This month’s “C” word is COMPETITOR, which, in the “C” You In The Major Leagues vernacular includes someone that has the desire and ability to compete; high expectations; is tough-minded; and brings the best out of teammates. When thinking about that definition in regards to baseball, many players and instances come to mind. One of the most fitting for the Royals in recent years is former infielder and fan favorite, Mike Moustakas.
One of the greatest moments in Kansas City Royals history was Game 4 of the ALDS in 2015. It was a great game to watch and kept you on the edge of your seat the whole game. It had the same atmosphere as the 2014 Wild Card game. What happened, though, in the dugout during the eighth inning of Game 4 would ultimately propel the Royals to their first World Series championship in 30 years. Trailing 6-2, Moose rallied the troops. Before the Royals hit in the top of the eighth, Moustakas brought the team together and, in his own fiery way, let them know he wasn’t ready to go home. He wasn’t going to just lay down and let the Astros win the game. That talk would light a fire under the team as the Royals put up a five spot and took a 7-6 lead. Moose showed incredible leadership along with unteachable competitiveness.
Shortly after the Royals traded Moustakas to Milwaukee, a fan commented on an article posted on “The Athletic” that read: “Hosmer was the polished professional. Salvy the lovable jokester. Cain the perfect target with the irresistible smile. Escobar? El Mago at short, and the Esky Magic at the plate. But Moose? He was always the one I rooted for the most. Always the guy I could relate to.” He added, “…perhaps it was the early career struggles, and the work you know he was putting in to succeed. Perhaps it was that he had such a huge heart. Perhaps the fact he’s such a fiery COMPETITOR, ultimately a champion.”
The drive Moustakas possessed propelled him to be a successful Major League Baseball player. Just like the “C” You In The Major Leagues definition states, “brings the best out of teammates.” Moose did just that and even brought the best out of the fans that watched him. To be a competitor doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be good. It does mean you have to care and invest all that you have into the activity you are participating in. Moustakas was a competitor on the field and in the Kansas City community. For that we thank Mike Moustakas for giving us an image of a COMPETITOR.