Kansas City Royals Top Five Starting Pitchers

Mandatory Credit: Tannen Maury/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports

Last week, we finished our tour of the top five greatest members of the Kansas City Royals offensive players. It was certainly an eye opening look back into the past, present and even the future of the Royals, highlighting players who may have drifted back into the shadows of time and bringing them back to the forefront.

Now, it is time to look at the pitching staff. This week, we will look at the five greatest starting pitchers in Kansas City Royals history. As the modern starting rotation is based on five starters, this will give an idea as to what the all time Royals rotation would look like.

Of course, such a rotation would likely be based on plucking a starter based on their best season. However, if one wants to look at the the collective production from the starters on the Royals, this list will highlight the five best in team history. We can certainly review the five greatest seasons in Kansas City Royals history in the coming weeks.

As per the previous treks back through team history, the Fangraphs.com Wins Above Replacement category was used as a guide in determining the list. Yet, it is just that – a guide – when it came to compiling the top five starting pitchers for the Royals.

And so, with that preamble, we begin our look through the Kansas City Royals pitching staff. Let us know if you feel someone should be ranked higher, or if there is someone that you feel should be listed and was left off.

Next: A lifelong member of the Royals

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5. Paul Splittorff (1970-1984, 34.9 WAR)

Paul Splittorff never made an All-Star team. He only received votes in one year for the Cy Young award, during the 1978 season. He won 20 games once, incidentally becoming the first Royals pitcher to do so, and was generally average as a pitcher. However, between his playing career and his time as a broadcaster for the Kansas City Royals, Splittorff spent over 40 years with the franchise.

While his overall numbers may not seem impressive, as Splittorff produced a 166-143 record with a 3.81 ERA and a 1.340 WHiP, his mark on the Royals is indelible. Splittorff is the all time Kansas City Royals franchise leader in wins, innings pitched (2554.2) and games started. He was the second player selected initially by the Royals to make his appearance on the field.

Paul Splittorff was not exactly an overpowering pitcher. He struck out only 3.7 batters per nine innings, and in his fifteen year career, only struck out more than four batters per nine five times in a full season. However, he was able to pitch effectively using excellent control and an uncanny ability to induce grounders.

Splittorff may not have been the most overpowering pitcher in Kansas City Royals history, but that does not diminish his effectiveness. His place on this list is certainly well deserved.

Next: A workhorse during the Golden Era

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4. Dennis Leonard (1974-1983, 1985-1986, 36.4 WAR)

Like Paul Splittorff, Dennis Leonard spent his entire career with the Kansas City Royals. However, unlike Splittorff, Leonard had a truly dominant prime, only to lose his effectiveness seemingly overnight. Perhaps he was just overused during that stretch of time, as he led the American League in games started three times from 1975 through 1981.

It is easy to see why the Royals would have relied upon Leonard that much. In the midst of their competitions against the A’s and the Yankees for American League supremacy, Leonard posted a 120-80 record to go along with a 3.50 ERA and a 1.228 WHiP. As the top starter on the Royals, he was the pitcher that they counted on to face the top starters and to help push the team into the postseason.

Unfortunately, a great deal of Dennis Leonard’s career was encompassed in those seven years. Overall, Leonard posted a 144-106 record, a 3.70 ERA and a 1.262 WHiP. Given the level of durability and flashes of dominance he had during his prime, one has to wonder what Leonard would have been if he could have stayed healthy.

While injuries may have kept Dennis Leonard from pitching in the 1985 World Series, he was a big part of making the Kansas City Royals a perennially competitive team in the mid 1970’s.

Next: A tale of two careers

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2. Bret Saberhagen (1984-1991, 39.8 WAR)

For much of the early part of his career, Bret Saberhagen had an interesting statistical anomaly where he was a pitching Superman during odd numbered year, but Clark Kent during even numbered seasons. It was certainly interesting to watch the transformation each year.

Yet, Saberhagen still managed to put together some truly special seasons for the Kansas City Royals. He made two All-Star teams, won two Cy Young awards, a Gold Glove and finished as high as eighth in the MVP vote. His 1989 season was truly special, as Saberhagen posted a 23-6 record with a 2.16 ERA and a 0.961 WHiP, yet somehow did not make the All-Star Game. At least he got his second Cy Young award.

During his tenure with the Royals, Bret Saberhagen posted a 110-78 record with a 3.21 ERA and a 1.134 WHiP. His control, which became legendary during the latter part of his career, was beginning to take hold during his time in Kansas City, as he struck out 3.3 batters for every walk issued.

Bret Saberhagen will be remembered among Kansas City Royals fans for his epic pitching during the 1985 World Series, winning the MVP and pitching a shutout in Game Seven. He was much more than that, and was one of the best pitchers in Royals history.

Next: The real Ape Man

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1. Kevin Appier (1989-1999, 2003-2004, 44.4 WAR)

Of the pitchers on this list, Kevin Appier is the one that did not really get to experience the Kansas City Royals Golden Age. He came up towards the end of their run of relevance, only to suffer through the beginnings of the Royals cost cutting. Personally, the trade benefited Appier, as he was able to eventually end up with the Angels, winning a World Series in 2002.

Appier made his return to the Royals after being released in 2003, becoming a part of the one team to finish over .500 in the middle of a two decade run of mediocrity, but he was a shadow of himself by that point. He still managed to hang on long enough to get a slight taste of winning in Kansas City.

Overall for the Royals, Kevin Appier posted a 115-92 record with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.250 WHiP. He was an All-Star in 1995, led the American League with a 2.56 ERA in 1993 and finished third in the Cy Young vote that same season. He was truly consistent during his time in Kansas City and was a solid pitcher to place atop the rotation.

That consistency made Kevin Appier the best pitcher in Kansas City Royals history. While he may not have had that truly standout season, that does not diminish his contribution to the Royals. He was, quite simply, the best pitcher the Royals have had overall.

Next: Kansas City Royals Top Five Left Fielders