The Royals announced new contracts Thursday to retain seven minor-league players, including three likely to gain consideration in coming weeks for protection on the club's 40-man roster.</p><p> The seven are left-handed pitchers Andrew Dobies and Edgar Osuna, right-handed pitcher Mario Santiago, catcher Cody Clark, infielders Irving Falu and John Whittleman and outfielder Paolo Orlando.</p><p> Club officials previously indicated Santiago, Falu and Orlando could be added to the 40-man roster prior to the Nov. 19 deadline, which would make them ineligible for selection in the Rule 5 Draft on Dec. 8 at the Winter Meetings in Dallas.</p><p> Santiago, 26, was 8-4 with a 3.70 ERA while splitting time at Class AA Northwest Arkansas and Class AAA Omaha. He appeared in 35 games, including 11 as a starter, and now is pitching for Licey in the Dominican Republic.</p><p> Falu, 28, is a versatile utility player who batted .301 with 21 steals in 111 games at Omaha, while Orlando, 26, had five homers, 51 RBIs and a .268 average in 103 games at Northwest Arkansas and Omaha.</p><p> Dobies, 28, was 1-1 with a 5.89 ERA in 12 relief appearances at Northwest Arkansas after being signed July 22 out of an independent league. Osuna, 24, missed two months because of a shoulder injury before going 6-4 with a 7.89 ERA at Northwest Arkansas.</p><p> Clark, 30, batted .233 with four homers and 13 RBI in 51 games at Omaha, while Whittleman, 24, batted .234 with 20 homers and 68 RBIs in 123 games at Class A Wilmington. Dyson undergoes exam</p><p> Outfielder Jarrod Dyson dodged a potential problem this week after returning to Kansas City to undergo a shoulder examination after crashing into a wall while playing for Caracas in the Venezuelan Winter League.</p><p> &#x93;He's fine,&#x94; general manager Dayton Moore said. &#x93;He suffered a strained right shoulder from a collision with the wall, but it's more of a contusion. There's no tear. No surgical procedure. He just jarred it.&#x94;</p><p> Moore indicated Dyson, 27, is unlikely to return to winter ball. Dyson had a .393 on-base percentage in seven games prior to his injury. </p><p><strong>Soria decision pending</strong></p><p> The Royals have three days after the conclusion of the World Series to notify closer Joakim Soria whether they intend to exercise the $6 million option in his contract for next season.</p><p> The decision is widely viewed as a formality. Club officials say there is no reason not to retain Soria despite a disappointing season in which he finished 5-5 with a career-worst 4.03 ERA and 28 saves in 35 chances.</p><p> Soria, 27, is the club's highest-paid player and is entering the option phase of a multi-year extension - that ranged from three to six years - signed May 17, 2008.</p><p> The first three years were guaranteed at $8.75 million, including a $750,000 buyout for any of the final three years. The value jumps to $6 million in 2012, $8 million in 2013 and $8.75 million in 2014. </p><p><strong>Sacrificing with success</strong></p><p> Chris Getz and Alcides Escobar provided the Royals with two of the American League's most-proficient players at executing sacrifice bunts in statistics released by the Fielding Bible.</p><p> Getz tied with Detroit outfielder Austin Jackson as the American League co-leaders at 93 percent by advancing runners on 14 of 15 sacrifice-bunt attempts. Escobar ranked third at 90 percent in succeeding on 18 of 20 attempts. </p><p><strong>Winter numbers</strong></p><p>Right-hander Nate Adcock allowed five runs and 10 hits in five innings Wednesday for Surprise in a 6-2 loss to Salt River in the Arizona Fall League. Adcock has allowed 10 runs and 15 hits over 8 1/3 innings in his last two starts.</p><p>Outfielder Wil Myers is batting .396 for Surprise after going 12 for 22 in his last four games. He has 10 extra-base hits and 13 RBIs in 14 games.</p><p>Outfielder Lorenzo Cain is batting .212 (seven for 33) through nine games for Magallanes in Venezuela.</p><p>Reliever Kelvin Herrera has yet to allow a run in 3 2/3 innings over three appearances for Escogido in the Dominican Winter League.