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David Lesky

@dblesky.bsky.social

1.8K followers 231 following 3.1K posts

I write about the Royals on Inside the Crown and talk about them weekly on Kauffman Corner. And I do some radio too, so that's kind of cool. insidethecrown.substack.com/subscribe

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David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I did this exercise last year with the MLB playoff teams and thought it was interesting, so I did it again to see what lessons the #Royals can be taught from some stats of the teams who made it. Not sure we learned anything new, but it was still interesting!

insidethecrown.substack.com

What the Royals Can Learn from the Playoff Teams

Is there anything the Royals did better than playoff teams?

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Time for a little #Royals talk on Sports Radio 810 with Soren Petro , Kurtis Seaboldt and @kylecollier810.bsky.social Get your fix now!

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

If you're not already a paid subscriber, now is a great time to become one. I've got 25% off a year of an annual subscription for a limited time!

insidethecrown.substack.com

Subscribe to Inside the Crown

Taking a deeper dive into all things Kansas City Royals. Click to read Inside the Crown, by David Lesky, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

JJ and Q spoke about the brutal #Royals season and hit on a bunch of topics. I tried to write all about it and give some of my takes too.

insidethecrown.substack.com

JJ Picollo and Matt Quatraro Look to the Future

The season-ending press conference gave a glimpse into how the Royals are going to turn it around in 2027.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Don't forget that you can get 25% off a year of an annual subscription for a limited time! I'll have a breakdown of JJ and Q's presser up tomorrow morning and I have a ton planned for this offseason. You don't want to miss all the #Royals content!

insidethecrown.substack.com

Subscribe to Inside the Crown

Taking a deeper dive into all things Kansas City Royals. Click to read Inside the Crown, by David Lesky, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

If you ever want to recreate the feeling of the morning after eating the Taco Party Pack from Taco Bell, try talking to Pat Strathman. I'll join him on ESPN Wichita to talk #Royals in just a minute.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I do it every year because I’m an idiot, but here I go again trying to predict the entirety of the postseason before it starts. Maybe I’ll get one series right this year. 🤞

insidethecrown.substack.com

The Audacity of Predicting the MLB Playoffs

There’s nothing dumber than putting a prediction out publicly because you WILL be ridiculed for it.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

The final Weekend in Review is here and free for all. I broke down all three games, as always, and gave a player of the week and a look ahead to my offseason #Royals coverage on the newsletter. And hey, get 25% off a year of an annual subscription right now!

insidethecrown.substack.com

Weekend in Review: Fin...Finally

The season from hell finally ended for the Royals.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

The offense came out swinging to give the #Royals an early lead (that Seth Lugo shockingly couldn’t hold). They also finished with a flourish. A big hit and some big-time fire from the back of the bullpen.

insidethecrown.substack.com

Big Start, Powerful Finish

The Royals came out of the gates on fire and then the back of the bullpen threw fire to close it out.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I’ve decided to talk #Royals with Pat Strathman on ESPN Wichita today just to make sure I can still feel something. Figured it’s better than a fork in the leg, but now I’m reconsidering. Anyway, hope you’ll listen.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Coming at you a day early on Sports Radio 810 to talk some #Royals with Soren Petro , Kurtis Seaboldt and @kylecollier810.bsky.social Listen in!

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

On the bright side, Daniel Lynch IV is leaving no doubt about his role for the 2027 #Royals. He got rocked last night and put the team in a massive hole that a late inning explosion couldn’t pull them out of.

insidethecrown.substack.com

A Blowout Turned Slugfest

A blowout became a close game with some garbage time runs for the Royals after Daniel Lynch IV made none of it matter.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

The #Royals had leads at in all three games including late in two. They lost all three. The Weekend in Review, free for everyone, digs into all three losses and the team reminding us of their fatal flaw. Plus, I give a player of the week and look ahead to the final week of the season.

insidethecrown.substack.com

Weekend in Review: Just the Pitts

The Royals went to one of the jewels of ballparks and the bullpen laid an egg. What’s new?

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

I should have put this out before but one of my clients at my real-life job has a pick ‘em contest for NFL games this year. It’s free to join, and there are weekly and segment prizes that are paid out by the sponsors. No reason not to!

contests.app.splashsports.com

Team Pickem | Splash Sports

Team Pickem — private football pick'em contests on Splash.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

It all came together for the #Royals for one night with a strong Daniel Lynch IV start and highlights from three bats with varying levels of importance to the future. The playoff dream is officially dead, but good nights are good nights.

insidethecrown.substack.com

Lynch Gets Rave Reviews

Add in a Michael Massey home run and a Carter Jensen double, and you’ve got a pretty nice little Wednesday for the Royals.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

I hope it's many years before my daughter has to learn that life isn't always fair. I learn that lesson every Wednesday when I'm forced to talk to Pat Strathman on ESPN Wichita. We'll talk #Royals next.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

