Rany Jazayerli is perhaps the most popular among a strong group of bloggers who follow the Royals. If you’re reading this, you probably already know that. But it’s still a good place to start.
His blog is a must-read for serious Royals fans, especially the statistically inclined, and has been for years. He also changed his situation when he agreed to do a weekly radio show on 810 WHB.
That change, and an overly sensitive reaction by the Royals, has turned what should’ve been a private and professional exchange of phone calls into one of the week’s hottest topics among fans. Rany made some mistakes, but this is on the Royals – and specifically vice president of communications Mike Swanson.
And they can still make it right.
By now, you’ve probably read Rany's column calling for trainer Nick Swartz to be fired. Rany lays out a long history of problems the Royals have had treating injured players, but just focusing on this season, it’s hard for anybody to argue with his basic points about Joakim Soria, Coco Crisp, and Mike Aviles.
I asked Rany if he had any regrets about this whole thing, and he said that he shouldn’t have made Swartz the focus. Rany said he can’t know that Swartz is the problem, only that there is a problem that’s worth pointing out. I agree with him there*.
* Though it is worth pointing out that The Star ran a story three years ago that went into great detail in evaluating the Royals’ injuries and training staff. At that time, the team was looking at making changes so the story was particularly timely. The numbers showed that the Royals were remarkably average in recovering from injuries. They ranked 15th in most categories, rarely better than 14th, and rarely worse than 16th. You can argue that they need to be better than average, and that’s fine, but the numbers indicated that the medical staff was not a bunch of hacks.
Trainers on big league teams are but a small part of the machine deciding treatment for injured players. On the totum pole of power, they are below the team doctor, manager, coaches, front office, and, most importantly, the player.
Coco Crisp, for instance, was playing for an $8 million option for next year. You don’t think he might be motivated to lie about an injury?
The other favor that Rany could’ve done for himself is to make a phone call. I told him this, and he points out reality, that the Royals likely would’ve ignored him or offered a no comment, and that’s fine. He’s probably right. I’ve been in that situation before. But I’ve also been in that situation when the phone call produced information or evidence I wasn’t aware of before.
It can’t hurt, but more than anything, that phone call is essential when you’re calling for someone’s job and doing it based on less than all the information.
Again, Rany can write whatever he wants on his blog. But he changed his situation when he took on the radio show, and if he wants to be taken seriously and especially if he wants the Royals to help him with his show, he needs to at least make a phone call when calling for someone's job.
There are spats like this that happen all the time between reporters and the people we cover. Most times, it dies out after a couple days, when cooler heads prevail. There’s reason to believe that’s what would’ve happened here, too, had either side handled it differently.
Rany didn’t want this situation, anymore than the Royals did. I’ve talked to Rany about this, and he is genuinely bothered by where this has all gone. There are some within the Royals who think Rany is an attention-seeking reactionary, sort of like our own little Jay Mariotti, but that’s not the case.
He is a smart and passionate Royals fan, with a well-earned following on his blog, who just made a few mistakes that cloud what is otherwise an impactful and interesting take on a major issue.
Moving on to the Royals, they could’ve made this a non-issue by ignoring it. Rany’s influence is significant among a loud and informed set of Royals fans, but he’s still just one guy with a keyboard (or microphone). The Royals should’ve let this one pass, or called/e-mailed him with what they see as the column’s mistakes.
It’s interesting that, at least as of yesterday, Rany still hadn’t talked to Swanson or anybody else from the Royals about this.
Swanson is a well-intentioned and highly respected guy who’s been in this business more than 30 years. He’s also admittedly emotional, and felt like he was defending a voiceless team employee from an unfair attack. He reacted.
You can understand why, but by reacting __ including a verbal dressing down of Rany’s producer well within ear shot of other Kansas City media __ he legitimized Rany’s argument beyond those who would’ve otherwise heard of it.
I asked Swanson if he had any regrets, and he said that while he’s happy to stand up for Swartz, he realizes the reaction is making Rany a martyr of sorts.
This will all blow over soon enough. Legitimate hopes of contending have been buried under what could turn into a 95-loss season, so there will be plenty to talk about.
The bigger problem on the Royals’ side is that it fits into a trend of sensitivity that’s unbecoming for a big league franchise and dates back before Swanson’s arrival.
Three years ago, they pulled team-issued credentials for two radio reporters (it was Swanson’s decision to “reinstate” them when he joined the Royals).
Team broadcasters are sometimes told to tone down their criticism. Manager Trey Hillman occasionally snaps at even routine questions, and has admitted to getting into exchanges with fans during games about the availability of relief pitchers.
Earlier in the week, there was too much grumbling about a column by a Minnesota writer that was critical of the Twins for losing to a “an older version of the Lansing Lugnuts.”
You know how the Twins reacted to that column? Manager Ron Gardenhire made a purposed joke to the writer about pissing off both the Twins and Royals and making his life more difficult.
That’s what the Royals should do in these situations. It’s what big-time sports franchises should do.
Sure, they get criticized. They’re also a big league team that’s opening $250 million of stadium renovations funded almost entirely by tax payers with one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory.
When they started off 18-11, media and fans tripped over each other to talk about everything going right. Now that it’s gone irreversibly bad, criticism should be expected and it should be accepted. This is the big leagues.
It’s not too late. Rany’s planned get-together is still two weeks away. It’d be a nice gesture for someone in the Royals’ front office to take a few minutes and answer questions from Rany’s group.
It wouldn’t mean they’d be unsupportive of Swartz. It would just mean they could take a punch.
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