Volstad claimed as Cubs continue to clean house

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The Royals claimed Chris Volstad off waivers on Friday, ending the big hopes the Cubs had when they acquired him last winter.

The big right-hander was claimed off waivers by the Kansas City Royals Friday afternoon.

Volstad, a former first-round pick of the Marlins, came over in the deal that sent Carlos Zambrano to South Beach. The 6-foot-8 starter never put it together with the Cubs, enduring a 24-start winless streak that began late in 2011 with the Marlins and was finally snapped Aug. 26 at Wrigley Field.

Volstad spent time in Triple-A Iowa in 2012 and was in manager Dale Sveum's doghouse for much of the season after failing to stick to the gameplan. In 21 starts for the big-league club, he compiled a 3-12 record with a 6.31 ERA and 1.62 WHIP.

The Cubs made a flurry of other moves Friday, clearing room on the 40-man roster by outrighting four more players -- Joe Mather, Manny Corpas, Justin Germano and Blake Parker -- to Triple-A Iowa.

Corpas elected free agency while Parker was removed from the 60-man roster before being outrighted.

Mather -- dubbed "Super Joe" by manager Dale Sveum in May -- won a utility spot with a strong spring and his versatility helped the 30-year-old journeyman notch 225 at-bats. He struggled at the plate, hitting just .209.256.324 despite a strong start, which included a seven-game stint as the team's No. 3 hitter.

Corpas burst onto the scene in 2007 as the Rockies' closer, saving 19 games with a 2.08 ERA, but his career has been derailed since with ineffectiveness and injury. He missed all of 2011 to Tommy John surgery and the Cubs took a chance on the 29-year-old reliever last winter. Corpas finished the year with a 5.01 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 48 games.

Germano was claimed off waivers mid-season from the Red Sox and was inserted into the starting rotation shortly after, replacing the injured Matt Garza. Germano, a 30-year-old righty, compiled a 2-10 record with a 6.75 ERA and 1.56 WHIP in 13 games for the Cubs, including 12 starts.

These moves come a day after the Cubs outrighted four other players, marking 10 players removed from the 40-man roster in the last couple of days.

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