Berroa demoted after Pena trade

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Angel Berroa, who has suffered a steep decline in his playing skills since winning the 2003 American League Rookie of the Year trophy, was optioned Saturday to Triple-A Omaha.

Manager Buddy Bell said Tony Pena Jr., who was acquired in a trade Friday with the Braves, would be the starting shortstop, a position Berroa had manned the past four seasons.

Berroa has not come close to duplicating his 2003 numbers of a .287 batting average with 92 runs, 28 doubles, 17 home runs, 73 RBIs and 21 stolen bases. In 132 games in 2006, Berroa hit .234 with a .333 slugging percentage and a .259 on-base percentage. He had only 28 extra-base hits and walked just 14 times.

Although Berroa remained in Kansas City during the offseason to work on his agility and hit in the Kauffman Stadium cages, he showed no improvement in Spring Training. He struck out 14 times in 38 at-bats and had no walks. There were also concerns the 29-year-old Berroa had lost some of his range defensively.

Berroa was told of the move in Surprise on Saturday morning and didn't make the trip to Peoria with the rest of the team.

"It's a private matter, but it's not something he was happy about, obviously," Bell said of Berroa's reaction of being sent back to the Minors. "The players have the toughest job of all. No matter how tough it is on us as the decision makers; it is always tougher on the player.

"Angel is going to be a good player again. He is going to figure it out. He's a good kid. He works hard. He has all the ingredients to get better. He knows what he needs to do."

Is there a chance Berroa would return to Kansas City this season?

"I just hope he does great," Bell said. "If he's doing great, we're going to see him with us or with somebody else. If he is doing well, I'd have no problem at all putting him in the lineup again."

The Royals still owe Berroa $8.5 million of an $11 million multi-year contract he signed on May 7, 2004. Berroa is guaranteed $3.25 million for this year and $4.75 million in 2008. There is also a $500,000 buyout in 2009.

Butler's out: Outfielder Billy Butler, the Royals' top pick in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft, was assigned to Minor League camp Saturday, but he certainly left a lasting imprint with his bat.

Butler, who has a .344 average in three Minor League seasons, hit .419 with five doubles, two home runs and 10 RBIs in 31 at-bats.

"There's just not any room for Billy right now," Bell said. "There's nothing about Billy that I don't like. He's a good kid. He gives you an honest day's work every single day. He got better defensively, which he needs to do. He needs to continue to work on that. Offensively, he's a legitimate big-league hitter. He's still got a ways to go, but there are a lot of guys in the big leagues that don't hit like him already."

Bell said he wants Butler, 20, playing the outfield every day with Omaha.

"I'm not a big believer in a young player just coming up to DH," Bell said. "I don't think it teaches them the game the way it needs to be taught. A need will dictate what Billy does."