Who is your favorite Royals player from a bad Royals team?

The Royals are bad, very bad, at least if you look at their record. But their play lately has been, well, pretty good. They have won 14 of their last 21 and are near .500 since the All-Star break at 25-29. Not only that, but they are looking like the Royals of old, stealing bases, playing solid defense, and winning games late.

And the players are once again - likable. Brett Phillips has won over fans with his goofy attitude and killer arm. Ryan O’Hearn has wowed us with his immense power. Adalberto Mondesi has amazed with his blazing speed and effortless swing. And Whit Merrifield kinda does it all.

There have been lots of fun players to root on lousy teams, the bright light in a season of gloom. Carlos Beltran was a franchise player on a franchise that seemed uninterested in winning games. Mike Sweeney showed his loyalty and commitment to a team that wouldn’t commit to fielding a winner. Zack Greinke could be enigmatic, but you would be hard-pressed to find a more talented arm on the mound in Kansas City over the last few decades.

And it didn’t take All-Star talent to be well-liked in Kansas City. Other players simply earned our affection for their thoughtful approach (Brian Bannister), fun demeanor (Mark Teahen), or hard play (Mitch Maier).

Sure, Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, and Lorenzo Cain began their Royals careers on lousy teams, but let’s remove them from consideration as we most associate them with hoisting a trophy in 2015. Let’s consider those players from the bad eras of Royals baseball, which will mostly be from 1996-2010. For those of you more old school, you can consider some Royals from those first few seasons, or perhaps the dip the team experienced in the early 90s.

But what Royals player gave you the most reason to smile in a season of frowns? Let us know in the comments.