KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On Wednesday, there was a seismic shift in the front office of the Kansas City Royals after owner John Sherman announced the departure of Dayton Moore.
The announcement was made hours before the Royals continued its penultimate home series of the 2022 season.
The parking lots at Kauffman Stadium before the game felt the same, as tailgaters arrived to set up their grills and games before another night of Royals baseball.
However, the winds of changing seasons on the calendar and of change for the franchise blew in with Moore's dismissal.
"(I) Didn't really see that one coming," said Rick Maggio, a Royals fan.
Maggio and his friends took in the news hours before first pitch.
"We have a new ownership group and so he's not as nostalgic as some of us, and so I can understand it," said Brian Redelsheimer, another Royals fan.
Some fans said Moore brought an unforgettable run of winning baseball in Kansas City.
"Those of us here in Kansas City grew up watching them, (and to be a part of) the old 1985 crew and back in 2015, it's just been great," Redelsheimer said. "I don't think those memories will go away for a long, long time."
Maggio reflected on the memories the Royals' 2014 and 2015 playoff runs brought to him.
"(During the) 2014, 2015 season, the Royals brought the community back together. If you had a Royals shirt on, you got a smile and a high five," Maggio said. "Those games were so exciting and so memorable for my kids and my family, watching on TV and getting to light off fireworks was super awesome."
The memories aren't a decade old, but Royals fans know who helped make them happen.
"Dayton Moore got us here, got us to the championship, got us there back-to-back years," said Joshua Paddock, another Royals fan. "I'm very grateful, it brought us a lot of joy."
Joy has been in short supply of late, with the Royals headed to their sixth straight season below .500.
However, with a core of young talent, there's optimism for the future in Kansas City.
"Hopefully in the near future we can see that again, because that would be great," Maggio said.
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