We would like to welcome you to a new series here at Royals Blue. We will continue to post segments breaking down the 300 best players to ever play for Kansas City. There will be some familiar names, some not so familiar, and probably a few surprises along the way.
These are the Top 300 Kansas City Royals Players ranked in descending order. Each player's ranking is based on the Modified Production Index Formula (MPIF). Position players and pitchers, respectively, have a formula that is used to rank their overall contribution to the Kansas City Baseball Franchise in their Royals' career. The position player and pitching formula are located HERE.
The following players, ranked from #90 to 61, have biographical and statistical information about their tenure in Kansas City.
RANK #90 – LONNIE SMITH (#41) – Left Field (1985-1987)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,132.81
217th Royals Player in Franchise History
After the departure of Amos Otis in 1983, the Kansas City Royals had a hard time finding an everyday left fielder. Then, in 1985, the Royals traded minor league outfielder John Morris to the St. Louis Cardinals for Lonnie Smith. Nicknamed “Skates,” Smith made an immediate impact. That season, Smith batted .257 with 40 stolen bases. He helped the Royals win the 1985 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, becoming the only player in baseball history to play in the World Series against the team that traded him away in the same season. After the season, it was discovered that Smith was doing cocaine. The following spring training, it was announced that Smith, along with six other players in the league, would be suspended for one year unless they donated 10% of their salaries to charity, performed community service and agreed to random drug testing. In the 1986 season, Smith became a solid part of the outfield batting .287 with 26 stolen bases. However, at the end of the season, he was allowed to become a free agent. No team picked him up and he was forced to return to the Royals in 1987. However, the Royals had acquired Danny Tartabull and Bo Jackson, which reduced his role on the team. Smith was released at the end of the 1987 season. Lonnie Smith is sixth all-time in innings played in left field with 2,164 1/3 innings. His career batting average for the Royals is .270 and he amassed 75 stolen bases in 95 tries. Smith signed with the Atlanta Braves the following season.
RANK #89 – BRUCE DAL CANTON (#43) – Middle Relief Pitcher (1971-1975)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,134.57
56th Royals Player in Franchise History
Bruce Dal Canton was a part of a trade that also brought Freddie Patek and Jerry May to the Royals in late 1970 from the Pittsburgh Pirates for Jackie Hernandez, Bob Johnson and Jim Campanis. He split time with the Royals as a starter and a relief pitcher. He started in 65 of his 127 games with the Royals and had a 3.75 ERA. His Royals record was 26-27 with five saves. He was a bit wild as a pitcher, leading the American League with 16 in 1974. Despite this, 1974 was his best year with a 3.13 ERA, nine complete games and 96 strikeouts. His best game was on September 3, 1974 against the Chicago White Sox when he pitched a complete game shutout with eight strikeouts and only two earned runs. The Royals eventually traded Dal Canton in 1975 in a four-player deal that sent him to the Atlanta Braves. He pitched 555 innings for Kansas City.
RANK #88 – CLINT HURDLE (#10) – Right Field (1977-1981)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,142.50
123rd Royals Player in Franchise History
Clint Hurdle was a first round draft pick for the Kansas City Royals in 1975. He made his major league debut on September 18, 1977 and only made nine appearances that season. In 1978, Clint Hurdle was the opening day first baseman for the Royals. Prior to opening day, Hurdle was featured as “This Year’s Phenom” in baseball by Sports Illustrated and he was featured on the cover of the magazine. Many have said that this may have jinxed his career. He hit .264 in his first season with only seven home runs and 56 RBIs. He split his time evenly between first base, right field and left field. Hurdle went 3-8 in four appearances in the 1978 ALCS against the New York Yankees, including a triple and one RBI. In 1979, he was made exclusively a utility outfielder, but was sent to the minors in June and did not return until mid-August. In 1980, Hurdle bounced back and became the full-time right fielder for the Royals, hitting .294 with 10 home runs in the season. He hit .417 in the 1980 World Series with a double and a stolen base. In 1981, Hurdle was hitting phenomenally with an early batting average over .400 in April. But he was plagued with injury for most of the season. He still managed to hit .329 for the season, but only in 28 appearances. He started all three games in right field during the 1981 Division Series, hitting .273. When the season ended, Hurdle was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for a minor league pitcher. He hit .276 in his career as a Royals player with 26 home runs. His 1,706 innings in right field is eighth all-time in that position in franchise history.
RANK #87 – JOSE GUILLEN (#11) – Right Field (2008-2010)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,148.47
665th Royals Player in Franchise History
Jose Guillen signed as a free agent with the Kansas City Royals after playing for the Seattle Mariners. In his first season, Guillen split his time in right field with Mark Teahen and split his other games as designated hitter with Billy Butler. He led the team in home runs with 20, including a grand slam on June 7 off of Andy Pettitte of the New York Yankees. He was suppose to serve a suspension because his name was brought up in the Mitchell Report for using performance-enhancing drugs. However, the suspension was rescinded when a deal was made between the players’ union and MLB. In 2009, Guillen only hit .242 with nine home runs. His season was cut short by an injury in which he missed the month of August. In 2010, Guillen was moved primarily to designated hitter. He hit .255 with 16 home runs. He was traded in August to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for a minor league player. Guillen’s batting average with the Kansas City Royals was .256 with 45 home runs and 199 RBIs. His 577 plate appearances at designated hitter is eighth all-time in franchise history. He played 1,212 1/3 innings in right field for Kansas City.
