More items pertaining to the Royals and the AL Central…

• ESPN's Jerry Crasnick also looks at the Royals' high expectations, talking about the team's acquisition of Shields and the heavy emphasis placed on defense. Moore makes it clear to the club's scouts that he wants players with the discipline to focus for nine innings and the ability to continue to prioritize defense even in the midst of slumps at the plate. Shields and manager Ned Yost both spoke about this emphasis. Crasnick also discussed the turnaround of some of the team's young hitters with last year's interim hitting coach and Hall of Famer George Brett.
• Phil Hughes tells Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News that he's enjoying his transition to a new team after a "nightmare" season with the Yankees in 2013. Hughes, who has become fast friends with Twins first baseman Joe Mauer, says he enjoys the laid-back atmosphere. Now sporting a beard, Hughes feels that back pain that cost him most of Spring Training last season likely contributed to his struggles. Minnesota, of course, gambled on Hughes' youth and pedigree by signing him to a three-year, $24MM deal this offseason that was far larger than most had expected for the 27-year-old.
• Chris Iott of MLive.com answered reader questions and offered his take on the chances of Max Scherzer inking an extension prior to Opening Day. Iott pegs the chances of a long-term deal for the 2013 Cy Young winner at about 10 percent, noting that he simply can't envision it realistically happening.
• Also of note from Iott is that the Tigers are fully committed to using Drew Smyly as a starter. Iott writes that the club won't be making any last-minute additions of a veteran starter and expect the left-handed Smyly to be in their rotation for a long time.
• Iott also spoke with manager Brad Ausmus about trade acquisition Robbie Ray. Detroit's new skipper told him that Ray, acquired from the Nationals in the Doug Fister trade, has a deceptive delivery that allows his fastball to play up a couple of miles per hour. Ausmus anticipates Ray getting a lot of foul balls on fastballs up in the zone, believing that hitters will have a tough time keeping up with the pitch.
• The Tigers announced that non-roster invitee Eduardo Sanchez suffered an olecranon stress fracture of his right elbow and will miss an extended period of time. The former Cardinals setup man inked a minor league deal with Detroit in January and was vying for a spot in their bullpen.
• Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that the Indians know Trevor Bauer probably isn't ready for the Majors, which is what prompted their late signing of Aaron Harang to serve as depth. Bauer has altered his delivery somewhat and got mixed results in yesterday's game against the Reds.

Crowe, 30, was selected 14th overall by the Indians in the 2005 draft. The switch-hitter spent the 2013 season with the Astros organization. A .304/.364/.368 batting line in 60 minor league games earned him a shot with the big league club, but Crowe batted just .218/.287/.291 in 181 Major League plate appearances. Though he has 888 Major League innings in center field, he has a -19.3 UZR/150 mark there for his career to go along with a -3 Defensive Runs Saved total. He does have positive defensive marks at each corner outfield position.

Carrera, 26, is also a product of the Indians organization, though he spent a month with the Phillies last season after being claimed on waivers. Cleveland claimed him back from Philadelphia exactly one month after losing the fleet-footed outfielder. Carrera had three hits in 21 big league plate appearances last season and owns a career .251/.306/.339 batting line in 405 Major League plate appearances. He's also stolen 18 bases in 24 tries. Most of his 2013 campaign was spent in Triple-A Columbus, where he has a career line of .275/.340/.365 with 124 stolen bases in 389 games.

Sanchez, 24, made an impressive Major League debut with the Cardinals in 2011, posting a 1.80 ERA with 10.5 K/9 and 4.8 BB/9 in 30 innings of relief. His high walk rate got the best of him, however, as he's walked 18 batters in just 21 1/3 big league innings since (coming between the Cardinals and Cubs). Sanchez spent most of 2013 in the Cubs organization, and although he posted a solid 3.38 ERA in 40 innings at Triple-A, he also averaged 5.2 walks per nine innings.

• The Rangers assigned outfielder Joe Benson outright to Triple-A Round Rock, according to executive vice president of communications John Blake (on Twitter).  Benson was designated for assignment by Texas earlier this week.
• The Cubs sent Eduardo Sanchez outright to their Triple-A affiliate, according to the MLB.com transactions page.  Chicago designated the right-handed reliever for assignment three days ago.  Sanchez, 24, registered a 1.80 ERA with 10.5 K/9 and 4.8 BB/9 in 30 innings for the Cardinals back in 2011 but has struggled to stay healthy in recent years.
• Those situations are resolved, but there are still a whopping 13 players left in DFA limbo, according to the MLBTR DFA Tracker.  Michael Bowden (Cubs), Jordan Brown (Marlins), Edinson Rincon (Royals), Kensuke Tanaka (Giants), Dan Runzler (Giants), Dave Sappelt (Cubs), Hideki Okajima (Athletics), Mauro Gomez (Blue Jays), Daniel Bard (Red Sox), Juan Diaz (Indians), Taylor Teagarden (Orioles), Eric Thames (Orioles), and Tim Fedroff (Indians) are still in flux.

Sanchez, now 24, registered a 1.80 ERA (and notched five saves) in 30 innings for the Cardinals back in 2011. Yet with durability already one of his biggest concerns, a series of injury issues and a poor 2012-13 performance record left Sanchez to be claimed off of waivers by the Cubs earlier this year. Since switching organizations, Sanchez has struggled to a 5.68 ERA in 6 1/3 big league innings while walking as many as he has struck out. Across 40 Triple-A innings this season with Chicago and St. Louis, Sanchez has a 3.38 ERA, but has done so with a troubling strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.9 K/9 versus 5.2 BB/9).

TUESDAY: The Cubs announced that they have designated right-hander Eduardo Sanchez for assignment.  The move will create room for the newest member of the Cubs, Henry Rodriguez.  

Sanchez, 24, was claimed off of waivers from the Cardinals back in May.  In 43 career relief appearances for St. Louis, Sanchez posted a 3.40 ERA with 9.6 K/9 and 5.8 BB/9.  He pitched in six games for the Cubs' Triple-A affiliate this year and allowed eight runs while tallying seven strikeouts and seven walks. 

Sanchez, 24, has a 3.40 ERA, 9.6 K/9, 5.8 BB/9, and 0.60 HR/9 in 45 big league innings spanning 2011-12.  Signed out of Venezuela in '05, the hard-throwing righty spent some time closing for the Cardinals as a rookie in '11, but later landed on the DL for a shoulder strain.  He bounced up and down last year and has missed time this year with a forearm strain, making nine appearances at Triple-A.  Even before his big league debut, Baseball America noted, "durability remains his biggest concern, as his small frame leaves some scouts wondering how his stuff will hold up at the major league level."

• GM John Mozeliak took some criticism for trading Ryan Ludwick last summer, but Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch argues that Mozeliak may deserve some credit given Ludwick's struggles since the deal.  Ludwick has just a .607 OPS in 207 plate appearances as a Padre.
• The Cardinals have spent some extra money on Caribbean scouting and development in recent years, and the first prospect to emerge from the revamped system is Eduardo Sanchez, writes Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  Sanchez made an impressive Major League debut on Wednesday, recording five strikeouts in two innings of relief against Arizona.
• Gordon, Strauss and a roundtable of other Post-Dispatch writers look at how Adrian Gonzalez's extension with the Red Sox may affect Albert Pujols' contract this winter.
• Speaking of Pujols, Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports looked the slugger's recent emergence from an early-season slump.