Kansas City Royals: Battling the Ghost of Steve Balboni
Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas has a great chance to break Steve Balboni‘s franchise record for home runs in a season. That is, as long as he stays healthy.
The Kansas City Royals single season home run record may well be one of the more pathetic marks in baseball. Set by Steve Balboni in 1985, the burly slugger hit 36 home runs as the Royals won the World Series. While a few players have come close, no one has surpassed Balboni’s mark, leaving the Royals as the only team without a 40 home run hitter in their history.
That could be changing this year. Third baseman Mike Moustakas already has 32 homers on the season, and seemingly has Balboni dead to rights. It would take an injury or a sudden power outage for Moustakas to keep from passing Balboni, and possibly becoming the first Royal to get that elusive 40 homers. Well…
Mike Moustakas was battling a sore knee after the fluid drained from getting hit by Bruce Rondon. Something appears to be hindering him.
— Rustin Dodd (@rustindodd) August 8, 2017
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It appears as though the Ghost of Steve Balboni will not go down without a fight. As Moustakas was in the lineup on Tuesday, albeit as a designated hitter, that soreness from being hit by a Bruce Rondon pitch does not appear to be serious. But, if there is something hindering the Royals slugger, Balboni Watch may bear watching for another reason.
At this point, Moustakas is the Royals best, and likely, only chance to end Balboni’s reign of terror. Salvador Perez, the only other member of the Royals with more than 20 homers, is on the disabled list with an intercostal strain. It is all up to Moustakas if the Ghost of Balboni will finally be exorcised.
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Fortunately for the Kansas City Royals, Mike Moustakas’ injury does not appear to be major. But it does serve as a reminder that Steve Balboni will not go down without a fight.