HAINES CITY, FLA. ? Failing to keep Mike Sweeney could cost the Kansas City Royals a lot more than just 30 home runs and 120 RBIs a year.

In the eyes of many fans and players, the credibility of a struggling organization that’s already been reduced to giving tickets away could be at stake.

“If they lose Mike, there’s going to be a pretty big fan base out there that won’t be coming to Kauffman Stadium,” third baseman Joe Randa said. “It’s a pressure situation.”

The pressure seems to rest entirely on the Royals. They failed to act two years ago when Sweeney was seeking a long-term contract, thinking it would be smart to wait until a new collective bargaining agreement with the players union was reached.

Talks finally began last week with agents for their popular power-hitting first baseman, who will make about $7.8 million in this second season of two-year deal.

But time is short. The Royals’ best player since George Brett was in his heyday insists that if nothing is done by the start of the season on April 1, talks will end.

“I figure that in the past we’ve tried negotiations during the season twice,” Sweeney said.

“I just fell completely apart. I’m not that good to do both things. And it’s unfair to my teammates. I had a meeting with Allard a couple of months ago and I told him come opening day, it’s time to concentrate on baseball.”

General manager Allard Baird said the Royals know what they have in Sweeney.

“We know how special a player and how special a person Mike Sweeney is,” Baird said. “Our intention has always been to make sure he is a part of this team for a long, long time.”

Sweeney, 28, set a club record with 144 RBIs in 2000 and has hit .322, .333 and .304 since becoming a regular three years ago.

He would be a free agent at the end of the year and could be the third All-Star type player the Royals have lost since 2000.

Already traded away because the Royals could not or would not meet their salary demands are outfielders Johnny Damon and Jermaine Dye, who along with Sweeney were meant to form the nucleus of Kansas City teams for years to come.

Losing Sweeney would deal a heavy blow to a team that has not been competitive at all in almost 10 years and last week was handing out free tickets for their second game of the season.