by signing reliever Yasuhiko Yabuta to a two-year deal with an option for 2010. Yabuta, from the Nippon Professional Baseball league, was seen as the likely successor to David Riske in a right-handed setup role. Riske left the Royals for a three-year, $13 million contract with the Milwaukee Brewers. Hiroki Kuroda was on the Royals' radar, but several other teams were in pursuit as well, and the Dodgers signed him first. In the Rule 5 draft, the Royals picked up left-handed pitcher Ray Liotta from the Chicago White Sox. Roster moves Kansas City avoided arbitration with all of its players for the 2008 season. C John Buck 1B Ross Gload IF Estéban Germán IF Jason Smith (released) OF Mark Teahen OF Emil Brown (released) LHP Jorge de la Rosa RHP Zack Greinke LHP Jimmy Gobble RHP Brandon Duckworth RHP Román Colón RHP Luke Hudson (x) = club option for 2008 (m) = mutual option for 2008 (y) = player option for 2008 Color Code Key Trades December 15—Traded RHP Billy Buckner to the Arizona Diamondbacks for IF Alberto Callaspo. Return of the Powder Blues After a lengthy absence, the Royals' powder blue uniforms returned in 2008. The new powder blue jerseys were unveiled to season-ticket holders on December 6, 2007, at a private event in downtown Kansas City. Royals players John Buck, Mark Teahen, Alex Gordon, José Guillén and David DeJesus and manager Trey Hillman modeled the new power blue tops and white pants, which will be an alternate home jersey in 2008. The Royals previously wore powder-blue uniforms in away games from 1973 to 1991. The Royals debuted the jerseys on April 12 against the Minnesota Twins. The first 20,000 fans for the game received a replica powder blue No. 16 Billy Butler jersey. With that promotion, the game was a sellout. Manager Trey Hillman and seven players—Brian Bannister, Gil Meche, Joey Gathright, Tony Peña Jr., John Bale, Zack Greinke and Butler—helped hand out the free jerseys when the gates opened at 4 p.m. All 20,000 powder blue tops were handed out within 40 minutes after the gates opened. Regular season Suspensions Outfielder José Guillén was to be suspended for 15 days (12 games) for violation of Major League Baseball's Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Kansas City signed Guillén knowing that he might have been suspended. Guillén was cited in the Mitchell Report when it was released on December