Even as free-agent pitcher Roy Oswalt displays increased willingness to consider one-year offers, the Royals show no inclination to bolster a still-suspect rotation just one week before their first official spring workout.It was much the same last month when Edwin Jackson, disappointed by a lack of multi-year offers, opted to accept a one-year deal with Washington, for $11 million, in hopes of a bigger payday down the road.The Yankees are shopping A.J. Burnett for pennies on the dollar — he appears headed for Pittsburgh; and the Phillies want to deal Joe Blanton. Both are veteran arms capable of helping a young rotation, but the Royals, from all appearances, have no interest.General manager Dayton Moore sees it as sticking to a plan.“It just doesn’t fit,” he said. “For me, we would be abandoning our plan with the young players. That’s not who we are. I think it’s important that we understand who we are, where we’re going and what we’re trying to do.“Abandoning that (approach), and precluding any of those young pitchers from being in our rotation, is doing just that.”Oswalt, 34, is a three-time All-Star who generated Cy Young votes in six of his 11 career seasons. He made $16 million last year while going 9-10 with a 3.69 ERA for Philadelphia but is now expected to sign a one-year deal for less than $10 million.Maybe a lot less.Oswalt is a Mississippian who makes no pretense at his preference to pitch in the Midwest. He would cost only money — no players in a trade — and St. Louis, Cincinnati and Texas (along with Boston) show some interest.The Royals remain nonplussed.Moore and his staff made their moves early in the offseason by acquiring Jonathan Sanchez from San Francisco in a Nov. 7 trade for outfielder Melky Cabrera. Roughly two weeks later, they reached a two-year deal to retain Bruce Chen.Those two moves filled the Royals’ desire to land two starters to team with Luke Hochevar as the rotation’s front three. Club officials felt no urgency to do more. “If Hoch pitches like he did in the second half of the season,” Moore said, “he’s perhaps an All-Star. Once we had those three guys we were committed to, to do anything else would block those young guys from getting an opportunity.”Relying on their deep pool of available rotation candidates, the Royals believe, is not only cost-effective but also offers the potential to match or exceed the performance of any veteran likely to be acquired through trade or free agency.Rotation incumbents Felipe Paulino and Danny Duffy each flashed plus potential last season. Aaron Crow made the All-Star team last season as a rookie reliever, but his shift to the bullpen was always viewed as temporary.Mike Montgomery lurched through 2011 at Class AAA Omaha but remains the top pitching prospect in a deep farm system. Luis Mendoza is in line for a long look this spring after a revamped delivery last year produced a breakout season at Omaha.“I guess if we had known all along that Edwin Jackson or Oswalt were going to take one-year deals,” Moore said, “maybe we would have done things a little differently or thought things through a little differently. But I don’t think so.“I think we would have come to the same conclusion. Sanchez really made sense for us at one year for $5.6 million. We needed to get Bruce Chen back. We feel he’s going to continue to give us consistency.“Once we were committed to those two guys and Hoch, to do anything else would block those young guys from getting an opportunity.“We don’t want to be in a situation in June or July where we need to get Montgomery up here or whatever, and we can’t because we’re paying other guys. I just don’t think that’s the right thing to do for where we’re headed.”There is also the question of whether anyone still available can, in 2012, front a division-winning rotation. The Royals believe they are better off, even in the short term, in seeing whether one of their young arms can become a legitimate No. 1 starter.“The way we’re going to win our division,” Moore said, “is for our young guys to play very well with energy and excitement. I didn’t feel a strong instinct to go get any of those (other) guys.”

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Royals’ Moore: Adding starter would block promising in-house candidates

By BOB DUTTON

The Kansas City Star

Projecting the Royals’ 2012 rotation

Locks (3)

LHP Bruce Chen: Veteran should provide stabilizing element

RHP Luke Hochevar: Did he figure it out in the second half of 2011?

