Royals Yost Needs To Capitalize On Opportunities.

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What opinion will fans have of Ned Yost in 2016?

The Royals were just at .500 for the first time since July 23, 2014, when they moved to 50-50, before making a run to 74-61 by the end of August. Anyone worried yet?

Have no fear. The Royals 4-3 comeback victory last night over the Twins ensured that they wouldn’t fall below .500.

Either way, three games are hardly a large enough sample size to determine anything of substance, but the Royals made it through the celebratory phase of the season with no catastrophes. It’s time to play ball.

Even in regards to last night, winning makes people forget. Fans were ready to panic about Soria and the offense before the Royals rallied, won, and that was all forgotten.

Remember that 2014 season when many fans were calling for Ned Yost’s job? He’s largely considered the hero now, but some of us are still not willing to give him all the credit for a World Series win.

Next: Dayton Moore Built A Great Roster

Jun 4, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals general manager Dayton Moore watches batting practice before the game against the Cleveland Indians at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /

Kansas City’s success over the past two seasons can really be attributed to one thing: the team General Manager Dayton Moore put together. The way that team has played would make any manager look good, even Yost.

The all-time leader for wins in Kansas City was back at it on Opening Day, leading his Royals to a 4-3 win against the New York Mets. But Should it have even been that close?

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Let’s recap: Gold Glover Yeonis Cespedes dropped a routine fly ball off the bat of Mike Moustakas, who eventually scored the first run of the season on an RBI-single from Eric Hosmer. Kansas City added another run in the fourth and two more in the sixth to open up a 4-0 lead.

That’s when Yost made his move, pulling reliever Kelvin Herrera for Royals-returner Joakim Soria in the eighth. Soria was once great in Kansas City, and for all we know, he will win the Cy Young this year.

But he did not have it in Sunday’s opener. Yost let him keep throwing. A single, then a walk, then another walk, then a 2-run single, before another run, and another single.

Finally, Luke Hochevar was called in to put out the fire, but only after the Mets got the tying run in scoring position.

We are supposed to take comfort in the idea that a manager knows his players better than we fans ever could. From the couch, it sure looked like Soria needed to get pulled early.

His line of three hits and two walked batters in less than an inning backs that up.

Letting him stay in with that solid bullpen and two off days coming up? These are the types of decisions that made Yost a less-than-popular figure before all the winning made us forget.

Next: Yost Made Questionable Decisions On Tuesday

Fast-forward to Tuesday’s game against Noah Syndergaard and the Mets. Syndergaard threw a brilliant game, striking out nine and allowing just three hits in six innings of work.

He struck out five Royals the first time through the lineup and, at one point, retired 15 of 16 batters.

That’s what makes the first inning all the more important. Alcides Escobar did little with the first pitch but still tripled off Syndergaard to open the game. Even with a speedy runner on third and no outs, the Mets opted to shift against Moustakas. That left the door wide open for a bunt single to drive in the run.

Baseball insiders are funny about outs. In some camps, the out is a treasured commodity, not to be risked or sacrificed. But outs never win games. Imagine the opportunity to trade 27 runs for 27 outs. Who in their right mind would turn that down?

With the shift, a bunt-single and RBI was a legitimate possibility. Instead, with no call for a bunt from the dugout, Moustakas struck out. Then Lorenzo Cain went down on strikes. Then Hosmer struck out looking.

Escobar walked back to the dugout from third, inning over. The Royals, known for playing small ball, went for the big inning and whiffed.

Kansas City threatened a couple other times in the game, most notably in the sixth when the bases were loaded before Syndergaard picked up his final strikeout of the game, but it still comes down to that first inning: even with Syndergaard spitting fire on a windy day with shadows moving in around home plate, the Royals had a chance to strike first and gave it away.

It’s too early to worry about anything, even for Braves fans. The real season begins Friday as the Royals welcome in AL Central-foe Minnesota and begin a routine schedule without all the breaks and pregame ceremonies.

The AL Central figures to be a much more competitive division in 2016, with the Tigers adding premium free-agents Justin Upton and Jordan Zimmermann, the White Sox landing slugger Todd Frazier, Cleveland adding exciting young shortstop Francisco Lindor, and Minnesota’s young talent having another year to mature. The Royals will need better tactical decisions from Yost than in the past.

Next: Jarrod Dyson To Be Begin Rehab Assignment Soon

Just two games into the season, it’s impossible to paint the full picture of a 162-game season, but bad decision making could turn things from Royal Blue to a different shade of blue.

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What opinion will fans have of Ned Yost in 2016?

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