Kansas City Royals: Ten Best Seasons In Royals History

Best Seasons in Kansas City Royals History: 3. 2014 (89-73; Won Wild Card Spot, Lost WS 4-3)

The 2014 season put baseball on the map in Kansas City again. It was a season that brought hope and excitement back to fans of Kansas City sports’ fans.

For the first time in 29 years, the Royals earned a playoff appearance. While there is plenty to discuss about their regular season including a ten-game winning streak that put the Royals in first place in the division, the real culmination of this teams greatest started in October, or at least right before it.

Raul Ibanez is credited with inspiring the team to achieve greatness. Bob Nightengale of USAToday wrote an article quoting Ibanez:

"“So I told them that looking in from the outside, every team hated to play them. Everyone saw the talent they had. This was their opportunity. They were on the cusp of greatness. “I just thought they needed a belief.” Since that impassioned speech, the Royals have produced the best record in baseball – 31-13 – over that stretch. It was the only players’ meeting of the season."

While the Royals didn’t hold onto the division lead, they captured the attention of baseball fans around the country and made Kansas City fall in love with baseball all over again.

The Royals headed into the Wild Card game with a big, fat, giant monkey on their back. They hadn’t played an October playoff game in 29 years and if they couldn’t win this game, they’d have to wait at least another season for that chance.

Things quickly devolved for the Royals as rookie pitcher Yordano Ventura entered the game in relief. It was a position he was uncomfortable with and a move that could have potentially become one of Ned Yost’s most infamous decisions. Winning has a funny way of erasing decisions like that.

In an incredible show of heart and grit, the Royals fought back and stole a victory from the Oakland A’s. It was one of the single greatest comebacks in playoff history, and the Royals erased 29 years of heartache with one crack of the bat.

From there, they steamrolled their way to the World Series and rattled off eight straight playoff wins. It’s the first time in postseason history that any team has won eight straight games.

Ultimately, the Royals would fall to the Giants in seven games, but not before Alex Gordon came 90 feet away from tying game seven. As the Royals raced around the bases they delivered hope to a fan base that was in desperate need of a winner.

This season didn’t end with a championship, but it made everyone in the Kansas City fan base feel like a winner.

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