The Kansas City Royals were not always the seasonal cellar dweller they have come to be recognized for most of the 1990s and 2000s within MLB circles. This was a franchise inaugurated in 1969 after the old Kansas City Athletics moved to Oakland by Missouri pharmaceutical magnate Ewing Kauffman due to the demand for a new team in one the league's smallest sports markets. Despite all that, the Royals hit the ground running in terms of being competitive within their American League West division. But why does it seem like teams considered a mere afterthought due to their incapability to be consistently good struggle even when they have a few extended years of success. In the case of the Royals, their beginnings were not completely disastrous nor did they experience full fledged success in the early stages as well. What it is more likened to is a foreshadowed precipitous drop due to bad luck, bad decisions, and bad play on the diamond.I think looking at the Royals in the 1970s, particularly under the guidance of longtime manager of Whitey Herzog, indicates how some franchises shoot themselves in the foot. The Royals are not a very old MLB franchise, but they seem to be a case of letting opportunities at success slip away more times than others. The Royals have sat on the cusp of greatness numerous times throughout their existence. They have one World Series (ironically in 1985 over the St. Louis Cardinals led by Whitey Herzog), but that is their high point despite the fact they had many chances to be more than a one-time-champion. Whitey Herzog was a manger known for relying on pitching, team speed, and defense to win ball games. This type of baseball did not rely on home runs to win a majority of ball games and played to the strengths of park with deep fences and artificial turf like Kauffman stadium. His managerial style and philosophy was dubbed "Whitey ball"and he succeeded with players such as Hal McRae, Amos Otis, Darrell Porter, Freddy Patek, and George Brett in the lineup. In addition, Herzog's philosophy was financially friendly to a small market team such as the Royals, who did not have a boat load of spending money for superstar type personnel on a consistent basis.
So that brings us to the 1977 ALCS in which the Royals were a game away from the World Series in the fifth and final game. Playing at Kauffman stadium and having one of their top lefties Paul Splittorff going against the great Ron Guidry. Guidry was starting on just two days rest and before a raucous crowd of 41,133 in Kansas City, the Royals seemed to have an edge on paper. In addition, the controversial 1977 Yankees had their manager Billy Martin not start Reggie Jackson in this pivotal game due to his struggles against Splittorff. Instead he went with the veteran outfielder Paul Blair in right field, who was a two time All Star and multiple Gold Glove winner, but he was not comparable to Reggie Jackson. So things seemed to line up well for the Royals and it did in the early innings. Guidry, who pitched a masterful complete game in Game 2 got knocked around early and lasted only 2 1/3 innings before being relieved by Mike Torrez. The Royals got to Guidry on 6 hits and 3 runs to jump out to a 3-1 lead. However, they would be shut down the rest of the way by Torrez who worked 5 1/3 innings and scattered 3 hits while striking out 4 batters. However, despite giving up 1 run in the top of the 3rd, Splittorff was dealing. He had pitched 8 innings in Game 1 to help Kansas City win 7-2 and looked just as strong in Game 5.
But as the game went into the later innings, Herzog's decision was questionable at best. Remember, back in 1977 there were no days off in between games. The 1977 ALCS went from October 5 to October 9 without a day off. So while Herzog's bullpen was doing a decent job with the likes of Steve Mingori, Doug Bird, Mark Littell, and Marty Pattin, he may have gone to the well one too many times. Splittorff had not pitched since Game 1 (October 5) and his bullpen was used in Games 2 and 4. Back to back days for bullpen guys are tough because unlike starters they are not pacing themselves. Every pitch they throw is with maximum effort and velocity, thus it is sometimes hazardous to throw multiple relief arms in back to back days. However, Herzog was in the ALCS and being a game away from the World Series, the argument could be made desperate times call for desperate measures. Bird, Mingori, Littell, and Larry Gura probably told Herzog they were fine and wanted to be out there. But did Herzog really need to pull Splittorff after he gave up an 8th inning single to Willie Randolph. The answer: no. Splittorff was doing fine and had not been in a major jam all night. His pitch count was 102 (which was no huge matter back then and plus it was the playoffs!) and his confidence on the mound remained despite the lead off single.
Instead, Herzog's decision begins the sealing of Kansas City's fate. He puts Doug Bird for Splittorff. Bird gives up a single to Lou Piniella and then Reggie Jackson pinch hits after Splittorff departs. Would Martin still have pinch hit Jackson if Splittorff was still throwing? Perhaps, but I am sure Herzog would not have minded the matchup since it was well known Jackson struggled against him. Facing Bird, Mr. October dumps a bloop single to score Randolph. Steve Mingori relieves Bird and gets out of the inning with the Royals clinging to a 3-2 lead. In the bottom of the ninth, despite Mingori's success last inning, Herzog goes with Dennis Leonard. Now the 26 year old Leonard had just thrown a complete game gem two nights ago in Game 3 and had nothing left much like Guidry. Again, Herzog's choice backfires as Leonard puts the Royals in a jam with two runners on and does not record an out. Now Herzog goes to the bullpen for Larry Gura who promptly gives up a single to Mickey Rivers which scores Paul Blair. Now things are falling apart and Mark Littell comes in to relieve Gura. Littell retires Randolph on a sac fly to score pinch hitter Roy White, who had walked against Leonard. The Yankees obtain the lead and a George Brett error on Lou Piniella's grounder scores Mickey Rivers to make it 5-3 New York. Sparky Lyle finishes off a dejected Royals team in the bottom half of the inning to send New York back to the World Series. It would be the second time in a row the Yankees defeated the Royals in the ALCS and the next year would make it three years in a row.
So let's recap: 5 pitching changes in 2 innings, 4 runs in 2 innings, 1 error, 1 walk, and 4 hits. Seems to me Splittorff's line of 7 innings, 6 hits, 2 earned runs (even though the 1 run in the 8th was not really his and they should change that rule of inherited runners by the way), and 2 strikeouts was not looking so bad. There are countless what ifs in baseball history and this is just one of them. But this one sticks out to me because a small market team had a chance to beat the New York Yankees three consecutive years in the ALCS and could not get it done. Teams like the Royals do not know how many opportunities they are going to get to be in a position to win a World Series simply because of their financial challenge to compete with richer clubs. But in 1977 if Whitey Herzog stayed in the dugout in the 8th inning and let Paul Splittorff continue to pitch, maybe there would have been a different ending for one seasons at least!
