It’s time to take stock here.
I’ve been getting some mildly unsettling feedback from family members and a friend. Patty and Brooks say I’m a “glass-half-empty” sort, and a good friend of ours — who had been a loyal reader even though she has lived in LA for years — told me recently she had unsubscribed from the blog because I was “too negative.”
In addition, I can’t tell you how many times, when I was at The Star, people would crinkle up their faces and say, “Why don’t you print some good news once in a while?”
That, of course, drives us journalists absolutely crazy. We (and I’m lumping my blog in with The Star and other papers) write positive stuff all the time. Most of my recent posts would fall into the “positive” category, but the negative stuff makes a stronger impression and stays with people a lot longer than the “good news.”
For example, the cases of young women who were kidnapped, raped and murdered — think Ann Harrison, Pamela Butler, Ali Kemp and Kelsey Smith, among others — stay with us a lot longer than the name of Officer Mark Engravalle, the Roeland Park policeman who paid for the diapers and baby wipes of a down-and-0ut mother of six who was arrested July 6 for shoplifiting at a Wal-Mart.
Hey, that’s just the way it is! Bad news often shakes people to the core; it upsets their sense of security, and it reminds us — again and again — that we are a broken people.
Do we want to be reminded of that over and over? Hell no! But that’s the way of the world. So people should quit deluding themselves and stop asking why newspapers and TV stations don’t do more Good Samaritan stories or more stories about fuzzy animals at the zoo. As it is, there are plenty of those stories. Just read your KC Star or go to their website. But you don’t have to; you already know I’m right.
So, does it sound like I’m about to capitulate and stop writing “negative” stories? Like crossing my fingers and saying I really expect the downtown streetcar line to be operating by the time the Big 12 Conference basketball tournament starts next March? You already know the answer to that question, too…No, I’m doubling down on negative…I see a “yes” in the pot and raise it two “no’s.”
Now, with that off my chest, and with you braced for the worst, let me give it to you…
The Royals — the team that leads their division by about a dozen games and causes grown men to get glassy eyed — probably aren’t going to win the American League Championship, much less go to the World Series.
First of all, last year was magical. It was lightning striking out of a blue clear sky (thank you, George Strait). Regardless of how good the team appears to be this year, you just can’t expect a repeat. Dominoes only fall into place once in a while, you know.
Second, I can point to several specific and troubling aspects of this team.
— Johnny Cueto doesn’t appear to be superman after all. He puts his jersey on one sleeve at a time and can’t even get the top button attached. He’s just a “loaner” — a guy who’s passing through and waiting for a big payday on the open market next year. He’s not committed to the Royals at all. He’s already looking down the road. Now, you won’t read this in The Star (because the hometown paper doesn’t want to ruin the working script) but he told a Boston radio station on Thursday, “I would like to come here (Boston) because it’s a championship-caliber team.” How do you like that? Huh? Does that sound like a guy whose mind is on winning a championship with his pass-through team. Also, I don’t think for a minute Cueto is a team player. On Tuesday, May 19, after pitching for his previous team, the Cincinnati Reds, in a 3-0 loss to the Royals at Kauffman Stadium, he told a reporter: “I did what I actually was supposed to do. You know what? I did my job,” Gee, Johnny, I wonder how much your teammates appreciated that comment? Or how much they liked you in any sense?
— Alex Rios is a pretty boy who can’t hit and doesn’t go all out in the field.
— Lorenzo Cain looks like he’s on a sea cruise these days, waving at balls he used to catch and grinning and loping when he finally runs down the ball and throws it back toward the infield.
— Pitcher Yordano Ventura, the hero of Word Series Game 6 last year, is a kid who can’t control his emotions and probably won’t make it with the Royals. Right, I think the Royals will give up on him next year or the year after. It might well take a dumping for him to grow up and become a real pitcher. Or maybe he won’t make it at all. Baseball history is littered with young guys with live arms who could never figure out big-league hitters.
There you have it. Once again, I hate to be the turd in the punch bowl, but somebody’s gotta do it, and you can always count on me to tell you when the glass is half empty and when the punch is putrid.
Have a great weekend…
JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC 
Consistency is your best trait
Jim:
This is so discouraging about the Royals at the beginning of a week of fantastic weather and hopefully good baseball with the Royals regaining their winnings, like they did last night.
Hope they can turn things around for us and for you.
Cheers,
Laura
Talk about a backhanded salutation (“Have a great weekend”) after that beat-down. Thanks a lot … now I’m thoroughly depressed.
When one tells the truth, it is often depressing. But if one joins in blowing up the bubble, when it breaks it is disappointing and heartbreaking.
