Kansas City Royals Countdown: Top Five Second Basemen

credit: kshb.com

1. Frank White (1973-1990, 31.1 WAR)

Even without Fangraphs assistance, it is easy to know who the greatest second baseman in Kansas City Royals history is. All one needs to do is take a stroll over to the statues and read the nameplates. There is Mr. Royal, George Brett. There is Dick Howser, the best manager in team history. And there is Frank White, the second best player in Royals history.

The numbers for White’s career are impressive. He won eight Gold Glove awards, and likely deserved many more. A look through the defensive statistics from the late 1970’s through the mid 1980’s for second base involves White being prominently listed just about everywhere. That defense certainly helped White make five All-Star games.

Frank White was certainly a lot more than just a great defensive player. He was a solid bat, producing a .255/.293/.383 batting line. While that may not seem that great, this was an era when players like Rafael Belliard routinely appeared in games. Offense was not a priority for middle infielders. White also hit 160 home runs, stole 178 bases and finished his career with 2006 hits.

One could even make a case that Frank White deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. Bill Mazeroski, considered to be his most similar player by Baseball Reference, is in the Hall. The only difference is that home run Mazeroski hit in Game Seven of the 1960 World Series. Nonetheless, White is easily the best second baseman in Kansas City Royals history, and seems likely to retain that crown for years to come.

Next: Kansas City Royals Countdown: Top Five First Basemen