LHP Jonathan Sanchez: Major offseason acquisition could hold key to season

In the mix (9)

RHP Aaron Crow: Gets chance to transport bullpen success into rotation

LHP Danny Duffy: Lots of potential but must pitch well this spring to hold job

RHP Vin Mazzaro: Key camp looms after disappointing ’11; bullpen a possibility

RHP Luis Mendoza: Out of options so will get long look after strong ’11 at Omaha

RHP Zach Miner: Ex-Tiger recovered from elbow surgery but longshot to make club

LHP Mike Montgomery: Power arm oozes potential but likely to open at Omaha

RHP Sean O’Sullivan: Needs strong camp or could be jettisoned to free up roster space

RHP Felipe Paulino: Will make the club in some capacity, but it could be in bullpen

LHP Everett Teaford: Fits best as swingman; could bounce between Omaha and majors

Getting a look for the future (5)

RHP Nate Adcock: Rule 5 status kept him in majors in ’11; now likely headed to minors

LHP Noel Arguelles: Cuban defector showed promise last year but still a ways away

LHP Chris Dwyer: Some scouts believe he’s close to putting it all together

RHP Jake Odorizzi: Not ready yet but projects as a solid No. 2-3 guy in a year or so

LHP Will Smith: Versatility makes him a possible dark horse for bullpen job

More News

It was much the same last month when Edwin Jackson, disappointed by a lack of multi-year offers, opted to accept a one-year deal with Washington, for $11 million, in hopes of a bigger payday down the road.

The Yankees are shopping A.J. Burnett for pennies on the dollar — he appears headed for Pittsburgh; and the Phillies want to deal Joe Blanton. Both are veteran arms capable of helping a young rotation, but the Royals, from all appearances, have no interest.

General manager Dayton Moore sees it as sticking to a plan.

“It just doesn’t fit,” he said. “For me, we would be abandoning our plan with the young players. That’s not who we are. I think it’s important that we understand who we are, where we’re going and what we’re trying to do.

“Abandoning that (approach), and precluding any of those young pitchers from being in our rotation, is doing just that.”

Oswalt, 34, is a three-time All-Star who generated Cy Young votes in six of his 11 career seasons. He made $16 million last year while going 9-10 with a 3.69 ERA for Philadelphia but is now expected to sign a one-year deal for less than $10 million.

Maybe a lot less.

Oswalt is a Mississippian who makes no pretense at his preference to pitch in the Midwest. He would cost only money — no players in a trade — and St. Louis, Cincinnati and Texas (along with Boston) show some interest.

The Royals remain nonplussed.

Moore and his staff made their moves early in the offseason by acquiring Jonathan Sanchez from San Francisco in a Nov. 7 trade for outfielder Melky Cabrera. Roughly two weeks later, they reached a two-year deal to retain Bruce Chen.

Those two moves filled the Royals’ desire to land two starters to team with Luke Hochevar as the rotation’s front three. Club officials felt no urgency to do more.

“If Hoch pitches like he did in the second half of the season,” Moore said, “he’s perhaps an All-Star. Once we had those three guys we were committed to, to do anything else would block those young guys from getting an opportunity.”

Relying on their deep pool of available rotation candidates, the Royals believe, is not only cost-effective but also offers the potential to match or exceed the performance of any veteran likely to be acquired through trade or free agency.

Rotation incumbents Felipe Paulino and Danny Duffy each flashed plus potential last season. Aaron Crow made the All-Star team last season as a rookie reliever, but his shift to the bullpen was always viewed as temporary.

Mike Montgomery lurched through 2011 at Class AAA Omaha but remains the top pitching prospect in a deep farm system. Luis Mendoza is in line for a long look this spring after a revamped delivery last year produced a breakout season at Omaha.

“I guess if we had known all along that Edwin Jackson or Oswalt were going to take one-year deals,” Moore said, “maybe we would have done things a little differently or thought things through a little differently. But I don’t think so.

“I think we would have come to the same conclusion. Sanchez really made sense for us at one year for $5.6 million. We needed to get Bruce Chen back. We feel he’s going to continue to give us consistency.

“Once we were committed to those two guys and Hoch, to do anything else would block those young guys from getting an opportunity.

“We don’t want to be in a situation in June or July where we need to get Montgomery up here or whatever, and we can’t because we’re paying other guys. I just don’t think that’s the right thing to do for where we’re headed.”

There is also the question of whether anyone still available can, in 2012, front a division-winning rotation. The Royals believe they are better off, even in the short term, in seeing whether one of their young arms can become a legitimate No. 1 starter.

“The way we’re going to win our division,” Moore said, “is for our young guys to play very well with energy and excitement. I didn’t feel a strong instinct to go get any of those (other) guys.”