Moore pumped up the offense by trading for leadoff hitter Coco Crisp and run-producer Mike Jacobs. While those two will help, the Royals need Alex Gordon, the second overall pick in the 2005 draft, and Billy Butler, a 2004 first-round pick who won Pioneer and Texas League batting titles, to reach their potential.

The Royals bullpen was a strength last year with Leo Nunez and Ramon Ramirez as right-handed setup men for closer Joakim Soria. Nunez and Ramirez, however, were dealt in the Crisp and Jacobs trades.

Moore addressed that by signing free agent relievers Juan Cruz, Kyle Farnsworth and Doug Waechter.

Manager Trey Hillman has spent most of spring training sorting out the second base job but still is undecided who will replace Mark Grudzielanek.

Mark Teahen, who started in right and left field the last two years, is trying to make the change to second base. He came up as a third baseman, so the infield is not foreign to him, and he was hitting .500 in the Cactus League going into the final week of spring training.

The other candidates are Willie Bloomquist, who was a utility player with the Mariners, and Alberto Callaspo. Who will get the majority of the playing time at second base might not be determined until the season progresses.

While Gil Meche, Zack Greinke and Kyle Davies are set at the front end of the rotation, the final two spots remain open, with three viable candidates -- Brian Bannister, Sidney Ponson and Horacio Ramirez.

The lineup outside of second base seems fairly set, but who wins that job will have an impact on how the batting order is constructed. If Teahen earns the job, he could bat third.

While Crisp and David DeJesus, who moves from center to left, can cover ample ground, Jose Guillen, who turns 33 in May, appears to have lost a step or two in right.

Shortstop Mike Aviles has to prove his rookie numbers of .325 with 10 home runs and 27 doubles in 419 at-bats were not a fluke.

John Buck moves from starting catcher to backup behind Miguel Olivo.

The Royals have had only one winning season since the strike ended the 1994 season prematurely. After finishing last season 18-8, they could be on the cusp of going over .500.

On paper, they appear to be the most improved team in the American League Central, which does not have a powerhouse. If they could win 86 to 88 games, which seems feasible, they Royals could be contenders in the division.

THE ROYALS WILL CONTEND IF ...: Gil Meche and Zack Greinke stay healthy and win 15 or more games; Kyle Davies pitches all season the way he did in September, when he was 4-1 with a 2.27 earned-run average; Coco Crisp has a high on-base percentage and scores 100 runs; and Alex Gordon cuts down on his strikeouts (257 the last two seasons) and increases his batting average (career .253).

PRIMED FOR A BIG SEASON: Zack Greinke walked out of spring training in 2006 but in 2009 is ready to blossom into a big winner. He signed a four-year contract extension in January to remain a Royal. Greinke, the sixth player selected in the 2002 draft, went 13-10 with a 3.47 ERA with 183 strikeouts in 32 starts in 2008, his best season in the majors.

ON THE DECLINE: Jose Guillen no longer covers the ground in right field that he once did. His average dipped from .290 in 2007 with the Mariners to .262 last year. He led the club with 20 home runs and 97 runs batted in but hit only seven home runs and drove in 32 runs after the All-Star break.