Kansas City Royals best all-time first basemen in franchise history
By Joel Wagler
1992-1995. Kansas City Royals. Wally Joyner. 4. player. 7.
Kansas City Royals best all-time first basemen – No 4: Wally Joyner
7.8 WAR
Who remembers that Wally Joyner spent four full seasons with the Royals? Most people will recall him in a Royals uniform, but how many folks recall he played 518 games in Kansas City?
One of those reasons maybe because he was good but unspectacular as a Royal. That was kind of the case for most of his long career. He burst onto the scene in 1986 with the Angles, smacking 22 home runs and driving in 100. The next season, he hit 34 round-trippers with 117 RBI. He never matched those numbers again.
His numbers for Kansas City were solid. His slash over those four seasons was .293/.371/.434/.805. He drew quite a few bases on balls as a Royals, walking more than he struck out, and he hit a lot of doubles, averaging 30 a season. He stole a few bases, and he hit a few homers.
He was considered pretty good in the field, yet he never won a Gold Glove. As a Royal, he was second in the American League in assists by a first baseman three times, in the top 10 in putouts at his position twice, and in the top ten in double plays by a first baseman three times.
He may not have been spectacular at any one thing, but he was a solid, consistent player throughout his time with the Royals and his career overall.