The weekend started off right but it was the best it would get. The #Royals were pretty clearly the second best team of the two all weekend, which sort of is what it is. I wrote about all three games, gave a player of the week and looked to the penultimate week of the season.

insidethecrown.substack.com

Weekend in Review: Royals Drop Another Series

The Royals dropped their fourth straight series after a promising start.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Every year teams need to make decisions on which prospects to add to the 40-man to protect from the Rule 5 draft. With a lockout looming, this year has some added intrigue with the potential for no draft. How do teams handle it? I wrote today about the options for the #Royals.

insidethecrown.substack.com

Royals and Their Rule 5 Decisions

There aren’t a lot of decisions to make, but there are some.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Still coming at you on a Thursday with Soren Petro , Kurtis Seaboldt and @kylecollier810.bsky.social with #Royals talk. It’s just a wee bit earlier on Sports Radio 810. Listen in.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

It’s hard to lose when you play great defense and hit the ball over the wall. That’s exactly what the #Royals did last night and how they salvaged another series finale on a tough homestand.

insidethecrown.substack.com

Defense and Dingers

The Royals salvaged a third straight series on a homestand that could have been much worse.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

My wife has an ear infection AND a sinus infection. Yet I’m envious of her because she doesn’t have to talk to Pat Strathman and I do. Listen to us talk #Royals on ESPN Wichita in a minute.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

It’s a holiday edition of the Weekend in Review, but it’s still free for all. The #Royals ran into a red hot Blue Jays team and continued to play insanely hot games. I wrote about it all, including the player of the week and the week ahead.

insidethecrown.substack.com

Weekend in Review: Hot Weather, Hot Blue Jays, Royals Series Loss

But hey, at least the Royals got the finale, right?

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

On the day Jac Caglianone was named American League Player of the Month (and Noah Cameron AL Pitcher of the Month), Carter Jensen started his campaign for the September award. He and Cags led the way in a #Royals win, and that won’t get old.

insidethecrown.substack.com

Carter and Cags FTW

It’s easy to find a reason to get excited about the Royals when the two young bats are taking over games.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Jac Caglianone is the American League Player of the Month for August! Noah Cameron is the American League Pitcher of the Month for August!

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

A big first made way for a quiet rest of the game for the #Royals. I wrote about Noah Cameron’s struggles in the heat, Carter Jensen’s big day and a bullpen’s struggles in a game that felt a lot like one we’ve seen too many times this season.

insidethecrown.substack.com

We’ll Always Have August for the Royals

A game they would have won a week ago was a Royals loss that looked very familiar.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Hearing that Matt Quatraro was actually so angry last night because someone told him he might have to talk to Pat Strathman today. Turns out that's my unfortunate lot in life. Anyway, we'll talk #Royals next on ESPN Wichita.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

I'm not sure when monthly awards are announced, but if you were wondering, the #Royals have had both the player and pitcher of the month in the same month three times: July 1985: George Brett & Bret Saberhagen September 1981: Willie Wilson & Larry Gura July 1980: Brett & Gura

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

The weekend ended with a thud but it was another series win for the #Royals and a winning road trip. They face a climb I don’t think they can make, but I broke down all the games from the weekend, gave my player of the week and looked ahead.

insidethecrown.substack.com

Weekend in Review: Another Royals Series Win

The Royals are clearly playing better baseball, but they may have really needed a sweep.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

A quick Kauffman Corner programming note: I won’t say it’s Soren Petro directly, but *someone* is traveling so the new episode will be Monday at 9pm CDT instead of tonight at 9pm CDT. We’ll break down a winning #Royals road trip and more tomorrow night.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

How would the #Royals respond to finally losing a game? How would Jac respond to a rough night where he made some big outs? Turns out both absolutely nailed their response in a blowout of a team fighting for their playoff lives.

insidethecrown.substack.com

The Jac Show Leads Royals to a Rout

The Royals lost for the first time in more than a week. It’s safe to say they responded well.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

The winning streak may have ended, but that doesn’t mean I won’t talk #Royals with Jack Johnson, Kurtis Seaboldt and @kylecollier810.bsky.social on Sports Radio 810 in just a minute.

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David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

If you're thinking about this year's fantasy football loser punishment, consider making the loser talk to Pat Strathman every Wednesday on ESPN Wichita. The Waffle House Challenge can't compete with this. Anyway, we'll talk #Royals next.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

That’s nine in a row for the #Royals! There were contributions all over, but Tyler Tolbert coming in for Michael Massey made a HUGE impact in the ninth to help seal the victory.

insidethecrown.substack.com

Nine Games Wonder

The Royals won their ninth in a row behind clutch hits and some un-clutch Blue Jays plays.

