Major League Baseball team season
The 1981 Kansas City Royals season was their 13th in Major League Baseball . The 1981 season was interrupted by a players strike from June 12 to July 31, and resumed on August 10. Major League Baseball officials decided to split the season, and the division winners of both halves would advance to the playoffs. The Royals were 20–30 and in fifth place in the American League West when the strike began, but won the second half with a 30–23 mark. Dick Howser replaced Jim Frey as manager on August 31. Kansas City's overall 50-53 record made the Royals the first team in MLB history to reach the postseason with a losing mark. Kansas City lost to the first half American League West winner Oakland Athletics 3–0 in the ALDS .
Offseason
January 6, 1981: Derek Botelho was signed as a free agent with the Kansas City Royals.[1]
Regular season
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]
Team
BAL
BOS
CAL
CWS
CLE
DET
KC
MIL
MIN
NYY
OAK
SEA
TEX
TOR
Baltimore
—
2–2
6–6
3–6
4–2
6–7
5–3
2–4
6–0
7–6
7–5
4–2
2–1
5–2
Boston
2–2
—
2–4
5–4
7–6
6–1
3–3
6–7
2–5
3–3
7–5
9–3
3–6
4–0
California
6–6
4–2
—
6–7
7–5
3–3
0–6
4–3
3–3
2–2
2–8
6–4
2–4
6–6
Chicago
6–3
4–5
7–6
—
2–5
3–3
2–0
4–1
2–4
5–7
7–6
3–3
2–4
7–5
Cleveland
2–4
6–7
5–7
5–2
—
1–5
4–4
3–6
2–1
7–5
3–2
8–4
2–2
4–2
Detroit
7–6
1–6
3–3
3–3
5–1
—
3–2
5–8
9–3
3–7
1–2
5–1
9–3
6–4
Kansas City
3–5
3–3
6–0
0–2
4–4
2–3
—
4–5
9–4
2–10
3–3
6–7
3–4
5–3
Milwaukee
4–2
7–6
3–4
1–4
6–3
8–5
5–4
—
9–3
3–3
4–2
2–2
4–5
6–4
Minnesota
0–6
5–2
3–3
4–2
1–2
3–9
4–9
3–9
—
3–3
2–8
3–6–1
5–8
5–1
New York
6–7
3–3
2–2
7–5
5–7
7–3
10–2
3–3
3–3
—
4–3
2–3
5–4
2–3
Oakland
5–7
5–7
8–2
6–7
2–3
2–1
3–3
2–4
8–2
3–4
—
6–1
4–2
10–2
Seattle
2–4
3–9
4–6
3–3
4–8
1–5
7–6
2–2
6–3–1
3–2
1–6
—
5–8
3–3
Texas
1–2
6–3
4–2
4–2
2–2
3–9
4–3
5–4
8–5
4–5
2–4
8–5
—
6–2
Toronto
2–5
0–4
6–6
5–7
2–4
4–6
3–5
4–6
1–5
3–2
2–10
3–3
2–6
—
Notable transactions
Roster
1981 Kansas City Royals roster
Roster
Pitchers
Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
Other batters
Manager
Coaches
Game log
Regular season
First half
1981 regular season game log: 20–30 (Home: 8–16; Away: 12–14)
April: 3–10 (Home: 1–6; Away: 2–4)
#
Date
Time (CT )
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Time of Game
Attendance
Record
Box/ Streak
May: 12–15 (Home: 4–5; Away: 8–10)
#
Date
Time (CT )
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Time of Game
Attendance
Record
Box/ Streak
June: 5–5 (Home: 3–5; Away: 2–0)
#
Date
Time (CT )
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Time of Game
Attendance
Record
Box/ Streak
Legend: = Win = Loss = Postponement Bold = Royals team member
Canceled games
1981 regular season game log: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Away: 0–0)
June: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Away: 0–0)
July: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Away: 0–0)
August: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Away: 0–0)
#
Date
Time (CT )
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Time of Game
Attendance
Record
Box/ Streak
Legend: = Win = Loss = Postponement Bold = Royals team member
Second half
1981 regular season game log: 30–23 (Home: 11–12; Away: 19–11)
August: 10–11 (Home: 1–3; Away: 9–8)
September: 18–10 (Home: 9–7; Away: 9–3)
#
Date
Time (CT )
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Time of Game
Attendance
Record
Box/ Streak
October: 2–2 (Home: 1–2; Away: 1–0)
#
Date
Time (CT )
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Time of Game
Attendance
Record
Box/ Streak
Legend: = Win = Loss = Postponement Bold = Royals team member
Postseason Game log
1981 Postseason game log: 0–3 (Home: 0–2; Away: 0–1)
#
Date
Time (CT )
Opponent
Score
Win
Loss
Save
Time of Game
Attendance
Series
Box/ Streak
Legend: = Win = Loss = Postponement Bold = Royals team member
Player stats
Batting
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Pitching
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
ALDS
Oakland wins series, 3-0.
Game
Score
Date
1
Oakland 4 , Kansas City 0
October 6
2
Oakland 2 , Kansas City 1
October 7
3
Oakland 4 , Kansas City 1
October 9
Farm system
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: GCL Royals Gold
Notes
References
Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America. ISBN 978-0-9637189-8-3 .
External links
Franchise Ballparks Culture Lore Team Hall of Fame Minor league affiliates Key personnel World Series championships (2) American League pennants (4) Division titles
Seasons (56)
1960s
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