C LEVELAND | The surest sign yet undergirding the Royals’ belief they stand on the verge of a breakthrough in their youth movement comes not from a resurgent Mike Moustakas or the advanced signal-calling of Salvador Perez.
It stems rather from general manager Dayton Moore’s acknowledgement that he is willing to part with some of the organization’s prized minor-league prospects in the coming offseason to obtain one or more reliable arms for a still-evolving rotation.“We’ll be aggressive in trades,” Moore said. “We’ll try to make a trade or two that helps us. We have to look internally first, but then we have to look at trades. Then, finally, we have to look at free agency. We’ll explore all of those options.”Moore is targeting a go-for-it deal similar to the blockbuster that Cleveland pulled off last month in acquiring Ubaldo Jimenez from Colorado for four minor-league players, including its two top pitching prospects — Alex White and Drew Pomeranz.As for whom the Royals might trade, they still have a considerable stockpile from which to choose. Even after calling up Eric Hosmer, Johnny Giavotella, Danny Duffy and Moustakas this season, the Royals still have six minor-leaguers who were chosen to Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects list.“We have a minor-league system that’s ranked pretty good,” Moore said. “So we’ll see what’s out there. We’re a pitcher or two away.”Bolstering the rotation looms as the Royals’ primary offseason goal after infusing their lineup and bullpen with a deep collection of rookies. The regular starting unit contains four rookies and no player older than 27. The eight-man relief corps has six rookies. “I like where we are right now,” manager Ned Yost said. “We’ve made great strides in bringing along our young position players and our bullpen guys. We’re not there in the rotation, but we will be.” That rotation, club officials believe, doesn’t require a complete overhaul to position the Royals for sharp improvement a year from now. Right-handers Luke Hochevar and Felipe Paulino, along with left-hander Duffy, have each flashed encouraging signs.“Hoch has gotten better,” Yost said. “I think Duffy has gotten great experience. Paulino is finally getting an opportunity, and we see what he can be. He’s not there yet, but we think there’s still plenty of upside left.”The missing element is a top-of-the-rotation hammer or, at minimum, at least one No. 2-quality guy capable of shutting down the league’s top clubs on a regular basis. Getting both, the Royals believe, holds the key to a rapid rise in the standings.The question is how?The looming free-agent market is thin and likely to be ruinously expensive. Texas left-hander C.J. Wilson and Cardinals right-hander Edwin Jackson might be the biggest names available unless CC Sabathia opts out of his Yankees’ contract.Speculation is already rising that Wilson, a 30-year-old who is 28-13 over the last two seasons, could command a multiyear deal that approaches $100 million. Even if that is overly optimistic, such talk points to the nature of the market.“It will be tough to find anything you can afford,” Yost said. “We have to develop our own pitching just like we’ve developed the rest of our club. That’s the process.”There is no shortage of internal candidates.“We feel we have some pitchers who could come rather quickly,” Moore said. “But we also realize some of those young pitchers may need a little more time. So we have to put together our rotation to give us as much depth as possible for next year.“We don’t want to have to rush any kids.”Those internal options start with left-hander Mike Montgomery, a power pitcher who glistens with top-of-the-rotation potential. The Royals plan to provide him with every opportunity next spring to break camp with the big-league club.But Montgomery, at 22, is no sure thing, particularly in terms of providing an immediate boost. He is currently laboring through an erratic season at Class AAA Omaha, although he continues to flash plus stuff.