RANK #86 – JEFF FRANCOEUR (#21) – Right Field (2011-2013)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,159.53
723rd Royals Player in Franchise History (along with Melky Cabrera, Alcides Escobar and Matt Treanor)
Jeff Francoeur signed with the Kansas City Royals as a free agent after playing for the Texas Rangers. Francoeur was the opening day right fielder for the Royals in 2011. He had a great season, batting .285 with 20 home runs and 22 stolen bases. Francoeur led the American league with assists from right field with 16 and led in putouts with 327. Francoeur, along with Melky Cabrera and Alex Gordon, became the best outfield in major league baseball. His best game came on July 3, 2011 when he went 3-6 with a double and three RBIs. His offense waned in 2012 with a batting average of .235 with 16 home runs. Defensively, Francoeur was still one of the best fielding right fielders in the game. However, the 2013 was a career low for Francoeur, hitting only .208 with three home runs in 59 appearances. The Royals released Francoeur in early July of 2013 and he was picked up by the San Francisco Giants. Francoeur is fourth all-time for innings played in right field with 3,074 2/3. He hit .254 in his Royals career. He is currently playing for the Atlanta Braves.
RANK #85 – GREG GAGNE (#7) – Shortstop (1993-1995)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,160.17
342nd Royals Player in Franchise History
Greg Gagne signed with the Kansas City Royals in 1992 after playing with the Minnesota Twins. Gagne was considered one of the best defensive shortstops in all of baseball, and he did not disappoint in his first season with the Royals. He led the American League with the fewest errors and best fielding percentage of any shortstop. He hit a respectable .280 with 10 home runs and 57 RBIs. On July 29, 1993, Gagne hit a grand slam against the Texas Rangers. He was also joined by his former teammate with the Twins, Gary Gaetti, at third base at mid-season. The strike-shortened season of 1994 was a down year for Gagne. He was caught stealing 17 times, leading the American League. He only hit .259 for the season, but his fielding continued to be superb. On May 14, 1994, he was part of only the fourth triple play in Royals history, going 5-4-3 on the play. His 1995 season was a mirror of his previous season as Gagne continued to be a major part of the Royals infield. However, Gagne did not re-sign with the Royals after the season and he was picked up by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Gagne hit a career .266 with the Royals and is sixth all-time in innings played at shortstop with 3,261 in 386 games played.
RANK #84 – GARY GAETTI (#8) – Third Base (1993-1995)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,208.38
351st Royals Player in Franchise History
After being released in June of 1993 by the California Angels, Gary Gaetti signed with the Kansas City Royals. Gaetti was having a horrible season with the Angels and was given a second chance with the Royals. He formerly played for the Northwest Missouri State University baseball team. The Royals were desperately looking for a third baseman after the loss of Keith Miller to injury. Gaetti did not disappoint when he arrived. He hit .256 in 82 games played for the Royals, including 14 home runs. He was also reunited with his teammate Greg Gagne from his days with the Minnesota Twins. On July 29, 1993, one of his home runs was a grand slam off of Bob Patterson of the Texas Rangers. In the strike-shortened season of 1994, Gaetti continued to hit with power, driving in 12 home runs. The 1995 season was Gaetti’s best as a member of the Royals. He hit .261 with 96 RBIs. He came within one home run of tying the Royals home run record which is held by Steve Balboni. He hit his second grand slam as a Royals player, again off a Texas pitcher, on May 29, 1995. At the end of the season, Gaetti signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. He ended his career with the Royals having a .267 average with 61 home runs. He is also eighth all-time for innings at third base with 2,332 2/3.
RANK #83 – MARK GRUDZIELANEK (#15) – Second Base (2006-2008)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,209.55
615th Royals Player in Franchise History
Mark Grudzielanek signed as a free agent to the Kansas City Royals after playing with the St. Louis Cardinals. In his first season, Grudzielanek became the everyday second baseman for the Kansas City. His season batting average was .297 with seven home runs. He was first in the American League in assists and third in fielding percentage as a second baseman. He also won the American League Gold Glove for second base. He became only the second Royals player ever to win the award at that position, the other being Frank White. In 2007, he improved his batting average to .302 with six home runs. His best game came this season in a 17-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. He hit 3-5 with a double, home run and five RBIs in the game. His 2008 season went extremely well until early August when an injury ended his season. He was released at the end of 2008 and he was picked up by the Minnesota Twins. He missed the entire 2009 season and would not play again until 2010. He was a career .300 hitter with the Royals is fourth all-time in innings played at second base with 2,769 innings.
