Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - A shekara mai zuwa, Kansas City - abokin hamayyarsa na postseason a lokuta da yawa a cikin lokutan da suka gabata - ya ɗauki Howser don gudanar da wasanni 33 na ƙarshe na kakar wasan strike-shortened 1981. A karkashin Howser, Royals sun gama na biyu a 1982 da 1983. Kafin kakar 1984, tare da gidan kulob din da ke fama da matsalolin miyagun ƙwayoyi, Royals sun fara rarraba ƙungiyar su kuma sun fara. Kansas City ta yi tsammanin 1984 za ta zama shekara ta sake ginawa, amma Howser ya jagoranci ƙungiyar matasa zuwa taken rukuni. Royals sun sha kashi a hannun Detroit Tigers a gasar zakarun Amurka
, wasanni uku zuwa babu.