Eric Hosmer bids classy farewell to Kansas City fans with newspaper ad

Although he's now a member of the San Diego Padres after signing an eight-year, $144 million contract as a free agent, Eric Hosmer has already built up a career worth of fond memories with the Kansas City Royals.

He won four Gold Gloves, an All-Star Game MVP award, two American League pennants and one World Series in the seven seasons since the Royals selected him with the third overall pick in the 2008 draft.

Over the weekend, he expressed his gratitude to Royals fans with a full-page ad in Sunday's edition of the Kansas City Star.

"Your 'Let's Go Royals' chant roared throughout the K (Kauffman Stadium) following a Game 7 loss in 2014. Our fans weren't going anywhere. We realized then there was no way we wouldn't make it back to the big stage the next year," Hosmer wrote about the Royals' World Series loss to the San Francisco Giants -- and their World Series win over the New York Mets the following season.

Hosmer also mentioned why he would not be wearing the number No. 35 he had in Kansas City with his new team. He's chosen No. 30 in San Diego as a tribute to former teammate Yordano Ventura, who was killed in a Jan. 2017 auto accident in the Dominican Republic.

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"White Ace remains close to my heart, from now on I'll carry his legacy on my back."

Follow Gardner on Twitter @SteveAGardner