Brian Hipp writes:

I thought you might be interested in this article from the Kansas City Star on Mike Sweeney. He's complaining that he was misled by the Royals a few years ago when he signed his big contract. Sweeney accurately points out that the AL Central is the worst division in baseball but the Royals still don't compete.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/10642207.htm

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The sports radio guys here are generally all over Sweeney. They and their devoted callers typically say that Sweeney is a big part of the problem and that it's partly his fault that the Royals are so terrible. Lots of anti-sabermetric talk about Mike's failure to lead, make other players better, etc. The prevailing opinion in KC is that Sweeney's contract is an albatross that prevents the Royals from competing.

I feel that the only reason Sweeney's contract is viewed so negatively here is that the Royals refuse to sign any other good players. Er, except Eli Marrero for $3 mil this offseason. I'm not making that up, either. It's true that Sweeney is hurt all the time, but his $11 mil wouldn't criticized so much if the Royals had any other good players. The Royals entire collection of outfielders might not collectively hit 40 HRs this year. I'm with Sweeney.

I thought he was a good signing at the time. Hell, at the time, we had Beltran, Damon, Dye, and Sweeney all tearing it up. We (and Sweeney) didn't know that we'd let all those other guys go. I respect Sweeney for agreeing to sign here when no one else would, and I generally think the Royals are run by a cheap owner and a team of clowns.

It's interesting that a lucky season by the Royals in 2003 forced Sweeney's contract to vest. Without a winning 2003 season, this conversation would not be happening in KC. By the same token, 2004, with all the injuries to the pitching staff, was probably worse than it should have been. You never know. The Royals might bounce back again, and Sweeney will be happy.

Of course, if Mike was tearing up the league as he was in 2002, the Royals might be winning more. But Brian is right; the contract is not the problem. Not signing the young stars long term has hurt this team more.