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Royals KCR

199872–89 (0.447)
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GM: Herk Robinson

Overview

Ranks vs the 30 teams in 1998, or a custom range (defaults to every team-season since 1985, when our data starts).

to

Front Office

PoorAverageGreat
Value
Payroll $M
$37M
Surplus $M
-17
Win %
0.447
TAB
-14.2
WAB
-8.0
Roster composition
Roster fWAR
18.6
Dead money %
50%
Depth Players
2.0
Dead WAR
-6.1

Offense

PoorAverageGreat

Pitching & Defense

PoorAverageGreat

Roster

1998 depth chart — stacked by playing time

C

RMike Sweeney91
RSal Fasano70
RTim Spehr⇄11
RChris Turner4
RHéctor Ortiz3
RMike Macfarlane⇄3

1B

RJeff King112
LHal Morris46
RJeff Conine12
LLarry Sutton6
RSal Fasano5
RHéctor Ortiz1
RShane Halter1
RJoe Vitiello1

2B

BJose Offerman152
RCarlos Febles11
RShane Halter6
RLuis Rivera6
BFelix Martinez2
RJed Hansen2

3B

RDean Palmer129
BTerry Pendleton23
RScott Leius15
RShane Halter8
RLuis Rivera6
RJeff King4
RMendy López2
RSal Fasano1

SS

RMendy López72
RShane Halter66
BFelix Martinez32
RLuis Rivera30
RScott Leius2

LF

RJeff Conine50
LLarry Sutton39
LHal Morris39
RShane Mack⇄30
LJohnny Damon14
LJeremy Giambi9
RShane Halter6
RChris Hatcher5
RErnie Young1

CF

LJohnny Damon130
BCarlos Beltrán14
RErnie Young5

RF

RJermaine Dye59
LLarry Sutton47
RJeff Conine31
LJohnny Damon24
RErnie Young19
RShane Halter3
RShane Mack⇄3
LDee Brown2

DH

LHal Morris39
BTerry Pendleton37
RDean Palmer22
RShane Mack⇄20
RJeff King15
LJeremy Giambi7
BJose Offerman5
RJeff Conine3
LLarry Sutton3
RJoe Vitiello2

Starters

LJose Rosado2.3 WAR
RTim Belcher1.9 WAR
LGlendon Rusch1.5 WAR
RHipolito Pichardo1.2 WAR
RPat Rapp1.2 WAR
RBrian Barber0.6 WAR
RJeff Suppan⇄0.4 WAR
RKevin Appier0.0 WAR
LJamie Walker-0.2 WAR
LChris Haney⇄-0.2 WAR
RJim Pittsley-0.5 WAR

Bullpen

★ RJeff Montgomery36 sv
RScott Service0 h
LMatt Whisenant0 h
RBrian Bevil0 h
RJim Pittsley0 h
RRicky Bones0 h
RBart Evans0 h
LAllen McDill0 h

Each position shows its top 3 by games (top = starter) — click "+more" for the rest. The letter is bats/throws; ⇄ marks a player traded mid-season. Starters are ranked by WAR, bullpen by holds; ★ marks the closer (most save chances). MLB Stats API.

Key additions (new vs 1997)

PlayerfWAR
Pat Rapp1.2
Brian Barber0.6
Mendy López0.5
Carlos Febles0.4
Jeff Suppan0.4
Jeff Conine0.3

Key subtractions (gone from 1997)

Player1997 fWAR
Jay Bell5.4
Chili Davis2.5
Bip Roberts1.4
Rod Myers0.7
Randy Veres0.5
Gregg Olson0.4

Contract Value

WAR translated into tier-adjusted market value, then compared with what the player was paid by Royals. Guaranteed contracts from the 2015-present contract-data period use the known contract period through 1998; everyone else is shown as a 1998 season snapshot.

