The KC Royals traded right-hander Jeremy Jeffress to the Toronto Blue Jays for cash considerations. He was placed on waivers last week.

Jeffress came to the Royals from the Milwaukee Brewers via the Zack Greinke deal. He has struggled throughout his career with his command.

He admitted that he made progress this season with the help of minor league pitching coaches Doug Henry and Larry (LC) Carter:

 ”In the last year, I felt like I made progress,” Jeffress said. “The first time I came up in April at the beginning of the year, it really opened my eyes. I felt like I had to learn a lot more stuff off the field and to be able to stay focused on my task at hand. The year before, 2011, I just felt like I was all off. It was my first year breaking camp with the big team and when I got sent down, my concentration was just all lost.”

He is expected to head to play winter ball for Bravos de Margarita in Venezuela. The Blue Jays need bullpen help and Jeffress could be a key cog if he can figure it all out.

» Continue reading “Bye, Bye Jeffress, Hottovy”

The Major League Baseball transaction page is full of KC Royals moves on Friday.

Remember when I mentioned they had a full 40-man roster and needed to make room for three players on the 60-day DL and newly acquired pitcher Ervin Santana? Well, they made room and made more moves.

• They designated four players for assignment:

Pitchers Tommy Hottovy, Blake Wood, and Jeremy Jeffress, and outfielder Jason Bourgeois. Wood, who missed the 2012 season due to Tommy John surgery, was then claimed by the Cleveland Indians. GM Dayton Moore said they were hoping to keep Wood, as he pitched very well (really?).

Local guy Hottovy is a lefty reliever that could be claimed, or he could take the assignment back to Triple-A Omaha. Jeffress is interesting. He has great stuff, but hasn’t figured out how to harness it. Is this the Royals giving up on him? He was acquired in the Zack Greinke deal.

» Continue reading “Royals Make a Bevy of Moves”

On Friday, the KC Royals claimed 6’8 right-hander Chris Volstad off waivers from the Chicago Cubs.

The first round pick in 2005 by the Florida Marlins has struggled throughout his career. He was traded from the Marlins to the Cubs in the Carlos Zambrano offseason dump prior to the 2012 season.

With the Cubs over 21 starts, Volstad was 3-12 with a 6.31 ERA. He struck 61 over 111.1 innings. He even spent parts of June and July in the minors. The one month that wasn’t brutal for him was August, when he carried a 3.72 ERA over six starts.

Volstad did not win a game over a 24 start span, dating back to 2011 with the Marlins, until picking up a victory on August 26th. He spent much of the season in Cubs manager Dale Sveum’s doghouse for not sticking to the game plan.

Over his big league career (he debuted in 2008 with the Marlins), he is 35-51 with a 4.87 ERA in 124 appearances (123 starts). Volstad’s best season came in his first. He went 6-4 with a 2.88 ERA over 15 appearances (14 starts).

Walks have always been a problem for him. He has walked 247 over 695.1 career innings. Volstad is yet another reclamation project for pitching coach Dave Eiland.

Don’t the Royals have enough pitchers like Volstad already?

*The waiver claim fills the Royals 40-man roster spot.

After designating infielder Jeff Bianchi for assignment on November 30th, the KC Royals lost him to the Chicago Cubs on Friday.

Bianchi was once a highly-touted shortstop, but just couldn’t stay healthy. He missed all of 2010 after Tommy John surgery and was pushed behind guys like Johnny Giavotella, Christian Colon, Rey Navarro, and Alcides Escobar on the depth chart. After signing in 2005 (he was a second round pick), he experienced back problems. Then he had shoulder surgery in 2006.

He mainly played second base this season for Double-A NW Arkansas. In 119 games, he hit .259 with two homeruns, 48 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases. Not sure where he fits in with the Cubs, but he could be a utility man off the bench if he stays healthy.

I just missed him in 2009 with the Wilmington Blue Rocks (he was promoted to Double-A when I made it to a game).

*The Royals will get a first-hand experience of the new look LA Angels, as they open the 2012 season in LA. Expect to see CJ Wilson face the Royals in one of the games and the pitchers will have to face Albert Pujols for three games.