Royals release Quinn

? Outfielder Mark Quinn was placed on unconditional release waivers Tuesday by the Kansas City Royals following a slow spring training start.

“We said coming into spring training there were going to be no gimmes,” manager Tony Pena said. “Somebody would have to earn it. At that point, everybody believed he was not going to help this ballclub. That was the decision.”

Quinn had a $500,000, one-year contract and will receive 30 days’ termination pay, $81,967. After today, players who are placed on release waivers get 45 days’ termination pay.

Quinn, 28, is a former Texas League and Pacific Coast League batting champion. He homered twice in his major league debut on Sept. 14, 1999, just the fourth player in big league history to homer twice in his first game.

But Quinn was limited to 23 games last year after he broke a rib and tore his left hamstring. He injured the hamstring again on March 3 and played in only one ‘B’ game since then, going 0-for-3 Sunday.

In other roster moves, the Royals optioned right-hander Ian Ferguson to Triple-A Omaha, and infielder Alejandro Machado and left-hander Jimmy Gobble to Double-A Wichita.