Gload Traded to Marlins

The Royals traded left hand hitting first basemen Ross Gload to the Florida Marlins for a player to be named later.

According to MLB.com, the Royals also sent cash to the Marlins, apparently to help pay for Gload's $1.9 million salary for this year.

Gload spent the last two seasons with the Royals, batting .288 in 2007 and .273 last year.

Publish Post

Red Sox - Royals; Wheeling and Dealing

The Red Sox have reportedly sent centerfielder Coco Crisp to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for right handed reliever Ramon Ramirez.

Crsip's 2008 stats: .283 BA, 7 HR, 41 RBIs, 20 SB

Ramirez 2008 stats: 71 GP, 2.64 ERA, 71 1/3 innings, 3-2, 1 SV

Guillen Restrained From Fan

According to numerous news services and the associated press, Royals outfielder Jose Guillen had to be restrained by third base coach Luis Silverio while security guards removed a heckling fan.

Excerpts from Associated Press article posted on ESPN.com:

Kauffman Stadium security removed the fan, who started in on Guillen after he stopped at first base in the second inning after hitting a drive off the wall in left field.

"When I got that hit to left field, that guy started saying all kinds of stuff. 'Why didn't I make it to second?'" Guillen said. "Hey, I hit the ball hard. People who know baseball know the guy [Rangers left fielder Marlon Byrd] made a nice play. I had no chance to make it to second. I can deal with that."

When Guillen flied out to left to end the fourth, the fan's heckling apparently escalated.

"The [next] at-bat, when I hit the ball to left field, he said the magic words," Guillen said. "Something personal about my family. I don't deal well with that. That's enough right there."

"I understand who I am and the money that I'm making," Guillen said. "I understand that I'm hitting .250, and the fans are expecting a lot more than they're seeing. But the word he said, trust me, anybody would want to go there."

Biggest Free Agent You've Never Heard Of

The Kansas City Royals made a huge splash in this winter's free agent pool, and it's possibly one of the best signings that you've never heard of. Left handed reliever, ERA of a 2.55, batters hit a weak .218 against him last season, in 67 innings pitched over 58 appearances.
Let me introduce you to Ron Mahay, ex-Texas Ranger/Atlanta Brave reliever.
It's great to see Kansas City opening up their wallets. By also adding Jose Guillen, the Royals are starting too break away from that lovable loser label they've been wearing for the past decade or so.

According to ESPN, the Giants and Yankees also looked into signing Mahay.