Former Royal Mike Sweeney cuts Ned Yost’s hair. The payment? A hug
Former Royals first baseman Mike Sweeney made the trek to Angel Stadium on Monday from his home in southern California. When manager Ned Yost heard Sweeney would be on location, he made a simple request:
Bring your clippers.
Sweeney now works in the Royals’ front office as a special assistant to general manager Dayton Moore. He also moonlights as a barber, cutting hair during spring training.
During big-league camp this year, Yost noticed Sweeney cutting Hall of Famer George Brett’s hair during their long stay in Surprise, Ariz. Brett offered a solid endorsement, and Yost approved, so Sweeney went to work on the manager.
“I said, ‘Give me a try,’ ” Yost said. “So he cut my hair, and we called (this week): ‘Hey, look, bring your clippers when you come,’ because he was coming here anyway.”
According to Yost, Sweeney takes the assignment pro bono — except for one thing.
“A hug,” Yost said. “That’s his payment — a hug.”
Rustin Dodd: 816-234-4937, @rustindodd. Download True Blue, The Star’s free Royals app.
This story was originally published April 26, 2016 at 8:48 AM.