Tejada, 38, gets another shot at the majors
The Kansas City Royals have added a former American League MVP to the organization.
Infielder Miguel Tejada, a six-time All-Star and the 2002 American League MVP when he hit .308 with 34 home runs and 131 RBI with the Athletics, has signed a minor-league contract with the Royals and will be in camp as a non-roster invitee.
Tejada, who turns 39 in May, has not played in the majors since 2011, when he hit .239 with four home runs and 26 RBI in 91 games with the Giants before being released. He played second, shortstop and third base.
Tejada hit .259 in 36 games last year with Norfolk, the Orioles' Class AAA affiliate, before he requested his release.
Tejada's contract is $1.1 million if he is on the big-league roster, and he can earn another $400,000 in performance bonuses.
"I'm very pleased with this," Tejada told The Associated Press. "I'm going to try to help this team and their younger players. I'm so happy because this is what I was aiming for, a chance to get back to the majors.
"I believe I can be valuable for Kansas City in different facets. They haven't told me what specific role they have in mind for me, but what is important is that I'm healthy and I know that I can help."
Tejada will come to spring training trying to win a job as a utility infielder, plus a bat off the bench. He also could be a candidate for the second base job, which is open.
Tejada, who claims he has lost 15 pounds this offseason, is a career .285 hitter with 304 home runs and 1,282 RBI in 15 seasons with the Oakland A's, Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, San Diego Padres and Giants. He has six seasons of 100 or more RBI, including 150 in 2004 with Baltimore. His last 100-RBI season was 2006.
