[AP]Sweeney, feeling 'misled,' ready to play for winner
Sweeney, feeling 'misled,' ready to play for winner
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Mike Sweeney, frustrated that the Kansas
City Royals didn't go after more free agents during the off-season,
says he would consider a trade if he could play for a contending
team. The Royals first baseman and team captain has a limited
no-trade clause in the five-year, $55 million contract extension he
signed in March 2002.
Sweeney said he signed that contract after Royals owner David Glass
told him of plans to increase the payroll and add players that would
help the struggling team become a contender.
"It's frustrating when you're told they're going to build the team
around you," Sweeney told The Kansas City Star. "I was willing to do
that. I said, 'Just show me that it'll be worth it for me.' Not
financially, but just show me you're going to build a team, a winning
team, around me.
"I don't feel like Mr. Glass lied to me. He's a fine man. I just feel
like I've been misled a little bit."
Glass said he doesn't recall telling Sweeney about a substantial
payroll increase, and that paying more for players doesn't guarantee
a winning team.
"I think Mike's just misled or doesn't understand," Glass said. "I
don't think the size of the payroll determines how good your team is.
There were a lot of teams with a smaller payroll that won a lot more
games than we did. The quality of the players matters most."
After the Royals surprised everyone in 2003 by staying in pennant
contention until late in the season, expectations were high for last
season. But the team collapsed, losing 104 games.
"No one played better last year, including Michael," Glass said. "He
had a lousy year."
Sweeney has been troubled with back problems that caused him to miss
146 games over the last three seasons. Last year, when he sat out the
last 42 games because of a herniated disk, he hit .287 with 22 home
runs and 79 runs batted in. In 2001, his last full season before the
back problems started, he had a .333 average, 29 homers and 144 RBI.
Glass said the Royals are putting together a team "with a lot of
young talent" and that he hopes Sweeney wants to be a part of it.
This season's lineup will include young players like John Buck, David
DeJesus, Angel Berroa and, eventually, promising rookie Mark Teahen.
The team acquired veteran outfielders Terrence Long and Eli Marrero
in trades, and the major free agent signing was pitcher Jose Lima,
who returns to the Royals after spending last season with the Los
Angeles Dodgers.
"I would have liked to see them be a little more aggressive," said
Sweeney, who had expected the annual payroll to increase from $44
million last season to around $55 million or $60 million. However,
the payroll will drop a bit this season.
"I'm definitely not throwing up the white flag and saying get me out
of here," Sweeney said. "But I am saying I'm frustrated."
He said that if general manager Allard Baird told him that a team
with a consistent winning record was interested, "I'd have to pray
about it, speak to my wife, speak to my family and then make a
decision."
"Would I slam the door on it? No way. I'm not 25. I'm 31 years old.
Only God knows how many years I have left to play. I want a chance to
play in October."
Declining to talk about the possibility of trading Sweeney, Baird
said the Royals are a completely different team when he's in the
lineup but that "overall success is going to come from young kids
stepping up to the next level."
--
If you're not have fun in baseball,
you miss the point of everything.
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc)
◆ From: 220.141.126.81
Royals 近期熱門文章
PTT體育區 即時熱門文章
58
85