KC Star: Moore’s approach puts Royals on track for jump in payroll (RR)

The Royals appear well-equipped to handle a major addition (or two) over the next two years. After that, their payroll figures to jump past $75 million just to retain their core of young players — even without any major additions.

It will only go up from there. Perhaps way up. And signing Guillen and Kuroda, or making a similar investment in other new acquisitions, would push the Royals’ projected payroll beyond $90 million by 2010 and 2011.
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“I want to win now,” Moore answered. “I’m a competitor. I feel we’ve got to put the best team on the field all of the time. I want to win, and I know we’re going to be successful here.”

Owner David Glass must feel the same way, because the Royals show no hesitation in entering the bidding wars required to sign Guillen and Kuroda. It’s the same hit-the-beach approach they adopted last year in pursuing free-agent pitcher Gil Meche.
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Club officials see no suitable free-agent alternative to Guillen unless the price on Andruw Jones drops significantly. Accordingly, the Royals seem willing to outbid all competitors for Guillen… To a point, anyway.

Guillen, 31, is now asking for a four-year deal despite the possibility of a suspension next season for alleged involvement in steroids and human growth hormone. That might merely be a negotiating tactic since the Mets are the only other team currently showing more than marginal interest.