Kansas City Royals Franchise Four Candidates

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One of the fun aspects of being a fan of any team is to argue each team’s Mount Rushmore of players. Which four players in the history of the franchise should be listed as the pinnacle of talent, those players whose performances managed to entranced generations and will be forever remembered as amongst the best that ever put on that team’s uniform? That is something that Major League Baseball is looking to determine for all thirty teams in baseball, as well as for the four greatest Negro League players, pioneers of the game and the greatest living players.

For some teams, this list can be quite difficult to narrow down. Teams like the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles/Brooklyn Dodgers have had quite a few stellar players pass through the clubhouse in their history. While the Kansas City Royals may not have that same level of historical greatness in their history, they have still had quite a few excellent players to come through the doors.

Each team has eight players selected for the 2015 Franchise Four, as it is being called on the different team sites. There is also a write in section for a player who one feels deserves to make the pantheon and be considered one of the Franchise Four, but was not listed as an option.

Who are the players listed for the Kansas City Royals? Let’s go through each one and their credentials.

Next: Let's begin with the obvious

Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

George Brett

We all knew that George Brett would be on this list. As it is, 22 years after he had taken his last swing for the Kansas City Royals, Brett is still considered to be the Face of the Franchise. Even after his playing career ended a generation ago, he is still inspiring people to this day, even in the music world as a picture of Brett in National Geographic inspired the Lorde song ‘Royals.’

Brett’s qualifications are beyond argument. A career .305/.369/.487 hitter, Brett had 317 home runs, 1595 RBI and 3154 hits. Not only does Brett easily lead the Royals franchise in those categories, but he is also the all time leader in runs, doubles, triple and walks, while ranking fourth in stolen bases. Brett was truly a player who could do it all. Brett is also the only player to win a batting title in three different decades, doing so in 1976, 1980 and 1990, the latter at the age of 37.

That greatness was recognized throughout George Brett’s career. A 13 time All-Star, Brett was a three time Silver Slugger, a Gold Glove caliber third baseman and the MVP of the American League in 1980. Brett was a true superstar, recognizable across the country and the key player during the Golden Era of Kansas City Royals baseball. That career was given it’s just due in 1999 when he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame with 98.2% of the vote, tied with Ty Cobb for the fourth highest total in baseball history.

It seems a virtual lock that George Brett will end up as one of the Royals Franchise Four. The only question is whether or not he will be unanimous. If, for some reason, Brett does not end up in this pantheon, we may see a repeat of his most famous moment on the diamond.

Next: The new Face of the Franchise

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Alex Gordon

Considering that Alex Gordon has really only had four seasons of being the star player that we have come to know and love, his inclusion on this list may seem strange. After all, there are other players who could be considered for inclusion in the Kansas City Royals Franchise Four that did not make the cut. However, Gordon’s performance during that time has been nothing short of special, both at the plate and in the outfield.

Since 2011, when Gordon became the Royals true star, he has posted a .283/.356/.453 batting line while hitting 76 home runs and stealing 50 bases. Gordon has also become the best defensive left fielder in baseball, to the point where the only way the Gold Glove award may leave his mantle is if he gets injured or retires. The accolades are beginning to pile up on Gordon, as he has won the last four Gold Glove awards and has made the All-Star team in each of the last two seasons.

Even though it took Alex Gordon some time to become the player that the Kansas City Royals envisioned, he has still made his presence felt on the all time lists. Gordon ranks tenth in Royals history with 121 home runs, and with seven more, will rank seventh. Gordon also ranks in the top ten in hits, runs and doubles, while ranking eleventh in RBI.

There is no question that Gordon is the best player on the Royals presently, but he is worthy of making the Pantheon? His numbers make an interesting argument.

Next: The Royals became a family affair

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Hal McRae

Hal McRae began his career with the Cincinnati Reds, but it was not until he was traded to the Kansas City Royals along with Wayne Simpson that his career truly took off. A full time player for the first time at age 27, McRae remained with the Royals as an outfielder and designated hitter for the next 15 years before eventually becoming a coach and manager, even managing his son Brian McRae with the Royals.

While McRae may best be remembered for his telephone throwing rant as a manager, he was a solid player for the Royals, posting a .293/.356/.458 batting line with 169 home runs, 449 doubles and 105 stolen bases in Kansas City. A three time All-Star in Kansas City, McRae also won a Silver Slugger award and twice finished fourth in the MVP vote, reaching that point in 1976 and 1982.

Hal McRae certainly has a strong presence on the all time Kansas City Royals lists. He ranks fifth in hits and runs, fourth in home runs, second in RBI and third in walks. McRae’s .814 OPS is still good enough to rank ninth in Royals history, and those 105 stolen bases leaves him tied for twelfth.

Looking back at his career, McRae may be a lot better than people realized. Of course, he also has that epic meltdown to fall back upon as a way to garner a few extra votes.

Next: A true steal of a deal

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Amos Otis

In the early days of the Kansas City Royals franchise, when they were looking for players to help build themselves into a legitimate contender, one of the players they acquired was Amos Otis. Sent by the New York Mets to Kansas City along with Bob Johnson in exchange for Joe Foy, Otis quickly developed into one of the cornerstones for the Royals, making the All-Star team in each of his first four seasons with the team.

