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Royals sign SS Alcides Escobar to multi-year deal

The Kansas City Royals announced Thursday the club has reached an agreement on a multi-year contract with shortstop Alcides Escobar.  The contract includes four guaranteed years through the 2015 season, then club options for each of the following two seasons: 2016 and 2017.  Consistent with club policy, financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The 25-year-old Escobar spent his first season with the Royals in 2011 after being acquired in a six-player trade with the Milwaukee Brewers on December 19, 2010.  The defensive standout tied for the Major League lead with 158 games at shortstop while pacing baseball with 459 assists, 745 total chances and 271 putouts.

The 6-foot-1, 193-pounder batted .254 with 21 doubles, eight triples, four home runs, 46 RBI and 69 runs scored.  In addition, he stole a career-best 26 bases, becoming one of four shortstops in Royals history to steal 20 or more bases in a season (Freddie Patek, U.L. Washington and Angel Berroa). After a slow start, Escobar hit .286 from June 7 through the remainder of the season, including batting .324 in the month of September.

— Royals Media Relations —

Royals’ Perez needs surgery on injured knee

The Kansas City Royals announced that an MRI examination on Wednesday revealed that catcher Salvador Perez suffered a left lateral meniscus tear that will require a surgical procedure.  The procedure will take place in the next few days at a location still being determined.

Perez, 21, suffered the injury while warming up pitcher Jonathan Sanchez prior to the game against Cincinnati in Surprise on Wednesday.  Perez felt some discomfort in the knee but attempted to play and made it through the first inning before needing to come out of the game.  He immediately underwent a magnetic resonance imaging at a local hospital and the extent of the injury was confirmed late last night.

No timetable is available for Perez’s return until the medical team performing the procedure has an opportunity to get into the affected area and determine the severity of the meniscus tear.

— Royals Media Relations —

Royals to make several roster moves

The Kansas City Royals will officially make 11 roster moves in Major League Spring Training camp Friday.  Following the moves, the Royals will have 46 players in Major League camp.

Eight players will be returned to minor league camp: right-handed pitcher Jake Odorizzi; left-handed pitchers Chris Dwyer, Mike Montgomery, Brandon Sisk and Will Smith; catcher Julio Rodriguez; and outfielders Wil Myers and Paulo Orlando.

In addition, right-handed pitcher Nate Adcock and left-handed pitcher Ryan Verdugo will be optioned to Triple-A Omaha while left-handed pitcher Noel Arguelles will be optioned to Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

— Royals Media Relations —

Royals’ single-game tickets go on sale March 3

Single-game tickets for the Kansas City Royals 2012 season, including a limited number of Opening Day tickets, will go on sale on Saturday, March 3 at 10 a.m.  Tickets will be available online at www.royals.com, by phone at 1-800-6ROYALS, at the Kauffman Stadium Box Office and at metro-area Hy-Vee stores. Please note that Opening Day tickets will not be available at the Hy-Vee stores.

Fans who choose not to use the club’s convenient online and phone ticketing options and plan to purchase tickets at Kauffman Stadium on March 3 instead must enter the Truman Sports Complex through Gate 1, located off of Blue Ridge Cutoff on the east side of the complex, the Bus Exit/Premium Entrance, off of Stadium Drive on the west side, or the Gate 5 Truck Lane off Raytown Road.  All other gates will be closed to fan traffic.  Fans should park in Lot M or Lot J and enter through Gate B.  Overnight camping will not be permitted.  The complex will open at 7 a.m. on March 3.

The Royals will implement a random drawing procedure for purchasing tickets at Kauffman Stadium on March 3.  Fans wishing to take part in the random drawing must obtain a wristband at the Gate C lobby on Thursday, March 1 (noon to 6 p.m.) or Friday, March 2 (noon to 9 p.m.) or at Gate C on Saturday, March 3 (7-9 a.m.).  There is no advantage to collecting a wristband early within this time frame.  On March 3, any fan that does not have a wristband will be in a second line behind the fans with wristbands.  The drawing to determine line order will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday and tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m.  Fans taking part in the random drawing will be able to purchase up to four Opening Day seats, while supplies last.

