The Kansas City Royals acquired outfielder Norichika Aoki from Milwaukee to be their leadoff hitter Thursday, which also means the Brewers are likely to shift Ryan Braun to right field. Milwaukee received left-hander Will Smith, who spent most of the past couple seasons shuffling between Kansas City and Triple-A Omaha, and between the bullpen and the starting rotation. Royals general manager Dayton Moore on a conference call that he envisions Aoki batting at the top of the order, just as he did with the Brewers, which would allow Alex Gordon to slide down into an RBI-producing role. Aoki hit .286 with eight homers, 37 RBIs and 20 steals last season. Aoki, who turns 32 next month, also ranked second in the majors with 40 infield hits, and .339 against left-handed pitching, the best average by a left-handed hitter in the big leagues. He struck out just 40 times in 674 plate appearances. "We like his energy, we like his work ethic. Hes a pro," Moore said. "We had a chance to see him a lot in Japan coming up. ... Well see how it plays out." Aoki, who is in the last year of his contract, is due $1.25 million this season. He can also make up to $1,087,500 in performance bonuses based on starts and games played. The Royals already bolstered their rotation this off-season by agreeing to a four-year, $32 million deal with Jason Vargas. Now theyve acquired the leadoff hitter they have long coveted. Moore said hes still working on adding an impact bat, especially in the outfield. Veteran outfielder Carlos Beltran, who began his career with the Royals, spent time in Kansas City earlier this week. Hes reportedly seeking a three-year, $48 million deal. "Theyre far and few," Moore said. "That being said, thats an area were trying to pursue, but let me say this, we definitely feel all our offensive players are still improving. They have not reached their peak performance. Theyre going to continue to get better." By moving Aoki, the Brewers could head into next season with rookie Khris Davis in left field, Gold Glove-winner Carlos Gomez in centre and Braun in right. Braun is expected back after his season-ending, 65-game suspension for violating Major League Baseballs anti-drug agreement. Davis emerged down the stretch last season, filling in for Braun in left by hitting .279 with 11 homers. Brewers general manager Doug Melvin had said in late September there were discussions within the organization about whether to move Braun across the outfield. "The thinking is its a little easier to find left fielders than it is right fielders," Melvin said. "If youre trying to field right field with a platoon situation, then both guys have to be able to throw well. Both guys have to be good defenders." Melvin said hes been watching Smith for a couple years. He called Smith a "24-year-old, big, physical left-hander who we feel can be part of our staff." The Brewers finished last season with five right-handed starters, headlined by Yovani Gallardo and Kyle Lohse, and Smith gives them an option for a left-hander to slot into the rotation. He went 6-9 with a 5.32 ERA in 16 starts two years ago. Smith went 8-10 with a 4.76 ERA in 35 games, including 17 starts, during his time in Kansas City. He was 2-1 with a 3.24 ERA last year, with 43 strikeouts in 33 innings, pitching primarily in relief. Smith said Thursday that while he developed a slider to complement his fastball during relief work, "I am excited to get a shot back in the rotation." And yes, hes preparing to hear a fresh round of jokes from his new team about sharing the same name as the famous Hollywood actor. "I get them all the time," the easygoing Smith said in a conference call. "I think Im just learning to live with it ... Its all good." The Royals deep bullpen ultimately made Smith expendable. "I feel like our team is improved with the signing of Jason Vargas and the trade for Nori," Moore said, "knowing full well were going to have to continue to look for ways to improve if were going to win a world championship. I dont view this move as us being complete." Jordan Crawford Pelicans Jersey . - Regan Smith had the checkered flag in sight at Daytona a year ago and a freight train of cars in his rearview mirror. Anthony Davis Jersey . City has reached new heights under manager Manuel Pellegrini as they transition from big spending/immediate impact to perennial contender. Yaya Toures seeming discontent Tuesday may complicate that, as does the little issue of Financial Fair Play. http://www.shoppelicansonline.com/.Y. -- Kristen Gillman rallied to win the U. ETwaun Moore Pelicans Jersey . Beckham finished 2 for 4, adding a double in the first inning. Chicago has won eight of 12 to get back to .500 (27-27). The White Sox are 6-3 against Cleveland this season after losing 17 of 19 to their American League Central rival in 2013. Mike Aviles went 1 for 2 with a walk and drove in Clevelands run. Nikola Mirotic Jersey . Bryant, who signed a five-year, $34 million contract as a free agent with Cleveland in March, reported symptoms on Monday morning, a team spokesman said.LOS