Final Score: Royals 4, Mets 3

I really wish we opened the season against any team other than the Royals. Watching the Royals play is like Chinese water torture for the opposition. And I hate every one of their players with the fire of a thousand suns. Every ball they hit finds a hole. Every ball the opposition hits finds a Royals glove. I hate them. I do not envy the other AL Central teams. I look forward to playing the Phillies 19 times and leaving KC behind. Edinson Volquez looked great. His fastball was electric and his slider was downright unhittable. He was a back end of the rotation starter his entire career. He was suspended for PEDs in 2010. The last two seasons he started hitting 97 MPH on the radar gun. You do the math.

Yoenis Cespedes made a World Series-esque defensive blunder by dropping a routine fly ball in the first inning that ultimately cost us a run. This time he made the mistake in left field which is his gold glove position. And honestly that run turned out to be the difference in the game much like the run Cespedes cost us in Game 1 of the World Series. Whoops!!

We also struggled to get things going offensively tonight. We finally got something cooking in the 8th when Duda had a big two RBI hit. Neil Walker drove in a run on a fielder’s choice. But Luke Hochevar came out of the pen to strikeout Asdrubal Cabrera in a big spot.

In the 9th, Travis d’Arnaud worked a leadoff walk, Alejandro De Aza grounded into a force, and Curtis Granderson singled to get De Aza to third. With runners on the corners and one out, David Wright brought nothing but his mangled spine to the plate and struck out. And then in fitting fashion, Cespedes struck out to end the game.

The good news is Matt Harvey looked awesome considering it was his first start of the season, and he was coming off an injury filled week. His fastball was sharp, his slider was sliding, and his change-up was changing. Sure he didn’t have his signature strikeout totals and didn’t go deep into the game. But he kept us in it and overcame the early fielding gaffe. Hopefully we can get some runs off of Chris Young in game 2. A split in KC would be fine by me. Hmmm. When have I said that before?

Also, I noticed this Mr. Met imposter roaming around Kauffman Stadium tonight.

This guy is a brave soul roaming around enemy territory like that. I fully expect the Royal Guard to catch him and mount his giant baseball head on a spike.

Our first W will have to wait until Noah Syndergaard steps on the mound on Tuesday.