The recent success of the Kansas City Royals has snuck up on quite a few baseball prognosticators, particularly those with sabermetric inclinations. I must admit I count myself among them; according most advanced analytical methods, the 2014 Royals were in fact a .500ish club that got hot at the right time and nearly rode the wave to a World Series triumph.
What do we say about their 2015 success, then? These Royals are in fact for real and don't appear to be going away anytime soon.
Most great teams have identifying traits, facets in which they are better than other teams, perhaps even the best in baseball. Besides the Royals' often in-your-face defense, what would be theirs? Well, here's one, and it's the simplest, most vanilla of characteristics: the durability of their everyday lineup, their ongoing ability to show up for work day after day and get the job done. A perfect attendance award of sorts.