Mike Sweeney
Michael John Sweeney is an American former Major League Baseball designated hitter and first baseman. Sweeney played his first 13 seasons in the majors with the Kansas City Royals, first as a catcher, then at first base and designated hitter. Sweeney also played for the Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, and Philadelphia Phillies. On March 25, 2011, Sweeney retired from baseball. He now works as a special assistant for the Kansas City Royals. Sweeney was inducted into the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame on August 15, 2015.
Major league career
Kansas City Royals
1991–1997: Minor leagues and MLB debut
Sweeney was drafted by the Royals as a catcher out of Ontario High School in the 10th round of the 1991 MLB draft. He signed with the Royals in May 1991, a month before his graduation from Ontario High School. He had just led his Varsity baseball team as the team captain to a CIF victory with an undefeated record of 26–0 for the 1991 season.Sweeney made his major league debut on September 14, 1995 at catcher. He got his first major league hit against Paul Assenmacher of the Cleveland Indians during the final game of the season.
While Sweeney's ability with the bat impressed the Royals, they were less than enamored with his defensive skills as a catcher, having him work with starter Mike Macfarlane on his defense.
Sweeney hit his first major league home run, off Seattle Mariners' pitcher Jamie Moyer, on August 12, 1996.
Sweeney caught 76 games in 1997, splitting time with Macfarlane. He hit a two-run, walk-off home run off Doug Brocail of the Detroit Tigers on May 15, 1997 in his only at bat of the game.
1998: Primary catcher
In 1998, Sweeney played in his first Opening Day game. He tied a club record with two hits in an inning versus the Oakland A's on May 31. Sweeney missed hitting for the cycle by approximately 40 feet, when he retreated to second base on what appeared to be a sure triple in the eighth inning with the Kansas City Royals leading by a 12–6 score. He caught 91 games, the most of his major league career, serving as the regular starter after Macfarlane was traded midseason.1999–2001
Sweeney's big break came in 1999, after the Royals tried unsuccessfully to trade him during spring training. Riddled with injuries and with no other viable options, the Royals started using Sweeney as their regular designated hitter. After the sudden retirement of Jeff King, the Royals offered the first base job to rookie Jeremy Giambi. When Giambi showed reluctance, they gave the job to Sweeney, who responded by posting the highest fielding percentage by a regular first baseman in more than 20 years. His.322 batting average led the team and his 22 home runs and 102 RBI were second and third on the team, respectively. From July 18 to August 13, Sweeney had a hit in 25 consecutive games, collecting 42 hits total. The 25-game hitting streak is tied for fourth longest in Royals history with George Brett's 25-game streak in 1983, trailing only Whit Merrifield's 31-game streak spanning 2018–2019, Brett's 30-game streak in 1980 and José Offerman's 27-game streak in 1998.In 2000, Sweeney was selected to his first of five All-Star games. He joined Jermaine Dye to become the first pair of Royals to go to the Mid-Summer Classic since 1989. Sweeney passed the 100 RBI mark for the second straight year on August 13, 2000, reaching the century mark faster than any player in Royals history. He finished second in the league with a club record 144 RBI, behind only Seattle's Edgar Martínez's 145 RBI, and breaking Hal McRae's 1982 team mark of 133.
In June 2001, Sweeney hit.392 with 11 home runs and 29 RBI with a.794 slugging percentage and was named the American League Player of the Month for the only time in his career.
Sweeney vs. Weaver
Sweeney had his first career ejection against the Detroit Tigers on August 10 after charging pitcher Jeff Weaver in the sixth inning. Weaver was pitching to Sweeney. In between pitches, Sweeney asked the home plate umpire if Weaver could be asked to move the rosin bag from the top of the mound. After that, Weaver put his glove over his mouth and appeared to say something "Webster never put in his dictionary" to Sweeney. Sweeney was offended and launched his batting helmet at Weaver while charging the pitcher's mound. He eventually tackled Weaver, igniting a bench-clearing brawl. Sweeney said afterwards that Weaver had been criticizing the Royals' younger players and Sweeney's faith. Sweeney's teammates did not deny his comments. Paul Byrd was one of the first to aid Sweeney as he held back the Tigers' catcher so that Sweeney could reach Weaver. Sweeney missed the next 15 games, five due to a "bruised hand" and the next ten to serve a suspension, his first career suspension. Prior to that, he had played in 171 consecutive games.2002–2004
Sweeney had one of the best seasons of his career in 2002, hitting.340, the second-highest batting average in the American League and the second-highest in club history, behind George Brett's.390 in 1980. He had a chance of winning the A.L. batting crown through the season's final weekend but fell short of Manny Ramírez, who hit a league-best.349. Sweeney was hitting.347 on September 24 before going 2-for-16 in his final four games.On August 14, 2002, he became the fifth Royal in club history to record a straight steal of home and the first since Fred Patek versus Minnesota on June 18, 1977, with a stolen base off the New York Yankees' Andy Pettitte. His stolen base came on a 1-2 count with left-hander Aaron Guiel at the plate and gave the Royals a 2–1 lead, but KC lost the game, 3–2, in 14 innings.
