1977 Kansas City Royals season
Encyclopedia
The 1977 Kansas City Royals
season was a season in American baseball
. It involved the Royals finishing first in the American League West
with a record of 102 wins and 60 losses. They went on to lose the 1977 American League Championship Series
to the New York Yankees
, 3 games to 2.
, Kansas City, Missouri
, Kansas City, Missouri
, Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
season was a season in American baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. It involved the Royals finishing first in the American League West
American League West
The American League West is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division currently has four teams, but it has had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams currently only reside along the west coast and in Texas, historically the...
with a record of 102 wins and 60 losses. They went on to lose the 1977 American League Championship Series
1977 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 5, 1977 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkThe visiting Royals jumped on the sore-shouldered Don Gullett early and never looked back. Hal McRae hit a two-run homer in the first, Freddie Patek had a two-run double in the second, and John Mayberry a two-run blast in the...
to the New York Yankees
1977 New York Yankees season
The 1977 New York Yankees season was the 75th season for the Yankees in New York and the 77th season overall for the franchise. It culminated in the 21st World Series championship in franchise history, and its first under the ownership of George Steinbrenner...
, 3 games to 2.
Offseason
- November 5, 1976: Ruppert Jones was drafted from the Royals by the Seattle MarinersSeattle MarinersThe Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
with the first pick in the 1976 Major League Baseball expansion draft. - December 6, 1976: Jamie QuirkJamie QuirkJames Patrick Quirk is a former Major League Baseball catcher and current bench coach for the Chicago Cubs. Quirk attended Whittier College.-Playing career:Quirk was also a Parade Magazine All-America quarterback at St...
, Jim WohlfordJim WohlfordJames Eugene Wohlford is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder. In his 15-year MLB career, he played for the Kansas City Royals , the Milwaukee Brewers , San Francisco Giants , and Montreal Expos .- Baseball career :Wohlford was primarily a backup outfielder, used primarily for his good...
and a player to be named later were traded by the Kansas City Royals to the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
for Jim ColbornJim ColbornJames William Colborn is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. The right-handed Colborn pitched for the Chicago Cubs , Milwaukee Brewers , Kansas City Royals and Seattle Mariners ....
and Darrell PorterDarrell PorterDarrell Ray Porter was a former American professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers. He was known for his excellent defensive skills and power hitting...
. The Kansas City Royals completed the trade by sending Bob McClureBob McClureRobert Craig McClure is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and pitching coach, most recently for the Kansas City Royals, with whom he began his major league career in 1975.-Kansas City Royals:...
to the Brewers on March 15, 1977. - December 7, 1976: Frank OrtenzioFrank OrtenzioFrank Joseph Ortenzio, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He played nine games for the Kansas City Royals in . He also played two seasons in Japan for the Nankai Hawks....
was traded by the Royals to the Montreal ExposWashington NationalsThe Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
for Rudy Kinard (minors).
Opening Day starters
- George BrettGeorge BrettGeorge Brett , is an American baseball player.George Brett may also refer to:*George Edward Brett , British-born American publisher*George Brett , World War II USAAF general...
- Al CowensAl CowensAlfred Edward Cowens, Jr. was a right fielder in Major League Baseball. From through , Cowens played for the Kansas City Royals , California Angels , Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners . He batted and threw right-handed.A native of Los Angeles, California, Cowens was a product of the Kansas...
- Pete LaCockPete LaCockRalph Pierre "Pete" LaCock, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball first baseman/outfielder.In 1975, he hit the only grand slam of his career, on the final pitch ever thrown by St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Bob Gibson.-Career:LaCock was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the first round of the 1970...
- John MayberryJohn MayberryJohn Claiborn Mayberry is a former Major League Baseball player who played for the Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees from 1968 to 1982.-High school and minor leagues:...
- Hal McRaeHal McRaeHarold Abraham McRae is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Royals . Utilized as a designated hitter for most of his career, McRae batted and threw right-handed...
- Amos OtisAmos OtisAmos Joseph Otis is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets , Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates . He batted and threw right-handed....
- Freddie PatekFreddie PatekFrederick Joseph Patek is a former Major League Baseball shortstop. At 5'5" tall , he was the shortest player of his time.-Pittsburgh Pirates:...
- Darrell PorterDarrell PorterDarrell Ray Porter was a former American professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers. He was known for his excellent defensive skills and power hitting...
- Paul SplittorffPaul SplittorffPaul William Splittorff Jr. was a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who spent his entire career with the Kansas City Royals. Listed at 6' 3", Splittorff batted and threw left handed.-Early years:Splittorff was born in Evansville, Indiana...
- Frank White
Notable transactions
- May 27, 1977: Tim IrelandTim IrelandTimothy Neal Christopher Ireland is a former professional baseball player. He played parts of two seasons in Major League Baseball for the Kansas City Royals, appearing in 11 games in 1981 and 1982. He has also managed 12 seasons at various levels of the minor leagues.Ireland was originally...
was signed as a free agent by the Royals.