RANK #82 – BOB OLIVER (#33) – First Base (1969-1972)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,209.55
1st Royals Player in Franchise History (along with Jerry Adair, Wally Bunker, Joe Foy, Chuck Harrison, Jackie Hernandez, Ed Kirkpatrick, Lou Piniella, and Ellie Rodriguez)
Bob Oliver was selected from the Minnesota Twins in the 1968 Expansion Draft. He was the first right fielder in Royals history on opening day in 1969. In that game, he recorded the first out in Royals history when Twins’ Ted Uhlaender popped up to right field. He was also involved in the first-ever double play (9-6) by a hit from Harmon Killebrew. Throughout that year, he split time between right and center fields. On May 4, 1969, he became the first of only three Royals to have six hits in a nine-inning game at California, one of which was a home run. Then, on July 1, 1969, he hit the first-ever Grand Slam in Royals history off a pitch from Jim Bouton of the Seattle Pilots. However, by 1970, he was moved to first base and led the team in home runs with 27. In 1971, Oliver began to split time between first base and right field. He hit a second grand slam on April 19, 1971 against the Boston Red Sox. In May of 1972, Oliver was traded to the California Angels for pitcher Tom Murphy. Oliver played 1,493 innings at first base while in Kansas City.
RANK #81 – TOM GOODWIN (#42) – Center Field (1994-1997)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,224.14
361st Royals Player in Franchise History
Tom Goodwin was claimed off waivers in 1994 after being released by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Goodwin only played two games in his first season, but by 1995, he became the opening day center fielder by the Kansas City Royals. He hit .288 in his first full season with the Royals and he led the American League in sacrifice hits and reaching base on an error. He led the team and was second in the American league in stolen bases with 50. He became one of the top defensive center fielders in the league. In 1996, he increased the number of stolen bases to 66. During his second full season, Goodwin split time between center field and left field. His best game occurred on July 7, 1996 against the Minnesota Twins when he hit 2-4 with a triple, stolen base and four RBIs. His positive offensive production continued in 1997. On July 12, 1997, major league baseball retired the #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson. Goodwin, however, was allowed to continue wearing the number. It only lasted for 13 more games until he was traded to the Texas Rangers in exchange for third baseman Dean Palmer. Goodwin hit .281 in Kansas City with 150 stolen bases. He is ranked ninth all-time in innings played at center field with 2,227 1/3.
RANK #80 – JEFF KING (#7) – First Base (1997-1999)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,242.87
407th Royals Player in Franchise History (along with Jay Bell and Jermaine Dye)
Jeff King was traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates, along with Jay Bell, to the Kansas City Royals for Jeff Granger, Jeff Martin, Jeff Wallace and Joe Randa in 1996. For the first month of 1997, Jeff King was on fire offensively. He was hitting a .314 batting average with four home runs. Then, he slipped into a horrible slump. His average dropped to .229 by the end of May. He began to turn things around. He hit the first of his two grand slams of the season on June 18, 1997 against the Houston Astros. By the end of June, things were looking better, but a second slump hit. His second grand slam came on September 27, 1997 against the Chicago White Sox. But it wasn’t enough. His season ended with a .238 batting average. He did manage to hit 28 home runs on the season and 112 RBIs, but his offensive production was just not what it used to be when he was with Pittsburgh. The 1998 season went better for King. He hit 24 home runs and improved his batting average to .263. On May 23, 1999, he shocked the team and Kansas City fans by announcing his abrupt retirement from baseball. King is ninth all-time in innings played at first base with 2,408 2/3. His career average with the Royals .249 with 55 home runs and 216 RBIs.
RANK #79 – TIM BELCHER (#41) – Starting Pitcher (1996-1998)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,247.27
397th Royals Player in Franchise History
Tim Belcher signed as a free agent in 1996 after playing for the Seattle Mariners. In his first season, Belcher was a part of the starting rotation and started 35 games with a 15-11 record and a 3.92 ERA. His best game came on September 2, 1996 when he pitched a complete game shutout of the Toronto Blue Jays. In 1997, he had a 13-12 record despite his ERA rising to 5.02. He did, however, have the best fielding percentage of any pitcher in the American League. In 1998, Belcher rebounded with a 4.27 ERA and a .500 winning record in 34 starts. Belcher was the predominate starter in the rotation all three season he pitched with the Royals. Belcher had a career 4.38 ERA with the Royals in 101 starts and a 42-37 record. He was one of the few starting pitchers for Kansas City in the late 1990s with a winning record. After the 1998 season, Belcher signed with the Anaheim Angels.
RANK #78 – JEREMY GUTHRIE (#11) – Starting Pitcher (2012-2015)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,257.32
756th Royals Player in Franchise History
Jeremy Guthrie was traded by the Colorado Rockies to the Kansas City Royals for starting pitcher Jonathan Sanchez in July of 2012. Guthrie instantly became the best pitcher on the starting rotation in the second half of the season, with a 3.16 ERA and a 5-3 record. In 2013, Guthrie pitched a 4.04 ERA and a team-leading 15-12 record. His best game came on May 4, 2013 when he pitched a complete game shutout of the Chicago White Sox. His victory in the game broke a consecutive winning record set by Paul Splittorff in 1978-1979 with 17 wins. His ERA during the streak was 2.44. In 2014, Guthrie because a part of one of the best starting rotations in the American League. He had a 13-11 record with a 4.13 ERA. In three starts between June 13 and June 23, Guthrie had three straight victories, striking out 23 and 2.25 ERA. On September 26, Guthrie pitched seven scoreless innings to get the win against the Chicago White Sox and secure the first playoff berth for the Royals in 29 years. With the nickname “J-Guts,” Guthrie started in three games in the post-season with a 1-1 record and 4.05 ERA. Guthrie was a part of the starting rotation during the 2015 season, but struggled most of the season. In his first eight starts for Kansas City, Guthrie had a 4.75 ERA and a 4-2 record. During that time on May 20, he pitched six scoreless innings against the Cincinnati Red to help establish a club-record 24 scoreless innings in a row. Unfortunately, Guthrie gave up 11 runs in one inning in the next start to set a major league record for the worst start in the history of baseball and also breaking Jimmy Gobble’s 10-run inning record. He was sent to the bullpen by mid-August, but his pitching did not improve. Guthrie was left off of the postseason roster in 2015 and he was released after the season. Guthrie signed with the Texas Rangers. He pitched 653 2/3 innings for Kansas City and had a 41-34 record.
