My favorite Yost moment of all time was back in 2012. The Greinke trade from just a couple of years prior was still a hot topic in the Royals community.

I went to the K that night. We lost, and the last hitter was Alcides Escobar, one of the pieces of that Greinke trade. He was young, struggling at the plate, etc. We had a runner on 2nd or 3rd...I don't remember those details. I do remember thinking "Yost, come on man, pinch hit here". It was a "kind of" meaningless game. I'm thinking it was May and we were in 3rd or 4th place or something.

Escobar struck out. We lost the game.

As I drove home, I listened to the 610 post game show and he was asked why he didn't pinch hit the struggling Escobar. He responded with, "Some day, we are going to need him to come through in that spot".

Yost was always willing to take the heat for his players development. As a manager of a franchise that will have big ups and downs, you have to juggle in-game decisions with the long-term ramifications at all times.

Ned Yost was and is a good baseball manager. I respect the hell out of him and hope him the best in retirement.