Fansided

Ranking every World Series winners in history

By Staff

UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 05: Brooklyn Dodgers president Walter O'Malley and his manager, Walter Alston, exchange hugs and grins after bringing Brooklyn its first World Series championship in history. Flock did it the hard way, winning the final game in Yankee Stadium. (Photo by NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 05: Brooklyn Dodgers president Walter O'Malley and his manager, Walter Alston, exchange hugs and grins after bringing Brooklyn its first World Series championship in history. Flock did it the hard way, winning the final game in Yankee Stadium. (Photo by NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images) /
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KANSAS CIT, MO – OCTOBER 1985: Pitcher Bret Saberhagen No. 31 pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals in game seven of the World Series, October 27, 1985 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals won the game 11-0 and the World Series 4 games to 3. Saberhagen played for the Royals from 1984-91. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
KANSAS CIT, MO – OCTOBER 1985: Pitcher Bret Saberhagen No. 31 pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals in game seven of the World Series, October 27, 1985 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals won the game 11-0 and the World Series 4 games to 3. Saberhagen played for the Royals from 1984-91. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

101. 1985 Kansas City Royals

91-71, AL West Champions, Won World Series 4-3 Over St. Louis

There have been 20 intrastate World Series, with 14 involving teams from New York, but Missouri got into the act when the Kansas City Royals defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games in the 1985 World Series.

The ’85 Royals are often considered one of the weakest teams to win a World Championship, but KC was able to win it all thanks in large part to a great pitching staff that included 21-year old Cy Young Award winner Bret Saberhagen (20-6, 2.87 ERA in 235.1 innings across 32 starts), Charlie Leibrandt (17-9, 2.69), Danny Jackson (14-12, 3.42), and dominant closer Dan Quisenberry, who posted a 2.37 ERA and collected 37 saves in 129.0 innings spread across 84 games. Overall, the Royals ranked second in the American League with a 3.49 ERA and allowed the fewest home runs in the league (103).

Kansas City needed great pitching to overcome an offense that scored just 687 runs all season – which ranked 13th out of 14 American League teams. Of course, there were still stars capable of doing damage in the lineup, such as MVP runner-up George Brett (.335/.436/.585, 30 HR, 112 RBI), Frank White (22 HR, 69 RBI), Steve Balboni (36 HR, 88 RBI), and Willie Wilson (.278/.316/.408, 21 3B, 43 SB).

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