The thing with the Royals is the reason they were bad was due to ownership problems. Ewing Kaufmann didn't want to spend a dollar in his later years and the trust that took over the team was even worse. The A's and Rays were able to compete with an even smaller payroll than the Royals. It is amazing how these WC teams beat the division leaders. This is just like the Cardinals getting in on the last day a few years ago. The Phillies wrote their own demise by letting the Cards get in the WC and then the Cards beating them to knock them out of the playoffs.
