Kevin Appier is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for several teams during his career. He was born on December 6, 1967, in Lancaster, California, and attended Antelope Valley High School. Appier was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the first round of the 1987 MLB draft and made his debut with the team in 1989.
Appier spent the majority of his career with the Royals, where he established himself as one of the best pitchers in the league. He was known for his excellent control and ability to strike out batters. In 1993, he had his best season, finishing with a 2.56 ERA and 186 strikeouts. He was named an All-Star that year and finished third in the Cy Young Award voting.
Appier played for the Royals until 1999, when he was traded to the Oakland Athletics. He spent one season with the A's before being traded to the New York Mets in 2001. He played for the Mets for two seasons before being traded to the Anaheim Angels in 2003. He finished his career with the Angels in 2004.
Throughout his career, Appier was known for his consistency and durability. He pitched over 200 innings in a season six times and had a career ERA of 3.74. He also won a Gold Glove award in 1993 for his fielding abilities.
After retiring from baseball, Appier remained involved in the sport. He worked as a pitching coach for the Kansas City T-Bones, an independent minor league team, and also served as a special assistant to the general manager for the Royals.
Overall, Kevin Appier had a successful career as a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was a three-time All-Star and finished in the top ten in Cy Young Award voting three times. He was known for his consistency and durability, and his excellent control and ability to strike out batters made him one of the best pitchers of his era.
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