PlayerPeriodfWARTier Market $MPaid $MSurplus $M$ / WARTierContract
Jose Offerman 1998 +4.6 +44.3 2.0 +42.3 $0.4M 1.20× –
José Rosado 1998 +2.3 +27.3 0.2 +27.0 $0.1M 1.49× –
Tim Belcher 1998 +1.9 +22.2 2.3 +19.9 $1.2M 1.49× –
Glendon Rusch 1998 +1.5 +12.1 0.2 +11.9 $0.1M 1.02× –
Pat Rapp 1998 +1.2 +9.6 0.8 +8.8 $0.7M 1.02× –
Hipolito Pichardo 1998 +1.2 +10.0 2.1 +7.9 $1.7M 1.02× –
Scott Service 1998 +1.4 +7.3 0.2 +7.1 $0.2M 0.67× –
Dean Palmer 1998 +1.9 +12.9 5.8 +7.0 $3.1M 0.85× –
Johnny Damon 1998 +1.1 +7.1 0.5 +6.6 $0.4M 0.83× –
Brian Barber 1998 +0.6 +4.7 0.2 +4.5 $0.3M 1.02× –
Matt Whisenant 1998 +0.6 +3.3 0.2 +3.1 $0.3M 0.67× –
Sal Fasano 1998 +0.6 +2.7 0.2 +2.5 $0.3M 0.52× –
Jeff King 1998 +1.4 +6.3 4.0 +2.3 $2.8M 0.56× –
Mendy López 1998 +0.5 +2.3 0.2 +2.1 $0.4M 0.61× –
Jeff Suppan↔ 1998 +0.4 +1.9 0.1 +1.9 $0.1M 0.67× –
Tim Spehr↔ 1998 +0.5 +2.0 0.1 +1.9 $0.2M 0.52× –
Brian Bevil 1998 +0.4 +2.0 0.2 +1.8 $0.5M 0.67× –
Jeff Montgomery 1998 +0.4 +4.6 2.8 +1.8 $6.5M 1.34× –
Ricky Bones 1998 +0.4 +2.2 0.4 +1.8 $1.0M 0.67× –
Carlos Febles 1998 +0.4 +1.8 0.2 +1.6 $0.4M 0.56× –
Shane Mack↔ 1998 +0.2 +1.5 0.4 +1.1 $1.9M 0.83× –
Mike Sweeney 1998 +0.3 +1.3 0.2 +1.0 $0.8M 0.52× –
Carlos Beltrán 1998 +0.2 +1.0 0.2 +0.9 $1.1M 0.83× –
Bart Evans 1998 +0.2 +0.8 0.2 +0.6 $1.1M 0.67× –
Luis Rivera 1998 +0.1 +0.4 0.2 +0.2 $2.8M 0.61× –
Mike Macfarlane↔ 1998 +0.0 +0.1 0.0 +0.1 $1.3M 0.52× –
Jeff Conine 1998 +0.3 +2.1 2.2 -0.1 $7.0M 0.83× –
Ernie Young 1998 -0.0 -0.2 0.2 -0.5 – 0.83× –
Hal Morris 1998 +0.2 +0.9 1.4 -0.5 $6.7M 0.56× –
Jed Hansen 1998 -0.1 -0.3 0.2 -0.5 – 0.56× –
Joe Vitiello 1998 -0.1 -0.5 0.2 -0.7 – 0.69× –
Chris Turner 1998 -0.2 -0.7 0.2 -0.9 – 0.52× –
Shane Halter 1998 -0.1 -0.7 0.2 -0.9 – 0.61× –
Héctor Ortiz 1998 -0.2 -0.8 0.2 -1.0 – 0.52× –
Jermaine Allensworth↔ 1998 -0.1 -0.9 0.1 -1.0 – 0.83× –
Jamie Walker 1998 -0.2 -0.9 0.2 -1.1 – 0.67× –
Allen McDill 1998 -0.3 -1.5 0.2 -1.7 – 0.67× –
Chris Haney↔ 1998 -0.2 -1.1 1.6 -2.7 – 0.67× –
Jim Pittsley 1998 -0.5 -2.6 0.2 -2.8 – 0.67× –
Jermaine Dye 1998 -0.4 -2.6 0.2 -2.9 – 0.83× –
Scott Leius 1998 -0.7 -3.3 0.2 -3.5 – 0.58× –
Terry Pendleton 1998 -0.7 -4.1 0.4 -4.5 – 0.69× –
Kevin Appier 1998 +0.0 +0.2 4.8 -4.6 $184.0M 1.02× –
Felix Martinez 1998 -1.0 -4.7 0.2 -4.9 – 0.61× –
Larry Sutton 1998 -0.8 -5.6 0.2 -5.8 – 0.83× –
Jeremy Giambi 1998 +0.0 +0.1 0.2 -0.0 $8.1M 0.83× –
Jose Santiago 1998 +0.0 +0.2 0.2 +0.0 $4.2M 0.67× –
Chris Hatcher 1998 -0.2 -1.2 – – – 0.83× –
Danny Rios 1998 -0.1 -0.4 – – – 0.67× –
Dee Brown 1998 -0.2 -1.4 – – – 0.83× –
Tim Byrdak 1998 -0.1 -0.3 – – – 0.67× –
Total—+18.6+161.437.4+127.1—

Trades

Every graded 1998 deal involving the Royals — best expected value first. Surplus is realized value in $M; 4 total.

