Kansas City Royals: Best Pitchers of All-Time in Wins Above Replacement

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KEVIN APPIER OF THE KANSAS CITY ROYALS MANDATORY CREDIT: STEPHEN DUNN/ALLSPORT /

ALL-TIME LEADERS IN WAR FOR PITCHERS – NUMBER 1: KEVIN APPIER

Royals Pitcher from 1989-1999, 2003, 2004 (WAR – 47.2)

The all-time leader in WAR for Kansas City Royals pitchers is Kevin Appier, who had a 47.2 WAR throughout his 13 years as a member of the boys in blue. Appier wasn’t with the team for 13 consecutive years, but he spent 11 seasons with them and then rejoined the Royals again several seasons later.

Appier finished his long-time Royals career with a 3.49 ERA, 1.250 WHIP, and had 115 wins under his belt. While Appier isn’t the best pitcher in Royals history, he was certainly one of the most productive and consistent pitchers. He made it to one All-Star Game (1995) and as long as he was healthy, was a true innings eater.

Appier’s final two years in Kansas City were at the end of his career, so he didn’t have a ton left in the tank, but bringing him back was the least the Royals could do at the time. Kevin Appier had given so much for the franchise during the 1990s and was never really rewarded for his efforts. The team was bad then, but Appier did go on to win a World Series with the Angels in 2002.

Many of you probably expected Kevin Appier to be high on this list, but did you think he’d be number one?

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