RANK #77 – JEFF SUPPAN (#37) – Starting Pitcher (1998-2002)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,258.12
450th Royals Player in Franchise History
The Kansas City Royals purchased the contract of Jeff Suppan in early September of 1998 from the Arizona Diamondbacks. He made four appearances that September, pitching 12 2/3 innings and only giving up one earned run. In 1999, he was named the #2 starter for the Royals behind Kevin Appier. He went 10-12 in his first season with an ERA of 4.53. His best game came on August 3, 1999 when he pitched a complete game shutout win over the Anaheim Angels by the score of 7-0. In 2000, Suppan was the opening day pitcher for the Royals. He had a 10-9 record with 4.94 ERA. Despite the lofty ERA, he did manage to pitch three complete games and one shutout in the season. Unfortunately, he gave up more home runs than any other pitcher in the American League with 36. He was the Royals top starter in 2001 and 2002. His ERA continued to climb with a 4.83 ERA over his last two seasons with the Royals and a 19-30 record over the same time period. After the 2002 season, Suppan signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates and his Royals career ended. Suppan had a career 4.73 ERA for the Royals in 133 starts with a 39-51 record. He pitched 864 2/3 innings with Kansas City.
RANK #76 – RICH GALE (#38) – Starting Pitcher (1978-1981)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,337.36
127th Royals Player in Franchise History
Rich Gale was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in 1975. He made his major league debut with Kansas City on April 30, 1978 starting against the Milwaukee Brewers, earning his first major league win. Rich Gale was the best rookie pitcher of 1978, going 14-8 in 30 starts with an ERA of 3.09. His best game came on June 13, 1978 when he pitched a one-hit shutout of the Texas Rangers. Gale finished fourth in the Rookie-of-the-Year voting. The next season was a down time for Gale, pitching only a 9-10 record with an ERA of 5.65. He bounced back in 1980 with a 13-9 record, despite still having a lofty ERA of 5.00. He started both Game 3 and Game 6 of the 1980 World Series. During the strike season of 1981, Gale improved his ERA to 3.47. During the strike, Gale took a job as a bartender at the Hyatt Regency. On July 17, 1981, the skywalk at the Hyatt collapsed and killed 114 people. Gale narrowly escaped, but lost a friend in the accident. Gale was traded, along with Bill Laskey, to the San Francisco Giants for Jerry Martin at the end of the Season. Gale finished his Royals career with a 4.38 ERA and 335 strikeouts in 104 starts.
RANK #75 – MICHAEL TUCKER (#24) – Right Field (1995-1996, 2002-2003)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,349.52
364th Royals Player in Franchise History
Michael Tucker was a first-round draft choice of the Kansas City Royals in 1992. Prior to the 1992 draft, Tucker played on the 1992 Olympic Baseball team that finished fourth in Barcelona. He made his major league debut on opening day, April 26, 1995 in left field. His batting average dropped to .207 by the end of May and he was demoted to AAA Omaha. He came back in August with a hot bat and brought his season average up to .260. In 1996, Tucker moved to right field, sharing the position with Johnny Damon. Tucker hit .260 in his first two years with the Royals, driving in 16 home runs and 70 RBIs. Just prior to opening day of 1997, Tucker was traded, along with Keith Lockhart, to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Jermaine Dye and Jamie Walker. He played in the National League for five years with three different teams. Then, in 2001, Tucker was traded back the the Kansas City Royals by the Chicago Cubs in exchange for a minor league player. In his second stint with the Royals, Tucker primarily played right field. His average dropped to .248 with 12 home runs, however he was sixth in the American League in triples. His last season with the Royals was an improvement. He hit a Royals-career high 13 home runs with a .262 batting average. His best game came on May 30, 2003 against the Oakland Athletics when he went 3-4 with a walk, home run and five RBIs. He became a free agent at the end of the season and Tucker was picked up by the San Francisco Giants. Tucker finished his two stints with the Royals with a .257 batting average and with 41 home runs. He played 1,484 innings in right field for Kansas City.
