It’s not exactly how Louis Coleman drew it up, but the Kansas City Royals’ relief pitcher will gladly take it.
The longtime Schlater resident and former Pillow Academy star has yet to be a part of the team’s 25-man postseason roster, but Coleman has been dressed out and in the dugout for the Royals’ incredible postseason run that has landed them in the World Series for the first time since 1985.
Coleman, 28, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound right-hander, is one of the Kansas City’s five extra players who continue to practice and dress with the team even though they aren’t eligible to play.
“I got over the disappointment pretty quickly. I made a good push in the last month of the season, but the team did what it thought was best for us,” said Coleman, in his fourth season with the Royals and part of one of the best bullpens in the majors.
It’s possible Coleman could be added to the 25-man roster for the World Series, but he calls it a “slim chance.”
“My biggest concern right now is this team winning a World Series. As a competitor and player, sure I would love to have a chance to play, but this still has been an incredible experience no matter what happens,” Coleman said. “I am just grateful the Royals are allowing me to be a part of all this. It’s just an awesome time for our franchise and our fans.
“I’ve had a front row seat to it all. It gives me chills to think about it.”
The Fall Classic will begin Tuesday in Kansas City between the Royals and the San Francisco Giants.
The Royals opened the postseason with a wild 12-inning win over Oakland. That has led to an eight-game postseason win streak that included sweeps of the Los Angeles Angels and the Baltimore Orioles.
“We’ve beaten two really good teams to get here. There was a ton of energy in the clubhouse after the wild-card comeback. It was something really special. It’s been a pretty incredible ride,” Coleman said.
As the Southeastern Conference pitcher of the year in 2009, Coleman played a key role in LSU’s College World Series title, and now he’s four wins away from the sport’s ultimate crown.
If that happens, Coleman will get a World Series ring along with any other players who were a part of the team at anytime during the season.
“It’s pretty amazing to think about being a part of championship teams at the college and pro level,” he said.
Coleman finished the regular season with a 5.56 ERA after a tough first half of the season that started with him on the disabled list with a finger injury. Things didn’t go well from there with a 7.71 ERA in limited action in April.
This all came a year after his best season in the majors, posting a .61 ERA in 292/3 innings in 2013 with 32 strikeouts and six walks.
After a disappointing start to this season, he was sent down to Triple-A Omaha twice before regaining top form in August.
Coleman’s 2014 season was delayed with a bruised right middle finger on his throwing hand. It was the first time he had ever missed action with an injury at any level.
“It was a growing experience and learning experience for me,” he said. “Finally I found some small things on video that I was doing wrong mechanically and things started clicking again.”
After the All-Star break, Coleman appeared in 11 games for the Royals, posting an ERA of 2.19 in 121/3 innings of relief work with nine strikeouts and five walks.
Coleman, who has a 3.35 ERA for his career with the Royals, expects to have his family in town for the start of the World Series on Tuesday. His father, Hal, was on hand last week when the team won the American League pennant, and the two got to share in the post-game celebration together on the field and in the locker room.
Coleman is hoping there is one celebration left at the end of this wild and wonderful ride.
