Kansas City Royals 2003 Finish: 83-79, 3rd AL Central	Select Team Angels Astros Athletics Blue Jays Braves Brewers Cardinals Cubs Devil Rays Diamondbacks Dodgers Expos Giants Indians Mariners Marlins Mets Orioles Padres Phillies Pirates Rangers Red Sox Reds Rockies Royals Tigers Twins White Sox Yankees

Carlos Beltran Doug Benc/Getty Images
Batting Order
SS	Angel Berroa Looking to build on superb rookie season.
CF	Carlos Beltran Is this the season he puts everything together from the start?
RF	Juan Gonzalez Highly motivated to prove he's not at the end of the road.
1B	Mike Sweeney If healthy, he could be the difference in a close race.
DH	Matt Stairs Solid free agent pickup likely to share time with Ken Harvey.
3B	Joe Randa Rejected better offers elsewhere, believing Royals can win.
C	Benito Santiago Even at 39, he should provide an offensive boost.
LF	Aaron Guiel Must prove last year's breakthrough wasn't a fluke.
2B	Desi Relaford Faces battle from Tony Graffanino to keep starting job.
Rotation
LHP	Brian Anderson His decision to stay was turning point in the off-season.
LHP	Darrell May Looking to build on solid second-half performance.
RHP	Miguel Asencio Has the tools to be a solid contributor for years.
RHP	Kevin Appier Elbow repaired, but does he have anything left?
RHP	Kyle Snyder Must prove he can stay healthy for an entire season.
Bullpen
RHP	Mike MacDougal Dynamic stuff but strike zone command remains an issue.
LHP	Jeremy Affeldt Those blisters could prove to be a blessing in disguise.
RHP	Curtis Leskanic Strong closing kick prompted him to delay retirement.
RHP	Scott Sullivan A bulldog innings-eater capable of pitching in several roles.
RHP	Jason Grimsley Poised for rebound after being overused in 2003.
RHP	D.J. Carrasco Projects as long reliever but has closer potential.
Prospects
RHP	Zack Greinke Generally viewed as baseball's best pitching prospect.
OF	David DeJesus Will spend year at AAA preparing to be Beltran's '05 replacement.
3B	Mitch Maier Converted catcher could move quickly through system.

What's this? Expectations in Kansas City? Yep, for the first time in more than a decade. The Royals experienced a revival last season under relentlessly optimistic Tony Peña, rebounding from a 100-loss season to finish with a winning record for the first time since 1994. What to do for an encore? Owner David Glass contends the club “won't settle for anything less” than winning the American League Central Division. Peña even talks about going “all the way.” GM Allard Baird urges caution while pointing out the Royals are “only in the second year of a rebuilding program.” He's right, of course. And in any other division, the Royals would need all sorts of good fortune to position themselves as playoff contenders. But this is the AL Central, and the Royals -- on paper, anyway -- are better than the club that spent 93 days atop the division in 2003. Plus, the Twins and White Sox appear weaker than a year ago. So why not? “Our organization has made a 180-degree turn,” Peña says. “You can see how far we came so quickly. Right now, everybody is watching the Kansas City Royals -- what are they going to do next?”

Has lefty Brian Anderson become crafty and dependable at age 31? He set a career high last season with 14 victories and was 5–1 in seven starts after arriving in late August from Cleveland. Darrell May, another lefty, also experienced a breakthrough by winning 10 games after mid-June. After Anderson and May, however, the situation is far less settled, as three right-handers are coming off surgery. Kevin Appier is a proven workhorse who pitched much of the last two years with a bad elbow. Everyone says he looks great in rehab, although he might not be ready by Opening Day. Miguel Asencio has a killer changeup and seemed on the verge of putting things together last May when elbow problems intervened. Kyle Snyder was the club's first-round pick in 1999, then underwent two reconstructive elbow surgeries. He showed potential in limited action last season before experiencing shoulder problems unrelated to those elbow miseries. But the real question surrounds lefty Jeremy Affeldt. The Royals see him as a potential 20-game winner if he can keep blisters from popping up on his middle finger.

