The Kansas City Royals begin with a promising but inauspicious start, a stretch of success, then a long and gradual fallow period that questions your hope. I won’t give away the ending.
For now, however… hoo boy.
1998
For the second time in team history, the Royals had at least three first-round selections and consecutive picks at 30th and 31st overall. All three picks were pitchers. All three were misfires. Part of a long-line of overworked pitchers at Stanford, righty Jeff Austin was the epitome of a bust. After failing to cut it as an innings eater, he went to Cincinnati and earned a dubious place in the record books.