George Brett, Frank White head Royals Dream Team
That glorious 10-year period of Royals baseball still has a big place in the hearts of fans.
From 1976 to 1985, the Royals made the playoffs seven times, won two pennants and took home the 1985 World Series trophy.
So perhaps it’s no surprise that fans who voted for the Royals Dream Team overwhelmingly chose players who were with the Royals or all or some of that 10-year span.
Readers at KansasCity.com picked 11 players and one manager for the Dream Team. Just two players (left fielder Bo Jackson and right fielder Jermaine Dye) didn’t play in that timeframe.
It’s also no surprise that third baseman George Brett received the highest percentage of votes or that second baseman Frank White got the most overall votes.
Here is the team you voted for:
CATCHER: Darrell Porter
With the Royals: 1977-1980
Key career statistics: .271 average, 61 home runs, 301 RBIs, 16.7 WAR in 555 games
Honors: Three-time All-Star, finished in top 10 of MVP voting in 1978 and 1979
Quotable: “Darrell always played like it was the seventh game of the World Series.” George Brett
THE VOTING
Darrell Porter: 1,748 votes (39.8 percent)
Other: 1,008 (22.9 percent)
John Wathan: 881 votes (20.0 percent)
Mike Macfarlane: 759 votes (17.3 percent)
FIRST BASE: John Mayberry
With the Royals: 1972-1977
Key statistics: .261 average, 143 home runs, 139 doubles, 552 RBIs, 561 walks, 457 strikeouts, 21.2 WAR in 897 games
Honors: Two-time All-Star, finished in top 10 of MVP voting in 1973 and 1975
Quotable: “He’s awesome. He’s the kind of guy that puts a little fright in you.” Former Yankees closer Goose Gossage in Baseball Digest in 1979 about John Mayberry
THE VOTING
John Mayberry: 3,669 votes (59.1 percent)
Mike Sweeney: 2,098 (33.8 percent)
Willie Mays Aikens: 306 (4.9 percent)
Other: 134 (2.2 percent)
SECOND BASE: Frank White
With the Royals: 1973-1990
Key career statistics: .255 average, 160 home runs, 886 RBIs, 34.7 WAR in 2,324 games
Honors: Five-time All-Star, eight-time Gold Glove winner, won Silver Slugger award in 1986, MVP of the 1980 American League Championship Series, had his No. 20 retired by the Royals in 1995
Quotable: “Late in the game when (Dan) Quisenberry came in and they pinch hit those left-handed hitters, I knew any ground ball within a 20-foot radius of Frank, he had it. ... “When they hit it to Frank, you knew the game was over.” George Brett
THE VOTING
Frank White: 6,028 votes (96.7 percent)
Cookie Rojas: 167 (2.7 percent)
Jose Offerman: 34 (0.5 percent)
Other: 6 (0.1 percent)
THIRD BASE: George Brett
With the Royals: 1973-1993
Key career statistics: .305 average, 317 home runs, 1,596 RBIs, 88.4 WAR in 2,707 games
Honors: A 13-time All-Star, three-time batting champ, won the AL MVP award in 1980, elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999, had his number No. 5 retired by the Royals. Really, the list could go on and on
Quotable: “George Brett could roll out of bed on Christmas morning and hit a line drive.” Former Royals general manager John Schuerholz
THE VOTING
George Brett: 4,354 (97.9 percent)
Kevin Seitzer: 51 (1.2 percent)
Joe Randa: 33 (0.7 percent)
Other: 11 (0.3 percent)
SHORTSTOP: Freddie Patek
With the Royals: 1971-1979
Key career statistics: .241 average, 336 stolen bases, 20.4 WAR in 1,245 games
Honors: Three-time All-Star
Quotable: “I’d rather be the shortest player in the Majors than the tallest player in the minors.” Patek
THE VOTING
Freddie Patek: 3,331 (53.6 percent)
Alcides Escobar: 2,114 (34.0 percent)
U.L. Washington: 661 (10.6 percent)
Other: 104 (1.7 percent)
LEFT FIELD: Bo Jackson
With the Royals: 1986-1990
Key career statistics: .250 average, 109 home runs, 81 stolen bases, 313 RBIs, 7.0 WAR in 511 games
Honors: All-Star in 1989, the same year he finished 10th in MVP voting
Quotable: “He is the greatest athlete I’ve ever played against. He has an extremely quick bat. He’s strong as a bear. He’s a world-class runner. He has good instincts in the outfield, with a tremendous arm.” Dave Parker
THE VOTING
Bo Jackson: 1,716 votes (46.4 percent)
Alex Gordon: 1,655 votes (44.8 percent)
Johnny Damon: 264 votes (7.1 percent)
Other: 63 votes (1.7 percent)
CENTER FIELD: Willie Wilson
With the Royals: 1976-1990
Key career statistics: .289 average, 1,968 hits, 612 stolen bases, 42.2 WAR in 1,787 games
Honors: Two-time All-Star, two-time Gold Glove award winner, won the 1982 batting title (.332 average), led the league in triples five times
Quotable: “When you have a base runner with Willie’s feel for a steal situation, you don’t restrict him with a lot of signs and rules.” Former Royals manager Jim Frey.
