Determining the New Face of the Royals

Last night, during the ESPN broadcast of the Royals/Yankees game, George Brett joined the broadcast team of Aaron Boone and Dave O’Brien in the booth during the bottom of the third. There, it was mentioned that Brett is still thought of as the face of the Kansas City Royals, despite having retired over two decades ago. He is, after all, the only player in the Hall of Fame wearing a Royals hat, and is easily the greatest Royal of all-time.

It certainly makes sense. Over that time frame, not many players really stayed with the Royals, as most players were typically traded when they started to get expensive. Mike Sweeney was the one who remained, and as solid of a player he was, he just was not close to being the type of player to really be a face of the franchise, aside from being one by default.

Now, the Royals no longer seem to have that problem. While George Brett may still be the face of the franchise, and his presence certainly looms large over Kansas City, there are other players ready to take over as the Face of the Royals. With all the young talent that the Royals have in the majors, and several long term players, Brett’s run may be coming to an end.

Let us take a look at several possible contenders for the title of Face of the Royals. We will look at five different candidates, in no particular order, as well as  the reasons for and the arguments against each candidate. As always, let us know if we missed anyone.

Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Billy Butler

The Royals with the second longest tenure, Billy Butler had a five year run where he was one of, if not the best, hitters on the Royals. From 2008 through 2013, Butler produced a .302/.372/.496 batting line, averaging 40 doubles and 20 home runs a year. Entrenched firmly in the middle of the Royals lineup, Butler was the one hitter the Royals could count on.

Pros: As mentioned above, Butler had been the best hitter on the Royals over the previous five years. An All-Star and the winner of the Silver Slugger award in 2012, Butler has been remarkably consistent at the plate. Even though he struggled for much of this season, his bat has awakened once he went over to first base, helping to fuel the Royals charge to the top of the Central.

Cons: While Billy Butler is the second longest tenured member of the Royals, that may be coming to an end soon. The Royals hold a team option on Butler after this year at $12.5 Million, with a $1 Million buyout. Given the cost for designated hitters on the open market, Butler is unlikely to see that option get picked up. Unless you happen to be George Brett, it would be difficult to be the face of the team having left.

Yet, if the Royals decide to extend Butler, which may be more of a possibility based on how he has performed, he could find himself as the face of the Royals. For now, Butler seems to be a long shot.

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Greg Holland

A closer as the Face of the Franchise? Well, as Holland is one of the best in baseball, why not? Since the start of the 2012 season, Holland has posted a 2.00 ERA and a 1.090 WHiP, striking out 264 batters in 184.1 innings. His 103 saves since 2012 are tied for fifth, which is remarkable considering that Holland did not take over as the full time closer until halfway though the season. Holland has truly dominated at the back end of the bullpen.

Pros: One of the best closers in baseball, Greg Holland has become virtually automatic when the game is on the line. Not only does Holland have those 103 saves, but he has blown a total of nine games. Nine. And some of those occurred before Holland officially took over as the Royals closer. He has truly dominated in the back of the Royals bullpen.

Cons: Once again, Holland is a closer. The Royals have had several good closers over the years, with the torch passing from Dan Quisenberry to Jeff Montgomery to Joakim Soria to Holland. Yet, while these players are fan favorites, they are not typicall the first players that come to mind when thinking of the Royals. Generally, closers are not the first players that come to mind with any team. Just based on position, Holland finds himself at a disadvantage.

If we base the Face of the Franchise on being one of the best at their position, then a legitimate case can be made for Greg Holland. Unfortunately, as a closer, Holland would seem to have less of a case than some of the other options.

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Salvador Perez

Speaking of players who are among the best at their positions, the Royals may have the best catcher in the American League in Perez. While his batting line may have dipped slightly this season, Perez has posted a .262/.298/.409 batting line heading into last night’s contest. In exchange for the dip in batting average, Perez has already hit fifteen home runs, two more than he had through the entirety of 2013. It seems to be a matter of time before he puts everything together at the plate.

Pros: Gold Glove catcher? Check. Multiple time All-Star? Check. A long term, team friendly contract that will keep Salvador Perez in Kansas City through the end of the decade? Check. Already one of the best at his position, Perez looks as though he is going to be a Royals for the long haul, spending a good deal of his peak in Kansas City. As the Royals have grown into a contending ball club, Perez will continue to grow as well, turning into a true veteran leader.

Cons: Perez is only his his second full season in the majors. Yes, both of those seasons have resulted in an All-Star berth, but at 24 years old, it may be premature for Perez to be considered the face of the Royals. .

If age is the biggest knock on Salvador Perez, then he has to be considered a serious candidate for the Face of the Royals. If he is not ready to ascend to that point now, he might be there in a couple of years.

Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Alex Gordon

More than anyone else on the Royals, Gordon may be the ultimate example of perseverance and embodiment of the Royals franchise. A former top prospect, Gordon appeared to be on the verge of flaming out spectacularly, going from a can’t-miss third baseman to someone who someone who was sent back to AAA to learn another position to try to save his career. As it turns out, that switch to left field did just that.

Pros: A three time Gold Glove winner, Alex Gordon‘s ability to throw out opposing baserunners has become legendary. No one runs on him any longer, and when some player foolishly tries to get that extra base, all one can do is shake their head. Like Perez and Holland, Gordon is a two time All-Star, making the squad not just for his defense, but his all around game. While he may not light up the stat sheet, Gordon is still in the top ten in the American League in WAR, and may be the best left fielder in baseball. Oh, and he wants to stay in Kansas City.

Cons: It is difficult to find any reason why Gordon should not be the Face of the Royals. Perhaps the only concern is that he may well leave after the 2016 season, leaving his reign as the heir of George Brett as potentially short lived. Yet, like Perez, Gordon would certainly seem to be a worthy candidate.

As the longest tenured player on the Royals, Alex Gordon has turned himself into one of the best players in baseball through hard work. That would certainly give Gordon a legitimate case for the title.

Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

SungWoo Lee

Until recently, SungWoo Lee was a bit of a curiosity. Hailing from South Korea, he was a Royals fan despite having never been to Kansas City, America, and not having any real connection with the team. Yet, there he was on Twitter, watching the Royals games during the early morning. When he announced that he was finally, after twenty years of following the Royals, coming over to see them play in person, it was amazing to behold his excitement. And then, when he came to the States, it was pandemonium.

Pros: At this point, SungWoo should be the Royals official good luck charm. When he was in the states, they lost one game, carving into the Detroit Tigers lead without issue. Then, they overtook the Tigers, claiming first place as the Legend of SungWoo continued to grow. Even though he is back in Korea with a lifetime of memories and amazing experiences, the Royals have not stopped winning.

Cons: Well, SungWoo Lee is not a baseball player or a member of the Royals……ah, hell. He’s the Royals Good Luck charm. There are no cons to speak of.

If enthusiasm and the sheer joy of being a fan count, the SungWoo Lee would be the Face of the Royals by a landslide. As it is, he has been referenced by ESPN and his tale had been picked up by the national media. He may be just as recognizable, if not more so, than anyone on the Royals.