Mike Sweeney appreciation thread

Dr. Johnny Fever · 06-13-2005, 09:03 AM

I'm more than a little tired of listening to people bash Mike Sweeney. He's always hurt, he doesn't slide hard enough into the catcher, he's got an iron glove.... bla, bla, bla... get real.

Mike Sweeney has done nothing to deserve the shit so many so called Royals fans often like to sling his way. These idiots that demand he be traded for prospects, that he's soft, that he isn't the perfect mix of Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio. These are the same fans that whine about losing every good player we have to free agency because the Royals can't or won't pay them enough to stay around. The same people who constantly bitch about our "minor league roster" but are more than willing to part with the best player on the team so we can get more minor leaguers.

Listen up folks...and you know who you are. When an opposing pitcher looks over the Royals' line-up, who do you think makes them make any adjustments outside of doing whatever the hell they want to do? Ruben Gotay? Mark Teahen? Terrance Long? David DeJesus? No...Mike Sweeney is the only bone-fide threat in the line-up. Mike Sweeney is the only guy that the opposing team doesn't want at the plate with runners on. Mike Sweeney is the only guy who can make the opposing pitcher sweat a little... just a little.

Mike Sweeney could have bolted KC like so many before him, long ago. He didn't have to sign a contract extension to stay in a small market, on a bad team, with little or no real future playoff aspirations...but he did. All he asked was that his employers do everything they could do to field a winning team for ONE season. He didn't ask for a championship or he's gone. He didn't even demand that the Royals win the weakest division in baseball. He asked that they show the same kind of commitment to winning and dedication to the team for ONE season that he has shown. ONE DAMN SEASON! That's all it took for Sweeney's new contract extension to go into effect. His team met the challenge two years ago, finished over .500 and have done little but back-pedal ever since... but is Mike demanding a trade? No. Instead he's getting in his team-mates faces, leading by example and trying to win.

Sure, Sweeney has had some injury problems. I'm pretty certain that it hasn't been because he WANTS to be injured. I'm reasonably confident that he doesn't feel like his team doesn't need him or that he's just acting like a prima donna who tired of being on the field and wants some time off. No, Mike Sweeney wants to play. He wants to help his team-mates get better. He wants to win...in Kansas City. Not in New York or Boston or LA.... IN KANSAS CITY! HE'S HERE BECAUSE HE CHOOSES TO BE! HE'S THE ONE BONA-FIDE STAR WHO HASN'T USED KC AS AN AUDITION TO GET A BIG FAT PAYCHECK IN A SPOTLIGHT CITY!

Mike Sweeney is a good guy too. Not just a run of the mill good guy... but a really good guy. He's a part of the community. He's a team player. He's the real deal.

No, he isn't the best first baseman in baseball... but he's not the worst either. Yes, his back problems have been frustrating for Royals fan. You think maybe they've been even more frustrating for him though? I imagine his back would give out from time to time carrying the entire franchise on it for so long... then getting shit from fans for how he does it.

Mike Sweeney deserves better. From his front-office, from his team-mates, from mlb as a whole, but mostly from Royals fans who are too busy whinning about his imperfections too see the big picture. Mike Sweeney is the face of a mostly faceless organization. He's done nothing but work hard, play hard and promote Kansas City. He wants nothing more than to win.....HERE. That alone makes him more worthy than any of his recent predecessors of our loyalty and appreciation.

06-13-2005, 09:03 AM	Topic Starter
Dr. Johnny Fever stax of wax Join Date: Feb 2004 Casino cash: $10004900	Mike Sweeney appreciation thread I'm more than a little tired of listening to people bash Mike Sweeney. He's always hurt, he doesn't slide hard enough into the catcher, he's got an iron glove.... bla, bla, bla... get real. Mike Sweeney has done nothing to deserve the shit so many so called Royals fans often like to sling his way. These idiots that demand he be traded for prospects, that he's soft, that he isn't the perfect mix of Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio. These are the same fans that whine about losing every good player we have to free agency because the Royals can't or won't pay them enough to stay around. The same people who constantly bitch about our "minor league roster" but are more than willing to part with the best player on the team so we can get more minor leaguers. Listen up folks...and you know who you are. When an opposing pitcher looks over the Royals' line-up, who do you think makes them make any adjustments outside of doing whatever the hell they want to do? Ruben Gotay? Mark Teahen? Terrance Long? David DeJesus? No...Mike Sweeney is the only bone-fide threat in the line-up. Mike Sweeney is the only guy that the opposing team doesn't want at the plate with runners on. Mike Sweeney is the only guy who can make the opposing pitcher sweat a little... just a little. Mike Sweeney could have bolted KC like so many before him, long ago. He didn't have to sign a contract extension to stay in a small market, on a bad team, with little or no real future playoff aspirations...but he did. All he asked was that his employers do everything they could do to field a winning team for ONE season. He didn't ask for a championship or he's gone. He didn't even demand that the Royals win the weakest division in baseball. He asked that they show the same kind of commitment to winning and dedication to the team for ONE season that he has shown. ONE DAMN SEASON! That's all it took for Sweeney's new contract extension to go into effect. His team met the challenge two years ago, finished over .500 and have done little but back-pedal ever since... but is Mike demanding a trade? No. Instead he's getting in his team-mates faces, leading by example and trying to win. Sure, Sweeney has had some injury problems. I'm pretty certain that it hasn't been because he WANTS to be injured. I'm reasonably confident that he doesn't feel like his team doesn't need him or that he's just acting like a prima donna who tired of being on the field and wants some time off. No, Mike Sweeney wants to play. He wants to help his team-mates get better. He wants to win...in Kansas City. Not in New York or Boston or LA.... IN KANSAS CITY! HE'S HERE BECAUSE HE CHOOSES TO BE! HE'S THE ONE BONA-FIDE STAR WHO HASN'T USED KC AS AN AUDITION TO GET A BIG FAT PAYCHECK IN A SPOTLIGHT CITY! Mike Sweeney is a good guy too. Not just a run of the mill good guy... but a really good guy. He's a part of the community. He's a team player. He's the real deal. No, he isn't the best first baseman in baseball... but he's not the worst either. Yes, his back problems have been frustrating for Royals fan. You think maybe they've been even more frustrating for him though? I imagine his back would give out from time to time carrying the entire franchise on it for so long... then getting shit from fans for how he does it. Mike Sweeney deserves better. From his front-office, from his team-mates, from mlb as a whole, but mostly from Royals fans who are too busy whinning about his imperfections too see the big picture. Mike Sweeney is the face of a mostly faceless organization. He's done nothing but work hard, play hard and promote Kansas City. He wants nothing more than to win.....HERE. That alone makes him more worthy than any of his recent predecessors of our loyalty and appreciation.
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