RANK #74 – JOSE ROSADO (#50) – Starting Pitcher (1996-2000)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,350.24
402nd Royals Player in Franchise History
Jose Rosado was drafted by the Royals in 1994. He made his major league debut on June 12, 1996. He was brought up to replace the injured Kevin Appier. On August 19, Rosado pitched his first-ever complete game, but lost the game 2-1 over the Toronto Blue Jays. He finished his first year with an impressive 3.21 ERA. In 1997, Rosado became the ace of the starting rotation. He pitched a 3.39 ERA before the all-star break and was the sole representative on the All-Star team for the Royals. On July 8, 1997, Rosado became the only pitcher besides Bret Saberhagen to record a win pitching in the All-Star game. The second half of the 1997 season went horribly for Rosado as he pitched a 6.67 ERA for the remainder of the season. Because of this, the new manager or the Royals, Tony Muser, demoted Rosado to the bullpen in 1998 for the first month of the season. He was reinstated into the starting rotation in May and his ERA improved to 4.69 for the season. The 1999 season was the best of Rosado’s career. He had a 1.93 ERA in his first eight starts, but because of the lack of run support, his record was only 2-2. He earned another chance to pitch in the All-Star game and ended the season with a 10-14 record with an ERA of 3.85. Rosado pitched five games in 1998 with a pitch count of 125 or more. There was much criticism targeted at the Royals manager for working the young Rosado so much in the 1999 season. By 2000, Rosado’s arm was shot and he only pitched in five more games. He never recovered and he was released at the end of the season. He never played in the major leagues again. Rosado’s record with the Royals was 37-45 with an ERA of 4.27. He made 112 starts for the Royals in 125 appearances and one of only five Royals pitchers to make more than one appearance at the All-Star game.
RANK #73 – BRUCE CHEN (#52) – Starting Pitcher (2009-2014)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,381.33
694th Royals Player in Franchise History
Bruce Chen signed with the Kansas City Royals as a free agent in 2009 after playing for the Texas Rangers. Chen had not pitched in the major leagues since 2007. He was signed to a minor league contract with the Royals, the 10th team in his career. Chen was called up from AAA Omaha in late June of 2009. He struggled in his first season, splitting time between a starting pitcher and relief pitcher. He had a 5.78 ERA and 1-6 record. However, Chen played the entire 2010 season with the Royals, starting in the bullpen before being moved to a starting role. He pitched a 2.89 ERA as a relief pitcher. Despite his ERA rising as a starter, he finished the season with a 12-7 record. On October 1, 2010, Chen threw his first complete game shutout against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. In 2011, Chen suffered several injuries, but still posted a 3.77 ERA and 12-8 record on the season. In 2012, Chen led the American League in starts with 34. However, he suffered setbacks with a high 5.07 season ERA and only a 11-14 record. Chen was moved to the bullpen again in 2013 and pitched brilliantly. As part of the best bullpen in the American League, Chen’s ERA was only 2.08 by July 4. However, due to the poor performance of Luis Mendoza, Chen was moved back to a starting roll. He went 6-4 as a starter and finished the season with a 3.27 ERA and a 9-4 record overall. In the off season, Chen re-signed with Royals as a free agent for the 2014 season. He began the season as a starter, but had a very poor showing in his first four starts. He was then placed on the disabled list until the end of June where he was placed in the bullpen as a long-relief pitcher. He never fully recovered and his ERA shot up to 7.45. He was released by the Royals at the end of June. Bruce Chen finished his Royals career 47-43 with an 4.53 ERA in 718 2/3 innings pitched. After the 2014 season, Chen signed a minor league deal with the Cleveland Indians.
RANK #72 – BRENT MAYNE (#24) – Catcher (1990-1995, 2001-2003)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,386.31
298th Royals Player in Franchise History
Brent Mayne was drafted by the Royals in 1989 and had his major league debut on September 18, 1990. He only played five games in 1990. In 1991, Mayne split catching duties with Mike Macfarlane. He hit .251 for the season. On August 26, 1991, Mayne caught Bret Saberhagen’s no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox. In 1992, he became the backup catcher for Mike Macfarlane and would continue that role through 1994. On May 5, 1994, Mayne hit his first and only career grand slam against the Toronto Blue Jays. In 1995, Macfarlane left the Royals and Mayne became the primary catcher for Kansas City. He hit a modest .251 with only 27 RBIs. At the end of the season, Mike Macfarlane was re-acquired by the Royals. Three days later, Mayne was traded to the New York Mets for a minor league player. Mayne played for New York, Oakland, San Francisco and Colorado before being traded back to the Royals for Sal Fasano and Mac Suzuki in 2001. The Royals were in desperate need for a productive catcher and they took a chance on Mayne. Over the next two years, Mayne would hit .241 with 10 home runs for the Royals as their primary catcher. Mayne was released after the 2003 season and he signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Mayne is second only to Mike Macfarlane in innings played as catcher with 4,965 1/3. He had a .244 career batting average with the Royals in 664 appearances.
RANK #71 – STEVE MINGORI (#22) – Middle Relief Pitcher (1973-1979)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,389.85
80th Royals Player in Franchise History
Steve “Mingo” Mingori was traded to the Kansas City Royals by the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Mike Jackson in June of 1973. Mingori was a Kansas City native who attended Rockhurst High School. He became a full-time long relief pitcher who carried a 2.81 ERA in his first full season with the Royals. In June and August of 1974, Mingori pitched 23 2/3 scoreless innings of relief. Mingori pitched in all three American League Championships of the 1970s against the New York Yankees. Despite having a 16-25 record with the Royals in his career, Mingori had a 3.05 career ERA with 217 strikeouts in 439 innings pitched. He had 27 career saves and 22 career holds for the Kansas City Royals. He finished his major league career with the Royals. Mingori, along with Mark Littell and Hipolito Pichardo, are the only Royals pitchers to have at bats in the designated hitter age of baseball prior to interleague play in 1997.