Reposted by David Lesky

Soren Petro @sorenpetro.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Join @dblesky.bsky.social and @sorenpetro.bsky.social on the Kauffman Corner YouTube live stream! Watch and comment with the link below… www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IGd...

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Another series, another #Royals sweep. In this week’s Weekend in Review, I break down the games, dig into how common these late season surges actually are, give a player of the week and look to the week ahead.

insidethecrown.substack.com

Weekend in Review: Eight is Great for the Royals

Hopefully you kept your brooms handy from Thursday because the Royals have done it again.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Randy Dobnak did something more rare than throwing a perfect game. Bobby Witt Jr. homered. Maikel Garcia got hurt. Again. The #Royals swept a series. There was a lot going on.

insidethecrown.substack.com

Break Out the Brooms

No comeback necessary for the Royals to finish off the sweep of the Athletics.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Some #Royals talk coming to your ears on Sports Radio 810. Join me, Soren Petro , Kurtis Seaboldt and @kylecollier810.bsky.social in just a minute.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

One inning can change a whole story. The A’s bullpen is certainly a gift, but the #Royals went nuts in the eighth with great plate appearances and rockets all over the field. John Rave punctuated the inning to lead to a fourth straight win.

insidethecrown.substack.com

An Eighth Inning Rave Broke Out

Once again, it didn’t look good for the Royals. Once again, the A’s bullpen saved the day. This time, it was a bonkers inning with an unlikely hero.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

I have the distinct pleasure of talking #Royals with my wonderful friend Pat Strathman on ESPN Wichita, and it's coming up right now. You think he's gone now? I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Missed opportunities were the story of the game for the #Royals. Until they faced the only worse bullpen than theirs. Today’s ItC breaks down the ninth inning heroics, the in-game decisions and the moments throughout that made a comeback possible.

insidethecrown.substack.com

So many missed opportunities had this looking one of the most frustrating Royals losses of the year. Until it became a win.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

It sure was nice to see the #Royals lineup back on the field whole again. It was even nicer to see them put up nine runs. Bobby and Jac did a lot of the heavy lifting, but it was a fun night to watch the offense make life miserable for a starter.

insidethecrown.substack.com

The Gang's All Here

For the first time in more than two months, the core of the Royals offense was all in the same lineup. It went well.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

The Angels were just what the doctor ordered for the #Royals this weekend. A monster game for Cags started it. A monster game from Cameron ended it. Read about all the games, my player of the week and a look ahead to this week. It’s free for all.

insidethecrown.substack.com

Weekend in Review: Royals are Thankful for the Angels

A weekend with the worst team in baseball makes a lot feel better for the Royals.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

The goal is to contend in 2027. The #Royals will need to add quite a bit to their roster to get there. That all takes money. So today I dug in and looked at just how much money they’ll have to spend to turn this roster back into a contender.

insidethecrown.substack.com

The 2027 Royals Payroll Situation

The Royals plan to compete in 2027. They have a lot of work to do. Do they have enough money to do it?

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

It's about that time of the week for me to talk about the #Royals on Sports Radio 810. I'll join Todd Leabo, Kurtis Seaboldt and @kylecollier810.bsky.social

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

It's about that time for me to talk to Pat Strathman, which makes stepping barefoot on a Lego seem fun by comparison. We'll talk some #Royals next on ESPN Wichita.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

The #Royals have played the Dodgers tough two nights in a row. They’ve come up short two nights in a row too. It shows how close they are in some ways, but how far they are in others. Still, the baseball has been quite entertaining.

insidethecrown.substack.com

Close But Not Enough Two Nights in a Row

The Royals haven't backed down, but they're just not good enough to beat the Dodgers.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

The Weekend in Review is free for all. I wrote all about the least surprising series result of all-time for the #Royals, including Jac’s amazing game…and his defensive struggles on Friday. We have a player of the week and a look ahead too.

insidethecrown.substack.com

Weekend in Review: A Much More Mundane Royals Series Loss

This felt like a weekend where the Royals were the second-best team against a team they shouldn't beat.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Jac Caglianone has the 14th game in #Royals history with at least 12 total bases. Kendrys Morales, with three homers and a triple in Detroit in 2015, has the most. Here’s the full list.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

A little #Royals talk coming your way shortly on Sports Radio 810. Join Soren Petro , Kurtis Seaboldt, @kylecollier810.bsky.social and me as we talk about the winners of two in a row.

David Lesky @dblesky.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

All Noah Cameron does now is dominate apparently. Last night he joined three legends…and Damian Moss in history. The #Royals lefty threw another gem, finished with as dominant a run as we’ve seen all year and got a win when Michael Massey atoned in a big way for an earlier mistake.

insidethecrown.substack.com

Noah Cameron is Ridiculous

The Royals' lefty just keeps on going, and got just enough support from Michael Massey and friends to get a win.