Cut Down Day

After last night's loss, the Royals reassigned a plethora of players to the minors.

Will Smith, Nate Adcock and Everett Teaford were all optioned to Omaha, while Yordano Ventura was reassigned to minor league camp (likely to end up in Northwest Arkansas when all is said and done). Your fifth starter spot is now definitely down to Luis Mendoza versus Bruce Chen. Two men enter, one man leaves.

Also reassigned to the minors were Blaine Boyer, Michael Mariot and Brian Sanches (all pitchers). They were joined by catcher Adam Moore (who had some nice moments in camp), outfielder Willy Taveras and infielders Christian Colon, Anthony Seratelli and Brandon Wood. I would assume that all five of those players will end up in Omaha.

So, who is left in the big league camp?

PITCHERS: Bueno, Chen, Coleman, Collins, Crow, Davis, Guthrie, Gutierrez, Herrera, Hochevar, Holland, Joseph, Mendoza, Santana, Shields plus non-roster invitees George Sherrill and Dan Wheeler

CATCHERS: Hayes, Kotteras, Perez

INFIELDERS: Butler, Escobar, Falu, Getz, Giavotella, Hosmer, Johnson, Moustakas, plus non-roster invitees Max Ramirez and Miguel Tejada

OUTFIELDERS: Cain, Dyson, Francoeur, Gordon, Lough, plus non-roster invitees Endy Chavez and Xavier Nady

Beside clarifying the battle for the fifth starter spot, these moves don't give a whole lot of insight into who has the inside shot at making the Opening Day Roster. Right now, the club has just one open bullpen spot with the first six pretty much locked in by Holland, Herrera, Crow, Collins, Hochevar and the Mendoza/Chen loser. J.C. Gutierrez is said to have the inside track simply because he cannot be optioned to the minors.

Backup catcher remains a battler between George Kotteras and Brett Hayes, while the gripping battle for second between Getz and Giavotella remains ongoing (for the third year). The final bench spot would seem to be a decision (not so much a competition) between keeping Miguel Tejada (likely) or David Lough (earned, but unlikely).

Keep in mind, a lot of the players 'reassigned' will continue to show up in your major league box score throughout the spring as the regulars will still be skipping a day here or there and seldom playing full games.