Sluggerrr Snacks: Gordon and Tejeda avoid arbitration and more

Today the Kansas City Royals agreed to 1-year deals with 3B-Alex Gordon and RHP-Robinson Tejeda.  Both players’ 2010 salary came in way under what I expected which proves that I have no concept when it comes to the arbitration value of players.

Gordon agreed to a 1-year $1.15 million contract, which is well below the range of $2-$3 million that I expected.  RHP-Robinson Tejeda agreed to a 1-year $950,000 contract after I anticipated his 2010 salary would fall between $1.5 and $2 million, so I was closer in my prediction for Robinson than on Alex.  Despite that fact I am more shocked that Tejeda agreed to such a low number.  With his track record, talent, and the 2010 contracts of Bannister and Davies to use as a guideline I firmly believed I was in the ballpark with my estimate.

The Royals signed both players for a total of $2.1 million when I expected the tandem would cost at least $3.5 million.  That’s good news for Kansas City, but bad news for me as I clearly need to go back to the drawing board when coming up with my estimates.  Experience is the best teacher so I’ll be better next year.  At least I hope so.

All that said, I remain steadfast in my belief that the Royals should sign Tejeda to a multi-year deal.

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In other minor team news, LHP-Danny Duffy, OF-David Lough, OF-Derrick Robinson, and 3B-Mike Moustakas were invited to spring training.  Of the four, only Lough has even a remote chance of making the opening day roster.

Yesterday on Ask BA, Jim Callis was asked about the Royals international signees; Cheslor Cuthbert, Noel Arguelles, Paul Carlixte, and Jin-Ho Shin.  He gave an excellent recap of each of the four players so go check it out.

Relive Zack Greinke’s 5th start of 2009 thanks to Lee Warren’s post on Royal Reflections.

On Sunday, Royals Review published an article addressing whether or not Juan Cruz can bounce back in 2010.

Cruz was also the latest Royal to be covered in David Pinto’s Players A to Z series over on Baseball Musings.

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More from Baseball Beginnings:

Report:  Ryan LaMarre, OF, Michigan

Report:  Mike Olt, 3B, Connecticut

Report:  A.J. Vanegas, RHP, Redwood Christian (CA) HS

Video:  Tyler Kuresa, 1B, Oakmont (CA) HS

Video:  Jesse Biddle, LHP, Germantown Friends (PA) HS

Video:  Dex Kjerstad, OF, Canyon Randall (TX) HS

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I know the above is a bit short by my typical standards, but I’ve been fighting a headache all day and am completely exhausted.  As such, tonight is a prime candidate for the mythical early bed time.  Tomorrow I’m hoping to get the 2007 and maybe 2008 editions of the Royals Rotten Decade series up on the site.  It’s both amazing and depressing that it takes me days to gear up and gather motivation just to recap a single season of Royals baseball.

(Wally Fish is the lead blogger for Kings of Kauffman and FanSided’s MLB Director.  Subscribe to his RSS feed and add him on Twitter to follow him daily.)