To mark the March 3 on-sale date, the Royals are inviting fans to Kauffman Stadium for an Open House from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Fans will have the opportunity to view available season ticket locations, purchase 2012 Sluggerrr’s Blue Crew Kids Club packages, and enjoy complimentary coffee and donuts in the Diamond Club Lounge.  All guests will have a chance to enter into a raffle for a Bruce Chen autographed jersey, and fans purchasing a season ticket package during the event will receive a free gift.  In addition, the Royals Majestic Team Store will open for fans at 9 a.m. on Saturday and remain open until 2 p.m.

For more information, please visit www.royals.com/openhouse.

On Saturday, March 3, the Kauffman Stadium Box Office will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or fans may place their orders by phone from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.  The Box Office will also be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 4.  Also beginning March 4, phone operators will be available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.

The Royals will continue its variable pricing structure for all single-game sales with an adjustment for 2012, as games will be categorized as a premier, select or value game.  In addition, the club will join a number of other MLB clubs and implement dynamic pricing, a practice that is becoming standard across sports and entertainment industries, for a select number of games in 2012.

Working with Qcue, the industry leader in dynamic pricing software, the Royals will establish ticket prices for the selected games and adjust them on a game-by-game basis based on a variety of market conditions such as team performance, opponent, pitching matchup, weather and day of the week.

Among the goals of dynamic pricing is broadening the ticket-buying fan base, rewarding fans for purchasing tickets earlier in the season and protecting the value of season tickets.  Please note that the dynamic pricing structure affects the sale of select individual game tickets only and does not affect the sale of season tickets.  Through the system, the Royals ensure that single-game ticket prices for the select games will never be lower than the price offered to Season Ticket Holders.  Season Ticket Holders will continue to pay a set price for their tickets, which provides substantial savings over individual game ticket prices.

— Royals Media Relations —

Royals agree to terms with Escobar and Giavotella

The Kansas City Royals have announced that the club has agreed to terms on 2012 Major League contracts with infielders Alcides Escobar and Johnny Giavotella.  Consistent with club policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

The Royals now have three unsigned players on the 40-man roster with zero to three years of service time: right-handed pitcher Vin Mazzaro; left-handed pitcher Danny Duffy and catcher Salvador Perez.

The Royals first full squad workout for the 2012 campaign will take place tomorrow afternoon in Surprise, Ariz.  The Spring Training opener is on Sunday, March 4 against the Texas Rangers at 1:05 p.m. CT.

— Royals Media Relations —

Royals sign Cain, Hosmer, Mendoza & Moustakas to one-year deals

The Kansas City Royals have announced that the club has agreed to terms on 2012 Major League contracts with right-handed pitcher Luis Mendoza, infielders Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas, and outfielder Lorenzo Cain.  Consistent with club policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

The Royals now have seven unsigned players on the 40-man roster with zero to three years of service time: right-handed pitchers Louis Coleman, Greg Holland and Vin Mazzaro; left-handed pitcher Danny Duffy; catcher Salvador Perez; and infielders Alcides Escobar and Johnny Giavotella.

Pitchers and catchers will report to Surprise, Ariz., next Monday, February 20.  Workouts for pitchers begin the following afternoon, Tuesday, February 21.  The remainder of the squad will report next Friday, February 24 and begin workouts for the 2012 campaign on Saturday afternoon, February 25.

— Royals Media Relations —

Royals sign LHP Tim Collins to one-year contract

The Kansas City Royals have announced that the club has agreed to terms on a 2012 Major League contract with left-handed pitcher Tim Collins.  Consistent with club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

The 22-year-old Collins made 68 appearances for the Royals in 2011, his rookie campaign.  The lefty was 4-4 with a 3.63 ERA, striking out 60 and walking 48 in 67.0 innings.  Collins was acquired by the Royals from the Atlanta Braves on July 31, 2010.

The Royals now have 11 unsigned players on the 40-man roster with zero to three years of service time: right-handed pitchers Louis Coleman, Greg Holland, Vin Mazzaro and Luis Mendoza; left-handed pitcher Danny Duffy; catcher Salvador Perez; infielders Alcides Escobar, Johnny Giavotella, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas; and outfielder Lorenzo Cain.

Pitchers and catchers will report to Surprise, Ariz., on Monday, February 20.  Workouts for pitchers begin the following afternoon, Tuesday, February 21.  The remainder of the squad will report on Friday, February 24 and begin workouts for the 2012 campaign on Saturday afternoon, February 25.

