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Royals To Sign Brett Tomko

By Steve Adams | March 13, 2014 at 5:33pm CDT

The Royals and right-hander Brett Tomko have agreed to a minor league contract, according to a tweet from Tomko's brother, Scott. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (via Twitter) that Tomko will earn $510K if he makes the big league club. Tomko is represented by Full Circle Sports Management. Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish tweets that Tomko, who was clocked as high as 93 mph in a bullpen session today, is willing to pitch at Triple-A and did not receive any opt-out clauses in his deal.

Tomko hasn't pitched in the Majors since a brief 17 2/3 inning stint with the Rangers in 2011. The former second-round pick has accumulated 1816 innings at the Major League level, pitching to a 4.65 ERA with 6.0 K/9, 2.9 BB/9 and a 42.1 percent ground-ball rate.

MLBTR's own Zach Links talked with the 40-year-old Tomko earlier in the offseason about his comeback bid. Said Tomko at the time: "I'll keep lacing it up until someone rips the uniform off of my back and says 'You're done.'"

The Royals' rotation is crowded with James Shields, Jeremy Guthrie, Jason Vargas and Bruce Chen as locks with Yordano Ventura, Danny Duffy and Wade Davis as candidates for the fifth slot. The bullpen took a blow recently when Luke Hochevar learned that he needs Tommy John surgery, but Kansas City still has plenty of options with Greg Holland, Aaron Crow, Tim Collins, Kelvin Herrera, Louis Coleman, Donnie Joseph and Chris Dwyer all representing options for manager Ned Yost. Whichever two of Ventura, Duffy and Davis do not make the rotation could be slotted into the bullpen as well.

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Brett Tomko Kansas City Royals Transactions

Minor Moves: Nate Robertson, R.J. Seidel
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AL East Notes: Sox, Romero, Gausman, Soriano
28 comments
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Comments

  1. truroyal15Chad Woelk

    7 years ago

    This is ridiculous even if its just a minor league signing. This guy is awful. Sure wish the Glass family was willing to spend more money like Kauffman did. Sigh……….

    Like
    Reply
    • kcmark

      7 years ago

      Royals payroll is about $90M.

      Like
      Reply
      • Red_Line_9

        7 years ago

        Of which a chunk is going to 4 years of a #5 starter basically….they “should” have some more to spend in season. I’ll give them credit… I believe they tried to make a few moves. They QO’d Santana

        Like
        Reply
      • Jeffy25

        7 years ago

        The issue isn’t the payroll amount, it’s the amazement that someone still trusts dm to run a team.

        He is awful at this. He needs to be a scouting director. Horrible allocation of funds, horrible trades, lackluster development program, with so many young stars not reaching their potentials.

        He’s awful, one of the five worst gm’s (along with dipoto, amaro, etc)

        Like
        Reply
        • Red_Line_9

          7 years ago

          He spends money on marginal talent. I don’t hold hold him as responsible for the stalling of talent. These were all players that were highly coveted by other organizations… and I do believe Glass limits him. That said.. he has yet shown he can build a major league roster beyond a ho hum team. My issue is that they haven’t made moves to take a mid 80 win team over the threshold… and I don’t wanna hear about money… kc receives TV revenue and has spent 15years strafing the local tax base and increasing prices. They should be prepared to spend now.

          Like
          Reply
  2. ba9oriole

    7 years ago

    This guys will never retire.

    Like
    Reply
    • John Cate

      7 years ago

      Would you, if you could make half a million dollars for six months of playing a kids’ game?

      Like
      Reply
      • ba9oriole

        7 years ago

        Did I say he should retire?

        Like
        Reply
  3. sourbob

    7 years ago

    Tomko is the current gold standard for Guy Who Isn’t Going To Quit Until You Pry His Glove From His Cold Dead Fingers.

    Like
    Reply
    • WhoKilledTheRallyMonkey

      7 years ago

      Even then I think he’d try and pitch without the glove

      Like
      Reply
  4. WhoKilledTheRallyMonkey

    7 years ago

    Always liked his name but not his pitching.

    Like
    Reply
  5. unclejesse40

    7 years ago

    I would prefer the Royals sign someone with some potential for the AAA rotation, someone like Jair Jurrjens. I know a lot of people that don’t care for him but at least that kind of signing has some potential to work out, this literally has none.

    Like
    Reply
  6. Ruben_Tomorrow

    7 years ago

    What, Brad Penny wasn’t available?

    Like
    Reply
    • bigmike04

      7 years ago

      Brad Penny got cut & wasnt willing to go to minors as he got lit up during spring training..
      Really their nothing wrong with this signing as just dept move that all.. Geesh people need to chill the heck out & quit acting like up tight baby.

      Like
      Reply
      • Ruben_Tomorrow

        7 years ago

        I see my joke went right over your head.

        Like
        Reply
      • stl_cards16

        7 years ago

        He’s the one acting like “up tight baby”?

        Like
        Reply
      • Red_Line_9

        7 years ago

        Because that’s what people do when given a comment forum. I figure it’s good for two things..insightful commentary, and humor.

        Like
        Reply
      • headsupkid01

        7 years ago

        More like smallMike04

        Like
        Reply
  7. Red_Line_9

    7 years ago

    Finally! The #2 starter they need…..for Omaha.

    Like
    Reply
  8. headsupkid01

    7 years ago

    Signed him to do what!? PITCH!?

    Like
    Reply
  9. jimfetterolf

    7 years ago

    Depth and mentoring, the old vet to show the kids how to get through the day, the month, the season. Not an unusual signing. Looks to replace Brad penny.

    Like
    Reply
    • Red_Line_9

      7 years ago

      Mentoring Depth Coach has a nice ring to it. It’s no big deal. He eats innings at AAA and gets to keep wearing a uniform. Often nothing more to a deal like this than a favor basically. It’s a small club.

      Like
      Reply
  10. GeronimoJansenGeronimoJansen

    7 years ago

    Surprised he had a WAR (on baseball-reference) as high as 1.4 as recently(?) as 2009.

    Like
    Reply
    • Colin Christopher

      7 years ago

      As if.

      Like
      Reply
  11. AZDbacksfan1

    7 years ago

    Wait…. Hochevar needs Tommy John surgery? That sucks… He was finally doing well. And if I was a Royals fan I sure as heck wouldn’t want Tomko as a replacement.

    Like
    Reply
    • Koby2

      7 years ago

      Tomko isn’t replacing anybody. He’s minor league depth, nothing more.

      Like
      Reply
  12. Koby2

    7 years ago

    Management already said Wade Davis was going to the bullpen immediately after the Hochevar injury, he’s not going to be the fifth starter. Nice reporting again for the Royals, MLBTR.

    Like
    Reply
  13. Jman1213

    7 years ago

    Just when I think the Royals know what they’re doing, they sign a 40-year-old who hasn’t pitched in three years.

    Like
    Reply

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