KANSAS CITY, Mo., July 9 (UPI) -- Despite being well on the way to an eighth straight losing season, the Kansas City Royals Tuesday signed General Manager Allard Baird to a two-year contract extension through 2004, which coincides with the length of the contract of new Manager Tony Pena.
Baird fired manager Tony Muser on April 29 and replaced him with Pena ahead of such candidates as Buck Showalter and Bucky Dent. Kansas City is 33-52 and just two games ahead of last place Detroit in the American League Central at the All-Star break.
Baird succeeded in signing All-Star first baseman Mike Sweeney to a five-year, $55 million contract before the season, but will be hard pressed to make improvements since team owner David Glass plans to cut the $50 million payroll.
"The payroll is going to decrease. Mr. Glass has said that," Baird said. "How much it will decrease will depend on what happens with the collective bargaining agreement. My job will be to make those decreases and win games."
Baird, 40, may regret two moves in the offseason: signing free agent second baseman Chuck Knoblauch to a one-year, $2 million contract, and acquiring outfielder Michael Tucker, who is making $2.25 million.
Knoblauch has played in just 42 games because of injuries and is batting .167, while Tucker is hitting .234 with four homers and 23 RBI.
Still, the Glass family has confidence in Baird, who replaced Herk Robinson as general manager in June 2000.
"During his two years as the general manager, Allard Baird has demonstrated outstanding leadership in pointing our club for the future," said team President Dan Glass. "He has upgraded our scouting and player development programs and we are confident he is the person to lead our baseball operations department now and in the future."
The Royals finished 65-97 last season, matching a club record for losses. Their last winning season was in the strike-shortened 1994 campaign.
