Fun read today from Steve Wulf listing 29 reasons the 2014 Royals are similar to the 1985 Royals.

Here's an amazing fact about that team that shows how much the game has changed in 29 years: The Royals used six pitchers in the entire seven-game World Series.

Game 1: Danny Jackson (7 innings), Dan Quisenberry (1.2), Bud Black (0.1)

Game 2: Charlie Leibrandt (8.2), Quisenberry (0.1)

Game 3: Bret Saberhagen (9)

Game 4: Black (5), Joe Beckwith (2), Quisenberry (1)

Game 5: Danny Jackson (9)

Game 6: Leibrandt (7.2), Quisenberry (1.1)

Game 7: Saberhagen (9)

The Royals used 22 players in the series, so they were carrying at least 16 position players. Steve Farr pitched 6 /31 innings in the ALCS, so I assume he was on the World Series roster. Not sure who the other two players were, although I assume they had at least eight pitchers and probably nine. But the starters were so good the Royals barely needed their bullpen.

Carrying 16 position players -- compared to the 13 the Giants have this year and 14 for the Royals -- allowed the Royals to have that remarkable ninth-inning rally in Game 6, when they scored twice to win 2-1 (with the help of Don Denkinger's blown call). The Royals used six bench players that one inning. Here's what happened:

1. Darryl Motley pinch-hit for Pat Sheridan against lefty reliever Ken Dayley.

2. Whitey Herzog brought in Todd Worrell so Royals manager Dick Howser countered with Jorge Orta to keep the platoon advantage.

3. After Orta reached on a single (Denkinger's blown call) and Steve Balboni singled, Onix Concepcion ran for Balboni.

4. After Jim Sundberg bunted into a forceout at third, Hal McRae pinch-hit for Buddy Biancalana and was intentionally walked after a passed ball had moved up the runners.

5. John Wathan pinch-ran for McRae.

6. Dane Iorg pinch-hit for Quisenberry and hit the game-winning, two-run single.

Six bench players in a single inning. You won't see that in today's game.