Kansas City Royals All-Time 25-Man Roster
First Baseman—Mike Sweeney
(with Royals from 1995-2008)
20.2 fWAR, 23.2 bWAR
.299/.369/.492, 1282 G, 5278 PA, 120 OPS+ (with Royals)
It was a tough call deciding between Mike Sweeney or John Mayberry for the all-time starting spot at first base for the Royals. Ultimately, Sweeney’s longer tenure and more playing time with the Royals put him over the edge.
Sweeney was on the Royals during a particularly bad time for the franchise. He got his first significant playing time in 1996 and left the team after the 2007 season. During this 12-year stretch, the team finished last or second-to-last 10 times. They had just one winning season.
After being drafted in the 10th round of the 1991 amateur draft, it took a while for Sweeney to establish himself in the big leagues. He had a cup of coffee with the Royals in 1995, then played 50, 84, and 92 games with the team over the next three years. His first full season was 1999, when he hit .322/.387/.520, with 22 homers and 102 RBI. Those look like great numbers, but 1999 was a very good hitting year. Sweeney’s 22 home runs placed him tied for 35th in the American League in long balls. His 102 RBI put him in a tie for 26th in the league.
The 1999 season was the beginning of a four-year peak for Sweeney. From 1999 to 2003, he was worth an average of 4.1 WAR (per Baseball-Reference) while hitting .324/.396/.535. He made the all-star team four years in a row from 1999 to 2003 and got some MVP votes in the first three years of that four-year stretch.
Unfortunately, even during this good stretch Sweeney began to have troubles with injuries that would plague him over most of the last decade of his career. He was put on the Disabled List for the first time in 2002, but it wouldn’t be the last time. He was in the big leagues for 16 years but played more than 130 games in just three of them. He also rated poorly on defense. Sweeney began his career as a catcher, but was moved to first base and Designated Hitter as he aged and injuries to his back, hip, and legs increased.
Sweeney was a very popular player in Kansas City. Three times he was named the Royals player of the year. He was also named the Players Choice Marvin Miller Man of the Year in 2005 and won the Hutch Award in 2007. This award honors players who exemplify a fighting spirit, honoring Fred Hutchison, who died of cancer in 1964. After playing just 134 games over his final two seasons in Kansas City, Sweeney played his final game with the Royals on September 30, 2007 and the fans gave him a standing ovation.
After leaving the Royals, Sweeney played three more years in the major leagues with three different teams. He continued to be an above average hitter for the most part, but was not good on defense and was no longer a regular in the lineup. In the spring of 2011, he signed a one-day contract so he could retire as a Kansas City Royal. He then threw out the first pitch of the 2011 season for Kansas City on Opening Day.