A key part of the Royals meteoric rise to contention, Otis was easily one of the greats to put on a Royals uniform. A five time All-Star and three time Gold Glove winner, Otis even finished as high as third in the 1973 MVP ballot. In his 14 years with the Royals, Otis produced a .280/.347/.433 batting line with 193 home runs, 374 doubles and 340 stolen bases.

Those numbers are enough for Amos Otis to rank among the very best in Kansas City Royals history. He ranks third in hits, home runs and RBI, and is second in runs, stolen bases and walks. A slick fielding outfielder as well, his strong arm kept Otis perennially among the league leaders in outfield assists and double plays, to the point where players just stopped running on him.

One of the players in Royals history who deserves to have his number retired, Otis is definitely one of the greatest hitters in Royals history.

Next: A great closer and witticist

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Bret Saberhagen

Over the first six years of Bret Saberhagen’s career, he had an interesting trend of being stellar in odd numbered years, but mediocre in even numbered years. It was a strange and truly unexplained trend, but was something to watch nonetheless.

During those odd numbered seasons, Saberhagen was truly in a class by himself. He won two Cy Young awards in 1985 and 1989, yet somehow did not make the All-Star Game either year. Saberhagen was, however, an All-Star for the Royals in 1987 and in 1990, the year that he finally broke out of that even-odd routine. An all around player, Saberhagen won a Gold Glove award for his fielding prowess and finished in the top ten on the MVP ballot twice.

One of the more dominant pitchers in Kansas City Royals history, Bret Saberhagen finished his tenure with a 110-78 record, a 3.21 ERA and a 1.134 WHiP. Those 110 wins rank sixth all time, while Saberhagen is second in WHiP, seventh in ERA and fourth with 1039 strikeouts and 14 shutouts. Saberhagen even notched a save in his one save opportunity back in his rookie season.

A strangely inconsistent pitcher, Saberhagen was truly something to behold when he had his best stuff. However, that usually happened in those odd numbered years during his time in Kansas City.

Next: A true Royals icon

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Frank White

The fact that Frank White is not in the Hall of Fame, yet Bill Mazeroski is, is somewhat strange. Both players were very similar overall, yet White did not get off the first ballot. Perhaps hitting a game winning World Series home run truly makes that much of a difference.

Nonetheless, White is truly one of the greats in Kansas City Royals history. A truly special defensive player, White won eight Gold Glove awards, and is second all time with 126 runs saved at second. White was more than just a glove first player, making five All-Star teams and even earning a Silver Slugger award in 1986 when he posted a .272/.322/.465 batting line with 22 home runs and 37 doubles.

Taking away his defensive prowess, Frank White still made his presence felt on the Royals. White ranks second all time with 2006 hits, is fourth in runs and RBI and ranks fifth in home runs and stolen bases. A key part of the Royals Golden Era, White may well be the second greatest player in Royals history.

Not surprisingly, White is one of three members of the Royals to have his number retired. Currently estranged from the team, hopefully those issues with the Royals will be cleared up and White can be a part of the team in some capacity going forward.

Next: The somewhat forgotten man

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Willie Wilson

When looking back at the Golden Era of Kansas City Royals baseball, Willie Wilson is criminally underrated. Overshadowed by the star power of George Brett, Frank White and even Amos Otis to some extent, Wilson is a player whose contributions may be appreciated more with the benefit of hindsight.

During his career, Wilson only made two All-Star appearances, earning the nod in 1982 and 1983. A slick outfielder who ranks fifteenth in Major League history with 105 runs saved in the outfield, he only won one Gold Glove award. Wilson did earn two Silver Slugger awards and finished as high as fourth in the 1980 MVP ballot, but one would think a season when he lead the American League in hits (230), runs (133) and triples (15) while stealing 79 bases and producing a .326/.357/.421 batting line would have deserved an All-Star appearance. That did not turn out to be the case.

The Kansas City Royals all time leader with 612 stolen bases, Willie Wilson also ranks second all time in triples, third in doubles and fourth in hits and runs scored. When his excellent defense is factored in, Wilson truly deserved a lot more recognition during his playing career than he received.

Hindsight can be a wonderful thing at times. With this gift, maybe we can begin to truly appreciate the player that Wilson was for the Kansas City Royals.

Next: Write in candidates and final thoughts

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As stellar a group as those eight players are, there are still a couple of players that could have been considered for the Kansas City Royals Franchise Four. Players like Mike Sweeney and Paul Splittorff were not listed among the candidates. Where were Bo Jackson, Kevin Appier, Jeff Montgomery or Darrell Porter? Well, that is what the write in section is for.

Regardless of which players you vote for, or any that are written in, the Royals Mount Rushmore of top players will be quite the excellent group. One would have to figure that George Brett is a definite, but the other three members should be an interesting battle.

For the sake of transparency, my votes for the Franchise Four for the Kansas City Royals went to George Brett, Dan Quisenberry, Frank White and Amos Otis. Choosing between Otis and Willie Wilson was a difficult choice, but Otis was slightly more valuable based on his overall WAR.

Which players would you vote for? Who do you think should have been on the ballot, but did not make the final cut? Let us know in the comments!

Next: Five Royals Prospects to Watch for the 2015 Season