Roster
| 1977 Kansas City Royals | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders |
Manager Coaches |
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Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 130 | 425 | 117 | .275 | 16 | 60 | |
| 1B | 153 | 543 | 125 | .230 | 23 | 82 | |
| 2B | 152 | 474 | 116 | .245 | 5 | 50 | |
| 3B | 139 | 564 | 176 | .312 | 22 | 88 | |
| SS | 154 | 497 | 130 | .262 | 5 | 60 | |
| CF | 142 | 478 | 120 | .251 | 17 | 78 | |
| RF | 162 | 606 | 189 | .312 | 23 | 112 | |
| DH | 162 | 641 | 191 | .298 | 21 | 92 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 88 | 218 | 66 | .303 | 3 | 29 | |
| 105 | 195 | 58 | .297 | 2 | 23 | |
| 27 | 48 | 9 | .188 | 0 | 4 | |
| 13 | 34 | 11 | .324 | 0 | 1 | |
| 10 | 20 | 4 | .200 | 0 | 1 | |
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | 292.2 | 20 | 12 | 3.04 | 244 | |
| 36 | 239 | 18 | 14 | 3.62 | 103 | |
| 37 | 229 | 16 | 6 | 3.69 | 99 | |
| 29 | 156.1 | 9 | 6 | 4.20 | 83 | |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | 128.1 | 10 | 13 | 3.58 | 55 | |
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53 | 11 | 4 | 14 | 3.88 | 83 | |
| 52 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 3.13 | 46 | |
| 48 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 3.58 | 55 | |
| 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.52 | 10 | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3.38 | 1 | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4.50 | 0 |
Game 1
October 5: Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 0 |
| New York | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 0 |
| W: Paul Splittorff Paul Splittorff Paul William Splittorff Jr. was a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who spent his entire career with the Kansas City Royals. Listed at 6' 3", Splittorff batted and threw left handed.-Early years:Splittorff was born in Evansville, Indiana... (1-0) L: Don Gullett (0-1) |
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| HRs: KC – Hal McRae Hal McRae Harold Abraham McRae is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Royals . Utilized as a designated hitter for most of his career, McRae batted and threw right-handed... (1), John Mayberry John Mayberry John Claiborn Mayberry is a former Major League Baseball player who played for the Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees from 1968 to 1982.-High school and minor leagues:... (1), Al Cowens Al Cowens Alfred Edward Cowens, Jr. was a right fielder in Major League Baseball. From through , Cowens played for the Kansas City Royals , California Angels , Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners . He batted and threw right-handed.A native of Los Angeles, California, Cowens was a product of the Kansas... (1) NYY – Thurman Munson Thurman Munson Thurman Lee Munson was an American Major League Baseball catcher. He played his entire 11-year career for the New York Yankees... (1) |
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Game 2
October 6: Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| New York | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | ||||
| 6 | 10 | 0 | ||||||||||
| W: Ron Guidry Ron Guidry Ronald Ames Guidry , nicknamed "Louisiana Lightning" and "Gator", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees... (1-0) L: Andy Hassler Andy Hassler Andrew Earl Hassler was a Major League pitcher for the California Angels , Kansas City Royals , Boston Red Sox , New York Mets , Pittsburgh Pirates and St... (0-1) |
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| HRs: KC – none; NYY – Cliff Johnson (1) | ||||||||||||
Game 3
October 7: Royals StadiumKauffman Stadium
Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium is a Major League Baseball stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri, and home to the Kansas City Royals of the American League. Together with Arrowhead Stadium, home of the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs, it is a part of the Truman Sports Complex...
, Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| Kansas City | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | ||||
| 6 | 12 | 1 | ||||||||||
| W: Dennis Leonard Dennis Leonard Dennis Patrick Leonard was one of the Kansas City Royals' most dominating pitchers of the late '70s and early '80s, but a promising career cut short due to injuries. In 1975, his first full year he managed to bust out with a 15-7 record... (1-0) L: Mike Torrez Mike Torrez Michael Augustine Torrez is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball.-Career:Torrez had an 18-year career from 1967 to 1984. He played for the St... (0-1) |
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| HRs: NYY – none; KC – none | ||||||||||||
Game 4
October 8: Royals StadiumKauffman Stadium
Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium is a Major League Baseball stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri, and home to the Kansas City Royals of the American League. Together with Arrowhead Stadium, home of the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs, it is a part of the Truman Sports Complex...
, Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 13 | 0 |
| Kansas City | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 2 |
| W: Sparky Lyle Sparky Lyle Albert Walter "Sparky" Lyle is an American former left-handed relief pitcher who spent sixteen seasons in Major League Baseball . He was a closer from 1969 to 1977, first for the Boston Red Sox and then the New York Yankees. A three-time All-Star, he won the American League Cy Young Award in 1977... (1-0) L: Larry Gura Larry Gura Lawrence Cyril Gura is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball from to . He went to Arizona State University and spent 16 years in the Major Leagues. He played for the Chicago Cubs of the National League, and the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals , both of the American League... (0-1) |
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| HRs: NYY – none; KC – none | ||||||||||||
Game 5
October 9: Royals StadiumKauffman Stadium
Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium is a Major League Baseball stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri, and home to the Kansas City Royals of the American League. Together with Arrowhead Stadium, home of the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs, it is a part of the Truman Sports Complex...
, Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 0 |
| Kansas City | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 1 |
| W: Sparky Lyle Sparky Lyle Albert Walter "Sparky" Lyle is an American former left-handed relief pitcher who spent sixteen seasons in Major League Baseball . He was a closer from 1969 to 1977, first for the Boston Red Sox and then the New York Yankees. A three-time All-Star, he won the American League Cy Young Award in 1977... (2-0) L: Dennis Leonard Dennis Leonard Dennis Patrick Leonard was one of the Kansas City Royals' most dominating pitchers of the late '70s and early '80s, but a promising career cut short due to injuries. In 1975, his first full year he managed to bust out with a 15-7 record... (1-1) |
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| HRs: NYY – none; KC – none | ||||||||||||