1998 Kansas City Royals season

• November 18, 1997: Yamil Benitez was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks from the Kansas City Royals as the 19th pick in the 1997 expansion draft.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/b/benitya01.shtml|title = Yamil Benitez Stats}}
• January 20, 1998: Terry Pendleton was signed as a free agent with the Kansas City Royals.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/p/pendlte01.shtml Terry Pendleton Statistics] Baseball-Reference.com
• January 20, 1998: Lee Smith signed as a free agent with the Kansas City Royals.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/s/smithle02.shtml Lee Smith Statistics] Baseball-Reference.com
• March 17, 1998: Ernie Young was purchased by the Kansas City Royals from the Oakland Athletics.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/y/younger02.shtml|title = Ernie Young Stats}}

Before the 1998 regular season began, two new teams—the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays—were added by Major League Baseball. This resulted in the American League and National League having fifteen teams. However, in order for MLB officials to continue primarily intraleague play, both leagues would need to carry a number of teams that was divisible by two, so the decision was made to move one club from the AL Central to the NL Central.

This realignment was widely considered to have great financial benefit to the club moving. However, to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, Commissioner (then club owner) Bud Selig decided another team should have the first chance to switch leagues. The choice was offered to the Kansas City Royals, who ultimately decided to stay in the American League and bypassing the opportunity to build a full-time rivalry with the St. Louis Cardinals.{{cite news|url=http://www.cincypost.com/sports/1997/brew110697.html|title=Brewers switch leagues, join Reds in NL Central|work=The Kentucky Post (Associated Press)|publisher=E. W. Scripps Company|date=November 6, 1997|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050505095313/http://www.cincypost.com/sports/1997/brew110697.html|archivedate=May 5, 2005}} The choice then fell to the Brewers, who, on November 6, 1997, elected to move to the National League. Had the Brewers elected not to move to the National League, the Minnesota Twins would have been offered the opportunity to switch leagues.Pappas, Doug, [http://www.roadsidephotos.com/baseball/97-4news.htm "News Briefs: Fall 1997"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080727032139/http://www.roadsidephotos.com/baseball/97-4news.htm |date=July 27, 2008 }}, Outside the Lines, Fall 1997.

{{1998 AL Central standings|highlight=Kansas City Royals}}

{{1998 AL Record vs. opponents|team=KC}}

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

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

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

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

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

{{See also|Minor League Baseball}}

{{MLB Farm System|level15=AAA|team15=Omaha Royals|league15=Pacific Coast League|manager15=Ron Johnson

|level16=AA |team16=Wichita Wranglers|league16=Texas League|manager16=John Mizerock

|level17=A |team17=Wilmington Blue Rocks|league17=Carolina League|manager17=Darrell Evans, Kevin Long and Brian Poldberg

|level18=A|team18=Lansing Lugnuts|league18=Midwest League|manager18=[https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=herold001rob Bob Herold]

|level19=A-Short Season|team19=Spokane Indians|league19=Northwest League|manager19=[https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=garber001jef Jeff Garber]

|level20=Rookie|team20=GCL Royals|league20=Gulf Coast League|manager20=Andre David

}}Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KC/1998.shtml 1998 Kansas City Royals] at Baseball Reference
• [http://baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=1998&t=KCA 1998 Kansas City Royals] at Baseball Almanac

{{1998 MLB season by team}}

{{Kansas City Royals}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1998 Kansas City Royals Season}}

Category:Kansas City Royals seasons

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Kansas City Royals