Bub Dutton reported this afternoon that the Royals made it rain for Rangers' farm  hand Luis Mendoza.  More after jump.

Mendoza spent all of last year at AAA for Texas, and more notably fills the last spot on the 40-man roster.  Perhaps we now have our starting 3rd baseman on opening day?

 Mendoza's major league stats:

Age: 26  Throws: R

32 Games (mostly in 2008), 14 starts, 80 1/3 innings.  4-8 W/L; 7.73 ERA (59 ERA+); 1 SV; 1.768 WHIP; 1.4 K:BB.

Minor league stats (8 seasons)

167 Games (153 starts), 49-51 W/L; 4.58 ERA; 1.436 WHIP; 1.73 K:BB.

AAA stats (33 games in '08 & '09)

33 Games (26 starts), 8-10 W/L; 4.67 ERA; 1.579 WHIP; 1.67 K:BB.

His best season was probably 2007 in the Texas League:

Mendoza began the 2007 season with the Frisco RoughRiders. He finished the minor league season with the Roughriders going 15-4 with a 3.93 ERA in 26 games (25 starts). He was second in the Texas League with his 15 wins, tenth in the league with a 3.93 ERA, and led the league in complete games (3). He was also a Texas League Mid-Season All-Star and Post-Season All-Star.