— Royals Media Relations —

Royals exercise contract option on Yost for 2013

The Kansas City Royals announced Tuesday that the club has exercised the 2013 option year with manager Ned Yost.  Consistent with club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Yost was named the 16th full-time manager in Royals history on May 13, 2010.  He then signed a two-year extension through 2012 with an option for 2013 on July 31, 2010.

The Royals have accumulated a 126-163 (.436) record since he took over the club.  He is 583-665 (.467) in an eight-year managerial career with Milwaukee (2003-08) and the Royals.

— Royals Media Relations —

Royals and Fox Sports KC annouce schedule and broadcast team

The Kansas City Royals and FOX Sports Kansas City Friday announced a 142-game television schedule for the 2012 season, featuring two exhibition games and 140 regular season games.

The Royals and FOX Sports Kansas City are entering the fifth season of a long-term agreement in which FOX Sports Kansas City is the exclusive television home of Royals baseball.  The 140-game regular season television schedule features 66 road games and 74 from Kauffman Stadium.  Every game on FOX Sports Kansas City will be preceded by a 30-minute pre-game show, “Hy-Vee Royals Live,” and followed by the “Boulevard Royals Live” post-game show.  All 140 regular season telecasts will be presented in High Definition.

In the booth, Ryan Lefebvre returns for his fifth season as the play-by-play voice of the Royals on FOX Sports Kansas City and he will be joined in 2012 by former major leaguer Rex Hudler as the analyst.  Also joining the Royals’ broadcast booth this year is play-by-play announcer and Kansas State University alum, Steve Physioc.  Both Physioc and Hudler worked together in the television booth of the Angels for 11 seasons.  Lefebvre and Physioc have each agreed to multi-year contracts, with Ryan slated for 90 regular season telecasts while Steve provides the call on 50 games.

“During the winter months, Ryan relayed to us a desire to expand his responsibilities and have a larger presence in the radio booth, thus bringing in a strong veteran announcer like Steve Physioc enabled us to give Ryan that flexibility,” said Mike Swanson, Royals Vice President of Communications and Broadcasting.  “The addition of Steve brings a familiar voice back home to the Midwest and affords us the luxury of having both he and Ryan on radio and television throughout the season.  As for the addition of Rex, he was a ‘run through a wall’ type of player and brings that same high-energy style to the broadcast booth.  His enthusiasm for the game of baseball is infectious and it translates very well on the air.”

“This is a great day for our broadcast team,” said Lefebvre.  “For me professionally, I get to work with two of the most enthusiastic and respected men in our business, and personally, I’m grateful the Royals have allowed me to return to the Royals radio booth in a larger role.”

FOX Sports Kansas City’s coverage of Royals baseball kicks off with a Spring Training telecast from Surprise, Ariz., on Friday, March 30, when the Royals host the Chicago White Sox at 8:05 p.m. (CDT).  A second exhibition game will be broadcast on Tuesday, April 3, when Kansas City visits the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park in a 9:05 p.m. (CDT) start.

FSKC will air Kansas City’s Opening Day contest on April 6 at the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

— Royals Media Relations —

Kansas City signs 12 players to one-year contracts for 2012

The Kansas City Royals have announced that the club has agreed to terms on 2012 Major League contracts with right-handed pitchers Nate Adcock, Kelvin Herrera, Jeremy Jeffress, Sean O’Sullivan and Blake Wood; left-handed pitchers Everett Teaford and Ryan Verdugo; catcher Manuel Pina; first baseman Clint Robinson; and outfielders Jarrod Dyson, David Lough and Derrick Robinson.  Consistent with club policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

The Royals now have 12 unsigned players on the 40-man roster with zero to three years of service time: right-handed pitchers Louis Coleman, Greg Holland, Vin Mazzaro and Luis Mendoza; left-handed pitchers Tim Collins and Danny Duffy; catcher Salvador Perez; infielders Alcides Escobar, Johnny Giavotella, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas; and outfielder Lorenzo Cain.

Pitchers and catchers will report to Surprise, Ariz., on Monday, February 20.  Workouts for pitchers begin the following afternoon, Tuesday, February 21.  The remainder of the squad will report on Friday, February 24 and begin workouts for the 2012 campaign on Saturday afternoon, February 25.

— Royals Media Relations —

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