Q&A: Yost on World Series experiences

Ned Yost wasn’t a natural. He struggled to make his high school baseball team, and he had to walk on to get a chance to play in junior college.

Look at him now.

Yost played six seasons (1980-85) in the big leagues with the Brewers, Rangers and Expos. He managed in the Minor Leagues with the Braves, and then served as the Braves’ bullpen coach (’91-98) and third-base coach (’99-2002) during the first 12 years of their record-setting 14 consecutive division titles.

Since then, he has managed both the Brewers and the Royals, guiding the Royals to the postseason in 2014, their first playoff appearance since 1985, and then last October he managed the Royals to the franchise’s first World Championship since ’85.

Yost discusses his career in this week’s Q&A:

MLB.com: Does what the Royals have been through the past three seasons give you an appreciation of Atlanta winning 14 consecutive division titles?

Yost: I never realized how tough it was in Atlanta. I just never did. We just went to Spring Training and got to work. I was there 12 years. We won the first 12 division titles in that time. We expected it Day One. And we did it with new players every year. [General manager John] Schuerholz said you have to manage change and [manager] Bobby [Cox] did it wonderfully.

MLB.com: There is a grind involved in the postseason that carries over?

Yost: After going to the World Series in `14 and now `15, I don’t know why back then it didn’t take …

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