The Royals claimed Chris Volstad off of waivers from the Cubs, MLB.com's Carrie Muskat reports (on Twitter).
Volstad, 26, had been a non-tender candidate in Chicago following a season in which he posted a 6.31 ERA in 111 1/3 innings. The 6'8" right-hander provides Kansas City with some rotation depth. In the four seasons leading up to 2012, he posted a 4.59 ERA with 5.8 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 as a member of the Marlins' rotation.
Volstad earned $2.7MM in 2012 as a first time eligible player and his salary can't be reduced by more than 20% if he's tendered a contract through the arbitration process. In fact MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects a slight raise to $3MM for Volstad.
At his worst, he served up cookies.
At his best, he didn’t have the stuff to put hitters away.
He’s in line for a RAISE???
Gotta love arbitration.
1 pitch.. a curveball and it has worked less and less since his rookie year.. His curve not work and he can’t spot anything else.. Throws up meatballs and it was kind of comical watching him last year.
3m? Hardly. League minimum, or what a guy would make at minimum who has played 3-4 years? That’s about right and not guaranteed at that.
KC grabbed him with the hopes of he would sign on the cheap, or they will waive him also. Can’t go but so far on a CB that works 70% of the time and nothing else.
Don’t think depth is the right word, more like, abyss.
I love the term “depth” because it usually means interchangable badness. As if a team stacking ten 6.00 plus eras equals one good era.
Thank you, Kansas City!
His agent must be drinking buddies with KC GM.
Or better yet – It doesn’t say much for KC major league scouts
Let’s see, Royals fans… what can Cubs fans tell you about Volstad that’s positive…
How about if I quote Olive Oil?
“He’s… large.”
Tall… good looking… and he’s large!
… and he’s mine!
So glad my Cubs let him get picked up. 3 mil for this guy is waaaaaay to much money, especially after paying most of Zambrano’s contract in the deal.
The shame of it is, moving to KC effectively neutralizes the appeal of Volstad’s best trait: not being Carlos Zambrano. No matter how bad he was this year for the Cubs, I could always get some satisfaction by marveling in how awesome it was that he was NOT Carlos Zambrano.
Something good finally happened for the Cubs in October!
He and Hocheaver in a rotation together would be a lot of fun, especially when combinede with Bruce Chen and Luis Mendoza. Yikes.
It would be good—for batting practice during a game!
What on earth are we (the Royals) thinking? Oh maybe they are trying to make Luke Hochevar a # 4 starter?
but Jim Palmer worked with him, so he has to be good at some point…
right?
Clearly the Royals have no intention of competing.
should have been gone a long time ago
and now for ian stewart
Kansas City is really going to pay this guy $3 million?