Kansas City shuffled their roster this week in preparation for Mike Sweeney's return. The Royals placed Mike Sweeney on the disabled list July 24th retroactive to July 14th with a lower back and hip strain. While his recovery took time, he appears to have returned from his rehab assignment in full health. Sweeney stole home from the Yankees yesterday in his second day back with the team.

The Royals called up Chan Perry to fill Sweeney's roster spot. Cleveland drafted Perry out of the university of Florida in the 44th round of the 1994 draft. He worked his way through the minors, demonstrating some power potential and a bit of speed but rarely any plate discipline. Perry became a free agent after the 2000 season and signed with the Atlanta last year. In 334 AB at AA Wichita in the Texas League this season, Perry has 107 H, 17 2B, 1 3B, and 11 HR with a 22:37 BB:K and 6/9 SB% for a .320 BA, .359 OBP, and .476 SLG. I presume the organization didn't want to promote Ken Harvey from AAA as an injury replacement who likely wouldn't receive much playing time. However, since they primarily used players already on the roster to cover first base, particularly Raul Ibanez, there was little reason to pull the 29-year-old first baseman out of AA.

Perry appeared in 5 games during which he went 1-for-11 with a strikeout. In one of his few appearances, he made a hurried throw home to try to prevent Minnesota from scoring a game-winning run. His throw struck Corey Koskie, who was running to first base, square in the chest and knocking him down. Koskie suffered a severely bruised chest and missed a few games due to the injury but luckily has recovered. Kansas City demoted Perry when Sweeney rejoined the team on Tuesday. While he may be recalled in September, I have doubts as to whether he'll ever see the majors again after this season.

In addition to activating Sweeney, the Royals promoted Luis Ordaz and sent down Mike Caruso. Although Caruso was in the majors for a month and a half, he only appeared in twelve games. During his limited playing time, he was 2-for-20 with a walk and two strikeouts. He also may return in September, though Kansas City obviously doesn't even have sufficient playing time for all the people currently on their roster.

Ordaz has split the last six seasons between AAA and the majors, demonstrating no noticeable skills at any level. He began the season with the Cubs, signing with the Royals in early July after receiving his release. I can only think that this Tuesday call-up was a birthday present for Ordaz, who turned 27 on Monday, as there's no other reason for him to be in the majors. Unfortunately, he seems likely to receive considerable playing time due to the inane Sunday demotion of Carlos Febles.

Although Febles' plate discipline has suffered since the Royals promoted him directly from AA to the majors in 1998, Febles still possesses significantly more skills than Ordaz. The organization isn't helping the major league team or Febles with this demotion. Kansas City claims they want him to work on his hitting under less pressure, which might not be a bad idea, but why now? The Royals haven't exactly been in a pennant race for the last five months or even the last five years. They'll undoubtedly recall him in September, meaning he'll probably receive two or three weeks to work on making improvements in the minors before returning to warm the bench for the last couple weeks of the year. If the Royals are interested in helping him rediscover his former skills, the team should find him an off-season tutor with knowledge of strike zone judgment and send him to play winter ball.

Kansas City compounded the error of demoting Febles by failing to replace him on the roster for three days. The Royals waited to fill Febles' roster spot until they made the moves with Sweeney, Perry, Ordaz, and Caruso on Tuesday, calling up Kit Pellow to fill the third empty roster spot. Pellow has spent the last four seasons with Kansas City's AAA affiliate. The 28-year-old first baseman possesses moderate power and some speed but dreadful plate discipline, so it's probably good that he shouldn't receive many at-bats.

Kansas City changed pitching coaches in mid-June, firing Al Nipper and promoting AAA pitching coach John Cumberland. Nipper had only been with the team for one season and reportedly was not communicating well with new manager Tony Pena. Prior to this season, Cumberland served for three years as the bullpen coach for the Red Sox. He plans to emphasize the changeup more with the Kansas City pitchers.

The Royals made several changes to their pitching staff over the last month. In mid-July Kansas City sent Cory Bailey to the minors through waivers and promoted Ryan Bukvich to fill his roster spot. Bailey suffered an inexplicable skill loss this season, compiling a 24:31 K:BB in 46 IP with 53 H and 5 HR allowed.

Kansas City drafted Bukvich out of the University of Mississippi in the 11th round of the 2000 draft. The Royals immediately began moving him quickly through the system after he signed in 2000. Bukvich spent time at Spokane in the Short-Season Northwest League, A Charleston, West Virginia in the South Atlantic League, and Wilmington in the A+ Carolina league in his first season of professional ball. Last year the Royals returned him to A+ Wilmington to start the season, jumping him to AA Wichita mid-season. Bukvich began this year in AA before Kansas City promoted him to AAA and eventually the majors. He's pitched exclusively in relief, demonstrating a high level of skill in the minors. However, he likely could have used more time at AAA, as he's developed some control problems in the majors, posting an 11:11 K:BB in 15.2 IP with 15 H and 1 HR allowed. Given additional experience, Bukvich should develop into an effective reliever, though it's too soon to legitimately consider the 24-year-old a closer candidate.

The team also demoted Dan Reichert in mid-July in order to call up Runelvys Hernandez. Reichert's has never possessed particularly strong skills and didn't benefit from a move to the bullpen this season. While the Royals demoted Hernandez only five days later to make room on the roster for Jeff Austin, Kansas City recalled him at the beginning of August, returning Austin to the minors. The Royals signed Hernandez as a nondrafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 1997. After spending three years with Kansas City's affiliate in the Dominican Summer League, the Royals placed Hernandez with A Burlington in the Midwest League last season.

Hernandez began the 2002 season at A+ Wilmington before moving up to AA Wichita and eventually the majors. In 106.1 IP at AA this season, Hernandez compiled an 86:24 K:BB with only 96 H and 3 HR allowed. During his major league time, he has a 21:11 K:BB in 29.2 IP with 27 H and 1 HR allowed over five starts. While I'm concerned that the 24-year-old bypassed AAA, his stats in the minors support his skills, so although he may experience a few bumps, Hernandez should be a productive member of the Royals' rotation for the next several seasons.

In late July Kansas City sent Brad Voyles to the minors in order to make room for the activation of Blake Stein from the DL. Voyles is still experiencing some control difficulties that prevent him from pitching overly effectively in relief. However he possesses excellent dominance so the Royals will continue to give him opportunities to correct his deficiencies. Stein's slowly returning to form after missing two months with a groin pull.

Jeremy Affeldt returned from the disabled list in early August, causing the team to demote Kris Wilson to make room for Affeldt on the roster. Affeldt missed a month and a half with a blister and broken nail, but after pitching for relief over the last couple weeks, the Royals now want to work him back into the rotation.

I really don't understand why Paul Byrd is still with the Royals, particularly if they weren't going to take him up on his offer to sign a discounted extension before he explores free agency this off-season. If he likes Kansas City so much, he'd likely return after the year even if traded, and the Royals are obviously still unsure as to whether they even want him back since they're uninterested in completing a new contract now.

Byrd's continued presence on the team is a daily reminder of Allard Baird's failings as a GM, not that there aren't dozens of such reminders throughout the organization. The Royals have a number of pitchers they'd like to audition as starters before the end of the year and could have used the opening in the rotation. Byrd was likely the top starter on the trade market and probably would have brought Kansas City a nice package of prospects. Supposedly Baird was fixated on acquiring a second base prospect in the trade, further emphasizing his blindness to Febles' potential. Due to their particular demands, the Royals will probably receive no prospects for Byrd when their system could have benefited from whatever talent Byrd acquired.