Kansas City Royals: All-Time Worst Defenders

First Base: Ken Harvey

Total TZ: -10 over 1,500.1 innings

TZ per 1,500 innings: -10

Ken Harvey had a very short career, but for a while he seemed like a promising young player. In his rookie season, 2003, he hit 30 doubles and 13 home runs while posting a batting average on .266.

His 2004 season saw Harvey get sent to the All-Star game after his strong first half of the season. After hitting ten home runs and posting a .305 batting average in the first half of the season, he would only hit three home runs in the second half.

While his inconsistencies with the bat weren’t going to help him, his misadventures in the field were almost humorous at times. Not only was he a poor fielder but he was a human blooper reel. He even has a blooper reel webpage named after him!

This play pretty much summarizes everything you could ever need to know about the kind of defender Ken Harvey was:

Harvey would make a very limited appearance with the Royals in 2005, but that would be his final season in the big leagues. Like so many Royals in the early 2000’s he showed glimpses of promise but was ultimately a disappointment. Like so many Royals’ fans dreams of a playoff berth during those dark days, Harvey’s career was fleeting.

While Eric Hosmer has been scrutinized as an over-rated defender, he’s taken home three straight Gold Glove awards. That award doesn’t mean everything, but who am I to argue with three Gold Gloves? Bottom line: The Royals are in much better shape today than they were when Ken Harvey played.

So far, this list is 2-2 in terms of having teammates be among the worst defenders ever. How many more from that time frame will find their way onto this list?

Next: Double Take