Ned Yost is a Zombie and the Fear is Real He Will Prevail
There is simply no other explanation as to how or why Ned Yost continues to win and advance in the postseason as manager of the Kansas City Royals. He is a zombie and simply won't die!
Figuratively speaking, of course.
The only thing that stood in his way of a 2014 World Series title was the Rick Grimes of the postseason, San Francisco Giants' hurler, Madison Bumgarner. Without Bumgarner's superhero efforts, Yost apologists would've been even more insufferable than they already are.
Perhaps this season Yost has also borrowed a bit of the St. Louis Cardinals' devil magic, after Kansas City staved off elimination in Game 4 of the ALDS against the Houston Astros.
Down 4 runs in the 8th inning, on the road, in an elimination game, with a 2% chance of winning the ballgame...and suddenly the Royals couldn't make an out.
They also got the fortunate bounce off Tony Sipp's glove, altering the spin that caused shortstop Carlos Correa to whiff on what would have been a double play. In the end, the Royals survive 9-6.
In the deciding Game 5, Houston takes a 2-0 lead but watches as Alex Rios (.640 OPS) goes 2-for-3 with a 2-run double in the 5th to give the Royals a 3-2 lead, which they wouldn't relinquish.
Fast forward to Game 2 of the ALCS with the Royals holding a 1-0 series lead, but trailing the game 3-0 in the 7th frame. This represents a 10% chance of winning...probably less with how the Toronto Blue Jays' David Price was pitching.
With the southpaw absolutely dealing, zombie Yost and company rose from their collective graves.
Price had set down 18 straight hitters with 7 strikeouts, including fanning all three hitters in the previous frame. Leading off the 7th inning, Ben Zobrist lifts a routine fly ball to right field where Jose Bautista and Ryan Goins watch it fall harmlessly to the turf.
Zombie apocalypse engaged.
Seven batters later Price is gone, Kansas City leads 5-3, and the rest of the world wonders what it will take to metaphorically take out the living dead in blue.
It's not just these instances that leave many scratching their heads, wondering how Yost - seemingly brain dead at times - keeps on winning.
As I said a few nights ago, Yost is like a guy at the blackjack table who hits on 20 and he keeps on getting an ace. Every. Single. Time.
He bats Alcides Escobar leadoff and Alex Gordon near the bottom of the order, despite the fact the former owns a .293 OBP this year (.298 career) and the latter sports a .377 OBP (.348 career).
And yet, Escobar is hitting .321 with a .367 OBP and .867 OPS this postseason, going 3-for-8 with a pair of doubles in the ALCS's first two games.
There are other countless decisions with his pitchers, lineups and in-game strategies that involve bunting and running. Every button works for no reason at all. Heck, even one of the club's biggest and most knowledable fans, Grantland baseball writer Rany Jazayerli, has given into Yost's inexplicable success.
I'm starting to believe it's destiny that "Nervous Ned" will win a World Series title to further gnaw at the collective jugular of Milwaukee Brewers fans.
Hopefully someone can play the role of Daryl Dixon this year and deliver an arrow straight through the skull of zombie Yost - figuratively speaking, of course.