“He’ll be fine,” Moore said. “You’ve got to remember he’s being asked to do certain things on certain nights from a developmental standpoint that potentially hurts the short-term end result.“We all recognize he has to throw more strikes. At times, he has. It’s been a great learning year for Michael Montgomery, and it’s going to put him in a position to be successful in the major leagues.”The club’s other top prospects are either further away in their time-line projection or still battling health issues. Chris Dwyer, Jake Odorizzi and Will Smith are at Class AA Northwest Arkansas. While all three appear likely to get invites next spring to the big-league camp, all will be behind Montgomery in the pecking order.Lefty John Lamb entered the season viewed by some scouts as a better prospect than Montgomery but underwent Tommy John surgery in June and isn’t likely to return to full duty until late next year.Cuban defector Noel Arguelles, who signed a five-year deal in January 2010 for $6.9 million, worked only 104 innings this season at Class A Wilmington after missing last year because of shoulder problems.Three rookie relievers should figure in the mix: left-hander Everett Teaford and right-handers Aaron Crow and Nate Adcock. The most intriguing is Crow, a first-round pick in 2009 who shifted this season to the bullpen and emerged as the club’s lone All-Star selection.“He’s got the stuff,” one club official said, “but I wonder about moving him back to the rotation. There’s a lot of moving parts in that delivery, which makes it hard to keep together when you’re pitching more than one or two innings.”Teaford spent most of his five previous pro seasons as a starter in the minors. Adcock is a Rule 5 acquisition who is likely to open next year in the minors, although he could force a reevaluation by performing well in spring training.“The guys we run out there all have good enough stuff to be very successful,” Moore said. “It goes back to the same thing I said before: If they’re healthy, if they have talent, if they’re going out there every fifth day, they’re going to keep getting better.”The Royals show some interest in retaining veteran lefty Bruce Chen — and might even be willing to consider a two-year deal, although they are unlikely to invest major dollars for a pitcher generally viewed as a fourth or fifth starter on a contending team.“Bruce has so much pitchability,” pitching coach Bob McClure said, “but people tend to overlook him. He’s a student, he’s left-handed and he’s getting better.”The bottom line is the Royals have at least one and probably two spots to fill prior to next season. Internal auditions should begin next month and center on three of Montgomery’s Omaha teammates: Vin Mazzaro, Sean O’Sullivan and Luis Mendoza.“The problem,” another club official said, “is those guys are all back-of-the-rotation guys. What we need, if we’re going to win a championship, is somebody who can match up with (Justin) Verlander and Sabathia and (Josh) Beckett.”So the Royals will explore trade possibilities and try to hook their own impact starter. “It’ll be an area of focus for us in the offseason,” Moore said. “I think our team is closer (to success) than a lot of people think.”
Likely to return
Luke Hochevar, Felipe Paulino and rookie Danny Duffy. None is as yet a finished product, but each showed sufficient growth in the second half to hold onto a job. The question is whether any can front a rotation for a contender.Available-now options
Vin Mazzaro should get a look next month, and the Royals would like to find space for Sean O’Sullivan and Luis Mendoza. Three current relievers — Aaron Crow, Everett Teaford and Nate Adcock — project as spring candidates to become starters.Farm options
