Kansas City Royals: Top Ten Catchers In Team History
By Joel Wagler
Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium- Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
Five Seasons – 1969, 1973-1976. C. KC. Fran Healy. 7. player. 7
Like the all the players on this list so far, Fran Healy spent most of his time as a back-up. He did have one season as the Royals starting catcher, and he made the most of it.
In 1974, Healy played in 139 games, and he set career highs in plate appearances (514 – almost half of his total with Kansas City), home runs (9), RBI (53), stolen bases (16), and doubles (24).
- Ninth in Home Runs – 17
- Ninth in Runs Scored – 103
- Ninth in Runs Batted In – 106
- Second in Stolen Bases – 25
- Fourth in Batting Average – .258
- Second in On Base Percentage – .336
- Sixth in Slugging Percentage – .372
- Fifth in Wins Above Replacement – 5.5
Healy gets a higher spot in the countdown than Brent Mayne and Jamie Quirk, because his BA, OBP, and SLG are so much better. Mayne and Quirk have better production numbers, but had many more plate appearances.
The stat that really jumps out is Healy’s 5.5 Wins Above Replacement. Whereas Mayne and Quirk were clearly replacement level players, Healy’s WAR, in many fewer games, indicates he brought much more to the table.
Like Martinez, few Royals fans born after 1970, are going to remember Fran Healy, let alone recognize he name. Still, Healy comes in as the seventh best catcher in franchise history, mainly because of one really good season – but it was far better than any the first three catchers on this list produced.
Next: Number SIX