Royals sign pair of veterans, eye Farnsworth

Dec 12, 2008 - 1:19 AM LAS VEGAS (Ticker) -- The Kansas City Royals made their pitching staff a priority on Thursday, signing a pair of veterans in lefthander Horacio Ramirez and righthander Doug Waechter while closing in on a deal with righthander Kyle Farnsworth.

Financial terms were not disclosed for Ramirez or Waechter.

Farnsworth, 32, is on the verge of signing a two-year deal worth $9.25 million, according to a report in the Kansas City Star.

One of the hardest-throwing pitchers in baseball, Farnsworth went 2-3 with a 4.48 ERA last season in 61 games for the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers. He just completed a three-year, $17 million pact signed with the Yankees prior to the 2006 campaign.

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."