Baseball world honors Royals’ vice president after he announces retirement

Pete Grathoff
·3 min read
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Whether or not they realize it, Royals fans likely have seen Mike Swanson during a postgame interview on television.

You can sometimes catch a glimpse of Swanson, who is the team’s vice president of communications and broadcasting, on the field near the player talking with Bally Sports Kansas City’s Joel Goldberg.

On Friday night, he was by shortstop Adalberto Mondesi’s side during an interview on the MLB Network. When the chat was over, the MLB Network’s Greg Amsinger asked to speak with Swanson.

“You mean a lot to us, you mean a lot to Major League Baseball,” Amsinger said. “After 43 years in the business, you announced you are going to retire at the end of the year. What has this day been like for you in terms of the love you have received on your phone from so many people in the sport?”

Swanson joked: “Greg, I can’t even put it into words. It has been the most remarkable day. I told Mike Matheny, because we’d been in a little bit of a slump, and I said, ‘Geez, if I thought it would make a difference, I’d have retired a week ago.’”

Swanson added: “It’s been a hell of a run. Four different clubs. I grew up in Kansas City, so I got to start my life in baseball in Kansas City in 1973 when this ballpark opened, and I’ll be able to say I finished my career in Kansas City during this ballpark’s waning years. ... I don’t even want to start name-dropping, the people who have reached out to me has just been phenomenal.”

In addition to the Royals, Swanson worked for the Padres, Rockies and Diamondbacks. He was the Robert O. Fishel Award winner in 2002. That is given for excellence in public relations.

On Twitter, a number of former MLB players sent best wishes to Swanson, along with broadcasters and others. Here is some of what was said.

Andy Benes, who pitched 15 seasons in the majors, reached out:

Former infielder Kurt Bevacqua, who played for the Padres, Royals and other teams in the 1970s and 80s, wrote this:

This is Fox Sports’ Adam Amin:

Former Twins pitcher LaTroy Hawkins wrote this:

Amaury Telemaco, who pitched for nine seasons in the majors, tweeted:

Former Cleveland/Cincinnati pitcher Danny Graves reached out:

Chiefs announcer Mitch Holthus congratulated Swanson:

ESPN’s Rich Hollenburg wrote:

Former Chiefs kicker Lawrence Tynes tweeted at Swanson: