Why '89 club's approach could help the KC Royals succeed

Star power has never been in abundance for the KC Royals, but that hasn't prevented the franchise from achieving success. Look no further than the 2014 American League pennant winners and the 2015 World Series champs as examples. Never big superstars, Lorenzo Cain elevated his game to an MVP-type level, KC traded for Johnny Cueto, who was dominant in the postseason, and the "H-D-H" bullpen trio of Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland was one of the best relief combinations ever.

Perhaps no World Series champion in recent history has been built with fewer elite pieces, offering proof that in a grinding sport like baseball, second and third-tier players often make the difference.

How might the 2024 KC Royals compare to a successful team of the past?

The 2023 Royals were bad, but the 2024 club has some potential big star power. Bobby Witt Jr. stepped into stardom last season and, if he continues on his current trajectory, can become one of the best players in baseball. Vinnie Pasquantino has the potential to be an elite hitter if he stays healthy. Salvador Perez's best days are most likely behind him, but he can still be a game-changer. Kansas City's starting pitching is notoriously volatile, but Cole Ragans certainly teased a high ceiling in his first season in Royal Blue.

And despite a promising offseason, it's probably not fair to compare the 2023 team to the 1989 Royals who won 92 games. But that's exactly what this story is about — like the 2014 and 2015 teams, the '89 club featured several outstanding role players who worked with a small core of stars to elevate the team. And because principal owner John Sherman probably won't spend insane amounts of money on elite, expensive free agents anytime soon, role players are just what the Royals need now to turn their fortunes around.

Here are three such players who helped shape the 1989 team...

Do the 2024 KC Royals have a Jim Eisenreich?

Unlike the current Royals, the outfield was a major strength of the 1989 team. Kansas City legend Willie Wilson manned centerfield, and although he was past his prime and nearing the end of his Royal run, he was still a good player. And three outfielders, Tartabull, Jackson, and Eisenreich, were among those five '89 Royals who posted an OPS+ over 100.

Two of the three, Tartabull and Bo Jackson, qualify as star players. And although he didn't have the star power they had, Eisenreich boasted a profile that might provide a more achievable template for current KC outfielders.

Eisenreich wasn't a typical fourth outfielder, and not just because of the unique obstacles he overcame to reach the majors. He played 134 games and all three outfield positions in 1989 and slashed .293/.341/.448, hit nine homers, 33 doubles and seven triples, drove in 59 runs, and stole 27 bases. He didn't have the pop of Tartabull or Jackson, or the speed of Wilson and Jackson, but he did everything well and played a pivotal role in the team's success. Not surprisingly, he did the same at later stops in Philadelphia and Florida.

Do the 2024 Royals have anyone who can perform like Eisenreich? Newcomer Hunter Renfroe seems like the best and most proven bet. Although he has yet to show any of Eisenreich's trademark consistency, MJ Melendez has the best tools. Drew Waters needs to take a massive step forward with plate discipline, and despite his skill with the glove, it's hard to imagine Kyle Isbel will ever be that impactful with the bat. But if someone can tap into their inner Eisenreich, and Velázquez can manage to be Tartabull-lite, Kansas City's expectations for 2024 and beyond will skyrocket.

Can someone provide a flash of Tom Gordon?

The front office has made a sincere effort to improve the pitching staff this offseason, but the biggest disparity between the 2024 and 1989 teams remains on the mound. The '89 club had a legitimate ace in Bret Saberhagen, who won his second Cy Young award that season and was backed up by Mark Gubicza, another front-of-the-rotation hurler who posted a 15-11 record and 3.04 ERA.

The 2024 Royals are still looking for an ace. Ragans during the second half of last season, and Singer throughout his short career, have both shown glimpses of greatness, but Singer has been so inconsistent and Ragans needs to prove himself over a longer stretch of time. But with the recent acquisitions of Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha, the Royals have significantly improved the middle of the rotation.

In this respect, the 2024 staff might be deeper than the 1989 version — after the top two pitchers, the '89 rotation was far less certain. But it did have Tom "Flash" Gordon, one of the elite swingmen of his day. He pitched 49 times, including 16 starts, and went 17-9, 3.64 and finished second in American League Rookie of the Year voting.

Gordon played 21 seasons in the majors and regularly ranked among the league leaders in strikeouts. During his seven-plus Kansas City seasons, he bounced back and forth between the rotation and the bullpen, although he worked exclusively as a starter in 1990. He became an All-Star closer after moving to Boston, recorded 46 saves in 1998, and was even featured in a Stephen King novel.

But Gordon was at his best in 1989, giving the Royals a much-needed third quality starter they could also use out of the bullpen. Lugo has that kind of versatility, although the club plans to use him as a starter; ultimately, Kansas City doesn't need a marquee swingman, but if Lugo or Wacha (or both) can match Gordon's impact, the Royals could take a big step forward this season.

Without someone else stepping up to be their Saberhagen and Gubicza, though, good seasons from Lugo and Wacha may not be enough for the Royals to contend or approach the '89 Royals' success. Nevertheless, these are the kinds of players successful franchises are built on.

More about the Royals from Kings of Kauffman