"The Royals traded infielder Yamaico Navarro to Pittsburgh for two minor-league players late Wednesday in a clock-beating move that cleared a roster space before this morning's Rule 5 draft at the Winter Meetings.

"There are a few pitchers and a couple of position players who we like," general manager Dayton Moore said, "but none of them are slam dunks to make our club. I'm not sure where we're going to have that room to carry a Rule 5 pitcher or position player."

Even so, the Royals opted to trade Navarro, who played primarily at Class AAA Omaha after arriving last July 30 with minor-league pitcher Kendal Volz in a trade that sent infielder Mike Aviles to Boston."