Clubhouse Conversation

Ernie Young

Ernie Young came over to the Royals from the Athletics and played for KC during the 1998 season. A right handed hitting power hitting outfielder, Young also spent time with the Diamondbacks, Tigers and Indians during an eight year major league career. Ernie recently caught up with Dave O to talk in-depth about his times playing pro ball at all the stops but also, winning a Gold Medal with Team USA, being stuck with the dreaded “Four A Label,” managing in the minor leagues and much more! (Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals)

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Craig Paquette

Craig Paquette played for the Royals from 1996-1997 and hit a combined 30 HR and 100 RBI while in a KC uniform. Mainly a third baseman, “Pokey” played all over the field for Kansas City, including stints in left field, shortstop and first base. Besides his times with the Royals, Paquette logged parts of 11 seasons at the major league level for the Athletics, Mets, Cardinals and Tigers, finishing up with 99 HR and 377 RBI. Craig recently joined Dave O to talk about the old school days, from coming up with Oakland to coming over to Kansas City, from making the playoffs with St. Louis to finishing up with Detroit, and much more! (Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals)

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Jim Frey

Jim Frey managed the Royals from 1980-1981 and has the distinction of being the first skipper in franchise history to guide KC to an American League championship. After his times in Kansas City, Frey went on to manage the Chicago Cubs (1984-1986) where he led them to the playoffs for the first time in 39 years and eventually, become their General Manager (1988-1991). In addition, Frey spent earlier chapters of his life in baseball as a part of Earl Weaver’s Baltimore Orioles coaching staff during the 1970’s, winning one World Series and three AL Pennants. Frey recently joined Dave O to discuss at all, from growing up with Don Zimmer to coming up through the minor leagues as a player, coaching with Weaver to KC, Chicago and beyond! A special emphasis on his KC days and the remarkable story of how he got the Royals job, George Brett chasing .400, beating the Yankees in the ’80 ALCS, the ’80 World Series and the REAL story of why he was let go in mid-1981. (Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals)

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Jeff Schulz

Jeff Schulz played for the Royals from 1989-1990 as a reserve outfielder. The MLB time was well earned for the Evansville, Indiana native, as Schulz was originally a 23rd round selection of KC in 1983 and fought his way up through the minor league pipeline, hitting .300 in each of his first four seasons. Schulz would later spend time with the Pirates in 1991 and come back to KC as a potential replacement player in 1995. He recently joined Dave O to talk about growing up as a baseball teammate of Don Mattingly, the long road from the 23rd round to the Big Leagues, what it was like being a replacement player and lots more! (Photo Courtesy Former Omaha Royals)

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Joel Johnston

The Royals drafted Joel Johnston in the 3rd round of the 1988 June Amateur Draft out of Penn State University. A 6-5 hard throwing righty, Johnston made his Big League debut with KC in September of ’91, finishing with an ERA of 0.40 in 22.1 innings. Heading into 1992, Baseball America called Johnston KC’s top prospect and as such, at the end of that season, he was the key cog in the trade to Pittsburgh that brought back the Royals Jose “Chico” Lind. Johnston would go on to pitch for both the Pirates and Red Sox in a career that spanned five seasons at the MLB level. Joel recently joined Dave O to talk about how the Royals discovered him, coming up through the KC system, the trade to Pittsburgh, an absolutely classic Bo Jackson story and much more! (Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals)

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Gary Martz

Gary Martz played in one game for Kansas City during the 1975 season, receiving one at bat and fielding one put out. While his times in KC were brief, Gary spent three full seasons at Omaha (1975-1977) where he hit a combined 52 home runs with 189 RBI. A 6-4 first baseman and outfielder, Martz was originally drafted by the Seattle Pilots in the 5th round of the 1969 June Amateur Draft. He recently joined Dave O to talk about why the Pilots folded, coming over to KC, his memories of playing in that one Big League game and much more! (Photo Courtesy Former Omaha Royals)

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Steve Renko

Steve Renko, a Kansas Sports Hall of Fame inductee, pitched for the Royals during the 1983 season at the twilight of a 15 year major league career. A 6-5 righty, Renko finished his big league career with a mark of 134-146 and a 3.99 ERA in stints with the Expos, Cubs, White Sox, Athletics, Red Sox, Angels and Royals. Prior to his MLB career, Renko was a three-sport athlete at the University of Kansas, playing quarterback in the same backfield as Gale Sayers and also starring on the hardwood. Renko recently joined Dave O to talk about his KU days, as well as awesome stories of Charlie Finley, the 1983 Royals drug scandal, a near tragic but now hilarious fishing trip with George Brett and much more! (Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals)

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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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Luke Hochevar

Luke Hochevar has been with the Kansas City organization since becoming the #1 overall pick in the 2006 June Amateur Draft out of the University of Tennessee. From 2007-2012,“Hoch” served as a starting pitcher in KC, before moving to the Royals bullpen in 2013 and becoming completely dominate (to the tune of a 1.92 ERA in 58 games). While Tommy John surgery has forced Hoch to miss the 2014 season, he continues to rehab and travel with the team. Luke recently joined Dave O from Detroit to talk about the pure excitement of the pennant race, how his rehab his coming along, how much he’d like to come back to the Royals in 2015 and lots 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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