--RHP Jario Cuevas, whom the Royals claimed off the waiver wire Oct. 24 from Atlanta, is going back to the Braves. When the Royals put him back on the waiver wire in an attempt to send him to the minors, the Braves claimed the 24-year-old minor-leaguer. The move leaves the Royals with 39 players, one under the maximum, on their big-league roster.
--LHP Tyler Lumsden, who was 3-13 with a 7.21 ERA in 28 games, including 18 starts, in 2008 with Class AAA Omaha, was traded to the Astros for a player to be named or cash. Lumsden, a 2004 sandwich-round pick of the White Sox, and RHP Daniel Cortes were acquired in a July 24, 2006, trade with Chicago for RHP Mike MacDougal. Lumsden had been designated for assignment. --RHP Henry Barrera, who was 0-3 with four saves, a 2.81 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings with Class A Wilmington, was added to the Royals' 40-man roster. Barrera, 23, was a 2004 fifth-round pick.
--RHP Luke Hudson, who has made just one start and lasted two innings in the past two years because of shoulder problems that required surgery, refused an outright assignment to Class AAA Omaha after clearing waivers and opted to become a free agent.
--LHP Gilbert de la Vara was 0-0 with one save and a 6.16 ERA in 12 relief appearances with the Surprise Rafters in the Arizona Fall League. He went a combined 6-3 with four saves and a 3.23 ERA last season with Northwest Arkansas in the Class AA Texas League and Wilmington (Del.) in the Class A Carolina League.
BY THE NUMBERS: .182 -- OF Jose Guillen's batting average with the bases loaded in 2008.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Tyler (Lumsden) still has above-average stuff and we like his abilities. It's just a matter of him putting it all together." -- Royals assistant general manager J.J. Picollo on Lumsden, who was traded to the Astros after a poor season with Class AAA Omaha.
