Rex and Ryan Discuss Small Crowds

At the end of the bottom of the 6th inning last night, the Royal announcers had the following conversation on playing in front of small crowds. Just some classic announcer speak between Rex Hudler and Ryan Lefebvre. I really wanted to go Fire Joe Morgan on it, but why mess with perfection. Even though, it should remain in its true form as much as possible, I did removed the few game related quotes. Poetry, pure poetry.

I brought this up during the pitching change, these games, even though they are big leaguers and professionals and supposed to give it their all every single game, these last five games are tough to get amped up for. Very small crowds in Oakland. Very small crowds here.

That doesn't mean the Royals aren't prepared. But it is much easier to work off the energy of the crowd when you're at home. The Royals have not had huge crowds at home, but they have been energetic crowds and when they were in Anaheim, those were decent crowds there. Lots of energy, going up against Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols and Mike Trout and guys like that. And I have seen over the years some young teams play better in the bigger venues against the higher profile teams then they do in these venues will small crowds against the lower profile teams.

I agree with that, but your a professional, a big leaguer, and you have to play to a certain caliber every night. If you are going to be championship caliber you have got to be able to block out any of the surroundings, Big crowds - small crowds, and know this is for keeps. And every single game, you have to play to a certain level. You can't let all the quote-unquote noise around the game, around the ball park, noise meaning the internet, all of the social media, that's all noise, you have to block all that out, you got to play your game at a high level with intensity. And they have energy, but they have been flat for whatever reason, crowd or whatever. That is how major league baseball goes, but these guys are better than they are playing.

I understand what you are saying. All that sounds good, and it is the way you need to play it, if you are going to be a first division club. But if you go to a speaking engagement and only four people are there, nothing against the four people, but are you going to have the same emotion for them then you are if you go some place where there are 400 people.

Absolutely. I am going to give all I got.

OK, well.

That is what you train yourself to do.

I understand, but I mean for most people, that is what I am saying, that is what a young team has to learn. Hey you go to Yankee Stadium, you go to Fenway Park, you go to Turner Field in Atlanta, Comerica Park in Detroit, the Royals played great on that road trip against three first place teams, against large crowds every night. Harder in venues like this. Not an excuse. If you want to be a first division club. I am just trying to connect some dots.

But there are some things in baseball Ryan that you can't explain. We all try. There is a lot of information out there. Folks want to know why. But there are somethings in baseball you just can't explain.

You have a young team like the Astros and the Royals. You have to spent a lot of time teaching. Talking about situations. Talking about certain things that come up during the game, but the one ... two things you can control is your output and your attitude. You control those two things and you are going to be all right.