KANSAS CITY ROYALS 5-YEAR SCORECARD 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 WINS 86 72 71 67 65 RUNS PER GAME 4.00 4.17 4.51 4.17 4.23 RUNS ALLOWED PER GAME 3.71 4.60 4.70 5.22 5.20 OPENING-DAY PAYROLL (millions) $87 $64 $38 $74 $70 2014 STRENGTHS: • Gold glove defense • Rotation depth • Roster continuity 2014 WEAKNESSES: • Lack of slugging in lineup • Bench depth. Finally, there’s reason for Royals fans to be excited again. Kansas City is coming off its best season since 1994, and added enough talent to compete for a playoff spot and end the team’s 29-year playoff drought, the longest in the MLB. HITTING After finishing last in the AL in home runs (112) and 11th in runs scored (648) last year, the Royals had to make some improvements to their lineup, and they did. They signed speedy table-setters Omar Infante and Norichika Aoki in the offseason, allowing their homegrown power-hitting core of Eric Hosmer (17 HR, 79 RBI), Alex Gordon (20 HR, 81 RBI), Billy Butler (15 HR, 82 RBI) and Sal Perez (13 HR, 79 RBI) to settle into more effective rolls. Gordon drops from leadoff man to middle hitter and should put up bigger power numbers. Hosmer, an emerging star with upside, stays in the three hole with Butler behind him. Perez adds depth to the backend of the lineup along with Mike Moustakas, whose development could be the key to the overall offensive success. MARILYN INDAHL/GETTY IMAGES SPORT AL Central
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