KC Royals: Is Ned Yost’s ‘Mount Rushmore’ accurate?

Should Ned Yost have picked great KC Royals starter Bret Saberhagen?

While only four players can make Yost’s Mount Rushmore, it was a bit of a surprise to see he left Bret Saberhagen off of his list.

Saberhagen made an immediate impact when he was first called up in 1984, posting a 10-11 record with a 3.48 ERA. In 1985 he became the ace of the staff at just 21 by compiling a 20-6 record, 2.87 ERA, and a 1.058 WHIP. He also won the AL Cy Young award and World Series MVP.

Saberhagen won his second Cy Young in 1989 when he led the majors with 23 wins, a 2.16 ERA, 12 complete games, a 0.961 WHIP, a 4.49 SO/BB ratio, and 262.1 innings pitched. He won his only Gold Glove the same year.

A dominant pitcher, Saberhagen’s career totals as a Royal include 110 wins, a 3.21 ERA, 1,093 strikeouts, 64 complete games, and 14 shutouts in his eight years with the club. He was also a three-time All-Star (once with the Mets), pitched the fourth no-hitter in Royals’ history Aug. 26, 1991, and is in the club’s Hall of Fame.

Saberhagen also pitched for the Mets, Rockies and Red Sox and finished his 16-year career with 167 wins and a 3.34 ERA.

KC Royals pitcher Dan Quisenberry has “Mount Rushmore” credentials.

The late, great closer Dan Quisenberry, who pitched for the Royals from 1979-1988, is another Kansas City star Yost might have chosen.

“Quiz” was one of the best relievers in the major leagues. Although he lacked heat, his submarine style fooled batters throughout his 12-season career. In his 10 years with the Royals, Quisenberry was 51-44. His 2.55 ERA is the best in the club’s history, and he’s second to Bret Saberhagen with a 1.15 WHIP and Jeff Montgomery with 238 saves and 573 appearances.

Quisenberry was a three-time All-Star, five-time Rolaids Relief Man of the Year, led the American League in saves five times and the big leagues once, and helped the club to their 1985 World Series Championship. He appeared in four games in that Fall Classic and was 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA.

He had a microscopic 0.928 WHIP in 1983 and didn’t have a WHIP above 1.579 until he posted a 2.400 with San Francisco in 1990, which was his final season in the major leagues.

He saved 40 games twice—45 in 1983 and 44 in 1984. He is a member of the Royals Hall of Fame.

With his Royals numbers, Amos Otis is a good “Mount Rushmore” candidate.

George Brett is indisputably the club’s best player ever, but Amos Otis may well be the second best.

Acquired by Kansas City in a trade with the New York Mets in 1969, Otis made an immediate positive impact on the Royals. He made the All-Star team in each of his first four Royal seasons and in 1971 led the AL with 52 stolen bases.

In 1976, his .279 average, 86 RBIs, 26 stolen bases, 18 home runs, and AL-leading 40 doubles helped KC to its first AL West Division title. In Kansas City’s 1980 World Series loss to the Phillies, he slashed an incredible .478/.538/.957 with a 1.495 OPS and three home runs, seven runs driven in, 11 hits and 22 total bases.

As his three Gold Gloves prove, Otis was also an excellent outfielder who finished his 17-year big league career with a .991 fielding percentage.

In 14 years as a Royal, Otis slashed .280/.347/.433 with a .780 OPS. He also is among the top five in club history in hits, runs, home runs, RBIs, stolen bases, walks, triples, doubles, and extra base hits. He made five All-Star teams and is a member of the team Hall of Fame.

Ned Yost put George Brett, Paul Splittorff, Frank White and Mike Sweeney on his personal Royals “Mount Rushmore.” He was clearly right about Brett, but could he have chosen Salvador Perez, Bret Saberhagen, Dan Quisenberry, or Amos Otis instead of any of the others? What do you think?