RANK #70 – CARLOS FEBLES (#3) – Second Base (1998-2003)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,409.00
452nd Royals Player in Franchise History
Carlos Febles was signed as a non-drafted free agent in 1993. In 1998, he skipped AAA Omaha and made his major league debut with the Royals on September 14, 1998. He only appeared in 11 games in his first major league season. In 1999, Febles became the full-time second baseman for the Royals, starting at the position on opening day. He hit .256 with 10 home runs. Febles was second in the American League in triples with nine on the season. He stole 20 bases and was ranked on the of the top three fielding second basemen in the league. Febles, along with his teammate Carlos Beltran were known together as “Dos Carlos.” His next season was equally as successful for Febles, but his time on the field was cut short throughout the season due to injury. Injury continued to plague Febles in the 2001 season and his batting average fell to .236. His woes continued in 2002 with only a .245 batting average. With the continued drop in production in 2003, the Royals decided to release Febles. He did sign with the Boston Red Sox, but never played again in the major leagues. Febles is third all-time in innings played, behind Frank White and Cookie Rojas, at second base for the Royals with 4,036 1/3.
RANK #69 – EMIL BROWN (#35) – Utility Outfield (2005-2007)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,418.86
601st Royals Player in Franchise History
Emil Brown signed as a free agent in 2004 after playing for the Houston Astros. Brown only had limited playing time in the majors and had not played for a major league team since 2001. However, his first season with the Royals became the best of his career. He became the everyday right fielder, hitting .286 with 17 home runs and 86 RBIs. His best game came on June 27, 2006 in a 9-8 victory against the Cincinnati Red when he went 3-4 with a home run, two doubles and four RBIs. In 2007, Brown was moved to left field to make room for Mark Teahen in right field. His offensive output slipped slightly, hitting only .266 with six home runs. Brown did not re-sign with the Royals and, instead, signed with the Oakland Athletics in early 2008. Emil Brown is ranked 10th all-time in innings played in right field with 1,662 and ranked 14th all-time in left field with 1,408 innings played. Brown had a career batting average of .279.
RANK #68 – DANNY JACKSON (#25) – Starting Pitcher (1983-1987)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,460.69
200th Royals Player in Franchise History
Danny Jackson was a first-round draft pick by the Kansas City Royals in 1982. He made his major league debut on September 11, 1983. In 1984, Jackson started the season in the starting rotation, but was sent down to AAA Omaha in the beginning of June. He returned until September and finished the season with a 3.42 ERA and a 2-6 record. He did not play in the 1984 ALCS against the Detroit Tigers. In 1985, he was a full-time pitcher in the starting rotation for the Royals. He went 14-12 with a 3.42 ERA. He had four complete games and three shutout. His best game was on October 15, 1985. The Royals were down three games to one to the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1985 ALCS. He pitched a complete game shutout with six strikeouts to keep the Royals alive. The Royals went on to win the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Jackson was the winning pitcher in Game 5, pitching a complete game for the 6-1 victory over St. Louis. In the seventh inning, Jackson made major league history by becoming the only pitcher in major league history ever to strikeout three batters in an inning with nine pitches during the World Series. In 1986, Jackson improved his ERA to 3.20, but only had a 11-12 record with the Royals. By 1987, Jackson would pitch 15 complete games, but have only a 9-18 record with a 4.02 ERA. Jackson was traded in the offseason to the Cincinnati Reds, along with Angel Salazar, for pitcher Ted Power and shortstop Kurt Stillwell. In his first season with Cincinnati, Jackson would earn a trip to the All-Star Game. Jackson’s career record with the Royals was 37-49 with a 3.69 ERA. He started 107 games with 20 complete games and six shutouts.
RANK #67 – KELVIN HERRERA (#40) – Middle Relief Pitcher (2011-2016)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,485.16
743rd Royals Player in Franchise History
Kelvin Herrera signed as a non-drafted free agent to the Kansas City Royals in 2006. He made his major league debut on September 21, 2011 and only pitched twice that year. In 2012, Herrera was made a part of the bullpen. Herrera’s fastball averages 97 mph and tops off at 103 mph. He pitched a 2.35 ERA in his first season with the Royals with a 4-3 record as a relief pitcher. He was second in the American League in appearances with 76 games. Despite being on the best bullpen in the American League in 2013, Herrera’s production dropped the next season. He had a 3.86 ERA with only 58 1/3 innings pitched. He made a dramatic turnaround in 2014. Herrera became one of the best relief pitchers in baseball. Herrera combined with Wade Davis and Greg Holland to be the most feared bullpen in the major leagues. He recorded a 4-3 record with a 1.43 ERA. Between mid-June and mid-September, Herrera did not give up an earned run. He was one of the fastest pitchers in all of baseball. He helped the Royals make it to the playoffs for the first time in 29 years. Herrera was a bit shaky in the playoffs, even being pulled out of a game with an injury during the Division Series with the Angels. Despite some close calls during his time on the mound, Herrera still pitched a 1.80 ERA in 15 innings pitched. He even had his first-ever major league at bat during the World Series. In 2015, Herrera continued to be one of the best relief pitchers in baseball, holding his opponents to a .206 batting average. He was selected to his first-ever All-Star Game as a relief pitcher. On May 5, 2015, Herrera gave up a home run against the Cleveland Indians, ending his 105 1/3 inning streak of pitching without giving up a home run and breaking the club record. He held this record until Wade Davis broke the record later in the season. Herrera helped the Royals make their second playoff berth in a row in 2015. He pitched in eight playoff games with a 1.04 ERA and helped the Royals to the World Series. During the World Series against the New York Mets, he pitched five scoreless innings, including three scoreless innings of relief in game five to help the Royals win the championship. He has a career 2.60 ERA with Kansas City in 279 appearances as of 2015. Herrera broke Jason Grimsley’s all-time hold record by the end of the 2015 the season with 81. Herrera is still pitching for the Royals.
