Kansas City Royals: 3 veteran pickups that secured the 2015 World Series

Coming off a disastrous 2014 season, Kendrys Morales was out to prove his career was not over at the age of 32.

The Royals did not resign Country Breakfast (Butler) as his production had decreased the last couple of years. Insert Kendrys Morales who was coming off the worst year of his professional career slashing .218/.274/.338 for the Minnesota Twins and Seattle Mariners.

His promising career was initially derailed in 2010 when he jumped on home plate after a home run and broke his leg. The prior season he smacked 34 home runs and was fifth in the MVP voting. Morales missed the entire 2011 season but rebounded nicely in ’12 and ’13 hitting 22 and 23 dingers respectively.

The Royals were able to acquire him for a modest $6.5 million, almost one million less than he made the year before.  It was a gamble not knowing which player might show up that season but the team obviously believed better things were to come.

What followed was 22 blasts, 106 runs batted in and a Silver Slugger award for the designated hitter role. While he struggled in the World Series, Morales hit four home runs in the American League Divisional and Championship Series’ to help carry the Royals to victory.