Gil Meche - Kansas City Royals

Kansas City Royals

After signing one year contracts with the Mariners for the 2005 and 2006 seasons, Meche signed a five-year contract with the Kansas City Royals on December 7, 2006 worth $55 million, matching Mike Sweeney's contract as the largest in club history. His record stood at 5-6 with a 3.54 ERA when he was named the Royals' sole representative at the 2007 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in San Francisco. Meche finished the season with a 9-13 record, while posting career bests in ERA (3.67), innings pitched (216) and a league leading 34 starts. Meche led the American League with 34 starts again in 2008, while improving to 14-11 with a 3.98 ERA, and pitching over 200 innings for the second consecutive year for a Royals club that finished 75-87 and in fourth place in the American League Central.

On June 16, 2009, Meche pitched a brilliant four hit shutout against the Diamondbacks to improve his season record to 4-5 with a 3.31 ERA. The 132 pitches he threw, however, took a toll on Meche, and he began experiencing back and shoulder problems soon afterwards. For the rest of the season, Meche went just 2-5 with a 8.06 ERA.

For the first time in his Royals career, 31-year-old Meche did not receive the opening day nod for Kansas City in 2010. Instead he was slated as the number-two starter behind reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke. Hampered by injuries again, Meche spent considerable time on the DL in 2010, and was 0-4 with a 6.66 ERA after making his final career start on May 25. After five rehab appearances with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and Omaha Royals, Meche returned to the Royals as a reliever that September. He made eleven appearances, giving up three earned runs in thirteen innings.