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...

Kurt Stillwell was vital to the 1989 Royals

The '89 Royals had five players post an OPS+ over 100 in significant playing time: first baseman George Brett (123), outfielders Danny Tartabull (128), Bo Jackson (124), and Jim Eisenreich (122), and third baseman Kevin Seitzer (106). In contrast, only two 2023 Royals, Witt and recently-traded Edward Olivares, exceeded the 100 OPS+ mark while playing more than 50 games. (Pasquantino, Freddy Fermin, Nelson Velázquez, Nick Loftin and Dairon Blanco all managed it in much smaller sample sizes).

Yet, these are exactly the kind of players the Royals need to take a big leap forward. They don't need to make an unlikely jump to star status (Pasquantino excluded), but there is room for many of them to realistically become far more valuable contributors. Maikel García at third base and one or both of Michael Massey and Nick Loftin at second are prime candidates.

Kurt Stillwell, an important part of the '89 team, is a perfect template for what the Royals should like to see from them.

Stillwell, acquired by the Royals with Ted Power in the post-1987 season trade that sent Danny Jackson and Ángel Salazar to Cincinnati, immediately improved the shortstop spot, which had previously been manned by light-hitting Salazer, Buddy Biancalana, and Onix Concepción. Stillwell was no slouch with the glove in his first two KC seasons, but his biggest impact was with the bat.

Stillwell was an All-Star in 1988 and his '89 season was nearly identical. He slashed .261/.325/.380 with seven home runs, 54 RBI, 20 doubles, seven triples, and a .705 OPS. Maikel García was not far off this pace in 2023, and it's not unrealistic to think he can match Stillwell's overall level of production, and perhaps surpass it. If Garcia and at least one of the second base frontrunners can put up Stillwell's numbers over the course of a full season, the Royals would be thrilled.

Much like Stillwell shored up a weak spot in an infield already manned by Seitzer, Brett, and Frank White, Garcia, Massey and Loftin have the opportunity to do the same for an infield already featuring Witt and Pasquantino. And they don't have to match their teammates' ceilings to drastically improve the club.

The outfield, however, is a different story...

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.