THE VOTING
Willie Wilson: 2,135 (57.8 percent)
Amos Otis: 899 (24.3 percent)
Carlos Beltran: 654 (17.7 percent)
Other: 5 (0.1 percent)
RIGHT FIELD: Jermaine Dye
With the Royals: 1997-2001
Key career statistics: .284 average, 85 home runs, 329 RBIs, 8.9 WAR in 547 games
Honors: An All-Star and Gold Glove winner in the 2000 season
Quotable: “He’s grown up right before my eyes. ... He’s doing what all the scouts said he could do when we got him.” Former Royals manager Tony Muser
THE VOTING
Jermaine Dye: 1,565 (42.6 percent)
Al Cowens: 1,046 (28.5 percent)
Danny Tartabull: 1,006 (27.4 percent)
Other: 56 (1.5 percent)
DESIGNATED HITTER: Hal McRae
With the Royals: 1973-1987
Key career statistics: .293 average, 169 home runs, 449 doubles, 1,012 RBIs, 27.7 WAR in 1,837 games
Honors: Three-time All-Star, won a Silver Slugger award in 1982
Quotable: “I can’t find a weakness in that guy.” Former Tigers pitcher Dave Roberts
THE VOTING
Hal McRae: 4,081 (92.6 percent)
Billy Butler: 249 (6.1 percent)
Other: 47 (1.1 percent)
Jorge Orta: 32 (0.7 percent)
STARTING PITCHER: Bret Saberhagen
With the Royals: 1984-1991
Key career statistics: 110-78 with a 3.21 ERA in 252 games, including 226 starts with a 40.8 WAR
Honors: Two-time Cy Young Award winner, two-time All-Star, won Gold Glove award in 1989
Quotable: “Without question, he’s the best pitcher in baseball. Anybody who votes for the Cy Young and doesn’t vote for him shows real quickly he’s not qualified to be voting.” Former Royals pitching coach Fred Funk in 1989
THE VOTING
Bret Saberhagen: 1,210 (62.3 percent)
Dennis Leonard: 189 (9.8 percent)
Paul Splittorff: 179 (9.3 percent)
Steve Busby: 158 (8.2 percent)
Zack Greinke: 98 (5.1 percent)
Kevin Appier: 90 (4.7 percent)
Other: 7 (0.4 percent)
CLOSER: Dan Quisenberry
With the Royals: 1979-1988
Key career statistics: 238 saves, 2.55 ERA with a 25.6 WAR in 573 games
Honors: Three-time All-Star, led the league in saves in five seasons
Quotable: “Dan didn’t believe in the strikeout. He used to tell me, ‘My job is to get them to hit it on the ground. It’s your job to get them out.’” Frank White
THE VOTING
Dan Quisenberry: 1,390 (72.3 percent)
Jeff Montgomery: 325 (16.9 percent)
Joakim Soria: 118 (6.1 percent)
Other: 90 (4.7 percent)
MANAGER: Dick Howser
404-365 record from 1981-1986, 1 World Series title (1985)
Honors: The Royals retired his No. 10 in 1987
Quotable: “Dick Howser led a pretty full life in too short of a time. We all believed in him. We believed he was the man who could lead us to the World Series and win a World Series. And he did. He loved being the manager of the Kansas City Royals.” John Wathan
THE VOTING
Dick Howser: 1,160 (61.4 percent)
Whitey Herzog: 674 (35.7 percent)
Hal McRae: 50 (2.7 percent)
Other: 9 (0.5 percent)
This story was originally published July 21, 2014 at 9:59 AM.