Apparently the Kansas City Royals were only interested in playing “middle man” in preparation for today’s Rule V Draft at the 2011 Winter Meetings. Yesterday the team traded Yamaico Navarro to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the move created a spot on the 40-man roster. The popular opinion was that the Royals would find someone they like.
Even yesterday Ned Yost told the Star, ""There are a few pitchers and a couple of position players who we like," general manager Dayton Moore said, "but none of them are slam dunks to make our club. I’m not sure where we’re going to have that room to carry a Rule 5 pitcher or position player."
Yet instead the Royals took Cesar Cabral from the Red Sox and traded him to the Yankees for some cash. The 22-year-old Dominican prospect has been up and down as a pitcher in the lower minors since he was 17 for the BoSox.
The Houston Astros had the first pick in the Rule V Draft and took Rhiner Cruz from the Mets.