The Royals signed infielder Wilson Betemit and catcher Brayan Pena. They did not offer a contract to 28 year old third basemen Josh Fields.

The 29 year old Betemit batted .297 with 13 home runs and 43 RBI in 84 games after getting called up from Triple-A Omaha on May 25. Betemit has a .266 batting average in 600 Major League games since his debut with Atlanta in 2001.

The 28 year old Pena hit .253 average in 60 games while serving as the backup catcher in 2010. The switch-hitter batted .320 with 15 RBI over his final 28 games and was named A.L. Player of the Week for September 6-12.

Fields, who turns 28 this month, missed most of 2010 after undergoing labral surgery on his right hip. He batted .306 (15-for-49) in 13 games after being activated from the 60-day disabled list on September 1. He was acquired from the Chicago White Sox on November 5, 2009 in a trade that sent Mark Teahen to the Southsiders.

Could that prompt a move to keep Alex Gordon in left field and give 22 year Mike Moustakas, a first round draft pick in 2007, the shot at starting at third? Moustakas hit .322 with 36 homers and 124 RBIs between AA and AAA ball last year.