1977 Kansas City Royals season

The 1977 Kansas City Royals season was their ninth in Major League Baseball. The Royals' franchise-best 102–60 record led the majors and Kansas City won its second consecutive American League West title. Once again, the Royals lost to the New York Yankees in the postseason, falling 3–2 in the ALCS. Hal McRae led the American League in doubles, with 54. Al Cowens set a franchise single-season record with 112 runs batted in.

1977 Kansas City Royals
American League West Champions
LeagueAmerican League
DivisionWest
BallparkRoyals Stadium
CityKansas City, Missouri
Record102–60 (.630)
Divisional place1st
OwnersEwing Kauffman
General managersJoe Burke
ManagersWhitey Herzog (second full season)
TelevisionKBMA–TV 41
(Denny Matthews, Fred White)
RadioWIBW–AM 580
KMBZ–AM 980
(Denny Matthews, Fred White)
Seasons

Offseason

Regular season

Season standings
AL West W L Pct. GB Home Road
Kansas City Royals 10260 0.630 — 55–26 47–34
Texas Rangers 9468 0.580 8 44–37 50–31
Chicago White Sox 9072 0.556 12 48–33 42–39
Minnesota Twins 8477 0.522 17½ 48–32 36–45
California Angels 7488 0.457 28 39–42 35–46
Seattle Mariners 6498 0.395 38 29–52 35–46
Oakland Athletics 6398 0.391 38½ 35–46 28–52

Record vs. opponents
1977 American League record

Sources:
Team BAL BOS CAL CWS CLE DET KC MIL MIN NYY OAK SEA TEX TOR
Baltimore —6–85–65–511–412–34–711–46–48–78–27–34–610–5
Boston 8–6—7–33–78–79–65–59–64–68–78–310–16–412–3
California 6–53–7—8–76–44–66–95–57–84–75–109–65–106–4
Chicago 5–57–37–8—6–44–68–76–510–53–710–510–56–98–3
Cleveland 4–117–84–64–6—8–73–711–42–93–127–37–32–99–5
Detroit 3–126–96–46–47–8—3–810–55–56–95–55–62–810–5
Kansas City 7–45–59–67–87–38–3—8–210–55–59–611–48–78–2
Milwaukee 4–116–95–55–64–115–102–8—3–88–75–57–35–58–7
Minnesota 4–66–48–75–109–25–55–108–3—2–88–67–88–79–1
New York 7–87–87–47–312–39–65–57–88–2—9–26–47–39–6
Oakland 2–83–810–55–103–75–56–95–56–82–9—7–82–137–3
Seattle 3–71–106–95–103–76–54–113–78–74–68–7—9–64–6
Texas 6–44–610–59–69–28–27–85–57–83–713–26–9—7–4
Toronto 5–103–124–63–85–95–102–87–81–96–93–76–44–7—

Opening Day starters

Notable transactions
  • May 27, 1977: Tim Ireland was signed as a free agent by the Royals.[4]

Roster
1977 Kansas City Royals
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

 Outfielders Manager

Coaches

Game log

Regular season
1977 regular season game log: 102–60 (Home: 55–26; Away: 47–34)
April: 11–8 (Home: 5–7; Away: 6–1)
#DateTime (CT)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceRecordBox/
Streak
1April 7@ Tigers
2April 9@ Tigers
3April 10@ Tigers
4April 11YankeesW 5–4 (13)Littell (1–0)Tidrow (0–1)—3:3439,4604–0W4
5April 13YankeesL 3–5Guidry (1–0)Hassler (1–1)—2:5820,0894–1L1
6April 15Tigers
7April 16Tigers
8April 17Tigers
9April 18Twins
10April 19Twins
11April 20Twins
16April 26Rangers
17April 27Rangers
May: 10–15 (Home: 6–8; Away: 4–7)
#DateTime (CT)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceRecordBox/
Streak
21May 2White Sox
22May 3White Sox
23May 4White Sox
24May 5White Sox
25May 6@ Rangers
26May 7@ Rangers
27May 8@ Rangers
30May 12Rangers
31May 13Rangers
32May 14Rangers
33May 15Rangers
34May 18@ White Sox
35May 19@ White Sox
39May 25
(1)		@ Orioles
40May 25
(2)		@ Orioles
41May 27@ Red Sox
42May 28@ Red Sox
43May 29@ Red Sox
June: 17–12 (Home: 8–5; Away: 9–7)
#DateTime (CT)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceRecordBox/
Streak
46June 3Orioles
47June 4
(1)		Orioles
48June 4
(2)		Orioles
49June 5Orioles
50June 6Red Sox
51June 7Red Sox
52June 8@ Twins
53June 9@ Twins
57June 13@ YankeesW 8–3Splittorff (5–4)Torrez (7–5)Mingori (2)2:2522,24028–29W1
58June 14@ YankeesL 2–4Gullett (6–2)Hassler (3–2)—2:1919,55928–30L1
59June 16@ YankeesW 0–7Guidry (5–2)Leonard (4–7)—2:0226,39128–31L2
60June 17Twins
61June 18Twins
62June 19Twins
July: 18–8 (Home: 10–1; Away: 8–7)
#DateTime (CT)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceRecordBox/
Streak
77July 4@ Rangers
78July 5@ Rangers
83July 11@ White Sox
84July 12@ White Sox
85July 13Tigers
86July 14Tigers
87July 15YankeesW 7–4Splittorff (7–5)Guidry (6–5)Mingori (3)2:2636,74349–38W$
88July 16YankeesW 5–1Leonard (9–9)Torrez (8–9)—2:2040,05450–38W5
89July 17YankeesW 8–4Hassler (6–2)Clay (0–3)—2:5138,69951–38W6
48th All-Star Game in Bronx, New York
90July 21@ Tigers
91July 22@ Tigers
92July 23@ Tigers
93July 24@ YankeesL 1–3Gullett (9–3)Hassler (6–3)Tidrow (4)2:3041,06053–40L2
—July 25@ YankeesPostponed (Rain) (Makeup date: August 29)
96July 29@ White Sox
97July 30@ White Sox
98July 31
(1)		@ White Sox
99July 31
(2)		@ White Sox
August: 20–11 (Home: 11–3; Away: 9–8)
#DateTime (CT)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceRecordBox/
Streak
100August 1@ Twins
101August 2@ Twins
104August 5White Sox
105August 6White Sox
106August 7White Sox
109August 10@ Rangers
110August 11@ Rangers
114August 15@ Red Sox
115August 16@ Red Sox
118August 19Red Sox
119August 20Red Sox
120August 21Red Sox
121August 22Orioles
122August 23Orioles
125August 26@ Orioles
126August 27@ Orioles
127August 28@ Orioles
128August 29@ YankeesL 3–5Lyle (10–4)Mingori (1–4)—2:2931,26975–53L1
129August 30Rangers
130August 31Rangers
September: 25–5 (Home: 14–1; Away: 11–4)
#DateTime (CT)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceRecordBox/
Streak
139September 9@ Twins
140September 10@ Twins
141September 11@ Twins
149September 20Twins
150September 21Twins
October: 1–1 (Home: 1–1; Away: 0–0)
#DateTime (CT)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceRecordBox/
Streak
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = Postponement
Bold = Royals team member

Postseason Game log
1977 Postseason game log: 2–3 (Home: 1–2; Away: 1–1)
AL Championship Series: vs. New York Yankees 2–3 (Home: 1–2; Away: 1–1)
#DateTime (CT)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceSeriesBox/
Streak
1October 52:15 p.m. CDT@ YankeesW 7–2Splittorff (1–0)Gullett (0–1)—2:4054,930KC 1–0W1
2October 67:15 p.m. CDT@ YankeesL 2–6Guidry (1–0)Hassler (0–1)—2:5856,230Tied 1–1L1
3October 77:15 p.m. CDTYankeesW 6–2Leonard (1–0)Torrez (0–1)—2:1941,285KC 2–1W1
4October 812:15 p.m. CDTYankeesL 4–6Lyle (1–0)Gura (0–1)—3:0841,135Tied 2–2L1
5October 97:15 p.m. CDTYankeesL 3–5Lyle (2–0)Leonard (1–1)—3:0441,133NYY 3–2L2
Legend:        = Win        = Loss     
Bold = Royals team member

Player stats

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
CDarrell Porter130425117.2751660
1BJohn Mayberry153543125.2302382
2BFrank White152474116.245550
3BGeorge Brett139564176.3122288
SSFreddie Patek154497130.262560
LFTom Poquette106342100.292233
CFAmos Otis142478120.2511778
RFAl Cowens162606189.31223112
DHHal McRae162641191.2982192

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
Pete LaCock8821866.303329
Joe Zdeb10519558.297223
Cookie Rojas6415639.250010
John Wathan5511939.328221
Buck Martinez298018.22519
Joe Lahoud346517.26228
Bob Heise546216.25805
Dave Nelson27489.18804
Willie Wilson133411.32401
U L Washington10204.20001
Clint Hurdle9268.30827

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G IP W L ERA SO
Dennis Leonard38292.220123.04244
Jim Colborn36239.018143.62103
Paul Splittorff37229.01663.6999
Andy Hassler29156.1964.2083

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G IP W L ERA SO
Marty Pattin31128.110133.5855

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G W L SV ERA SO
Doug Bird53114143.8883
Larry Gura5285103.1346
Mark Littell4884123.5855
Steve Mingori432443.0919
Tom Hall60003.5210
George Throop40013.381
Randy McGilberry30105.141
Gary Lance10104.500

Other events

Before they were to play a game on June 12 against the Milwaukee Brewers at Milwaukee County Stadium, thieves stole gloves and uniforms belonging to Royals players. Due to this, all but seven Kansas City Royals players had to wear Milwaukee road uniforms for the game played that day.[5]

ALCS
Main article: 1977 American League Championship Series

Game 1

October 5: Yankee Stadium, New York City

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Kansas City 222 000 010 790
New York 002 000 000 290
W: Paul Splittorff (1–0)  L: Don Gullett (0–1)  
HRs: KC – Hal McRae (1), John Mayberry (1), Al Cowens (1) NYY – Thurman Munson (1)

Game 2

October 6: Yankee Stadium, New York City

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Kansas City 001 001 000 231
New York 000 023 01- 6100
W: Ron Guidry (1–0)  L: Andy Hassler (0–1)  
HRs: KC – none; NYY – Cliff Johnson (1)

Game 3

October 7: Royals Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
New York 000 010 001 241
Kansas City 011 012 01- 6121
W: Dennis Leonard (1–0)  L: Mike Torrez (0–1)  
HRs: NYY – none; KC – none

Game 4

October 8: Royals Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
New York 121 100 001 6130
Kansas City 002 200 000 482
W: Sparky Lyle (1–0)  L: Larry Gura (0–1)  
HRs: NYY – none; KC – none

Game 5

October 9: Royals Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
New York 001 000 013 5100
Kansas City 201 000 000 3101
W: Sparky Lyle (2–0)  L: Dennis Leonard (1–1)  
HRs: NYY – none; KC – none

Farm system
See also: Minor League Baseball
Level Team League Manager
AAA Omaha Royals American Association John Sullivan
AA Jacksonville Suns Southern League Gordon Mackenzie
A Daytona Beach Islanders Florida State League José Martínez
Rookie GCL Royals Gulf Coast League Bill Scripture

Notes
  1. Ruppert Jones at Baseball-Reference
  2. Jamie Quirk at Baseball Reference
  3. Frank Ortenzio at Baseball Reference
  4. Tim Ireland at Baseball Reference
  5. Kansas City Royals have gloves, uniforms stolen before game

References
  • Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America. ISBN 978-0-9637189-8-3.
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