No One Likes Being a Kansas City Royal More Than Future Hall Of Famer Zack Greinke

Everything about Zack Greinke re-signing with the Royals is awesome. I love seeing great players hang on. Zack Greinke is a future Hall Of Famer and he's back with the team he debuted with in 2004. He battled mental illness and won the 2009 Cy Young with KC. Since leaving, he's been fantastic but having a great career that ends in a bookend is something I care way too much about. It still bothers me Rickey Henderson didn't finish his career with Oakland. 

I am guessing some of you reading this don't see Greinke making it to Cooperstown. I do agree he's not in the same class as Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw. He's absolutely the best pitcher in that next level. I don't see him as a first ballot guy but he will be getting in. He has been a six time All-Star with just as many Gold Gloves. He's also pitched long enough to have a career record of 223-141. That's more wins than Pedro Martinez or Curt Schilling and he'll pass Catfish Hunter this year. Lastly, his career WAR is an elite 76.5.

It wasn't super clear that Greinke would wear a Royals hat on his HOF plaque before he went back to Kansas City last year. Even though he's been more consistent in other places, he's bounced around so much that the Royals have become the only real option for him. I also think him pitching for six different teams has made people not appreciate him as much as they should. 

I am thrilled to see him back with the Royals for another season but this isn't a truly perfect end of his career. His overpowering stuff is gone (he only struck out 73 in 137 innings last year) and the Royals will be pretty shitty this year. Even in a weak division, they will be very lucky to get beyond fourth place. The pitching staff after Brady Singer (who is very good) and Greinke looks pretty rough:

SP: Brady Singer (10-5, 3.63 in 2022)

SP: Zack Greinke (4-9, 3.68)

SP: Jordan Lyles (12-11, 4.42)

SP: Brad Keller (6-14, 5.09)

SP: Ryan Yarbrough (3-8, 4.50)

SP: Daniel Lynch (4-13, 5.13)

Like I said, that's a bad team that has no chance at finishing .500. But if you're a Royals fan, the Greinke signing should make another year of rebuilding a little easier to swallow. At least you'll have another season of rooting for the only other person beyond George Brett who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Kansas City Royal. That's pretty special for a franchise that has been around for 53 years.