1998 · KCR / NYM
KCR · Herk Robinson +$45.6M
Joe Randa
NYM · Steve Phillips −$45.6M
Juan LeBron
KCR came out ahead by $45.6M
1998 · KCR / OAK
KCR · Herk Robinson +$1.6M
Shane Mack, Greg Hansell
OAK · Billy Beane −$1.6M
Mike Macfarlane
KCR came out ahead by $1.6M
1998 · KCR / NYM
KCR · Herk Robinson +$3.2M
cash / PTBNL
NYM · Steve Phillips −$3.2M
Jermaine Allensworth
KCR came out ahead by $3.2M
1998 · PIT / KCR
PIT · Cam Bonifay +$1.6M
Manuel Bernal
KCR · Herk Robinson −$1.6M
Jermaine Allensworth
PIT came out ahead by $1.6M

Current & Historical Payroll

1998 payroll
$37.2M

What the front office was committed to as of 1998, 1998–2004. Pre-2015 has no contract-terms data — forward italic $ are realized actuals (hindsight, not commitments known then). Control labels (ARB/FA) are point-in-time.

current $ guaranteed $ actual $ (hindsight) arbitration (proj) pre-arb (proj) free agent

Guaranteed / signed (19)

PlayerAgeSvc1998199920002001200220032004
Dean Palmer299.000$5.8MFREE AGENT
Kevin Appier309.000$4.8M$3.1MFREE AGENT$9.5M$300k
Jeff King339.000$4.0M$4.0MFREE AGENT
Jeff Montgomery3611.000$2.8M$2.5MFREE AGENT
Tim Belcher3611.000$2.3MFREE AGENT
Jeff Conine328.000$2.2MFREE AGENT
Hipolito Pichardo286.000$2.1MFREE AGENT
Jose Offerman298.000$2.0MFREE AGENT
Chris Haney297.000$1.6MFREE AGENT
Hal Morris3310.000$1.4MFREE AGENT
Pat Rapp306.000$800kFREE AGENT
Shane Mack3411.000$430kFREE AGENT
Terry Pendleton3714.000$425kFREE AGENT
Ricky Bones297.000$400kFREE AGENT
Luis Rivera3412.000$245kFREE AGENT
Scott Service3110.000$230k$745kFREE AGENT
Scott Leius328.000$180k$200kFREE AGENT
Tim Spehr317.000$98k$330kFREE AGENT
Mike Macfarlane3411.000$27kFREE AGENT

Arbitration-eligible (8)

PlayerAgeSvc1998199920002001200220032004
Johnny Damon243.000$460kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mike Sweeney243.000$230kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Joe Vitiello283.000$225kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Ernie Young284.000$215kARB 3FREE AGENT
Jim Pittsley243.000$215kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Chris Turner295.000$190kFREE AGENT
Brian Barber253.000$175kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jeff Suppan233.000$50kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Pre-arbitration (24)

PlayerAgeSvc1998199920002001200220032004
José Rosado232.000$242kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jermaine Dye242.000$230kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Glendon Rusch231.000$220kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jamie Walker261.000$205kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Shane Halter281.000$200kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Matt Whisenant271.000$185kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Sal Fasano262.000$175kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Brian Bevil262.000$175kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jed Hansen251.000$172kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Larry Sutton281.000$172kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Carlos Beltrán210.000$170kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Héctor Ortiz280.000$170kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jose Santiago231.000$170kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Allen McDill261.000$170kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Felix Martinez241.000$170kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Carlos Febles220.000$170kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jeremy Giambi230.000$170kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Bart Evans270.000$170kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Mendy López240.000$170kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jermaine Allensworth262.000$59kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Danny Rios25–—
Tim Byrdak240.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Chris Hatcher29–—
Dee Brown200.000—Pre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Graphs

How each 1998 acquisition stacked onto Royals's playoff-odds curve. The side table is ranked by PPA.

Rosternomics — front-office performance, roster value, and transaction history. Follow @rosternomics on X.
Decision-maker records extend to 1933; resource-controlled WAR and payroll metrics cover 1985–2026. Data sources include FanGraphs, Baseball-Reference, the Chadwick Bureau register, the Lahman Database, prospect rankings from Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, and FanGraphs, and public payroll records. Transaction and trade data was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Executive birth/death data via Wikidata (CC0).
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