The greatest plays and moments in Royals history - Part III
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One thing I like about historical lists is the discussion it brings. It’s hard to get millions of fans to agree about what the top five or even the top ten might be. For younger fans, there might be some recency bias and that’s understandable. If you weren’t alive to witness the individual greatness of a Bo Jackson, a Steve Busby or George Brett, it’s hard to fathom just how spectacular they were. If you’re not of a certain age, you have no idea how heated the rivalry was with the Oakland A’s or the New York Yankees. But the great thing about sports, and baseball, is that it continues to create memorable moments for all of us.
February 21, 2021
As a rule, teams tend to be less aggressive, and take fewer chances, when behind in games. The logic is sound, but at the same time, is it really necessary? Is there not often something to gain by pushing the envelope and putting pressure on the opposing side, regardless of the score? I asked that question to Derek Shelton earlier this week.
“I think it’s game-situational,” the Pirates manager replied. “The question I would [throw] back to you this is rhetorical, of course is ‘What’s the variation in terms of number of runs when you start to take chances, or don’t take chances?’ If it’s three or less, you probably have a greater chance of being aggressive. If you get to the point where you’re at four-plus, you have to be very careful… because the risk-reward may not play out.”