1971 Kansas City Royals Key Players: Patek, Piniella, Rojas
The Page from the 1971 Illustrated Digest of Baseball highlights key players for the Kansas City Royals. Fred Patek, a 26-year-old infielder acquired from Pittsburgh, is noted for his speed and fielding ability. Lou Piniella, an outfielder, improved his batting average significantly and was acquired from the Seattle Pilots. Cookie Rojas became the regular second baseman after a trade with St. Louis and was recognized for his solid infielding. Pitcher Jim Rooker, the top left-hander, posted identical 3.53 ERAs both at home and away in 1970.