Bobby Witt, Jr. is in a rough stretch.
With the Blue Jays and Tigers on the slate this week, the offense needs to get back on track soon, or this mini-slump could start to make guys start to press. I’m not overly worried yet because these are players who have largely been good for months, not just two weeks, but it’s certainly something to watch.
30 degrees in April
I mentioned last week that Spring is the best season, and I stand by that. However, we had temperatures below freezing this weekend, and Rainbow Flower’s soccer game was played in 35-degree weather on Saturday.
These are minor complaints in the grand scheme of things, but having to unhook and reconnect the hose several times in a week, while also needing to go from air conditioning to furnace and back, is dumb, and I don’t like it.
RAIN
Bad baseball
There are some truly terrible teams in Major League Baseball this season. The Marlins, Athletics, and Rockies have all looked like some of the worst teams to grace a diamond in recent years. And yet, they can barely hold a candle to the Chicago White Sox.
Play that former Royals teams could be proud of. Which is good, because the White Sox organization is mostly composed of former Royals.
They enter play Monday 3-18, with seven shutout losses. Those seven all occurred in their first 19 games, something that hasn’t been done since at least 1901. Many “on pace for” stats are silly to mention, and yet: if the White Sox maintain their current pace, they’ll end the season with 54 shutout losses. Needless to say, it would smash the current record of 33.
While it’s funny to watch clips like the above and I do enjoy poking fun at the Royals’ rivals, I can’t help but recognize how avoidable all this bad baseball is. Teams intentionally going cheap on talent to maximize profits while simultaneously parroting talking points about efficiency and contention windows that may never materialize is unquestionably awful for the sport of baseball. Fans of these franchises did nothing to earn scorn, but that’s exactly what the organizations appear to have for them, refusing to offer an entertaining product. It sucks, and I hate that people in places like Oakland and Chicago are treated like this by greedy ownership groups.
Healthy snacks
Look, I know the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables, and I fully understand why I should instill good eating habits in my children, but every time I start to prepare veggies for mid-week snacking, I feel like Kramer.
Why does 10 minutes of peeling, washing, and cutting feel like such a Sisyphean task? And why do I do this all for the pleasure of eating carrot sticks and cucumber slices in the name of having a more well-rounded diet? Sure, I’m likely improving my health, but at what cost?
AT WHAT COST, HUH?!?
That’s all for this week’s WLR. If you have things to add, don’t forget to comment below. Thanks for reading!
Baby carrots and sugar snap peas for me. Right out of the bag. No peeling, no washing. Also, public services are great! So nice to have spaces where kids can be both entertained and educated without having to cough up more money for it. Sad that it feels like such a novelty in our modern culture.
Baby carrots and sugar snap peas for me. Right out of the bag. No peeling, no washing. Also, public services are great! So nice to have spaces where kids can be both entertained and educated without having to cough up more money for it. Sad that it feels like such a novelty in our modern culture.