FREE AGENTS: 2B Mark Grudzielanek, RHP Kip Wells.

Grudzielanek has been a terrific pickup for the Royals -- he won a Gold Glove at second base in 2006 and hit .297, .302 and .299 in three years with Kansas City -- but he is 38 and the Royals are in a youth movement, so it is highly unlikely he will return. Wells has been a starter most of his career but was used strictly as a reliever after the Royals signed him. It is doubtful he will be with the club next February.

ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE: RHP Zack Greinke, LHP Jimmy Gobble, RHP Luke Hudson, OF Joey Gathright, C John Buck, C Miguel Olivo, OF-3B Mark Teahen, IF Jason Smith, RHP Brandon Duckworth, RHP Joel Peralta, RHP Brian Bannister, RHP Kyle Davies, IF-OF Esteban German and LHP John Bale.

With 14 players eligible for arbitration, it is a lock the Royals are going to take a major hit in escalating salaries. For sure, the Royals will not go to arbitration with all 14. Some will either be non-tendered or signed before contracts have to be mailed in December. Greinke could break the bank.

IN LIMBO: If the Royals are unable to tie up RHP Zack Greinke to a long-term contract in the offseason, they could trade him for a handful of blue-chip prospects who are close to being ready for the majors. Greinke, 24, is an ace in the making, young and could file for free agency after the 2010 season. The Royals would have to be overwhelmed to deal Greinke, but don't rule it out. OF-3B Mark Teahen and C John Buck could also be moved, as well as LHP Jimmy Gobble and IF-OF Esteban German.

MEDICAL WATCH:

RHP Luke Hochevar went on the disabled list with a right rib cage contusion on Aug. 20 and did not pitch the rest of the season. The Royals will be monitoring his progress throughout the winter as he returns to throwing off the mound. If healthy, Hochevar, the first overall pick in the 2006 draft, could earn a spot at the back end of the rotation in spring training.

1B Ryan Shealy did not finish the final game because of hamstring tightness. Since Shealy has a history of hamstring injuries, the Royals will be watching carefully how he strengthens his hamstring in the offseason to prevent further injuries.

RHP Luke Hudson missed the entire season while rehabbing from 2007 shoulder surgery. He will likely be a non-roster invitee in spring training next year.

Player Stats

HITTERS

Mike Aviles, SS

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .500 4 0 2 1 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .367 30 4 11 2 0 2 5 1

Season .325 419 68 136 27 4 10 51 8

Brian Bannister, P

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .250 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

Season .250 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

John Buck, C

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .273 22 3 6 2 0 0 2 0

Season .224 370 48 83 23 1 9 48 0

Billy Butler, 1B

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .381 21 4 8 0 0 1 2 0

Season .275 443 44 122 22 0 11 55 0

Alberto Callaspo, 2B

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .261 23 5 6 2 0 0 0 0

Season .305 213 21 65 8 3 0 16 2

Jose Capellan, P

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .000 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Season .000 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Kyle Davies, P

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .000 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Season .000 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

David DeJesus, LF

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .476 21 5 10 1 1 1 4 0

Season .307 518 70 159 25 7 12 73 11

Jeff Fulchino, P

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Season .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Joey Gathright, CF

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .667 6 1 4 0 0 0 3 0

Season .254 279 41 71 3 1 0 22 21

Esteban German, 2B

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .263 19 4 5 0 0 0 0 0

Season .245 216 30 53 14 3 0 22 7

Ross Gload, 1B

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game 1.000 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .294 17 2 5 3 0 0 2 0

Season .273 388 46 106 18 1 3 37 3

Jimmy Gobble, P

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Season .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Alex Gordon, 3B

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .296 27 4 8 3 0 1 4 2

Season .260 493 72 128 35 1 16 59 9

Zack Greinke, P

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .286 7 0 2 1 0 0 0 0

Season .286 7 0 2 1 0 0 0 0

Mark Grudzielanek, 2B

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .250 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .160 25 2 4 3 0 0 2 0

Season .299 331 36 99 24 0 3 24 2

Jose Guillen, RF

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .179 28 3 5 1 0 0 2 0

Season .264 598 66 158 42 1 20 97 2

Luke Hochevar, P

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .000 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Season .000 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Kila Ka'aihue, 1B

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .214 14 2 3 0 0 1 1 0

Season .286 21 4 6 0 0 1 1 0

Ron Mahay, P

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Season .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Mitch Maier, CF

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .333 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .235 17 1 4 0 1 0 3 0

Season .286 91 9 26 1 1 0 9 0

Gil Meche, P

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .250 4 1 1 0 0 0 1 0

Last 7 Games .250 4 1 1 0 0 0 1 0

Season .250 4 1 1 0 0 0 1 0

Josh Newman, P

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Season .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Leo Nunez, P

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Season .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Miguel Olivo, C

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .500 4 0 2 0 0 0 1 0

Last 7 Games .241 29 3 7 2 0 0 4 1

Season .255 306 29 78 22 0 12 41 7

Brayan Pena, C

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game 1.000 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .375 8 3 3 1 0 0 0 0

Season .286 14 3 4 1 0 0 0 0

Tony Pena Jr., SS

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .273 11 2 3 0 0 0 2 0

Season .169 225 22 38 4 1 1 14 3

Ramon Ramirez, P

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Season .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Carlos Rosa, P

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Season .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Ryan Shealy, 1B

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .292 24 4 7 1 0 1 7 0

Season .301 73 12 22 1 0 7 20 0

Jason Smith, 3B

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .500 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .400 5 4 2 0 0 0 0 0

Season .214 28 6 6 2 0 0 1 0

Joakim Soria, P

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Season .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Mark Teahen, RF

