Kevin Appier #55

Robert Kevin Appier...resides in Paola, Kan. with his wife Laurie and their two children, Britney and Garrett...Graduated from Antelope Valley H.S. (Lancaster, CA) in 1985...Played football and baseball and was inducted into school's Hall of Fame....Attended Fresno State University and Antelope Valley Junior College...Played Little League and Pony League baseball as youth...Was two-time winner of Royals/True Value Hardware Roberto Clemente Man of Year Award (1996 & 1998) for outstanding service to his team and to community...Is supporter of Mid-America Chapter of Leukemia Society of America and Hope House, a shelter for battered and abused women and children...Also involved with the Special Olympics, Disabled Veterans, Arthritis Foundation and Salvation Army.

2005

Invited to spring training with the Royals as a minor league free agent, but did not make the Major League club...voluntarily retired April 7...reinstated from the voluntarily retired list Nov. 4 and was released by the Royals on Nov. 17...played for Mayaguez (Puerto Rico) in the winter leagues.

2004

Began the 2004 season on the 15-day DL with a right elbow tendon injury...returned from rehab and reinstated from the DL on April 17...left in the second inning of his second start on April 23 vs. Minnesota with a right forearm strain (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER)...placed on 15-day DL on April 24 and missed the remainder of the season...was transferred to the 60-day DL on June 28.

2003

Began the 2003 season with Anaheim, going 7-7 with a 5.63 ERA in 19 starts (92.2 IP, 105 H, 60 R, 58 ER)...was released by Anaheim on July 30...returned to KC, signing as a free agent on Aug. 6...went 1-2 with a 4.26 ERA in four starts...made his last start of the season at Minnesota on Aug. 24, allowed a solo homer to Torii Hunter in 2.0 innings of work before leaving the game with an injury to his right elbow...was placed on the 15-day DL on Aug. 26 with a flexor tendon tear in his right elbow...transferred to the 60-day DL. Sept. 2.

2002

Traded from the Mets to Anaheim in the 2001 off-season in exchange for Mo Vaughn, went 14-12 with a 3.92 ERA in 32 starts in 2002...registered his 150th career victory at Cleveland on May 2...did not record a complete game in a full season for first time in his Major League career...made five starts in the 2002 postseason, finishing 0-1 with a 6.23 ERA (21.2 IP, 15 ER)...started Games 2 and 6 of the World Series.

2001

Spent 2001 season with the New York Mets after signing a four-year contract on Dec. 11, 2000... went 11-10 with one complete game, one shutout and a 3.57 ERA (82 ER/206.2 IP) in 33 starts...made his NL debut on April 4 in Atlanta (6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO)...was undefeated in his final 12 appearances (6-0) of the season.

2000

Was Oakland's Opening Day starter in 2000...marked the eighth Opening Day start of his career...went 15-11 with one complete game, a shutout and a 4.52 ERA (98 ER/195.1 IP) for the AL West Wild Card team...marked his fifth season with at least 15 wins and the first postseason appearance of his career...placed on the 15-day DL on April 30 (retro to April 25) with a strained right forearm...activated May 13...tossed a seven-hit, 6-0, shutout at Los Angeles on June 11...was his first shutout since May 5, 1997, a span of 74 starts...also collected his first Major League hit with a 4th inning single.

1999

Split the 1999 campaign between Kansas City and the A's...tied for 2nd in the AL in games started (34) and ranked 9th in wins (16)...16 wins marked the 2nd-highest total of his career (18, 1993)...was traded from KC to Oakland on July 31 in exchange for pitchers Brad Rigby, Blake Stein and minor league pitcher Jeff D'Amico...collected his 1,500th career strikeout against Raul Ibañez on Oct. 1 vs. Seattle.

1998

Underwent arthroscopic surgery on March 24, 1998 to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder and was on the 60-day DL until Sept. 1...made nine rehab starts between Gulf Coast Royals, Lansing, Wichita and Omaha...went 1-2 with a 7.80 ERA (15 IP, 13 ER) in three starts for KC.

