Kevin Appier pitched 16 major league seasons including 10 with the Royals and parts of three others. He was inducted into their Hall of Fame on Saturday. 115 of his 169 career wins coming with the Royals and the most opening day starts in the Royals history.
Appier became the Royals’ all-time strikeout leader with 1,458 and is among the team’s top 10 in several categories including fourth in victories (115), games started (275) and innings pitched (1,843 2/3).
He is the 24th member of the Royals Hall of Fame. He had an odd delivery that threw him off the side of the mound and despite that where many baseball experts thought he’s experience arm and shoulder injuries, he was very durable until the end of his career.
Appier said he was mechanically sound, but what eventually led to his body breaking down, was that he had to approach every pitch with a 100%, all out attitude. He said he didn’t have the stuff where he could just set it on cruise control like some pitchers could.
Appier, a California native, admits he does look at box scores, but doesn’t have much interaction with baseball, instead tending to his ranch raising cattle as he has adjusted to life in the midwest.
