--LHP Jimmy Gobble ($1.35 million), C John Buck ($2.9 million) and RHP Joel Peralta ($640,000) agreed to one-year deals with the Royals, avoiding arbitration.
1B Mike Jacobs, who hit 32 home runs in 2008 for the Marlins and was acquired in an offseason trade by the Royals, and RHP Zack Greinke, who went 13-10 with a 3.47 ERA in 32 starts, are among four Royals who exchanged arbitration figures with the team on Jan. 15. Other others are RHP Brian Bannister and OF/INF Mark Teahen. --Manager Trey Hillman has invited his infielders to a Jan 19-21 gathering at his ranch in Liberty Hills, Texas, where he has a big-league size artificial-turf infield on three acres. The three-day pre-spring training session is being held on a volunteer basis. Those who accepted invitations are SS Mike Aviles, 2B Willie Bloomquist, 3B Alex Gordon, 1B Mike Jacobs, 1B Ryan Shealy, 1B-3B-OF Mark Teahen, 1B-DH Billy Butler and 1B-OF Ross Gload.
--OF Derrick Robinson, who batted .245 and stole a club-record 62 bases for high-A Wilmington (Del.), was invited to spring training as a non-roster player. Robinson, 21, turned down a football scholarship as a defensive back to Florida to sign with the Royals, who drafted him in the fourth round in 2006.
--OF Jose Durate, whom the Royals signed in 2004 out of Venezuela, has been added to the non-roster spring training invitee list. Durate batted .250 and stole 28 bases in 36 attempts for Class AA Northwest Arkansas.
--The Royals invited three non-roster catchers to spring training. They are John Suomi, a minor league Rule 5 pick from the Phillies; Cody Clark, who played for Northwest Arkansas and Class AAA Omaha last season; and Jeff Howell, a 2005 10th-round pick who hit .259 in 85 games with Wilmington.
BY THE NUMBERS: .200, .382 -- Batting averages for left-handed hitters and right-handed hitters against LHP Jimmy Gobble in 2008.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's more for the camaraderie and getting everybody on the same page." -- Royals manager Trey Hillman on inviting the infielders to his ranch in Texas.