This has long been a disaster area, and last year was no exception. But there is reason to believe a turnabout is in the offing. Closer Mike MacDougal was lights-out at times as a rookie, recording 10 straight saves in the club's 16–3 start. But he was wildly inconsistent thereafter. D.J. Carrasco, a rookie selected from Pittsburgh in the Rule 5 draft, also had plenty of fine moments before wearing down in the closing weeks. Both should be better in their second seasons. A year ago, Peña had little choice for much of the season but to rely on sinkerballing Jason Grimsley in virtually every tight spot. Not surprisingly, Grimsley wore down. This year, Peña can call on Curtis Leskanic for a full season. Even better, the Royals signed free agent workhorse Scott Sullivan. So Peña now has plenty of options in crucial setup situations. The unit could get a real boost if Affeldt returns. His potent fastball and 12-6 curveball often proved absolutely devastating in two- and three-inning bursts. If those blisters deny him a spot in the rotation, he could wind up sharing closing duties with MacDougal.

Shortstop Angel Berroa, the AL Rookie of the Year, is a budding star. His range and arm strength are among the best in baseball. He is also solid offensively, combining some pop with the ability to steal bases. Desi Relaford will open camp as the second baseman but faces a battle to hold off Tony Graffanino, an all-everything type signed as a free agent. Whatever happens, the Royals have a top-quality reserve capable of playing any infield position.

A healthy Mike Sweeney would provide a huge boost. Sweeney is one of the game's top hitters, but a neck injury limited him last year to 108 games. Sweeney, Ken Harvey and newcomer Matt Stairs will split time at first base and DH. Stairs can also play the outfield. Harvey had some key hits as a rookie but needs to boost his .234 average against right-handers to avoid platoon duty. Retaining steady Joe Randa, who led all third basemen in fielding percentage, was a key offseason move. He's batted .289 over the past five seasons while averaging 14 homers and 85 RBIs.

Center fielder Carlos Beltran is a five-tool player on the cusp of stardom, but his days in K.C. almost certainly are numbered. He's eligible for free agency after the season, and club officials have admitted they won't be able to keep him. The Royals are hoping Beltran puts together a career year, but if things go poorly, he'll be available before the trading deadline. Baird replaced left fielder Raul Ibanez by signing two-time MVP Juan Gonzalez. If healthy, Gonzalez, 34, could be the first real slugger in the middle of the club's lineup since John Mayberry in the mid-1970s. Gonzalez will play right field, which means Aaron Guiel shifts from right to left. Guiel, a late bloomer at 31, must prove his emergence last season -- .277 with 45 extra-base hits in 354 at-bats -- wasn't a fluke.

Free agent signee Benito Santiago insisted on performance bonuses in his new two-year deal that trigger on 150 games and 550 at-bats. That's confidence for a guy who will be 39 on Opening Day. If nothing else, Santiago and Kelly Stinnett, another newcomer, should provide more offense than last year's tandem of Brent Mayne and Mike DiFelice, who combined for just nine homers and 61 RBIs.

Sweeney doesn't want to be the regular DH, but that could be his role if Harvey and Stairs share time at first base. Either way, the bench figures to be deeper with the additions of Stairs and Graffanino. Outfielder Dee Brown and utilityman Mendy Lopez are the leading candidates for the final non-pitching roster spot.

Peña gained much-deserved acclaim as the American League Manager of the Year, but Baird and his staff deserve similar praise for their work over the past year. They found the necessary replacements last season when injuries ravaged the pitching staff, then made several under-the-radar offseason signings before adding Gonzalez. In all, Baird improved a roster that ended 2003 with a league-high 15 free agents while maintaining a payroll in the mid-$40 million range.

Baird's off-season efforts present Peña with a roster that has no glaring holes. Gonzalez bolsters a lineup that already possesses a pair of All-Star-quality players in Sweeney and Beltran. The bullpen is solid. If the rotation solidifies, the Royals should return to the postseason for the first time since winning the 1985 World Series.

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