--The Royals made a futile run at free agent SS Rafael Furcal but dropped out before he returned to the Dodgers. The Royals were hoping to land Furcal and move Mike Aviles to second base.

--LHP Lenny DiNardo, who has pitched in the majors the past five seasons with the Red Sox and Athletics, signed a minor league contract with an invite to spring training. He was 1-2 with a 7.43 ERA in 11 games, including two starts, in 2008 with Oakland. He has a 10-15 record with a 4.93 ERA in 89 career appearances, 29 of them starts, in the majors.

--LHP Heath Phillips, who was named the International League's MVP in 2006 while with Class AAA Charlotte, has signed a minor league contract with the Royals and received a spring training invitation. Phillips split last season between the Yankees' and Rays' Class AAA affiliates.

--OF Tommy Murphy, a switch hitter who spent time in the majors with the Angels in 2006-07, was signed to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Murphy, 29, has a .213 batting average in 68 games in the majors. He hit .286 with 19 stolen bases last season for Class AAA Columbus, a Nationals farm club.

--RHP Oscar Villarreal, who has played in the majors with the Diamondbacks, Braves and Astros, agreed to a minor league contract with the Royals that included an invitation to spring training. He went 1-3 with a 5.02 ERA in 35 relief outings last season with Houston. He has a 24-15 record with a 3.86 ERA in 258 career games in the majors.

BY THE NUMBERS: 23 -- Double plays grounded into by OF Jose Guillen and DH Billy Butler, which led the club last season.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Why would we trade him? We need that guy. We're trying to win, too." -- Royals general manager Dayton Moore on stories circulating he is trying to deal malcontent OF Jose Guillen, who led the club with 20 home runs and 97 RBIs in 2008.