Professional sports is about money not solidarity with a city/community as evidenced by the St. Louis owners who want to move the stadium to another city. (A working stiff has to take out a second mortgage on him home to buy his kid a good Royals’ cap; a really big one if he has 3 kids. Professional sports is great for the life and prosperity of the community but not if it is the only thing we have to hold onto. Take Jimmy’s advice to heart and this summer you will really enjoy Royals’ baseball and not be broken-hearted or angry at the end of the season. JW
Johnny Cueto isn’t superman, but he’s still a very good pitcher despite a shaky outing the other night in Boston. He’s professional enough to know who signs his checks. He’ll be there. James Shields was a “pass through” guy and everyone knew it, and the Royals became a better team because of his influence. Did you watch the game last night? Ventura looked poised and relaxed, plus he’s had three strong outings in a row. Cueto is a good teacher for Yordano. Let’s see, Rios was three for four last night and even Infante woke up; I’d much rather see Infante on second base defensively, even if he struggles at the plate. And just because Cain isn’t making one spectacular play after another is no reason to bag on him. On the Royals, you’re starting to sound like that other KC blogger, who I quit reading a year ago, because of his incessant negativity.
At least you get thoughtful negativity here, Leigh, not the knee-jerk variety…
Well, maybe I exaggerated the extent of your negativity for the sake of ratings! Play ball! ;-D
The numbers really don’t change depending on whether a post is “positive” or “negative.” It’s the subject matter and intensity of interest among the readers. The biggest response, by far, was to the proposed Catholic priest shuffle after Finn’s ouster…Love those Catholic readers.
Well, I for one say don’t change a thing. It would be interesting if your two toughest critics (I wonder where I rank?) used your comments section.
Your blog is just fine the way it is. You give us a good assortment of the good, bad, and the ugly. Your comments section is the best part of it. You are the stepping stone for us to engage in discussions with people we wouldn’t normally speak with, especially concerning sensitive subjects. The fact that I generally disagree with you about 2/3’s of the time and you still greet me with a smile tells me you are of good character. There is nothing wrong with being a little pessimistic at times (I stand accused), and most of the time, it’s pretty gratifying when you expect less and get more. Even if it means eating a little crow on your sports predictions, which leads me to…
Even if the Royals don’t make it to the big show this year, how could anyone be disappointed? This has been one of the best regular seasons in franchise history and we still have over a month to go! Just today I’m watching them down 2 runs in the top of the ninth and not turning it off because I still believe we have a chance. They did not disappoint!
The only player critique I disagree with is Cain. He’s still the best CF in baseball. He made a few goofs last year too, just not as many folks watching last year to notice (until the end of the season).
They say lightning never strikes in the same place twice, but that has been proven wrong. Go Royals!
That was a hell of a game! Cain made the last out with a nice running catch. I hope he’s back on beam.
You can’t let it irk you when people disagree with you on the blog. If all was harmonious, it would be pretty dull…The stats show that most visitors to this blog come back at least once a day after the initial view. That indicates, like you said, that people want to keep up with the comments thread…I say Go Royals!, too, just afraid we have too many weak links and that it’s going to be some other American League teams — like the Blue Jays, the Astros or the Yankees — that are going to catch lightning this year and take the pennant.
I hope you made it to the air show…
“If you scream all the time, people will stop listening.” – JWS
He was right, of course…the late James W. Scott, former editorial page editor of The Kansas City Star. Thanks for the reminder Kop E. Boi. (And don’t dally when running that copy from the reporters’ typewriters to the Metro desk.)
Most important tasks were to hit up the composing room /mail room for early proofs/editions and get those on the radio wire, courtesy of KC Star’s flat footed reporters….
I agree w/ Patty. Was “have a nice weekend” have empty or half full?
That’s where I made the transition from negative to positive, Donovan. Nothing but blue skies and tangerines since…
Good to hear! A good woman and positive influence on your life. May also help you not talking past the sale on your next good cause for our community and speaking to folks’ good nature, even though not evident …
“You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” As they say, but I haven’t scientifically tested it … but on humans it seem to work …
To this day the most exciting journalism I can remember was the coverage of Watergate as journalists peeled layer after layer like an onion off the evolving scandal.
Today, establishment “journalism” is pathetic. I blame the current polarized state of the country on the fact that journalists chose up sides and abrogated their roles as the honest broker in the middle. As a result people now simply pick the news source that regurgitates their own beliefs dragging them ever farther to the extremes of the political spectrum with most of the country on both sides clamoring for a strong leader to destroy the other side. Heil ourselves.
I can’t match that negativity…
The issue shouldn’t be whether or not it’s negative, only whether or not it’s true. For journalists to sit around in the midst of chaos and depravity and spew happy chat is to disgrace the very essence of their profession.
Your writing in this blog has been the best writing of your career, both the travelogues and the other cases where you’ve brought to our attention cases of a negligent officer causing the death of a prisoner and the traffic accident involving some kids that no one wanted you to write about. Remember those columns folks? I do and they were quality acts of journalism you can be proud of.
My graduate degree was in sociology and while my work at the MA level was primarily in statistics, my final work was reading the Critical Theory of the Frankfort school (speaking of being depressing) and I see far too many parallels with the country they wrote about that was also deeply divided and looking for a leader to make them great again.
Yeah, not all that confident of the Royals’ ability to get past the first round myself; too much has changed this year. Not the least of which is Glass’s refusal to pay off a bunch of people (again) to restage the Black Sox scandal.
Not saying MLB is corrupt, but, you know…
John — (On the 10:12 comment). You’re right about responsible journalism and telling it like it is…(Thanks for the compliment, too.)
It’s the shaky bullpen that worries me.