By Jim Callis
August 25, 2003

With injuries and ineffectiveness riddling a pitching staff that has a 5.15 ERA—the second-worst mark in the American League—the Royals needed help on the mound to get them through a three-team dogfight in the AL Central. They found some on Monday, trading two high Class A minor leaguers (outfielder/first baseman Trey Dyson and righthander Kieran Mattison) plus cash considerations to the Indians for Brian Anderson. The cash considerations are Kansas City's willingness to pay possible incentives in Anderson's one-year, $1.5 million contract.

Anderson, a 31-year-old lefthander, has carved out a respectable if not spectacular career since the Angels drafted him third overall in 1993. He's a finesse pitcher who relies on his changeup and impeccable control, as neither his fastball nor his cutter is an out pitch. Signed as a free agent by the Indians during the offseason, he has gone 9-10 with a career-best 3.71 ERA in 25 games (24 starts). His strikeout-walk ratio (72-32 in 148 innings) and proclivity for surrendering homers (21) are in line with his career performance, and opponents are batting .282 against him. Cleveland has indicated it will pursue him as a free agent again during the offseason, and the fact that he's not Indians property (and won't have to be offered arbitration by them) makes that a much more likely scenario. In 243 career games, Anderson has a 70-68, 4.60 record.

Both Dyson and Mattison signed as nondrafted free agents. Though both are having solid years in Class A, they're also old for that level at 23 and aren't considered top prospects.

Dyson was a DH on South Carolina's 2002 College World Series team and signed after the Gamecocks lost to Texas in the championship game. His bat will have to carry him, and it's doing a decent job thus far. Despite playing in a pitcher's park at high Class A Wilmington, he has hit .275-14-72 with a .364 on-base percentage and .434 slugging percentage in 128 games this year.

Mattison, who played at East Carolina, doesn't have a plus offering but can throw his fastball, curveball and changeup for strikes. In 24 starts between low Class A Burlington and Wilmington, he has gone 11-6, 2.80 with a 118-35 K-BB ratio in 142 innings. Opponents are batting .230 with 15 homers against him.