SURPRISE, Ariz. Catcher Manny Pi&#xF1;a is heading this weekend to Kansas City to undergo surgery after being diagnosed with torn cartilage in his right knee.</p><p>Pi&#xF1;a, 24, suffered the injury &#x97; specifically, a torn meniscus &#x97; when his cleats caught in the dirt Wednesday as he attempted to shift his body to catch a foul tip in batting practice. He needed to be assisted from the field.</p><p>&#x93;The extent (of the injury),&#x94; Royals manager Ned Yost said, &#x93;they don&#x92;t really know yet. It could be three or four weeks or it could be longer &#x97; depending on where, exactly, the tear is.&#x94;</p><p>Pi&#xF1;a was battling Brayan Pe&#xF1;a for duty as the backup to starting catcher Sal Perez. Pi&#xF1;a spent most of last season at Class AAA Omaha, where he batted .238 in 68 games with a .364 on-base percentage, five homers and 25 RBIs.</p><p>The injury leaves just five catchers on the club&#x92;s big-league camp roster. Yost said Ben Theriot, Ryan Eigsti or both will be summoned from minor-league camp to fill Pi&#xF1;a&#x92;s absence.</p><p><span class="subhead">Mijares in contact</span></p><p>Left-handed reliever Jo&#x9C;e Mijares should now be working his way to camp after finally contacting club officials from his native Venezuela.</p><p>Mijares, 27, missed his third workout Thursday, but Yost said no disciplinary action is planned.</p><p>&#x93;He was out of cell-phone service while taking care of his family issue,&#x94; Yost said. &#x93;When we finally got ahold of him, he told us he&#x92;s been waiting for his passport. Supposedly, it&#x92;s going to get into his hands today, and we&#x92;ll see where we go from there.</p><p>&#x93;There were circumstances (that delayed Mijares&#x92; departure). Let&#x92;s work it out, get him here and get going.&#x94;</p><p>The Royals signed Mijares as a free agent in December to a one-year deal for $925,000. He projects as the bullpen&#x92;s situational lefty reliever.</p><p><span class="subhead">Coleman changes number</span></p><p>There are, as usual, a handful of uniform number changes this spring for the Royals. Most involve a young player moving from a camp number in the past to a legitimate roster number.</p><p>For example, left-handed pitcher Mike Montgomery wore 65 a year ago. This spring, he has No. 22 which, presumably, is what he will get if and when he makes the big-league roster.</p><p>Reliever Louis Coleman is an exception.</p><p>Coleman wore No. 46 last year when promoted April 21 from Class AAA Omaha after wearing No. 77 throughout spring training. This year, he sports No. 31 to honor a former player at Louisiana State, his alma mater.</p><p>Wally Pontiff wore No. 31 as a third baseman while helping the Tigers win the 2000 College World Series. He passed away less than two years later, in his sleep, from a genetic heart abnormality.</p><p>Coleman played with Pontiff&#x92;s brother, Nick, on LSU&#x92;s 2009 champions. The two became close friends, which prompted Coleman to ask the family in the offseason if it would mind him wearing No. 31.</p><p>&#x93;It&#x92;s something I wanted to do,&#x94; he said. &#x93;I also want to join the Forever 31 foundation.&#x94;</p><p>That foundation, which Pontiff&#x92;s parents established in their son&#x92;s name, supports charities and non-profit organizations in Metairie, La., and surrounding communities.</p><p><span class="subhead">Seven TV games</span></p><p>Seven of the Royals&#x92; 32 spring games will be televised in the Kansas City area.</p><p>Fox Sports Kansas City will carry the games on March 30 against the White Sox in Surprise and April 3 at San Diego.</p><p>MLB Network will carry three games live and two on a tape-delay basis. MLB Network will also carry the April 3 game at San Diego on a tape-delay basis, but it won&#x92;t be available in the Kansas City area.</p><p>The five MLB Network games:</p><p>March 14 live vs. the Mariners in Peoria, Ariz.; March 15 tape delay vs. the Dodgers in Glendale, Ariz.; a split-squad game March 22 live vs. the Angels in Tempe, Ariz.; March 28 tape delay vs. the Rangers in Surprise; and March 29 live vs. the Angels in Tempe. </p><p><span class="subhead">Looking back</span></p><p>It was 25 years ago Thursday &#x97; Feb. 23, 1987 &#x97; that Dick Howser resigned as the Royals&#x92; manager at the club&#x92;s then-spring home in Fort Myers, Fla.</p><p>Howser was diagnosed the previous year with brain cancer and would succumb to the disease less than four months later.