THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014
+
KANSAS CITY
PAGE 15
Royals show high level of postseason promise
Halfway through the season, the Kansas City Royals sit right where they were in early April.
The consensus goal for the Royals' front office and fans was to make the playoffs, and in the span of two weeks, their spot in the playoff race has gone from hopeful to legitimate. The talent is there. The roster is more than capable to make a playoff run, but will they?
Going into the year it may not have been what the fans had hoped, but let's be real—expectations are higher than they've been since 2003 when Kansas City finished a disappointing 83-79 and missed the playoffs.
At the moment, all signs point to the promised land. The defense has been dominant. The bullpen hasn't looked any different in these past two weeks than it has in the first two months. It has been terrific. If anything, it's improved since April.
James Shields and Yordano Ventura have shown why the media call them "aces." Ventura is leading the club with a 3.20 ERA, and Shields is at the top in wins and strikeouts with seven and 78, respectively.
In addition, Greg Holland has been nothing short of a shoo-in all star and perhaps the best closer in the league. He leads the MLB in saves with 19.
Don't forget about Jason Vargas, who has unexpectedly risen to a
record of 6-2 and a 3.30 ERA. For those who aren't familiar with baseball statistics, that's very good.
Dale Sveum was moved from third base coach to hitting coach on May 29, right around when the Royals began their run. Third baseman Mike Moustakas has been the one to benefit the most from that change.
Since his return on June 1, Moustakas' batting average is up to .238 for the month, which is a huge improvement from earlier in the season when he was sent down to Triple-A Omaha after batting.158 in the month of May. Moustakas' progression may be due to Sweum's coaching, or it may just be a coincidence. But I don't think it even matters. The bats are finally busy, the lineup finally hitting consistently. That's all that matters.
And if it couldn't look any more favorable for the Royals, they now sit a game behind division-leading Detroit. The Tigers began the season quite impressively, with a record of 27-13 through their first 40 games. Since then, they've gone 8-17 in the last 25 games and cling to the AL Central lead at 36-29.
Kansas City has been waiting for a team like this for 29 years.It's been a drought—it is a drought until the team can return to the breathing the sweet relief of October air. The playoffs are no longer just within reach, they are there for the taking; and this is the squad that can make a return to baseball's biggest stage.
Edited by Kaitlyn Klein
Loss of section U removes opportunities
BEN FELDERSTEIN
sports@kansan.com
It is often discussed amongst Kansas students that the best seats in the student section for basketball games are in the pit, "non-band-side." But some students know about a hidden gem—section U.
Section U is located directly behind the Jayhawks' bench, so close to the action that you can hear Bill Self's huddles during timeouts and see his face turn that shade of red we're all accustomed to seeing. However, section U seating will now be used for University boosters.
These seats are arguably some of the best in all of Allen Fieldhouse, and they're being taken away from the
students who get up at dawn to attend lottery and then spend an entire week camping to race in and get the best seats possible.
The allocation of the seats to boosters is a direct response to decreasing the women's and non-revenue student fee from $25 to $7, which will cost Athletics only $350,000 in yearly revenue. The athletic department is searching to raise revenue and Associate Athletic Director Jim Marchiony says that's exactly what the allocation of section U to boosters will do.
What Marchiony doesn't realize is that he and the rest of the athletic department are taking away some students' best opportunity at getting close to student athletes. While the pit is close, there's nothing like sitting
right behind Self and the rest of the Jayhawk bench.
My camping group sat in the front row of section U during the Towson game last season. At the end of the game, Joel Embiid turned around and tossed me a piece of gum. The next week, I thanked Embiid for the piece of gum in the Underground,' and he smiled and laughed.
These are moments that I'll never forget as a Kansas basketball fan. And now, students will never be able to have experiences like the one Embiid and I shared.
The way the section U seats will be handed out to donors is a controversy in its own. A donor who has never given to Kansas Athletics before can put themselves in a good position to
get favorable seats in section U.
Other donor seating is based on how long a person has been donating to the University's athletics. Donors accumulate points, and whoever has the most points gets the first choice of seating the summer before the season begins. Now, a new donor can swoop in, donate a large sum of money and get some of the best seats in the Fieldhouse.
Marchiony claims that the removal of section U will not affect students' ability to get into games, but has not yet revealed how the student seating is going to make up for the loss of section U. The student body is eagerly awaiting an answer.
Edited by Emma LeGault
CHECK OUT SAM DAVIS' FOOTBALL COLUMN ONLINE AT KANSAN.COM
OPEN FOR ALL
WORLD CUP MATCHES
944 Massachusetts Street
785. 832.8228
KU-Hillcrest Area Home-Seeker Alert: Affordable "Lawrence Modern" cypress-clad, garden-encircled
home;
Ideal for teachers, commuters, retirees, small families, couples and singles; Hillcrest West, Free State High Schools, near the turnip &
services;
Unique Frank Lloyd-Wright-influenced wing designed by noted KS-CA architect Robert Hess; ecofriendly, low maintenance gardens previously featured in the JW; 2 bedrooms plus expansive, glass
studios/guest room at 1017 Highland on the Oregon Trail just west of KU or call Lyn 785-760-1077