Top 10 starting pitchers in KC Royals history

An overused term seems applicable to this crafty southpaw.  He only struck out more than one hundred hitters once(!) in a season but had no problem getting them out.

Traded from the arch-nemesis New York Yankees after the 1975 season due to a falling out with manager Billy Martin, Larry Gura became a rock in the KC Royals rotation for nearly a decade.  Kansas City initially used him out of the bullpen the first two seasons, and he responded well with a .705 winning percentage and 11 saves.  He even managed to throw two complete-game shutouts in the eight times he was able to start.

During the 1978 season, Gura converted over to purely a starter and the results were immediate with 16-4 mark, a 2.72 ERA, a 1.096 WHIP and seventh-place finish in the Cy Young voting.  He had a tougher go of it in 1979 but the next two years saw sub 3.00 ERAs, an All-Star Game appearance and two more top-ten finishes in Cy Young voting.

Although that would be the end of his dominating seasons, Gura still came up with double-digit win totals for the next three years.  That included an 18-win season in 1982.  Sadly, he pitched in only three games during the World Series run of 1985 before finishing that year (and his career) with the Chicago Cubs.

Gura is a Royals Hall of Famer and finishes high on several all-time franchise lists.  This includes fifth in wins and innings pitched, third in win-loss %, and fourth in complete games and shutouts.  His presence on the team was key to the trips to the postseason in the late 70s and early 80s.