Kansas City Royals: Ned Yost and mediocre middle infielders
By David Hill
Chris Getz
In some ways, Chris Getz came to be the symbol for the Kansas City Royals in the early part of the decade.
Acquired along with Josh Fields in the trade that sent Mark Teahan to the White Sox, Getz instantly became a favorite of Ned Yost. He played hard, showing plenty of poise and grit on the diamond. Getz, ideally, would have been the perfect utility man on a contending team, doing all the little things necessary to win games.
The problem is that the Royals were not a winning ballclub during his time in Kansas City. Also, Getz was almost strictly a second baseman, playing a total of six games off the keystone. In his four seasons with the Royals, he produced a .248/.305/.295 batting line, hitting all of one home run and 31 doubles. At least Getz had some speed, stealing 61 bases.
A free agent after the 2013 season, Getz signed with the Blue Jays. His post-Royals career lasted for all of ten games before he retired. Now, Getz serves as the director of player development for the White Sox, looking to help develop that next wave of talent in Chicago.
On a winning team, Chris Getz could have been beloved for his grit and hustle. Instead, with the Kansas City Royals struggling during his time with the team, Getz was considered one of the main flaws with the franchise.