KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Something to keep in mind as this season begins: The 2015 Royals were better than the 2014 version.
Their offense improved while they maintained the excellence of their bullpen and defense. They also played with an edge all year, cultivated by frustration at coming so close but losing the 2014 World Series, and also because the whole postseason experience toughened them up.
The 2014 Royals won 89 games. The 2015 version won 95, the most in the AL. They spent most of the season in first place and when they were in second, they were never more than a game out of first.