The Royals have been linked to several free agent middle infielders, most notably shortstop Rafael Furcal, and others via trade speculation since the curtain dropped on the 2008 season.
Furcal balked at the Royals' offer and is returning to the Dodgers. Trade rumors had the Royals talking to the Pirates about shortstop Jack Wilson. Nothing appears to be close there. Free agent Orlando Hudson was another often-mentioned name on the Royals' wish list. With Mark Grudzielanek, who hit .299 last season and .302 in 2007, rejecting the Royals' arbitration offer and opting to try the free agent market, Kansas City has a vacancy at second base.
If no move is made in the next six weeks, the Royals will enter spring training with Mike Aviles at shortstop and Alberto Callaspo at second. If the Royals would have signed Furcal, they likely would have moved Aviles, who hit .325 as a rookie in 102 games, to second base.
Callaspo can hit -- a .305 average in 74 games last season -- but has had off-the-field issues with the Diamondbacks and Royals. He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence last June and was placed on the disabled list a day later for unspecified medical conditions, missing 48 games.
Also, Callaspo has never been an everyday player in the majors.
While Callaspo did not commit an error in 46 games, including 42 starts, at second base last season, his range is considered below average. Aviles' range is considered average for a big-league shortstop, but he made several highlight reels with his glove in 2008.
If both could maintain .300 batting averages, the Royals could overlook any defensive decencies of the two.
"I don't view our middle infield as necessarily a hole for our baseball team," Royals general manager Dayton Moore said.
