Kansas City Royals: Column
KANSAS CITY, Mo. The question is natural because Ned Yost has money and memories and can make more of both in a good life hes built for himself back home.
He and Deborah, married more than 40 years now, built their dream house on a chunk of Georgia country so vast the Yosts own everything you can see in any direction, except the sun and clouds.
He has a money guy whos helped him set up income streams off the land, enough to live his dream, which for him means mostly shooting deer and catching fish and laughing with his friends. Deborah wants him home, too.
Yosts baseball team in Kansas City, well, stinks. He wont say this, and hed clap back at the suggestion, but facts are facts. The team is not young, and its not exactly cheap, and it has the worst record in the American League. Most nights, well more than half the stadium is empty.
This is all true, and Yost is on the last year of his contract with the Royals, so maybe youd expect him to at least hesitate when asked if he wants to manage the team next season. He does not hesitate.
Absolutely, he said. Oh yeah, no doubt.
OK. Well, and here comes the natural question: Why?
I like this group of young kids, one, and two, I love this organization and I want to try to put it in a position to succeed, he said. This is tough times. Can you imagine a new manager trying to come in and negotiate a 5-17 team? Itd be hard on them. Its easier for me to do it. The rough times, its easier for me to do it.
When we get out of the rough waters … maybe thats when Ill look at it. But not until then.
This is more complicated, for a lot of reasons, most obviously money. Yosts salary is unknown, but hes almost certainly making more than ever before, likely millions this year and millions more on a new contract next year.
He may not need the money, but how many of us have turned down millions to do a job we enjoy? So, no. This is not simply about a group of players or paying back an organization he already helped to a parade.
Those reasons to retire are real, too. Not just the losing, and not just the World Series ring. Ned and Deborah have the kind of marriage where they call each other multiple times a day, always ending the conversation with I love you.
Ned will be 64 in August. Baseball is a long grind, and thats usually mentioned in the context of players and coaches, but in some ways the wives have it worse. Thats a lot of nights alone. Neds gruesome fall from a deer stand in the offseason only heightened her concerns.
Shes deathly afraid somethings going to happen to both of us when we get to that retirement age, he said. Thats what happened to her mom. They got to where they were going to retire, and she got cancer and passed away. So shes not huge on me doing this forever and ever.
Yost said he and general manager Dayton Moore have been talking, but this is all preliminary stuff. Even as its hard to imagine something not getting done if Yost wants, its worth mentioning that nothing has reached the ownership level.
