The best debut seasons in Royals history

There’s always excitement when a highly regarded player debuts, whether it’s a rookie who shines in his first season or a recent acquisition who is prolific for his new team.

We’re talking about true debut seasons (i.e., in which a player's first season is also a full one, rather than something like a September callup), so players who made their debut one year and thrived the next -- like Kevin Seitzer in 1987 or Carlos Beltrán in '99 -- don’t count for this list’s purpose. With that in mind, here are five notable individual debut seasons in Royals history.

1) Danny Tartabull, 1987
Key fact: Slashed .309/.390/.541 in his debut season with the Royals, leading the team in home runs (34)

On Dec. 10, 1986, the Royals acquired Tartabull and Minor League pitcher Rick Luecken and sent outfielder Mike Kingery and pitchers Scott Bankhead and Steve Shields to the Mariners. Tartabull had hit his way to the Major Leagues and finished fifth in American League Rookie of the Year Award voting with Seattle in '86, and many M's fans thought he was going to be their superstar of the future.

Instead, Tartabull made an immediate impact in Kansas City.

The outfielder had a monster season in 1987, posting a .931 OPS across 158 games, along with 27 doubles and 101 RBIs. He finished 17th in AL Most Valuable Player Award voting and would continue a remarkable offensive run for the Royals over his five-year stint with the club. He hit 124 home runs and posted an .894 OPS from '87-91, and in his final year with Kansas City, he led MLB with a .593 slugging percentage and made the All-Star team.

2) John Mayberry, 1972
Key fact: Was the first Royals player to reach 100 RBIs

In 1971, the Astros were frustrated that Mayberry hadn’t yet developed the power they thought he should, and the Royals took advantage by trading away pitchers Lance Clemons and Jim York for Mayberry. Let’s just say the trade worked out for Kansas City -- and quickly.

Mayberry was the starting first baseman for the 1972 Royals and hit in 11 of his first 12 games. In June, he hit .471 with six home runs, seven doubles and 30 RBIs. That September, he hit a three-run home run off Oakland pitcher Vida Blue to lift his RBI total to 100 and become the first Royals player to achieve that mark. Mayberry ended the season with a .298/.394/.507 slash line, posting a .900 OPS, 25 home runs and 24 doubles. He finished 12th in AL MVP Award voting and went on to play five more years in Kansas City, finishing as high as second in MVP voting ('75) and making two All-Star appearances. Mayberry was inducted into the Royals Hall of Fame in '96.

3) James Shields, 2013
Key fact: Finished 11th in AL Cy Young Award voting while leading the league in innings

The trade that netted Shields and reliever Wade Davis but cost the Royals top prospects Wil Myers and Jake Odorizzi, as well as Mike Montgomery and Minor League infielder Patrick Leonard, was strongly questioned at first.

It’s stunning how successful this trade worked out for the Royals. Of course, Davis was part of the vaunted Kansas City bullpen and helped them to the World Series in 2014 and ’15. And Shields’ debut season in '13 helped push the team into the win column, setting them up for that success.

Shields was exactly what the Royals needed to take advantage of the AL Central, becoming the ace the franchise had coveted for so long. In 2013, he posted a 3.15 ERA across 228 2/3 innings while leading MLB in games started (34). He recorded 7.7 strikeouts per nine innings, racking up 196 K's. That ranks second for any Royals pitcher in a debut season.

4) Bob Johnson, 1970
Key fact: His 206 strikeouts ranks first in Royals history for a debut season

Royals general manager Cedric Tallis made only one offseason move for the Royals after their debut season in 1969, but it was a big one. The team sent Joe Foy to the Mets for outfielder Amos Otis and Johnson. Otis had a solid debut season, hitting .284 and making the AL All-Star team to open a terrific career that landed him in the Royals Hall of Fame. But Johnson lived up to the promise he showed with New York and had a terrific debut season, his only one with the Royals.

The tall right-hander displayed a live arm, with a fastball that he threw above 90 mph and an above-average breaking ball. He struck 206 batters and posted a 3.07 ERA over 214 innings. He had an 8.7 strikeout-per-nine rate and finished second in The Sporting News’ Rookie Pitcher of the Year voting. While he had an 8-13 record -- the Royals went 65-97 that year -- he logged 10 complete games.

Johnson was traded to the Pirates after the 1970 season in another blockbuster; the Royals acquired shortstop Freddie Patek (another Royals HOFer), pitcher Bruce Dal Canton and catcher Jerry May. Johnson pitched five more years in the Majors with Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Atlanta, but his best as a starter came with Kansas City in '70.

5) Chili Davis, 1997
Key fact: 30 home runs rank second in Royals history for a player’s debut season

Following the 1996 season, the Angels traded Davis to the Royals for Mike Bovee and Mark Gubicza. Kansas City was in an uncertain time, trying to find an owner after Muriel Kauffman died in '95 and a board of directors ran the team in the interim. In '97, the team stumbled to a 67-94 record.

But the offseason acquisitions to bring in veteran bats actually worked out, as top hitters Davis, Jeff King and Jay Bell improved the lineup immensely. Davis led the team in homers, setting a new career high with 30. He drove in 90 runs for the sixth time in his career. He hit .279/.386/.509 with an .896 OPS, a 131 OPS+ and 20 doubles.

The Royals were falling deep into a hole, but those veteran hitters, with Davis leading the pack, were a bright spot throughout the season.

Honorable mention

Lou Piniella, 1969: Piniella has his name attached to the Royals’ first hit in franchise history and their first run scored, and he was their first AL Rookie of the Year Award winner. The heart and soul of the club’s inaugural year hit .282/.325/.416 with 11 home runs, 21 doubles and 68 RBIs.