Royals sign LHP Ramirez, RHP Waechter

Dec 11, 2008 - 6:34 PM LAS VEGAS (Ticker) -- The Kansas City Royals added a pair of veteran arms to their staff on Thursday, signing lefthander Horacio Ramirez and righthander Doug Waechter to one-year deals.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Ramirez, 29, made 15 relief appearances with the Royals in 2008 after being signed as a minor league free agent on May 21. He went 1-1 for Kansas City, posting a 2.59 ERA in 24 1/3 innings before being traded to the Chicago White Sox on August 9.

Ramirez is 39-33 with a 4.59 career ERA in 138 appearances, including 104 starts.

The 27-year-old Waechter went 4-2 with a 3.69 ERA in a career-high 48 relief appearances for the Marlins in 2008. He is 18-27 in parts of five seasons with a 5.30 ERA in 108 appearances, including 54 starts.

"Our expectation is that Horacio Ramirez will be a part of our starting rotation in 2009," Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. "Waechter will come in to provide depth to our relief corps."