What do you think of Royals.TV broadcasts so far?

As far as the new additions to the crew, you can expect some rookie jitters, but so far I think Hosmer has seemed like a natural. He had some experience talking in media before, particularly with his fun podcast Diggin’ Deep, and had always been an engaging personality as a player. He has a tendency to overtalk sometimes, probably just a sign of his inexperience and perhaps some nerves, but overall he has meshed really well with Lefebvre.

It’s also great to get the perspective of someone who has been in the game in the last decade. I was worried he’d express a lot of anti-stats sentiment based on some of the things he posted on social media and said on podcasts. But those views have been largely muted on Royals broadcasts, and really, his stance on stats seems to be more that he wants to learn why things are measured the way they are and how it fits in his understanding of baseball, rather than outright rejecting analytics. Hosmer provides the kind of insights on how clubhouses mesh, how hitters think when they’re facing a pitcher, what players do to prepare for games, that fans just aren’t going to be privy to. I feel like I’m learning a lot when I listen to him. The same goes for Jeremy Guthrie, who fills a role that I used to love with the late Paul Splittorff – he teaches me about pitching.

Many fans are upset the team has cut back on Hudler’s time in the booth. I get it, Hudler is a great cheerleader and an unofficial mascot for the team. It’s easy to forget, but he found it hard to gain acceptance from fans when he joined the broadcast team 14 years ago, and now he’s become a beloved part of the team. Having Hudler in smaller doses has made me appreciate him more. Enjoy the Hudlerisms!

I’ve heard Lefebvre’s dry humor rubs some people the wrong way, but I think he’s terrific. It took awhile for him to mesh with Hudler when Rex first arrived – at first it seemed like Ryan was mocking him. But his jabs have become gentler over the years, and they have pretty good chemistry with their give-and-take. Lefebvre has been with the Royals for nearly three decades now, and his presence has become as familiar and comforting to today’s fans as Denny Matthews was when I was growing up in the 90s.

Howard has already been introduced to the “Salvy Splash” and has generally settled in well. There’s only so much an on-field reporter can do in that role, but she’s handled it professionally and fits naturally into the broadcast. Goldberg remains excellent in the pregame and postgame shows, where his interviewing and storytelling skills are used much more effectively.

The MLB app has been easy for me to navigate as well, easier than the old FanDuel app. The fast forward and rewind functions can be a bit wonky, but I like the ability to get “catch up” with key plays if I’ve missed the start of a game (I don’t like that this is the default button, I usually want to start with “live action”). Fans were right to be upset about the half-priced discount offered in May – those of us that paid the full cost just to see a crappy April performance feel a bit like suckers.

Overall, I think getting out from under the Diamond Sports umbrella has been a great thing for Royals broadcasts. They are likely taking a big hit in revenue, as most teams have in the wake of regional sports networks collapsing. But the upgrades they have made, the willingness to try new things, has invigorated a broadcast that was growing a bit stale.

What do you think of Royals.TV this year? Has it been easy to find games or use the app? What do you think of the different broadcast combinations?