As I've been speculating about here at the House, the Royals have optioned Angel Berroa to Triple-A Omaha. The move doesn't come as a surprise to anybody after the Royals traded for Tony Pena Jr. on Friday.
General Manager Dayton Moore wasn't pulling any punches when asked to explain the move, either.
"The decision speaks for itself. We just felt it was in his best interest to do it at this time and in the best interest of the organization."
Berroa will not starve while in Omaha as he's still going to be paid the $8.5 million still remaining on his contract with the Royals. Berroa sensed it was coming after the trade, and was officially informed Saturday afternoon as the team prepared to head to a game against the Mariners.
I'm guessing the scene went like this.
Buddy Bell walks into the clubhouse.
"Everybody who's on this team and is getting on the bus, stand up. Ooh, no, sorry Angel. Sit down."
"I've been working," Berroa said. "That's not the problem. If I wasn't working hard, that would be one thing. They've got me trying to do some different things (as a hitter), and it's taken time to adjust."
Berroa is right, it's not that he hasn't been working hard, it's that the results have just been horrible. As for whether or not Berroa will make it back to KC when he does adjust, there's this little nugget from Buster Olney's blog.
"...it would not be surprising if [Berroa] didn't have a regular job in the big leagues again. Spoke with executives of two teams in recent days and they said the reports they were getting on Berroa were off-the-charts bad."
Quite a fall for a guy who only three seasons ago was winning the AL Rookie of the Year Award.
Previously at the Fanhouse:
I Hope Angel Berroa Has A Day Job
