Baird: KC hopes to meet Sweeney’s April 1 deadline

? Kansas City general manager Allard Baird said Saturday he remains hopeful of signing first baseman Mike Sweeney to a long-term contract by Sweeney’s April 1 deadline.

“We continue to have dialogue, and we’ll see where that takes us,” Baird said. “We’re in communication with each other.”

Sweeney, 28, has batted over .300 the past three years and averaged more than 110 RBIs while becoming the most popular player for the Royals since George Brett. He is making $7.8 million this year. With his age and production level, he could probably command about $14 million on the open market if he becomes a free agent at the end of this season.

Baird said he does not necessarily believe that the Royals will lose their star hitter if they do not sign a contract by April 1, the deadline Sweeney has set.

“I wouldn’t look at it that way. I look at it that the Royals want to sign Mike Sweeney,” Baird said. “He has the desire to be here. And I’ve always said that any time you have two sides that have a common goal, you have a better chance of getting something done.”

Pressure to sign Sweeney is especially great because the Royals in the past two years traded away two of their other top players, Johnny Damon and Jermaine Dye, after failing to meet their contract price.

“There have been other recent situations in Kansas City lately where there were some demands and things that we just couldn’t do,” Baird said.

“There is a common goal and we’ll just continue to strive toward that. We’re committed to trying to keep Mike Sweeney here. That’s the bottom line.”

The normally approachable Sweeney, in the meantime, said he will no longer discuss his contract situation with the media.