Royals Avoid Salary Arbitration with Wellemeyer

KANSAS CITY, MO - The Kansas City Royals avoided salary arbitration, agreeing to terms with right-handed pitcher Todd Wellemeyer on a one-year contract for the 2007 season. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. With Wellemeyer's contract, all arbitration-eligible Royals players have been signed. The Royals also signed right-handed pitcher Jason Standridge to a minor league contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training Camp.

Wellemeyer, 28, joined the Royals on June 9, 2006, after being placed on waivers by the Florida Marlins. He went 1-2 with a team-leading 3.63 ERA in 28 relief appearances for Kansas City, allowing just 48 hits in 57.0 innings. His 57.0 innings from June 9 to the end of the season led all Royals relievers as he held opponents to just a .185 (12-65) average with runners in scoring position.

The Louisville, Ky., native was 0-2 with a 5.48 ERA in 18 appearances with the Marlins in 2006 prior to his arrival in Kansas City. He has posted a career 6-7 record and a 5.20 ERA in 103 games, all in relief, for the Cubs (2003-05), Marlins (2006) and Royals (2006).

The 28-year-old Standridge has pitched in the Tampa Bay, Texas and Cincinnati organizations in his professional career, seeing stints at the big league level in each of the past six seasons. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound right-hander split his 2006 season between Cincinnati and Triple-A Louisville. He recorded a 1-1 record with a 4.82 ERA in 21 appearances out of the bullpen for the Reds, allowing just 17 hits and striking out 18 in 18.2 innings.

Standridge, a resident of Springville, Ala., has posted a career 3-8 record with a 5.64 ERA in 76 appearances, including nine starts, at the Major League level. He is 58-61 with a 3.87 ERA in 217 career minor league games, including 171 starts.

For further information please contact Kansas City Royals Media Relations at (816) 921-8000.