Sweeney was placed on the disabled list for the first time in his career on July 26, 2002 with a lower back and hip strain. He would continue to have injury problems throughout the rest of his career, including a lengthy DL stint during the 2003 season, with the Royals seeking their first winning season since the strike-shortened 1994 season, where they went 64–51.
During the 2003 season, Sweeney was named to his fourth consecutive Major League All-Star Game, joining Royals closer Mike MacDougal, marking the first time since 2000 that Kansas had two representatives and just the second time since 1989.
On July 22, 2004, Sweeney hit a grand slam and later hit an insurance three-run home run in a 13–7 Kansas City win. The seven RBI would be a career-high for Sweeney. He would go on to bat.287 with 22 home runs and 79 RBI during the 2004 season.
Through the 2004 season, Sweeney compiled a.305 average with 161 home runs and 683 RBI in 1,026 games.
2005–2007
In 2005, Sweeney was named the Royals' player of the year for the third time in his career. He led the team in average for the sixth time in his career, doubles and home runs, despite playing in just 122 games. Sweeney was named the Players Choice Marvin Miller Man of the Year and was also named to the All-Star team for the fifth time in six seasons and the final time in his career.Sweeney was restricted to designated hitter and was able to play just 60 games because of back problems in 2006. After returning from the disabled list on August 8, Sweeney hit.293 with six homers and 26 RBI, but missed another five games with a sore side.
On September 1, his first day back off the DL, Sweeney pinch-hit in the bottom of the ninth and hit a bloop base hit that broke up Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Scott Baker's no-hitter. Baker had gone eight perfect innings before he walked Royals catcher John Buck at the beginning of the ninth. With two outs to go, Royals manager Buddy Bell pinch-hit Sweeney for Tony Peña Jr. and Sweeney ended the no-hitter.
Sweeney won the Hutch Award, which honors players who exemplify a fighting spirit, honoring Fred Hutchinson, who died of cancer in 1964.
Oakland Athletics
On February 10, 2008, Sweeney signed a minor league contract, with an invitation to spring training, with the Oakland Athletics.After a strong spring in which he hit.308 with a home run, Sweeney's contract was purchased on March 25, 2008. Sweeney underwent arthroscopic surgery on his troublesome left knee on June 11, and was expected to miss four to six weeks. After a brief return from the disabled list, Sweeney was released by the A's on September 9.
After considering retirement, Sweeney said he would like to play one more year before retiring.
Seattle Mariners
On January 29, 2009, Sweeney signed a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training with the Seattle Mariners, citing his desire to play for Mariners' manager Don Wakamatsu who was Sweeney's bench coach in Oakland. Sweeney made the major-league club Opening Day roster as a bench player. On April 22, 2009, Sweeney left the game during his first at-bat due to back spasms.On May 3, 2009, Sweeney hit his first home run as a Mariner and 200th of his career in the 4th inning at Safeco Field against the Oakland Athletics. On August 6, in a return to Kansas City, Sweeney hit his 100th home run in Kauffman Stadium in an 8–2 loss to the Royals.
On November 5, 2009, Sweeney declared free agency.
On February 12, 2010, Sweeney re-signed with the Mariners to a minor league deal.
On March 30 the Mariners placed reserve first baseman/corner outfielder Ryan Garko on waivers, clearing room on the 25-man roster for Sweeney. Sweeney was not expected to make the team at the start of spring training but hit over.500 in exhibition games to beat out Garko. Sweeney would hit.263 with six home runs and 18 RBI during his time with the Mariners in 2010.
In May 2010, Sweeney was involved in an interesting situation. Teammate Ken Griffey Jr. was accused of napping during a pinch hitting opportunity, also known as "Napgate". Sweeney said he challenged anyone who said Griffey was asleep "to stand up and fight me"; however, Griffey did not deny the accusation.