CINCINNATI – The All-Star Game pushed the possibility in plain sight.
The Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals took turns occupying six-booth rows at All-Star media day. The same scene unfolded Tuesday. The Cardinals controlled a wing in the National League clubhouse, and the Royals cornered off a tight American League clubhouse across the hallway.
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It’s yet another reminder of the red-and-white-and-blue-and-white-all-over baseball season heading into the second half. We’re not that far from meeting in the middle.
The Cardinals own the best record in the NL at 56-33. The Royals lead the AL at 52-34. All those jerseys lined up side-by-side make it easy for us to envision what that could mean in October.
Who wants a rematch of the 1985 World Series? Kansas City catcher Salvador Perez isn’t ready to make that jump, but he didn’t dismiss the increased heat.
"We think every time we play St. Louis we want to win,” Perez said. “We know we could be in the World Series with them, St. Louis, but you never know what's going to happen during the season."
Kansas City and St. Louis combined for 13 All-Star selections; more than double the six selections totaled in 1985. They swept the fan vote in both leagues with Carlos Martinez and Mike Moustakas, who wasn’t surprised he won the AL’s last spot. He was surprised by how much.
"Great fan bases out there,” Moustakas said. “They love baseball. The Midwest is a baseball kind of area. To have both guys win the fan votes is pretty incredible.
“When you go to a Royals or Cardinals game you're going to see a sea of blue or a sea of red. They're going to be cheering. They are intelligent baseball fans. They’re going to cheer when they move the runner over on a sac bunt.”
Kansas City is doing its part in this rivalry again. In 2013, the Royals broke a streak of 19 consecutive losing seasons. The appearance in last year’s World Series affirmed what Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday saw on the field the last few years.
"They are sort of our rival,” Holliday said. “We get to play them in interleague it seems like 15 times a year. Four or five years ago that was OK with us. Their pitchers; we beat them up a little bit. Now, we have to play them every year. It's not so fun. They have a really good team. It's a challenge."
Since Holliday’s arrival, the Cardinals have reached the World Series twice, including a win in 2011. St. Louis reached the NLCS each of the last four seasons. It’s business as usual.
To Holliday’s point, the interleague tease picked up. The Cardinals are 7-6 against the Royals since 2013. A makeup game on July 23 at Busch Stadium will decide the season series, which St. Louis leads 3-2. How will that game feel?
“It's almost like a playoff game every time you play them,” Moustakas said.
This rivalry is built on respect between the players. St. Louis’ Michael Wacha and Jhonny Peralta took turns complimenting the Royals. Kansas City’s Lorenzo Cain, who had two hits and a RBI double in the American League’s 6-3 win Tuesday, said it’s more personal between the fans.
That’s OK. It’s no longer a daydream to think about a Show-Me Series. Prepare to see more highlights of Don Denkinger’s infamous call in Game 6 from 1985. The Royals won in seven games that year, and the rematch almost happened last season.
Perez is right. You never know what might happen, even when the possibility is in plain sight. Just don’t expect St. Louis or Kansas City – or their fans – to change.
"We both like to play hard,” Perez said. “We enjoy the game and play to win the game."
It's clear the Cardinals are Royals are in this together.
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