RANK #66 – KURT STILLWELL (#1) – Shortstop (1988-1991)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,485.93
253rd Royals Player in Franchise History
Kurt Stillwell was traded by the Cincinnati Reds, along with Ted Power, to the Kansas City Royals for pitcher Danny Jackson and shortstop Angel Salazar. Stillwell proved to be a consistent shortstop for the Royals. He hit .251 in his first season with 10 home runs and 53 RBIs. He was picked as a reserve shortstop in the 1988 All-Star Game. Stillwell continued to play well in 1989, hitting .261 with seven home runs. His 1990 season was a low point for Stillwell with his offensive production dropping. He made a comeback in 1991, hitting .265 with six home runs and 51 RBIs. On May 25, 1991, Stillwell hit his first grand slam against the Minnesota Twins. He also had five RBIs and went 4-5 at the plate. Stillwell was released after the 1991 season and he signed with the San Diego Padres. Stillwell is fifth all-time in innings played at shortstop with 4,197 1/3. He is a career .256 hitter with the Royals, driving in 26 home runs and 209 RBIs while in Kansas City.
RANK #65 – RAUL IBANEZ (#18) – Left Field (2001-2003, 2014)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,527.52
499th Royals Player in Franchise History
Raul Ibanez was signed as a free agent by the Kansas City Royals in 2000 after playing for the Seattle Mariners. In his first season, Ibanez switched back and forth from the outfield to designated hitter, with a short time trying first base. As the backup outfielder for the Royals, Ibanez hit .280 with 13 home runs and 54 RBIs. In 2002, he continued moving around the same three positions, but became a nearly-everyday player for the Royals. He hit .294 batting average with 24 home runs and 103 RBIs for the Royals. His best game came on July 14, 2002 when he hit a grand slam home run against the Anaheim Angels in the first inning. His 2003 season was just as strong with a .294 batting average and 18 home runs. Ibanez led the team in hits with 179 on the season and played most of the year in left field. He became a fan-favorite as they chanted, “RAUUUUUUUUUULLLL!” Just as Ibanez’s career was taking off, the Royals decided not to re-sign him and he signed with his old team, the Seattle Mariners. He would play in Seattle for another five seasons before playing for Philadelphia, the New York Yankees, back to Seattle, then to the Los Angeles Angels. He was considered on of the best outfielders in the game and even had an All-Star selection while in Philadelphia. After starting to the 2014 season in Los Angeles, Ibanez was released and picked up by the Kansas City Royals. Now 42 years old, Ibanez became a mentor to the young Royals’ players. He became the oldest player in franchise history to hit a triple and a home run. He played a few games at first base, designated hitter and outfield. Unfortunately, his offensive production did not come back as he only hit .188 for the Royals. Ibanez hit .286 in his Royals career with 57 home runs and 252 RBIs. He played 1,497 innings in left field with Kansas City.
RANK #64 – LUKE HOCHEVAR (#44) – Starting Pitcher (2007-2016)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,545.51
664th Royals Player in Franchise History
Luke Hochevar was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in 2006. He made his major league debut on September 8, 2007. He was part of the starting rotation in 2008, but struggled with a 6-12 record and a 5.51 ERA. His struggles continued in 2009 with his ERA shooting up to 6.55. Hochevar missed much of the 2010 season due to a right elbow strain. But in 2011, Hochevar was made the ace of the starting rotation, starting on opening day. He had 31 starts with 4.63 ERA. However, his 2012 season was miserable. His ERA shot up to 5.73 and he led the American League in earned runs. The one bright spot was Hochevar had the best game of his career when he pitched a 8-0 complete game shutout of the Tampa Bay Rays on June 25, 2012. With the start of the 2013 season, Hochevar was moved to the bullpen and his career became revitalized. As a part of the best bullpen in baseball, Hochevar had a 5-2 record in 58 appearances and had a 1.92 ERA. Unfortunately, during Spring Training of 2014, Hochevar developed an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery and he missed the entire season. He did not return until early May of 2015. The beginning of his season was shaky, but in the last three months of the season, he kept batters to a .229 batting average and had a 3.19 ERA. He was a part of the 25-man roster for the playoffs and helped the Royals to their fourth World Series. He pitched 10 2/3 scoreless innings in the post season and earned two wins. As of 2015, Hochevar has a 5.02 career ERA with a 44-62 record. He also has 15 career holds with Kansas City. He is still pitching for Kansas City.
