The Royals' season certainly hasn't gone to plan, but over the last month or so, glimpses of where the team is headed in future years are starting to become more and more frequent. Bobby Witt Jr.'s been impressive for most of the year, and recent additions in MJ Melendez and Vinnie Pasquantino have provided some hope that contending for AL Central titles and more isn't as far away as it once seemed. Speaking to 610's Fescoe In The Morning on Wednesday, manager Mike Matheny explained what's impressed him the most about the team's new, young core of players.
"These guys are embracing it, having fun, and talking about the game," he said. "That's one of the things that I've enjoyed the most -- these guys are not hindered, and they haven't been suppressed. And I'm proud of our veteran group for that, because there have been years -- and it's been a while since that's been the case -- where a veteran would say, 'Hey man, you just sit there at your locker, you should be seen not heard.' That's just a tough place to break into the league. These guys are allowing these young guys to come in have a voice, to be themselves, and have a personality. But they're more likely to do that when they're together. That's just the truth of it. Now we're seeing this young group really kind of embrace this opportunity and make the most of it."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Matheny in the embedded player below:
