Former Royal Interviews

New episodes available during the off-season – whether they played ten years with the Royals or ten days, they’re all remembered here. Listen to your favorite former Royals as they take detailed trips down memory lane and share never before publicized stories. Please note that files may take a few seconds to play when streaming from site, and that all files can also be downloaded from the site or through iTunes to enjoy while “on the go.”

Mike Kingery

Mike Kingery was signed by the Royals as an amateur free agent in 1979 and after spending parts of seven years in the Kansas City system, made his MLB debut with KC in 1986. That marked the beginning of a ten year big league career that saw Kingery play with the Royals, Mariners, Giants, Athletics, Rockies and Pirates. The left handed outfielder recently caught up with Dave O to reminisce about how the Royals discovered him, coming up through the KC system, debuting as a Royal, being traded away, nearly winning a batting title with the Rockies, how faith and integrity have played a big role in his development as a man and much more! (Photo Courtesy Mike Kingery)

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Calvin Pickering

Calvin Pickering played first base and DH for the Royals from 2004-2005 and hit .318/.456/.774 with 8 home runs in 149 at bats. Besides playing with KC, the U.S. Virgin Islands native also appeared in MLB games with Baltimore, Cincinnati and Boston, finishing with a career line of .329/.428/.757 with 14 HR’s in 310 at bats. Pickering recently joined Dave O to discuss all five of the years he spent at the major league level, with a special emphasis on KC, as well as learning how Pickering got into baseball in the first place, the unlikely source of his first ever baseball glove, working with George Brett and much more! (Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals)

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Rey Palacios

Rey Palacios played for the Royals from 1988-1990 after being signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent in 1982. Primarily a catcher, Palacios was known for his superb defensive ability and most notably, his arm. In fact, Palacios threw out 33% of would be base stealers during his MLB career. After his playing years were over, Palacios went from baseball hero to a real hero, as he’s a fireman in New York that was among the first respondents on 9/11. Dave O recently had the honor of talking with Rey for two hours about both his times in baseball, filled with AWESOME stories, and his current life of serving his community and country. A completely blunt, nothing off limits interview that you won’t want to miss. (Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals)

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Jose Santiago

Jose Santiago pitched for Kansas City from 1997-2001 and in total, spent parts of eight years at the major league level (Royals, Phillies, Indians and Mets). A 6-3 right hander, Santiago appeared in 105 games out of the Royals bullpen, finishing 13-12 with a 4.31 ERA and 4 saves in 152.1 IP. Santiago recently joined Dave O to talk about how Kansas City discovered him out of Puerto Rico, his tremendous memories of the Royals minor league system (with some GREAT stories), how much he loved pitching in Kansas City and much more! (Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals)

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Jeff Grotewold

Jeff Grotewold played for the Royals during the 1995 season when he hit .278/.422/.389 in 46 at bats. However, Grotewold is most remembered for setting a major league record during the 1992 season with Philadelphia, when the C/1B/OF hit three pinch hit home runs in three consecutive days for the Phillies at San Francisco. Grotewold recently joined Dave O to talk about the magical three days in San Francisco, his time with the Royals organization, being a replacement player and tons more! (Photo Courtesy Jeff Grotewold)

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Mike Armstrong

Mike Armstrong pitched for the Royals in 1982 and 1983, compiling a 15-12 record with a 3.51 ERA in 110 games. Armstrong is remembered both as a very dependable reliever and also, as the pitcher who notched the victory in the infamous “Pine Tar Game.” Overall, the 6-3 right hander spent parts of eight years at the major league level for the Padres, Royals, Yankees and Indians. Armstrong recently joined Dave O to talk about how dangerously close his career was to being over in the minor leagues, how much he LOVED pitching in Kansas City, Pine Tar game memories, his friendship with Dan Quisenberry, frustrations upon being traded to the Yankees and lots more! (Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals)

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Luke Hudson

Luke Hudson pitched for the Royals from 2006-2007, compiling a 7-7 KC mark. Overall, the 6-3 righty pitched parts of five years at the major league level, both with KC and Cincinnati, before shoulder injuries tragically cut his career short (he finished 17-18 with a 5.11 ERA). Hudson is most remembered by Royals fans for his stretch during the 2006 season in which he was twice Royals Pitcher of the Month and finished 6-3 with a 4.79 ERA as a starter. Luke recently joined Dave O to talk about a number of topics, including how Sean Casey once stopped the Reds team bus to rib Cubs fans in a bar, his respect for Dayton Moore (both as a GM and family man), being a good hitting pitcher, all the shoulder issues and much more! (Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals)

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Andy McGaffigan

Andy McGaffigan pitched for the Royals from 1990-1991 and in total, spent parts of 11 seasons at the major league level. A 6-3 right hander, McGaffigan pitched as both a starter and reliever, compiling a career record of 38-33 with 24 saves and a 3.38 ERA between his times with the Yankees, Giants, Expos, Reds and Royals. McGaffigan recently joined Dave O to talk very openly and candidly about the 1990 Royals, the disappointing way his career in KC ended, his favorite memories of other stops along the way and much more! (Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals)

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Monty Montgomery

Monty Montgomery pitched at the major league level and for the Royals from 1971-1972, finishing with a lifetime mark of 6-3 and an impressive 2.78 ERA. Montgomery, a 6-3 right hander, was the 9th round selection of Kansas City in the 1968 amateur draft. He recently joined Dave O to go back in time and reminisce about his days with the Royals, from High Point-Thomasville to Elimira, Omaha to Kansas City. A charming southern gentleman with a great story – one you won’t soon forget. (Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals)

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Joe Randa

Joe Randa had two stints with the Royals, playing for Kansas City from 1995-1996 and 1999-2004. While with KC, Randa wore the jersey number 16, but eight seemed to be his lucky number, as Joe finished 8th in Royals history in games played, hits, doubles, RBI, hit by pitch and total bases. “The Joker,” who also played with the Pirates, Tigers, Reds and Padres, recently joined Dave O to discuss coming up through the Royals minor league system, being traded away, coming back, how Allard Baird got a raw deal, how he regrets not accepting a deal to play in 2007 and much more! (Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals)

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