Kansas City, Mo. ? The Kansas City Royals’ unexpected success last season paid off Wednesday when third baseman Joe Randa and pitchers Brian Anderson and Curtis Leskanic signed contracts to return next year.

To nearly everyone’s surprise, the Royals won 83 games last season — just one year after losing a franchise-record 100. And Kansas City stayed in the American League Central division race until the last week of the season.

Anderson, Leskanic and Randa all said the fun the team had under manager Tony Pena and the prospect that the success will continue were factors in their decision to re-sign with the Royals.

“Guys have made a little bit of a sacrifice to stay here because they want to play here and feel that we’re going to win,” Randa said.

Leskanic, 35, agreed to a one-year, $1.25 million deal with a team option for 2005. After Kansas City obtained him in July from Milwaukee, he went 1-0 with a 1.73 ERA in 27 relief appearances. There are roster bonuses in the contract and Leskanic is guaranteed $1.375 million. The option year is also for $1.25 million, with a $125,000 buyout that could double if Leskanic spends enough time on the roster.

Anderson, 31, who the Royals obtained from Cleveland in an August trade, agreed to a two-year contract. He went 5-1 with a 3.99 ERA in seven starts for Kansas City last season.

Randa, 33, also agreed to a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2005. He hit .291 last season and tied a career high with 16 homers. His .344 average after the All-Star break was third-best in the American League.

The signings come a week after the Royals lost outfielder Raul Ibanez, who agreed to a three-year contract with the Seattle Mariners.

General Manager Allard Baird said losing Ibanez did not make signing Randa, Leskanic and Anderson more urgent.

“I live with a sense of urgency, so I don’t think one affected the other,” Baird said. “I do think it’s very important to get a starting pitcher like Brian Anderson. That was huge. When you look at the slim third baseman market, that made signing Joe even more imperative. And everybody knows what Leskanic brought to us last year.”

Randa said losing Ibanez was disappointing, adding that Anderson’s and Leskanic’s decision to stay with Kansas City played a role in his decision.

“The word I got from talking to other guys on our team and in the front office, there was a good chance there was going to be a good corps of guys coming back,” Randa said. “If we can throw a couple of veteran pitchers into the mix, this team is going to be in pretty good shape.

Leskanic said he had “a great time” pitching during the Royals’ pennant race last season.