Kansas City Royals: Top 15 Pitchers In Losses All-Time

Kansas City Royals All-Time Loss Leaders – Number 4: Kevin Appier (92 Losses)

Kevin Appier was probably the best Royals’ player in the 1990’s. While he did request a trade towards the end of that time frame, it’s hard to blame him for wanting to play for a winner.

While the Royals were mired in the middle of years of mediocrity, or less, Appier got his chance to win a World Series with the Angels in 2002. He pitched poorly in both of his World Series appearances but wound up with a ring regardless.

Appier would return to the Royals to finish his career but was a shell of his former self. In those final two years he totaled six starts with an ERA of 5.86. His end was nothing like his beginning.

In the early years of Appier’s career, he was a durable and reliable starter. In his first two full seasons he threw three complete game shutouts in back to back years. Two of those shutouts came in back to back games during the 1991 season.

In spite of his excellent numbers, he only made one All-Star game which came in 1995, but he put together more than 100 wins for a Royals’ team that had little to celebrate.

He was elected into the Royals’ hall of fame in 2011 and is just another shining example of how little losses actually mean in determining greatness.

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