<table> </table> Say this about Royals general manager Dayton Moore: He promised change this winter, and he meant it.</p><p>The Royals pulled off their second major offseason trade on Wednesday by obtaining veteran outfielder Coco Crisp from the Boston Red Sox for reliever Ramon Ramirez.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;ve worked hard to try to acquire someone who we felt could hit at the top of our order and play center field every day for us &#8212; and free David (DeJesus) up to play multiple positions in the outfield,&#8221; Moore said..</p><p>&#8220;We feel we&#8217;ve accomplished that in bringing in Coco. He gives us more versatility, obviously. I think it&#8217;s a good fit.&#8221;</p><p>The trade follows an Oct. 30 deal that brought first baseman Mike Jacobs from the Florida Marlins for reliever Leo Nu&#241;ez. The Royals have also been linked in numerous trade rumors.</p><p>Moore indicated he isn&#8217;t done.</p><p>&#8220;I think it&#8217;s safe to assume there will be possible (additional) changes,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We&#8217;ve weakened our bullpen. We&#8217;re fortunate to have one of the better closers in the game in Joakim Soria, so we feel good about our potential to rebuild the bullpen.&#8221;</p><p>The Royals are also still searching for a proven middle infielder to team with Mike Aviles. Even with a projected payroll pushing a club-record $70 million, the Royals, apparently, aren&#8217;t yet tapped out.</p><p>&#8220;There&#8217;s flexibility for us to do some other things,&#8221; Moore said. &#8220;We have the opportunity to improve our payroll maybe 20-25 percent over last year.&#8221;</p><p>Moore previously cited $70 million as a likely ceiling, which would represent roughly a 20 percent increase over last year&#8217;s $58.2 million payroll on opening day. A 25 percent hike boosts the total to about $72.7 million.</p><p>Crisp, 29, will make $5.75 million next season in completing a three-year deal for $15.5 million signed in April 2006. The Royals also inherit an $8 million option for 2010 with a $500,000 buyout.</p><p>&#8220;We certainly have limitations within our market (in terms of) our payroll,&#8221; Moore said. &#8220;At the same time, we&#8217;ve had great support from the Glass family to do what we need to do to improve. Obviously, we think this move does (that) for 2009.</p><p>&#8220;For 2010, we recognize there&#8217;s an option for $8 million. We&#8217;ll just see what things unfold in &#8217;09. We expect it to work here, and we expect to have Coco through 2010. As I sit here today, that would be the plan.</p><p>&#8220;But as you know, we have another full season to go, and we&#8217;ll be prepared to adjust where we need to.&#8221;</p><p>Crisp is a seven-year veteran who spent four seasons in Cleveland before a January 2006 trade sent him to Boston. A switch hitter, he immediately projects as the Royals&#8217; center fielder and leadoff hitter. His acquisition also adds some much-needed speed to the top of the lineup.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s kind of bittersweet,&#8221; Crisp acknowledged. &#8220;I like the guys in Boston a lot, the front office. I enjoyed playing in a city where the fans were pretty much crazy about the Red Sox. I never played in front of that type of crowd before in my life. That part was fun.</p><p>&#8220;Now, the sweet part comes in. I&#8217;m going to an organization (where) I know I&#8217;ll be able to go out and play every day. That&#8217;s what I&#8217;ve wanted to do my entire life, just go out and play the game of baseball.&#8221;</p><p>Crisp batted .283 last season in 118 games with seven homers and 41 RBIs. He became increasingly expendable in Boston when rookie Jacoby Ellsbury emerged as a productive alternative.