So it came with little fanfare when Kila Ka’aihue was designated for assignment by Kansas City on Wednesday, creating the 40-man roster spot used to bring Kelvin Herrera to the majors.

A slugging first baseman known for his extraordinary patience at the plate on his way up to the majors, he needed a different kind of patience when — before the 2009 season — Kansas City traded for first baseman Mike Jacobs (giving away current Florida closer Leo Nunez in the process), even though Ka’aihue had demonstrated he was ready to at least get a chance after hitting a combined .314 with 37 homers and 100 RBIs between Class AA Northwest Arkansas (mostly) and Class AAA Omaha (33 games) in 2008. He had finished that season in the big leagues, though he got only 24 plate appearances.

Ka’aihue tried to say the right things about how he felt in 2009, but he later admitted that he struggled mentally to overcome being blocked. He hit just .252 with 17 homers and 57 RBIs for Omaha (though he did draw 102 walks), and didn’t even get a season-ending callup.

Back in a better frame of mind, his 2010 was very good: .314 average (eighth in the PCL), 24 homers, 78 RBIs in 94 games, and a .468 on-base percentage. He got his promotion, got 206 big-league plate appearances and after an extremely slow start wound up at .217 with eight homers and 25 RBIs in 52 games. He was the opening-day starter this year, got all of 96 plate appearances, hit .195 and made way for Eric Hosmer.

This isn’t to suggest that moving Hosmer past Ka’aihue at that time wasn’t the right move. But the window of opportunity for Ka’aihue was 302 plate appearances, about a half-season’s worth spread over two seasons. He came back to Omaha and decided to try a different approach at the plate, swinging more often and walking less. He hit .272 with 11 homers and 65 RBIs in 95 games. He still walked some, but his on-base percentage was only .379 (low for him). More significantly, his slugging percentage was .433, the exact same number as 2009, his summer of discontent. He just didn’t seem the same.

Ka’aihue will get a chance, with another organization, in spring training next season. He’ll turn 28 a couple of weeks before opening day. He’s still got a chance to establish himself as a solid power threat at the major-league level, even if it’s as a late-game pinch-hitter. Pinch-hitters, though, are known for their ability to come in and deliver clutch hits — not draw walks. Ka’aihue is at his best when he is using the strike zone to his advantage, laying off borderline pitches and crushing mistakes. His old style is one that takes time to appreciate — day after day of always being on base. It takes more than a month or two. I’d be curious to see, given three months in the lineup every day, if he could become a solid every day regular.

It’s going to take patience, both from Ka’aihue and the team that gives him a chance.