The KC Royals will hold a multiday celebration of 2014 ALCS team next month
Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland will be forever connected in the minds of many Royals fans.
They formed one of the most potent bullpen trios in Major League Baseball history, helping the Royals reach the World Series in 2014 and 2015.
The Royals are planning a unique giveaway next month to honor the trio of relievers who had the nickname, HDH. Starting May 17, the team will give away a bobblehead of Herrera, Davis and Holland each day of a three-game series.
Those three bobbleheads are interlocking and will form one big three-headed keepsake.
That is just part of the Royals’ plans to honor the 2014 team that won the American League pennant. There will be a series of events next month for the group of players, who remain close.
“We all have a group chat that we all keep in touch with,” former Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer told me earlier this year. “It’s going to be fun to catch up with those guys and get to see them in person because we’ve had the group chat going for a while now. Gordo (Alex Gordon) has a fantasy football league that a lot of us are in.
“It’s crazy to think that the 10-year reunion for the ‘15 team is coming up here next year. It definitely doesn’t feel like yesterday, but doesn’t feel like 10 years ago, that’s for sure.”
Nearly 20 former players are expected to be in Kansas City for the celebration. They are: Hosmer, Gordon, Davis, Holland, Herrera, Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas, Jarrod Dyson, Louis Coleman, Tim Collins, Brandon Finnegan, Jason Frasor, Jeremy Guthrie, Luke Hochevar, Raul Ibañez, Erik Kratz, James Shields and Jason Vargas.
And, of course, Royals catcher Salvador Perez is expected to join the fun.
Much of the coaching staff will be in Kansas City, too: Ned Yost, Rusty Kuntz, Mike Jirschele, Dave Eiland, Dale Sveum, Jeff Blum, Mark Topping, Bill Duplissea, Miguel Garcia, Nick Kenney and Ryan Stoneberg.
The Royals will have events to honor the 2014 team at Kauffman Stadium and Union Station. Here is a look at what’s planned.
May 16
An American League championship celebration will take place at Union Station, starting at 7 p.m.
This is a formal affair and serves as a fundraiser for the Royals Foundation, the team’s charitable organization. Tickets are available starting at $350.
May 17
Herrera will throw out the first pitch on the night his bobblehead is given away. There also will be a 2014 ALCS pregame ceremony and on-field reunion. Tickets for the game start at $17.
May 18
Davis throw the ceremonial first pitch on the night his bobblehead is given away.
May 19
Holland will throw out the first pitch on the night his bobblehead is given away.
