8:17pm: Grudzielanek says he’s almost certain to decline the Royals’ offer. Instead of the maximum salary, he wants to play for a contender. He feels he can play for at least two more seasons. Five or six clubs have already expressed interest.
6:36pm: According to a press release, the Royals offered arbitration to second baseman Mark Grudzielanek. This was a somewhat unexpected move, but perhaps the Royals prefer to stick with the middle infield tandem of Grudz and Mike Aviles for ’09. Grudzielanek seems likely to accept the offer, as he could earn north of $4MM.
