Basic facts
- American League Central division
- Founded as an expansion team in 1969 along with the Seattle Pilots (which lasted only one year)
- Home stadium: Kauffman Stadium
- Owner: David Glass, former CEO of Wal-Mart
- Underwent one of the longest postseason droughts in MLB history, 1986-2013
- Last World Series win: 2015, after which their core from that season left the team
- Since then, they have not qualified for the postseason.
- In 2014, became the first team in World Series history to win their first eight postseason games in a row
History
- At its best, the team has carried the reputation of a model baseball organization in all dimensions, from management and coaching to the players.
- Kansas City had its first major league team from 1955-1967, namely, what is today the Oakland Athletics, but they left the city after thirteen losing seasons
- Pharma magnate Ewing Kaufman started the Royals as an expansion team in 1969
- Its name originates from the “American Royal…an annual livestock show/horse show/rodeo/BBQ contest held each year in Kansas City since 1899.”
- 1969 season
- W-L: 69-93
- Outfielder Lou Piniella won Rookie of the Year honors
- 1971: Second place in AL West Division under manager Bob Lemon
- 1973 season
- Debut of two key players who both stayed with the Royals for their entire major league careers:
- George Brett, 3rd baseman
- Over 3000 career hits
- Only player to win batting titles in three different decades (1976, 1980, and 1990)
- Team relocation from Municipal Stadium to new, state-of-the-art Royals Stadium
- Key hitters from mid-70s:
- Amos Otis, center fielder
- Hal McRae, left fielder
- Al Cowens, right fielder
- Willie Wilson, center fielder and left fielder
- John Mayberry, 1st baseman
- Key pitchers from mid-70s:
- Dennis Leonard
- Paul Splittorff
- Three consecutive division titles, 1976-78, under manager Whitey Herzog
- Lost to the Yankees all three times in the ALCS
- Finally won ALCS against Yankees
- George Brett averaged .390
- Lost World Series to the Phillies in six games
- Postseason berth in 1981
- Four players suspended in 1983 by commissioner Kuhn for trying to purchase cocaine
- 1984 season
- Suspended players returned in May
- Team won division pennant
- W-L: 91-71
- Defeated Toronto in ALCS
- Overcame 3-1 deficit to beat the Cardinals in the World Series
- Brett hit .335 and Willie Wilson .278, but no other player bested .260
- Key pitchers:
- Bret Saberhagen
- Charlie Liebrant
- Dan Quisenberry, closer
- Generally poor performance from 1986 onward
- Dick Howser, manager 1981-86, died of a brain tumor in 1987
- White and Brett retired in 1992 and 1993, respectively
- Ewing Kauffman died in 1993
- Owner since 2000, David Glass, showed reluctance to improve the team at first
- Dayton Moore, general manager since 2006, built strong farm system for the Royals
- 2014 season
- Defeated Oakland in the wild card game
- Defeated LA Angels in the ALDS
- Defeated Baltimore Orioles in the ALCS
- Lost to the San Francisco Giants in game seven of the World Series
- W-L: 95-67
- Defeated Houston Astros in the ALDS
- Defeated Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS
- Won World Series against the New York Mets in Game 5 at Citi Field
- Royals have lost talented players over the past several years through free agency or salary budget constraints:
- Zach Greinke
- Carlos Beltran
- Jermaine Dye
- Johnny Damon
- Kevin Seitzer
- Mike Sweeney
- The team has not had a winning season since 2015
Links
https://www.baseball-almanac.com/teams/kcr.shtml