Johnny Damon will always be best known for his run with the Boston Red Sox where he helped them win their first World Series in decades, but his star began as a member of the Kansas City Royals.

Darrell Porter would play more seasons with Milwaukee and would win a World Series with St. Louis (where he was both the NLCS and World Series MVP) but in between those teams he played the best baseball of his career with the Kansas City Royals.

A National Champion at Arizona State Larry Gura would have mediocre stints with the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees before the latter traded him to Kansas City.  It would be in the Midwest where the southpaw would find himself as the Royals’ sometimes ace.

The meat of Charlie Leibrandt’s career took place in Kansas City where he would win 10 or more games five years in a row (1984-89).  1985 would be far and away the best season of his career where he would finish fifth in Cy Young voting by going 17 and 9 and a 2.69 ERA, which was good enough for second in the AL.  Most importantly, Leibrandt was a major factor in the Royals reaching and winning the 1985 World Series.  He would record 76 Wins for Kansas City overall.