ANGELES -- Coming off a resounding victory over the Lakers in which they posted the largest winning margin in franchise history, the Los Angeles Clippers had to fight to the bitter end against the Atlanta Hawks after squandering an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter. Blake Griffin had 27 points and eight rebounds, Chris Paul added 19 points -- including a go-ahead layup in the final minute -- and the Clippers beat the Hawks 109-108 on Saturday night for their season-high seventh straight win. "In the locker room, I almost felt like we lost the game, because we expect a lot from themselves," Paul said. "But the name of the game is winning. So obviously, were happy we won. But theres a lot of things we need to clean up." The Pacific Division leaders got 13 points and 12 rebounds from DeAndre Jordan, and 17 points from Matt Barnes on the eve of his 34th birthday. The Clippers shot 53.2 per cent from the field, improving to 22-1 when shooting 50 per cent or better. "The Clippers are a really dangerous team," Atlantas Kyle Korver said. "We tried to eliminate their fast-break points, and they had one little stretch in the third quarter and they had a couple of plays that were hurting us with Blake and Chris. But other than that, I think we did a pretty good job." Griffin made 11 of 19 shots while extending his career-best streak of games with 20 or more points to 22. Jamal Crawford had three points in 10 minutes off the bench after missing three games with a left calf strain. DeMarre Carroll scored 19 points in Atlantas 14th loss in 15 games and sixth in a row. The Hawks have gone from four games over .500 to 26-35 during this sudden freefall but are still eighth in the Eastern Conference, 2 1/2 games ahead of Detroit for the final playoff berth. The Clippers had lost seven of the previous nine meetings, including 107-97 defeat in Atlanta on Dec. 4. Barnes missed that game because of a torn retina in his left eye. "The first thing you do is watch the last time you played them, and that was a good basketball team that night," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "They were playing so well at that time, then all of a sudden they just fell on hard times. A lot of that is confidence. When you start losing, you start pressing. Theyve also made a lot of trades and (roster) moves, and I think that affects your team." The Hawks have dropped their last 10 on the road, their longest drought since losing their final 13 in 2006-07. The Hawks were 12 for 28 from 3-point rannge.dddddddddddd It was the 27th time they made at least 10 from behind the arc, tying the club record they set last season. All-Star forward Paul Millsap scored 14 points in his second game back, after missing the previous five with a bruised right knee. Korver was 3 for 3 behind the arc against the team with the leagues best 3-point defence, two games after his NBA-record streak of 127 games with a 3-point basket ended at Portland. Paul began the final quarter on the bench with the Clippers holding an 88-78 advantage. Danny Granger, playing his third game for the club since signing as a free agent, hit a 16-footer and a 20-footer 33 seconds apart and Willie Green added a 3-pointer for a 98-87 lead with 8:41 to play. The Hawks closed to 102-100 with an 11-2 run capped by Korver, who recorded his seventh four-point play of the season and 12th of his career. He also had a four-point play in the previous meeting. Jeff Teagues driving layup tied it at 107 with 1:35 remaining, but Paul responded with a driving layup with 54 seconds to go. The Hawks, whose 19 turnovers were converted into 25 points by the Clippers made a costly one under their own basket with 33 seconds left. But Griffin missed two free throws, giving Atlanta another life. Teague was fouled by Jordan with 1.2 seconds left and after missing the first free throw made the second when he was trying to miss. "I just told Blake in the locker room that I think this is the worst Ive felt about a win this season," Barnes said. "This was just a nasty win, a different kind of win. But at the end of the day, it was a win. We still have a lot to work on. With my game, its more mental that anything -- cut down turnovers and play solid defence." Already playing without injured forwards J.J. Redick and Jared Dudley, the Clippers had to go the final 9:50 of the second quarter without newly acquired forward Glen Davis after Big Baby picked up his first three fouls in a 3:53 span. Davis finished with four points in 13 minutes. NOTES: Rivers played eight seasons with Atlanta and is still the Hawks career assist leader with 3,866. "Its shocking, especially because of the fact that I didnt know I still had it," said Rivers, whose final regular-season game with them was on April 21, 1991. "Mookie Blaylock didnt break that? Then its going to stand forever. Im going to talk to Danny Ferry (the Hawks GM and president of basketball operations) and every time a guy gets close, Im going to request that he get traded." 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