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.
Ron Pitts
At his worst, he served up cookies.
At his best, he didn’t have the stuff to put hitters away.
Manfrenjensen
He’s in line for a RAISE???
matthew07
Gotta love arbitration.
User 4245925809
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.
odaboda
Don’t think depth is the right word, more like, abyss.
Dock_Elvis
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.
Raymond Robert Koenig
Thank you, Kansas City!
rockfordone
His agent must be drinking buddies with KC GM.
rockfordone
Or better yet – It doesn’t say much for KC major league scouts
sourbob
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.”
Daniel Wesley
Tall… good looking… and he’s large!
… and he’s mine!
matthew07
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.
sourbob
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.
Dalton Starkey
Something good finally happened for the Cubs in October!
bigpat
He and Hocheaver in a rotation together would be a lot of fun, especially when combinede with Bruce Chen and Luis Mendoza. Yikes.
aemoreira81
It would be good—for batting practice during a game!
Michael Hon
What on earth are we (the Royals) thinking? Oh maybe they are trying to make Luke Hochevar a # 4 starter?
BradyAndersonsSideburns
but Jim Palmer worked with him, so he has to be good at some point…
right?
Cris Altman
Clearly the Royals have no intention of competing.
Ryan SoftballGod Siembal
should have been gone a long time ago
Ryan SoftballGod Siembal
and now for ian stewart
optionn
Kansas City is really going to pay this guy $3 million?