The all-time Kansas City Royals bracket
By Bill Felber
No. 1 vs. 8 seed
The most recent Royals World Series winners, the 2015 team, are the top seed. Those Royals won the AL Central by 12 games, and their 95-67 record was the American League’s best.
Center fielder Lorenzo Cain batted a team-leading .307, while DH Kendrys Morales drove in 106 runs.
On the mound, the Royals benefitted from a mid-season traded that added Johnny Cueto from Cincinnati. But the aces were Edinson Volquez and Yordano Ventura., who combined for 26 wins in 61 starts.
The bullpen was Kansas City’s best asset. The threesome of Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland covered 181 innings, and recorded 49 saves.
The 1984 Royals won a non-descript AL West with an 84-78 record that would have brought them home sixth in the far tougher East. In the post-season Detroit out-classed Kansas City in three games.
Brett hit .284 but DH Hal McRae covered him at .303 and center fielder Willis Wilson batted .301 with 47 steals. Bid Black led the pitching staff with a 17-12 record and 3.12 ERA in 35 starts.
Game 1: The 2015 Royals won 95 games, and their .586 regular season percentage lapped the 1984 club by 11 games.
Game 2: Another win for 2015, whose .687 post-season percentage outclasses the 1984 team’s zero-for-three against Detroit.
Game 3: Both teams compiled 98 OPS+. That sends this game to a tie-breaker, which involves the top individual OPS+ among the regulars. That belongs to Morales of the 2015 club at 127. The best among the 1984 Royals was first baseman Steve Balboni at 123.
Game 4: With a 112 staff ERA+, the 2015 team again out-classes 1984, whose staff ERA+ was 102.
Result: 2015 in four games