Posnanski: 3,361 Words About The Royals

It might just be his magnum opus on the subject of the Royals.  An absolute must-read, maybe my favorite Poz entry this season.  Here’s a little teaser, guaranteed at least to get the full attention of the Primer Mets contingent:

I did a little study to try and come up with the most underachieving terrible team in the last 20 or so years — and there’s absolutely no question that team is: The 1993 New York Mets. No other team is even close. That Mets team lost 103 games — and they probably should not have lost 90. That Mets team hit more triples and more homers than their opponents and — this is actually quite incredible — they drew more walks than their opponents. That might not sound incredible for a 100-loss team, but it really is.

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This will sound awkward but it seems to me that while there have been worse baseball teams over the last 25 years than the 1993 Mets, I’m not sure there has been a team worse at PLAYING BASEBALL than the 1993 Mets.

Which brings us to the 2009 Kansas City Royals. It would not be fair to say the Royals are underachieving the way those Mets did — this Royals team is bad by conventional measures too. They are on pace pace to draw 100-plus fewer walks, hit 40 or so fewer homers, crack 100 or so fewer hits.

But this Royals team reminds me of that 1993 Mets team in this way — they are not without talent. But they will do what’s necessary to lose games.

Click through also to read Poz’s discourse on the inconceivable awfulness of Barry Levinson’s Toys.