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .250 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .200 30 2 6 2 0 0 1 0

Season .255 572 66 146 31 4 15 59 4

Robinson Tejeda, P

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Season .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Matt Tupman, C

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game 1.000 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games 1.000 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

Season 1.000 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

Kip Wells, P

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .000 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Season .000 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Yasuhiko Yabuta, P

BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB

Last Game .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Season .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

PITCHERS

John Bale, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 0.00 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0

Last 7 Games 0.00 0 0 0 3 3 0 0 0 1 0

Season 4.39 0 3 0 13 26.2 29 13 1 6 14

Brian Bannister, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 0.00 1 0 0 1 6 7 0 0 1 4

Last 7 Games 5.29 2 1 0 3 17 21 10 2 4 7

Season 5.76 9 16 0 32182.2 215 117 29 58 113

Jose Capellan, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 4.50 0 0 0 1 2 3 1 0 0 2

Last 7 Games 4.50 0 0 0 1 2 3 1 0 0 2

Season 4.50 0 0 0 1 2 3 1 0 0 2

Kyle Davies, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 1.50 1 0 0 1 6 4 1 0 2 8

Last 7 Games 1.29 3 0 0 3 21 11 3 1 3 19

Season 4.06 9 7 0 21 113 121 51 10 43 71

Brandon Duckworth, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 1.50 0 1 0 1 6 2 1 0 4 5

Last 7 Games 3.00 1 2 0 3 18 12 6 2 7 10

Season 4.50 3 3 0 7 38 38 19 2 19 20

Jeff Fulchino, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 18.00 0 0 0 1 1 3 2 1 0 1

Last 7 Games 9.00 0 0 0 3 3 5 3 1 2 3

Season 9.00 0 1 0 12 14 21 14 2 8 12

Jimmy Gobble, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 0.00 0 0 0 1 0.1 1 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games 0.00 0 0 0 3 2.1 2 0 0 0 4

Season 8.81 0 2 1 39 31.2 39 31 5 23 27

Zack Greinke, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 0.00 1 0 0 1 7 4 0 0 2 4

Last 7 Games 1.35 3 0 0 3 20 15 3 0 4 16

Season 3.47 13 10 0 32202.1 202 78 21 56 183

Luke Hochevar, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 7.20 0 1 0 1 5 7 4 2 1 4

Last 7 Games 6.11 0 3 0 3 17.2 19 12 2 5 10

Season 5.51 6 12 0 22 129 143 79 12 47 72

Devon Lowery, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 27.00 0 0 0 1 0.2 1 2 0 1 0

Last 7 Games 19.29 0 0 0 3 2.1 6 5 2 1 3

Season 10.38 0 0 0 5 4.1 6 5 2 2 6

Ron Mahay, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 54.00 0 0 0 1 0.1 2 2 0 1 1

Last 7 Games 27.00 0 0 0 3 1.2 6 5 1 2 3

Season 3.48 5 0 0 57 64.2 61 25 6 29 49

Gil Meche, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 1.50 1 0 0 1 6 7 1 0 3 7

Last 7 Games 2.37 3 0 0 3 19 17 5 0 8 18

Season 3.98 14 11 0 34210.1 204 93 19 73 183

Neal Musser, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 0.00 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0

Last 7 Games 0.00 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0

Season 0.00 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0

Josh Newman, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 27.00 0 0 0 1 1 2 3 1 2 1

Last 7 Games 6.00 0 0 0 3 6 5 4 1 6 2

Season 9.35 0 0 0 8 8.2 15 9 3 6 6

Hideo Nomo, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 81.00 0 0 0 1 0.1 3 3 1 0 1

Last 7 Games 18.69 0 0 0 3 4.1 10 9 3 4 3

Season 18.69 0 0 0 3 4.1 10 9 3 4 3

Leo Nunez, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 0.00 0 0 0 1 0.2 1 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games 0.00 0 0 0 3 3.2 3 0 0 0 2

Season 2.98 4 1 0 45 48.1 45 16 2 15 26

Tony Pena Jr., SS

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 0.00 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1

Last 7 Games 0.00 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1

Season 0.00 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1

Joel Peralta, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 0.00 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0

Last 7 Games 0.00 0 0 0 3 2.2 2 0 0 0 2

Season 5.98 1 2 0 40 52.2 56 35 15 14 38

Ramon Ramirez, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 0.00 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0

Last 7 Games 0.00 0 0 0 3 3.2 1 0 0 1 2

Season 2.64 3 2 1 71 71.2 57 21 2 31 70

Carlos Rosa, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 3.86 0 0 0 1 2.1 3 1 0 0 2

Last 7 Games 2.70 0 0 0 2 3.1 3 1 0 0 3

Season 2.70 0 0 0 2 3.1 3 1 0 0 3

Joakim Soria, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 0.00 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 2 0

Last 7 Games 0.00 0 0 3 3 3 1 0 0 3 2

Season 0.00 0 0 0 1 1.2 2 0 0 2 2

Robinson Tejeda, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 5.40 0 0 0 1 1.2 2 1 1 2 1

Last 7 Games 2.25 1 0 0 3 8 4 2 1 5 5

Season 9.00 0 0 0 4 6 5 6 1 5 4

Kip Wells, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 9.00 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0

Last 7 Games 15.43 0 0 0 3 2.1 2 4 1 3 2

Season 5.27 1 2 0 15 27.1 29 16 3 19 22

Yasuhiko Yabuta, P

ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K

Last Game 0.00 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2

Last 7 Games 0.00 0 0 0 3 3.1 0 0 0 0 4

Season 4.78 1 3 0 31 37.2 41 20 6 17 25