The Royals yesterday at Kauffman Stadium received their '15 World Series rings, which "feature two types of gold and nearly 10 carats of gemstones," according to Pete Grathoff of the K.C. STAR. Minneapolis-based Jostens "designed the rings," which were "given to the team in a special ceremony" ahead of yesterday's loss to the Mets. Custom-cut blue sapphires were "used to create the KC logo and it is outlined in yellow gold." The words “World Champions” are at the top and bottom "in yellow gold, and a cluster of round diamonds are set on a field of 14-karat white gold that make up the front of the ring." The sides are "based on the team’s crown logo on 14-karat yellow gold with a gold satin finish." Thirty round white diamonds "comprise the top of the crown, while a row of blue sapphires sits behind the crown." Near the top left side of the rings is "each person’s name above a silhouette of Kauffman Stadium with the Crown Vision board, along with the logos" of the Royals and MLB. On the right side of the ring, 2015 is "set in white diamonds above a baseball diamond that surrounds a silhouette of the World Series trophy." A blue princess-cut sapphire "is at first and third base, and they represent the team’s appearances" in the '14 and '15 World Series. In a "nod to the series-clinching victory in Game 5 of last year’s World Series, five round white diamonds are representative of the five runs the Royals scored in the 12th inning against the Mets." Royals Senior VP/Business Operations Kevin Uhlich said that the team will "be giving out about 700 rings in total." That includes "players, coaches, field staff, full-time front office members, scouts, minor-league instructors and staff" (K.C. STAR, 4/6).
SUPER MODEL: MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said the Urban Youth Academy being constructed in K.C. is "a little microcosm of what we would like to achieve in respect to youth participation." He added, "It is baseball’s effort to make the game available in areas where kids otherwise might not have an opportunity to play. So if we can get 30 of them that look like the model we have going here in Kansas City, we would be in great shape." In K.C., Chris Fickett notes the Royals will "operate the academy." Meanwhile, the Royals are "among a few major-league clubs who have yet to employ a full-time Spanish-language translator, which is a new MLB rule." Manfred: "We’re working with the teams to make sure that those who don’t, in fact, comply with the requirement." A Royals official said that the process to hire a translator "is ongoing" (K.C. STAR, 4/6).
