NewsAppier among new Hall candidates
Right-hander notched 115 of his 169 victories with RoyalsBy Dick Kaegel / MLB.com
11/27/09 4:25 PM EST
KANSAS CITY -- Kevin Appier, one of the top pitchers in Royals history, is among 15 new candidates on the 2010 Hall of Fame ballot announced on Friday by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
The 15 newcomers join 11 holdover candidates on the ballot mailed to more than 575 voting members of the BBWAA. Results will be announced Jan. 6.
Appier pitched a total of 13 years for the Royals, winning 115 of his 169 Major League victories for them. He holds the club record of 1,458 strikeouts. His best season came in 1993, when he was 18-8 and led the American League with a 2.56 ERA.
In his 16-year career, he also pitched two years each for the A's and the Angels and one year for the Mets. His career record was 169-137 with a 3.74 ERA. He had 34 complete games and 12 shutouts and fell just six strikeouts short of 2,000 as he finished his big league career in a comeback attempt in 2004.
Twice Appier pitched a one-hitter for the Royals, at Texas on July 27, 1993, and at Detroit on July 7, 1990. He was named to the AL All-Star team in 1995 with the Royals and pitched in the 2002 World Series for the Angels
Other first-time candidates are Roberto Alomar, Ellis Burks, Andres Galarraga, Pat Hentgen, Mike Jackson, Eric Karros, Ray Lankford, Barry Larkin, Edgar Martinez, Fred McGriff, Shane Reynolds, David Segui, Robin Ventura and Todd Zeile.
The 11 holdover candidates are Harold Baines, Bert Blyleven, Andre Dawson, Don Mattingly, Mark McGwire, Jack Morris, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker, Tim Raines, Lee Smith and Alan Trammell.
Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
