Kansas City Royals: The Royals signed third baseman Chris Truby to a one-year contract. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Truby, 30, spent last season with the Pirates' Triple-A affiliate at Nashville, where he batted .300 with 25 homers and 83 RBI in 130 games.
Mark Teahen, acquired in the deal that sent Carlos Beltran to Houston last season, is the Royals' third baseman of the future. Joe Randa, who was the club's every day third baseman last season,
is not expected to return in 2005.
Truby has played in 263 games in the major leagues with Houston,
Montreal, Detroit and Tampa Bay. He has a .231 career average
with 23 homers and 107 RBI.
Cincinnati Reds: Left-hander Jeriome Robertson, right-hander Josh Hall and outfielder Kenny Kelly agreed Thursday to minor-league contracts.
Robertson, 27, made eight relief appearances last season for Cleveland, was traded to Montreal and spent the rest of his season at Class AAA. Kelly, 25, played for the Reds in Class AA and AAA.
Hall, 23, spent last season on the disabled list while recovering from two operations on his right shoulder. He was removed from the major-league 40-man roster last week and will continue his rehabilitation in the minors.