Originally Published: September 20, 2009
Kiss 'Em Goodbye: Kansas City Royals
This has become a punch line, but the right parts are being assembled (really!)
Insider's series on MLB teams that have fallen out of the playoff race continues with the Kansas City Royals, a team that has been absent from October baseball for the past three presidential administrations.
Baseball Prospectus' preseason PECOTA projection: 75-87, fourth place
Current record: 60-88, fifth place
The powder-blue unis didn't quite do the trick.
To read Buster Olney's take on what went wrong for the Royals and what's next, plus items from the rumor mill, number-crunching analysis from Baseball Prospectus, a draft recap and whom to watch in spring training, you must be an ESPN Insider.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Kiss 'Em Goodbye on ESPN Insider
Insider and Baseball Prospectus now ask: What went wrong for each MLB team, and what may the future hold? We'll be covering the playoff teams as they're eliminated, and finish off with what the World Series champs need to do to improve (hey, there's always something).
The Champions
The Playoff Teams (as eliminated)
- Detroit Tigers
- St. Louis Cardinals
- Boston Red Sox
- Minnesota Twins
- Colorado Rockies
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Anaheim Angels
- Philadelphia Phillies
Week of Sept. 14
- Sept. 14: Tampa Bay Rays
- Sept. 15: Chicago Cubs
- Sept. 16: New York Mets
- Sept. 17: Milwaukee Brewers
- Sept. 18: Baltimore Orioles
- Sept. 19: Washington Nationals
- Sept. 20: Kansas City Royals
Week of Sept. 21
- Sept. 21: Pittsburgh Pirates
- Sept. 22: Cleveland Indians
- Sept. 23: Houston Astros
- Sept. 24: Oakland A's
- Sept. 25: Seattle Mariners
- Sept. 26: Arizona Diamondbacks
- Sept. 27: San Diego Padres
Week of Sept. 28
- Sept. 28: Texas Rangers
- Sept. 29: Toronto Blue Jays
- Sept. 30: Chicago White Sox
- Oct. 1: Florida Marlins
- Oct. 2: San Francisco Giants
- Oct. 3: Cincinnati Reds
- Oct. 4: Atlanta Braves
- Rumors: Comeback kids and FA updates
- Olney: Red Sox have MLB's best rotation
- Law: Top organizations | Prospect rankings
- Arangure: Francisco Liriano's big winter
