clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Royals Seal Yet Another Season Without A Winning Record

By Craig Brown
Sep 18, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost (3) makes a pitching change in the ninth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Chicago won the game 3-2. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE
Sep 18, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost (3) makes a pitching change in the ninth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Chicago won the game 3-2. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE

On Monday, the Royals were eliminated from the Wild Card race.

On Tuesday, the Royals were guaranteed the best they could finish would be a .500 record.

Sometime, in the next couple of days, the Royals will clinch their 17 losing season in the last 18 years.

I know, I know... The fate of the record was sealed (along with the rest of the season) five months ago in a 12 game tailspin. Still, it's a milestone worth noting. Yet another season without a winning record.

The carnage, if you dare, follows...

It's been a long time since this team sniffed relevancy. Relevancy being a run at the post season and/or a winning record. Yeah, yeah... 2003 and all that. That was fun, but it just didn't feel... Real. And as time has passed, it's become the mirage on our trek through the desert of baseball oblivion.

Looking at the Royals franchise encyclopedia, the obvious turning point record-wise was the year after the strike in 1995. There are myriad reasons for the cause of the futility, but the strike and the subsequent sell-off of the Royals best (read: highest salaried) players signaled the opening salvo of what is now our 18th year of futility. Today isn't about the cause. (That could break the Internet.) Rather it's about numbers providing an almost two decade long trip though baseball futility.

Since 1995 here are the Royals vital statistics:

1,224 Wins

1,665 Losses

.425 Winning Percentage

13,162 Runs Scored

15,148 Runs Allowed

1 Winning Season (2003)

4 100 Loss Seasons (2002, 2004, 2005, 2006)

1 2nd Place Finish (1995)

2 3rd Place Finishes (1998, 2003)

6 4th Place Finishes (1999, 2000, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2011)

8 5th Place Finishes (1996, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010)

Ugly. Since that time only the Pirates, Nationals/Expos and the Royals have failed to make the post season. And the Nationals will remove their name from this list in about a week. Hello, Pittsburgh!

Two days in and it's been a helluva week. On Wednesday? A Royals loss means they're eliminated from the Central.

More From Royals Review