1997

Finished 9-13 in 1997 with four complete games, a shutout and a 3.40 ERA (89 ER/235.2 IP) in 34 starts...picked up his 100th career victory at Pittsburgh on June 15...suffered a grade III acromioclavicular separation in a fall at his home on Nov. 8...team physician Dr. Steven Joyce surgically repaired three torn ligaments and placed a temporary screw in his right clavicle on Nov. 11.

1996

In 1996, finished 5th in the AL in ERA (3.62), tied for 8th in complete games (5), 3rd in strikeouts (207) and 2nd in strikeouts per 9 innings (8.8)...struck out a career-high 207 batters...matched a career-high with 13 strikeouts at Detroit on Aug. 29...picked up his 1,000th career strikeout (Boston's Alex Cole) on April 27 at Fenway Park...became first Royal to strike out four batters in an inning (the 4th inning) on Sept. 3 at Toronto (Carlos Delgado had reached 1st on a wild pitch).

1995

Tied for 8th in the AL with 15 wins in 1995...earned the only All-Star selection of his career and pitched 2.0 scoreless innings at The Ballpark in Arlington...matched a career-high with 13 strikeouts in a complete game at California on Sept. 15.

1994

Went 7-6 for KC in 1994 with one complete game and 3.83 ERA (66 ER/155.0 IP) in 23 starts during the strike-shortened season...struck out a career-high 13 batters vs. Texas on May 25th in just 5.2 innings in a rain-interrupted start.

1993

Posted his best season in baseball in 1993, going 18-8 with five complete games, a shutout and a league-leading 2.56 ERA (68 ER/238.2 IP) in 34 starts with KC...posted career-high in wins and limited opponents to a .212 batting average...placed 3rd in the AL Cy Young Award balloting behind Jack McDowell and Randy Johnson...established a club record with 33 consecutive scoreless innings from Aug. 28-Sept. 23...selected to the AL postseason All-Star team by Baseball America.

1992

Finished 2nd in the AL in ERA in 1992 with a career-best 2.46 mark (57 ER/208.1 IP) with KC...had a career-high, 9-game winning streak from May 30 to July 29, tied for 3rd-longest in league...worked a career-high 10 innings at Cleveland on July 23, allowing 2 hits and no runs in no-decision...did not pitch after Sept. 9 due to tendinitis in right shoulder.

1991

Spent his first full season in the Majors in 1991 and posted a career-best six complete games and tied a career-high with three shutouts...tied for 2nd in the AL in shutouts and tied for 5th with 6.8 strikeouts per 9 innings.

1990

Gave up two runs on seven hits over 5.0 innings in a 5-3 win...was named The Sporting News Rookie Pitcher of the Year in 1990, going 12-8 and 2.76 ERA (57 ER/185.2 IP) with three complete games and three shutouts in 32 games (24 starts) with KC...named to Baseball Digest's All-Rookie team and was 3rd in AL Rookie of the Year voting behind Sandy Alomar and Kevin Maas...ranked 4th in the AL in ERA, tied for 3rd in shutouts and tied for most wins by an AL rookie.

1989

Started the 1989 season at triple-A Omaha of the American Association and had his contract purchased by the Royals June 2...made his Major League debut at California on June 4...earned his first big league win vs. Oakland on June 13.

1988

Combined to go 12-9 in 1988 with one complete game and a 2.69 ERA in 27 starts between single-A Baseball City of the Florida State League and double-A Memphis of the Southern League...was selected to Florida State League All-Star team.

1987

Began professional career in 1987 with single-A Eugene of the Northwest League after being selected by the Royals in the 1st round (9th overall) of the Free Agent draft...went 5-2 with 3.04 ERA (26 ER/77 IP) in league-leading 15 starts.