Top Five Kansas City Royals Managers Of All-Time
By Mike Norris
Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost (3) – Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 629-632*
Division titles: 1
Playoff appearances: 2
World Series appearances/wins: 2/1
The fact that Ned Yost is on the list is nothing short of amazing.
If Sal Perez, Terrance Gore, Eric Hosmer and Co. don’t bail him out from a boneheaded decision he made in the 2014 AL Wild Card Game, he could very well be a bench coach somewhere in the Gulf Coast League.
Instead, the Royals persevered through the game en route to a 9-8 victory over the Oakland A’s, and parlayed that in to a trip to the World Series.
Eight months later, Yost has the team playing better than last year, and they’d go on to win their second straight AL pennant. Oh, and then the Royals won the World Series. Pretty cool, huh?
Although he’s cranky, seemingly out of touch and sometimes just downright odd, you can’t argue with winning.
Yost has done that more than anyone in a Kansas City Royals managerial uniform, but what is more impressive is the fact he has won more ball games in every season he’s managed in KC than the previous one.
He also holds the team record for playoff wins as a manager with over 11, in just one playoff appearance.
He has helped revive baseball in The Heartland once again, and has his players’ support to boot.
Depending on how long he stays with the Royals, it’s possible he goes down as the greatest ever to lead this team.
Not bad for a guy who was rumored to be fired a few years ago.
*Initially written in June 2015, but updated to include 2015 World Series tidbit
Next: No. 2 -- Whitey Herzog