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Up To Date

Sam Mellinger goes from reporting on the Kansas City Royals to working for them

By Steve Kraske,
Danie Alexander
Published December 16, 2021 at 12:41 PM CST
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Former sports columnist Sam Mellinger is now the vice president of communications for the Kansas City Royals.
MLB.com
Sam Mellinger has been a sports columnist for The Kansas City Star since March 2010.

After 21 years of covering sports for The Kansas City Star, Mellinger will become vice president of communications for the Royals.

After graduating from the University of Kansas, Sam Mellinger got the job he always wanted: covering sports for The Kansas City Star.

His love of the job is well known and he's highly respected for his reporting. So it came as a surprise to many when it was announced he was signing on with the Kansas City Royals.

Mellinger explains to Steve Kraske what made the team's offer irresistible and what he's looking forward to doing in his new job. He also shares Steve's hope that the Major League Baseball lockout will be resolved and baseball will be back in March.

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Up To Date PodcastKansas City RoyalssportsKansas City Starjournalism
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Steve Kraske
When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
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Danie Alexander
As senior producer of Up To Date, I want our listeners to hear familiar and new voices that shine light on the issues and challenges facing the myriad communities KCUR serves, and to expose our audiences to the wonderful and the creative in the Kansas City area. Just as important to me is an obligation to mentor the next generation of producers to ensure that the important conversations continue. Reach me at alexanderdk@kcur.org.
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