Kansas City Royals - The Bush Years (2000-2009)

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2000

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Decade

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Titles:

Top Royals Players of the Oughts

None

Pitchers:

Ballpark:

Zack Greinke (22.74) - 34

Kauffman Stadium

Joakim Soria (8.67) - 26

Jeff Suppan (6.77) - 23

Team Name:

Brian Bannister (4.46) - 20

Royals

Gil Meche (10.25) - 20

Darrell May (7.23) - 17

Owner:

Paul Byrd (7.29) - 14

David Glass

Roberto Hernandez (1.27) - 14

Runelvys Hernandez (3.96) - 12

General Managers:

Mike MacDougal (2.4) - 12

Herk Robinson (2000)

Jeremy Affeldt (4.05) - 9

Allard Baird (2000 - 2006)

Jason Grimsley (4.34) - 0

Dayton Moore (2006 - 2009)

Catchers:

Managers:

John Buck (2.03) - 22

Tony Muser (2000 - 2002)

Miguel Olivo (2.13) - 13

John Mizerock (2002)

Tony Pena (2002 - 2005)

First Basemen:

Bob Schaeffer (2005)

Billy Butler (2.65) - 15

Buddy Bell (2005 - 2007)

Trey Hillman (2008 - 2009)

Second Basemen:

Mark Grudzielanek (8.28) - 14

Hall of Famers:

None

ShortStop:

Angel Berroa (2.15) - 20

Rookie of the Year:

Rey Sanchez (5.7) - 14

Angel Berroa (2003)

Mike Aviles (3.98) - 12

No Hitters:

Third Base:

None

Mark Teahen (3.97) - 27

Joe Randa (11.4) - 21

MVP

Alex Gordon (5.11) - 9

None

Outfield:

Cy Young

Carlos Beltran (19.78) - 55

Zack Greinke (2009)

Mike Sweeney (18.81) - 49

David DeJesus (16.22) - 44

Notable Events:

Emil Brown (2.28) - 18

Johnny Damon (6.15) - 16

2000 - Walmart CEO David Glass buys the Royals.

Jermaine Dye (5.37) - 15

The team is putrid throughout the decade save for one outlier, 2003,

Matt Stairs (2.08) - 13

when KC barely squeaks over .500. Unclear why a guy who runs

Raul Ibanez (4.98) - 9

Walmart would want to own a Big League team.

He had to know that you have to spend money on your employees in

Notable Events:

order to get the desired results (if your desired result is winning, of course)

in Major League Baseball. The Royals finally started winning in the

2002 - All of this intense loosing does have a silver lining as the Royals

next decade under Glass's ownership so you have to figure he had to

start cashing in on high draft picks.

have a winning strategy somewhere along the line altho' it certainly

Maybe there was a method to David Glass's madness

took him long enough for it to reach fruition. On the other hand, you

(see Philadelphia 76ers and The Process):

may also subscribe to to the "even a broken clock is right twice a day"

□ 2002 - Righthander Zack Grienke,18, is the 6th overall pick in the draft -

theory on this one.

rookie in 2004

□ 2004 - outfielder Billy Butler, 18 14th overall pick in the draft -

2000 - Coming into the decade, the cupboard is pretty bare, and it stays

rookie in 2007

that way. KC has a young first class outfield with Carlos Beltran, 23;

□ 2005 - 3B Alex Gordon, 21, 2nd overall pick in the draft.

Jermaine Dye, 26; and Johnny Damon, 26 and little else

He is a rookie in 2007

(1B Mike Sweeney, 26 and righthander Jeff Suppan, 25, to be precise).

□ 2006 - righthander Luke Hochevar, 21, first overall pick -

Outside of the aberrant 2003, the Royals average a 65-97 mark for

rookie in 2007

the decade. No bueno.

□ 2007 - 3B Mike Moustakas, 18, 2nd overall pick - rookie in 2011

□ 2008 - 1B Eric Hosmer, 18, 3rd overall pick - rookie in 2011

2000 - Centerfielder David DeJesus, 20, is a 4th round pick.

He will be a rookie in 2003

2003 - Like the movie Awakenings, KC momentarily sniffs the rarified air

of over .500. despite giving up thirty one runs more than they score.

2001 - The star studded outfield is broken up.

The Royals have eight guys in double figures in home runs,

Pending free agents Damon and Dye are dealt to the A's and Colorado

but only have one starting pitcher in double figures in wins (with ten),

respectively (who then trade Dye to the A's) in a pre free agency salary

so it's no surprise that this heady atmosphere is not sustainable.

dump. Beltran will be dealt to the Astros in a similar type of deal in 2004.