Lefty Mike Montgomery possesses electric stuff and could be the answer to the search for a legitimate No. 1 starter — if he finds the consistency that has eluded him this season at Class AAA Omaha. Club officials believe Jake Odorizzi could come quickly. Chris Dwyer and Will Smith also will be in the spring mix.Outside help
This is where it gets interesting because general manager Dayton Moore says he’s willing to swap top prospects for an impact starter. The Royals don’t figure to make a splash on the free-agent market, although they will explore the cost of retaining Bruce Chen. List of free-agent starters who could help | C5Indians 8, Royals 7
Reliever Louis Coleman gave up a three-run homer and the lead in the bottom of the eighth. | C4•Today: KC at Cleveland, 12:05•TV/radio: FSKC; KCSP (610 AM)
Luke Hochevar, Felipe Paulino and rookie Danny Duffy. None is as yet a finished product, but each showed sufficient growth in the second half to hold onto a job. The question is whether any can front a rotation for a contender.Available-now options
Vin Mazzaro should get a look next month, and the Royals would like to find space for Sean O’Sullivan and Luis Mendoza. Three current relievers — Aaron Crow, Everett Teaford and Nate Adcock — project as spring candidates to become starters.Farm options
Lefty Mike Montgomery possesses electric stuff and could be the answer to the search for a legitimate No. 1 starter — if he finds the consistency that has eluded him this season at Class AAA Omaha. Club officials believe Jake Odorizzi could come quickly. Chris Dwyer and Will Smith also will be in the spring mix.Outside help
This is where it gets interesting because general manager Dayton Moore says he’s willing to swap top prospects for an impact starter. The Royals don’t figure to make a splash on the free-agent market, although they will explore the cost of retaining Bruce Chen. List of free-agent starters who could help | C5Indians 8, Royals 7
Reliever Louis Coleman gave up a three-run homer and the lead in the bottom of the eighth. | C4•Today: KC at Cleveland, 12:05•TV/radio: FSKC; KCSP (610 AM)
Statistics through Friday
| Player, team | Age | W-L | IP | W | SO | ERA |
| Mark Buehrle, White Sox | 32 | 10-6 | 169.1 | 35 | 88 | 3.19 |
| Bruce Chen, Royals | 34 | 9-5 | 107.0 | 38 | 70 | 4.12 |
| Kyle Davies, Blue Jays* | 27 | 1-9 | 61.1 | 26 | 50 | 6.75 |
| Jeff Francis, Royals | 30 | 5-14 | 162.1 | 33 | 84 | 4.82 |
| Freddy Garcia, Yankees | 34 | 10-7 | 122.1 | 37 | 81 | 3.16 |
| Aaron Harang, Padres | 33 | 12-3 | 131.2 | 49 | 94 | 3.96 |
| Rich Harden, Athletics | 29 | 4-2 | 57.1 | 25 | 66 | 4.55 |
| Livan Hernandez, Nats | 36 | 7-12 | 163.0 | 42 | 97 | 4.36 |
| Edwin Jackson, Cards | 27 | 10-9 | 160.0 | 51 | 121 | 3.94 |
| Hiroki Kuroda, Dodgers | 36 | 10-14 | 166.1 | 44 | 130 | 2.92 |
| Rodrigo Lopez, Cubs | 35 | 4-5 | 69.1 | 20 | 38 | 4.80 |
| Paul Maholm, Pirates | 29 | 6-14 | 162.1 | 50 | 97 | 3.66 |
| Jason Marquis, D-backs | 33 | 8-6 | 132.0 | 43 | 76 | 4.43 |
| Kevin Millwood, Rockies | 36 | 1-1 | 20.0 | 3 | 13 | 4.50 |
| Brad Penny, Tigers | 33 | 9-9 | 151.1 | 48 | 60 | 4.82 |
| Joel Pineiro, Angels | 32 | 5-6 | 117.1 | 31 | 48 | 5.37 |
| Javier Vazquez, Marlins | 35 | 7-11 | 147.2 | 46 | 120 | 4.63 |
| Tim Wakefield, Red Sox | 45 | 6-6 | 130.2 | 36 | 72 | 5.10 |
| Chien-Ming Wang, Nats | 31 | 2-2 | 33.0 | 10 | 9 | 3.82 |
| C.J. Wilson, Rangers | 30 | 13-5 | 181.0 | 61 | 163 | 3.08 |
| Chris Young, Mets | 32 | 1-0 | 24.0 | 11 | 22 | 1.88 |
KC’s top prospects
The Royals have six minor-leaguers who were ranked in Baseball America’s Top 100 before the season.
The Royals have six minor-leaguers who were ranked in Baseball America’s Top 100 before the season.
| No. | Pos., player | Level |
| 10. | OF Wil Myers | AA |
| 18. | LHP John Lamb | AA |
| 19. | LHP Mike Montgomery | AAA |
| 51. | SS Christian Colon | AA |
| 69. | RHP Jake Odorizzi | AA |
| 83. | LHP Chris Dwyer | AA |