RANK #63 – JOHN BUCK (#14) – Catcher (2004-2009)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,551.23
584th Royals Player in Franchise History
In June of 2004, John Buck arrived in Kansas City through a complex three-team deal. Mike Wood was sent to the Kansas City Royals, along with Mark Teahen, from the Oakland Athletics. Kansas City sent Carlos Beltran to the Houston Astros, Houston sent Octavio Dotel to Oakland, and Houston sent John Buck to Kansas City with cash. He made his major league debut on June 25, 2004 when he replaced injured starting catcher Benito Santiago. He only hit .235 on the season, but drove in 12 home runs. On August 13, 2004, Buck hit his first grand slam against the Oakland Athletics. Starting in 2005, Buck became the opening day catcher for the Royals for the next four season. He was very consistent at the plate over the next two seasons, hitting .244 with 23 home runs. Buck was involved in an embarrassing incident in 2006 when he got into a fight with fellow teammate Runelvys Hernandez in the dugout during a game with the Cleveland Indians. His 2007 and 2008 season were not as productive when he only hit .223 during the two-year period. By 2009, Buck became a backup catcher to newly acquired Miguel Olivo. At the end of the 2009 season, Buck signed with the Toronto Blue Jays. Buck is third all-time, behind Mike Macfarlane and Brent Mayne, in innings caught for the Royals with 4,723 1/3. He hit .235 with 70 home runs as a member of the Kansas City Royals.
RANK #62 – WADE DAVIS (#22) – Middle Relief Pitcher (2013-2016)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,583.05
765th Royals Player in Franchise History
Wade Davis was traded to the Kansas City Royals, along with James Shields and Elliot Johnson, from the Tampa Bay Rays for four minor league players. In Tampa Bay, he was nicknamed “The Silent Assassin.” Davis had been a relief pitcher the previous year with Tampa Bay, but the Royals decided to place him in the starting rotation. Davis struggled with consistency as a starter. He had a 5.62 ERA and a 6-10 record when he was moved to the bullpen in September. Once in the bullpen, his record was 2-1 with a 0.80 ERA. It was decided that Davis would begin the 2014 season in the bullpen and he made the most of it. He became one of best set-up pitchers in all of baseball. He finished the season with an astounding 1.00 ERA. He set the Royals team record with 32 consecutive scoreless innings of relief. He also had 109 strikeouts for the season, breaking the relief record of 103, set by Jim York in 1971 and Greg Holland in 2013. He had 33 holds and broke Jason Grimley’s 2003 record of 28 in a season. Davis, along with Kelvin Herrera and Greg Holland, made up the best bullpen of the major leagues. He helped the Royals get into the playoffs for the first time in 29 years. Davis pitched 14 of the 15 playoff games of 2014 with a 0.63 ERA. Amazingly, Davis did even better in 2015. Davis split time as the closer with Greg Holland, who was out of the bullpen at various times due to injuries. During the season, he recorded 17 saves and 18 holds. He did not give up a run until June 12. He was selected to the 2015 All-Star Team as a relief pitcher. On August 1, he gave up his first home run to the Toronto Blue Jays, ending his streak of 126 ⅔ innings and setting the all-time record in the category for the Royals, having not given up a home run since August 24, 2013. He ended the season 8-1 with a 0.94 ERA, the best of any relief pitcher in baseball. His 17 wins over the course of two season was more than any other relief pitcher in the major leagues. When Greg Holland had season-ending Tommy John surgery in mid-September, Davis became the closer for the team as they made it into the playoffs. He pitched eight games and did not give up an earned run at all during the playoffs or World Series. He earned one win against Toronto and had four postseason saves. His performance in the postseason was one of the greatest for a relief pitcher in the history of baseball. His efforts helped the Royals win their second-ever World Series title. Davis has a career 3.11 ERA in 172 appearances with the Royals as of 2015. His 51 holds is fourth all-time in franchise history. Davis is currently still pitching for the Royals.
RANK #61 – JOSE OFFERMAN (#30) – Second Base (1996-1998)
PERFORMANCE INDEX: 1,598.91
392nd Royals Player in Franchise History
In 1995, Jose Offerman was traded to the Kansas City Royals by the Los Angeles Dodgers for pitcher Billy Brewer. In Offerman’s first season, he primarily played first base while having some time at second base and shortstop. He became a major offensive presence for the Royals, hitting .303 with 24 stolen bases. In 1997, Offerman became the full-time second baseman for the Royals, again hitting well with a .297 batting average. His best game came in interleague play against the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 15, 1997 when he hit 4-4 with two doubles and three RBIs. The 1998 season was by far his best, leading the American League with 13 triples. He hit .315, stole 45 bases, and drove in 96 runs. Between July 11 and August 7, Offerman had a 27-game hitting streak, the second best in Royals history. At the end of the season, Offerman signed with the Boston Red Sox. Offerman is sixth all-time for innings played at second base with 2,449 1/3. He was a career .306 hitter for the Royals, the best in the history of the franchise for a player with over 1000 plate appearances.
Rankings 91-120
Tavish Whiting is an American Government teacher in Lee's Summit, MO