Mike Macfarlane arrived in the Kansas City organization as a fourth-round selection in 1985, a physically sturdy catcher with a reputation for intense preparation and a "blue-collar" approach to the game. He debuted in 1987 and eventually outlasted several high-profile competitors to become the team’s primary signal-caller.
Known mostly for his defensive ability, Macfarlane could occasionally help with his bat. During the 1993 campaign, a season in which he emerged as one of the premier power-hitting catchers in the American League, he belted a career-high 20 home runs and recorded 67 RBIs. He was also willing to sacrifice his body for the team, leading the league in hit-by-pitches in 1992, a category he would again lead in 1994.
Macfarlane was also a favorite of many of the Royals’ staff. He may have been a light hitter, but he had enough power in his bat to gain him at-bats. Macfarlane departed for Boston as a free agent after the 1994 season, but that was short-lived; he returned in ’95 for a second run that lasted until a mid-season 1998 trade to Oakland.
As a Royal, he compiled 717 hits, 103 home runs, and a reputation as a master handler of pitching staffs.
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