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A20 SPORTS
Tuesday 24 sepTember 2019

Royals manager Yost to retire as club's career wins leader

By DAVE SKRETTA their next world champion- the worst is behind us in this
AP Sports Writer ship very soon." rebuilding phase of our or-
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Yost and general manager ganization," Yost said. "My
Ned Yost did something Dayton Moore are expect- plan all along was to get
that few thought possible ed to address reporters on us through the rough times
when he took over the Kan- Tuesday. Like many small- then turn it over to a new
sas City Royals in 2010: He market clubs, the Royals manager to bring us the
not only built the organiza- were forced to gut their rest of the way."
tion into a winner but deliv- roster after their stunning The Royals are not expect-
ered the long-suffering or- run of success once their ed to move quickly in hiring
ganization its first World Se- foundational stars became Yost's replacement, though
ries title in three decades. too expensive to keep. That bench coach Dale Sveum
Now, he's leaving the next began a massive rebuild- and special adviser Mike
rebuilding job to someone ing effort last year that has Matheny would provide
else. Yost announced Mon- In this Oct. 15, 2015, file photo, Kansas City Royals manager Ned continued into this season. their young core with a
day that he will be retiring Yost talks to the media during a news conference before batting Yet unlike last season, the seamless transition.
at the end of the season, practice for baseball's American League Championship Series, Royals showed signs of Both of them have mana-
ending a nine-year tenure in Kansas City, Mo. hope this summer. Building gerial experience, with Sve-
that included two Ameri- Associated Press blocks such as shortstop um replacing Yost after he
can League pennants and games against the Braves in five the following year. Adalberto Mondesi, third was fired in Milwaukee and
that dramatic 2015 cham- beginning Tuesday night, "I've thoroughly enjoyed baseman Hunter Dozier Matheny with the cross-
pionship. The announce- then a weekend series at my time here as your man- and outfielder Jorge Soler state rival St. Louis Cardi-
ment came on an off-day home against Minnesota. ager and will never forget — who broke the franchise nals. And should Matheny
for the Royals, who lost The 65-year-old Yost, who the good and the hard record for homers in a sea- get the nod, it would be re-
12-8 on Sunday to the AL has been on a year-to-year times we had together as son — gave Royals fans a markably similar to the cir-
Central-leading Twins to fall contract, will retire as the an organization and a fan reason to return to the ball- cumstances in which Yost
to 57-100 — their second club's career wins leader base," Yost said. "I will nev- park, while a bevy of tal- got the Kansas City job: He
consecutive season with at with 744 to date. He is the er forget the fact that you ented pitchers in the minor moved from an advisory
least 100 losses. only manager to lead the fans supported us through leagues offers more hope role within the rebuilding
The Royals wrap up their Royals to back-to-back it all. Kansas City will always for the future. "With the de- Royals in 2010 to replace
season — and their skip- World Series, losing to the have a special place in my velopment of our young the fired Trey Hillman.
per's big league mana- Giants in seven games in heart, and I look forward players and our returning
gerial career — with two 2014 and beating the Mets to rooting the Royals on to veterans, I feel and hope Continued on Page 22